Britain

Marking the 20th anniversary of the launching of Socialist Appeal, over
100 delegates and visitors assembled in London at what was the largest
Socialist Appeal conference held to date. Detailed discussions were held on
the world situation and the latest perspectives for Britain. Reports
were presented on the Sparks dispute, the work in the universities, the
fight for public sector pensions and the way forward for the Labour
Party and the unions. The tremendous mood of the conference was
reflected in the magnificent collection for the Fighting Fund where
nearly £5,000 was raised – a record!.

Hands
Off Venezuela on April 12 is hosting at Bolivar Hall the London
premiere of "Cuarto Poder" (the Fourth Power) a new documentary
examining the role of media, media monopoly and ownership, media
manipulation and related issues with special reference to the media
coverage of events in Venezuela. John McDonnell MP and Alan Woods will
be speaking at the event

While hundreds of thousands of civil servants,
teachers and health workers are fighting to defend their pensions, the Tory Lib
Dem Coalition are preparing further attacks on all sections of the working
class people. The March 21st budget was a budget by the rich, for the rich.  Pensioners, those on benefits, the
unemployed – all will be hit hard, yet the rich are rewarded with tax handouts.

It is the scandal that must not be ignored. For yet another month, UK
unemployement has risen again as we pay for the bosses’ crisis. Another
28,000 have been added to the ranks of the jobless in the three months
from Nov 2011 to January 2012.

On Thursday, 3rd May, Londoners will go to the ballot box to elect our
new Mayor. Despite other candidates standing it is clear that the choice
facing Londoners is simple: Tory or Labour, Boris or Ken. For working
Londoners struggling to make ends meet in the face of Tory cuts the
answer is equally simple: vote for Ken and kick out Boris!

At least 800 people participated in the TUC march and lobby of the Lib
Dem conference this morning (Saturday) in Gateshead. Meanwhile inside
the Conference Centre the Lib Dem leadership are coming under pressure
from their own members who are not surprisingly worried that the party
faces electoral disaster.

The campaign against the government’s plans to attack Health Service
Pensions has been strengthened over the last few days as the results of
consultation by trade unions and professional bodies on the proposed
deal. This is despite the government’s position that they have presented
their final offer.