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What we think
General election is the real ‘people’s vote’
CWU vote for strike will boost confidence to fight back
The incredible Communication Workers Union (CWU) ballot result in Royal Mail – a 97% vote for national strike action on a 76% turnout – must be a watershed moment for the whole trade union movement
News
Boot out Boris and his bosses’ deal. General election now!
The Tory party chose Boris Johnson as its leader because he promised to deliver Brexit by 31 October 2019, even if it meant leaving without a deal
“I need to get to work! I need to feed my kids!”
Extinction Rebellion action opens up divisions on how to stop climate change: The attempt by an Extinction Rebellion (XR) protester to superglue himself to a tube train at Canning Town station on 17 October proved to be a ‘tipping point’ in a way that no one expected.
Rail report into death of Cardiff Socialist Party member
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has published its report on the death of Beth Roper, who died in an accident on a train near Bristol last December.
Boot racism out of football – reclaim the game!
Football fans were shocked and disgusted when play was stopped twice during the Bulgaria v England Euro 2020 qualifying match on 14 October due to racist chanting from a section of Bulgarian fans.
Enfield North Labour Party: Defend local democracy
Many Labour Party constituencies finally got the go-ahead to start the process of selecting their parliamentary candidate in September.
Minimum wage
Minimum wage: What should we be demanding?
In the last issue of the Socialist, we initiated a debate about how we can end low pay and what level of minimum wage we should be fighting for. Three readers have sent us their thoughts
Workplace news
Elections to the RMT union national executive committee (NEC) are taking place and RMT activist and Socialist Party member Jared Wood is contesting for a place representing the London Transport Region.
Marion Lloyd for PCS union general secretary
Nominations for the PCS union general secretary election closed on 14 October, and details of branch nominations have now been published.
Asda contracts: Vital that GMB mobilises for industrial action
About 400 hundred Asda workers and members of the GMB union marched defiantly through Leeds on 16 October, angry at the company’s plans to sack staff members that hadn’t signed up to the company’s ‘Contract 6’- with its unacceptable working conditions – by a 2 November deadline.
NEU members strike against sixth-form funding cuts
“The funding for school kids has been cut catastrophically, but the cuts for students aged 16-18 have been even worse,” said Alan Clifford, National Education Union (NEU) teachers’ rep at Notre Dame Sixth Form College, to Socialist Party members visiting their picket line.
Bradford: Workers walk out over council cuts
Short reports of workplace struggles.
Chinese revolution
China at the crossroads: 70 years since the declaration of the People’s Republic of China
In the final part of the Socialist’s trilogy marking the 70th anniversary of the Chinese Revolution, Nick Chaffey examines China today and where it’s heading.
International socialist news and analysis
Catalonia: Draconian prison sentences of independence leaders provokes mass protests and strikes
The attempt to crush the aspirations of the majority of Catalans for self-determination by the Spanish state – now headed by the Psoe-led government of prime minister Pedro Sánchez – has not succeeded but instead has ignited widespread anger.
Chile: An outpouring of rage against the capitalist system
Solidarity with the Kurdish people
As the Turkish onslaught in the Kurdish area of Syria continued last week, the campaign Solidarity with the People of Turkey (SPOT) organised a protest at the Turkish embassy in London.
Massive protests against Lebanon’s corrupt elite
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Join the party that dares to fight for socialism
Packed labour movement service a fitting farewell to Tony Mulhearn
Hundreds of people packed the pews and aisles of the Unitarian Church in Liverpool’s Sefton Park on 21 October to pay their respects to Tony Mulhearn.
Socialism 2019: Join us for a festival of ideas
Socialism 2019 is taking place at a time when the suffering inflicted by capitalism is at horrendous levels. Millions fear for the future. That’s why so many have taken to the streets in the lightning flashes that warn of storms ahead.
Burnt-out Barking residents picket builders’ sales day
Our protest outside the builder Bellway’s sales event, at the Hilton Tower Bridge hotel next to City Hall in central London, was a huge success.
Which way forward for the working people and youth of Nigeria?
Posties speak at Basingstoke Socialist Party public meeting
Four postal workers due to strike with the Communication Workers Union (CWU) were among the 15 people at Basingstoke Socialist Party’s public meeting on 16 October. We discussed organising workers to defend jobs and wages.
Socialists attract support at first Newton Abbot meeting
The Socialist Party held its first public meeting in Newton Abbot on 15 October: ‘Political parties in crisis, living standards falling – the case for socialism!’
Letters
Letters to the Socialist’s editors.