Current issue dated: 6 February 2010| 2187

Highlights

NHS, EDUCATION, SERVICES, JOBS...‘WE’RE FIGHTING TO STOP THE CUTS NOW’

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POLITICANS ARE squabbling over just how quickly public spending cuts should be rammed through after the general election » more

Right to Work conference: ‘We can fight, we can win’

Over 900 people packed into the Right to Work conference last weekend » more

TUSC left coalition to stand in general election

Two Labour ministers have now let slip that the general election is going to be on Thursday 6 May » more

Bolton will defy EDL's racist thugs

“I cannot rule out violence,” these are the ominous words of English Defence League (EDL) founder Tommy Robinson » more

Blair: No regrets and I’d bomb Iran

“The decision I took—and frankly would take again—was if there was any possibility that he could develop weapons of mass destruction we should stop him » more

Over 270,000 civil service workers launch strike ballot

Hundreds of thousands of civil service workers will start a ballot this week over attacks on their redundancy rights » more

Full contents

News

» Hunger strike at Yarl's Wood detention centre online only

Women in Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre have been on hunger strike since Friday of last week against their treatment in the centre

» Students occupy roof at Sussex University online only

Around 150 students have occupied the roof and conference centre of Bramber House at Sussex University, near Brighton, today

» Strike disrupts London Underground online only

A strike by 750 signals workers has caused major disruption on London Underground today

» Leeds University workers vote to strike online only

Lecturers at Leeds University have voted strongly for strike action over job cuts

» NHS, education, services, jobs...‘We’re fighting to stop the cuts now’

POLITICANS ARE squabbling over just how quickly public spending cuts should be rammed through after the general election

» Bosses threaten to use scabs on Tube and at BA

Bosses and politicians are putting profits before safety in their attempts to crush two high-profile groups of workers

» Anti-fascists organise to block Nick Griffin in Barking

Anti-fascist campaigners in Barking, east London, are gearing up for a day of action against the BNP this Saturday

» TUSC left coalition to stand in general election

Two Labour ministers have now let slip that the general election is going to be on Thursday 6 May

» Blair: No regrets and I’d bomb Iran

“The decision I took—and frankly would take again—was if there was any possibility that he could develop weapons of mass destruction we should stop him

» Meeting to discuss Iran, Wednesday 3 February online only

IRAN: WHAT LIES AHEAD? THE MOVEMENT, SANCTIONS AND THE WEST

» Lovely recovery we’re having

The jobs massacre gives the lie to New Labour’s spin that the recession is over

» Cutter Crozier quits Royal Mail but watch out ITV

Royal Mail fat cat Adam Crozier has quit—but will walk away with a £2 million bonus

» Bosses’ offensive puts workers’ future at risk

High street chemist Boots is cutting more than 15,000 workers’ pensions

» Biased cuts

The government has thrown 202,700 people off disability benefits in just over a year, new figures show

» Haiti protests over quake aid

Hundreds of people protested against Haitian president Rene Preval on Saturday of last week

» Will Labour charge BAE over arms deal bribes?

The government must decide whether to prosecute over the BAE Systems bribery scandal—after letting the arms trader off the hook last time

» Which way forward for the Labour Party

The Progressive London conference on 30 January 2010 reflected tensions inside Labour—and disillusionment in its base

» Bribe plan for the Taliban

A Nato conference has agreed to set aside $500 million to bribe Taliban members to swap sides in Afghanistan

» Anti-war soldier Joe Glenton's charges dropped

The army has dropped the heaviest charges it was to bring against Joe Glenton, the British soldier who refused to fight in Afghanistan

» Strings attached to US Yemen ‘aid’ cash

The corrupt government of Yemen won international support and funding to do the US’s bidding in the country last week

» News in brief

Suicides rise as recession bites | Crime down but prisons fill up | ‘Terror’ case appeal win | Police retreat on tank protest

» Health cuts are already wrecking our hospitals

The Labour Party and the Conservatives are busily talking up their plans to cut after the election but the attacks on public services have already begun

» Bolton will defy EDL's racist thugs

“I cannot rule out violence,” these are the ominous words of English Defence League (EDL) founder Tommy Robinson

» Picture of RMT lobby of parliament over Network rail

» Over 270,000 civil service workers launch strike ballot

Hundreds of thousands of civil service workers will start a ballot this week over attacks on their redundancy rights

Editorial

» Climate change deniers are real fakes

CLIMATE CHANGE deniers are on the offensive

» Tory flip-flop over cuts shows their weakness

Spot the difference

Cartoons

» Tim: Cameron wobbles

» Tim: "Break your legs"

» Leon's view

International

» Demonstrate to support Turkey’s Tekel workers online only

The Turkish TUC has called a national day of action in support of the ongoing Tekel workers’ action in the capital, Ankara

Alex Callinicos

» A new debt crisis stalks capitalism

Remember the Third World debt crisis of the 1970s and 1980s? The First World debt crisis of the 2000s and 2010s may make it look like a tea party

Features

» Right to Work conference: ‘We can fight, we can win’

Over 900 people packed into the Right to Work conference last weekend

» Right to work conference voices

Participants in the conference in Manchester speak about the day

» Where next for Right to Work campaign?

“Today has been inspirational but we have to move on from just being inspired”, Raymond from the steering committee told the conference’s final session

» Right to Work conference: workshop reports online only

» Inequality and the return of class

Class divisions are structured into capitalism and cannot be reformed away, writes Matthew Cookson

International Unity

» The First International was forged in struggle

In the first of a new series Dan Swain looks at how socialists have organised for change globally

Letters

» Letters

Reviews

» Van Gogh’s extraordinary paintings of ordinary life

A new exhibition highlights the democratic spirit of Van Gogh’s art, argues John Molyneux

» Precious: a movie that shows the value of our everyday battles

I had to suppress a cringe when I heard that Mariah Carey and Oprah Winfrey were associated with this film

» The Hostage

It’s Ireland 1958 and a young IRA man is sentenced to death by the British

» Identity: Eight rooms, nine lives

Eight rooms, nine lives is part of the Identity season at the Wellcome Collection

» The Spirit Level

This book is a devastating and forensic look at inequality across the world – and the terrible problems it causes in society

Obituary

» Alistair Hulett, 1951–2010: musician, activist, socialist

Alistair Hulett died suddenly last week after a short illness

» Howard Zinn: a life of insubordination

LESS THAN a week has passed since the death of one of the most beloved figures on the US left, the 87 year-old “people’s historian” Howard Zinn

News & Reports

» Official: Unison branches broke union rules on political funding

The Certification Officer, who monitors trade unions, has ruled that Unison broke its own rules over political funding

» Industrial roundup

Jobcentre talks with PCS continue Two weeks of “intensive talks” continue between the PCS civil service workers’ union and Jobcentre Plus management

» It’s a family friendly council strike

Workers in Bedford borough council’s direct services department have been striking on Mondays and Fridays since 21 January over attacks on pay and conditions

» Ealing give sell-off plan a ticket

More than 40 traffic wardens and their supporters protested outside the Ealing council meeting that decided to privatise them, on Tuesday of last week

» Strikes have rattled the Fujitsu bosses

Strikes at Fujitsu Services have clearly worried the IT company

» Anger grows in universities as attacks step up

Resistance to the cuts across higher education is growing

» No to subcontracting

The battle over jobs in construction is taking to the streets of London this week

» Firefighters keep up the pressure

The threat of eight days of strike action by South Yorkshire firefighters has forced their bosses into talks

» Latest results in pay fight on London buses

Drivers and engineers at Metroline in London have voted overwhelmingly for action against bullying

» Plymouth post workers victory

A CWU member at the West Park Delivery Office in Plymouth has written an inspiring report on how they won the reinstatement of their union rep

» British Gas strike ballot planned

THE GMB union was to serve notice this week of an official strike ballot of 8,000 members at British and Scottish Gas

» Action over dangerous Network Rail cuts

The RMT union is planning to ballot members at Network Rail for strike action

Meetings and events

» Meetings and events

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