Up to 1.4 million to strike on #J10
Over 1.4 million workers from ten different unions are striking on #J10. NUT, PCS and FBU have called national strikes, while Unison, GMB and Unite have called out their local government sections. Local disputes in UCU (in King’s College London), Bectu (Ritzy Cinema) and RMT, TSSA and UNITE (London Underground) have been timed to coincide […]
Yestival and a summer of independence
Christine Bird from Glasgow gives her take on a festival that brought together all parts of the movement for Scottish independence This past weekend, 5 and 6 July, 450 people attended Yestival on Glasgow’s Southside, with at least as many again at the Common Weal Festival at The Arches. Both pro-independence events brought together political […]
“Please boycott us!”: a report from the Ritzy’s 8th strike day
Today Ritzy workers launched their Boycott Picturehouse campaign after another successful strike day. Lois and Estelle report from the picket line: Ritzy workers went into their eighth strike day today after an increased ballot for strike action of 95 percent. We caught up with Robyn, BECTU rep at the Ritzy, about how the campaign was […]
Protesters take to the Tube to highlight Spain’s crackdown on abortion rights
(report by Lois JC and Shanice McBean, pics from mybellyismine.wordpress.com) Spanish activists have launched a campaign called Mi Bombo Es Mío (“my belly is mine”) in response to plans by the government to make abortion illegal in all but a handful of cases. The campaign is now spreading internationally. On Thursday and Friday last week women from Spanish and Irish abortion rights […]
Protest against Israeli terror in Palestine: 5 July, London
Palestinians are facing a horrific escalation of racism and violence as the Israeli state pursues a strategy of collective punishment.
Retribution in Iraq
by Jack Farmer If you like a laugh, it’s always worth looking up what Tony Blair has to say about events in the Middle East. In his latest intervention he insisted that the current crisis in Iraq had nothing to do with the US-British led invasion of 2003: “We have to liberate ourselves from the notion […]
Hong Kong’s new mass movement
‘Beijing and the Hong Kong government have succeeded in producing a genuine mass movement which will not easily be demobilised’. Sue Sparks reports on the mass protests in Hong Kong earlier this week. July 1st in Hong Kong is Handover Day, the anniversary of the handing back of Hong Kong by the British to China […]
Event: Stand Up Against Austerity
Stand up for the People’s Assembly Monday 7 July, 7pm Hammersmith Apollo (Eventim Apollo Hammersmith) Join the People’s Assembly for an evening of comedy from some of the best comedians in the country. As well as an essential way to raise much needed funds for the campaign, this will be an unmissable night out! […]
Rolf Harris is guilty
Yesterday Rolf Harris was found guilty of 12 counts of indecently assaulting four girls. David Renton argues that his conviction goes some way in corroding the stereotypes with which rape and sexual violence are surrounded One theme running through the evidence given by the the women assaulted by Rolf Harris was the destructive effect his behaviour has […]
London: Thousands celebrate Algeria’s World Cup success
Across London, thousands celebrated Algeria’s victory against Russia during the World Cup, as Algeria progressed for the first time in its history to the top 16. Mona and Syed report. Crowds packed out Trafalgar Square on 26 June, celebrating into the night. Walthamstow, which has a strong Algerian community, erupted into a spontaneous street festival. Algeria supporters brought drums […]
The Politics of Pride
As the LGBT movement takes to the streets at London Pride today, Colin Wilson reflects on the challenges facing the movement for liberation today. The official guide for Pride London is a remarkably political document. Perhaps, with the Head of Political Broadcasting at Number Ten chairing the Pride committee, that should come as no big surprise. It’s not […]
‘No to Pinkwashing’ at Pride
Members of No to Pinkwashing – No to Israeli Apartheid will be joining the LGBT Pride march in London this Saturday. Colin Wilson explains the background of the campaign. “Pinkwashing” is a cynical Israeli PR strategy, which relies on the claim that Israel has a good record on LGBT issues to divert attention from the […]
Report: PCS Strikes in second day
Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) members at Revenue and Customs (HMRC) continued their rolling action.
Tottenham attacks: antifascist vigil attracts 200 in show of unity and defiance
(report and pics from Shanice McBean) Some 200 anti-fascists gathered outside Tottenham town hall in north London on Monday evening following antisemitic attacks by Polish fascist group Zjednoczeni Emigranci on Saturday. The crowd was a healthy mix of local residents plus the organised left including Unite Against Fascism and Anti Fascist Network, This turnout at 24 hours’ notice is positive sign […]
A sunny success for the People’s Assembly
Anindya Bhattacharyya writes: Saturday’s march through central London was a test for the People’s Assembly Against Austerity’s – the first time it had organised a national march primarily through its own resources, rather than putting a call out for a march that brought bigger forces (the TUC, the big unions) behind it. It passed that test smoothly […]
Mark Steel, Francesca Martinez and Russell Brand back Ritzy campaign for Living Wage
Estelle Cooch reports from the seventh Ritzy strike day since April with support continuing to grow after Russell Brand and comedians Mark Steel and Francesca Martinez lent their backing to the campaign At the picket lines in Brixton workers were asking supporters to consider boycotting all Picturehouse cinemas. Many of the workers I spoke with made a […]
People’s Assembly demonstration – rolling coverage
Reports and updates from today’s #NoMoreAusterity demonstration in London. Follow @revsoc21 on twitter and send reports, updates and photos to revolutionarysocialism21@gmail.com 4.48pm From Brixton earlier – Curzon workers join Ritzy picket line ahead of demo 4.04pm Great view from the stage via @pplsassembly, giving some idea of the size of today’s demo: 3.42pm Vishal, a medical […]
Protesters say ‘Syrian refugees welcome here’
Luke Cooper reports on a day of protests in solidarity with refugees from Syria. The original article appeared on Left Unity, with additional reports on International Socialist Network. Many thanks to Luke for the permission to re-blog. Protesters demonstrated in London, Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow and Oxford on the 16th June over the government’s response […]
New rs21 magazine launch
We are very please to announce the launch of the new rs21 magazine at the People’s Assembly demonstration tomorrow! In this first edition we focus on the impact of neoliberalism on work. In an analysis piece Ian A looks at the impact of insecurity on fear and confidence. Barbara Jeffery looks at how to resist […]
Moroccan activists renegotiate power: a new stage in a forgotten uprising
Miriyam Aouragh reports from Morocco, where she is currently on fieldwork. She researches the role of new media in the (counter) revolutionary movements in Syria and Morocco.
Unison delegates angry over moves to quash domestic violence motion
(picture: Unison bloc at last year’s Manchester demonstration against health cuts) The Unison union’s annual conference is taking place in Brighton this week. The main themes running through it have been the forthcoming pay strikes and anger at the Labour Party. But the past two days have also seen a highly unusual rank-and-file revolt over […]
The People’s Assembly: Why you should march on Saturday
Dan Swain, of rs21 and active in Norfolk People’s Assembly, argues why you should support Saturday’s demonstration against austerity, and build the People’s Assembly where you can.
NUT election: Why we should vote for the radical left
With one week left in the National Union of Teachers General Secretary election, NUT activist Rob Owen, asks how those on the radical left ought to vote The NUT has been one of the few unions to hold the line in the pensions dispute. Almost alone we have continued to strike and organised impressive demonstrations and public […]
UNISON join in as Lambeth College strike enters ninth day
Chants of ‘The Workers United Will Never Be Defeated’ , ‘El pueblo unido jamás será vencido ‘ rang out today from the Lambeth College Mass Strike meeting today. Neil R reports. Wednesday, the ninth day of the Lambeth College Strike, began with an even livelier and larger picket line at Clapham Common. UNISON came out on strike today joining the UCU […]
Hundreds demand justice over gender and caste violence
Ruth Lorimer reports from a demonstration in London earlier this week demanding justice for women raped and murdered in India. Several hundred people, mostly Indian women from across the UK, demonstrated outside the Indian High Commission on Wednesday, demanding that the men who raped and hung two teenage girls in India last week be prosecuted. The demonstration […]
Lambeth College strike goes into its fourth day – report from the picket lines
Workers at Lambeth College voted last month for an indefinite strike to defend themselves against a principal who seems hell-bent on wrecking Further Education in the Borough.
Candles in the night: Vigil in Hong Kong commemorates Tiananmen Square
Sue Sparks reports on the vigil held in Hong Kong 25 years after Tiananmen Square.
Thousands rally in Belfast and Derry to protest against rising tide of racism
(report by Matt Williamson, picture by Aisling Gallagher) Some 4,000 people gathered in Belfast city centre last Saturday to protest at escalating levels of hate crime and increasing racist rhetoric in mainstream politics. A similar event took place in Derry. The Belfast rally was organised at in two days and marks a sea change in […]
UKIPwatch: Farage cleans up in the Fens
Mitch Mitchell reports from Cambridgeshire, where UKIP scored strongly, in the first of a series of snapshots from anti-UKIP activists around the country.
EDL Outnumbered in Colchester
On Thursday 22 May the English Defence League (EDL) returned to the streets of Colchester. Around 100 antifascists and students gathered to oppose less than 30 EDL members.