This title was borrowed from a documentary screened on BBC2
in May. Its presenter, clergyman Conor Cunningham of Nottingham
University, predictably said No, Darwin did not kill God.
His was the latest shot in the long war between Science and Religion. Darwin, it seems, opened
up a new front, but was it the decisive one? Is Science killing
God? Is Darwinism the final nail in the coffin?
The political crisis in Britain that emerged through the MP expenses
scandal has accelerated the crisis in the Labour party. Last week
ministers resigned from Gordon Brown’s cabinet, severely undermining what
little authority New Labour had left. In the european elections New Labour
has suffered it’s worst election result in history, losing areas like
Wales and Scotland for the first time since 1918. The BNP has emerged with
2 MEPs. Hear more at these meetings
Some economic commentators and financial journalists have divined the ‘green shoots’ of economic recovery’ growing out of the present crisis. Perhaps the wish is father to the thought. Are they right? Most obviously stock exchanges in Britain and all over the world have been booming since the beginning of March. We have to be careful here. Remember there were four 20% or more rallies on the NYSE between 1929-32, when the overall trend for share prices was definitely down. These are often described as suckers’ rallies that take place in a ‘bear market’.
The
Annual Delegate Conference of the public sector union PCS took place
on 20-22 May in Brighton against the background of the worst global
recession for a generation and an unprecedented political crisis at
Westminster.Matt Wells reports on the issues discussed at one of the most important union conferences of the year,
The issue behind the ballot was cuts. The last time our union took
industrial action was in 2007. When we went back there were 4 phases to
the agreement that was signed. Phases 1 and 2 have gone through. Phase
3 is currently being implemented and is being met with stiff
resistance. If a worker doesn’t turn up for work unforeseen, the others
have to cover their duty – and we don’t get paid for it!
General Motors, the largest car manufacturer in the United States of America, which employs nearly a quarter of a million people world wide, has filed for bankruptcy. This has initiated the largest industrial insolvency the world has ever seen with debts of £105 billion! The firm, which owns Vauxhall and its European sister Opel, employs 5,500 workers here in the UK. The future of the British employees have entered into uncertainty with sale of the European arm of General Motors to a consortium led by Canadian car parts manufacturer Magna, backed by Russian investment bank Sberbank.
Each summer a special call is made to workers around the world to
contribute towards a special appeal for funds to help aid the work of
Marxists and socialists in struggle internationally. The UK target is £5,000 – can you help? Click here to donate online
In the first of two articles being posted to mark the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen events in China, Heiko Khoo looks at the significance of what happened for the workers of today
Today marks 20 years since the tragic
defeat of the movement of workers and students in Tienanmen Square. The
massarce (also known in China as the June 4 incident) remains a
sensitive subject for the Chinese officialdom. In the second of two articles being posted on the anniversary, we are republishing an analysis by Rob
Lyon, first posted on www.marxist.com in 2004.
“How much more do they want from us? We will end up working for nothing.” This is the feeling amongst shopfloor works at Superform Aluminium in Worcester. Andy Fenwick of Socialist Appeal talked to workers who are not prepared to take any more cuts.
The July edition of Socialist Appeal (Number 175) is now on sale.
Click here to order your copy.
This Thursday will see elections for the European Parliament taking place. For many of those who can be bothered to vote, the election will be seen as a chance to send a message about the UK MPs Expenses scandal.But are the MEPs immune from this scandal?