Articles
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
The Brexit crisis has come to a head with Prime Minister Johnson's confrontational tactics, which have served to unite the Remainer majority in Parliament. It is now intent on stopping a No Deal Brexit. Johnson has turned on his own MPs who dare to dissent, expelling recent former ministers and Tory grandees. A general election is now inevitable, but Labour would find one fought solely on Brexit difficult as it has shifted further in the direction of Remain, but still needs the support of Leave voters. It will need once again to focus on policies beyond Brexit, unifying people round an anti-austerity platform and its positive vision for Britain.
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Socialism has the interests of humanity at its core and can plan economic activity to serve those interests. However, we are in a world dominated by capitalist self-interest. In these circumstances, how can we campaign to prevent climate catastrophe? Labour's Green New Deal is a good start.
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
The United States failure to achieve regime change in Syria has led to a shifting power dynamic in the Middle East. Russia, Iran, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have become more assertive and alliances between them have changed in ways which do not serve US interests. The US sees Iran's emergence as regional power as a particular threat to its own position as well as to Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Sunday, October 6, 2019
To combat the climate crisis we need state intervention and planning. this is an opportunity for the left to argue for collective solutions to the planet's problems. Change must not be at the expense of individuals and the working class. Labour's Green Industrial Revolution policies, with their focus on climate justice, can unify all those who are interested in and affected by climate change, creating a broad movement.
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Review of Andreas Malm's book, Fossil Capital. Malm traces the origins of global warming and shows how it is a product of capitalist industrial development. He also addresses contemporary issues: the urgency of the challenge to reduce carbon emissions and how this challenge can be met.
Friday, October 4, 2019
Many argue that "another Europe is possible", that the EU can be reformed. However, its structures and logic make that impossible. Neo-liberal capitalism is built into its treaties and the democratic mechanisms effectively do not exist to change that.
Friday, October 4, 2019
Dominic Cummings is Boris Johnson's most influential adviser and architect of his high stakes confrontational strategy, taking on his own party and its MPs, the Remain opposition and the EU. What are his background and beliefs?
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Through anti-working class legislation, inequality in access to the law and conspiracies of the corrupt, the rich and the powerful, working class people are denied justice. Through long, hard battles some have succeed in getting to the truth behind state cover-ups. Some battles continue. Grenfell, Orgreave, Hillsborough, Bloody Sunday are a few examples in a very long list.