Keir Starmer’s decision to assist Ukraine in shooting UK supplied weapons into Russia is puzzling for many reasons. Firstly, it is not going to affect the outcome of the war in Ukraine. Secondly, it is not going to change the conditions which Russia would require in any peace deal. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, it … Continue reading Starmer’s Pointless Missiles—Editorial 2
The United States policy towards Europe’s energy needs
Part One — an early experience Eamon Dyas The way in which Europe is currently committing a slow economic suicide in the wake of what is effectively a US geopolitical exercise in Ukraine stands in marked contrast with what happened in 1981-82. The more robust stance adopted by Europe at that time promised the possibility of an independent Europe … Continue reading The United States policy towards Europe’s energy needs
Bevin, MMT and the Class Struggle
Catherine Dunlop “People want to be governed.” This is what Burke said and it’s a fundamental truth. People want to get on with their lives and they rely on a government to maintain an environment where they can get on with their lives. The instrument of the government is the state; a modern state has a police … Continue reading Bevin, MMT and the Class Struggle
The State in Capitalist Society
What Socialists Should Know. Dave Gardner Socialists need to understand what the state is and how it can help or hinder progress towards socialism. Societies can exist without a state but the reality is that, when a society becomes complex or is threatened by neighbouring societies it will develop a state. A state is an … Continue reading The State in Capitalist Society
Reflections on questions concerning global warming
Richard Jones Part 5: Science and Politics, Climate and Weather It was nearly forty years ago that I read that the majority of scientific research world-wide was funded entirely or partly by the US war machine, in one guise or another. I never verified the claim, but as far as I remember it was from … Continue reading Reflections on questions concerning global warming
Notes on the News
By Gwydion M. Williams Putin’s Nuclear Gamble Threaten carefully In China, Bears Shit in the Woods! Must We Be Eyeless In Gaza? How to Reverse Progress and Be Very Baffled Snippets Trump Abandoning Taiwan? Conciliation Within China Reaching across the Pacific India Neglects Its Poor Putin’s Nuclear Gamble Russians have a history of losing many … Continue reading Notes on the News
Defenders of the Rich
Gwydion M. Williams Britain and the USA increasingly move in tandem. Thatcher began the process of copying everything the USA had got wrong. This now includes a health service that runs for private profit. In the USA, it costs twice as much per head, but may be denied to the critically sick or injured. Withheld from those … Continue reading Defenders of the Rich
ICC arrest warrants welcomed as ‘a glimmer of hope’ in Gaza
https://www.defenddemocracy.press/icc-arrest-warrants-welcomed-as-a-glimmer-of-hope-in-gaza/ 24/11/2024 While many Palestinians in Gaza see Netanyahu and Gallant warrants as merely symbolic, the faint promise of justice still resonates By Maha Hussaini in Deir al-Balah, occupied Palestine22 November 2024 Sitting in Gaza City, Anas al-Ramlawi could hear the bombardment of northern Gaza. He read the news. The International Criminal Court (ICC) had … Continue reading ICC arrest warrants welcomed as ‘a glimmer of hope’ in Gaza
Palestine Links—December 2024
Full text of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon (Josephine Deep, Middle East Eye, 27 November 2024) 'Why is Hezbollah celebrating?' Israelis unconvinced by ceasefire agreement (Lubna Masarwa, Middle East Eye, 27 November 2024) Lebanon: Israel and Hezbollah agree to ceasefire brokered by US and France (Josephine Deep & Lubna Masarwa, 27 November 2024) … Continue reading Palestine Links—December 2024
Need for a peace movement
John ClaydenIt is difficult to contemplate one's demise and even more so that all life on this planet could cease. Since the invention of nuclear weapons this has become a possibility. With some friends I attended a meeting in Trafalgar Square in the early 60s where Bertrand Russell warned us that if we did not take … Continue reading Need for a peace movement
Class Guerilla War in the Sixties.
John ClaydenI was working for New Century, a large window cleaning firm in London with an office in Red Lion Square. While cleaning the office of the chief executive of 20th Century Fox high up in Soho Square I removed some newspapers he had placed on an internal window ledge before stepping out to do … Continue reading Class Guerilla War in the Sixties.
Sahra Wagenknecht Newsletter November 2024
We mustn’t become a country of dropouts and uneducated people! Our schools are on fire. Figures we obtained from the Federal Statistical Office show that more and more pupils are leaving school without a qualification: Last year, 17 per cent more than two years previously. This is no wonder, as our education system is in … Continue reading Sahra Wagenknecht Newsletter November 2024
Reeves’ Debt Dexterity—Editorial
All are agreed. Britain needs large increases in government investment if the standard of living of the British people is to be improved. All are also agreed that the government does not have the money to make the required investments. We are told that government current spending on teachers, doctors, armed forces etc is greater than taxes … Continue reading Reeves’ Debt Dexterity—Editorial
Why the Workers’ Struggle is a Class Struggle
Dave Gardner [The photo above is of Ernest Bevin] “There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.” (Warren Buffett, investor and capitalist, 2006). The quote above blurts out a truth which the political establishment and media of this country would like to keep from us. We … Continue reading Why the Workers’ Struggle is a Class Struggle
Notes on the News
By Gwydion M. Williams BRICS and the G7 Hegemony The Unwisdom of the New Right At Home in BRICS The Sacred WASP Democracy of the USA Millionaires as Wealth Consumers Snippets Taiwan – Beijing Could Just Blockade A Palestinian Anne Frank? Non-Wealthy IT Pioneers BRICS and the G7 Hegemony BRICS is now claiming equal authority … Continue reading Notes on the News
Wars of the Chickenhawks
By Gwydion M. Williams Chickenhawk Politics A War For Peace? The Myth of Leninist Failure The Invention of Pure Ukrainianism I offer good news – a nuclear war harming any part of Europe is very unlikely. The entire Ukraine war has been fought within limits. Whatever they say in public, US and European leaders act as if … Continue reading Wars of the Chickenhawks
Reflections on questions concerning global warming
Richard Jones Part 5: Climate Politics vs Climate Science My title for this instalment is descriptive of the content, but began as reference to a dilemma. I thought of the last episode as being about the science, and aimed to address the politics now. Then a friend, paraphrased, said "after that account of the politics, … Continue reading Reflections on questions concerning global warming
Palestine Links November 2024
Mustafa Barghouti reflects on the future of the Palestinian struggle in a time of genocide and ethnic cleansing (Mondoweiss, 7 October 2024) Israeli bombing kills entire family in West Bank (Tamara Nassar, 6 October 2024) A year after October 7: British Jewish views on Israel, antisemitism and Jewish life (Institute for Jewish Policy Research, 5 … Continue reading Palestine Links November 2024
Labour Affairs 