Migrant solidarity in London and Manchester
Two activists, Ewa Barker and Kate Bradley, discuss their involvment in migrant solidarity in London and Manchester Ewa Barker initiated Manchester to Calais. Here she explains the dynamic within the movement in Manchester The response to our page on Facebook was phenomenal! A deluge, hundreds of emails, making offers, asking advice, intending to start similar actions […]
Solidarity demo counters Zionist mobilisation at London Palestinian Mission
As the number of Palestinian deaths in recent weeks continues to rise, Sherrl Yanowitz reports from last night’s protest at the Palestinian Mission to counter a Zionist mobilisation. A Palestine solidarity demonstration has been called for this Saturday (17 October). Israeli armed forces have murdered at least 30 Palestinians in the last two weeks. The dead […]
Colourful march continues East London housing fight
James B and Colin Revolting report: The Focus E15 Mothers housing activists led a march of around 500 people through Stratford, East London on Saturday 19 September to mark the second anniversary of their campaign. The ‘March against Evictions’ was loud, colourful and restated the determination of campaigners to win their battle. The broad range […]
Thousands show solidarity with refugees at London demo
Steve Eason reports: Following the public response to news reports of refugee deaths in the Mediterranean and the recent publicity of the struggles of refugees camped at Calais, and ahead of Monday’s EU emergency meeting on the refugee crisis, on Saturday marches and rallies were held in solidarity with refugees across Europe. The two biggest marches […]
“You can’t organise a riot”: racism, riots and arrests in 1981
In memory of John “Brad” Bradbury of the Specials who topped the charts with Ghost Town whilst Britain burst into flames of riots and racism in 1981 – Colin Revolting remembers how anti – racists danced to the Specials and fought against racism and unemployment. January A fire at a house party in New Cross […]
Social Housing, Not Social Cleansing: Focus E15 Campaign’s Victories
The mothers of the Focus E15 campaign are beacons of resistance for all of us fighting austerity. Since being served eviction notices in August 2013, they have organised demonstrations, council sit-ins and a hugely successful occupation of the Carpenters Estate. Joy Macready visited the campaign’s weekly Saturday stall outside Wilkos on the Broadway in Stratford […]
Stop this college closure: support the occupation
Lewisham Southwark college plan to close their Camberwell site and sell it for £5 million. Police have threatened to evict occupiers trying to save the site. We share here a video report by Alex John for Radical Assembly South East London and Left Unity. Ian from the Radical Assembly explains the campaign to save the Camberwell […]
Black leadership: New and old generations
Graham Campbell discusses the crisis of Black leadership, and the new generation that is emerging. After this year’s general election, a record number of Black Labour and Tory MPs will walk down Westminster’s corridors. Black faces have never been more visible in the establishment and in Parliament. Meanwhile Black working class people, who make up […]
The battle of Grosvenor Square
Continuing our series of refections from different types of activism over the years, Mitch Mitchell discusses the battle of Grosvenor Square in 1968, which took place during protests against the Vietnam war.
10 years on: Timeline of anti-terror legislation since the July bombings
There has been an almost constant ramping-up of anti-terror legislation in the UK since the 9/11 bombings in 2001. Legislation passed that year set the context for subsequent laws. In the wake of the 7/7 bombings, 10 years ago today, the New Labour government introduced a new wave of legislation. This timeline tells the story […]
London Pride 2015: a snapshot of struggles past, present and to come
The Pride march in London was a snapshot of the strides LGBT politics have made over the years, writes Colin Wilson. And despite the huge corporate presence, it showed signs of a growing left. Photographs by Steve Eason. I went on my first Pride march in 1980. A few thousand people took part. I was 19, […]
London FE colleges hit by six strikes
UCU members in Further Education report on strikes that took place across London yesterday Seven London Further Education colleges took coordinated strike action yesterday against course closures and massive job cuts. Members of the University and Colleges Union (UCU) have been campaigning since the election in May against draconian cuts to college budgets, most notably […]
London Pride: a chance to challenge the neoliberal LGBT agenda
London Pride is taking place this Saturday and in the run up has been hitting the headlines. Colin Wilson argues that the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners’ contingent on this year’s march provides a crucial opportunity for radical voices to be heard. As soon as the Pride Committee published the order in which groups […]
Hundreds of thousands march against austerity in London
Amy Gilligan reports from yesterday’s impressive anti-austerity demo. Hundreds of thousands of people marched through London from the Bank of England to Parliament Square yesterday on the “End Austerity Now” demonstration, organised by the People’s Assembly. The demonstration was so large that getting an accurate figure for the number taking part is difficult, but the organisers’ […]
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 […]
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 […]
Five reasons why tomorrow’s Tower Hamlets election matters
Rabina Khan would be a mayor for women and a mayor against austerity, writes Andrew Ward Tomorrow morning brings the mayoral election in Tower Hamlets. The two frontrunners are Labour’s John Biggs and independent candidate Rabina Khan. Here is why a victory for the latter matters for left-wing politics in the East End, but also beyond. […]
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 […]
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 […]
Twelve reasons why the Lutfur Rahman judgment should worry you
The mayor of Tower Hamlets in east London was removed from office last Thursday by an election court on multiple charges of election fraud.
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 […]
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 […]
Doing politics differently: Glyn Robbins in Bethnal Green and Bow
Continuing our ‘Doing politics differently’ series of interviews with activists and candidates of the left, Sybil Cock interviews Glyn Robbins, who is standing as a Trade Union and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) and Left Unity candidate in Bethnal Green and Bow. Glyn is a well-known figure on the left in Tower Hamlets. He was Chair of […]
“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.
Cat’s credit crunching: why are house prices so high?
Serious Sherrl asks: Interest rates have been at a record low for many years. But nobody in London can afford to buy even a tiny flat. Why are house prices and rents rocketing in London? What are banks and building societies doing with all that money? Who is benefitting from all this? Dear Sherrl Keeping interest rates low […]
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. […]
Successful schools’ strike in Lewisham against plans for academy status
Ian Crosson reports on last week’s strikes in Lewisham schools against academisation On Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 March there was a very well supported strike in the three Lewisham Borough secondary schools in south east London who are part of the Prendergast federation. This is the third time that staff from the NUT and […]
Remember Fukushima – no to nuclear power
Just over 70 protesters on Saturday’s CND “Remember Fukushima – No to nuclear power” march in London. Near half the protesters were Japanese and there were a wide range of ages. We had a long march from Hyde park corner to Parliament. We stopped briefly at the Japanese embassy and had a noisy protest at […]
Residents and supporters march against plans to demolish the Aylesbury estate
Around 200 people joined the March for Aylesbury in Southwark, south London, yesterday to protest against longstanding plans to demolish the Aylesbury council estate. Residents are demanding that Labour-run Southwark council refurbishes their 2,400 homes instead. The march started with a rally at Burgess Park before marching down Albany Road, through the estate, past its […]
The Assault on London Housing Rights
Graham Campbell reports on two local struggles to defend council housing in London, and draws some conclusions about the social significance of the Coalition’s assault on social homes. February 14th to 23rd is designated by Radical Housing Network as Housing Action Week, and it certainly has been. Leading up to the actions of the past […]