Last week’s Scottish parliamentary election results demonstrated the continuing dominance of the SNP over Scottish politics. Labour, meanwhile, were pushed into a humiliating third place – squeezed out by the left-wing, pro-independence stance of the SNP on one side, and by the right-wing, Unionist position of the Tories on the other.
The upcoming referendum on the European Union has generated much debate amongst the British Left. Over the decades of evolution of the EU institutions, the majority opinion among left-wingers has shifted from opposition to support. We must clarify our understanding of the EU and the related issues ahead of this referendum to provide a clear perspective.
Rob Turnbull looks at the rise and fall of the Vikings – a civilisation of seafarers, merchants and traders. But, just as the Vikings had their day, so capitalism has had its. The system has reached its limits. It is time for it to be overthrown and replaced with a socialist society.
Representatives of the British Army have now written young people off as apathetic time wasters, simply because they are not joining the Territorial Army and the Reserves and are instead surfing the internet. Vic Dale looks at conditions for the rank-and-file in the army, and highlights the demand for unionisation in the armed forces.
The election results were a shock – a shock for Labour’s right wing, who had been prophesying of electoral Armageddon. Events did not follow the script for the Blairites, who hoped for a Labour defeat as an excuse to move against the Labour leader. The prospect of a leadership challenge has now been pushed into the background…for the time being.
Karl Marx, the great revolutionary theoretician, philosopher, and fighter, was born on this day 198 years ago, on 5th May 1818. To commemorate the life of Karl Marx, we publish here a biography by the late Phil Mitchinson, originally written in 2003, along with links to a variety of recommended articles, videos, and audios about Marx and his revolutionary ideas.
General Secretary Dave Ward opened this year’s conference of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) highlighting the pressures workers are facing across the board. In a sign of the anger growing amongst workers as a result of these attacks, conference committed itself to fighting stance in defence of jobs and conditions, and to supporting Corbyn and his anti-austerity programme.
Beginning on the 4th May, the 1926 General Strike shook the ruling class of Britain to its foundations. Lasting for nine days, the strike showed the enormous power and solidarity of the working class. James Kilby examines the lessons from the General Strike for today, as the crisis of capitalism deepens and the class struggle intensifies.
The last week has seen a deluge of mud-slinging by the Blairites, Tories and right-wing press, who are intent on using allegations of “anti-Semitism” on the Left as a tool to undermine Corbyn. As Ben Gliniecki discusses, this latest concerted effort by Corbyn’s opponents was preceded by a similarly intense smear campaign against the NUS president-elect, Malia Bouattia.
On 23rd June, voters in Britain will go to the polls to decide whether the UK remains part of the EU. Most people, however, are completely turned off by the hollow rhetoric emanating from both sides of the so-called debate, with both the Leave and Remain camps dominated and led by reactionaries. We say: a plague on both your houses! Fight for a genuine alternative for working people! Fight for socialism!
Just a few days before the May elections, the Blairites in the Labour Party have stepped up their war against Jeremy Corbyn, using the slur of “anti-Semitism” to further their aims. By doing so, they are hell-bent on creating a “crisis” within the Party.
The verdict by the jury into the deaths of 96 people at a football match on 15th April 1989 now stands as a damming indictment of the police and the whole establishment, including the then Tory government. The struggle continues now to bring down this whole rotten system!