Archive for August 2012
3 August 2012
Suspension of Remploy industrial action
Remploy Consortium of trade unions met on 2nd August to discuss the industrial action being taken across Remploy
3 August 2012
Obituary: Frank Mills, 1939 - 2012
Frank made an outstanding contribution as a leading member of Liverpool's socialist council in 1983-1987 when he stood shoulder to shoulder with his comrades and never flinched when the establishment and its media launched horrendous attacks
3 August 2012
3 August 2012
Carlisle MP given petition against the robbing bankers
Carlisle Socialist Party members handed in a petition this week to local Tory MP John Stevenson with the heading: "Jail The Robbing Bankers"...
3 August 2012
Transport 'customer experience' staff still fighting for Olympics bonus
RMT union members in Transport for London (TfL) "Customer Experience" centres held their second day of strike action on Friday 3 August to fight for an Olympics recognition reward
3 August 2012
Winchester bus drivers are staging two days of industrial action on successive Saturdays in a dispute over pay...
6 August 2012
Reject the poison choices and unite against all cuts: Another vicious attack on the most vulnerable has been launched by the Con-Dem government, by slashing the amount of council tax benefit people receive.
6 August 2012
Support Churchill cleaners, Tyne & Wear Metro
Churchill cleaners working on Tyne & Wear Metro have taken a further 48 hours of strike action against stingy bosses in a highly profitable company who had the audacity to describe a zero increase pay offer as generous...
6 August 2012
NSSN lobby of TUC congress, 9th September: "Why I'm going to Brighton"
To fire the imagination of the million workers expected on a monster demo on 20 October, the slogan of the TUC is: "A Future that Works". Is that it?
7 August 2012
Trial resumes of Kazakhstan human rights activist
Vadim Kuramshin, a well-known human rights activist in Kazakhstan, has ended his hunger strike after authorities agreed to resume his trial...
7 August 2012
Growing resistance to NHS cuts shown in Redditch
Over 1,000 people attended a march and rally in Redditch, Worcestershire, on Saturday 4 August to protest against the threat to services at the local Alexandra hospital, particularly maternity and A&E...
7 August 2012
We Are Waltham Forest public meeting, 31st July 2012
Conflicting approaches in anti-racism campaigning: Waltham Forest Anti-Cuts Union, local branches of the Socialist Party and YFJ campaigners argue that the fight against racism and the far right must be linked to fighting austerity
7 August 2012
The last fortnight has seen the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) contest two more council byelections, taking to five the number fought by TUSC since the nation-wide local council elections in May
8 August 2012
Markets force savage austerity measures on Spanish workers
Recent public disagreements between Europe's political elites over how to contain the eurozone debt crisis have increased capitalist speculators' nervousness, leading to a sharp increase in borrowing costs for Spain and Italy's governments...
8 August 2012
Cash for contracts?: Cat Reilly, the unemployed graduate who took the government to court over their slave labour 'workfare' schemes, has lost her case...
8 August 2012
Portsmouth fans fight to save Fratton Park
"We will never die!" was the chant which echoed down the line as fans marched to save Portsmouth football club from closure...
8 August 2012
Socialist Students organise to fight fees and cuts
On Saturday 4 August, over 35 Socialist Students organisers met to discuss campaigning in universities and colleges during 2012-13, writes Claire Laker-Mansfield, Socialist Students national organiser.
8 August 2012
March together on 20 October and then strike together to stop all cuts
With over 350,000 public sector workers already sacked and over one million young people on the dole, it's terrifying to think that the vast majority of the cuts are still to come - unless we fight them!...
8 August 2012
Remploy: Workers at the Remploy factories fighting closure called off their 6 August strike in favour of workplace meetings to discuss further action including demonstrations in London and other cities...
8 August 2012
TUSC: Keeping up the pressure on the austerity parties
The last fortnight has seen the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) contest two more council byelections, taking to five the number fought by TUSC since the nation-wide local polls in May, writes Clive Heemskerk, TUSC national nominating officer.
8 August 2012
Welsh Labour: Red flag or white flag?
According to some historians the use of the red flag as a symbol of revolution and working class revolt dates from the 1831 Merthyr Rising...
8 August 2012
Brighton pensioner jailed for non-payment of council tax
In 2011 Brighton and Hove became the first local authority in Britain to be run by the Greens. The Green manifesto looked forward to "a just and equal city where everybody is treated with kindness, respect and dignity".
8 August 2012
Syria: Is there an alternative to the developing civil war?
Syria's agony continues unabated. Across the country there are indiscriminate attacks by the Assad regime forces and their militias, bloody sectarian reprisals by the armed opposition, refugee floods and humanitarian disasters.
8 August 2012
Sean Rigg inquest: damning verdict for police
The inquest into the death of Sean Rigg has returned a damning verdict for the police. The jury found the police used "unsuitable and unnecessary force" which contributed "more than minimally" to his death
8 August 2012
Swansea DVLA staff protest at embarrassment of job cuts
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Swansea branch of the PCS is holding a protest rally on 10 August at 12.30 outside the Department for Transport (DfT) Shared Services Centre in Swansea
8 August 2012
Newcastle's loudest protest! - Supporting Churchill cleaners
"Who are we - RMT" and "Low Pay - No Way", were amongst the deafening chants at a protest outside the front door of Nexus, the regional transport authority
8 August 2012
Views on the Olympics and the opening ceremony
The reaction of the right wing to the Olympics opening ceremony says it all. It was attacked in a racist, reactionary, anti-working class article in the Daily Mail (later taken down from the paper's website...
8 August 2012
Workers win Wales Austerity Games despite bosses moving the goalposts!
Following our YFJ Wales week of action, our Austerity Games was held on Saturday 4 August, writes Gareth Bromhall.
8 August 2012
Interview with Southampton rebel councillors
'We weren't elected to make cuts': Two Southampton Labour Party councillors, Keith Morrell and Don Thomas, have been investigated by the party whips
8 August 2012
Vote No in Unison's local government pension scheme ballot
Unison members in local government are being subjected to an avalanche of material from the union leadership, urging them to vote to accept the new pension deal
8 August 2012
End the insane cycle of youth joblessness
In a dazzling display of talent a new generation of Olympians is breaking records. By brutal contrast, 75 million 16 - 24 year olds globally have been thrown on the scrapheap of unemployment
8 August 2012
The Socialist Party's approach in anti-racism campaigning
For an analytical article on the recent 'We are Waltham Forest' public meeting, organised to counter the EDL, go to:
8 August 2012
Hinchingbrooke hospital is in debt due to costs incurred from a PFI scheme introduced by Labour. Now Circle Healthcare has been brought in to manage and 'save' the hospital
10 August 2012
Support Aylesbury hospital staff issued redundancy notices
Staff working at the private hospital Royal Bucks, working with patients with spinal injuries, only got paid 20% of their wages for July...
10 August 2012
Unite housing workers condemn pay cuts
The care subsidiary of London-based housing association 'One Housing' plans to cut support staff pay by up to £8,000 a year despite warnings that staff could face homelessness and severe hardship
13 August 2012
Jobcentre call centres strike against draconian conditions
Jobcentre staff who deal with calls on benefits are striking today over oppressive working conditions
13 August 2012
Southampton residents voice fury at pool closure plan
After witnessing all the euphoria on TV about the Olympic Games, on Friday 10 August I attended a public meeting at Lordshill in Southampton, writes Dave Boyes.
14 August 2012
Disabled People Against Cuts organising against Atos
From Monday 27th to Friday 31st August, Disabled People Against Cuts is organising the Atos Games - five days of action against a company that's sponsoring the Paralympics but wrecking disabled people's lives...
16 August 2012
Obituary - Tommy Walker, Stoke-on-Trent
Tommy was a true working class hero, a member of the Communist Party and inspiration to many trade union and labour movement activists across Stoke-on-Trent and beyond ...Tommy was small in stature but like a lion when it came to fighting for the interests of building workers on the sites
16 August 2012
Cut rail fares! Renationalise the railways!
Privatisation is a Tory con! Since the railways were privatised they have been subsidised by £3 billion a year more than when they were state-owned. The collapse of Railtrack cost a further £20 billion...
17 August 2012
And the toilet seat goes to ... Sheffield City Council!
Because that's what around 100 council craftsmen think about councillors and management that have regraded them to earn up to £4,000 a year less than labourers
17 August 2012
Second charge of perjury committed in Tommy Sheridan trial
Yet another ex-News of the World journalist has been charged with having committed perjury during the Tommy Sheridan trial in 2010
17 August 2012
South Africa - Solidarity with Lonmin's miners
34 people were killed on 16 August as a massive police and army assault was launched to crush a strike by workers at platinum miner Lonmin’s shafts in Marikana outside Rustenburg
18 August 2012
Dressed in brightly coloured balaclavas and costumes inspired by the punk group Pussy Riot, over 200 people gathered in Leeds city centre to protest against the treatment of the group in Russia
18 August 2012
Solidarity with South African miners - protest report
Yesterday protesters in front of the South African embassy in London demanded an end to the killing of striking South African miners and protection of workers' and trade union rights
21 August 2012
Socialist Party Summer Camp 2012
Just a few days away this year's summer camp will held in the only part of the country which has seen good weather for the summer, writes Sean Figg, Socialist Party national orgainser.
21 August 2012
Britain: towards a 24 hour general strike
The feel-good Olympics can not disguise the catastrophic position facing British capitalism, or the potential for social explosions inherent in the situation...
22 August 2012
Stop the exploitation of workers by ruthless multinational: Trade unionists in Britain have been stunned by the scenes of slaughter on TV from the Marikana platinum mine in South Africa, writes Rob Williams.
22 August 2012
Lobby the TUC on 9 September: Demand a 24-hour strike against austerity
What we think: 80% to 85% of the Con-Dem cuts are still to come. But already, 400,000 public sector workers have lost their jobs, tuition fees have trebled and EMA has been abolished.
22 August 2012
Draconian sentences for Pussy Riot protest will backfire on Putin
The two-year prison sentences for 'hooliganism' handed down to three members of Pussy Riot in Russia has triggered a storm of international protests and underlined the dictatorial regime of president Vladimir Putin...
22 August 2012
And the toilet seat medal goes to... Sheffield City Council!
Because that's what around 100 Sheffield council craftsmen think about councillors and management that have left them earning up to £4,000 a year less than labourers after a re-grading exercise...
22 August 2012
Victory for One Housing workers
"You're fired!", "Welcome back after accepting £8k salary drop", "Unite accuses landlord of failing to engage"!...
22 August 2012
Banners and flags were caught in the early Saturday morning breeze at Portsmouth Ferry Port on 18 August. The chant was "low pay, no way" in the second protest outside the port, writes Nick Pollard.
22 August 2012
Builders plan to stop 'Besna 2' at Crown House
On 17 August at a protest outside the Crown House site in St Pancras, London, a campaign was launched by Unite and the Sparks rank and file, writes Rob Williams.
22 August 2012
The Olympics: Sport for all, or just for the elite?
The Olympics were enthusiastically enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people. But estimates are that a medal won by Team GB at the London 2012 Games cost an average of just over £4.5 million from government...
22 August 2012
Doors close after A-level results
In mid-August thousands of young people received their A-level results. These young people will be the first to pay the higher £9,000 tuition fees and so it's no surprise that applications by English...
22 August 2012
On Saturday 18 August 200 people marched through Birmingham to demand justice for the family of Kingsley Burrell, writes Nick Hart.
22 August 2012
Inspire a generation?: Politicians were crawling all over the Olympics - desperate to be seen taking part in an event enjoyed by so many...
22 August 2012
Shafilia Ahmed murder: A question of women's rights
The horrific murder of Shafilia Ahmed by her parents will no doubt be exploited by the far right and used by the government to further their attacks on minority groups, writes Cathy Meadows.
22 August 2012
Tommy Walker - tribute to a working class fighter
Tommy Walker, who has died aged 91, was a working class hero. This Communist Party member inspired many trade union activists in Stoke-on-Trent and beyond, writes Andy Bentley.
22 August 2012
Food prices soar: "Please sir, may I have some more?" It's not just Dickensian orphans who have to fight for the most basic staple - food...
22 August 2012
Southampton rebels continue fight against council cuts
Over 250 members of the local community packed into the Save Oaklands Pool public meeting and vented their fury at Labour councillor Warwick Payne who was invited to answer questions, writes Nick Chaffey, Southampton Socialist Party.
22 August 2012
Bring back EMA: In Chelmsford, on Saturday 18 August, 400 trade unionists, socialists and other anti-racist campaigners marched around Chelmsford town square in protest at the English Defence League presence in the town that day, writes Sean Figg.
22 August 2012
Fare rises and rail cuts: Kick the fat cats off our railways!
Privatised railways don't work. Britain's rail fares - already up to ten times more than those in Italy where the service is state owned - are being increased by between 6% and 11% in January. The First...
22 August 2012
Zero-hour contracts mean zero rights
I was recently interviewed by BBC Two's Newsnight after writing in the Socialist (issue 719) about zero-hour contracts and feel privileged to have spoken for the unemployed, writes Natalie Owen, Coventry, West Midlands.
22 August 2012
Scrounger? The truth about living on the dole
Following redundancy after six years at a local authority, last summer I had to claim Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA), and discover first-hand the inequities of the benefits system, writes Paul, London.
22 August 2012
Tottenham: a year since the riots
A year after the riots in London, the promised money agreed by London Mayor Boris Johnson and local government minister Eric Pickles to regenerate the riot areas has not materialised, writes Jane James, Haringey and Enfield Socialist Party.
22 August 2012
In Brief: POA rejects pensions offer
Members of the prison workers' union POA have voted overwhelmingly to reject the final offer on changes to their pension scheme. The main attacks proposed are to force prison officers to work until they are 68 and to change the indexation from RPI to the generally lower measure, CPI.
22 August 2012
Another News of the World perjury charge
Yet another ex-News of the World (NoW) journalist has been charged with having committed perjury during the 2010 trial of Scottish socialist Tommy Sheridan, writes Philip Stott, Socialist Party Scotland.
22 August 2012
WikiLeaks and Assange: No extradition to the USA
The political furore over the attempt by the British government to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to Sweden over allegations of sexual offences was ratcheted up after UK foreign secretary William Hague threatened to revoke the diplomatic status of Ecuador's embassy in London...
22 August 2012
Socialist Party's Hannah Sell on Jeremy Vine show today
22 August 2012: Available for seven days on the BBC iplayer, listen to Hannah Sell, Socialist Party's Deputy General Secretary, who explains that only 10% of the cuts have been carried out, yet there has already been a 250% increase in youth unemployment in 2011, while Ruth Porter, Communications Di...
22 August 2012
NHS: Dewsbury mass meeting opposes PFI
The campaign to halt the planned cuts to Dewsbury hospital took another step forward on Wednesday 25 July with a packed public meeting at Dewsbury Town Hall, organised by Dewsbury Socialist Party, debating how to best fight the cuts, writes Yorkshire Socialist Party members.
23 August 2012
Remploy reps occupy the HQ of Remploy in Leicester - Video
Updated 16:30pm - Video added
23 August 2012
Vadim Kuramshin faces 14 years in special detention!
Prosecutor demands vindictive sentence at end of farcical trial: Latest from reporters in Kazakhstan. The verdict has been postponed for the third time at least, until Monday. It is clear that the protests are having an effect
24 August 2012
Protest against the GCSE marking scandal
Instead of being able to celebrate their results, thousands of students and schools are facing an uncertain future because of the last-minute shifting of grade boundaries
28 August 2012
Vadim Kuramshin has been freed!
Socialist Movement Kazakhstan has announced on its website that Vadim Kuramshin was released directly from the court-room in Taraz this morning soon after 11am...
28 August 2012
Coventry article on Local Authority pensions
All three local authority trade unions have now accepted the new look pension scheme - LGPS 2014, with ballots in GMB, Unite and Unison all returning large majorities in favour of accepting...
29 August 2012
Building workers fight pay cut threat
Dozens gathered at Cardiff's Royal Infirmary on 24 August to support electricians taking action against "Besna 2"...
29 August 2012
Sheffield recycling workers to resume strike action
Recycling workers at Sheffield council's five privatised Dump-it sites will strike again on 1-2 September, writes Alistair Tice.
29 August 2012
Sparks protest at London Crown House site
6.30am on 24 August saw the second protest outside the Crown House site opposite St Pancras station in London. Crown House want to tear up the national agreement so that they can cut wages...
29 August 2012
Editorial comment from Offensiv, weekly paper of Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna (CWI Sweden)...
29 August 2012
George Galloway, Respect Party MP for Bradford West, revealed disturbing ignorance and misogyny in his recent podcast about the rape allegations against Julian Assange, founder of the WikiLeaks website and scourge of the political and military establishment, writes Eleanor Donne.
29 August 2012
Leon Trotsky: A revolutionary's life
Book review: The 72nd anniversary of the assassination of the great Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky was commemorated even within Britain's capitalist press...
29 August 2012
GCSE changes to prepare for more academies: Newspaper headlines about GCSE results are predictable. If the results show improvement it is "proof" that standards are slipping. It is nothing of the sort. This year's results give the lie to that...
29 August 2012
Women's prisons - Con-Dems' 'reforms' mean cuts and privatisation
The Prison Reform Trust has said that prisons in England and Wales are over capacity by 7,300 inmates. This overcrowding, says the trust, is limiting prison staff's efforts to reduce reoffending...
29 August 2012
TUSC councillor rejects Walsall cuts 'consultation'
Walsall council has begun a public consultation on 'spending priorities for 2013-14', speaking of further cuts of around £67 million over the next four years...
29 August 2012
Notting Hill carnival-goers support Lonmin miners
Socialist Party members joined thousands of Londoners at the Notting Hill carnival on Bank Holiday Monday, campaigning for solidarity with South African Lonmin mineworkers, writes Neil Cafferky.
29 August 2012
Over the August bank holiday weekend, the Socialist Party's summer camp took place near the beautiful Epping Forest, writes Iain Dalton.
29 August 2012
Why I joined the Socialist Party
I am 22 years old and a new member of the Socialist Party. I'm sure there are many others who could join with us in our struggle for a fairer world. This is why I joined the Socialist Party:...
29 August 2012
£574.26 was raised for the server appeal at the Saturday night rally at the annual Socialist Party summer camp, including £100 from Rob Simmons, £100 from Helen and Mark Kerr; £40 from Linda Taaffe, £25 from Ken Douglas, £25 from Paula Mitchell and £80 from Jon Dale...
29 August 2012
Kazakhstan: Human rights campaigner Vadim Kuramshin freed
The well-known Kazakhstan human rights activist, Vadim Kuramshin, was released from custody on 28 August
29 August 2012
NHS: Unions must defend national pay bargaining
Poole Hospital NHS Trust is one of the 20 trusts in the South West that have signed up to the South West Pay, Terms and Conditions Consortium, the real purpose of which is to reduce the wage bill
29 August 2012
Local government pension scheme
How did we end up worse off?: All three local authority trade unions have now accepted the new-look pension scheme - LGPS 2014, with ballots in GMB, Unite and Unison all returning large majorities in favour of accepting, writes a Coventry council worker.
29 August 2012
Norway: Mass murderer Anders Breivik gets life sentence
Far-right terrorist Anders Behring Breivik was found guilty of mass murders which he committed on 22 July 2011 in Oslo and at a youth camp of the governing Labour Party on the small island of Utøya
29 August 2012
Crisis services handed over to charity food banks
Once again The Guardian repeats the line that 'councils will no longer be able to' fund another vital service, this time to maintain emergency crisis loans
29 August 2012
One person's tragedy...: In issue 730 of the Socialist, Iain Dalton reported on the world food crisis. But evidently, crops failing and the resulting unaffordable food prices and potential starvation isn't such a tragedy for everyone
29 August 2012
The 'madness' of building homes
On 28 August, the Guardian carried a Polly Toynbee article about the role of "great speeches" at Tory, Labour and Lib Dem conferences
29 August 2012
Prison work - £3 a day is exploitation for profit
Dozens of inmates at Prescoed prison in Monmouthshire are being bussed out to a call centre to work for just £3 a day. PJ McParlin gives the POA's response
29 August 2012
East Midlands: Save our ambulance service
East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) is in a period of consultation over proposals that would mean the closure of around 60 stations, writes Charlie Taylor, Derby.
29 August 2012
Third prosecution witness from Tommy Sheridan trial now charged
Bob Bird, former editor of the Scottish edition of the News of the World has been charged with perverting the course of justice during Tommy Sheridan's 2006 defamation case and data protection offences...
29 August 2012
Fight their system, demand our future!: Hidden behind headlines of lions and Prince Harry getting naked was the latest on young people not in education, employment or training...
29 August 2012
Sheffield's disabled join Paralympic protest
Disabled people put on a united front against the government's chosen Paralympics sponsor
29 August 2012
Lobby the TUC for a 24-hour general strike
Britain's self-appointed 'elite' has declared war on the ordinary people of this country...No sane person sits idly by while everything he or she holds dear is torn apart by the enemy. The time has come to rise up!
29 August 2012
Paralympics, Atos scandal, Remploy closures... Con-Dems win gold for hypocrisy!
Millions are watching the 2012 Paralympics. The Games aim to inspire young disabled people to take up sport and compete at the highest level
30 August 2012
Build for a 24-hour general strike!
Across the country millions of people are starting to suffer the consequences of Austerity Britain. Over two and a half million are unemployed, with millions only able to get part time work.
31 August 2012
Fight begins against massive outsourcing by Knowsley's Labour council
Knowsley council on Merseyside has announced shocking plans to outsource almost all its services and jobs
31 August 2012
PCS wins significant jobs agreement in HMRC
Strike action on Monday 3 September has been suspended in order to implement a deal on jobs, privatisation and sickness absence policy
27 Jan Cardiff West Socialist Party: Saving the music industry from pandemic and austerity
27 Jan Bristol North Socialist Party: Open discussion
28 Jan Cardiff East Socialist Party: Saving the music industry from pandemic and austerity
LINKS
The Socialist Party is part of the
Committee for a Workers‘ International (CWI) which fights for socialism world
wide. www.socialistworld.net.
CONTACT US
Phone our national office on 020 8988 8777
Email: [email protected]
Locate your nearest Socialist Party branch Text your name and postcode to 07761 818 206
Regional Socialist Party organisers:
Eastern: 079 8202 1969
East Mids: 077 3797 8057
London: 075 4018 9052
North East: 078 4114 4890
North West 079 5437 6096
South West: 077 5979 6478
Southern: 078 3368 1910
Wales: 079 3539 1947
West Mids: 024 7655 5620
Yorkshire: 077 0671 0041
ABOUT US
MEMBER RESOURCES
MARXISM
Communist
Manifesto by Marx and Engels
Communism, grotesque caricature: see Soviet Union. See also What About Russia?
How would a socialist economy work?
Lenin:
On Marxism
Terrorism: Marxism Opposes Terrorism
BOOKS & VIDEOS
Click here for our video pages
Click here for our online publications
Click here to go to Left Books (opens in new window) for new and secondhand books
LATEST POSTS
ARCHIVE
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
Platform setting: =
V5