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From The Socialist newspaper, 10 October 2018
The Socialist Inbox
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Street fighting
I heard shouting while walking through Leicester city centre late on a Sunday afternoon and went to investigate. Turns out it was a row over a yard of pavement outside McDonald's. Homeless people were arguing over the best pitch. This is what Tory Britain has reduced people to.
Arguing over the best place to beg. The need for socialism to distribute the wealth in favour of the many not the few is clear.
Heather Rawling, Leicester
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Varoufakis wrong on far right
For anyone who still thinks that Yanis Varoufakis, ex-finance minister of Greece, has something new or unique to offer to the debate on the rise of the far right across Europe and how the left should respond, last week's interview on BBC Hard Talk should finally put the issue to bed.
Discussing how to beat back the movement of nationalists, Varoufakis said: "Some of us created the Democracy in Europe Movement (DiEM25), which seeks to bring together not just the left, but also liberals, even progressive conservatives - those of us who are eager to agree on a believable, credible progressive agenda for Europe... We created DiEM25 because we do not believe that the left has what it takes at the moment."
The idea that socialists should cooperate with 'liberal' capitalists, whose policies provide the material basis for the growth of the far right, in order to defeat the threat of far right, is madness!
This bizarre position flows from his long-held belief that the left 'remains squarely defeated'. This is despite the fact that he was the finance minister of a country convulsed by general strikes, and crying out for leadership which Syriza - his former party - failed to provide. In his recent book 'Adults in the Room', the heroic struggles of the Greek working class were, at best, a footnote. In 500 pages they get barely a mention!
Tom Barker, Leicester
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Unis and GDPR
Willie Clarke's opinion piece on the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) - see 'GDPR data laws: Punishing workers for human mistakes' - made some interesting observations on how this legislation fails to distinguish between genuine mistakes and deliberate misuse of data for commercial gain, as well as the sense of panic instilled into workers about any mistakes being made.
In universities, GDPR has been interpreted in different ways, with student unions having differing policies to each other. But a common feature is increased centralisation of control over student societies. This isn't a new trend. Room bookings require lengthy waits before being approved. Cash can't be paid to societies for students to go to meetings, instead they have to join via the student union website. And guest speakers need to be notified at least three weeks in advance so that they can be vetted.
At one of the universities in Leeds societies aren't allowed to have sign-up sheets on which other people's details remain visible. At another, you are allowed to leave them visible, so long as the sheet is returned to the student union at the end of the freshers fair for the union to later send you the details.
Measures to stop the commercial exploitation of data are welcome, but all the petty details above will do is stop people receiving information about a student group they wanted to find out more about. That such basic actions necessary for democratic organisations like student societies to communicate with members, or promote meetings are made more difficult is not a welcome development.
What drives the commercial misuse of data is the profit motive. This will only be overcome by removing the incentive for individuals and businesses to exploit their access (legal or illegal) to such data. Ultimately, this means organising society on the basis of meeting the needs of people.
Iain Dalton, Leeds
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Rail safety
Private rail companies are only interested in profit and not the safety of their passengers. By removing the guard from their sardine-tin trains, they save money on the wage bill. But what they also do is put the lives of passengers at serious risk.
What happens when a driver is taken ill during a journey? With the guard onboard they can make contact and get help. No guard equals no help in a serious emergency.
Clive T Hughes, London
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In The Socialist 10 October 2018:
What we think
Tories' crisis conference - Corbyn must fight for general election
Workplace news and analysis
We need democratic, rank-and-file leadership to win national UCU disputes
First coordinated catering and courier strike whets workers' appetite for action
Another first: pub strike victory in south London!
Cable makers strike against real-terms pay cut
Strike raises pay at Liverpool airport
South Western rail guards hit 18 strike days
Socialist Party news and analysis
12 years to halt irreversible climate disaster. Capitalism's time is up
8,000 Glasgow workers plan historic mass strike
Super-rich flee to Monaco to evade Corbyn
Workers in UK do £1.2trn of unpaid housework and care
Workers' action wins Amazon pay rise
Anti-racism
Fight racism: fight for jobs, homes and services for all
25 years since 50,000 marched against the far-right threat
International socialist news and analysis
Polarisation, risks and resistance in Brazilian elections
Mexico: socialists violently attacked by gangs - urgent solidarity needed
Ireland: 10,000 march for homes in Dublin
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Liverpool 47 plaque: "Better to break the law, than break the poor"
Palestinian solidarity: "We are not victims. We are freedom fighters."
Leicestershire: stop the cuts to our hospital services
Save Huddersfield Royal Infirmary - the fight goes on
Finance - a crucial component of socialist campaigns
Opinion
The murky world of the 'Big Four' accountancy firms
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