Archive for February 2015
2 February 2015
Ongoing battle to protect pay and conditions at college
Around 160 Barnsley College teaching staff have taken another 3 days of strike action
2 February 2015
Tristram Hunt insults teachers and parents
Tristram Hunt confirmed Labour's contempt for teachers with his tweets to a concerned South London parent, writes Socialist Party press release 2.2.15.
2 February 2015
Oppose Le Pen, the far right and racism
The Oxford Union has scandalously invited French far right politician Marine Le Pen to speak
2 February 2015
March for Homes, London, 31st January 2015, photo Paul Mattsson
Around 5,000 Londoners converged on City Hall demanding a genuine solution to the capital's housing crisis
3 February 2015
Solid start to National Gallery 5-day strike
Workers at the National Gallery are striking for five days from 3rd February over plans to hand all visitor services to a private company
4 February 2015
ICO staff take strike action over pay
On 3rd February PCS members at the Information Commissioner's Office began a two day strike
4 February 2015
Fighting for one London bus pay scale
Bus drivers are escalating strike action to demand sector wide negotiation
4 February 2015
The Socialist Party is appealing for £50,000 to help fund our candidates for the 2015 elections, as part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC)
4 February 2015
photo Paul Mattsson
Struggling to live on low pay? None of my workmates at the major supermarket I work for would be surprised by the latest figures showing young people's wages have gone down 9% since 2008.
4 February 2015
Hands off our housing benefit!
"These cuts will sink us further into poverty": The government's plan to abolish housing benefit for under-21s has demonstrated, once again, how sorely out of touch they are with reality
4 February 2015
Miners' strike: vibrant array of support groups
Miners and their families, photo D Pearson
The great 1984-85 miners' strike ended 30 years ago next month. Dave Beale, chair of Chorley and Coppull Miners' Support Committee in Lancashire during the strike, explains the vital role of support
4 February 2015
Why I joined the Socialist Party
'Last November I heard Kshama Sawant at Socialism 2014', photo Paul Mattsson
I come from a small mining village in Kent, so I was quite politically aware while growing up. I often had conversations about politics with my parents, writes Beth Sutcliffe, Lewisham Socialist Party.
4 February 2015
National Gallery workers walk out against privatisation
National Gallery workers in the PCS union started their five day strike against privatisation on 3 February
4 February 2015
Uncaring: Labour and Tory/Lib Dem governments have slashed spending on elderly care by 20% over the last decade
4 February 2015
At least we got Labour's fish and chips!
Labour Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls recently made a regional visit to Plymouth in what was scheduled as a 'meet and greet' with the paying public and Labour supporters, writes Tom Sloman, Plymouth Socialist Party.
4 February 2015
Disciplined for political comment
A Labour Party leaflet, outlining its policies on the NHS, was delivered to many homes by Royal Mail workers in January
4 February 2015
Death, taxes and energy profits
Energy companies' rising profits can be added to Benjamin Franklin's famous remark that the only certainties in the world are death and taxes
4 February 2015
Cuba: Capitalist restoration threat accelerates
Che Guevara, photo Alberto Korda
Diplomatic relations with USA restored, embargo eased: As 2014 drew to a close, 2015 was ushered in by US President Obama and Cuba's Raul Castro announcing a series of historic agreements
4 February 2015
Victory of the Marigold gloves
"They came after cleaners with very small salaries and families, forgetting we are women, we are mothers, and if you mess with us we can become like the harpies in the ancient Greek legends..."
4 February 2015
FBU recall conference: escalate pensions action!
On 10 February, the FBU firefighters' union is holding a recall conference over its pension dispute with the government, which is insisting on increasing firefighters' retirement age from 55 to 60 from April 2015
4 February 2015
Ferry workers win pay and conditions battle
Unite members working on the Woolwich Ferry have scored a big victory against Briggs Marine who run the boat service on behalf of Transport for London
4 February 2015
Lambeth College strikers return to work
Striking teachers at Lambeth College have returned to work after winning concessions in a dispute over contracts
4 February 2015
Academies victory: one down, four to go!
Lewisham branch of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) has balloted members in five schools for strike action against privatisation
4 February 2015
Rebuilding the student movement in Leicester
"Students and workers, unite and fight!" was the chant that summed up the spirit of the Leicester March for Free Education
4 February 2015
Gateshead fights for working class heritage
"We have to fight for our libraries. They're part of our working class socialist heritage." This was the response of a woman involved in the campaign to keep our Gateshead libraries open
4 February 2015
Trade union day school: I was fortunate enough to attend a Socialist Party regional day school on trade unionism in Manchester on 31 January
4 February 2015
Greece: Syriza announces anti-austerity policies
The new Syriza-led government has announced a series of policies that will come as a huge relief to Greek workers after years of brutal austerity measures that have driven many into penury
4 February 2015
NHS crisis: Establishment parties can't be trusted
Physics professor Stephen Hawking - who has motor neurone disease and considers that the NHS saved his life - has said that it "must be preserved from commercial interests who want to privatise it"
5 February 2015
Bus workers' second strike - picket reports
The first of 3 one-day strikes over 11 days
9 February 2015
TUSC street ballot: 100% against cuts
Listen to the people! That's the message Swansea TUSC will take to a lobby of the council's cabinet
9 February 2015
Former Lambeth Labour councillor standing for TUSC
Former Labour councillor, disciplined for making a stand against cuts, resigns from Labour to stand for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
9 February 2015
Rotherham: Farage humiliated by protesters
Nigel Farage was smuggled to safety by minders after TUSC supporters and others picketed Ukip's Rotherham office
9 February 2015
Gateshead: Pensioner 'bundled off' by bureaucrats
Within seconds of criticising Labour at an anti-cuts rally, one Gateshead pensioner was bundled off stage!
9 February 2015
National Gallery strikers march down Whitehall
On Thursday 5th February, 100 staff at the National Gallery and their supporters marched down Whitehall from their workplace to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, handing in a petition almost 50,000 strong
9 February 2015
10 February 2015
Defend the PCS - Solidarity to defeat union-busting
The government plans to render PCS incapable of defending and representing its members, and to silence its opposition to cuts and privatisation, writes John McInally
10 February 2015
Protest at Irish embassy on 11th Feb
Yesterday four anti-water charges activists were arrested in connection with a community protest against an Irish government minister in Dublin last November
11 February 2015
Last summer a retired gardener from Newham, east London, killed himself. 66 year old Malcolm Burge had been driven to this desperate act because the government had slashed his housing benefit in January
11 February 2015
Unite: elect fighting socialist reps
Socialist Party member Suzanne Muna is standing to represent London and Eastern region on the Unite union executive.
11 February 2015
Campaign saves Bury Sure Start centres
Labour established Sure Start centres to provide education and health services for pre-school children, writes As an NHS worker, do you feel confident in any of the major parties to defend the NHS?.
11 February 2015
East Mids conference: Socialist Party members held their annual regional conference on 31 January. We discussed events in Greece and Britain's coming election, as well as women's, young people's and workplace campaign work
11 February 2015
Wales FE workers accept 1% offer
In a consultative ballot, Unison members in Wales further education (FE) colleges have voted to accept a 1% annual pay award, writes A Wales FE worker.
11 February 2015
Stefano Pessina the tax-exile billionaire boss of Boots has rounded on Labour's election tax plans as 'anti-growth and anti-business'. However, Tessa Warrington argues that, on the contrary, Labour remains subservient to big business interests, at our expense.
11 February 2015
Vote Osborne! Only cynics would argue that the government's extension of its pensioner bond scheme is a blatant attempt to buy the votes of the over 65s!
11 February 2015
"I've taken off the shackles" of the Labour Party
Ex-Labour councillor applies to stand for TUSC: Kingsley Abrams was suspended from Lambeth council's Labour group for opposing cuts. He has now applied to stand for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition in May's general election
11 February 2015
'TUSC has my values and principles'
Warrington rebel councillor Kevin Bennett speaks to the Socialist: Warrington anti-cuts councillor Kevin Bennett has left the Labour Party to become a Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition representative
11 February 2015
The pattern of two-party politics in Britain is breaking up. Anger at austerity and declining living standards is increasing the distrust of all capitalist politicians
11 February 2015
M25 strike date set: M25 maintenance, emergency and incident support workers working for Connect Plus Services are due to strike on 16 February over pay, sick pay and union recognition
11 February 2015
Lewisham: support anti-academy dispute
On 12 February National Union of Teachers members are due to strike at four Lewisham schools in south London to stop them becoming academies
11 February 2015
Over £6 million has been stolen from the people of Leicester by Boots since 2007. This shocking sum was calculated from national figures showing the chemist failed to pay £1.2 billion of tax
11 February 2015
Political vendetta against water charges activists
What we saw & heard: Paul Murphy, the socialist TD (MP) for Dublin South West, was subjected to a dawn arrest by Gardai (police) last Monday, 9 February
11 February 2015
1918: When German workers entered history
German revolutionary socialist Karl Liebknecht addresses a mass workers' demonstration
Last year was the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War One, covered by the Socialist in previous issues. But when the war ended, it was in a wave of revolution, most notably in Russia in 1917, but also Germany in 1918
11 February 2015
Appeal: Back the real opposition to brutal austerity
In the face of brutal austerity, a record-breaking eight Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidates are standing in Wales for the general election this year
11 February 2015
London buses: Same job - We want the same pay
Bus drivers at the Clapton garage picket on 5 February 2015, photo Paul Mattsson
London bus workers are engaged in an historic battle to get one rate for the job - the best - across all London garages
11 February 2015
Azure Card: isolation and stigmatisation of asylum
The 'Azure Card' is given to asylum seekers who are under Section 4 - awaiting a result on their claim for asylum
11 February 2015
Is Podemos the Spanish Syriza?
The election of a Syriza-led government in Greece has encouraged anti-austerity left forces throughout crisis-ravaged Europe and beyond. Nowhere is this more the case than in Spain, where a force widely seen as a 'Spanish Syriza', Podemos, is growing from strength to strength
11 February 2015
Take the wealth off the super-rich!
We are the 99% Take the wealth off the 1%, photo Paul Mattsson
HSBC tax evasion scandal: The super-rich live on a different planet. They go on several foreign holidays every quarter. While away, they visit the bank manager. They don't change any money in advance but draw it out while there
11 February 2015
Conflict between Syriza and EU escalates
'This is not negotiation, it's war': Not a single step back - statement by the editorial board of Xekinima (Greek sister party of the Socialist Party)
13 February 2015
London bus strike suspended - prepare for more action
London bus reps discussed 'where next?' for their dispute
16 February 2015
Protest wins reinstatement of Crossrail worker
On Friday a worker was sacked for raising health and safety issues
16 February 2015
More arrests in Ireland - protest at embassy - 17 Feb
Arrests of anti-water charges activists in Ireland have been continuing. As of today (16th February) 22 people have been arrested including three teenagers
18 February 2015
Socialist Party election appeal
As the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) anti austerity election challenge gathers momentum, the donations have been coming in fast to the Socialist Party Election Appeal
18 February 2015
Reading: Four new, young recruits joined Reading Socialist Party's ranks after a recent meeting on Syriza's election in Greece, writes Chris Fernandez, Derby TUSC.
18 February 2015
May Day greetings with the Socialist
Previous years' May Day appeals have resulted in fantastic displays of the respect and authority the Socialist commands in the workers' movement
18 February 2015
"Vote for hope and an alternative"
Nana Asante speaking at the 2014 TUSC conference, photo Paul Mattsson
Ex-Labour councillor stands for TUSC in Harrow: Nana Asante, former Labour mayor and Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) prospective parliamentary candidate in Harrow East, spoke to the Socialist, writes Why did the split occur in the Labour Party in Harrow?.
18 February 2015
Put the establishment on trial!: The HSBC tax dodging scandal has further exposed the rottenness of the political establishment. Both the Tory party and Labour received millions in donations and loans from super-rich tax avoiding clients
18 February 2015
Vanilla fudge: Ed Miliband claimed a political victory after Lord Fink retracted his threat to sue the Labour leader who, in a parliamentary bun fight with Prime Minister David Cameron, had accused him of being a "dodgy donor" to the Tories
18 February 2015
The probation service as we knew it was broken up and signed away into history on 1 February. Workers in probation union Napo fought long and hard but were unable to prevent 50% of services being outsourced
18 February 2015
Fighting for a £10 minimum wage
This month I attended the Bakers, Food, and Allied Workers' Union (BFAWU) national executive, representing Youth Fight for Jobs, writes Ian Pattison.
18 February 2015
Individual registration excludes voters...
Almost a million fewer people are registered to vote than last year - another barrier to anti-establishment campaigners in elections, writes David Maples, Lambeth Socialist Party.
18 February 2015
How the super-rich get away with it
"Tax avoidance - everyone does it." That is according to multimillionaire, former hedge fund manager and Tory donor, Lord Fink
18 February 2015
Greece: If the Troika does not back down?
Let the Greek people decide! The stand-off between the Greek Syriza government and the European Union (EU) finance ministers is continuing
18 February 2015
"I want to tell the truth about the crime of austerity"
Nancy Taaffe, TUSC's prospective parliamentary candidate for Walthamstow, spoke to the Socialist
18 February 2015
Lewisham: striking against 'academisation'
NUT union members from Sedgehill and the three Prendergast Federation schools, in Lewisham, south London, came out on strike on 12 February against the threat of forced 'academisation'
18 February 2015
Fighting racism with Solidarity Street
Clapton bus garage, photo Paul Mattsson
Over the last six months, hundreds of local people have backed our call to boycott "Immigration Street"
18 February 2015
Labour council to deal 'savage blow' to Coventry
On 24 February, councillors in Coventry will deal a savage blow to our city. They will vote on a budget making £15 million in cuts
18 February 2015
Clapton bus garage, photo Paul Mattsson
When I was new to bus driving, it wound me up when bus controllers asked: "Driver, why are you late?" I'm driving a busy bus in lots of traffic and the timetable is almost impossible to keep to
18 February 2015
Shallow look at racist far right
TV review - Angry, White and Proud: Jamie Roberts' Channel 4 documentary claimed to shine a spotlight on Britain's far-right today
18 February 2015
Firefighters' pensions strike and demo
Firefighters will be striking on 25 February in their battle against changes to pensions
18 February 2015
Workers' pay down £2,500... Bosses' pay up £700,000
Fight for decent pay, jobs and benefits: Feeling the pinch? Cutting back on spending? Wondering how you'll make it to the end of the month? You're not alone. Workers everywhere are struggling with stagnating wages and rising prices
18 February 2015
"Dogs of war" unleashed against water tax movement
"Call off the dogs of war on people in Jobstown." These were the words of Socialist Party TD (member of parliament) Ruth Coppinger when she challenged the Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) Joan Burton in the Dáil (Irish parliament) on 12 February
18 February 2015
Preparing the forces to fight capitalist austerity
Watford Socialist Party member Sajith Attepuram, photo Senan
On 14-15 February, branch delegates and visitors gathered at 2015 Socialist Party congress to discuss and debate the key political developments internationally and in Britain, and to map out the party's tasks over the next 12 months
18 February 2015
Decades of disastrous and bloody interventions
Review - Bitter Lake: Why do the mass media and politicians tell "stories" about Western foreign policy which are "increasingly unconvincing and hollow"? To answer this, film-maker Adam Curtis examines the western "narrative" through the "prism of Afghanistan"
19 February 2015
Rats in the mess room at Exxon Fawley site
Workers at the Exxon Fawley site in Hampshire have no hot water, heating and toilets in the mess rooms, but plenty of rats, writes Nick Chaffey.
20 February 2015
Rebel councillor speaks at first Warrington TUSC meeting
Councillor Kevin Bennett hammered Warrington's Labour council at the borough's first Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) meeting
23 February 2015
Wales Labour vandalising services
Trade union leaders in Wales continue their unrequited love for Welsh Labour despite Labour's ongoing willingness to implement Con-Dem cuts
23 February 2015
Unison activists challenge New Labour
Unison delegates from across south east England attended their regional council AGM
23 February 2015
1982: The 'Militant' debates with Austin Mitchell
A television debate in Blackpool during the 1982 Labour Party conference brought together MP Austin Mitchell and prospective parliamentary candidate John Spellar, debating with editor of the Militant, Peter Taaffe, and prospective parliamentary candidate for Liverpool Toxteth, Tony Mulhearn
25 February 2015
Councils at breaking point: the strategy to fight back
Councils across the country are setting budgets, again forcing through tens of millions - in some cases hundreds of millions - of pounds of cuts
25 February 2015
Anti-cuts MPs would only take average wage of a worker
In response to the latest Westminster scandal, the Socialist Party argues that what is urgently needed is a party of a completely different type
25 February 2015
25 February 2015
Socialists in Unison call for solidarity with PCS
Socialist Party members and other lefts on the Unison executive have challenged the union's leadership over aiding the government's attacks on the PCS civil servants' union
25 February 2015
Warrington 'vanity project' youth service cuts
Warrington's Labour council is pumping millions into a new 'Youth Zone' recreation centre. This is at the expense of professionally trained and paid youth workers - and without listening to the needs
25 February 2015
On 20 February, Greek negotiators agreed a four month extension of the current bailout programme with its creditors (the Troika - EU, IMF and European Central Bank), writes Nicos Anastasiades, Xekinima (CWI Greece).
25 February 2015
Monopoly money: With daily revelations of tax dodging scams by the super-rich it's of little wonder then that millionaire Tory Chancellor George Osborne is keeping a low profile
25 February 2015
Rent control now - build council homes: Rising private sector rents and cuts to social housing stocks makes it feel like social cleansing is taking place
25 February 2015
Put the bankers in the stocks!
It's bankers' bonuses week! The public can expect a slew of media stories detailing how these capitalist parasites have once again stuffed their pockets with fabulous sums of money
25 February 2015
As the general election approaches, even though the result may be hard to predict, one thing is clear: the victory will be with big business as austerity continues
25 February 2015
Ireland: five anti-water charges protesters jailed
For breaking an injunction compelling them to stay 20 metres away from all water meter installations, five protesters have been jailed for between 28 and 56 days each
25 February 2015
Bristol Greens back 'shocking' austerity policies
Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, photo Paul Mattsson
The 2012 Green Party Bristol mayoral manifesto said: "We do not agree with the logic of cutting public spending at a time of recession." Fighting words, but completely at variance with their deeds on Bristol City Council
25 February 2015
With friends like these, who needs enemies?
Kent councillor Harriet Yeo is now backing Ukip. She was - until recently - a member of the Labour Party
25 February 2015
Election appeal: Funded by you - not by big business
The Socialist Party is standing election candidates as part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition. We are asking you to donate to our campaign
25 February 2015
Left scares Usdaw leadership in elections
First time candidate Scott Jones was within 113 seats of winning a seat on the Usdaw exec
Socialist Party member Amy Murphy wins Southern region seat with 2,263 votes and finishes a close second in presidential election with 45% of the vote
25 February 2015
How to strike against privatisation
It is a mistaken but honest belief held by some trade union activists that workers cannot take legal action against privatisation
25 February 2015
May Day greetings: Implacable resolve of lowest paid
Demonstration against NHS cuts at Whipps Cross hospital, East London 21 September 2013, photo Paul Mattsson
The need for an organised, independent, political expression of the will of the 99% and our demands for health, homes and decent jobs has never been greater
25 February 2015
Nine-fold growth for Grimsby Socialists
At Christmas 2013, our branch had four members. In little over a year we've recruited an additional 33
25 February 2015
Do people want councillors who implement cuts, or councillors who are willing to fight the cuts?
25 February 2015
With the approaching general election, many young people, like me, are looking for answers to the multitude of problems over jobs, pay, housing, and education, etc, writes Tanis Belsham-Wray, Leeds Socialist Party
25 February 2015
Fight tuition fees - support the TUSC alternative
Labour's recent announcement that, given a win at the up-coming elections, they plan on reducing tuition fees to £6,000 a year would be laughable to students if it was not a complete insult
25 February 2015
TV football deal: Reclaim the game for the fans
The football Premier League's new TV deal with Sky and BT broadcasters offers mega-riches to the 20 Premier League teams, but little reward to the lower leagues
25 February 2015
When women's solidarity won battle for trawlermen
Trawlermen's memorial, St Andrews Dock, Hull, photo G Robinson
Review: Turning the Tide: Turning the Tide by local historian Rupert Creed is a true story, detailing the 1968 tragedy that saw the loss of 58 Hull trawlermen's lives
25 February 2015
Firefighters march though Westminster
3,000 firefighters protested over pension cuts and the fire minister misleading parliament, 25.02.15, photo Paul Mattsson
Firefighters across England struck on Wednesday 25 February, and together with others from across the UK demonstrated outside parliament
25 February 2015
50 years on: the assassination of Malcolm X
21 February this year marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X. As anti-racist protests continue across the US following last year's high profile police killings of two black men - Mike Brown and Eric Garner - the lessons of his life and struggle should be examined
25 February 2015
For workers' MPs on a workers' wage: What has changed in the two decades since parliament's first 'cash for questions' scandal? 'Nothing at all,' is the answer. Former ministers Jack Straw and Malcolm Rifkind have been caught offering to sell the influence of their public positions
26 February 2015
TUSC PPC launches Operation Black Vote
Today Kingsley Abrams is participating in the launch of the Operation Black Vote nationwide tour, in Brixton, to target more than a million people to engage in the 2015 elections
26 February 2015
ICO staff on strike for fair pay
PCS members at the Information Commissioners Office in Wilmslow are escalating their action
26 February 2015
Discussion in United Left on stance in general election
Socialist Party members in Unite have received an open letter from leading members of Unite who are in UL
19 Nov Socialism 2022
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