Socialist Worker

---

Tories play divide and rule to push through public sector pay freeze

The Tories are preparing their latest attack on public sector workers. 

---

International Comment Features Reviews What We Think Other

News

Thousands of school and college students face anxiety over exams

Over 700,000 students across England are due to take exams next summer. They have suffered months of disruption because of the pandemic.  

Man threatened with deportation flight to Jamaica says his life is on the line

The Tories tried to deport John on the last Jamaica charter flight in February. Now he is scheduled to be removed on 2 December

SWP open letter to socialists in the Labour Party

The Socialist Workers Party has issued an open letter to socialists in the Labour Party.

Keir Starmer is still on the attack 

Labour party leader Keir Starmer is holding Jeremy Corbyn to ransom as part of an all-out assault on the left in the party.

Rolls-Royce strikers are fighting for jobs

Workers at the Rolls‑Royce plant in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, are continuing their fight against bosses’ plans to slash 350 jobs.

Scotrail+Justice for Ricky Reel+Delivery workers strike+Vote Paul Holmes+BT and Beis ballots

Guards on Scotrail are preparing for their first day of strikes over abuse of disciplinary procedures.

Optare manufacturing strikers escalate their strikes to win higher pay

 Workers at bus manufacturer Optare, near Leeds, have upped the ante in the fight for higher pay.

Grenfell cladding firm was ‘dishonest’ inquiry is told

Former employees at building cladding firm Celotex have admitted the company “manipulated” test results to compete with market rivals.

Student rent strikes stay strong

Bristol university has been forced to drop threats that those who take part in rent strikes will have their bursaries docked.

Fight Rishi Sunak’s pay attack on workers in public sector

Tory chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to announce a fresh public sector pay cap this week as part of new budget plans.

British Gas workers to launch strike ballot against fire and rehire

Workers at British Gas are to hold a strike ballot over the threat to fire and rehire 20,000 people.

Outcry after West’s ally Egypt imprisons human rights activists

Activists are calling for the release of human rights campaigners imprisoned by Egypt’s dictator Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Corbyn’s return to the Labour Party based on concessions to the right

Jeremy Corbyn has been readmitted to the Labour Party after making another concession to right wing efforts to silence criticism of Israel.

Tory ‘green revolution’ doesn’t offer break with fossil fuel economy

The Tories have announced plans for a “green revolution” to combat climate catastrophe and help kickstart the economy after the pandemic. 

Little Ilford strikers fight to defend their east London school

Workers at Little Ilford school in east London began a two-day strike on Wednesday against plans that would damage the quality of education.

How government cronies were gifted a fast track to PPE profits

An official investigation has found that firms with political connections were ten times more likely to win contracts.

Majority of teachers have worked in a school with homeless children

Over half of teachers in Britain have worked at a school with children who were or became homeless in the past three years, according to a new study.

‘They are putting profit first’—residents in Hull speak out as virus cases soar

Hull has become the worst-hit city by coronavirus in Britain. The week to 13 November saw 761 confirmed cases per 100,000 people. The second highest-hit place was Hartlepool, with 597.

---

International

Unity against the rich can undercut ethnic divisions in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is facing a civil war—but the chaos won’t be solved by imperialist powers, writes Charlie Kimber

‘The people have had it,’ say protesters in Guatemala

Angry protesters took to the streets in Guatemala, Central America, last week.

Hong Kong protest movement leaders face jail

Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Ivan Lam could be imprisoned for five years

Cops massacre opposition protesters in Uganda

Up to 37 people have been shot dead by police during anti-government protests

Rage at new police powers in France

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Paris and other French cities in furious protests against a new security law

General strike to resist attacks on workers’ rights in Greece

Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wants to introduce new legislation that would allow bosses to force through longer working hours with no increase in pay

---

Comment

Biden heralds return to US ‘forever wars’

Donald Trump's decision last week to cut back US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq was roundly denounced by what Barack Obama called the “blob”— the mainstream national security establishment, whether Republican or Democratic.

---

Features

The drug lords’ pandemic profit

How did public funds meant to help us find a vaccine for coronavirus end up in the pockets of some of the richest corporations on the planet? And, why will billions of people still be without hope even when a vaccine emerges?

Why the Labour left loses

Keir Starmer is waging a war on the left in Labour. Nick Clark explains how the party’s structures and methods mean the left is always at the mercy of the right

---

Reviews

Don’t miss this book about women’s liberation battles

Misbehaving recounts the 1970 Miss World protest in the words of those who made it happen

Small Axe—Red, White and Blue shows truth of racist police

The third film in Steve McQueen’s series takes on the institutional racism that exists in the police

---

What We Think

Tory plans won’t bring festive cheer

The Tories are driving ordinary people to risk their lives so bosses can keep chasing profits. Boris Johnson has unveiled the new tier system set to be in place when England exits national lockdown next week. 

Public vs private sector pay—don’t let them divide us 

Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spending review on Wednesday was set to assault every sector of workers. Leaks suggested he would not only curb pay for millions of public sector workers but also attack some of the lowest paid.

---

Other Categories

Letters: Continue the fight for Palestine—but outside of the Labour Party

The right has continuously deemed left wing activists who criticise Israel and its oppressive actions towards Palestinians as antisemites. 

---