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The spectre of default is now being raised as a serious possibility by the international bourgeoisie for Ukraine, where the economy – ravaged by over a year of war and decades of corruption – is in a deep crisis. Default on a capitalist basis would be a catastrophe for ordinary people in this war-torn country.
Sunday 24th May will go down as a landmark in Spanish history. Municipal and regional elections were held across Spain. The right-wing PP (People’s Party) was unseated from most of their historical strongholds. More important, however, was the sharp turn to the left in Spanish society, best exemplified by the rise of Podemos and the electoral fronts that it led.
We live in a time when the whole establishment is not only corrupt and rotten to the core but is seen as such by a large section of the working class. For many, the single organisation that perfectly defines this corruption, bribery and general fiddling is FIFA.
Owen Jones – the socialist journalist and political commentator – has argued that “Britain’s battered, bruised and demoralised left” has much to learn from Podemos, the popular radical left party in Spain. Adam Booth asks: on what basis will a mass Left be built in Britain? And what is the way out for workers and youth from this endless crisis of capitalism?
Daniel Morley analyses the latest developments in the Labour leadership election – a contest that is notable for its complete lack of originality, variety, or inspiration. The only options on offer to Labour supporters are between various shades of Blairism, none of which will solve the problems facing the working class in this time of deep capitalist crisis.
Yesterday, 27th May, the Queen announced, on behalf of the new Tory government, the latest vicious attacks on workers, youth, and the poor that can be expected in the coming period. The scene is now set for an intense class struggle in the period ahead.
Hours after the Queen had announced the latest Tory attacks planned, thousands of revolutionary young people marched through the streets of central London in protest against the corrupt Establishment and the rotten political and economic system that they defend. This was the real voice for the anger that exists across British society today.
In the past five years a fundamental transformation has taken place in British politics. The capitalist economic base of society has become exhausted. In its turn, the old British political establishment finds itself out of step with the new economic reality. This is stirring up powerful forces deep in the bowels of society.
Irish voters have decisively voted in favour of marriage equality, making Ireland the first country to do so through the ballot box. This was a victory of the future against the past, of the young against the old, of reason against ignorance, of the forward-looking urban areas against the old backward rural Ireland.
Only a few days ahead of the local and regional elections in Spain, the ruling class have used all the dirty tricks in the book. Both Popular Unity lists for municipal elections and Podemos (standing in the regions) have been slandered. The ruling class is increasingly worried by the rise of PODEMOS and the rhetoric of its leaders.
Staff at London Metropolitan University were out on strike today in protest against plans by management to cut courses, with an associated loss of 165 jobs. The demands of the union members taking action today were clear: not one course to be closed; not one job to be cut – an injury to one is an injury to all!
Since the election, semi-spontaneous protests have erupted and large meetings have been organised in cities across the country, as ordinary people begin to fight back against this government of the rich, for the rich, by the rich. We publish here reports of such demonstrations and meetings from Socialist Appeal supporters in Bristol, Sheffield, Wales, and London.