The Socialist 31 August 2016

#KeepCorbyn: For a party that fights for workers

#KeepCorbyn: For a party that fights for workers

Right's purges and exclusions show we must fight for a party for the 99%

Packed meeting discusses Trotskyism, Corbyn and socialist change

Trade unionists for Corbyn rally in Cardiff

Education: fightback needed

Pressure, lies and head games: being a school student in Tory Britain

Join the student fightback to end education cuts and austerity

No NHS cuts or closures

Grantham protest against night-time closure of A&E

Invest in grassroots sports needs

Women still take home 36% less than men

Over a million families in 'extreme problem debt'

France: Burkini ban fuels division

Chile: general strike threat as pensions protests grow

UberEats: Angry delivery drivers protest over pay

Solid bus strike for better terms and pay

Southern strike

Why you should join the Socialist Party today

Socialist Party 'collectathon' to raise crucial cash

Ken Loach and a Socialist seller join Sisters Uncut protest

Sunshine and socialism at Socialist Party summer camp

Can Britain have a pay rise?

PO Box 1398, Enfield EN1 9GT

020 8988 8777

[email protected]

Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/914/23465

Search the site	Printable version

Home | The Socialist 31 August 2016 | Join the Socialist Party

Subscribe | Donate | Audio | PDF | ebook

Smith v refugees

Solidarity with refugees, marching in London on 12.9.15, photo Paul Mattsson (Click to enlarge)

Owen Smith, the right-wing Labour leadership contender, falsely claimed refugees are overcrowding his local schools.

He said the entry of "significant numbers into South Wales of people fleeing the Middle East" was responsible for lack of places. There are, in fact, surplus places in Rhondda Cynon Taf, his local authority. And the council has only taken in 18 refugees.

Where there is pressure on school places this is caused by cuts, sell-offs and underinvestment, not people fleeing wars. Some of these military actions Smith himself voted to support, including in Libya and Iraq - although admittedly he voted against bombing Syria.

This cynical play on legitimate fears about public services follows comments about being "normal" with "a wife and three children". This was widely interpreted as a homophobic dig at then-rival for the leadership Angela Eagle.

In this issue

#KeepCorbyn

#KeepCorbyn: For a party that fights for workers