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What we think
Budget cuts resignation: Tories split – strike now!
Iain Duncan Smith’s ministerial resignation has revealed everything that is rotten about the Tories. Now is the time to hit back.
Budget 2016
It’s one world for the super-rich, and another one for the rest of us. Osborne’s 2016 them-and-us budget gives billions away to high earners and business, at the expense of millions of workers faced with yet more cuts.
Budget 2016: fight for socialist policies to reverse cuts!
Tax gifts for the rich; new economic crisis looming. Few will have expected much from the government in Wednesday’s budget to benefit them. Coordinated action can turn this around.
Socialist Party annual congress
Socialist Party national congress 2016
A serious, thoughtful, optimistic and lively national congress of the Socialist Party took place from 19-21 March.
Socialist Party news and analysis
Brussels attacks: don’t let the terrorists and racists divide us
The victims, once again, are ordinary people. The workers’ movement needs a collective response to resist terrorism, racism, and government attempts to restrict strikes, demonstrations and political opposition.
‘Living wage’ lie: fight for £10 now!
On April Fools’ Day the Tories will implement the sick joke of a National ‘Living’ Wage of £7.20 an hour – but only for over-25s. Do under-25s not deserve to live?
Workplace news and analysis
Junior doctors to escalate strike action
Junior doctors’ trade union, the BMA, has vowed to escalate their strike over the imposition of the new, unsafe, unfair contract by Jeremy Hunt and the Tories.
Aramark workers striking for the living wage
Lively, and at times noisy, strike action hit the NHS in south London on 21 March. It wasn’t the junior doctors or the student nurses but the catering, cleaning and ‘hostessing’ staff at four mental health hospitals in the South London and Maudsley trust.
Tube drivers shut down Piccadilly Line over bullying
Tube workers in London operating the Piccadilly line are striking for 24 hours on the 23 and 24 March over “bullying, harassment and intimidation”.
Short reports on some of the latest trade union struggles. Teachers strike again in Scotland, Lambeth library workers walk out against closures, 250 jobs to go at the Guardian newspaper.
Academies feature
Uniting to defeat John Roan academy plans
The government has declared that it will begin forcing all schools to become academies. This is a huge attack which requires a huge response from the trade unions, teachers, parents and students.
Academy failed me and other children with disabilities
I felt I had little support from the academy I attended, including an inconsistent level of care which did not meet any of my required needs.
Socialist history
BSE crisis – the madness of the profit system
Twenty years ago: The UK’s biggest health scandal in living memory was the BSE epidemic known as “mad cow disease”.
Five years ago: 750,000 march against cuts
Five years ago, on 26 March 2011, the biggest trade union protest in British history took place. The TUC-organised demonstration was the first major show of opposition to the then Con-Dem government.
Socialist readers’ comments
“As a carer, I am expected to pick up the slack”
Cuts that destroy vulnerable lives: “The feature ‘Mental health – system in crisis’ was excellent and highlighted very well the viewpoints of both a mental health worker and a service user. I thought it would good to add to the topic with the impact on carers and families.”
Letters to the Socialist’s editors. Rape, women and victim blaming; McDonnell boosts Blairite mayor; healthcare insurance headache; errors of the pro-EU left; global economy gripes.