THE recent announcement of the permanent closures of social security offices in the Birmingham area will create huge problems for the weakest in society. Local social security offices have served the community for many years and the hardship for the disabled and pensioners has not been included in the thinking behind the changes.
THE PARLIAMENTARY by-election in the Brent East constituency in west London takes place on Thursday of next week. Brian Butterworth, a Unison union branch secretary, is the Socialist Alliance candidate. He spoke to Socialist Worker about why he is standing, and why he thinks Brent needs a socialist alternative:
WORKERS AT Goodrich Engine Control Systems in Birmingham struck against redundancies on Friday last week and were set to strike again on Friday this week. Members of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) have been in dispute with the company since the summer when the company announced 115 jobs would go "due to bad trading conditions in aerospace".
CND THE CAMPAIGN for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) held its conference in Birmingham last weekend. The 350 participants debated alliances with other movements and how best to oppose war. Kate Hudson was narrowly elected as CND national chairperson. Kate stands for a close working relationship with groups such as the Stop the War Coalition and the Muslim Association of Britain. People with similar views won 12 of the 15 national executive positions.
A WEEK of protest against a huge government-sponsored arms fair kicked off with a march through central London last Saturday. On Tuesday morning there was a lively protest outside the arms fair itself in east London's Docklands, and yet more protests were set for Wednesday. The British government is pouring hundreds of thousands of public money into the Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEi) arms fair.
THOUSANDS OF people were descending on the resort of Cancun in Mexico this week to protest at the gathering of world trade ministers, rich business leaders and their hangers-on at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) summit. The WTO delegates, who include ministers from 150 countries, will be staying in the splendour of luxury hotels with their every need catered for.
THE BLAIR regime is on the rocks. If it goes down it will be a crushing blow against the policies of New Labour.
"The lie that led us to war is not really about the so called sexing up of the dossier. The prime minister’s lie was that he took us to war because he thought there were weapons of mass destruction. In truth he took us to war because President Bush told him to take us to war."
TALK OF intimidation of workers is a bit rich coming from the Sun. It's an insult.
"POOR PEOPLE suffering from AIDS will now get cheap life-saving drugs."
MILLIONS OF workers are having their pensions threatened because company directors are grabbing huge payouts for themselves.
A QUARTER of all households borrow money just to be able to cover their weekly bills, according to a new survey by KPMG.
