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Corbyn movement must seize initiative – or face defeat

Editorial of the Socialist, issue 923: An opportunity now exists to build a mass party that offers an alternative to endless austerity, on the basis of socialist policies. If that opportunity is seized, it will be a major step forward for the working class. The Socialist Party will do all we can to prevent this chance being lost as a result of prevarication and retreat.

Fight for decent jobs for all

Gig economy exploitation can be beaten… Those working in the ‘gig economy’ will be over the moon at the recent legal victory of Uber drivers. But important as this ruling is, it was not a foregone conclusion. Collective workers’ action helped win it, and only collective workers’ action will ensure the bosses stick to it.

Fight the ‘burning’ of our museums and libraries!

Remember, remember, the 5th of November: It’s the national demo that library and museum campaigners have been demanding for years – and on 5 November trade unions and community campaigns from across the country will finally march together, united in our demand to save our libraries and museums.

Battle of Orgreave: Establishment cover up continues

Tory Home Secretary Amber Rudd has ruled out an inquiry into the violent police assault on striking miners picketing Orgreave coking plant, South Yorkshire, in June 1984. She justified blocking an inquiry on the grounds that “ultimately there were no deaths or wrongful convictions”

One third of 2010’s new teachers have already quit

Cut workload and class sizes, not pay and conditions: Nearly a third of newly qualified teachers who started work in 2010 have already left the profession. Teachers are entering a job that is more pressured than ever. As a newly qualified teacher, I work at least ten hours a day, and often take work home at weekends.

We are all Daniel Blake: no more deaths from benefit cuts

Thousands of people have died since the implementation of ‘work capability assessments’. This is what the new Ken Loach film ‘I, Daniel Blake’ is all about. Enough is enough with this inhumane system!

LGBT people need militancy, not false ‘allies’ like David Cameron

David Cameron has won an award for being this year’s best “ally” of the LGBT rights movement from website PinkNews. An ‘ally’. Because during his time as prime minister, marriage equality became a thing. Never mind the real impact of his party.

What we saw

Billionaires’ club extends to UK; students refuse to award best digs prize; Plaid Cymru councillor loses rag when accused of cuts profits.

Solidarity with refugees

The refugee crisis in Europe is one of many examples of the brutal, cruel character of Theresa May’s Tory government and the profit-driven capitalist system they represent.

Demolition of Calais ‘Jungle’ camp – eyewitness report

What is going on in Calais right now should be regarded as one of the darkest moments in the European Union’s history.

My time in a detention centre

“I was encouraged to work – for £1 an hour” Tamil Solidarity activist Nandan, who recently spent several weeks in a Home Office detention centre, spoke to the Socialist about his experience of organising against the exploitation of inmates and the campaign to fight for refugee rights.

Mass student strike rocks Spanish state

Further mass action planned to pressure PP government: A tidal wave of protest swept through the streets and squares of Spain on 26 October. Two million, mainly school students, took part in a strike organised by the ‘Sindicato de Estudiantes’ – students’ union.

Glasgow School of Arts students “let us learn” revolt

Several hundred students boycotted classes and organised a mass picket right in the middle of an open day at the Glasgow School of Art on 27 October. They were motivated by anger against cuts and demanding more facilities to “let us learn”.

EU-Canada trade deal battle points to Corbyn’s Brexit opportunity

The saga of the on-off-and-on again trade agreement between Canada and the European Union (EU) holds important lessons for how Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters could use the Brexit negotiations to build a European-wide workers’ opposition to the EU bosses’ club.

Heathrow expansion exposes Tory divisions

For an integrated, environmentally sound, socialist transport system: The recent decision by the cabinet to go ahead with building a third runway at Heathrow has enormous implications for workers at Heathrow and for the local communities. What view should socialists take?

Will workers on company boards make bosses accountable?

Claiming the Tories to be the “party of workers”, Theresa May has said there will be consumers and workers represented on company boards, while employment rights will be protected and enhanced. But will this work?

Sheffield bin workers’ action strengthens in numbers and mood

Despite Veolia bringing in scabs and agency workers from all around the country, thousands of Sheffield’s rubbish bins have not been emptied because of the city’s bin workers’ industrial action.

Solid Southern strike continues against Britain’s ‘worst’ train company

Workers have turned out in large numbers at the Southern Rail offices in Barnham, West Sussex, determined to win their dispute. “The result at ScotRail [where workers won a victory to keep conductors on every train] is a boost to our campaign and gives us confidence we can get a result,” was the view of an RMT member on the recent strike.

Newsquest strike: “It’s impossible to do our jobs”

NUJ members working for Newsquest in South London were out on strike again on 25 October after voting to extend their strike by another five days. It is over a newsroom restructure that will result in 12 reporters covering news, sport and leisure across eleven newspapers and eight websites under a single content editor.

Outsourced ambulance workers strike in Tooting

There was a lively picket line of ambulance workers outside St George’s hospital in Tooting, south London on 1 November. The GMB members are in dispute with their employer G4S (who run the outsourced service) because their pay and conditions are now inferior to other NHS workers.

Glenfield heart unit closure: Over 1,000 march

“The unit didn’t save our hearts just so NHS England could break them”, said one patient. Over 1,000 people marched through Leicester on 29 October.

Massive demo against A&E closure

Around 6,000 people marched through the centre of Grantham, east Midlands, in defence of their A&E unit on 29 October. The “temporary” night time closure has people rightly up in arms as it has been extended already.

Campaigners call on Greenwich council to oppose the Housing Act

We Won’t Move campaigners, along with Socialist Party and local Unite activists, lobbied Greenwich council on 27 October against the tenant tax ‘pay to stay’ and the council’s lack of action in opposing the Housing Act. Council residents in the borough had received notices from Savills.

Haringey care services face ruthless cuts and privatisation

Campaigners are demanding that Haringey’s Labour council halts its programme of privatisation and cuts. After the cuts, the Ermine Road day centre will be the only council-run day centre for adults with learning disabilities left in the borough and the council plans to privatise it.

Teaching assistants stage vigil and rally

Around 400 TAs protested outside Durham County Hall. Across the north east there is growing anger against Durham’s Labour-controlled council, which is planning to sack 2,700 TAs, then rehire them on 23% less pay.

“Our problems cannot be solved by capitalist politics”

Why I joined the Socialist Party: We ought to be actively campaigning against the latest actions of the capitalist state, regardless of whether or not there are Tories or Blairites in government. That is why I have joined the Socialist Party.