The latest news, analysis, and Marxist theory from The Communist, alongside reports of RCP activity.
In an article originally published in the independent Cambridge University student newspaper “Varsity”, Ben Gliniecki – Socialist Appeal supporter and member of the Marxist Student Federation – explains why students in Cambridge, and in all universities, should support their staff – members of the UCU, Unite, and Unison – who are taking strike action today.
Tomorrow, on October 31st, an historic event will take place in Higher Education (HE). For the first time ever, three trade unions are going on strike at the same time – UCU (University and College Union), Unison and Unite. Socialist Appeal supporters will be visiting the picket lines in universities across the country, along with delegations from the Marxist societies, and we encourage our readers to go along and show your support too!
Now the dust has begun to settle over the debacle at Grangemouth, it is important we draw the lessons. The climb down by Unite has serious implications for the future of the labour movement. After the initial relief of keeping their jobs, the painful reality of a massive fall in living standards is beginning to dawn the on workers in Grangemouth. One thing is clear: the labour movement needs fighting leadership.
Rachel Gibbs of the Glasgow Marxists looks at the recent promises from Ed Miliband and the resultant attack from the Daily Mail against Ed’s Marxist father Ralph. What are the reasons for this hysteria on the part of the right-wing press? And do Marxists really “hate Britain”?
In the second part of our article on the 1944 apprentices’ strike, we publish a short question and answer session between Socialist Appeal supporters and Bill Landles, dealing with the Worker’s International League and its involvement in the apprentices’ strike, and the trial which followed.
26th October 2013 marks the 89th birthday of comrade Bill Landles, a longstanding supporter of Socialist Appeal whose activity goes right back to the days of the Revolutionary Communist Party during the Second World War, where he played a role in the apprentices’ strikes. To celebrate Bill’s birthday, we are publishing (in two parts) a transcript of a speech by Bill on the apprentices’ strikes of 1944.
The recent announcement by Ed Miliband that Labour would freeze energy prices for 20 months if elected in 2015 has clearly struck a chord with ordinary people. Adam Booth looks at the facts behind the energy companies in Britain and examines whether Labour’s latest policy commitment is enough to tackle the problem of unaffordable energy.
Michael Noonan’s Budget 2014 will take a further €2.5bn out of the Irish economy; in other words a figure of around €600 for every man, woman and child in the state. It is evident also that as anticipated the losers are the old, the sick and the young unemployed. Tony Healy reports on the latest round of austerity in Ireland.
The bosses at Grangemouth oil refinery have taken the decision to close the petrochemical plant plant in the face of workers resistance to their blackmail attempts. This attack must not be taken lying down. Tam Burke discusses the background to the Grangemouth closure and the resultant estimated 800 job losses.
We publish here a letter from John Dunn, former miner and current supporter of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, who – in light of news that the police lied in the “Plebgate” saga regarding comments made by Andrew Mitchell MP – explains the case of the miners at Orgreave in 1984 that were far greater victims of false police allegations.
With probation officers in England and Wales last week voting to strike over plans to privatise the probation service, we publish here an article by Steve Brown of the Northumberland UNISON, Police and Justice Service Group (personal capacity), written before the strike vote, which analyses the issues behind the strike.
We publish here an article by Stamatis Karayannopoulos, member of the Communist Tendency in SYRIZA in Greece and member of the SYRIZA Central Committee. This article was written before the arrests of the leadership of Golden Dawn. However, the analysis it contains regarding the Golden Dawn – a neo-fascist organisation in Greece – has been absolutely confirmed by the subsequent events.