The Socialist 25 January 2017

Organise to beat Trumpism, austerity and capitalism

Millions on women's marches around the world: Build a mass movement against Trumpism, austerity and capitalism

NHS SOS: Save the Women's Hospital

Defiant mood at North Tyneside STP consultation

Lancashire: Hospital workers protest consultation

St Austell: STPs attacked

Paignton: organising against hospital closure

Reject Surrey's 15% council tax increase

Bristol police taser own race relations adviser

2016 hottest year on record, air poisonous

Wales council votes to buy back homes

Trident trouble

Isle of Wight independents resign over cuts

Come to the TUSC national conference 2017!

Huge anger internationally on marches against Trump

India: struggle against land grab in Pune

International news in brief

RMT determinedly continues Southern strike

Incensed BA cabin crew strike and protest over pay

Steely opposition growing to Tata pension offer

2017 Unite general secretary and executive elections

Don't we need competition to spur on progress?

Huge anger against Trump across Britain

Surrey: Save our fire station

South London: march to save community centres

Obituary: Bernard Roome 1947-2017

Ed Balls: 'Speaking Out' for capitalism

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Wales council votes to buy back homes

Socialist-led Liverpool city council's struggle in 1983-87 led to mass demonstrations and thousands of new council houses built, photo Dave Sinclair (Click to enlarge)

Dave Reid, Socialist Party Wales

Flintshire county council in North Wales has decided to buy back 55 council houses sold since 2005 when they become available on the market.

It is also building 200 council houses over the next five years.

Swansea council has also agreed to build a few new council houses. And the Welsh government is considering the abolition of the 'right to buy' scheme for council housing.

These are welcome measures, but they hardly scratch the surface of the housing crisis that has developed in Wales.

A socialist council would use the current low interest rates to fund mass council house building and demand greater funding for housing from the Welsh government.

Abolishing the right to buy must be accompanied by a house building programme.

Welsh Labour has been forced by public pressure to reform housing legislation in Wales to make private landlords register as such.

But the registration is not backed up by enforcement of safeguards or tenants' rights. In fact, the act actually removed tenancy protection in the first six months of tenancy.

Tackling the housing crisis in Wales and across Britain will mean candidates standing on a programme of reversing the privatisation of housing stock. For real regulation of landlords, capping rents instead of benefits, and fighting central government for funding to reverse cuts.

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Millions on women's marches around the world: Build a mass movement against Trumpism, austerity and capitalism