Hospital workers condemn terrorism and war

SINCE THE bombings, the Socialist Party has been calling for an
emergency demonstration to be organised with the clear message: ‘No to
terror, no to war, no to racism’.

Such political resolutions have been passed by several unions
recently. The Transport and General Union’s recent conference passed a
resolution calling for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

Len Hockey, UNISON joint branch secretary, Waltham Forest health
branch
writes that the following resolution was passed at UNISON
Waltham Forest health branch committee at Whipps Cross hospital on 14
July.

"This Branch Committee condemns totally the appalling and
despicable act of murder and maiming that took place in London on 7
July. Just as with 9/11 and the Madrid bombs, the target was ordinary
working people of all cultures, creeds and denominations.

"Such acts threaten to divide our communities and can help
reinforce right-wing press campaigns to scapegoat Muslims for all the
ills that flow from the capitalist system such as lack of housing,
decent public services, jobs etc.

"Bush and Blair’s war in Iraq, for the profits, power and
prestige of capitalism in the region, has so far resulted in the
deaths of 100,000 ordinary Iraqis (as well as hundreds of Coalition
troops). Our world has become a more unstable and dangerous place to
live in as a consequence.

"We oppose threatened attempts at repressive legislation such
as identity cards. Measures introduced by Labour In the wake of 9/11
failed to prevent this outrage.

"Most security measures in place are there to protect the
elite in society and not ordinary people.

"The fight for world peace is a trade union issue. UNISON
should continue to develop its links with Iraqi and Middle Eastern
trade unionists and campaigners for the withdrawal of Coalition troops
from Iraq across the world."


Campaigning for socialism around the country

THIRTY SIX copies of the socialist were sold at the Trafalgar Square
vigil a week after the London suicide bombings. Socialist Party members
handed out leaflets showing the need for a socialist alternative to war
and terrorism.

Scott Herbert

Some bought the socialist after they read our leaflet, wanting to
find out more.

Andy Tullis, who sold 10 copies of the socialist, said the vigil had
a good mood of international solidarity. "I had a good discussion
with a South African couple who bought a copy of the paper and said that
government repression never solved anything in South Africa, Britain or
anywhere else."

AT A packed all-London Socialist Party meeting on 14 July, Socialist
Party general secretary Peter Taaffe spoke of the marvellous solidarity
of workers immediately after the bombings but also warned of the
potential for increased attacks on the Muslim communities.

The fighting fund collection of £1,000 reflected the determination
of members and supporters to build on this mood of unity, to challenge
the rise in racism where we can and to build a mass movement in the
struggle for socialism.

THE WARM weather brought the crowds into Leicester. After we sold
around 30 copies of the socialist on Leicester’s Saturday stall, the
Socialist Party went to a rally called by the local council of faiths
for people of "all faiths and none" at Victoria Park.

We just let people come up to the stall and talk to us as we gave out
our leaflets.

We sold nearly all our papers, three copies of the paper of our
Pakistan organisation and all our Socialism Todays, as well as being
interviewed by the local paper.


Blair’s outrageous slur on socialists

PETER TAAFFE, general secretary of the Socialist Party, sent the
following letter to The Guardian which, on 19 July, reported without
comment that, at last week’s cabinet meeting, Tony Blair, "likened
Islamic extremism to the Trotskyist Militant Tendency".
It was printed on 21st July

BLAIR’S REMARKS are an outrageous slur. Militant Tendency, now the
Socialist Party, has always condemned terrorism; both the terrorism of
individuals and groups both in Britain, Ireland and internationally,
and the state terrorism of the US and British governments that is
estimated to have resulted in the death of 100,000 civilians in Iraq.

It does not bode well for civil liberties in the wake of 7/7 that
the prime minister is prepared to malign socialists who have
consistently opposed his neo-liberal, warmongering policies by
equating them with terrorists.

To the nightmare of terrorism, the Socialist Party has always
counterposed mass working class action as the only means to bring
about fundamental change – to bring an end to this capitalist system
which increasingly means poverty, inequality and national oppression.

Peter Taaffe, Socialist Party General Secretary