How Rifian are the Rifian Protests?
Joe Hayns reports from Rabat on the protests that started in the Rif and are now spreading across Morocco. This piece was originally published on his blog. If you enjoy reading it, then please consider donating here to help to fund his continued documentation of the current situation in Morocco. ‘Are they Moroccans, or what?’ […]
Disaster for May, opportunity for the left
Amy Gilligan and Colin Wilson offer an initial analysis of the June 2017 election results.
Interview: The Fight for Fair Pay in Universities
‘Fractionals’ are hourly paid part-time teaching staff in universities who are paid a ‘fraction’ of a full-time salary. An increasing proportion of academics are on these precarious contracts. On 8 May, SOAS Fractionals for Fair Play (FFFP) announced via their Facebook page that, after threatening a mass marking boycott in late March, management had accepted all of […]
Labour manifesto: Corbyn has picked the right fights
Lisa Leak argues that the pledges in Jeremy Corbyn’s leaked Labour manifesto could play an important role in helping socialists rebuild our movement.
NUT conference: “This country must have a Government that will invest in education”
Tom Ramplin and Andy Stone report on the NUT conference that took place in Cardiff over the Easter weekend With the government slashing £3 billion a year from school budgets by 2020, the continuation of a seven year pay freeze and burnt out teachers leaving the profession in droves, the National Union of Teachers conference held […]
Cardiff Corbyn rally shows how to develop confidence during the election campaign
Seb Cooke reports from Corbyn’s rally in Cardiff yesterday.
On the Picket Line at East Dulwich Picturehouse
At 1pm on Saturday 15 April, staff at East Dulwich Picturehouse walked out of work, demanding the London Living Wage, union recognition, and adequate pay for sickness and parental leave.
Obituary: Martin McGuinness
Pat Stack looks at the struggles which shaped Martin McGuinness and calls out the double-standards of the British Establishment’s response to his death. The death of Martin McGuinness has allowed two fairly standard, and on the face of it contrasting, narratives to emerge. The official one – as espoused with greater or lesser enthusiasm by the likes […]
Breaking with the bureaucrats: how to reclaim Unite
Joe Hayns writes about the need to end the bureaucratic stasis at the top of Unite and support dynamic grassroots struggles led by rank-and-file members. On Monday (27 March) Unite members start to vote on who will be their next General Secretary – the centrist incumbent, Len McCluskey; the right-winger, Gerard Coyne; or the socialist, rank-and-file candidate, […]
Racist Scottish Defence League humbled in Alloa
Luke from Edinburgh UAF reports The Scottish Defence League came to Alloa yesterday as they thought they could take advantage of a 2000 signature petition claiming that the council was giving refugees priority for housing over disabled and homeless locals. Just 40 SDL were confronted with a loud and proud demonstration of 200 overwhelmingly local […]
‘End investment in fossil fuels’ occupation at King’s College London
Students at Kings College are occupying part of the Strand Campus in order to pressure management to divest from fossil fuels
8 Radical Actions across the UK and Ireland for International Women’s Day
A hundred years ago in Russia, huge numbers of women used International Working Women’s Day to strike for food and better conditions, and sparked a movement that would ultimately overthrow the tsar and completely reorder Russian society. This year, there are many events being organised in the spirit of 1917, calling for mass action from below […]
Fighting for the NHS, a moment for Corbynism
Rob Owen reflects on the largest demonstration for the NHS in recent memory.
‘Solidarity Saturdays’ see hundreds continue to fight against fracking
Ewa Barker reports on the continuing fight against fracking in Lancashire.
Peckham Pride: ‘When one marginalised group becomes a target, it is a risk to all of us.’
Last Saturday saw the second year of Peckham Pride; marching through south London in a show of solidarity between the LGBT community and migrants. Ida-Sofie Picard, an organiser for Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants, writes on the politics of Pride, solidarity, and the importance of celebrating histories of resistance for struggle today. February the […]
Polish government lend legitimacy to far-right speakers in Slough
Polish government’s promotion of “Cursed Soldiers” remembrance day in Slough gives legitimacy to far-right speakers among Poles in Britain and must be opposed, argues JL On Sunday, a day-long celebration of the Polish national remembrance day dedicated to the “Cursed Soldiers” will take place in Slough.1 The remembrance day, initiated in 2011, continues to cause controversy. The “Cursed […]
#BanTrump – Thousands take to the streets across the UK – photos, reports and videos
Tens of thousands took to the streets around the country this evening to protest against Trump’s vile racist travel ban and Theresa May’s revolting invite to him for an official state visit. More reports as they come in! London Whitehall is standing room only from Trafalgar Square to Parliament. So many people it’s too big even […]
Anti-Trump protests “will enrage and frighten our thin-skinned new president”
Sarah Grey, a writer and activist based in Philadelphia, writes on Trump’s inauguration and the protests that have followed As Donald Trump prepared to take the oath of office, the crowd on Washington’s Mall was unusually thin. Protestors sat down at one entrance to the ticketed seating area, blocking Trump supporters’ path. As dignitaries and former […]
Feeling hopeful on angry London march against Trump’s inauguration: report and photos
Amy Downham writes about why she attended the women’s march against Trump’s inauguration in London. Also see the report from Edinburgh by Eileen Cook For me today was about standing up for the rights that have been fought for by our ancestors that Trump has pompously disregarded and disrespected. It was about equality, equality for […]
revolutionary reflections | A Hot Winter in South Korea – an historic opportunity in the face of the impeachment of Park Geun-hye
South Korea is being racked by arguably one of the biggest protest movements in the country’s history which has culminated in today’s impeachment of the president. Jeon Ji-yun from the South Korean anti-capitalist group Solidarity for Another World sets out the background to the crisis and an update on the rapidly changing situation. Introduction to the […]
#NoDAPL: How the water protectors won at Standing Rock
We republish eyewitness accounts from activists from New York who were at Standing Rock this weekend.
South African students resume their fight – and face repression
The last few months have seen protests erupt in universities across South Africa. Ashley Fataar, from the South African organisation Keep Left, reports. In September students at universities across South Africa began demonstrating for the complete removal of university fees for poor students. The protests erupted when the minister responsible for higher education announced that […]
Derailing neoliberalism
As Southern Rail workers once again go on strike, we republish this interview with Tom Haines-Doran, a researcher on rail privatisation at Manchester University.
15 October could be a dark day for refugees in Calais
It has been strongly rumoured that the threatened closure and demolition of the refugee camp in Calais, often referred to as “The Jungle” will commence on 15 October at 5am.
500 march in Wellington, Shropshire to defend the NHS
Pete Gillard reports 500 people braved torrential rain on Saturday to march through Wellington, Shropshire in defence of the NHS. Local health bosses have long wanted to close one of Shropshire’s two A&Es and an acute hospital in an area that covers over three times the size of Greater London. At a secret meeting a […]
A turning point in Polish politics: the #czarnyprotest and Monday’s women’s strike
Large protests have taken place in Poland against a proposed ban on abortion in all cases. On Monday (3 October) Polish women are taking part in a nationwide strike to defend their basic reproductive rights. Mark Bergfeld, who researches Polish immigrant workers as part of his PhD, spoke to Aleksandra Wolke who is a feminist […]
The Ritzy Strike’s Back
Picturehouse, and their owners Cineworld, must’ve thought they’d dodged a bullet when their staff pay dispute was settled two years ago… but the workers were just reloading. On Saturday (24 September) workers at the Ritzy in Brixton returned to strike action, demanding the London Living Wage, company sick pay for all, company maternity, paternity and adoption […]
Tim Farron – no friend to refugees
Seb Cooke discusses why Tim Farron, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, is no friend to refugees Tim Farron gave a speech at the Lib Dem conference on Tuesday where he told a story about the time he was handing out water to refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos. In his story, as he […]
“Squeezing a quart into a pint pot”: the current situation in Calais
After the destruction of people’s homes there was temporary reduction in the numbers of refugees living in Calais, but many are now returning. The only people who are profiting from this stalemate are the people traffickers.
Why I’m not celebrating the fall of Keith Vaz
Colin Wilson argues that the manner of Keith Vaz’s fall from grace is nothing for the left to rejoice in. I never thought I would feel the slightest sympathy for Keith Vaz. The parliamentary watchdog twice found he had received money without declaring it; he was sacked over his relationship with the wealthy Hinduja brothers; […]