Articles
Monday, April 20, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic has once again demonstrated the clash between capitalism's priority of safeguarding profits over peoples lives. But it has also revealed the deeper problem that working class people's lives were already precarious before the virus struck. We are not in this together.
Saturday, April 18, 2020
Ten years after his first report Professor Sir Micheal Marmot shows that little has changed in terms of the health of the population. In fact things are getting worse, with stalling life expectancy. The report puts the blame on austerity - not only its impact on health services, but on the wider impact that cuts, poor housing and fewer opportunities
have had on peoples lives.
Friday, April 17, 2020
The extradition hearing for Julian Assange continues as he battles against the US and British states' determination to make an example of anyone who brings their misdeeds to light - particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the process he has suffered many injustices and his treatment has been condemn by the UN rapporteur on torture and the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute.
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party always faced huge problems some of which were almost insurmountable, but others could have been tackled more effectively. Whilst the election of Sir Keir Starmer is a huge setback nevertheless a lot has been achieved. The political landscape has shifted to the left and there there is a new generation of serious socialists beginning to emerge.
Thursday, April 16, 2020
The trial and acquittal of Alex Salmond, former leader of the Scottish National Party and former First Minster of Scotland on sexual assault charges has blown open the rifts within the SNP on how to secure its principle aim of independence for Scotland. The divisions are deep and bitter with Salmond on the side of the fundamentalists and his protegee and successor Sturgeon on the other side, favouring a more cautious approach.
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
With coronavirus the realities of the EU have been shown to contradict the image it presents. It has failed to show social solidarity to poorer and worst hit countries. The EU institutionalises neoliberal economic relationships, but it is only part of a wider network of neoliberal global economic relations which also need to be challenged.
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
University staff and their union the UCU are putting up a determined fight over how they are rewarded and valued and the future of higher education.
Monday, April 13, 2020
Andrew Murray's book is a timely reminder of the battles fought in recent decades for workers rights, peace and a host of other issues. The rise of neoliberalism under Margaret thatcher and the defeat of the Miners in 1985 marked a sharp decline in working class and socialist organisation. Today, however, the left has renewed strength, enabled by Jeremy Corbyn's time as Labour leader.