Socialist Worker

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Election winners and losers—and why we need to step up the fight against austerity

The 5 May elections underline the need for a stronger anti-austerity challenge to the Tories. We don’t need Labour to move to the “middle ground” as the party’s right-wing claims, 

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International Comment Features Reviews What We Think Other

News

University national strikes announced for 25 and 26 May

UCU union members in universities will stage a two-day national strike over pay later this month. The walkout of around 60,000 workers across Britain will take place on 25 and 26 May

Prestwich Arts College workers begin three-day strike to save jobs

Prestwich Arts College teachers in Manchester began a three-day strike today, Tuesday, against compulsory redundancies.

Reports round-up

Lunchtime walkouts at HSE office | Unions slam council’s plan to ‘bribe’ Glasgow workers | TSSA union conference stands with Palestinians | Journalists defy clickbait and cuts | Drivers deliver unofficial action | Legal challenge to Scottish post ballot | Car workers take action as talks stall | Give us a break, say Thomas Cook crew | Don’t let Edinburgh College bosses sack lecturer

Nazi protests humiliated by counter-demonstrations

Anti-racists humiliated fascists in Portsmouth last Saturday.

Defend union activists from sack threat at London Met

Some 50 lecturers met in London on Wednesday of last week to discuss building the fight against compulsory redundancies at London Metropolitan University.

Miners’ flying picket lifts Welsh museum strike

National Museum Wales bosses threatened to call the police against striking workers in south Wales last week.

As Tories retreat on refugees - push to let more in

Anti-racists scored a victory last week—but the Tories are still on the attack, reports Dave Sewell

Sajid Javid plans jobs cull at government department

A leaked Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) document shows that Tory business minister Sajid Javid plans to cut thousands of jobs.

Doctors’ rep says prepare for more strikes, as BMA conference nears

Junior doctors are set to meet for the British Medical Association’s (BMA) junior doctors’ conference in London this Saturday.

Tories try to rush through housing bill

The Tories are desperately trying to get their Housing and Planning Bill passed before Friday of this week, when the parliamentary session ends. The bill will make thousands of people homeless.

After forced academy retreat - teach the Tories a lesson

Last week the Tories withdrew a plan to force every school in England to become an academy by 2022. It was a humiliating defeat and a victory for everyone who has fought—but campaigners are clear that the fight isn’t over.

Draconian Trade Union Act could have been stopped and must be defied

The Tories’ Trade Union Act 2016 was given royal approval last week and Britain’s anti-union laws got even more restrictive.

Speaking out against the slur of antisemitism

Antiracists met in London last night, Monday, for a meeting on antisemitism, Zionism and the left.

Suspended Labour member says 'How dare they accuse me of racism?'

Suspended Labour Party activist Jackie Walker has spoken out against accusations of antisemitism.

French government in crisis over Work Law

France’s centre-left government provoked a crisis that could bring it down by suspending parliamentary debate on its proposed Work Law. It faces a vote of no confidence tomorrow, Thursday—a day already set for nationwide strikes and protests.

Welsh museum strikers demand the politicians take action

Striking museum workers in Wales rallied outside the Senedd – the Welsh Assembly building in Cardiff – today, Wednesday.

Video and report of left EU debate with Caroline Lucas in Brighton

Over 200 people joined a left wing debate on the European Union (EU) referendum in Brighton last night, Thursday.

Corbyn and McDonnell challenge the Labour right

Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn and shadow chancellor John McDonnell have hit back against their critics from the right of the party.

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International

Israel bombards Gaza Strip

Israeli warplanes attacked Palestinians in the Gaza Strip with airstrikes between Wednesday and Saturday of last week. They killed one Palestinian woman and injured several more people.

Strikes hit Greece as Syriza sinks to a new low

Big strikes show the potential for workers to smash Syriza’s pensions attack, writes Panos Garganas

Crunch time for fight against France's Work Law

Workers and students across France were set to protest and strike against the Labour-type government’s proposed Work Law on Thursday of this week.

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Comment

Revealed - how spy cops are waging a new Cold War against Muslims

The security services use tried and tested propaganda and snooping to divide and terrorise, writes Tomáš Tengely-Evans

EU vote will weaken Cameron’s rule

Before last week’s elections, the Financial Times columnist Janan Ganesh predicted, “the worst for Labour is yet to come”. Labour would do badly this May, he said, but would suffer much worse punishment in the 2020 general election.

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Features

From no place to our place—five hundred years of Utopia

On the 500th anniversary of Thomas More’s Utopia, Hassan Mahamdallie looks through history at how people’s dreams of a better society were born

Cast Away - Refugees tell stories that shame Fortress Europe

Five refugees shared their stories with journalist Charlotte McDonald-Gibson for a new book to help challenge the brutal border policies of Fortress Europe. She spoke to Socialist Worker

School's out! When we learned to strike

Michael Lavalette, co-author of upcoming book Schools Out, spoke to Sadie Robinson about the radical tradition of school student strikes and how they have radicalised generations

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Reviews

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What We Think

Sats tests fail our children - they have to go

Hundreds of thousands of children in England faced misery this week as they were forced to sit the hated Sats tests.

Tories are in trouble—strike to get them out

The polling stations had hardly closed last week when the Tories’ bitter feuding reached new heights. Their splits and weakness should be a signal to step up our resistance.

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Other Categories

Obituary - Andy Smith

Last week we received the tragic news that our friend and comrade Andy Smith had passed away unexpectedly.

LETTERS: We need to put the politics back into the Pride march

Since 2004 the London Pride LGBT+ march has increasingly become a parade for its corporate sponsors. It is far removed from its historical roots as a militant demonstration celebrating the Stonewall Riots of 1969.

Things they say

‘There is no question that it was arrogant of me’

South Yorkshire Police stumble from crisis to crisis

The acting chief constable of South Yorkshire Police (SYP) has called for an “independent assessment of Orgreave”.

Do we have to make warships to save jobs?

As hundreds of jobs building navy frigates in Glasgow could go, and union leaders argue for renewing Trident nukes, what's the alternative to making weapons of war?

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