The TUC has produced the latest and most detailed report yet
on the likely effect of the coalition’s plans to cut public services and
benefits. To no-ones surprise they have again confirmed that, contrary to the
government’s stated position at the time of the summer budget, these cuts will
hit the poorest hardest.
As the TUC meets in Manchester and calls are made for united concerted
action to fight the coalition cuts, Jerry Hicks, the Left candidate for the General
Secretary position in Unite, has issued a press statement on fighting
the cuts
Blair’s New Labour principles have conveniently provided a starting
point for the new education law the Tories’ have rushed through
parliament. This is intended to lead to a dramatic acceleration of the
academies programme, starting with schools judged ‘outstanding’ by the
schools inspectorate, Ofsted.
The Tories’ decision to cancel Labour’s Building Schools for the Future
(BSF) project is a blow to thousands of school children currently being
taught in the most dilapidated, uninspiring and antiquated schools.
They must now continue to be taught in substandard buildings
Labour, in it’s original programme, intended to spend £55bn over two
decades, and would have rebuilt or refurbished just about every
secondary school in the country. In Michael Gove’s drive to cut public
expenditure, it has proved to be too tempting a target to mis
Pressure, Pressure and yet more pressure. Life in our schools has never been tougher… here is an account of what’s going on from a secondary school teacher.
This year’s meeting of the TUC in Manchester could be the most
important for years. In the face of a vicious attack on the living
standards of the working class by the new coalition government, workers
will be looking to the trade union movement for a way of fighting back.
Jeremy Dear, General secretary of the NUJ and TUC General Council
member, looks at the issues to be dealt with on next week’s conference
agenda.
HOV STATEMENT: The National Assembly elections in Venezuela, which will take place on
September 26, will mark a turning point for the Bolivarian revolution.
What is at stake is not only who will have a majority in the National
Assembly, but the future of the revolutionary process itself. We invite you to read this statement and add your name to it.
On September 26 the people of Venezuela will be electing a new
National Assembly. The reactionary Oligarchy, backed by imperialism, is
taking advantage of the shortcomings of the revolution to strengthen
its position and prepare for the counter-revolution. The Venezuelan
revolution has gone a long way, but key economic levers are still in
the hands of the Oligarchy. What is required is to fully carry out the
socialist revolution and expropriate the capitalists and landlords.
That is the only way of making the revolution irreversible
Seventy years ago this week, the mass bombing of London and other keys cities by the Nazi Luftwaffe begun. The Blitz, as it was to become known as, cost the lives of thousands of workers as the nightly bombing raids from Germany laid waste to both houses and industry.
South Africa was moving towards a general strike type situation as
the public sector strike that started on August 18 was building up
momentum. Now the strike has been suspended by union leaders because of
some concessions on the part of the government. This has angered many
workers who wanted to step up action, not take a step back.
Symptoms are the physical signs of an underlying problem. At the moment
the Irish economy has a series of symptoms which would send the average
doctor fleeing to the hills. But according to Brian Lenihan everything
is stable and the economy is fine thank you very much. Of course Mr
Lenihan’s analysis was designed for the press and to settle the nerves
of the international speculators. The role of the press being to
present the public face the government wants to portray to the middle
class and the working class. But now after only a few days, the Irish
government faces more problems as the interest rates they have to pay
on their Government Bonds hits record highs. Lenihan’s claims have been
proven as worthless.
It’s official. The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) is a waste of
money. Tens of millions of pounds may have been wasted on refurbishing
social housing in London under the Private Finance Initiatives, the
public spending watchdog warned last month.