Them & Us

Them and us (Click to enlarge)

Medicine mark-up...

Boots charged the NHS Ł3,220 for medicated mouthwash - available for the equivalent of Ł93 on the high street, says a Times investigation. This equates to a mark-up of 3,478%.

The chief executive and 15% shareholder of Boots's parent company, Stefano Pessina, is worth $13.7 billion, according to Forbes. He lives in Monaco and owns a 50-metre yacht. Nationalise big pharma!

... poor lose GPs

The number of GPs in areas home to the poorest fifth of people fell by 511 between 2008 and 2017. Meanwhile, numbers near the homes of the best-off fifth rose by 134, says a written parliamentary answer to Labour.

The total number of GPs working in England fell by 541 in the last year, according to NHS Digital data.

Top Trumps and happy families

Ivanka Trump, Donald's daughter, tweeted a pic of herself embracing her toddler - as US press reported on border agents separating migrant families. Trump's policy is to send adults straight into the court deportation system, while tearing kids as young as one from their arms for resettlement as refugees.

Back in Britain, property developer Jomast has been forcing adult asylum seekers to share bedrooms in Newcastle. The firm subcontracts for notorious privateer G4S. A tribunal has ruled the practice legal.

Town and gown

Students need a leadership that will fight fees and austerity, photo Socialist Party (Click to enlarge)

Oxford and Cambridge universities, with their constituent colleges, own combined assets worth at least Ł21 billion, Guardian analysis has found. Average UK graduate debt is set for Ł50,800, according to the IFS.

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to click here to donate to our Fighting Fund.