The ritual of the annual Mais lecture took place on 19th March. The Mais lectures have been taking place since 1978. The year is not accidental. Thatcher was about to come to power. She proposed to abandon the postwar economic consensus of a managed economy in which the state assumed responsibility for economic areas considered crucial to economic success: health, … Continue reading Reeves in a Straightjacket—Editorial
Israel’s Plans for Rafah – Redefining Genocide as a Humanitarian Mission
Eamon Dyas In order to complete the final stage of its full-scale invasion of Gaza the IDF says that it will be necessary to forcibly move “1.4 million people - or at least a significant amount of the 1.4 million people” that have now crowded into Rafah. The population of Rafah was around 280,000 before … Continue reading Israel’s Plans for Rafah – Redefining Genocide as a Humanitarian Mission
“A Point of Order” on the ICJ Ruling
John McDonnell, the ICJ and another empty House of Commons Michael Murray (The photo shows the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands) On the 19th of March last, Labour MP John McDonnell tweeted: “The Government is sending arms to Israel that may be being used in attacks on Gaza, which under ICJ judgement may be … Continue reading “A Point of Order” on the ICJ Ruling
Tax Justice
“Tax Justice: Richard Murphy’s Taxing Wealth Report 2024: a timely antidote to the innately unjust neoliberal tax policies coming to the fore in both Tories and Labour parties as we approach another General Election. " https://youtu.be/RlyFYNeGtCg?si=7JA47WxFKt_nmw43
A Brief Glimpse at the Seventies Squatting Movement
John Clayden"A people without knowledge of its past is like a tree without roots". Marcus Garvey This was on a banner in Catford Market with Bob Marley playing in the background, where I was canvassing for the Lewisham mayoral candidate John Hamilton recently. The same sentiment naturally applies to the working class: the working class must … Continue reading A Brief Glimpse at the Seventies Squatting Movement
A personal reflection on Rochdale
By Nadia Klok London Secretary of the Workers Party of Great Britain “It all starts here you see,” states my father, as we walked down Duke Street off Grosvenor square some few years back, “Where do you think Simon Bolivar got his taste for revolution against Spanish Imperialism? Or where Karl Marx got the balls … Continue reading A personal reflection on Rochdale
Historical Context is Crucial—Ernest Bevin and Zionism
John Clayden (The photo shows Ernest Bevin on the right of Churchill, 8 May 1945)The Left and that includes the very influential Zionist left have succeeded in wiping out a substantial chunk of working-class history namely the crucial contribution made by Ernest Bevin. This will come as no surprise to dedicated readers of this magazine … Continue reading Historical Context is Crucial—Ernest Bevin and Zionism
The use of the notion of ‘hate crime’ to shut down debate
Eamon Dyas BBC report: Government to allocate £31 million to improve safety and security for all elected politicians https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-68562310 This is all part of making a perceived threat real. But does the level of online abuse of politicians mean that there is an actual real threat? Before the arrival of the digital age the only … Continue reading The use of the notion of ‘hate crime’ to shut down debate
Unelected leaders in Australia and Ireland
Richard Jones There is emotion about Varadkar being appointed not elected. (I acceptthe shorthand that refers to leaders of parties that win elections aselected prime ministers etc.) What's missing is any political assessmentof how such a thing happens. I think y'all should get to accept it asthe new norm, as the story of Varadkar standing … Continue reading Unelected leaders in Australia and Ireland
Notes on the News
By Gwydion M. Williams From Russia, With Scorn Shallow Democracy China’s Successful Leninism Snippets You know nothing, Bill Gates Replacement Americans Sad With Libertarian Freedoms Swiss Remain Human From Russia, With Scorn (Written before the terrorist attack of 22 March.) Making an enemy of post-Soviet Russia was a massive error by the New Right. Proof … Continue reading Notes on the News
The price of houses—How everyone speculates on house price inflation
Catherine Dunlop A book called ‘The Asset Society’ claims that what defines class now is not the relationship between employer and employee (labour), but the relationship of the person to assets. The claim is that although there are vast differences in the quantity of assets held (one house or thousands of acres), any asset owner is … Continue reading The price of houses—How everyone speculates on house price inflation
The Agony of Julian Assange Continues
In another twist in the legal wrangling over the extradition to the US, the High Court in London ruled on Tuesday that the WikiLeaks founder must have the right to challenge the British government’s June 2022 extradition order, unless the United States provides within three weeks assurances that he would receive a fair trial and would … Continue reading The Agony of Julian Assange Continues
Sahra Wagenknecht Newsletter
In her newsletters Sahra introduces TV or press items where she is interviewed and speeches she makes in Parliament. Also brief statements of policy. 21March While calls for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine are getting louder and louder in the USA, while Washington is obviously no longer prepared to burn American taxpayers' money in … Continue reading Sahra Wagenknecht Newsletter
Palestine Links
Video: Al Jazeera Investigation: October 7 (March 2024) Video: Conversation on the Gaza Genocide (Norman Finkelstein & Chris Hedges, 26 March 2024) Germany next up to face Gaza genocide charges in The Hague (Ali Abunimah, Electronic Intifada, 25 March 2024) Hebrew University of Jerusalem suspends professor (Orly Noy, +972, 23 March 2024) Israel lauds US … Continue reading Palestine Links
What happened on October 7th?
Shielding US Public From Israeli Reports of Friendly Fire on October 7 (Bryce Green, FAIR, 23 February 2024) This seems to be a comprehensive review of Israeli reports of friendly fire incidents on 7 October, reports that have been almost entirely absent from mainstream media in the US (and in Britain and Ireland, as well?). … Continue reading What happened on October 7th?
Piers Morgan interviews Jeffrey Sachs 20 March 2024—Transcript
“Can you not find anything negative to say about Putin?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c586OPde_NA Piers Morgan: First of all, your reaction to the election of Vladimir Putin? Jeffrey Sachs. It’s a Russian tradition. He’s a strong leader, the Russians expect a strong leader and we have to deal with a strong leader in Russia. PM The Wall Street Journal recently … Continue reading Piers Morgan interviews Jeffrey Sachs 20 March 2024—Transcript
Edwin Montagu, Anti-Zionist Jew—August 1917
Edwin Montagu, at that time Secretary of State for India, circulated a secret memo on the 23rd August 1917, expressing strong opposition to the proposal to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Memorandum of Edwin Montagu on the Anti-Semitism of the Present (British) Government - Submitted to the British Cabinet, August 1917 "I have chosen the above title … Continue reading Edwin Montagu, Anti-Zionist Jew—August 1917
Workers Party Victory in Rochdale
Workers Party Victory in Rochdale—Thursday 29 February 2024 Labour Affairs congratulates George Galloway on his victory. George Galloway has won a landslide victory in the Rochdale by-election, saying his victory showed Keir Starmer has paid a “high price” for his stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict as Labour’s suspended candidate slumped to fourth in its former … Continue reading Workers Party Victory in Rochdale
Labour Affairs 