How dissent is managed in a ‘liberal democracy’. Much is made by politicians and political theorists of the need for ‘active citizens’ in a liberal democracy. The education system is supposed to prepare citizens to scrutinise claims, analyse arguments and check sources of information. We can all then ‘hold to account’ those who aspire to … Continue reading Passive Democracy—Editorial
Month: October 2023
Debate : the NHS
In the context of a debate on the situation in the NHS, we publish an article by Phil Bevin to open the discussion. Why the NHS is dead: our health service was Killed by Labour and the Tories and it’s too late to save it By Phil Bevin The NHS is dead and this is something … Continue reading Debate : the NHS
The NHS is not dead
Phil Bevin begins his article as follows: "The NHS, once a single organisation that provided comprehensive healthcare free to all, at the point of need, is dead, and the Labour Party is an accomplice to its murder." The Kings Fund says that in England "there were an estimated 570 million patient contacts with GP, community, mental health, … Continue reading The NHS is not dead
The NHS—socialist order and capitalist freedom
Brendan Clifford (The image above shows Ernest Bevin to the right of Churchill, 8th May 1945) The NHS was established as a Communist service for a capitalist economy, made possible by the proceeds of Empire. It was a realisation of the safety net envisaged by the manufacturing capitalist, Joseph Chamberlain, in the 1880s. Chamberlain was convinced that … Continue reading The NHS—socialist order and capitalist freedom
Historical trends and the NHS
Labour Affairs (The image above shows an ad for the privatisation of British Gas in 1986) We can look at the question of the NHS through historical trends. Since Thatcher, trends have taken three directions. One towards a small state and a greater part played by the private sector. The second is the principle that … Continue reading Historical trends and the NHS
Tory and Labour U-turns on Aid to Developing Countries
(The image above comes from the International Development Committee) Michael Murray Introduction The UN requires that countriesallocate 0.7% of their Gross National Income (GNI) on Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the purposes of the economic development and welfareof developing countries. TheInternational Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015 lays down how the UK will meet this requirement … Continue reading Tory and Labour U-turns on Aid to Developing Countries
LABOUR AND HOUSING – Part 13
The funding of social housing provision (cont.): Neville Chamberlain and John Wheatley (The image above shows John Wheatley) By Eamon Dyas In parts 11 and 12 we examined the issue of the funding of social housing provision from 1851 to Chamberlain’s Housing Act of 1923 just before the advent of the first Labour Government. The … Continue reading LABOUR AND HOUSING – Part 13
Notes on the News
By Gwydion M. Williams Global Liberalism – its Second Massive Failure Broad Liberalism Isn’t Working Democracy – the Sinatra Principle China and its Pen-Foes Unhappy Britons Snippets India Very Foreign Nuclear the Least Dangerous? Ukraine – A Collapsing Crusade Global Liberalism – its Second Massive Failure The true history of the 20th century is how Europe’s … Continue reading Notes on the News
Branded
The attack on Russell Brand We have collected some quotes from Russell Brand where for the past year of so he has been telling the truth about the Ukraine war, on video, to an audience of millions, either directly or by interviewing journalists like Aron Maté. He had to be stopped somehow. It was out of the … Continue reading Branded
Palestine Links
Saudis putting aside Arab Peace Initiative amid Israel normalization talks – officials (Jacob Magid, Times of Israel, 28 September 2023) Saudi-Israel normalisation: The grand illusion (David Heart, Middle East Eye, 28 September 2023) Canada hails Nazi SS veteran from Ukraine as “hero” (Ali Abunimah, Electronic Intifada, 24 September 2023) ‘I told Arafat: Israel will promise … Continue reading Palestine Links
Cuba at the G77
Statement by the President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez on behalf of the G77 at the Summit on the Sustainable Development Goals (New York, 18 September 2023) Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez calls in particular for an end to sanctions and a change to the way debt is managed: “Today, 25 nations of the … Continue reading Cuba at the G77
Labour Affairs 