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
Author: lefroggy01
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
The Independence of the Bank of England—Editorial
Central Bank Independence Readers will be familiar with the term ‘independence of the central bank’. Of late, it has been much referred to in the media. The tone is always that this independence is a good thing. And Labour proudly remind us that the Bank of England (BoE) was made independent by Gordon Brown in 1998 when he … Continue reading The Independence of the Bank of England—Editorial
Party Politics, Trade Unions and the Scope of Collective Action.
Dave Gardner In the July/August editorial of Labour Affairs, we drew attention to the British trade unions at their most influential period between the Second World War and the late 1970s. It is worth asking ‘What is a trade union?’ before going on to the question of the role that they may or may not play … Continue reading Party Politics, Trade Unions and the Scope of Collective Action.
BRICS 15th Summit Conference 22-24 August 2023
Michael Murray Contents: (1) Not just another BRIC in the Wall (2) Why the interest in BRICS by developing countries? (3) The founding document of BRICS: 2009 (4) The New Development Bank of BRICS - High S&P Ratings (5) The Chinks in the BRICS Not just another BRIC in the Wall This week, at its … Continue reading BRICS 15th Summit Conference 22-24 August 2023
How to pay for it. The case for the elimination of the cap on child benefit.
An imaginary interview between the BBC and a progressive Labour Party by Michal Lerner BBC: Labour says that it will eliminate the cap on child benefit. That will cost some £1.3 billion. How will Labour pay for it? LP: A Labour government will pay for it the way British governments pay for everything that has been approved by … Continue reading How to pay for it. The case for the elimination of the cap on child benefit.
Notes on the News
Notes on the News By Gwydion M. Williams Sick Britain The Global South Stands Solid China In Chaos? Climate Change Inferiority for China and India? War Until the West Runs Out of Gullible Ukrainians? Snippets A Very English Ruthlessness India On The Moon Israel – Losing Westernisation Sick Britain From the 1980s, Britons were tricked … Continue reading Notes on the News
Palestine Links
Killings, pogroms, expulsion: Israel dispossesses Palestinians of their lands using settler violence (B'Tselem, 10 August 2023) 'Watershed moment': Over 700 academics equate Israeli occupation with apartheid (Middle East Eye, 8 August 2023) Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir praises settlers who killed teen as “heroes” (Tamara Nassar, Electronic Intifada, 6 August 2023) 90 years ago, a negotiated 'transfer' … Continue reading Palestine Links
France’s hopeless left opposition
Froggy In France political movements and the remaining political parties (Socialist party, Communist party) hold annual ‘summer universities’ rather than conferences. The Melenchon outfit with a ridiculous name designed to put off adults (France Insoumise/France Unbowed) held its summer university where a grown up actually spoke. This is François Ruffin, deputy for France Insoumise in Northern France. He … Continue reading France’s hopeless left opposition
Labour Affairs 