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What we think
May’s government facing endgame
Corbyn must demand general election and fight for the socialist alternative to the bosses’ EU: With just ten days until the date of departure from the EU at the time of writing, there is unprecedented daily turmoil in parliament on what will happen.
News
End austerity. Fight for a living wage!
Despite a £30 billion windfall in the government’s coffers, Tory chancellor Philip Hammond’s spring statement signals a continued squeeze on low-income families.
New Zealand mosque terror atrocity
Millions woke up on the morning of 15 March in shock to learn of the mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Top unis threaten cuts if tuition fees
The elitist club of top universities known as the Russell Group has recently threatened that any reduction of student tuition fees will result in cuts to course numbers, as well as the arts and social mobility programmes.
Cash-strapped schools now ‘fourth emergency service’
Increasing numbers of schools are having to provide clothing, laundry facilities and food parcels to their students due to a decade of austerity leaving many vulnerable children in poverty.
Climate walkouts
Youth strikes show the way – mass action can oust Tories
On 15 March, young people marched out of their schools and colleges and took to the streets for the second youth strike against climate change.
Massive protests over catastrophic climate change
On 15 March, in 1,000 cities and 100 countries, millions went on strike and demonstrated against the huge threat to the environment and human populations posed by rapid climate change.
Workplace news
Victory for Birmingham bin workers
Meeting discusses fight to win other disputes and save services in the city: The long-running Birmingham bins dispute, concerning “secret payments” and the “blacklisting” of workers, has ended after Birmingham city council today approved the agreement on 15 March that has ended the dispute.
PCS civil servants’ union: Vote Yes to strike for better pay
125,000 PCS union members across the civil service and related public bodies are being asked to vote Yes in the national ballot on pay. The ballot, which began on 18 March, will conclude on 29 April.
Midlands machine bearing makers launch all-out strike
“There’s only so much meat on the bone. NSK has taken so much off us it’s now passed the bone and is into the marrow!”
Hackney school bus workers walk out
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Socialist Party’s Sue Atkins wins big support for anti-cuts, socialist policies
Increased council tax bills, along with another round of cuts, fuelled voters’ anger in the Coxford ward council by-election in Southampton on 14 March.
Union fightback key to movement against racism and austerity
The annual anti-racism demonstration marched through central London on 16 March. The demonstration is called to mark the United Nations day against racism.
An ‘EU – Should We Stay or Should We Go?’ debate was organised by Nottingham and Mansfield trade union council. Over 70 people attended the 26 February meeting.
Socialist Party Northern conference: Workers are sick of cuts and have the power to fight back
The stand-out contributions at the Socialist Party Northern regional conference came from trade union activists reporting their recent experiences in their workplaces.
Stop cuts to women’s services in Leicester
23 people attended Leicester Socialist Party’s public meeting on ‘Women’s Lives Matter’ on 16 March.
Help build the workers’ press: send May Day greetings to the Socialist!
The early-bird deadline for May Day greetings is fast approaching! We want full payment for as many greetings as possible by 5pm on Friday 29 March, the cut-off for the 20% advance discount.
International socialist news and analysis
Spanish state: Historic 8 March action
Millions were on the streets on International Women’s Day against sexist violence and capitalist oppression
Opinion
Exhibition: Don McCullin – a life in pictures
Being a legal aid lawyer, you are subjected to audits by all kinds of people. As it is, working a weekend allows you a day off mid-week and I took the opportunity to pop down to Tate Britain. The reason for the trip was to see the retrospective on the photographer Don McCullin.
Letters to the Socialist’s editors including Ineos and cycling, Venezuela and Labour and the Socialist Party and the FBU.
Theatre: Banner Theatre’s Nottingham ‘Free for All’
An inspiring evening of music, video footage and commentary was sponsored and hosted by Unite Nottinghamshire Health Branch at the Nottingham Arts Theatre 28 February.
