What Am I Going to do Next? Part 12 Where will the money come from? Dave Gardner Funding for universities through student loans: why this is a nonsense In a previous article I noted the inequality in funding between universities and vocational education. Universities get roughly five times as much money per student as do … Continue reading What Shall I Do Next?
Editorial The party which wins the next general election will be the party which presents to the electorate, in the clearest and most convincing way, a view of the role of the state in the society. No one knows what the position of the Labour Party is on the role and size of the state. Keir … Continue reading Sunak’s Agenda is Labour’s Opportunity
“WITHDRAWAL OF WHIP FROM JEREMY CORBYN: 1st ANNIVERSARY” Diary of an ex-Corbyn foot soldier (December, 2021) A year ago, 19 November, 2021, the Chief Whip is reported as writing to Jeremy Corbyn, suspending him from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) for 3 months pending investigation into whether he had broken the PLP Code of Conduct. The … Continue reading Jeremy Corbyn banished as Labour MP—one year on
The most important political battle in British politics is currently taking place in the Conservative party. There is, of course, also a political battle taking place in the Labour Party, but it is of a different kind. In the Labour Party, the party machine is being used to suppress the discussion of any radical ideas. In contrast, in … Continue reading Editorial 1 — Labour Must Exploit Tory Divisions
Diary of an ex-Corbyn foot soldier (November, 2021) Dictionary definition of “foot soldier”: “…a dedicated low level follower…” Michael Murray: murraymicha@gmail.com; FaceBook: Michael Murray London The case of Heather Mendick: A Jew accused by Labour of being antisemitic. “NOI CN-9748” lands on Heather’s doormat In September of this year a Hackney Labour Party comrade and friend, Heather … Continue reading The case of Heather Mendick — Diary
We reproduce Stan Keable’s statement, the full story can be read on the website of Jewish Voice for Labour. Statement by Stan Keable, Tues Oct 26 2021 [Three and a half years after his sacking for a comments about Zionism during the ‘Enough is Enough’ demonstration in parliament square, Stan Keable welcomes a small victory in … Continue reading A small victory for freedom of speech: the reinstatement of Stan Keable
Keir Starmer repeats, at every opportunity, that his main objective is to win the next general election. This is a welcome change of objective. In 2019 Starmer seemed determined to lose that general election. Labour lost the 2019 general election because they attempted to reverse the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum. Starmer was the main architect of … Continue reading The Levellers — Editorial 1
Brexit offered a real opportunity for the working class. With Corbyn, while not exactly in control of the ship (as we’ve subsequently realised), at least being somewhere on the Bridge, there was the prospect that the opportunity might have been taken advantage of. Alas and alack, such was the incoherent basis of his support (incapable … Continue reading Starmer, Sunak’s Unwitting Ally — Editorial 2
Diary of an ex-Corbyn foot soldier (October, 2021) Dictionary definition of “foot soldier”: “…a dedicated low level follower…” Running the rule over the Labour Party Conference Contents: (1) Back to College - the Electoral College (2) The main changes to the Party Rule Book: 2021 (3) Rule changes and the direction of the Party (1) … Continue reading Running the Rule over the Labour Party Conference
Council House Sales – the Financial Dilemma By Eamon Dyas It is generally accepted that the 1980 Housing Act represented the greatest shift in public housing policy since the Second World War. Michael Heseltine, the environment minister in the Conservative Government at the time, described it as a social revolution. In the sense that it … Continue reading Labour and the Housing Crisis – Part 5
Ditch Blair’s legacy — Editorial Starmer became leader of the Labour Party in May 2020 on the basis of a 10 point program that Jeremy Corbyn would have had little problem supporting. Since becoming leader he has had little to say about his 10 point program and has, instead, concentrated his energy on attacking the left wing … Continue reading Ditch Blair’s Legacy
Pitiful The British parliament was recalled early on the 18th of August, 2021 to discuss what they saw as the crisis in Afghanistan, when it was more of a British crisis. This mother-of-parliaments practised its democracy as a colonial/imperialist pit—full of stinging scorpions and a hissing snakes who have missed their target. Dreary Kier anaconda Starmer arose from his log-like sleep, … Continue reading Scorpions
News in brief: the so-called “auto-expulsions” from the Labour Party We reprint a statement from the Bakers Union regarding the possible ‘auto-expulsion’ from the Labour Party of their president. BFAWU to recall Conference Sarah Woolley Tuesday, August 24th, 2021 Today the Labour Party has made a clear statement of intent in its aspiration to repair its … Continue reading ‘Auto-expulsions’ from the Labour Party
Gerry Adams writes: The expulsion of Ken Loach Two weeks ago my column focussed on the British Labour Party, and the approach of its current leader Keir Starmer toward Ireland. The internal decision making processes of that party and the leadership style of Mr. Starmer are obviously a matter for it and for him. My … Continue reading Ken Loach
Afghanistan — Parliament Notes 1 There is substantial agreement outside the left and outside the Labour Party that Britain’s attempts at ‘nation building’ through military intervention should be given up. For example Simon Jenkins: “How many times must it be drummed into British heads that the British empire is over? It is dead, finished, outdated, not … Continue reading Afghanistan
Labour has held on to the Batley & Spen parliamentary constituency with the slenderest of majorities. Labour got 13,296 votes while the Conservatives got 12,973 votes, giving Labour a 323 majority. George Galloway, whose main point in standing as a candidate for the Worker’s Party, was that the Labour Party under Keir Starmer no longer represented working people, … Continue reading Batley & Spen By-Election — Editorial II
Opposition to the Tory attack on council housing By Eamon Dyas The Right to Buy policy instigated by legislation in 1980 became the foundation on which the housing policies of successive governments over the past 40-odd years have evolved. But it is important to understand that this did not happen because of any organic evolution … Continue reading Labour and the housing crisis – Part 4.
Wed 16 Jun 2021 https://www.jewishvoiceforlabour.org.uk/statement/jvl-response-to-jlm-antisemitism-training/ [Extracts] JLM as antisemitism trainer The sessions were largely delivered by JLM’s National Organiser, Rebecca Filer, with introductions by Chair Mike Katz and – for the June 14 session – by Deputy Party Leader Angela Rayner. They were delivered in Zoom webinar format in which the speaker and a series … Continue reading Jewish Voice for Labour: response to Jewish Labour Movement antisemitism training
Labour Affairs 