To mark the passing of Lord Robert Skidelsky on 15th April 2026, we reproduce one of his reflections on the war in Ukraine. Four Years Later Robert Skidelsky reflects on the Ukraine War, February 2026 ‘War should be approached with much prudence, reverence, and calculation, and that includes the propaganda which is its messenger. ‘Our power … Continue reading Lord Robert Skidelsky
Russia
Was Fianna Fáil ‘slightly fascist’ in the 1930s?
James Connolly was the only Labour leader in the British state who was explicitly Marxist in his general framework of understanding and who engaged in revolutionary action against the State. He was killed for his revolutionary attempt by a Coalition Government which included the founder of the Labour Party, Arthur Henderson, who was in the process … Continue reading Was Fianna Fáil ‘slightly fascist’ in the 1930s?
Notes on the News
By Gwydion M. Williams Iran – Regime Still Standing False Belief as a Root of Evil Iran: Not My Sort of Regime China and Compromise Snippets Taxing the Rich Ukraine – Predictable Disaster Intelligence Is Many Different Things Iran – Regime Still Standing British pop singer Elton John can’t have many followers in Iran. But his … Continue reading Notes on the News
The Sahra Wagenknecht Newsletter
30 April 2026 This is Sahra Wagenknecht’s newsletter, where she provides regular updates on her activities and current political issues. The links take the reader to the original German source; one of those links (the essay on a dictionary of war softening) has been translated below. The federal government has approved the draft budget for … Continue reading The Sahra Wagenknecht Newsletter
Notes on the News
By Gwydion M. Williams The Wastrels of the Western World Envy? Elon Musk Praises England As It Never Did Exist Downgrade Motherhood, Be Astonished at a Lack of Babies Epstein and a Wider Malaise Snippets Sympathy for the 'Devil's Alternative’ From Russia With Self-Incrimination Venezuela – Trump Lawless But Not Dumb Guilty Hangovers from Puritanism … Continue reading Notes on the News
Nathan Gill—Victim of Double Standards
Dave Gardner Recently, an ex MEP ex Reform member, Nathan Gill, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for the crime of taking a bribe and acting improperly on that basis. He pleaded guilty thus avoiding a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment. In this issue of ‘Labour Affairs’ we reprint two of the speeches that … Continue reading Nathan Gill—Victim of Double Standards
Your Party, Our Party, a Party for the Many
By Gwydion M. Williams A New Hope? The Road to the Liverpool Convention Incidentals in Liverpool What Sort of Party?’ ‘Not Invented Here’? Soft Leninism: an Argument of Trotskyists World-Changing Leninists, But Not Here Back to the Liverpool Convention Things I’d Have Liked To Say The Wider World A New Hope? The Road to the Liverpool Convention … Continue reading Your Party, Our Party, a Party for the Many
Should Europe Rearm?
Recent Letter and Speech on the War in Ukraine. Lord Robert Skidelsky Note: I’m posting two items today. The first is a letter I co-signed with others, which was submitted to The Guardian on the 15th of November. This was in response to an article on the same day by Pjotr Sauer and Shaun Walker attacking Russia’s anglophobia. … Continue reading Should Europe Rearm?
The death of Reagan’s Star Wars
By Gwydion M. Williams New Nuclear Devices The Strategic Defense Initiative Defensive Weapons Air and Sea – Next to Space? New Nuclear Devices You may have seen stories about Putin announcing a new nuclear missile – or is it two? Claiming it can get through any defence, but how? The key matter is Russia developing a … Continue reading The death of Reagan’s Star Wars
Lord Skidelsky’s speech in the House of Lords on Ukraine
31 October 2025 [Lord Skidelsky was allowed five minutes] My Lords, I do not know whether it is a punishment or a privilege to be put last in the list of Back-Bench speakers, as I invariably am when it comes to a debate on Ukraine. The noble Lord, Lord Coaker, was powerful and eloquent in … Continue reading Lord Skidelsky’s speech in the House of Lords on Ukraine
Notes on the News
By Gwydion M. Williams When Mr President of the USA makes International Law Lies about Ukraine’s Civil War Labour Renewal Snippets US Politics – Corrupt Long Before Trump Gaza’s Yours, the Donbass is Ours ? Should Xi try an Aksai Chin gambit? (Pictured) A Mess in Bolivia Why are honeybees dying en masse in the … Continue reading Notes on the News
The latest bulletins from the Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht in Germany.
LA comment: The BSW continue to show that a substantial section of the German population do not hate Russia, are not warmongers and wish to preserve what remains of their welfare state. They wish to restore good relations with Russia so that Germany can once again access the source of its prosperity – cheap Russian … Continue reading The latest bulletins from the Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht in Germany.
Britain, Europe and Military Power—Editorial 2
British governments, together with their media servants, have been telling us for many years that Russia is an enemy. When the Special Military Operation began in Ukraine in early 2022 it was confidently asserted that the Russians were militarily incompetent and would fail against the Ukrainians. In reality Russia launched a pre-emptive strike against a … Continue reading Britain, Europe and Military Power—Editorial 2
Vodka: a Review
How Russia was introduced to capitalism. Review and synopsis of Vodka, a novel by Boris Starling. Published by Harper Collins, London, 2004. Eamon Dyas I read this novel shortly after it was published and it struck me at the time that its explanation of the way in which Russia’s transfer to capitalism had taken place was … Continue reading Vodka: a Review
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
Sahra Wagenknecht Newsletters February
The new party, Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance - Reason and Justice, is putting up candidates for the 9 June EU elections. Note that Wagenknecht puts the death of Navalny at the door of the Russian authorities, without proof, but she highlights the fate of the West’s prisoner of conscience, Julian Assange, at the same time. Preventing a … Continue reading Sahra Wagenknecht Newsletters February
The Russian Presidential Election
Zyuganov: "Fulfilling the President's wishes and Nikolai Kharitonov's programme". Kharitonov is the Communist Party presidential candidate in the presidential election on the 17th March. Labour Affairs Commentary: In this speech Zyuganov (Secretary General, Communist Party of the Russian Federation) indicates his party’s broad support for the objectives of the government’s programme. In particular, he endorses the … Continue reading The Russian Presidential Election
Sahra Wagenknecht January 2024 Newsletters
The federal government has no plan for our country. One bad political decision follows another. This is demonstrated once again by the policy of cuts in the agricultural sector. The justified protests of the farmers show how far politics has moved away from the reality of life and people's problems, and how high the potential … Continue reading Sahra Wagenknecht January 2024 Newsletters
Labour Affairs 