The latest news and analysis from The Communist, alongside reports of our activity. For Marxist theory and history, click here.
Darrall Cozens, President of the Coventry TUC (personal capacity) reports on the latest strike action by members of the FBU, and analysis the issues at stake in this long-running dispute over firefighters’ pensions.
The latest scandal, revolving around Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw, both MPs and former foreign secretaries, has once again lifted the lid on the rotten, corrupt world of parliament – a true den of thieves. Adam Booth examines the “cash-for-access” scandal and the deep questioning of the system that such seemingly endless revelations are provoking.
We publish here the latest analysis of the developments in Greece, including an article by Jorge Martin of the International Marxist Tendency, who explains the significance of the Greek government’s retreat in the face of pressure from the Troika, and a recent statement from the Communist Tendency of SYRIZA.
In this recent article from the In Defence of Marxism magazine, Rob Sewell – editor of Socialist Appeal – looks at the current economic crisis, outlines the global economic perspectives, and explains what is meant when Marxists define this as an “organic crisis of capitalism”.
Hundreds gathered and marched in Coventry on Saturday 21 February in opposition to proposed massive £15m council spending cuts planned in the next year, with even bigger cuts in future years, threatening many public services and jobs in the city. The labour movement needs to mobilise across Britain in order to fight for a socialist alternative to this austerity.
On Friday 20th February, the Greek government signed a joint statement with the Eurogroup of Finance Ministers which amounts to an abandonment of the programme on which Syriza won the recent elections on January 25. Jorge Martin (of the International Marxist Tendency) and the Communist Tendency of SYRIZA analyse the details of the deal.
In this latest statement from the Communist Tendency of SYRIZA, the comrades in Greece comment on the retreats by the SYRIZA-led government in the face of pressure from the European capitalists. Only by going on the offensive with a bold socialist programme can the SYRIZA leaders stand up against the austerity and attacs of the Troika.
We publish here three reports from leading members of some of the Marxist Student Federation’s newest societies: those in Kent, Durham and Swansea. These comrades give their personal impressions of the recent Marxist Student Federation national conference and of the MSF as a whole.
We publish here two recent statements from the Communist Tendency of Syriza, which provide a detailed analysis of the latest developments taking place in the negotiations between the leadership of the new Syriza-led government and the representatives of the Troika – the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the IMF.
On Sunday 15th February, an estimated 2000 people assembled at Trafalgar Square in London, in solidarity with the Greek people against the Troika. The demonstration, called by the Greek Solidarity Campaign and SYRIZA London, was linked to a wider international mobilisation across Europe, with the message everywhere of “your struggle is our struggle – lead the way!”
Twelve months on from the founding conference, the Marxist Student Federation continues to go from strength to strength and continues to educate students in the ideas of Marxism. Last weekend, on Saturday 14th February, over 80 representatives from around 25 Marxist societies across the country attended second annual national conference of the Marxist Student Federation.
Eurozone finance ministers meet today, Monday 16th February, to try and reach an agreement on how to deal with Greek debt. Fred Weston analyses the pressures facing Tsipras and the Syriza-led government: the pressure of the Troika to continue with austerity, on the one hand; and the pressure of the masses opposing further attacks on their living standards, on the other.