Solidarity 253, 1 August 2012

Far right attacks Jim Larkin memorial march

On Saturday 21 July, a march to commemorate the birth of the Liverpool-born Irish socialist and trade unionist Jim Larkin, was met with a violent counter demonstration by a coalition of right wing, fascist, Loyalist and veterans’ organisations. The march had been called by the Irish Republican marching band, the Liverpool Irish Patriots, in response to a similar incident in February where their annual march through north Liverpool was harassed, blockaded and prevented from entering the city centre by around 250 far-right activists. The Patriots, whose activity seems to consist of routine...

The cod-dialectics of Euro-exit

One line in Greece, another in Britain. Both the SWP's and the SP's international networks say, on the EU, the opposite in Greece to what they say in Britain. SWP: "get out" for Greece, but not for Britain. SP: "get out" for Britain, but not for Greece! In Greece, the SWP's sister organisation SEK, and the coalition in which it is a major part, Antarsya, have as their leading slogans: "Down with the Memorandum! Out of the euro and EU!" They push this call for Greece to get out of the euro and the EU as the big thing setting off Antarsya as a more revolutionary alternative to the bigger left...

Not rogue reporters but a rogue system

A review of Dial M for Murdoch: News Corporation and the Corruption of Britain , by Tom Watson and Martin Hickman. On 24 July eight senior figures connected to News International were arrested and told that they would be charged with criminal offences related to the hacking of phones affecting some 600 people over a six-year period. The alleged perpetrators include Rebekah Brooks and former political adviser to David Cameron, Andy Coulson. If there is any justice they will spend a couple of years studying the inside of a jail cell. And yet they so very nearly got away with it. When it first...

My adventures among the Third Camp

In Solidarity 242, we began series of recollections and reflections from activists who had been involved with the “third camp” left in the USA — those “unorthodox” Trotskyists who broke from the SWP USA in 1939/40 to form the Workers Party, and the tradition they built (the Independent Socialist League, and later the Independent Socialists and International Socialists). The ongoing symposium can be read here . This week, we publish a contribution from Michael Hirsch. Michael joined the International Socialists (US) in 1972 and was a member until 1986. He served as branch organiser for the...

Coryton closure fight goes on

Oil workers at the Coryton refinery in Essex are continuing their campaign of demonstrations and pickets against the closure of their workplace. Coryton is one of eight refineries in the UK, and supplied 20% of all the fuel used in London and south east England. It closure is estimated to represent a potential £250 million loss the economy of south Essex, as well as 800 jobs at the refinery itself. The workers, who are members of the Unite union, have been demonstrating at the plant, and have been involved in a number of clashes with the police. The focus of demonstrations has now shifted to...

Posties' wildcat wins

A 48-hour wildcat strike by postal workers in Bridgewater, south west England, ended in victory as a suspended Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) activist was returned to work. Workers also secured agreement for national talks around deteriorating industrial relations at the Bridgewater Delivery Office, where the CWU accuses bosses of heavy-handed management, refusal to comply with agreed upon consultation procedures, and making unilateral cuts to workers’ hours. Dave Wilshire, branch secretary of Bristol CWU, said: “Royal Mail can say what it likes but the fact is they would not talk to us...

Remploy pickets strong in Stoke

I was on the picket line at the Remploy factory at Trentham Lakes, Stoke-on-Trent on Thursday 19 July. About 50 people braved the rain to show their solidarity, with banners from the striking unions Unite and GMB, as well as UNISON, CWU, PCS, North Staffordshire Trades Union Council and North Staffordshire Against Cuts. Representatives of several other unions were also there to show their solidarity - including NUT, Musicians' Union, and the ceramic workers' union Unity [sic]. Local Labour MPs Joan Walley (Stoke North) and Rob Flello (Stoke South) came along to show their support, as well as...

Dave Packer, 4 August 1945 to 3 July 2012

Dave Packer died on 3 July, suddenly and unexpectedly though after a long period of poor health. He was one of the last of a political species: the cadres of the 1970s "Mandelite" International Marxist Group. Dave was always devising theoretical schemes, always argumentative, always keen to talk. Those cadres included many talented people. Unlike many of them, Dave remained loyal to the last to what he considered Trotskyism and to the obligation to be active in building what he considered a revolutionary organisation. The IMG, successor to a lacklustre group which had ticked over through the...

Benefits workers face privatisation

On Monday 16 July, at 12pm, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Contact Centre Services released a previously embargoed statement, explaining that its Jobseeker's Allowance Online (JSAOL) service would be outsourced to Capita from the end of September 2012, just a few weeks away. The JSAOL service is currently one of several options open to people newly claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, though the Department recently stated it wants to increase online applications from 20% of all new claims (at present) to 80% over just a few months, incentivising people to apply in this way by...

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