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#KeepCorbyn: For a party that fights for workers

This has to stop, and we are going to stop it. This is the message of legions of workers fighting zero-hour contracts, poverty pay and the ‘gig economy.’

Right’s purges and exclusions show we must fight for a party for the 99%

Many will have sighed in disappointment and exasperation to see #LabourPurge2 trending on Twitter as ballot papers were sent out for the Labour leadership election. Tens of thousands of members and registered supporters are thought not to have received a vote because they have been ruled out by Labour officials.

Packed meeting discusses Trotskyism, Corbyn and socialist change

It was “standing room only” at a Coventry Socialist Party public meeting on 25 August. People came from all over Coventry to hear Socialist Party General Secretary Peter Taaffe speak on “Trotskyism, the Militant tendency, the Corbyn insurgency and the struggle for socialist change.”

Trade unionists for Corbyn rally in Cardiff

Trade unionists took the ideas of socialism onto the streets of Cardiff on 26 August, gathering at the foot of Aneurin Bevan’s statue on Queen Street to rally in solidarity with the movement building around Jeremy Corbyn.

Education: fightback needed

Teaching unions must call coordinated national action: Education policy stands at something of a crossroads and the new academic year will be a significant one.

Pressure, lies and head games: being a school student in Tory Britain

I’m just going to say it… it is hard being a school student, especially under the Tories. There is a lot of pressure on you to be perfect, to have everything figured out.

Join the student fightback to end education cuts and austerity

As the new academic term begins, students at schools, college and universities around the country face a year of important struggles. Here two young people comment on some of the difficulties facing working class students.

No NHS cuts or closures

The NHS is about to undergo further major cuts and closures, through the government’s misnamed ‘Sustainability and Transformation Plan’. NHS England alone could face a £20 billion funding gap.

Grantham protest against night-time closure of A&E

Over 200 people attended a protest on 14 August, organised by campaigners against the night-time closure of Grantham Accident and Emergency Department. The protest was organised, with just a few days’ notice, by a local group including Labour councillor Charmaine Morgan.

Invest in grassroots sports needs

Britain’s second-place finish in the Olympic table has been used widely by the establishment as a show of the greatness of British sport and successful investment strategies. But the reality is far from this image.

Women still take home 36% less than men

New research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies shows women on average still earn 36% less a week than their male counterparts. This is despite more than four decades of equal pay rights being on the statute books.

Over a million families in ‘extreme problem debt’

1.6 million low-income families in ‘extreme problem debt’ – debt so crippling that it takes 40% of their total household income. Another 3.2 million households, that’s one in eight, are struggling to manage their debt repayments, taking up 25% of income.

Scot schools scandal

Offshore investment firms part-own 277 Scottish state schools.

Smith v refugees

Owen Smith, the right-wing Labour leadership contender, falsely claimed refugees are overcrowding his local schools.

What We Saw

Ending relationships can be awkward – but most agree doing it by text message is unacceptable. Unless you’re the boss of a bus firm, that is.

Them & Us

It’s one world for the super-rich, and another one for the rest of us.

France: Burkini ban fuels division

International outrage has resulted from the decision of over 20 town mayors in the south of France to ban from beaches the wearing of ‘burkini’ swimsuits, on the grounds of ‘inciting terrorism’ and ‘threatening public safety’. Despite a court decree rejecting the ban as unconstitutional, the mayors say they will ignore the ruling. Judy Beishon reports on how the issue has become the focus of an ugly backlash to the recent terrorist attacks in France.

Chile: general strike threat as pensions protests grow

Sunday 21 August was another enormous day of protest marches in opposition to the AFP (the compulsory private pension system). Over 400,000 marched in the capital, Santiago, with up to two million in total demonstrating around the country. This represents a huge increase on the one million who participated in the historic 24 July protests.

UberEats: Angry delivery drivers protest over pay

“We are free, don’t work for three”, chanted angry UberEats drivers after storming the courtyard in front of the offices of the food app riding mopeds and bikes on 26 August.

Solid bus strike for better terms and pay

London bus workers Tower Transit took 24-hour strike action on 26 August, over the imposition of roster changes, pay and the anti-union approach of the company.

Southern strike

“The Govia Thameslink franchise is in meltdown and not fit for purpose. Not content with axing catering services, closing ticket offices and attacking the role of their guards, they now want to threaten 130 station jobs and compromise the safety of both their passengers and staff alike,” said RMT general secretary Mick Cash in announcing the latest RMT strike on the Govia Thameslink franchise.

Why you should join the Socialist Party today

You should join the Socialist Party to help build the powerful movement for socialist change we all need.

Socialist Party ‘collectathon’ to raise crucial cash

Socialist Party members will be trying to raise as much money and sell as many papers as possible in our ‘collectathon’ fortnight from 17 to 30 September.

Ken Loach and a Socialist seller join Sisters Uncut protest

The Spirit of ’45, a film by renowned filmmaker Ken Loach was shown recently at a small local theatre in North Newcastle-upon-tyne.

Sunshine and socialism at Socialist Party summer camp

Dozens of socialists in a field with sunshine, debate and refreshments. Unusual maybe, but our summer camp, held on August bank holiday weekend, is a longstanding highlight of the Socialist Party calendar.

Can Britain have a pay rise?

I was recently part of the audience on the BBC programme ‘Can Britain have a pay rise’. There were 100 of us seated in ascending order of pay. Earnings ranged from jobseeker’s allowance to the £1 million salary of Pimlico Plumbers boss Charlie Mullins writes Steve North.