Support the 12-day London Newsquest strike
This morning sees the beginning of industrial action by Journalists at the very profitable Newsquest group, in Sutton, south London, reports Adam DC. The workers are striking over their pay and conditions and the proposed restructuring and introduction of new processes, which it is feared will lead to job losses, and the inevitable decline in […]
Filling the vacuum in Scottish politics
Around 40 to 50 people attended a meeting in Kirkcaldy last week to hear speakers from the Scottish Left Project (SLP), a new grouping of socialists and leftwing activists that has emerged following the referendum for Scottish independence and which plans to run candidates in the 2016 Scottish parliamentary elections. Nick and Mike went along to […]
Back Corbyn (but rely on ourselves, not Labour)
Ian Allinson comments on the news that socialist Jeremy Corbyn has secured enough nominations to enter the Labour leadership contest. The news that socialist Jeremy Corbyn has secured enough nominations from MPs to be a candidate in the Labour leadership has unleashed a surge of activists signing up to join the Labour Party or register […]
Battles in Bromley
Four hundred people marched in Bromley this weekend over cuts to the council. Paul Summers reports: Four hundred people marched this Saturday (13 June) as part of the ongoing fight between Bromley council and Unite members. The council wants to reduce the staff from 3,000 to 300. The council has withdrawn facility time simply stating the […]
Colossal cuts for further education
With colossal cuts looming, Barbara Jeffery and Mark Winter outline the devastating impact that the Tory plans for further education will have on colleges At the onset of their second term, the Government outlined their plans for adult further education. Excluding funding for apprenticeships, the budget for 2015/16 will be […]
20 June: your chance to undermine the Tories
The Tories have been confident since the election, but the big People’s Assembly demo on 20 June can start to change that. Jen W lists six things you can do to make it as big as possible. If you are reading this you probably woke up on the Friday after the election, like me, in a pretty […]
It IS racist to worry about “foreign” nurses – a reply to Dr Max Pemberton
The problem isn’t nurses from abroad – it’s understaffing, pay reductions and bureaucracy, writes Mark Boothroyd, himself a nurse. Max Pemberton’s Daily Mail comment piece “It’s NOT racist to worry about foreign nurses” is a truly shameful article of writing. Using the deranged actions of a single individual who happens to be Filipino as an […]
Yes to marriage equality in Ireland – an inspiration for battles to come
Irish socialist Jen O’Leary analyses the politics of the No and Yes campaigns, and argues that the Yes victory must be a step in the ongoing struggle for wider LGBTQ liberation. We received Jen’s article after the polls closed, but before the results started coming in. Around Saturday lunchtime, it became clear not only that Yes had won, but […]
Manchester protests against austerity
Mikhil Karnik and Ian Allinson provide pictures, interviews and a report from today’s anti-austerity demonstration in Manchester. During the afternoon around 1000 people took part in a static anti-austerity demonstration in Piccadilly Gardens. It brought together people from a wide variety of campaigns along with a significant number protesting for their first time. Speeches focussed […]
5 things Londoners can do to help Rabina Khan get elected in Tower Hamlets
In Tower Hamlets, following the removal of the last elected mayor from office in very worrying circumstances, Independent candidate Rabina Khan is running for Mayor. It will be either her or the Labour opposition that wins. Sybil Cock and Andrew Ward explain what you can do to help a left-of-Labour candidate win the first election […]
Report: They Don’t Represent Us
Lois JC reports from rs21’s participatory day event last Saturday. Videos from various sessions will appear on the site soon. Many woke up on the Friday morning after the 2015 election with a sinking feeling in their stomach, 5 more years of Tory austerity and seemingly with a bigger mandate than the past 5 years. Nobody […]
Hundreds attend general assembly of the left in London
Up to 1000 people attended the General Assembly of the Radical Left last night in Logan Hall in London. Called by the activist group Brick Lane Debates, the assembly brought together people from across the radical left to discuss building “a new joined-up radical left movement or network… something that is truly democratic, bottom-up, radical, and […]
Four thousand march against the Tories in Bristol
A demo against austerity in Bristol yesterday, organised by local students on Facebook, was a big success. Linda Nunns reports. Today something happened in Bristol that nobody predicted. A group of students started a Facebook group a couple of days ago to organise a protest against austerity and to “get the Tories out”. 4,000 people said […]
Labour begins its post-election “fight for Britain” – by defending austerity in Tower Hamlets
Tower Hamlets council demonstrates that an alternative to austerity is possible. It’s a path that could rebuild Labour’s fortunes, but as the party lurches back to the right and suspends a leading left-winger, it’s one they refuse to take, argues Adam Ward. Labour have just lost an election to the Conservative Party. In their heartlands they were trailed closely […]
Election results: rolling coverage
Welcome to our election night coverage, which we’re planning to continue till 7am. rs21 stands in the tradition of socialism from below. In our view protests, strikes and demonstrations – and ultimately, revolutions – are what really bring change in society. Sometimes, elections can play a part in that process, mobilising people and giving them […]
Stop the Tories clinging on to power
[UPDATE: The People’s Assembly Against Austerity has called a demonstration on Saturday 9 May at 1pm at Downing St if the Tory coup happens, which we are more than happy to support. Please attend and share the Facebook event.] There is a very real risk of the Tories clinging on to power in the event of a […]
Sexist Tory Austerity: why Sisters Uncut are marching this May Day
A member of Sisters Uncut writes about their May Day action coming up this bank holiday Monday The crisis facing domestic violence services across the UK is one key issue that has been largely overlooked in the run-up to the election. After five years of Tory austerity, hundreds of refuges have suffered cuts, closures and overcrowding at unprecedented levels. The need […]
“FE means Free Education Further Education For Everyone”
Mark Winter reports 1200 lecturers and students marched on Saturday 25th against the 24% cut in adult education, on a national demonstration called by the UCU (University and Colleges Union). The cuts are massive – UCU estimates that they could lead to a loss of more than 400,000 places for adult students in 2015/16 alone. […]
Migrant solidarity protest in Manchester
Mikhil Karnik reports About 100-150 protesters gathered and laid flowers outside the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal in Manchester on Friday evening. They were there in solidarity with those asylum seekers and migrants who have perished in the Mediterranean Sea, and to protest against the complete indifference of European Governments, who bear real responsibility for the […]
Students protest against LeSoCo cuts – photo report
Colin Revolting and Ian Crosson report 200 jobs are at risk at Lewisham and Southwark College. Yesterday lunchtime around 50 students from the college took part with others in a protest against these cuts. Shakira Martin, who is SU President in the college has just been elected Vice President for Further Eduction at the NUS […]
Video: Protesting Katie Hopkins’ hate
Health activist Mark Boothroyd speaking at the Drown (Out) Katie Hopkins protest on Sunday against her hosting a 2 hour show on LBC. On Saturday the Sun published a column where she used terms such as ‘cockroaches’, ‘festering sores’ and ‘norovirus’ to describe immigrants. Mark calls for open borders and safe passage for refugees. Hundreds of […]
No nazis in Stamford Hill!
Charlie Hore reports On Saturday afternoon (18 April) a number of small nazi groups tried to hold an antisemitic rally in Stamford Hill, Hackney. They failed, managing nothing more than walking a couple of hundred metres along the pavement, and then back again to their starting point, barracked every step of the way by a […]
#BBCdebate: win for the Nationalists and Greens, demolition for Miliband
Jonas Liston shares his thoughts coming out of tonight’s leader’s debate 1) Farage was isolated and snowed under by the dominance of the left in the debate. However, even though his central, racist focus on migration as the cause of every social problem (housing, NHS, etc.) got outdone in the debate, that and his sheer […]
NUT conference 2015 report: why are teachers always complaining?
The current coalition government has seen major public sector strikes including all three teaching unions. As we edge ever closer to the general election Andy Stone, president of Wandsworth NUT, reports in a personal capacity from this years recent NUT conference in Harrogate Education is a battleground for two intersecting conflicts over austerity and neoliberal ideology. While the effects […]
Report from the LSE occupation
Matt Myers reports from the ongoing occupation at the London School of Economics, and considers what it tells us about the modern university. It was a very odd way to start an occupation, being presented with edible offerings and an ironic solidarity fist salute by LSE’s Vice Chancellor (VC), Craig Calhoun, the highest paid individual […]
Defiant porters march and strike for fair pay
Porters at Ninewells and Victoria Hospital porters are taking strike action for fair pay.
EDL prevented from breaking through in Oxford
Anti-fascist demonstrators significantly outnumbered the fascist English Defence League in Oxford on Saturday, and prevented them from marching through the centre of the city.
“Police killed Henry Hicks” – Islington community marches for justice
More than a thousand people protested in London today, against the killing of a young Arsenal fan, Henry Hicks.
Dundee porters on strike against low pay
Mike A reports from the hospital porters’ strike in Dundee. On the wall of the Medical Library at Ninewells hospital in Dundee, there is a poem by Michael Rosen. It’s a fine tribute to all those who contribute to caring for us in hospital when we need it, whether medical staff or not, and I […]
Lively LeSoCo lobby against FE cuts
Ian Crosson reports: Last Tuesday (24 March) there was a lively lobby of the governing body of Lewisham and Southwark College outside the Lewisham Way site. The lobby was called to protest against a £7m cut to the staff budget, which is largely the result of the massive national funding cuts to adult education. […]