Archive for July 2017

3 July 2017

Six charged due to determination of justice campaign

More than 28 years after the Hillsborough disaster, charges are being brought against the policeman in charge and five others

3 July 2017

1 July demo: anger and enthusiasm shows potential mass movement

All who attended the Tories Out demonstration on 1st July will have been given a huge boost of confidence that the anger and determination exists to bring down the weak and wobbly Tory government

3 July 2017

Jobstown victory: protest is not a crime!

The 'not guilty' verdict for the Jobstown anti-water charges protesters was a stunning blow to the capitalist establishment

3 July 2017

Photos: Saturday 1st July anti-austerity demo

4 July 2017

'Jubilant' hospital workers strike against poverty pay in east London

On 4-5 July domestics, porters and security staff at Barts Health Trust began a strike

4 July 2017

Support the Merseyrail strikes against DOO

The Labour-run 'Liverpool city region transport committee' still intends to take guards off the trains and introduce 'driver-only operation'. We support the RMT, taking 24-hour strike action against this on 8, 10 and 23 of July.

5 July 2017

Blairite EU rebellion: no to the bosses' Single Market

Corbyn had to sack three shadow ministers who voted to remain in the EU Single Market

5 July 2017

Conference opens debate on Labour and pledges to fight anti-union laws

The RMT AGM took place in the wake of Jeremy Corbyn's tremendous general election result.

5 July 2017

Newcastle tenants demand answers

On 27 June I attended a meeting organised by concerned tenants of Your Homes Newcastle (YHN), an arms-length management organisation (Almo) of Newcastle City Council, at Cruddas Park tower in the city's west end.

5 July 2017

Tories' tuition fees wobble: fight for free education!

The Tories must "change hard" on their approach to university fees, according to First Secretary of State Damian Green

5 July 2017

Pensioners oppose DUP deal

The Merseyside Pensioners Association (MPA) is affiliated to the National Pensioners Convention, a campaigning organisation for decent pensions and the rights of pensioners generally

5 July 2017

From Militant to the Socialist Party - what you thought

Like many people who eagerly pre-ordered From Militant to the Socialist Party I have enjoyed reading its 600-odd pages

5 July 2017

Fight establishment's Grenfell insults: no to cover-up, safety for all!

Every day seems to bring a new insult to the survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire. They are still seeking assurances of local rehousing. Their landlord has charged them rent for burnt-out homes in error.

5 July 2017

Unison conference: Socialist Party argues for a socialist Brexit

One of the important debates at the 2017 Unison conference was about Brexit. One year on from the referendum, there were a number of motions and amendments about what form Brexit should take and what role the union should play.

5 July 2017

Leeds: Nurses' union RCN says 'scrap the cap'

"It's time for all of us to take a stand, if we don't we won't have an NHS left" said one nurse through the megaphone at the RCN nurses' union pay cap protest in Leeds on 30 June.

5 July 2017

The Socialist inbox

Letters to the Socialist's editors including Grenfell, Qatar, Corbyn and magic money trees.

5 July 2017

Surrey FBU pass no confidence motion

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in Surrey has passed a motion of no confidence in the local fire authority, saying planned budget cuts will see firefighter numbers plummet.

5 July 2017

BA cabin crew blacklisting strike starts

Mixed fleet cabin crew started a 16-day strike on 1 July. Up until the start of the latest strike, mixed fleet cabin crew had been on strike for 26 days

5 July 2017

Public sector wages - Pay up!

Strike to smash the cap: A stark new report by the government's own advisors on public sector pay has shown that there was a 6% drop in average wages from 2005 to 2015

5 July 2017

Pride 2017: we need a fighting, socialist movement for LGBT+ rights

Michael Johnson, from the Socialist Party's LGBT group, highlights some of the issues being discussed in this year's Pride celebrations and examines the lessons of the Russian revolution for the struggle for LGBT+ rights today

5 July 2017

Weakened Tories forced into Northern Ireland abortion u-turn

Thursday 29 June 2017 saw a significant step forward for women in Northern Ireland (NI). Funding to cover the financial costs for them to access abortions in England was pledged by the Tory minority government

5 July 2017

South London tower block residents plan safety campaign

Tower block residents from the Ashmole estate in south London joined Lambeth Socialist Party members to discuss building a safety campaign on 29 June

5 July 2017

East London community demands action after racist attacks

Over 100 local residents, including 20 who couldn't get in, packed the Berner Community Centre in Tower Hamlets, east London, on 2 July, angry about a number of recent attacks on local Muslim people.

5 July 2017

Another record fighting fund quarter!

Socialist Party members raised an outstanding £35,264 in the April to June quarter of 2017. This broke the record for the second quarter, which itself had only been set in 2016

5 July 2017

200-year miscarriage of justice exposing ruling class

Book review: Exactly 200 years ago a 17 year-old Nottinghamshire girl was murdered walking home to Papplewick village from nearby Mansfield

5 July 2017

Transport strategy: London's mayor is no visionary

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan recently released his 'Mayor's Transport Strategy' for public consultation.

6 July 2017

Lessons from the Russian revolution for LGBT+ struggle today

When the Soviet Criminal Code was established in 1922, male homosexuality was not included as a criminal act

10 July 2017

Vote for action to save Ford plant

Ballot papers go out at the end of this week to Bridgend Ford workers

10 July 2017

Chingford: Corbyn attacks pay freeze during tour

Corbyn also pledged to back Barts NHS Trust strikers after the rally

10 July 2017

Lots of discussions at the Miners Gala on the way forward

Crowds of up to 250,000 flocked to a sun-soaked Durham for the 133rd Durham Miners Gala

11 July 2017

Mears workers escalate action to all-out strike

Unite members at Mears have been on strike for 3 days a week since 15 May

11 July 2017

Grenfell stitch-up: unions should call independent inquiry

Survivors of the fire are still homeless, and blocks around the country are unsafe

11 July 2017

Striking Barts health workers show 'fighting trade unionism'

"We want a famous victory for the east London working class!" declared Len Hockey

12 July 2017

July Days 1917: battles with counterrevolution

Massive demonstrations involving nearly a million people erupted in Petrograd on 2-3 July 1917, in a colossal outburst of anger and discontent

12 July 2017

Save Glenfield heart centre

The latest protest against the proposed closure of Glenfield Congenital Heart Centre took place in Leicester on 8 July

12 July 2017

The left unions and the Labour Party affiliation debate

Who controls the Labour Party remains unresolved. The pro-capitalist right wing uses the structures established under years of Blairism to preserve its position while plotting its next move

12 July 2017

Low-paid cabin crew protest during 16-day stoppage

In a vengeful act, BA imposed sanctions on strikers: removing bonus payments and staff travel concessions

12 July 2017

Strike against driver-only operated trains continues

Continued coordinated action against driver-only operation on three rail networks has continued, with strikes on Merseyrail, Northern and Southern starting on 8 July

12 July 2017

Southampton Labour must reverse council cuts

The new funding formula threatens to cut a further £3 billion from school budgets - in Southampton, that would mean losing over 350 teachers

12 July 2017

Bin workers step up action

As Brum's Labour council continues to try to impose cuts, bin workers are escalating their strike

12 July 2017

This bosses' government must go

No compromise with Tories or Blairites. Fight for mandatory reselection.
Organise and strike for Corbyn's anti-austerity policies.
The 'gig economy' is bad for workers - but good for fat-cat bosses. Like austerity, it is akin to a blood transfusion system for money.

12 July 2017

G20 betrays refugees created by its own policies

This year is on course to become the deadliest on record for refugees crossing the Mediterranean - and the G20 has done nothing

12 July 2017

BMA doctor's union in shift to left at conference

This year's annual representatives meeting, the conference of the BMA doctors' union, saw some of the most left wing policy agreed by the BMA so far

12 July 2017

Durham TAs reject council's pay offer

Durham teaching assistants in education unions Unison and the ATL have voted to reject the latest divisive offer from Durham council

12 July 2017

The Socialist spring offensive

Sales of the Socialist hit a six-year high this spring thanks to the tireless work of Socialist Party members and supporters during the recent general election

12 July 2017

Waltham Forest - fighting school cuts

A joint meeting of workplace union reps was held on 4 July to discuss a strategy to fight school cuts in Labour-run Waltham Forest, London

12 July 2017

Fighting corporate takeover at London Pride

"Build a fighting socialist movement for LGBT+ rights!"

12 July 2017

Huddersfield parties in the park to save hospital A&E

The second annual Hands Off Huddersfield Royal Infirmary 'Party in the Park' attracted thousands to Greenhead Park in opposition to the hospital's A&E closure

12 July 2017

Leeds campaigns to save NHS on its 69th birthday

Leeds Keep Our NHS Public and its supporters gathered outside the Leeds General Infirmary on 5 July and later outside St James University Hospital to celebrate the NHS's 69th birthday

12 July 2017

School students' remarkable tribute to workers' Spanish Civil War bravery

Theatre review - Ocho: The story told of bravery and the cast itself showed a brave approach to the work

12 July 2017

The Socialist inbox

Do you have something to say? Letters to the Socialist's editors. Scrap the pay cap; keep guards on trains; responses to the 1 July anti-Tory demo, Homeland's poor politics; sickness stats; Poland and Trotskyism

12 July 2017

DWP announces office closures and job losses

The PCS has reacted with anger to the intended closure and merging of jobcentres

13 July 2017

Vigil for Grenfell

Hundreds of people attended the vigil for Grenfell, in west London to mark four weeks on from the terrible fire

13 July 2017

Bron Afon workers fight £3,000 pay cut

Unison members working for Bron Afon housing association in Torfaen in Wales have taken the first of three days strike action

14 July 2017

Tesco's 10% pay increase accompanied by cuts and job losses

Tesco called it its "biggest ever pay award"

14 July 2017

Support the Bart's strikers

A press release from Waltham Forest Trades Council.

19 July 2017

Education cuts: Tories buckling under public pressure

The pressure of the growing campaign against education cuts is starting to have an effect on the government

20 July 2017

Tenants' meeting reveals huge anger

"Housing policy only benefits property developers and landlords"

21 July 2017

Grenfell survivors tell Tories: "Step down and resign"

Local residents and supporters lobbied Kensington and Chelsea council

21 July 2017

Support Barts NHS striking cleaners and porters!

John McDonnell and Len Hockey were among the demo speakers

25 July 2017

Court victory for PCS and all trade unions

A High Court ruling that stated it was "unlawful" for the government to exclude the PCS union from negotiations

25 July 2017

Birmingham Labour council to close 26 Children's Centres

More than 100 people, including Socialist Party members, demonstrated outside Birmingham Council House on Saturday 22 July over the Labour council's plans to close 26 out of 70 children's centres across Birmingham

26 July 2017

Socialist sales at Salford station

Over the last year we've done a weekly sale at teatime for commuters who work in Manchester city centre and use Salford train station to get home

26 July 2017

Corbyn visits Southampton on marginal seat tour

Over 1000 people packed Guildhall square in Southampton on 15 July to hear Jeremy Corbyn. It was great to see so many young people. The RCN nurses' union was well represented and we met many angry nurses

26 July 2017

Right wing attempts to use single market against Corbyn

Stand firm for an internationalist, workers' Brexit: Just six weeks ago Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, and radical election manifesto, led to a historic surge in the Labour vote

26 July 2017

Bron Afon workers strike against £3,000 pay cut

Support workers for Bron Afon housing association in Cwmbran, south Wales, have taken their third day of strike action against a £3,000 annual pay cut imposed by management on the staff in the Supported Living Team.

26 July 2017

Workers' campaign underway to stop ward closure

The staff understand that the fightback can only come from us, and by taking the campaign out into the community.

26 July 2017

Workplace news in brief

Short reports on some of the latest trade union struggles including a job centre walkout in Sheffield and the UCU banned from a meeting in Teesside.

26 July 2017

Huddersfield A&E closure referred to Jeremy Hunt

On 21 July, the greater Huddersfield and Calderdale Joint Health Scrutiny Committee (JHSC) referred the decision close the A&E department at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and to downgrade the hospital to the health secretary Jeremy Hunt.

26 July 2017

From Militant to the Socialist Party - what you thought

On 4 July Birmingham South East Socialist Party branch discussed the new book From Militant to the Socialist Party by Peter Taaffe.

26 July 2017

Street cleaners support the Birmingham bin strike

As part of our Saturday stall campaigning on 22 July, Socialist Party members in Birmingham gave out leaflets to raise support for striking Birmingham refuse workers.

26 July 2017

'Freedom riders' lobby against violent policing

Pensioners and disabled people from South Yorkshire Freedom Riders are to travel by coach to York on 31 July to lobby a police misconduct hearing

26 July 2017

Council meeting abandoned after undercover policing protest

The mayor of Peterborough postponed a council meeting due to protests in the public gallery against Tory councillor Andy Coles

26 July 2017

Young people...fight for a future, fight for socialist policies

Young people in the UK have faced brutal attacks from successive governments on our living standards and our futures.

26 July 2017

BBC yawning pay gaps revealed

The BBC has been made to reveal all its staff earning over £150,000 a year. The announcement made front page news in most papers, revealing some eye-watering pay

26 July 2017

Homelessness and evictions soar under the Tories

120,000 children are currently in temporary accommodation according to the Local Government Association (LGA)

26 July 2017

Them & Us

It's one world for the super-rich, and another one for the rest of us including bosses' profit, unpaid overtime, shrinking retail products and life expectancy.

26 July 2017

Southampton councillors faced with angry anti-cuts campaigners

Southampton city councillors faced a lot of angry people on 19 July at their full council meeting

26 July 2017

Plans to bring A-levels back to Knowsley abandoned

Education chiefs have abandoned plans to bring back A-level provision into the borough of Knowsley, Liverpool

26 July 2017

Russia 1917: how art helped make the revolution

Revolution in Russia swept away the dictatorial rule of the Tsar in February 1917. Then in October, led by the Bolshevik Party, a second revolution set up the world's first workers' state

26 July 2017

Building workers' struggle and the forces of international socialism

A congress at the end of the CWI summer school - held in Barcelona - confirmed the unification of the CWI with Izquierda Revolucionaria (IR)

26 July 2017

Abolish tuition fees and student debt!

Jeremy Corbyn's election pledge to abolish tuition fees was one of the most attractive and popular offers in Labour's manifesto.
His hint that he might also support writing off existing student debt was also warmly received.

26 July 2017

Barts health strike: Low pay, no way!

Serco strikers have led a magnificent fight so far

26 July 2017

Education cuts forced back

Campaigners at Stoke Newington school won a retreat

26 July 2017

Bin workers stand firm

Birmingham council is playing dirty in the ongoing bin dispute

27 July 2017

Northern Pride's a success

Socialist Party members attended the tenth annual Northern Pride event on Saturday 22nd July to celebrate LGBT+ culture, history and societal diversity

27 July 2017

Young Socialists off to a flying start in Cardiff

We launched Young Socialists in Cardiff at a 'justice for Grenfell' protest and found it had a very positive reception

27 July 2017

'Scrap the Cap on pay', demand nurses

Rain put paid to the picnic but did not dampen the anger

28 July 2017

Large and upbeat Tolpuddle event

This is an event steeped in trade union history - back to the times when even to gather in a group to combine would result in transportation to Australia

29 July 2017

Stop racist killings in police custody! Justice for Rashan Charles!

The shocking killing of Rashan has provoked outrage

31 July 2017

Government's tribunal fees defeat

Unison's successful Supreme Court challenge to the government's tribunal fees policy on 26 July is an important victory for workers and the trade union movement.