Greenman's Occasional Organ

Coalition of Resistance Spring Speaking Tour

2012-01-29T13:56:00.001Z

Coalition of Resistance Spring tour this is from the Coalition of Resistance: It seems the government couldn't be happier right now. There's been a slow down in the pensions dispute and Miliband / Balls have declared that they won't reverse any spending cut or oppose a public sector pay freeze which has led to a hike in the polls for the Tories. However the massive anger from millions of people we saw last year has not gone away! The 500,000 that demonstrated on March 26th or the million plus that went on strike in November still want to see the back of this government. The unions who rejected the governments' offer over pensions are set to meet to discuss further action. Our job is to get the movement back on the streets. This is why Coalition of Resistance is planning a national speaking tour, to discuss these issues and to draw new layers of activists into the movement. The tour will run through February - March. We are currently working with a number of anti-cuts groups and Trades Councils to get more of these meetings set up across the country. Dates confirmed so far include: Birmingham with Owen Jones, Clare Solomon, George Barrett 7pm, Thursday 9 February Committee Rooms 3 and 4, Council House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B3 3BD Birmingham Banner Theatre – Fight the Cuts MC: Paul Mackney 7:30pm, Friday 10 February Library Theatre, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham Barking with Councilor George Barratt, Karena Johnson, Paul Mackney, Local speakers tba 7:30pm, Thursday 16 February, Broadway Theatre, Broadway, Barking, IG11 7LS Liverpool with James Meadway, Chaired by Romayne Phoenix, others tba 6:30pm, Friday 24 February Adelphi Hotel, Ranelagh Place Liverpool, Merseyside L3 5UL (Green Party Conference fringe meeting - open to all) Newcastle with Owen Jones, Lindsey German, Speaker from Greece 7pm Wednesday 14 March Newcastle Arts Centre (Black Swan) 67 Westgate Road. NE1 1SG Glasgow With Owen Jones, others tba 7pm, Thursday 15 March STUC Centre, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow, G3 6NG Please check the website for details of other meetings as they are announced. If you would like to organise one in your area please contact coalitionofresistance@mail.com.

Gove Must Go

2011-12-28T18:02:00.000Z

A New Year's resolution of this blog is to seek to end the political career of one Michael Gove, the British Coalition Government's Education Secretary. Gove is well on his way to destroying education in England and Wales for the foreseeable future. He is breaking up the school system, wrecking and vandalising the school curriculum, has destroyed the careers service, is destroying any meaningful democratic oversight at local level and will not listen to anyone who points out the disaster his policies are creating. What is more, he is seen as one of the strongest assets of this evil government, is a Henry Jackson Society Neo-Con, a spawn of the Murdoch media empire, and is tipped by some as a future Tory leader. Ample reason for anyone with a progressive bone in their body to want to stop him in his tracks and end his ascent by any non-violent method possible. I hold him personally responsible for a number of job losses close to home.So to get things started : this was posted on the Guardian CIF site, lifted from the print edition of Private Eye:

A quote directly from the Private Eye, issue no 1304 pg 7."Gove attracts tens of thousands of pounds in donations(more than any other cabinet minister) to fund his local party organisation in the super safe Surrey Heath constituency. His latest entry in the register of MPs interests includes £3000 from Dilman UK - the name of a village in Azerbaijan - does not have its own address and donated cash through a Surrey account. The company is owned by Mahmoud Zadeh, a member of the Anglo-Azerbaijani Society, a business lobby which promotes a trade links with the oil rich country, BP, Britains biggest investor in Azerbaijan backs this society.....the Eye asked Goves office about the doantion but received no response"So the question is, why does an Education Minister need to have links with an Oil trade links society?What is Mr Gove getting out of this, apart from £3000Why is Mr Gove being so coy?

Another thing that needs to be widely known about is his behaviour in the expenses scandal, detailed on Wikipedia thus:

Michael Gove reportedly claimed £7,000 for furnishing a London property before 'flipping' his designated second home to a house in his constituency, a property for which he claimed around £13,000 to cover stamp duty. Around a third of the first £7,000 was spent at an interior design company owned by Gove's mother-in-law.[22] Gove also claimed for a cot mattress, despite children's items being banned under the Commons rule. Gove said he would repay the claim for the cot mattress, but maintained that his other claims were "below the acceptable threshold costs for furniture" and that the property flipping was necessary "to effectively discharge my parliamentary duties".[22] While he was moving between homes, he stayed at the Pennyhill Park Hotel and Spa, charging the taxpayer more than £500 per night's stay.

Any further dirt on Mr Gove or directions to online material that can be used against him are appreciated.

Occupy!

2011-11-05T17:09:00.000Z

Breaking the silence of this blog (Silence due to many commitments including the local anti-cuts group, fighting to save jobs at work and battling against trolls, shills and apologists on many a discussion board)to give my full support to the Occupy Movement worldwide.

One of the most encouraging things about this upsurge is the challenge to the narrowness of the "accepted" political and economic discourse, by which we get the full range of views in the public arena from A to B and everyone with views from C to Z is either ignored, ridiculed or attacked as an "extremist".

Here are some useful links:

Occupy London

Occupy Wall St

Occupy Together website

Occupy Movement Wikipedia Page

Support your local Occupiers! Another World is Possible!

Victory For Anti-Incinerator Campaign in Notts

2011-05-28T09:29:00.000+01:00

Pickles rejects Sherwood Forest incinerator

Following a public inquiry, the Secretary of State Eric Pickles has refused planning permission for Veolia’s proposed 180,000 tonne waste incinerator in Rainworth, Nottinghamshire. The public inquiry, which was presided over by Inspector Rupert Grantham, opened in October 2009 and was adjourned twice at the request of Veolia to allow them time to submit further evidence.

The greenfield site, owned by UK Coal and subject to a planning condition requiring restoration to heathland and woodland, is in the heart of Sherwood Forest, and is used by rare and protected bird species such as woodlark and nightjar.

Local campaign group People Against Incineration (PAIN) were joined by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and Newark & Sherwood District Council in opposing the application at the public inquiry. There was also a community evening where local residents voiced their opposition to the incinerator.

In the Planning Inspector’s view: “...Veolia have failed to show use of the Rufford facility would not prejudice further movement up the waste hierarchy...Recognition that the site is not previously developed land would have ruled it out at an early stage in the site selection process. I have also identified significant shortcomings in the subsequent assessment of this and other shortlisted sites. To my mind, the appraisal of alternative sites has not been robust”.

PAIN’s Chairman, Bernard Thompson, said: “This is a happy day for the people of Rainworth, and for all who care about Sherwood Forest. I would like to thank everyone involved. Local support remained solid over many years of campaigning. We have utmost respect for the Planning Inspector, Mr Rupert Grantham, who treated all parties fairly and arrived at the right conclusion.”

Shlomo Dowen, who gave evidence on behalf of PAIN at the inquiry, said: “It is unfortunate that Veolia and Nottinghamshire County Council have squandered so much time and public money on this misadventure. Now that this distraction is over PAIN looks forward to working with our County Council to ensure that Nottinghamshire’s ever-decreasing quantity of waste is managed sustainably.”

Newark & Sherwood District Councillor Linda Tift said: “I am overjoyed to hear that this beloved site will be protected from development. The site is clearly important to nature conservation and is surrounded by Sites of Special Scientific Interest. I hope that UK Coal will now honour their promise to return the site to heathland so that the community’s vision for the area to be restored and included in a Sherwood Forest Regional Park can be realised.”

Green Progress

2011-05-07T10:07:00.002+01:00

A good Green showing in local elections across the country and excellent Green Party progress in Norwich and Brighton in the face of sustained attack from both Labour and Conservatives and feeble rearguard action from the tarnished Lib Dems:

Norwich results

Brighton Results

A shame about the AV referendum , but with FPTP voting for the foreseeable future the Greens, especially in England, now carry much hope and responsibility as the untarnished left-of-centre alternative in areas where the Lib Dems are crumbling and Labour are vulnerable or unable to make headway. Join us!

5th May - Say YES! (And Vote Green if you get the opportunity!)

2011-04-29T15:48:00.003+01:00

On 5th May there is the opportunity to make a small change in the UK's voting system. However, if the vote is no this will be presented by the whole media and establishment as showing that there is no appetite for any change from First Past The Post in UK general elections and Proportional Representation will be off the agenda for possibly a political generation. Anyone who wants PR should vote YES to AV.

The Tories are changing the boundaries for elections so that they will get even more of an advantage under FPTP - Labour votes are concentrated in urban areas and the North - Tory voters are more spread out in rural and suburban zones and the South. The new boundaries will mean more seats fall to the Tories or become "Safe" Tory seats. AV would at least balance this change.

Some have been arguing that progressives and the left should vote No to "spite Clegg" in the hope this will cause the Lib Dems to leave the coalition or some such unlikely "Turkeys Voting for Christmas" scenario. Putting aside that voting YES is likely to "spite Cameron" and upset the Tories - (the Organ Grinders rather than the irritating monkeys!) - it seems to me that basing your vote on a change (that could lay the ground for further change, will be fairer and allow more of a clear picture of smaller party support) on personal animosity and short term vengeance seems to me politically immature to say the least.

So, Vote YES, and if you can - vote Green, and elect local councillors with principle who will not be mouthpieces for the Coalition vandals.

Next Up - May Day!

2011-03-27T22:10:00.000+01:00

May Day events around the country should be well attended this year - after the 26th March a good opportunity to take protest and a show of unity into local communities.

Demonstrate On 26 March

2011-03-10T10:47:00.000Z

Day by day the "Coalition" look less and less like a democratic elected government and more and more like a slow motion corporate coup.....

We need to stop them.

Hands off our public services.

Hands off our jobs.

Hands off our pensions.

26 March - For a united resistance!

The Reality of Coalition Neo-liberalism

2011-01-23T21:06:00.001Z

I was up close and personal with the reality of the austerity coalition's policies this week as the redundancy axe began to fall in my workplace.
For those still deluded enough to think the coalition is just about "Deficit reduction" and getting rid of "unproductive workers" the coming few months is going to be instructive. A tsunami of job losses in local government is coming along with the proposed total transformation of the National Health Service and a slow but sure dismantling of locally democratic controlled education. The shared (Neoliberal) aim of the two coalition party leaders, Sauron and Saruman, is the final dismantling of the post war settlement in Britain. That is effectively the end of anything resembling a welfare state and the beginning of a new age of corporatism. At the same time they hope to finish off what remains of anything approaching effective trade unionism by decimating the public sector and shaving off services left right and centre to corporations, religious groups, charities, philanthropists and the like. Their ideological attack dogs in organisations like Policy Exchange are already slavering for even more restrictive anti-union legislation and attacks on freedom of speech and assembly. So much for the "libertarian" rhetoric of the Cameroons and Orange Bookers.

The reality of this at the grassroots is likely to be disruption in the short term and in the longer term the creation of a two (or more?) tier system of services with the encroachment of private insurance, religious charities and corporate asset strippers.

At my workplace I have sat amongst devastated people who are going to lose jobs or workmates. We have people being made redundant on the grounds of "sickness points" who have otherwise exemplary performance and disciplinary records. That means people who have been unfortunate enough to have cancer in their families, who have had swine flu and even work related injuries, who have been coping with immense stress due to personal and family problems - these people are to pay for their bad luck with their jobs if they and their unions cannot win their appeals. This is people who have worked in a public sector employer that has been ranked amongst the best of its' kind in the country and in one of the most successful workplaces of that employer. And the 70% or 80% who remain may only have a temporary reprieve before the axe swings again, and again and again. Looking for jobs in this socially deprived part of the country will not be easy - the jobs that there are will probably pay half or less than what those being made redundant were paid and may be temporary or otherwise insecure.

Fortunately I sense that even those who went along for a while with the Coalition's rhetoric are now seeing the reality of what they are about - an ideological project to cement the power of certain sections of society even more firmly. They see the Bankers' bonuses, the sucking up to Murdoch and the political two-facedness and turn away in disgust. A mood of resistance is developing that goes far beyond the students that were the first to take the field. What is more, there is an awareness that alone in our workplaces and communities we are unlikely to be able to mount anything more than fragmentary resistance. What is needed is a movement across industries and society, across barriers of age and culture that takes inspiration from those resisting at the knife edge of the neo-liberal totalitarian project.

We need to work towards such a movement and as we do, the dream of ages past - the social general strike, the general expropriation of the expropriators becomes less of a dream and more of a possibility on the way to concrete necessity.

Peter Allen Presents The Green Challenge In Oldham East And Saddleworth

2010-12-26T14:29:00.001Z

Peter Allen is the Green candidate in Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election on 13th January and is standing on a radical Green platform opposing cuts and redundancies and for left of centre unity. Peter is gaining support from many traditional Labour and Lib Dem supporters in the face of the scandal which led to the by-election and the craven surrender to Toryism of the Orange Bookers in the "Coalition". In addition, various campaigns and parties of the left who are not standing in the by-election are giving their support to Peter.
This is all very welcome, and Greenman sends his best wishes and support to Peter's campaign.
More from the local Party website for Oldham Green Party here:
http://www.oldhamgreens.org.uk/#/about-peter-allen/4546565953
Vote Green - The real alternative!

WASTE GIANT FAILS TO OVERTURN PUBLIC RIGHT TO KNOW

2010-10-29T20:49:00.000+01:00

SECOND VICTORY FOR LOCAL RESIDENT IN LANDMARK SECRECY COURT BATTLE WITH WASTE GIANT

The multinational waste company Veolia Environmental Services today lost its Appeal against a High Court ruling which ordered it to release details of its £850 million waste management contract with its waste partner Nottinghamshire County Council to local residents .

This is the latest in a long line of cases in which information Veolia has tried to withhold has been forcibly made public. The judgement, confirmed by the Court of Appeal, set an important precedent for local authorities with immediate impacts for other councils around the country.

Veolia initiated the case, asking the High Court to judicially review Nottinghamshire County Council’s decision to release details of its multi-million pound waste management contract following a request by local resident and waste campaigner Shlomo Dowen, of People Against Incineration (PAIN), under local authority audit laws. The High Court ordered Veolia to release the information, and the Court of Appeal has upheld the High Court’s broad interpretation of the right of access to information under the audit laws. The Court of Appeal added a qualification that where the information is commercially confidential the authority must still release it where it is in the public interest to do so.

Mr Dowen was represented by lawyers from Friends of the Earth’s Rights and Justice Centre and Timothy Pitt-Payne QC at the Appeal, which was heard in July.

Information released following the High Court judgement showed how much money Veolia has been charging the local council for each method of waste treatment, such as landfill, incineration, recycling and composting, and helped show whether or not the local authority is getting value for money. As a direct result of the release of the information, the district auditors carried out several investigations, and will release their report following the judgement today.

The High Court case spawned a facebook page, and resulted in similar requests for waste contract details from Local Authorities in: Shropshire; Nottinghamshire; Leicestershire; Newcastle; Dudley; Hull; East Yorkshire; Derby; Bristol; Gloucestershire; and Warwickshire.

The case joins a series of blows for incineration in the UK.

Shlomo Dowen said:

“Truth is the best friend of every anti-incineration campaigner. Information that has been released to campaigners provides a valuable, powerful and effective resource. We have used this information to help District Auditors' investigations, for planning objections, and in public inquiries with great success. Such information is an antidote to the industry's propaganda. This decision will be celebrated, again, by campaigners throughout the UK. And of course, the implications for accountability go well beyond waste campaigning."

Friends of the Earth Lawyer acting for Mr Dowen, Laura Gyte, said:

“The Court of Appeal have confirmed the victory in this case for freedom of information and the residents of Nottinghamshire.

“Veolia was forced to come clean about its waste disposal contract and allow council tax payers to see how vast sums of their money is being spent, and how their rubbish is being disposed of.

“We are disappointed that the Court of Appeal implied a qualification on commercial confidentiality – in our view this is a matter for Parliament to decide upon – but it is important that even where commercial confidentiality is claimed, the audit laws mean that public authorities must still disclose the information where it is in the public interest to do so.”

For the past six years Veolia has been embroiled in a controversial attempt to build a waste incinerator in Sherwood Forest. A public inquiry was held in Rainworth near Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The public inquiry, which opened on 6 October 2009 and came to an end on 26 October 2010, involved Veolia, Nottinghamshire County Council, Natural England, Newark & Sherwood District Council, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, and the local anti-incineration campaign group PAIN. A decision on Veolia's proposed Sherwood Forest incinerator is expected in 2011.

Housing benefit cuts will increase homelessness

2010-08-13T15:36:00.000+01:00

Housing benefit cuts will increase homelessness, Green Party leader warns

“Conservative-Lib Dem cuts will hit the poorer people in society”, says Lucas

Caroline Lucas, the leader of the Green Party and MP for Brighton Pavilion, has warned that the coalition government's cuts to housing benefit could result in increasing social problems with serious debt and homelessness.

The Green Party leader was commenting on a recent report published by homelessness charity Crisis. The report highlights the social risks of housing benefit cuts, which will affect 936,960 households across the UK who are currently claiming local housing allowance (LHA). On average, these households will lose over £600 a year.

The report also warns that cuts to housing benefit could have hidden costs in the future, in order to deal with the social problems of homelessness, including health problems and providing accommodation.

Housing benefit cut is equivalent to big increase in income tax for poorer people

Caroline Lucas MP said:

“Consider someone earning £16,000 (after tax-free allowance) and receiving housing benefit. If they lose £728 that would be the equivalent of paying an income tax rise of over 4.5 per cent.

“These particular Tory-Lib Dem cuts will leave more people struggling to pay the rent, more people falling into serious debt and ultimately more people becoming homeless.

“This is very unfair, coming at a time when many of these people are facing economic uncertainty or even redundancy.

“Once again we see the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition’s cuts hitting the poorer people in society. The government could avoid these cuts by properly tackling tax avoidance and tax evasion perpetrated by some of the wealthiest, which could raise billions of pounds a year.”

Ken Coates 1930-2010

2010-07-02T10:22:00.001+01:00

Lifelong socialist, peace activist and radical Ken Coates has died aged 79.
Aside from his activism Ken came across as a very warm and humane individual on the occasions that I met during environmental and political campaigning. He was one of the most radical and left wing Euro MPs we have ever had in the East Midlands - possibly one of the reasons New Labour were so keen to expel him.
Ken's Guardian Obituary by John Palmer is here -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jun/29/ken-coates-obituary

Kenneth Sidney Coates, politician and writer, born 16 September 1930; died 27 June 2010

Chris Hedges on The BP Oil Disaster

2010-05-29T15:00:00.000+01:00

The continuingly interesting and intelligent writer and observer Chris Hedges has written a very good article for Truth Dig entitled BP and The Little Eichmanns

The corporations, and those who run them, consume, pollute, oppress and kill. The little Eichmanns who manage them reside in a parallel universe of staggering wealth, luxury and splendid isolation that rivals that of the closed court of Versailles. The elite, sheltered and enriched, continue to prosper even as the rest of us and the natural world start to die. They are numb. They will drain the last drop of profit from us until there is nothing left. And our business schools and elite universities churn out tens of thousands of these deaf, dumb and blind systems managers who are endowed with sophisticated skills of management and the incapacity for common sense, compassion or remorse. These technocrats mistake the art of manipulation with knowledge.

More Here

Hedges also quotes The Great Transformation by Karl Polanyi - a work that speaks to us across the years about the neo-liberal nightmare we find ourselves living in the later stages of, and points out some of the exit routes.

Green MP on Queen's Speech

2010-05-25T21:34:00.001+01:00

Green Party leader’s comment on the Queen’s Speech

“It’s a pack of half-hearted measures” says UK’s first Green MP

Caroline Lucas MP, the first Green MP in the UK parliament, commented this afternoon:
“It’s a pack of half-hearted measures. For example they talk about far-reaching political reforms, but all they’re offering is a referendum on AV, which would go nowhere near far enough."

“There are warm words on climate change and energy efficiency, but no real detail. We need to see genuine commitment to serious targets and to the investment needed to meet those targets."

“Even worse, the fact that this comes the day after we’ve heard of budget cuts to public transport suggests the joined-up thinking isn’t there."

“The Green Party welcomes the scrapping of ID cards, but we would also like to have seen action on the use of control orders.”

Today Channel 4 published the “Green Queen’s Speech” – an alternative Queen’s Speech prepared by Caroline Lucas MP to show what a Green government would prioritise.

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/domestic_politics/green+mp8217s+alternative+queen8217s+speech/3658692

Caroline Lucas - Magnificent On "Any Questions?"

2010-05-14T23:05:00.003+01:00

Caroline Lucas, Leader of the Green Party and newly elected MP for the Brighton Pavilion constituency was on BBC Radio 4's Any Questions? this week with Douglas Hurd, Simon Hughes and Roy Hattersley. Caroline came over brilliantly, was cheered to the rafters by the audience and was praised by the other guests. She also clearly got over the Green Party's radical left of centre position and how it contrasts very strongly with the big three and their shoddy compromises.
Enjoy!
BBC Iplayer recording here
I hope Party Office have a got a good supply of new members' packs in !

Trident Replacement?

2010-05-11T22:07:00.000+01:00

We have yet to hear, but I guess we might hear very little now from the Lib Dems in coalition government about opposition to Trident replacement. Their policy was a little like their Iraq war policy in any case (They opposed the war until it started , then "supported our boys", whilst loudly trumpeting at subsequent elections that they had been the "anti-war party". For Lib Dems anti-war presumably means until it starts then.) They said they were anti- Trident replacement, to win the anti-nuclear and peace vote and to be seen to be making savings, whilst quietly saying that they were really interested in a "cheaper alternative". So that is alright then - Lib Dems are only in favour of cheap weapons of mass destruction.
Nevertheless, the Lib Dems policy in the election campaign (presumably now quietly dropped) launched a lot of anguished shrieking about "deterrence" in a world of dangers from the big two establishment parties and the establishment media.
I had this thought the other day about the so called "Deterrence" argument.
The argument for deterrence implies that your potential enemies must be convinced that if attacked, your country will respond with devastating nuclear force. However, anyone who would launch a nuclear attack potentially killing and maiming millions of people would be by definition a war criminal and by implication a genocidal maniac and sociopath. So an ememy must be convinced that your defence is in the hands of genocidal maniacs. And the only way you could really convince their intelligence services of this would be to have people in post who were indistinguishable from such maniacs - such that *no-one* could tell whether they were or not. Otherwise deterrence would not be credible. So in effect, deterrence means handing over your defence to genocidal maniacs - the sort of people who might launch a nuclear attack in any number of circumstances! I do not think most people realise this implication and think this would be a very scary realisation for most people, if they really thought about it.
(Although of course, the British Independent Nuclear "Deterrent" is neither fully British, Independent or a Deterrent - how do you deter suicidal terrorists?)
With the importance the British establishment places on "British" nuclear weapons, one wonders how most of the countries of the world can live from day to day, being in constant fear of nuclear attack or blackmail as they must be, "unprotected" by "their own" nukes? Or then again, perhaps they are not in constant fear, save a lot of money and do not live with expensive and redundant Imperial hangups.......

The new political landscape

2010-05-08T01:00:00.005+01:00

This is written shortly after the final non-postponed result from the British general election came through, so is a first response, things may change and develop over the next days and weeks.

The Green Party of England and Wales have made a truly historic breakthrough. On a night where all left and progressive forces suffered dramatic setbacks and most minor parties of any complexion failed to make much progress, GPEW saw the election of the first Green MP - Caroline Lucas, the new MP for Brighton Pavilion. I pay tribute to the hard work and determination of Caroline and my fellow Greens in achieving this. We were forced by the unfair electoral system to focus massively on just three seats. The relatively poor results of many of the other Green candidates are probably related to this (along with "Cleggmania", tactical voting and the higher turnout for the main parties). Nevertheless, it paid off and the Green Party now has an unprecedented platform for growth and political advance as well as Caroline having the opportunity to offer real help to the people of Brighton.

Another reason for celebration on the night was the wreck of the hopes of the fascists in Barking and Dagenham - not only failing to take a seat, but losing all their council seats in the concurrent local election as well!
The broader picture is still uncertain, (though we can be certain that whichever combination of the establishment parties takes power, we - the ordinary working people, students, disabled, pensioners etc are going to be asked to pay for the banker's and governments errors and greed). But the hung parliament situation opens up a vista of opportunities and threats.

There is the potential, perhaps, for the rise of a broad based movement to demand political change encompassing at the very least electoral reform and an elected second chamber. We will see over the coming days whether existing large internet based campaigns can begin to be translated into street protest.

The position of the Liberal Democrats means that they are asked to bring about electoral reform or suffer the consequences - whoever they ally with, the exposed and compromised position this will put them in may lead to them getting battered at the next election (that may be sooner rather than later). Any alliance with the Tories will be a great driver of Lib Dem voters and supporters into the arms of the Greens, the Welsh and Scottish Parties and/or Labour. An alliance with Labour will likely split off part of the Lib Dems' suppport to the right.

Meanwhile the international sovereign debt crisis rumbles on accompanied by calls from various representatives of the global elite for governments to make the workers pay. The most extreme example of this is currently in Greece. The resolution and even trajectory of that conflict remains in the balance.

Those on the green and progressive left in Britain must keep their wits about them and seek to rally all the defensive potential of workplace and community organisations - unions and associations - for the inevitable coming stuggles. In comparable situations in the 1970s there was significant risk of covert or even overt action by the secret state and more extreme elements of the ruling class (the Wilson plot, private armies etc etc) Though the risk of this may be less in the absence of them facing or fearing any comparable major organised threats from the left or workers organisation, we still need to be on our guard and remember that in mobilising and organising for the inevitably necessary defence of jobs, services and pensions we are also drawing together those forms and forces (trades councils, workplace organisation, local networks) that will be essential defensive and offensive bodies if elements of the ruling class begin to reach for more repressive and "permanent" solutions to the problems of their system. We do not know how severe the economic crisis may become and into what startegies and tactics this may drive some of those who seek to maintain or build their power over the rest of us.

In the short term we must give practical solidarity to those workers and others already moving into dispute and conflict with the employers and the state.

Good luck to that small band of radicals and progressives that have managed to get elected to Parliament - Caroline Lucas, John McDonnell and a few others - let us hope they can cooperate to give a Parliamentary voice to the opposition to the neo-liberal consensus on who is going to be made to pay for the crisis and the best ways to approach the Climate Emergency.

There is much work to be done!

Where You Can Vote Green This Week!

2010-05-04T20:14:00.001+01:00

South West Region (Green Party of England and Wales)
Bath Eric Lucas
Bridgwater and West Somerset Charles Graham
Bristol East Glenn Vowles
Bristol North West Alex Dunn
Bristol South Cllr. Charlie Bolton
Bristol West Ricky Knight
Camborne and Redruth Euan McPhee
Central Devon Colin Matthews
Chippenham Samantha Fletcher
Devizes Mark Fletcher
East Devon Sharon Pavey
Exeter Cllr. Paula Black
Filton and Bradley Stoke Jon Lucas
Forest of Dean James Greenwood
Gloucester Bryan Meloy
Kingswood Nick Foster
Newton Abbot Corinne Lindsey
North Devon L'Anne Knight
North Dorset Anna Hayball
North East Somerset Michael Jay
North Swindon John Hughes
North Wiltshire Phil Chamberlain
Plymouth, Moor View Wendy Miller
Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport Tony Brown
Salisbury Nick Startin
South Dorset Brian Heatley
South East Cornwall Roger Creagh-Osborne
South Swindon Jenni Miles
South West Devon Vaughan Brean
St Ives Tim Andrewes
Stroud Cllr. Martin Whiteside
Tewkesbury Matthew Sidford
The Cotswolds Kevin Lister
Tiverton and Honiton Cathy Connor
Torbay Sam Moss
Torridge and West Devon Cathrine Simmons
Totnes Lydia Somerville
Truro and Falmouth Ian Wright
Wells Chris Briton
West Dorset Cllr. J. Susan Greene

South East Region
Ashford Steve Campkin
Banbury Alastair White
Beaconsfield Jem Bailey
Bracknell David Young
Brighton, Kemptown Ben Duncan
Brighton, Pavilion Caroline Lucas
Canterbury Geoff Meaden
Chatham and Aylesford Dave Arthur
Chesham and Amersham Nick Wilkins
Crawley Phil Smith
East Worthing and Shoreham Susan Board
Fareham Peter Doggett
Faversham and Mid Kent Tim Valentine
Folkestone and Hythe Penny Kemp
Gillingham and Rainham Trish Marchant
Gosport Claire Smith
Gravesham Richard Crawford
Henley Mark Stevenson
Horsham Nick Fitter
Hove Cllr. Ian Davey
Isle of Wight Bob Keats
Lewes Susan Murray
Maidenhead Peter Forbes
Maidstone and The Weald Stuart Jeffery
Mid Sussex Cllr. Paul Brown
Milton Keynes North Cllr. Alan Francis
Milton Keynes South Katrina Deacon
Mole Valley Rob Sedgwick
New Forest East Beverley Golden
New Forest West Janet Richards
Newbury Adrian Hollister
Oxford East Sushila Dhall
Oxford West and Abingdon Chris Goodall
Portsmouth North Dr. Iain Maclennan
Portsmouth South Tim Dawes
Reading East Rob White
Reading West Adrian Windisch
Reigate Jonathan Essex
Rochester and Strood Simon Marchant
Runnymede and Weybridge Jenny Gould
Slough Miriam Kennet
South West Surrey Cherry Allan
Southampton, Itchen John Spottiswoode
Southampton, Test Chris Bluemel
Tonbridge and Malling Steve Dawe
Tunbridge Wells Hazel Dawe
Wantage Adam Twine
Wealden Cllr. David Jonas
Windsor Derek Wall
Witney Stuart MacDonald
Wokingham Marjory Bisset
Worthing West David Aherne

London
Barking Jayne Forbes
Battersea Guy Evans
Beckenham Ann Garrett
Bermondsey and Old Southwark Tom Chance
Bethnal Green and Bow Farid Bakht
Bexleyheath and Crayford Adrian Ross
Brent Central Dr. Shahrar Ali
Brent North Martin Francis
Brentford and Isleworth John Hunt
Bromley and Chislehurst Roisin Robertson
Camberwell and Peckham Jenny Jones
Carshalton and Wallington George Dow
Chelsea and Fulham Julia Caroline Stephenson
Chingford and Woodford Green Lucy Craig
Chipping Barnet Kate Tansley
Cities of London and Westminster Dr. Derek Chase
Croydon Central Bernice Golberg
Croydon North Shasha Khan
Croydon South Gordon Ross
Dagenham and Rainham Debbie Rosaman
Dulwich and West Norwood Shane Collins
Ealing Central and Acton Sarah Edwards
Ealing North Christopher Warleigh-Lack
Ealing, Southall Suneil Basu
East Ham Judy Maciejowska
Edmonton Jack Johnson
Eltham Arthur Hayles
Enfield North Bill Linton
Enfield, Southgate Peter Krakowiak
Erith and Thamesmead Marek Powley
Feltham and Heston Elizabeth Anstis
Finchley and Golders Green Donald Lyven
Greenwich and Woolwich Andy Hewett
Hackney North and Stoke Newington Matt Sellwood
Hackney South and Shoreditch Polly Lane
Hammersmith Rollo Miles West Central
Hampstead and Kilburn Beatrix Campbell
Harrow East Madeleine Atkins
Harrow West Rowan Langley
Hayes and Harlington Jessica Lee
Hendon Andrew Newby
Holborn and St Pancras Natalie Bennett
Hornchurch and Upminster Melanie Collins
Hornsey and Wood Green Pete McAskie
Ilford North Caroline Allen
Ilford South Wilson Chowdhry
Islington North Emma Dixon
Islington South and Finsbury James Humphreys
Kensington Melan-Zahra Ebrahimi-Fardouee
Kingston and Surbiton Chris Walker
Lewisham East Priscilla Cotterell
Lewisham West and Penge Romayne Phoenix
Lewisham, Deptford Darren Johnson
Leyton and Wanstead Ashley Gunstock
Mitcham and Morden Smarajit Roy
Old Bexley and Sidcup Jonathan Rooks
Orpington Tamara Galloway
Poplar and Limehouse Chris Smith
Putney Bruce Mackenzie
Richmond Park James Page
Romford Gerry Haines
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner Graham Lee
Streatham Rebecca Findlay
Sutton and Cheam Peter Hickson
Tooting Roy Vickery
Tottenham Anne Gray
Twickenham Stephen Roest
Uxbridge and South Ruislip Mike Harling
Vauxhall Joseph Healy
Walthamstow Daniel Perrett
West Ham Jane Lithgow
Westminster North Tristan Smith
Wimbledon Rajeev Thacker

Wales
Brecon and Radnorshire Dorienne Robinson
Cardiff Central Sam Coates
Cardiff North Christopher von Ruhland
Cardiff South and Penarth Matt Townsend
Cardiff West Jake Griffiths
Ceredigion Leila Kiersch
Monmouth Stephen Millson
Newport West Pippa Bartolotti
Pontypridd John Matthews
Swansea East Tony Young
Swansea West Keith M Ross
Torfaen Cllr. Owen Clarke
Vale of Glamorgan Rhodri Thomas

West Midlands
Aldridge-Brownhills Karl MacNaughton
Birmingham, Edgbaston Phil Simpson
Birmingham, Ladywood Peter Beck
Birmingham, Northfield Susan Pearce
Birmingham, Selly Oak James Burn
Coventry North West Justin Wood
Coventry South Stephen Gray
Kenilworth and Southam James Harrison
Ludlow Jacqui Morrish
Meriden Dr. Elly Stanton West Midands
Mid Worcestershire Cllr. Gordon Matthews
North Herefordshire Felicity Norman
North Shropshire Steve Boulding
Redditch Kevin White
Rugby Roy Sandison
Shrewsbury and Atcham Alan Whittaker
Stafford Mike Shone
Stone Damon Hoppe
Stourbridge Will Duckworth
Stratford-on-Avon Karen Varga
Sutton Coldfield Joe Rooney
Warwick and Leamington Ian Davison
West Worcestershire Cllr. Malcolm Victory
Worcester Louis Stephen

East Midlands
Broxtowe David Mitchell
Chesterfield Duncan Kerr
Daventry Steve Whiffen
Derbyshire Dales Josh Stockell
Erewash Lee Fletcher
High Peak Peter Allen
Leicester East Mo Taylor
Leicester South Dave Dixey
Leicester West Geoff Forse
Northampton North Anthony Lochmuller
Northampton South Julie Hawkins
Nottingham East Benjamin Hoare
Nottingham South Matthew Butcher
Rushcliffe Cllr. G. Richard Mallender
South Holland and The Deepings Ashley Baxter
South Northamptonshire Marcus Rock
Wellingborough Jonathan Hornett

East Anglia
Bedford Ben Foley
Braintree Daisy Blench
Brentwood and Ongar Jess Barnecutt
Broadland Susan Curran
Bury St Edmunds Mark Ereira-Guyer
Cambridge Tony Juniper
Central Suffolk and North Ipswich Cllr. Andrew Stringer
Chelmsford Angela Thomson
Clacton Chris Southall
Colchester Peter Lynn
Epping Forest Simon Pepper
Great Yarmouth Laura Biggart
Harwich and North Essex Chris Fox
Hertsmere Arjuna Krishna-Das
Hitchin and Harpenden Richard Wise
Huntingdon John Clare
Ipswich Tim Glover
Luton North Simon Hall
Luton South Marc Scheimann
Mid Bedfordshire Malcolm Bailey
Mid Norfolk Timothy Birt
North East Hertfordshire Rosemary Bland
North Norfolk Cllr. Andrew Boswell
North West Norfolk Michael de Whalley
Norwich North Jessica Goldfinch
Norwich South Adrian Ramsay
Peterborough Fiona Radic
Rochford and Southend East Andrew Vaughan
Saffron Walden Reza Hossain
South Cambridgeshire Simon Saggers
South East Cambridgeshire Cllr. Simon Sedgwick-Jell
South Norfolk Jo Willcott
South West Norfolk Lori Allen
Southend West Barry Bolton
St Albans Jack Easton
Suffolk Coastal Rachel Fulcher
Watford Cllr Ian Brandon
Waveney Graham Elliott
Welwyn Hatfield Jill Weston
Witham Cllr. James Abbott

Yorkshire and Humberside
Batley and Spen Matt Blakeley
Beverley and Holderness Bill Rigby
Bradford West David Ford
Calder Valley Kate Sweeny
Colne Valley Chas Ball
Dewsbury Adrian Cruden
East Yorkshire Mike Jackson
Haltemprice and Howden Shan Oakes
Huddersfield Andrew Cooper
Kingston upon Hull North Martin Deane
Leeds North West Martin Hemingway
Leeds West David Blackburn
Richmond (Yorks) Leslie Rowe
Scarborough and Whitby Dilys Cluer
Scunthorpe Natalie Hurst
Sheffield Central Jillian Creasy
Sheffield, Hallam Steve Barnard
Sheffield, Heeley Gareth Roberts
Shipley Kevin Warnes
Wakefield Miriam Hawkins
York Central Andy Chase

North West
Barrow and Furness Dr. Chris Loynes
Bolton South East Alan Johnson
Bolton West Rachel Mann
Bury South George Heron
Carlisle John Reardon
City of Chester Tom Barker
Copeland Jill Perry
Fylde Philip Mitchell
Halton Jim Craig
Hyndburn Kerry Gormley
Lancaster and Fleetwood Gina Dowding
Liverpool, Riverside Tom Crone
Liverpool, Wavertree Rebecca Lawson
Macclesfield John Knight
Manchester Central Gayle O'Donovan
Manchester, Gorton Justine Hall
Manchester, Withington Brian Candeland
Morecambe and Lunesdale Cllr. Chris Coates
Stalybridge and Hyde Ruth Bergan
Stockport Peter Barber
Stretford and Urmston Margaret Westbrook
Warrington South Stephanie Davies
Weaver Vale Howard Thorp
West Lancashire Peter Cranie

North East
Gateshead Andy Redfern
Newcastle upon Tyne Central John Pearson
Newcastle upon Tyne East Andrew Gray
Newcastle upon Tyne North Anna Heyman
South Shields Shirley Ford
Tynemouth Julia Erskine
Wansbeck Nic Best

Northern Ireland
Castlereagh Martin Gregg
North Down Steven Agnew
South Down Cllr Cadogan Enright
South Belfast Adam McGibbon
Strangford Barbara Haig

Scotland (Scottish Green Party)
Aberdeen South Rhonda Reekie
Argyll and Bute Elaine Morrison
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale Alis Ballance
Dundee East Shiona Baird
East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow Kirsten Robb
East Lothian James Mackenzie
Edinburgh East Robin Harpur
Edinburgh North and Leith Kate Joester
Edinburgh South Steve Burgess
Edinburgh South West Clare Cooney
Glasgow Central Alistair Whitelaw
Glasgow North Martin Bartos
Glasgow North West Moira Crawford
Glasgow South Marie Campbell
Gordon Sue Edwards
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Donnie Macleod
Midlothian Ian Baxter
Ochil and South Perthshire Hilary Charles
Ross, Skye and Lochaber Eleanor Scott
Stirling Mark Ruskell

Well done to all these candidates for giving the voters a real choice - and good luck!

Matt Sellwood For Hackney North and Stoke Newington

2010-04-11T17:18:00.001+01:00

A very good interview by my fellow ecosocialist and blogger Matt Sellwood on the Red Pepper site.

From the interview:

What are the issues that you are particularly interested in as a candidate?

My personal focus is on issues of economic equality, particularly given the appalling levels of inequality within Hackney North. I have worked particularly with the local Keep Our NHS public group, to oppose the egregious and continuing privatisation of our health service. I am also national spokesperson on housing for the Green Party, and do a lot of work on supporting investment in housing to create local employment, improve conditions and move modes of housing provision towards more cooperative models.

I am also passionate about withdrawal from Afghanistan. During the Iraq War I broke into RAF Fairford and sat on the runway to stop B-52 bombers taking off, and I’m only sorry that we couldn’t build a bigger movement of direct action at that time. The foreign policy of the Labour government over the last decade should, alone, be enough reason for socialists to abandon it immediately. It makes my blood boil.

More here

Good Luck Matt!

April 10th - We Won't Pay For Their Crisis!

2010-03-20T16:07:00.001Z

There is a major demonstration scheduled for London on April 10th in the probable run up to the General Election - a general election where all 3 main pro-capitalist parties are signalling their intentions to make cuts in public services and welfare. The protest, originating in the National Pensioners Convention, is backed by all main unions, coaches are being organised by Trades Councils and union branches from most areas of Britain.
Assemble 12 noon for 1pm Temple Place, Embankment, London.
Rally in Trafalgar Square.
Lets show the politicians we are not going to pay for their incompetence and the bankers' gambling! Let us remind them that whoever is in power after the election, we are not going to let them reverse what remains of the gains made by working people in Britain since the Second World War.

The RMT's Bob Crow on the demo - here.

International day of action: solidarity with UBS cleaners

2010-03-12T21:20:00.000Z

International day of action: solidarity with UBS cleaners
Friday, 19 March 2010
17:00 - 18:00
London demo starts at UBS, 100 Liverpool Street

Friday 19th March is the international day of action against UBS, demanding the reinstatement of sacked shop steward Alberto Durango and the reversal of cuts in cleaners' conditions by contractor Lancaster.

Protests are planned for the USA, Sweden, Switzerland and around the UK. There has been regular leafletting outside UBS offices, let's keep up the pressure and build solidarity with these exploited migrant workers.

The London protest will kick off from 5pm outside the UBS building at 100 Liverpool Street. Come, bring friends, bring stuff to make a noise, bring placards!

Protest Against Nottingham Social Care Cuts

2010-02-27T16:59:00.001Z

Nottingham City Unison have called a demonstration outside the City Council Budget Meeting on Monday 8th March at 12.30 in Old Market Square. The Labour City Council is proposing cuts in Adult Social Services as part of an £18 million package of cuts in its 2010/2011 budget. The proposed cuts include -

* Proposed closure of Riverside Residential Home (Bulwell) for adults with learning disabilities
*Closure of the Willows Older Persons Day Centre at weekends
*A new daily £2 charge for attendance at all adult day centres
*Cuts in day care for adults living in residential and nursing homes
*A 3% increase in charges for homecare, meals at home and transport to day centres
*Cuts in City Council Deaf Sevice

It is particularly ironic that Labour politicians and activists have been prominently flying their flags at protests against the Conservative controlled Notts County Council over the last week as the Tories launch a similar cuts programme targeted on day centres, residential homes etc in the County. Labour in the City are following the same policy as Tories in the County - targeting the most vulnerable and those they estimate are least likely to kick up a fuss or cost them votes.

Workers and service users need to show the City Labourites that we oppose their cuts every bit as much as those being implemented by the County Tories.

The Beginning Of A Long Struggle In Notts

2010-02-21T21:00:00.000Z

Greens and Wobs from Nottinghamshire joined trades unionists, community campaigners, service users and members of left Parties in a protest against the forthcoming Notts County Council cuts programme on Saturday 20th February. The small but angry protest in Mansfield Market place appeared to attract a crowd of between 1 and 2 hundred (not bad for a small market town)but speakers were keen to stress that this is just the start of a campaign of resistance and protest against the Tory Council's attacks on jobs and services. The idea of a County wide anti-cuts campaign was floated, to work alongside the Trades Council and unite the various concerned groups.

A second protest is planned outside the Council budget agreement meeting at County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham on Thursday 25th at 10am.

The Independent newspaper had a headline earlier in the week that a survey conducted by them had shown at least 20,000 Council jobs across the country to be lost in the near future due to cuts programmes, and this is just the start. These cuts come whilst the main parties are gearing up for a general election and so are not as keen as they might be to be seen to be making deep cuts that affect public services. We can imagine what is to come after the general election.

Now is the time to build the links and solidarity, the organisation and communication between workers, campaigners and community groups that will be needed in the coming struggle.

Cuts Protest - Mansfield, Saturday 20th February

2010-02-15T07:26:00.002Z

There is to be a protest against the cuts recently announced by Nottinghamshire County Council. It will take place in Mansfield Market Place on Saturday 20th February from 11am. The proposed cuts will mean hundreds of job losses, closure of vital services for elderly people, increases in charges and withdrawal of concessions. This action by the new Tory-led Council is a foretaste of what the Conservatives have in mind for the country as a whole if they gain power in the 2010 election - continued concern for the rich and powerful and cuts targetted on the poorest and most vulnerable. It appears to be no accident that the cuts seem to be harshest in areas like Mansfield - where people do not vote Tory (the last Tory District Councillor in Mansfield just defected to UKIP!).
Join the protest rally and help build the campaign against cuts.

MMX

2010-01-04T21:00:00.003Z

Happy New Year to all my occasional readers. Having a bit of a blogging break at the moment. Back soon, all being well.

Copenhagen - The Aftermath

2009-12-20T16:27:00.005Z

So, a pathetically weak "deal" that is not binding and basically, if not improved on, condemns large number of humans and other species to perishing as temperature change exceeds 2 degrees in the direction of 3 degrees and beyond. Were we really so surprised? We knew how weak most governments are in the global age - the power is increasingly not with them, it is in corporate boardrooms, banks and the offices of media moguls. The task remains the same as before Copenhagen - to build a movement that can apply pressure on a global scale in the short and medium term and in the long term that can help develop the kind of alternative society and economy that is needed for sustainability and social justice.

In the English speaking world this means taking on both the corporate powers that be and their shills and apologists in media, politics and culture. It is ever more evident from reading Internet discussion boards that the agenda of some of those leading the assault on ecological awareness, social justice campaigns and any mention of ethical concerns is one of nihilism. It is a capitalist-individualist nihilism that rejects politics, religion, collective organisation and ethical concerns not due to corruption and exploitation in these fields (that is the basis of entirely justified left wing critiques of mainstream thought) but philosophically because they all demand restraint and the nihilist will not wear any restraint, regardless of the effect of this stance on others.

The nihilist tries to pretend that every demand for restraint, not matter how politely and gently requested is a totalitarian imposition that is the road to some primitivist hell. Reason and science are abandoned in favour of conspiracy theory and productivist fantasy. The average Internet nihilist lives in a mental universe of abundance where there are no real environmental or economic problems that cannot be solved by the achievement of the nirvana of the totally "free" market.

Despite the prevalence of this attitude online perhaps we should not worry too much about it - it is a basically unsustainable stance that reveals emotional and spiritual immaturity. In the end truth, reason, fellowship and the deep human longing for justice and equality are far stronger than the tantrums of unrestrained egos.

To end on a festive note, perhaps the rightist climate change deniers, the bankers, the political puppets and the nihilist-comment-page-ranters should sit down and watch A Christmas Carol or It's A Wonderful Life this Christmas, they might find food for thought.

War On Want Christmas Appeal

2009-12-08T22:33:00.002Z

War On Want have launched a Christmas Appeal For Palestine.

This is a message from John Hilary:

We need your help today to support people in Palestine in their fight for a better life. I visited Palestine this summer, my first visit in many years. I was truly shocked to see how much everyday life for Palestinians has deteriorated. Olive farmers in the West Bank told us how they can no longer get enough water for their trees as water supply has been diverted to illegal Israeli settlements built on their land. In Bethlehem, we met refugee children who are now forced to live under the shadow of Israel's illegal Separation Wall. The people of Bethlehem are threatened on a daily basis by the violence of the Occupation.

The people of Palestine urgently need your support today. Please help us by donating to our Christmas appeal.

http://www.waronwant.org/palestine-appeal

Palestinians are facing economic meltdown as a result of Israel's illegal Occupation of their land. The system of checkpoints and closures in the West Bank has brought the local economy to its knees and communities are harassed on a daily basis. The situation in Gaza is even more urgent. The Israeli blockade has entered its third year, and 80% of people are dependent on food aid.

To meet this new level of threat to the livelihoods of people in Palestine we need your help. Your support will enable us to work with local communities and women's groups in the West Bank and Gaza, giving them the tools and skills to create a better future.

Please donate today.

http://www.waronwant.org/palestine-appeal

Thank you for your support,

With best wishes
John Hilary

Jim on Copenhagen

2009-12-02T22:13:00.004Z

The Copenhagen Climate Summit and associated demos like this Saturday's The Wave in London loom.

My fellow left wing Green blogger Jim Jepps had a good article that made the centre page spread of the Morning Star this week.

Jim on the media coverage so far :

We are asked to speculate on whether President Barack Obama has a spring in his step and a twinkle in his eye when speaking about the international climate summit.

Does the destiny of the world hang on whether he has a headache on the crucial day?

This focus on political celebrities rather than concrete proposals has more to do with Hello magazine than news. Conjecture about whether there will be a binding agreement rarely goes beyond the personalities of the great and the good.

More here.

Meanwhile on his blog Jim takes on one of the latest attacks on Greens from Tory Climate Sceptics.

Meeting in London on Inequality

2009-11-26T22:31:00.003Z

The event detailed below, scheduled for Wednesday 2nd December, is hosted by Hackney Green Party and should be quite interesting for anyone within travelling distance sympathetic to left green ideas.

INEQUALITY IN THE UK - Effects and solutions

Wednesday December 2nd, 7.30 - 9.30 pm

Abney Public Hall, Stoke Newington Church Street

Join Bill Kerry, Secretary of The Equality Trust, as he presents the findings of the bestselling book, 'The Spirit Level'. Inequality is having a massive negative influence on our society - hear the details of new research into how it impacts on everybody, and what we can do about it.

All welcome, with plenty of time for questions, answers, and discussion from the floor!

Hosted by Hackney Green Party, free entry.

The British Zeitgeist: Conservative Anarchism

2009-11-21T19:40:00.014Z

There has been a lot of talk recently of the ideology of the Tory Party leadership in Britain around David Cameron and how they are influenced by the "Red Toryism" of Philip Blond. With Cameron increasingly presented by the MSM as Prime Minister in waiting we might be forgiven for supposing that this "Red Toryism" was something of a popular current, a spirit of the age. In fact, Blond's ideology, (which despite the title and the eagerness of some politically illiterate journalists to describe it as some kind of reborn social democracy has some unnerving parallels with the far right reactionary currents of Traditionalism and Synarchism) is only embraced in a watered down and qualified form by Cameron and is hardly embraced at all by some of his camp who are still thinly disguised Thatcherite Monetarists. Any putative Cameronian government will most probably swing between a pragmatic centrism demanded by the economic mess it inherits and vicious Thatcherite attacks in selected areas of society to feed red meat to the backbenchers and finance capitalists to whom both major parties still feel they have no option but to bow to.

So if red Toryism (social traditionalism and crypto-corporatism)does not seem to have a real social base amongst those likely to put the Tories into power, what kind of ideological position can be said to characterise wide swathes of the now rightwardly inclined electorate? My guess is what I would call Conservative Anarchism akin, though not identical to the movement in America known as Paleolibertarianism. The poster boy of this tendency in Britain is Jeremy Clarkson. Its most extreme examples are found among the support bases of UKIP and the English Democrats, but I would suggest that the attitudes and views are common across wide sections of the population, including many, if not most of those about to vote Tory. We are talking about not so much an organised movement as a viral set of attitudes. The massive sales of Clarkson's books attest to the appeal of his stance. And what is this stance? - It is contrarian, individualist, aggressively self assertive and, well, not just anti-socialist, but anti-social. It is a stance that says I will do what I like, eat what I like, drive where I like, say what I like, buy what I like and treat others however I like and woe betide anyone who tries to stop me (and "trying to stop me" is the interpretation put on even the mildest criticism of anti-social and selfish behaviour.) In short it is the attitude of generations of teenagers writ large to people of all ages and classes. Teenagers used to grow out of this phase into responsibility and reasonableness in most cases. Now a whole media, advertising and cultural industry encourages people to behave like spoilt brats for the whole of their lives. Bureaucratic hamfisted attempts to impose civility from above become weapons of a culture war in the hands of conservative anarchists - where everywhere "free spirits" are fighting "PC gone mad".

The Conservative Anarchist is disdainful of everything that teenagers have always hated in large numbers - authority, often religion (of which more later), intellectuallism, high culture and complicated ideas. Hence no professional is safe - the bureaucratisation of professional careers in Britain has proceeded apace (every action of a professional must now be recorded, assessed, analysed, prescribed to death) at the same time as public contempt and lack of respect for professionals has grown. Every Conservative Anarchist feels that he or she knows better than those namby-pamby liberal teachers, doctors, clergy, climate scientists and criminologists. Every slip up of a professional or learned body is now elevated by a deeply anti-intellectual media as a condemnation of a whole body of workers and a whole library of thought.

Anti-intellectualism has easily grown to ridiculous proportions as it has long been a feature of British life compared to other parts of Europe. The "left" wing of conservative anarchism, (the ex-Living Marxists and the failed labourites, the ex-feminists and ex-punks, the O'Neills and Burchills of this world) dress their anti-intellectualism in class terms for added hate value, and of course the fetid British class system makes this easy for them. Thus sometimes Mockney and Estuary English accents attack anything demanding or requiring self control or reflection as "Booorjwah".

Religion is the ultimate hate target of many of the more consistent conservative anarchists found on comment pages as it stands in many cases on a claim of ultimate truth, reality and authority - things which the conservative anarchist sees as his or her sacred right to define personally. The "your politics/views/worldview is religious" or a "new religion" is the coup de grace of the conservative anarchist's armoury of argument. The existence of liberal religions and religious liberals is avoided as an inconvenience, or derided as weak liberal intellectualism - to the macho conservative anarchist all philosophical systems that are not purely centred on the individual and his or her desires are wicked and must be destroyed. To them, Humanism and Socialism, Christianity or Islam, Unitarianism or Agnosticism, Feminism and Animal Rights are all evil creeds not just because of their inevitable human failings but because they are social or universal - they appeal to and try to build a reality beyond the atomised individual and his or her prejudices and bigotries.

The rise of conservative anarchism in Britain has social roots in the vast destruction of community and social organisation that was commenced with a vengeance by the Thatcher government and has continued since. Remember "There is no such thing as society,just families and individuals"?

Additionally, the rise of conservative anarchism has material roots in the technological development of the last 20 years. The e-mail, the text, the social network, the blog comment section all both give a platform for the macho new breed to propagandise and smite his or her wet opponents, and facilitate a form of communication that is harsher, less nuanced and more aggressive than face to face discussion or the more regulated environment of the old newspaper letters pages. Ad Hominem, misrepresentation and casting aspersions about someone's underlying aims, objectives or trajectory are the preferred tools of online warfare. It is not surprising that many conservative anarchists seem to fall into a lazy conspiracist worldview. Non verbal communication, courtesy and even safety consciousness are lost in this world - things are written that might result in a physical fight if said face to face. But bit by bit this mode of communication has leaked into the offline world, into newspaper commentary and into real face to face transactions. I feel it likely that an incoming Tory government will find it gets as much flak from those trapped into this mindset as the beleaguered current Labour Government does. As an ecological, political and social campaigner I find the street and doorstep and street campaigning reaction you now get is in line with this coarsened and violently charged mindset on an alarmingly increasing number of occasions.

The time has come when this trend has to be faced by all those who seek a better world, or even to preserve and defend the social, political and environmental advances that have been made in this country. Because, make no mistake (and the evidence is there in the decline of the very voluntary, community and social clubs and initiatives that the so-called Red Tories would like to substitute for democratically run services - and in the impoverished and spirit-sapping content of what passes for debate on online newspaper comment pages invaded by the conservative anarchist hordes) from where I am sitting, conservative anarchism is corrosive of society, civility and even rational and non-violent debate.

One Million Climate Jobs Pamphlet Now Available

2009-11-17T20:23:00.002Z

The pamphlet on One Million Climate Jobs Now can now be downloaded from the PCS website at:
http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/resources/green_workplaces/green_campaigns/one-million-climate-jobs-now.cfm

Earlier this year, the Campaign against Climate Change (CaCC) trade union group set up a commission to produce a detailed plan for a million 'climate' jobs.

The commission includes academics and environmental groups as well as several unions including PCS.

In November 2009 the CaCC trade union group published a pamphlet, One million climate jobs Now!, which sets out how this can be achieved. The pamphlet is the first stage in a national campaign to get the government to employ a million unemployed workers to save the climate. It contains the arguments workers need for building the campaign.

Physical copies for selling are also available from

The Campaign against Climate Change
PCS
UCU
TSSA
CWU

for two pounds each or £10 for 15.

Avaaz Petition On World Hunger Crisis

2009-11-12T21:35:00.002Z

Below is the latest mailing from the international web-based campaign group Avaaz:

With the recent financial crisis, poverty is skyrocketing in poorer countries, with 1 in 6 people on the planet now facing life-threatening hunger.

Next week, leaders will meet at the World Food Summit in Rome to address this growing crisis. The best solution is funding to boost sustainable agriculture in poorer countries, but the UK and other countries are backing out on a $20 billion promise made earlier this year.

Millions of lives are on the line. Sign the petition below for rich countries to keep their promises, and it will be delivered directly to world leaders through a spectacular stunt at the Roman Colosseum on the eve of the Summit:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/world_hunger_pledges

The world produces enough food to feed everyone. Yet the number of people suffering from chronic hunger across the planet has reached the record-high figure of 1 billion this year.

Hundreds of billions are spent by wealthy governments to bail out banks and financial institutions, but the G8 countries are trying to cut a promised $20 billion commitment to agricultural investment to only $3 billion in new money. With literally millions of lives on the line, this is a scandal.

The Rome summit is also our best opportunity to push governments to promote small holder agricultural production -- growing evidence shows that intensive farming models are not effectively countering hunger and have a highly damaging impact on our environment.

We are teaming up with anti-poverty organisation ActionAid and global farmers networks to show our governments that we refuse to accept a world where people die every minute from hunger. Sign the petition to the Rome Summit -- every signature will be represented at a stunning delivery event at Rome's Colloseum:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/world_hunger_pledges

With hope,

Luis, Alice, Benjamin, Graziela, Ricken, Pascal, Iain, Paula, Paul, Veronique and the entire Avaaz Team

Poll : 59 Percent Of Australians Want a Republic

2009-11-06T19:55:00.004Z

Great news for British, Canadian and Australian Republicans from this press release from Republic:

BRITISH REPUBLICANS BUOYED AS POLL FINDS 59% OF AUSTRALIANS WOULD DITCH MONARCHY

Republic has welcomed a new poll by the Australian Republican Movement (ARM) which found that 59% of Australians want to see their country become a republic. The poll was conducted to mark the tenth anniversary of the republican referendum in Australia.

The Australian poll comes just days after a survey conducted by the Canadian Friends of the Royal Family found that 52% of Canadians no longer believe there should be a king or queen as head of state.

Republic spokesperson James Gray said:

"We are delighted at the result of this poll which demonstrates that republicanism is once again a live issue in Australia."

"The people of Australia are sending a very clear message to the monarchy:

'We want to choose our own head of state.'

They will not let royal visits distract them from the fundamental issues."

"The renewed republican movement in Australia is a great boost to the campaign against the monarchy here."

"As the republic debate grows across the Commonwealth, the future of the monarchy in Britain will also be called into question. The British people will begin asking: if they can ditch the monarchy, why can't we?"

"We'll be working closely with our republican colleagues in Australia, Canada and New Zealand over the coming months and look forward to sharing resources and ideas to bring about our common goal."

NOTES

1. The ARM press release on the poll is available to view online at
http://www.republic.org.au/story/10-years-59-want-australian-republic

2. Republic is a member of Common Cause, an alliance of Commonwealth
republican movements, alongside the ARM, Citizens for a Canadian Republic
and the Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand. For more about Common
Cause see http://bit.ly/4z6Ovp.

WHAT IS REPUBLIC?

Republic is a membership-based pressure group calling for the democratic replacement of the monarchy by an elected head of state.
Republic lobbies politicians and opinion-formers, undertakes original research on the monarchy, comments on Royal stories in the media and provides information on republicanism.
Republic is a non-party-political organisation with members from all the main parliamentary parties. Its distinguished supporters include 20 MPs, as well as leading figures from politics, law and the arts. A full list of Republic’s supporters can be found at
http://www.republic.org.uk/supporters.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION :

Visit our website : www.republic.org.uk

Mail: Republic, PO Box 69, Brighton BN50 9GS

Don't Scab On The Post

2009-11-03T21:32:00.003Z

The following is the text of a leaflet being distributed by Notts IWW members at local Job Centres.

Don’t apply for Royal Mail jobs

Support the Posties instead!

Royal Mail workers are striking against pay and job cuts, and bigger and bigger workloads. This struggle will have an effect on pay and conditions for all us in the future.

Royal Mail management have been fiddling the figures to justify cuts and their aim is to hire 30,000 temps to cover the strike – twice as many as for the normal Christmas rush.

If others take these jobs it makes it easier for ALL bosses to attack ALL of us. Low-paid, casual contracts will continue to replace proper jobs, and wages will get lower and lower.

Asking you not to take these jobs is a big thing to ask, we know. In the current climate there are few jobs with long-term security. Some of us will need to take anything we can. Some of us are even being forced to apply by Job Centres. But we have to stick together and fight together: we are all ripped-off, exploited people. So, what can you do?

If you are unemployed

* Go and talk to the Posties on the picket line. Show them you support their fight for decent jobs.

* Talk to other unemployed people about the issue.

* If you get post on a strike day, go to the door and talk to the worker doing your regular postie’s job. Explain why you think they shouldn’t do it.

* Help us leaflet the Job Centre and employment agencies!

If you are being forced to take a job

* Refuse to cover the work of striking posties. It is legally suspect for companies to hire temps to break a strike, so they can’t force you do it!

If you are Job Centre or agency staff, this affects you too

* You have bosses breathing down your neck and probably bad pay & little job security too. But don’t place people in jobs that are aimed at breaking this strike!

Show solidarity with posties and claimants.

The Posties are striking for all of us

Show them you support them!

More here.

Climate Change Public Forum

2009-10-30T09:06:00.003Z

CLIMATE EMERGENCY COPENHAGEN

London Public Forum
Saturday 7th November 12-6pm

South Camden Community School,
Charrington Street
NW1 1RG
(nearest tube Kings Cross)

Open to everyone and free to attend, hosted by the Campaign against Climate Change the Public Forum will bring together leading figures to discuss and debate the Climate Emergency and what we can be doing to tackle it. See below for the programme for the day.

This event sees a great variety of speakers including
Aubrey Meyer (Global Commons Institute),
Oliver Tickell (author Kyoto 2),
Andrew Simms (new economics foundation),
John Stewart (HACAN),
Johann Hari (journalist),
Jean Lambert MEP (Green Party),
Damian Carrington (Head of Environment, the Guardian),
Alexis Rowell(Camden Council),
Chris Baugh (Public and Commercial Services Union)
Dr Stuart Parkinson (Scientists for Global Responsibility)

There will also be workshops with Biofuelwatch and the Campaign against Climate Change Trade Union Group.

This is one of our last chances to get together before we hit the streets demonstrating in December.

Programme

________________________________

11:45
Doors Open

12:15-13:15 Session
1 "10% Cuts by end 2010: the case for emergency action"

13:15-13:45 Break and Workshops including:
Introduction to campaigning against Agrofuels, hosted
by Biofuelwatch and Food Not Fuel

13:45-14:45 Session
2 "Green Jobs Now - a million climate jobs by end 2010"

14:45-15:15 Break and Workshops including:
Discussion of the role of Trade Unionists in building the Climate movement before and after Copenhagen , hosted by Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union Group

15:15-16:15 Session
3 "Decarbonising our transport fast - the way ahead"

16:15-16:30 Break
with musical entertainment

16:30-17:30 Session
4 " Copenhagen - the deal we need and the deal we're likely to get"

17:30-17:45 Climate
Emergency CALL TO ACTION

________________________________

Birmingham Greens Demonstrate Left Unity In Action

2009-10-27T19:49:00.003Z

The Green Party in Birmingham has voted to stand aside for Salma Yaqoob in the coming Parliamentary elections, the Steering Group of Green Left has agreed the release of the following statement:

Green Left welcomes the decision of Birmingham Green Party to stand aside in the parliamentary constituency of Hall Green to let Salma Yaqoob of Respect contest the general election there. The decision, which was endorsed by 86% of Green Party members in the area, is another step in forming an alliance between those forces on the Left of British politics campaigning against war, privatisation, the ongoing march to environmental disaster and Fascism. We regard this as an historic step in the campaign for the next general election and for progressive politics in this country.

Joseph Healy

Sue Tibbles

Co-Convenors

Green Left

More from Joseph, Derek on Socialist Unity site and Jim at Daily (Maybe).

CPBF Events This Week

2009-10-26T09:51:00.001Z

Media for all? The challenge of convergence

Saturday 31 October

School of Pharmacy, 29 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, from 10.00am – 5.00pm.

(nearest tube Russell Square)

A major international conference on the future of media organised by the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom.

Keynote speakers:

John Nichols, journalist with The Nation and one of the founders of the US Free Press Media Reform movement.

Alexander Stille, author of The Sack of Rome, an analysis of Silvio Berlusconi’s role in Italian media and politics.

Other speakers include Andrew Currah, Ray Fitzwater, Bob Franklin, Alison Harcourt, Kathrine Sarikakis,

Booking information

Attendance costs: Not for profit organisations and trades unions £25; individuals £20; students, unwaged or retired people £10.

Book online at: http://www.cpbf.org.uk/index_conf.html or email: freepress@cpbf.org.uk by phone 0208 521 5932 or by post:

CPBF, 23 Orford Road, Walthamstow, London E17 9NL. Cheques payable to the CPBF.

Plus our pre-Conference meeting

The miners’ strike and politics today

Friday 30 October, 7.00pm

School of Pharmacy, 29 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX

Speakers:

Tony Benn, John Nichols, Marc Valle and Paul Lewis.

Showing Ken Loach Which Side Are You On?

Plus premier performance of Embedded with the bankers; the media and the financial crisis by Banner Theatre Group

Admission £5. Booking as detailed above or pay at the door.

The Entirely Predictable Rise -and Fall? - of The British Far Right

2009-10-22T21:00:00.012+01:00

Never have so many column inches and so much bandwidth been expended on a soundbite level chat show. I'm talking about, of course, this week's media coverage of the appearance of the leader of Britain's largest Far Right Party on BBC's Question Time. But the key questions seem to have escaped most of the commentators (with the possible exception of the Guardian's Gary Younge who seems to have a glimmer of the dynamic that is behind all this). These are the usual questions - what forces are intentionally or otherwise chiefly responsible for the recent rise of the odious right, and (hopefully assuming the prevention of a New British Reich)"Cui Bono?".

I think there is a case to be made that BNP in their current incarnation are actually the creation of the establishment - in particular the right-wing propaganda arm of the mass media. Griffin and pals were happily marginalised for much of the 80s and 90s. Their spectacular growth has come in the wake of two things - the so called war on terror and the cranking up of a concerted mass media hate campaign targetted at two or three main targets - Islam and Muslims in general, migrants from the New European entrants and the "undeserving poor". These campaigns all serve and are motivated by the interests of the ruling class in Britain. Griffin has been able to gear his "New Right" master plan (cribbed from Le Pen) to the narrative written and mass-propagandised by the British ruling class for their own ends. It is no surprise that he has moved from a friend of Gadaffi and anti-semitic elements of the Islamic world to a "hammerer of Islam", from European new right rhetoric to Little Englanderism and from Chestertonian ruralist elitism to embracing "the honest white working class" of places like Barnsley. These moves parasitize the zeitgeist created by ruling class mass propaganda.

1. The demonisation of Muslims is necessary to create support for the resource wars on behalf of Western Capital, led by the US Military industrial complex. This also works to aid recruitment of cannon fodder for the imperial wars and eases through the raft of security state measures that would have been desired by the ruling class (even if 9-11 had never occurred) in the face of the coming desperate, brutal, even semi-apocalyptic resource conflicts and environmental destruction that is the culmination and possible finale of capitalist accumulation. Even most radical Greens have not grasped the sheer scale and nature of what is likely to be coming.

2. The constant attacks on New European migrants are classic divide and rule designed to make union organisation more difficult, to attack those elements of the EU which the British ruling class find useful to scapegoat to distract attention from the aims they hold in common with other parts of the European ruling class and to obliquely label the British working class as lazy and greedy - see 3 below.

3. As ever, in an economic crisis the ruling class have very basic objectives, reduce the cost of labour, divide opposition to reducing the cost of labour and take back as much as possible of state property into private hands to recoup lost profits and expand the zone of operation of private capital which recession has shrunk (something which requires the attacks on TU organisation that the attacks on scapegoats one and two are being utilised for). To reduce the cost of labour the "reserve army of the unemployed" must be both increased and battered into a servile state through attacks on welfare. If these are to come about the unemployed and sick must be isolated and alienated from the rest of their class - hence constant "scrounger" stories in the tabloids to break up the diet of "millions of migrants" and "all muslims are potential terrorists" type front pages. Claimants are presented as largely criminal and fraudulent (see hype of recent transparently self interested figures released by the firms contracted to "test" those previously on Incapacity). This association with criminality is indispensible for any really serious scapegoating (and an element of it as old as the hills) and so is deployed against all three groups we are talking about.

It is no surprise that the concentrations of BNP membership shown by the recently leaked lists are not predominantly in ethnically mixed areas - they are largely in white dominated, even what some might uncharitably term "white ghetto" areas. It is not coincidental that these are the areas most isolated from the reality of life in much of modern Britain and Europe, and where the main source of information for the alienated elements recruited by the fascists is not the TV news, broadsheets or contact with a varied group of people, but tabloid hate stories constantly reinforced by social circulation in a limited parochial group. This is the depressing case for example in Ashfield, or Amber Valley.

What we see at the moment is the capitalist class (in the shape of Tories, the right wing media and other elements of the establishment like military figures and New Labour Ministers) attempting to do a bit of "house cleaning" by belatedly attacking - constantly this week - the BNP, by-product of their own strategies. This could tell us various things - 1. that the limits of growth of the far right are set by the ruling class - to a certain level they are useful, beyond that they become threatening as loose cannons that could provoke resistance to the whole shooting match. 2. That the establishment right would now like to claim back the territory ceded to the far right - in coded language they talk about the mainstream needing to address "the issues" that motivate BNP support - whilst claiming to be centrist they move the whole political spectrum further rightwards as "defence" against the "threat" of fascism that they created. Job done.
If this is the picture, then those of us on the green left, those of us who seek workers' unity and those of us who defend the social gains of the last Century have a hard fight ahead. If the ruling class has miscalculated, as it did in pandering to far right demagogues in several countries in the 1920s and 30s, the situation may be even more serious.....

Teachers' Union Backs December Climate Demos

2009-10-19T08:32:00.004+01:00

In an encouraging development the NEC of the NUT have declared their support for the demonstrations in London and Copenhagen in December designed to put pressure on world leaders to come up with a meaningful deal at the Copenhagen conference:

This motion was agreed unanimously by the National Union of Teachers National Executive Committee on 8 October 2009

Mobilise for UN Climate talks in Copenhagen, December 09

“This meeting believes that we need a just, global and collectivised transition from a greed economy to a green economy. Sustainability rather than profit should be the hallmark of success as we recover from economic crisis.

This requires government investment in green industries such as renewable energy, insulation of all homes and workplaces, re-skilling of workers and research into further technological development. This will create or save tens of thousands of jobs at a time when many workers and students are concerned for their own future employment.

We congratulate workers at the Vestas wind turbine plant on the Isle of Wight, who highlighted this issue so well by occupying their factory during August 2009, and who continue to campaign for the nationalisation of wind turbine and other green production since its closure.

We believe that the United Nations Climate Talks in Copenhagen from 7 to 18 December 2009 could be our last chance to secure such a global, democratic commitment to measures that might avert climate catastrophe, before our planet’s ecology destabilises irreversibly.

Therefore we call on the national bodies of all TUC affiliates, and the TUC itself, to support a demonstration in London on Saturday 5 December 2009, and mobilise for an international workers’ and students’ presence throughout the Copenhagen talks, especially on 12 December.

We ask all such bodies to work with Stop Climate Chaos (www.stopclimatechaos.org) and the Campaign Against Climate Change (www.campaigncc.org) in planning and preparing for these events.”

Keep Our NHS Public Benefit Night

2009-10-13T20:36:00.003+01:00

The following is information on the Keep Our NHS Public benefit evening planned for this weekend - sounds like a good night out for a good cause if you are in the London area.

YOUR GOOD HEALTH!
Raising a toast to KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC
A special benefit performance

Sunday 18 October 4 pm

The New Players' Theatre

The Arches, Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NG

Your entertainment and enlightenment will be hosted by:

Martin Soan, master of prop comedy
and his glamorous assistant
Pierrettes Cobaz (from Peckham)

For your entertainment

The Anna
Mudeka Band
The exhilerating,
body-swaying, vibrant sounds of Africa

Stewart
Harvey-Wilson
From Radio 4's
"The Spoken Word"

Ian Saville
Celebrated Socialist Magician: "Captitalism is in big trouble. He'll make it disappear".

Cevanne
Armenian sounds, renaissance songs, celtic strings

Elizabeth Mansfield
sings Piaf
Acompanied by Stephen Rose
"Mansfield delivers the famous songs superbly . . . " Guardian

WITH A BAR, BOOKSTALLS AND RAFFLE

Box office 020 7478 0135

Book in advance for an "early bird seat" £12 (£10 concessions)
Tickets on the door £15 (£12 concessions)

Pre and post show meals can be booked on 020 7930 5868

Help Keep Our NHS Public by joining/affiliating/donating

Please help by filling in our standing order form, and campaigning locally for trade unions, pensioners' groups, community groups and others to join or affiliate to us.

Keep Our NHS Public |
19 Vincent Terrace, London, N1 |
www.keepournhspublic.com

Interesting Background On The Kingsnorth Decision

2009-10-11T17:17:00.005+01:00

A letter from the North West Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies in Saturday's Guardian shed an interesting light on the recent decision to shelve the development of the Kingsnorth power station -

Professor Catherine Mitchell asks "why did E.ON postpone its Kingsnorth plan?" (Kingsnorth's coal bluff, 9 October). The answer lies in Brussels. On 1 October the European commission presented a technical committee of the council of ministers with its recommendations for seven carbon capture and storage projects across Europe that should each receive a €180m initial EU subsidy, the sum to be matched by national governments. Applications from the UK included schemes at Kingsnorth, Hatfield, Longannet and Tilbury, with just one to qualify. The decision will be announced publicly in a week or so, but it's an open secret in this city that the commission did not recommend funding for Kingsnorth. My money's on Hatfield.

Chris Davies MEP

Liberal Democrat, North West

We should see within the week if Davies is right in his suspicions.

Notts Incinerator Inquiry Postponed!

2009-10-10T17:11:00.003+01:00

In a dramatic move the Nottinghamshire Incinerator Public Inquiry has been adjourned until April 13th 2010 and will now run for 4 weeks instead of 3 weeks.
Here's hoping that Veolia might think it is too much hassle or NCC might walk away.

On Wednesday 14th. October, the Public Open Forum will not now be needed. However, PAIN has decided to keep this date in place in order to update members.

The PAIN meeting is at
Rainworth Methodist Church Hall,
Southwell Road East,
Rainworth,
Notts
NG21 0BN
on Wednesday 14th October. 6.30 for 7pm. Cake will be available!

High School Osborne......

2009-10-09T08:53:00.002+01:00

This is a bit obvious....but worth posting anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnz5McrMbsI&feature=player_embedded

Notts Incinerator Inquiry Starts

2009-10-07T07:10:00.006+01:00

The Nottinghamshire Incinerator Public Inquiry started yesterday, but after what was supposed to be a boring (but turned out to be exciting) start the Inquiry was adjourned until Thursday. Seems Veolia are now truly rattled and Notts County Council not a little uneasy themselves!
More from the local Chad newspaper here.
Apparently a possible special protection area for Nightjars might be a "showstopper".
According to the Chad Veolia originally called for a three month adjournment!
PAIN and UKWIN remain committed to fighting the incinerator whereever it is proposed - the proposed incinerator is an outdated model of an inappropriate technology to tackle a reducing waste stream that would be better tackled with other methods - anaerobic digestion, increased recycling facilities, etc
Tha anti-incinerator campaign has the full backing of local Greens.

Victory over Veolia!

2009-10-01T21:56:00.004+01:00

Good news!
The giant multinational waste, transport, water and services conglomerate Veolia has been defeated in its' attempts to withhold important information from local anti-incinerator activists and Council Tax Payers in Nottinghamshire. The decision of the High Court on 1st October is a landmark decision and a victory for dynamic PAIN* and UKWIN* activist Shlomo Dowen and Friends of the Earth in the UK who supported the case against Veolia.

The court case came about when activists sought to see details of the fantastically expensive waste contract signed between Veolia and Notts County Council under regulations governing local government auditing. Under these rules members of the public are allowed to see Council accounts and financial details during the audit process. Veolia sought an injunction against anyone seeing details relating to the County Waste Contract which includes the controversial incinerator plans for Rainworth in Sherwood Forest.

This led to the farcical situation of Notts County Council, (aware of their legal duties and the likelihood of them loosing a challenge if they complied with the wishes of Veolia) confronting their favoured contractor in court.

This is all a good omen for the Public Inquiry into Veolia's White Elephant Notts Incinerator (improved waste treatment technology and increasing recycling rates are already making it increasingly obsolescent before it even has final approval - the argument for an alternative waste strategy strengthens by the day) - the Inquiry starts in Rainworth next Tuesday and the public have their right to have their say on 14th October in the evening session of the Inquiry at Rainworth Methodist Hall.

Well done to Shlomo, PAIN, UKWIN and FOE and good luck for the Inquiry!

Notes
* PAIN - People Against Incineration - local Notts campaign against projected Veolia incinerator in Sherwood Forest.
* UKWIN - National anti-incinerator network, UK Without Incineration.

Interesting New Stuff From The Corner House

2009-09-25T20:20:00.004+01:00

The people at Corner House have a lot of interesting and useful new material available on climate change strategies and economics, (no apologies for the cut'n paste!). Much of this is a valuable contribution to the radical critique of the likely "solutions" touted by the big powers, corporations and politicians this week and likely to be continually pushed over the coming months:

NEW PUBLICATIONS ON CLIMATE AND FINANCE FROM THE CORNER HOUSE AND FRIENDS

The climate crisis and the financial crisis highlight the need to organise for social change -- and also open unprecedented opportunities for doing so. But to prevent a destructive return to business as usual, the roots of both crises need to be understood, together with the nature and limitations of elite responses to them. As a contribution to this discussion, 10 new documents have recently been added to The Corner House's extensive collection of free books and articles on climate
change and finance at

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/subject/climate

and

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/subject/economics.

(1)
Corner House Briefing Paper No. 40
When Markets are Poison:
Learning about Climate Policy from the Financial Crisis

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/briefing/40poisonmarkets.pdf

Around the world, progressive groups have linked the unfolding financial crisis with concurrent crises of climate, food, energy, health care and militarism, and have called for integrated popular movements to assert greater democratic control over financial and economic institutions so that economic recession and global warming can be tackled together.

But governments and business elites also claim to be tackling global warming and economic reversal. Talk of 'Green New Deals' is constantly in the air; investments are being made in agrofuels, geoengineering, carbon sequestration and synthetic biology; and Wall Street is looking forward to seeing global carbon markets expand to a multi-trillion dollar scale following the Copenhagen climate conference in December and promised new US legislation.

This briefing paper critiques one of these elite responses by detailing the close parallels between the financial innovations behind the current financial crisis and the marketing innovations associated with carbon trading -- the dominant official approach to climate change.

Both the new financial markets and the new carbon markets involve the construction of similar abstract commodities. Both heighten systemic dangers, necessitating movements of societal self-protection. Both involve regressive redistribution and the erosion of crucial knowledge. Both are vulnerable to bubbles and crashes. Both erode notions of transparency and conflict of interest. And both call into question the easy assumption that all markets can be successfully regulated, no matter what type.

Drawing on the insights of grassroots communities on the receiving end of the new trade arrangements as well as financial and carbon market practitioners and theorists, the paper urges that failures of both markets need to be investigated and understood before a coherent and effective response can be formulated to the problems that both were supposed to have tackled.

A first section describes the enormous growth in financial derivatives markets since the 1970s -- a process involving the increased commodification of certainty and uncertainty, security and risk, safety and danger, determinacy and indeterminacy -- and the associated huge expansion of credit. It is highly misleading, the paper argues, to describe the new financial practices as 'casino capitalism': they were so hazardous that no casino could have followed them and stayed in business.

A second section analyses the concurrent invention of carbon markets, which involved the increased commodification of the earth's carbon-cycling capacity. Some of the same theorists and practitioners responsible for the new financial markets helped create the carbon markets and, unsurprisingly, carbon markets rely on the same sort of abstractions and faith in quantification that brought down the financial markets. In particular, carbon markets abstract fatally from the question of how industrialised countries can eliminate their dependence on fossil fuels.

With all its acronyms, calculations, credits, monitoring and legal requirements, carbon trading rivals the trade in financial derivatives in its obscurity -- and in its dangers. As one carbon trader has said, 'I guess in many ways it's akin to sub-prime. You keep layering on crap until you say, 'We can't do this anymore'.' This briefing paper attempts to bring into the open the ways in which the complexity of both carbon and uncertainty markets have hidden their hazards, both from many market players and from the general public.

(2) Climate as Investment

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/Climate%20as%20Investment.pdf

Proposals for Green New Deals aimed at tackling both global warming and global recession are streaming forth worldwide. Yet, as this article forthcoming in the journal /Development & Change/ argues, many such proposals are incoherent in that they overlook the need for an immediate start to a programme of phasing out both fossil fuels and purported fossil fuel substitutes such as nuclear power and industrial-scale agrofuels. They also tend to rely on Northern-biased conceptions of
technology transfer and intellectual property that the climate crisis has helped make obsolete. To overcome these problems, future climate movements will have to focus increasingly on the democratization of research, planning and finance.

(3) Neoliberalism and the Calculable World: The Rise of Carbon Trading

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/Neolib&Calc.pdf

Carbon permit prices flashing on electronic screens in Wall Street trading rooms reflect a complex political movement to reorganize and redistribute power and knowledge. The carbon markets associated with the Kyoto Protocol, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and the US's Waxman-Markey Act constitute perhaps the last great class project of a waning neoliberal regime -- the ill-fated attempt to privatize the climate itself.

Carbon trading resembles other neoliberal movements of recent decades that have invented new possibilities of accumulation through the creation of fresh objects of calculation and intensified commodification. Such movements include the hugely expanded derivatives markets responsible for the financial crisis, global intellectual property rights regimes, and attempts to transform health, health care
and even biological species into measurable, tradeable commodities.
Generating both profits and crisis, the ambitious abstraction and commensuration that are vital to such schemes can never be completed. This draft chapter for a forthcoming book on the rise and fall of neoliberalism outlines the contradictions inherent in the attempt to form a viable climate commodity.

(4) Unregulatability in Financial and Carbon Markets

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/Unregulatability.pdf

Can the financial derivatives markets be regulated? Can the carbon markets be regulated? The questions are parallel, according to this article from the June 2009 issue of /Carbon & Climate Law Review/. Both markets have involved new attempts at commodification: in the case of the financial markets, commodification of an unprecedented range of uncertainties, and in the case of the carbon markets, commodification of climate benefits or the earth's carbon-cycling capacity. Regulatory responses inspired by neoclassical economics, which assume that any problems can be handled by 'internalizing externalities', are unlikely to succeed. A more pragmatic approach looks to decommodification in both markets. Both approaches, interestingly, have attracted supporters from wide ranges of the political spectrum.

(5) Regulation as Corruption in the Carbon Offset Markets: Cowboys and
Choirboys United

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/Athens%2010.pdf

The civics-class formula 'no matter what the market, it will always be possible to regulate it' is not a useful principle for constructive social action in the real world. In markets that cannot distinguish between fraud and non-fraud, that undermine the rule of law, and that are based on conflict of interest, attempts at regulation can be worse than useless. 'Governance' itself becomes part of corruption.

The carbon offset market is one such market; the market for certain complex credit derivatives is another. Both these markets, argues this draft chapter for a forthcoming book on carbon trading in Africa, should teach us the need for new, more nuanced and practical approaches to issues of corruption and regulation.

(6) /Mausam/: Issues 2-5 of the Indian Climate Change Magazine

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/Mausam2-5.pdf

This is the long-awaited latest issue of a magazine aimed at returning the dialogue about climate change and its solutions to the 'public space.' Featured are pathbreaking articles uncovering the reality of UN-sanctioned 'carbon saving' projects in the metals, hydroelectric, wind power, chemicals, waste management and electricity generating sectors, as well as analyses of the political economy of the scientific controversies over the monsoon and over Asia's so-called 'brown cloud'
of pollution.

(7) Uncertainty Markets and Carbon Markets: Variations on Polanyian Themes

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/NPE2high.pdf

New markets in uncertainty and in carbon are advertised as making both finance and climate action more cost-effective. Both fail to do so, argues this article forthcoming in the journal /New Political Economy/. Creating the commodity framework necessary to make sense of the notion of 'cost-effectiveness' causes both markets to lose touch with what was supposedly being costed. One consequence is systemic crisis.

The new financial markets expanded credit and multiplied leverage by isolating, quantifying, slicing, dicing and circulating diverse types of uncertainty; an unchecked pursuit of liquidity led to a catastrophic drying up of liquidity. The carbon markets, meanwhile, by identifying global warming solutions with reductions in an abstract pool of tradable emission rights and commensurating them with 'offsets' manufactured by 'quants', ended up blocking prospective historical pathways toward less fossil fuel dependence and thus exacerbated the climate problem. Unsurprisingly, both markets have provoked strong, if diverse and confused, movements of societal self-defence. This pattern of action and reaction is similar to the one seen in movements to commodify land and labour.

(8) Imagining Climate Solutions

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/CanDimension.pdf

These days, being a climate activist can easily get you arrested -- or worse. But the bigger danger -- especially for activists in industrialised countries -- may be that of being seduced into expending your imagination on 'solutions' that turn out to be bogus.

(9) The Trouble with Carbon Trading: A Short Debate

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/MerrillLynchvsCH.pdf

In this brief exchange from ClimateChangeCorp's website, The Corner House rebuts claims from a Wall Street carbon trader that: (a) the climate problem is a problem of quantity of emissions; (b) carbon trading lowers costs; (c) putting a price on carbon in Europe helps Southern countries reduce emissions; and (d) carbon markets can work in concert with other policies and measures.

(10) Hold the Applause: A Critical Look at Recent EU Climate Claims

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/HoldtheApplause.pdf

The European Union has recently congratulated itself for being 'on track' to meet its Kyoto Protocol emissions targets. But is it? And, more importantly, is the EU 'on track' in the effort to wean itself off fossil fuels -- which is the point of the Kyoto Protocol and other climate change mitigation efforts? The answer to both questions is no. Misleading accounting has produced an illusion of effective action; the reality, as a careful examination of the figures shows, is more complicated and disturbing.

Green Billboards To Confront Labour in Brighton

2009-09-21T23:01:00.002+01:00

Greens launch billboard campaign to run during Labour conference

The campaign for the Greens to win Brighton Pavilion stepped up a gear this week, with 14 billboards going up around Brighton and Hove, timed to coincide with the Labour Party conference in Brighton.

The billboard campaign has been devised by the Green Party's retained ad agency, glue London.

In the ads the Green Party's slogan for the Pavilion campaign - "Labour is old news in Brighton" - accompanies an image of a tired-looking Gordon Brown made out of newsprint. Other versions of the ad show Jack Straw and Peter Mandelson.

The advert observes that twice as many people in Brighton (31%) voted Green in the recent European elections as voted Labour (15%) - and that the Conservatives also finished far behind the Greens, on 22%.

The Greens' campaign director for Brighton Pavilion, Paul Steedman, said:

"We're going all out to win in Brighton Pavilion. Caroline Lucas is an exceptional candidate. We have hundreds of volunteers committed to helping the campaign. On the doorsteps, where it really counts, people are telling us that they're sick of Labour, that they don't trust Cameron, that they want the positive change we're offering."

"Rigorous Green policies for more jobs"

Caroline Lucas, candidate for Brighton Pavilion, said:

"I will be putting forward rigorous policies for more jobs, and better pay for nurses, cleaners and shopworkers, not just City slickers; for an NHS that doesn't leave people in Brighton - or anywhere else - without healthcare because they can't afford prescription charges or dental fees; for a rail network that works - and that people can actually afford to use. I will stand up for all of Brighton's communities, and we're going to show that politics can be about a fair deal for everyone."

Paul Steedman added:

"In Brighton Pavilion, it's a straight fight between the Greens and the Conservatives. Every election in the city since the last general election has demonstrated this. The Conservatives are desperate to stop a Lucas victory. They don't want the only female leader of a political party in parliament, breaking up their old boys club. The Conservatives say they'll hold a splashy 'primary' contest to grab headlines, but it will leave our broken political system unchanged.

"I'm confident Brighton voters will see through this charade to the slash-and-burn Conservative policy of service cuts that will apply, whoever they select."

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/imagelibrary/straw-billboard.jpg

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/imagelibrary/mandelson-billboard.jpg

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/imagelibrary/gordon-brighton-billboard.jpg

Jeremy Clarkson and a pile of ****

2009-09-17T21:54:00.003+01:00

No, I said Jeremy Clarkson and a pile of **** :)

From the BBC -

Climate change protesters have dumped a pile of horse manure at the home of Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson in a protest about vehicle emissions.

Six women stood by the dung in the drive of his home in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, with a sign that read: "This is what you're landing us in."

The protesters from direct action group Climate Rush said they were being as "blasé as him" about emissions.

Clarkson made no comment and Thames Valley Police said no-one was arrested.

More here and here.

Meanwhile a slightly less smelly climate protest is being organised by Avaaz and tck tck tck on a truly international scale - more here.

Charity Watchdog Investigates Prince Charles' Charity

2009-09-14T08:19:00.005+01:00

Press Release From Republic

CHARITY WATCHDOG INVESTIGATES PRINCE CHARLES CHARITY FOLLOWING REPUBLIC QUERY

The Charity Commission is investigating the relationship between Prince Charles and his charity, the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment, following a complaint made by Republic.

Three weeks ago Republic lodged a complaint questioning the independence of the charity and whether it was acting for the public good or pursuing Charles's own personal agenda.

The Charity Commission has responded by ordering the foundation to explain its trustee decision-making, the activities it undertakes to further its charitable purposes for the public benefit, and its relationship with Prince Charles.

Republic spokesperson Graham Smith said:

"We welcome this response. The Charity Commission's reply to our complaint indicates there are serious questions to be answered about the relationship with Prince Charles and the charities he has set up and whether they are pursuing a public good, or working for Charles's benefit."

"Charles is renowned for attempting to influence public policy and lobbying ministers. We believe the relationship between him and the charities he has set up must be made clear, to ensure they're not being used as his own private lobby firms."

"Charities are legally obliged to remain independent and to take decisions in the interests of the objects of the charity. They are required to work for the public good, not personal interest. We simply want to ensure this is the case with the Foundation."

"We are greatly concerned that Charles is using his privileged and secretive access to government ministers to lobby in favour of his own pet projects on health, the environment and architecture. We will continue to seek to hold him to account and demand more transparency over his attempts at political interference."

It is high time that the Prince was challenged on his views - particularly by those in the green movement, where he and his aristocratic acolytes need to be marginalised if the public is to be convinced that we can have sustainability that is both progressive and scientific. Charles views on health, the environment and architecture give the neo-liberal right and stalinoid elements of the left a convenient brush with which to paint Greens and the ecological left as fellow travellers to (if not actual advocates of) anti-scientific panderers to quackery, reactionary traditionalists and advocates of semi-feudalist social structure.

The ecological left should fully back the continuing attempts of Republic to expose the Prince's manipulation of public disquiet at the neo-liberal trajectory to his own reactionary ends. We must seek to go beyond capitalism to self managed sustainability and progress, not back to some fictional feudalist idyll.

Defend Jim Board - Fight The Reactionary Attacks In Doncaster!

2009-09-11T08:36:00.004+01:00

The battle against the right-wing reactionary mayor of Doncaster and his supporters continues as they launch a pre-emptive strike on union organisation. This from the Facebook Group set up to oppose Mayor Davies of the English Democrats:

On the 7th September 2009 Doncaster UNISON branch secretary Jim Board was suspended after giving an interview to Channel 4 news in defence of children's services in Doncaster.

With massive attacks planned by the Mayor the public sector services and the equality agenda in Doncaster, Jim Board and UNISON would be at the forefront of fighting for jobs and the services of the most vunerable sections of our community; making this attack no more than an effort by the mayor and senior council management to remove opposition to their plans, and to clearly attack the trade union movement.

This is not acceptable.

As a response a demonstration in support of Jim Board and against the Mayor's divisive attempts to undermine trade unions has been called. This is part of the Mayor's overall assault on public services and the equalities agenda in Doncaster - and we must show him this is unacceptable.

Please invite as many people as you can and lets make this as loud and defiant as possible as we say NO to the Mayor's attack on trade unions, public services, and tolerance and diversity in our town.

Assemble 11.00am Saturday 12th September outside Mansion House, Doncaster Town Centre

The story as reported in the Sheffield Star newspaper is that Davies is trying to launch a reactionary "yellow" nationalist union linked to his own Party on the base of his freak electoral victory in Doncaster.

This is all further proof that reactionary attacks on minorities morph very quickly into attacks on organized workers in general and shows how organized workers should support minorities under attack, not only because it is the correct thing to do, but out of self interest as well.....

10:10 - Pros and Cons

2009-09-03T21:37:00.008+01:00

The latest big campaign, along the lines of Jubilee 2000 and Make Poverty History is 10:10 - a campaign to get pledges from people in Britain to cut their CO2 emissions by 10% in 2010. This is being promoted in the main "liberal" broadsheet in Britain (The Guardian) and its' associated webpages. The idea behind this is that it will provide a public focus to mobilise people around pressurising the politicians and policymakers who are to gather at the Copenhagen climate summit in December as well as making a modest contribution towards lessening Britain's overall carbon footprint.

There are many arguments both for and against this strategy, but on balance I think that it is worth pursuing. Yes the overall effect of the individual cuts will be very small, and no it is not likely on its own to sway many politicians or industrialists to do any more than exhibit their own displays of tokenism, but a campaign where people can actively engage and feel that they are involved in their everyday lives is better than sitting back hoping for a technical fix, or advocating fantastical revolution, or waiting for the ruling class to save us, or adopting gloomy defeatism.

Whilst admitting the dangers of letting government and business off the hook by "individualisng" the problem of climate change and the risk that over-zealous, largely middle class hair-shirtery might alienate some who should be in alliance with greens on this issue, the hope should be that "mainstream" public engagement will lead to serious questioning of our leaders on what they are doing. Yes the Tories and Liberals can sign up quite easily to pledge their cuts - but it is the job of socialist Greens and Ecosocialists to bring out the social justice and democratic issues inherent in the needed transition to a lower carbon economy and use these to argue for the kinds of organisation and action that can make a real difference. It is not as though people are starry eyed or naive about politicians these days! People are ready to question the status quo productively (rather than just cynically) if united in activity and given a lead.

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas' opinion of 10:10 is here.

Green Jobs and Energy Meeting In London

2009-08-17T18:37:00.001+01:00

"Green Jobs and the Green Energy Revolution: is the government doing enough?"
Start: 07 Sep 2009, 7:00 pm
Where: Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn tube

A Public Meeting on Monday 7th September, in Conway Hall at 7.00pm.

Speakers will include :
John McDonnell MP (Labour, Hayes and Harlington),
Bob Crow (General Secretary of the RMT - National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers),
Tony Juniper (ex Director, Friends of the Earth, Green Party candidate)
Ian Terry (worker from the Vestas wind turbine factory )
Phil Thornhill (Campaign against Climate Change)

Don't miss this important meeting on the UK's future direction in the era of Climate Emergency - are we moving full steam ahead towards Green Jobs and the Green Energy Revolution at a speed that we can and should?

Green Electoral Victory In Scarborough

2009-08-15T09:03:00.003+01:00

Green Party activist Nick Harvey, (who has done a lot of campaigning on issues like public transport in his area) has won a stunning by-election victory in the rural Hertford Ward of Scarborough Borough Council.

13/8/09 result:

GREEN, Nick Harvey, 894
Con 356
Ind 94

Turn out 32.69%

This was a Green gain from the Tories, despite a big Conservative last-ditch polling day effort.

2007 result (The first time Nick stood)

Con 732
Con 709
LD 591
GREEN, Nick Harvey, 508
BNP 212

The Green Party now holds 3 seats on Scarborough Borough Council, the other 2 being in Stepney Ward within Scarborough itself. In a second by-election in Scarborough on the same night an Independent took a seat from the Liberal Democrats.

Food First

2009-08-04T20:58:00.003+01:00

I have recently completed reading Food First, the influential book by Frances Moore Lappe and Joseph Collins of the Institute for Food and Development Policy that was first published in the 1970s. The book has lost little of its's power and if anything, the tragedy of the wasted opportunities of the last 30 years make it even more relevant.

The central message, that poverty and hunger are not chiefly about "over-population" or "primitiveness" or "resistance to change", still less about lack of "free trade" or access for Western multinationals. We still read these excuses wheeled out in the daily mass media. The chief causes behind poverty and hunger are the political and economic systems of both the developed and developing worlds that chain the vast majority to the route most favouring the ruling oligarchy. Corrupt local elites and global capitalism work in concert. The continued existence of this state of affairs rests to a large extent on the continued acceptance of a cynical and fatalistic attitude to human nature which is peddled by the mouthpieces of the ruling elites. But Moore Lappe's and Collins' book was a positive intervention by people who believed that ordinary people could, and should, make a difference.

In their postcript they wrote:

We want you to join us, not simply because of the urgent struggle to construct a just and life-giving society, but because through our own experience we have become certain that none of us can live fully today as long as we are overwhelmed by a false view of the world and a false view of human nature to buttress it. Learning how a system can cause hunger then becomes , not a lesson in misery and deprivation, but a vehicle for a great awakening in our lives.

I recommend the book and further reading from the works of the authors and the IFDP.

More Vestas Workers' Solidarity Events

2009-07-31T21:28:00.002+01:00

Whatever Next?
All Weekend
• NEWPORT, IoW – Vestival, Vestas factory gates, Patrick Rolfe: 07 905 352 751 – pat.rolfe64@googlemail.com – http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=36918891
» Vestival Event Posting – http://london.indymedia.org.uk/events/1810

Sat 1 Aug 09
• LONDON – Unity House (RMT HQ), 39 Chalton Street, NW1 1JD, Workers Climate Action Public Meeting, 10:30-12:30, tel: 07 843 945 005, email: workersclimateaction.info@gmail.com
• MANCHESTER – Piccadilly Gardens, Rally, 12:00 noon, organised by Manchester Trades Council and CACC, tel: 07 958 535 231
• NEWPORT, IoW – St Thomas's Square, Rally, 13:00, Patrick Rolfe: 07 905 352 751 – pat.rolfe64@googlemail.com – http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=36918891

Sun 2 Aug 09
• BRIGHTON – Cowley Club, 12 London Road, BN1 4JA, Solidarity Organising Meeting, 14:00, tel: John, 078 45 183 407

Tue 4 Aug 09
• NEWPORT – Newport County Court, 1 Quay Street, PO30 5YT, Isle of Wight, Mass Court Protest, provisionally 10:00, Patrick Rolfe: 07 905 352 751 – pat.rolfe64@googlemail.com – http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=36918891

And finally, a good use at last for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square!

Vestas Occupation Solidarity Events

2009-07-29T21:56:00.004+01:00

As the Vestas campaign continues to grow in strength, boosted by the knocking back of the company's eviction requests in the courts, solidarity events are being planned around the country. Some in the next few days are listed below.

TYNESIDE

Campaign against Climate Change

Save Vestas Public Meeting

Friday 31 July, 2009, 6.30pm - 8pm, Bridges Room, Gateshead Civic Centre.

PORTSMOUTH

Thursday 30 July, 8pm

Room F, Portsmouth Central Library

Speakers: Vestas worker, Elaine Graham Leigh (Campaign Against Climate Change) plus local Trade Unionists.

Sponsored by Portsmouth City Unison and supported by CaCC

WARRINGTON

Support the Vestas Occupation

Create Green Jobs, Don’t Destroy Them

Solidarity protest no 2 @ Vestas UK HQ

12 noon, Friday 31 July

Vestas HQ, 302 Bridgewater Place, Warrington WA3 6XG

MANCHESTER

Solidarity Rally, leafleting and collection,

12 noon, Saturday 1 August, Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester

Supported by Manchester Trades Council and Campaign Against Climate Change

The campaign blog here continues to be a good source of info and updates.

Coverage of the 28th July mobilisatioin in London on Indymedia here and here.

Inspiring video by Seize The Day of last Friday's march to the factory here.

Workers For The World Unite!

Best Ever Green Parliamentary By-Election Result

2009-07-24T18:15:00.003+01:00

Congratulations to Green candidate Rupert Read and the Norwich Green Party on achieving the best ever Green result (in percentage terms) in a British Parliamentary by-election:

Green party campaigners were today celebrating their performance in the Norwich North by-election after more than tripling their vote, compared with the 2005 general election.

The result is the best performance ever for the Green Party in a Westminster by-election.

Rupert Read for the Green Party received 9.7% of the vote, up from 1,252 in 2005 to 3,350 today.

In comparison to 2005, the votes of Conservative, Labour and LibDem parties all went down. The Labour and LibDem vote also fell as a proportion of the turnout.

Adrian Ramsay, opposition leader on Norwich council, and the Green Party's deputy leader, said: "This was our best by-election result ever. Our best previous result was 7.4% in the Haltemprice and Howden/David Davis by-election. We started from a low base (2.7% in the 2005 general election), and we trebled our vote. On the ground, we had roughly £12,000 to spend, compared to the £100,000 that the Tories have apparently spent."

"Rupert Read ran a positive campaign, on issues such as the NHS, renewable energy, transport and living wages, and we are very pleased with the level of interest we've generated. With new members and supporters, we can now concentrate on Norwich South for the general election."

On the issue of the coming general election, Ramsay said that: "Norwich South will be different from Norwich North, since two-thirds of Norwich North was outside of Norwich City. The Greens have led local election vote share in Norwich for the last three years running, and we are the official opposition within Norwich City."

Rupert Read, the by-election candidate, added that: "The Norwich North campaign was done on a fraction of the budget of the large parties, some of which deluged residents with countless leaflets. We are pleased to have done so well without that kind of overkill."

--

Full results, with % change from 2005:

Chloe Smith (C) 13,591 (39.54%, +6.29%)
Chris Ostrowski (Lab) 6,243 (18.16%, -26.70%)
April Pond (LD) 4,803 (13.97%, -2.22%)
Glenn Tingle (UKIP) 4,068 (11.83%, +9.45%)
Rupert Read (Green) 3,350 (9.74%, +7.08%)
Craig Murray (Honest) 953 (2.77%)
Robert West (BNP) 941 (2.74%)

2009 turnout: 45.76%, down -15.33% on 61.09% in 2005

It is particularly heartening that the wheels came off the Lib Dem by-election machine after they started launching smear attacks on the Greens. In contrast to the increase of over 7% in the Green vote since the the last election, the Lib Dems slumped by over 2%. This does not bode well for the Lib Dems who seem to have put all their eggs in the basket of competing for soft Tory votes via the Blairism of Clegg and his Orange Book chums. We see a pattern of more and more voters (and activists) who identified with the radical wing of the Liberals or old Labour finding a new home with the Greens.

Stunning Green Victory In Hove By-Election

2009-07-24T10:26:00.002+01:00

Great news from the South coast:

Hove election win opens way to Westminster victory

Greens in Brighton and Hove are jubilant at winning the strategically important Goldsmid by-election in Hove, taking the seat from the Tories.

The result sees the election of the first Green councillor, Alex Phillips, from Hove to Brighton and Hove City Council and deprives the Tories of their majority on the council.

Caroline Lucas, national Green Party leader, said, "This is a spectacular win.

"It signals an unstoppable surge to elect the first Green MP at Westminster, whenever Gordon decides to go to the country.

"With this result, we're on the threshold of taking Green politics to the heart of Westminster."

Alex Phillips said, "Thank you to all the voters who put their faith in me. It's a ringing endorsement of Green policies and the work of Green councillors locally.

"I will be hardworking and unswerving in my task of representing local people and delivering positive Green change."

"Hopefully this means we can put pressure on the Tories and concentrate on our policies of a 20mph speed limit and introducing a living wage, which is more than the current minimum wage."

Councillor Bill Randall, convenor of the Green councillors on the city council, said, "With my council colleagues, we'll be reviewing the options and consulting our membership to ensure that we get the best, greenest deal for local residents. Between us we will do what is right in these very difficult times."

Alex won 38.5% of the votes -an increase of 17% over the last time the seat was contested with a swing of more than 12% from Labour to Green.

Full result

GRN 1,456 - 38.5% (+17.6%) GRN GAIN FROM CON

CON 1,104 - 29.2% (-0.9%)

LAB 816 - 21.5% (-6.8%)

LD 280 - 7.4% (-7.32%)

UKIP 129 - 3.4% N/A (others 6% last time)

Save Vestas Meeting Planned for London

2009-07-22T21:47:00.002+01:00

See yesterday's post below for details on the Vestas occupation. I have been notified of the following regarding a meeting in London on Friday:

SAVE VESTAS: Support the Factory Occupation - Public meeting

SAVE VESTAS, SAVE THE PLANET: Support the Factory Occupation

Speakers: Vestas Worker, Chris Baugh (PCS Ass. Gen. Sec, pc), Seamus Milne, Jonathan Neale

Friday 24th July, 6pm, ULU Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY

Called by the Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union Group

Vestas Factory Occupation Attacked By Police

2009-07-21T21:08:00.003+01:00

Workers at the Vestas Wind Turbine factory on the Isle of Wight have occupied their factory. They are fighting for 600 jobs and the future of the planet. They need help now.

The Green Party Trade Union Group have issued the following statement:

Workers at the Vestas wind turbine blade plant on the Isle of Wight have occupied their factory in Newport in an attempt to prevent its closure, which was scheduled for the end of this month. The Green Party Trade Union Group sends its full support to them.

Job losses in a recession are tragic and counterproductive, serving only to worsen it by throwing people out of work.

This particular closure would be doubly damaging because it would remove one of the few capacities Britain has to build the new, environmentally friendly technologies urgently needed to construct the infrastructure that could help to counteract the effects of climate change.

Importing turbine blades is a false solution because their transport would increase the environmental cost of wind turbines. Furthermore the skills and knowledge of the Vestas workers could be dispersed and lost just when we need them most.

If the government allows this closure, its commitment to dealing with climate change will seem a total sham.

How can it let Vestas close when it can afford;

¤ The Afghan war effort

¤ The bail out of banks including continuing taxpayers’ support for excessive fatcat salaries..

¤ The renewal of the Trident missile system

¤ New nuclear power stations

¤ And a ridiculous scheme of paying MP’s expenses ?

The Green Party Trade Union Group urges everyone who can to support the Vestas occupation and put pressure on government to actually enact a strategy of creating an environmentally friendly infrastructure for Britain and new jobs for its peoples.

P.Murry GPTU secretary

The Vestas campaign blog is here.

It seems that the Police have gone in and taken a hard line. It would not surprise me if this were not on orders (direct or not) from "on high" as the powers that be are clearly rattled by the increasing willingness of workers and communities whose livelihoods or services are under threat to use occupation and other radical tactics.

The Big Green Bus In Norwich

2009-07-20T23:16:00.002+01:00

The Green Party’s campaign bus takes to the streets of Norwich this week helping by-election candidate Rupert Read to deliver his message to every corner of the constituency. In Green Party livery, the classic Routemaster looks like a familiar London red bus but its actually green, running on recycled cooking oil.

“In the same way,” says Dr Read, “we’re hoping to turn Norwich from red to green this week; out with Labour, in with Green.”

Tuesday July 21st: The Green Team welcomes aboard the London bus Sian Berry, Green Party candidate in the London mayoral election. The London Assembly recently introduced a “Living Wage” of £7.45p an hour – above the government’s official minimum wage. It’s now the minimum for public sector workers in London and businesses are encouraged to follow suit. Thanks to Green Party councillors, the “Living Wage” has been adopted in principle by Norwich City Council. Economists are currently assessing at what level the “Living Wage” should be set in Norwich. At 10.00 the campaign bus will drop Sian Berry outside City Hall where she will meet Green councillors to help them promote the scheme.

Sian Berry said:
“As a councillor in Norwich, Rupert Read has worked hard on local issues, from housing to fair pay, and has made a real difference to people's lives. As a philosopher, he is just as comfortable tackling the big issues, from the best way to deal with climate change to the need for peaceful ways to resolve conflicts.

”Rupert has already represented the people of Norwich at City Hall for five years, and I urge the people of Norwich North to vote for him as a hardworking and principled representative for them in Westminster on July 23rd.”

Later in the day, the bus will be touring the Catton area.

Wednesday July 22nd: Together on the campaign bus, Rupert Read and Adrian Ramsay, deputy leader of the Green Party and leader of the Green official opposition on Norwich City Council, will be making stops in the Hellesdon area to focus on the main issues of the Greens’ campaign in Norwich North:

* Make them listen - about accountability and Green proposals for reform of Parliament.

*Protect public services - no to privatisation and protecting public services locally

*Green jobs now - green job creation in public transport, local agriculture and renewable energy

*Protect the countryside - opposition to large scale development in Norfolk countryside.

Total Politics Blog Vote.

2009-07-19T22:24:00.003+01:00

Total Politics magazine is running a "Top Ten Blogs 2009" Poll that closes at the end of the month. More here from Jim.

Here is the Top Ten Blogs vote from Greenman:

1. Left Luggage : http://theleftluggage.wordpress.com/
2. Socialist Unity Blog : http://www.socialistunity.com/
3. The Daily (Maybe) : http://jimjay.blogspot.com/
4. Dave's Part : http://www.davidosler.com/
5. Anglo-Buddhist Combine : http://www.anglobuddhistcombine.blogspot.com/
6. Obsolete : http://www.septicisle.info/
7. Joseph Healy For Vauxhall MP : http://greenmpforvauxhall.blogspot.com/
8. The Enemies Of Reason : http://enemiesofreason.blogspot.com/
9. A Very Public Sociologist : http://averypublicsociologist.blogspot.com/
10. Another Green World : http://www.another-green-world.blogspot.com/

Left of Labour electoral prospects and strategies in Britain

2009-07-15T23:35:00.003+01:00

It seems that elements around the RMT, Communist and Socialist Parties that put together the last-minute NO2EU alliance for the recent Euro elections are now looking at putting together a coalition for the next general election in Britain.

Aside from concerns about the democratic credentials and principles of some of those involved in this project (in light of the way that NO2EU was put together over the heads of much of the RMT rank-and-file), I would say that a much broader discussion is needed on left electoralism. Going once "more unto the breach" with another coalition after the varied degrees of failure of the Socialist Alliance and Respect and split of the SSP without confronting the reasons for the failure of these projects would seem a self defeating exercise for those involved. The current and likely political situation should also be honestly looked at, along with the lack of time for putting together anything beyond local agreements not to have inter-left contests on the electoral field.

As far as I can see at this time, with the possible exception of the Greens and Scots and Welsh Nats (and whilst there are socialist elements/currents in these parties the leaderships are often more social democratic/left liberal) the Left in Britain are likely, in most cases, to go down and go down hard at the next general election, tactical and electoral agreements or not. (Tactical agreements might soften the blow). This is an inevitable result of the British Left's attachment to the Labour Party as internal or external tendencies through repeated deference to the shibboleth of the "organic" Trade Union link.

Once this likelihood is faced then a realistic appraisal of what can be salvaged in the short term and what the longer term strategic tasks should be can be addressed. I think that effort should be put into getting some electable tribunes elected - Salma, Caroline, some of the left Scots and Welsh Civic Nationalists and the handful of electable Labour Lefts behind McDonnell's "change candidates" idea. Such a grouping of MPS should present themselves as a left opposition in Parliament, separate and distinct from the rump Labour Party (which is likely, after defeat, to fall into civil war between different rightist factions). But beyond that the emphasis should be on the work that the Convention of the Left sensibly concluded was necessary - basic grassroots bread and butter coalition working. (Which will become even more vital in the face of the already telegraphed Tory onslaught on the British working class) Much of the left nodded in agreement to this and then went away and continued with the same old sterile sect politics, student recruitment and foreign policy fetishisation.....there is still time.

Demonstration Against Trust Schools In Waltham Forest

2009-07-13T18:50:00.003+01:00

The following is a message from Waltham Forest NUT:

To ALL Teachers in Waltham Forest
ALL Trade Unionists
ALL Parents and local Residents
ALL Those Concerned about Education and Youth

DEMONSTRATE AGAINST TRUST SCHOOLS IN WALTHAM FOREST

WEDNESDAY 15th JULY 2009 at 4pm

March from Leyton County Ground at 4pm to outside Walthamstow Library, High Street near Selborne Walk and then to Waltham Forest Town Hall at 5.30pm

Norlington NUT members are taking STRIKE ACTION on that day. Please come and express your Support for their stand.

Teachers Oppose the Trust Schools

* The school will be outside of LEA control- less accountable to local people

* Conditions of service for all staff could be subject to change

* The status of Norlington as the last boys-only secondary school in the Borough will be threatened

* It is a terrible idea to educate 1800 Primary and Secondary children on the same small site

Residents oppose the Trust school

They intend to build on nearly half the site

Waltham Forest is an Olympic borough and yet they intend to take away our sports facilities

The Essex County Ground is a green oasis in a desert of bricks and mortar

The Lecturers in the UCU union oppose the Trust School

They believe that The Institute of Education (the main Trustees) should train teachers and not get involved in running schools, which is an area they have no experience in

This March is supported by Waltham Forest NUT, Waltham Forest Trades Council and The Leyton Triangle Group

Green MSP to Support Candidate in Norwich

2009-07-09T20:58:00.002+01:00

GREEN PARLIAMENTARIAN IN NORWICH NORTH!
Patrick Harvie MSP talks about what just a few Greens can achieve in a Parliament

The Green Party candidate in the Norwich North by-election, Rupert Read, is aiming to become the first ever Green MP at Westminster in the election on July 23rd.

But in fact the Greens already have two MPs – in the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood.

One of them is Patrick Harvie MSP, who has been a Green MSP for Glasgow since 2003. Mr Harvie will be in Norwich on Sunday and Monday (July 12th and 13th) in support of Dr Read’s campaign in Norwich North.

Patrick Harvie says although the Greens may be few in number, they regularly hold the balance of power at Holyrood and have notched up some remarkable achievements, including the first Green Act in Britain – Patrick’s own legislation to tackle hate crime.

The Scottish Green MPs have also delievered:

* a Climate Change Bill with stronger targets than those set for the UK
* a £27.4m Climate Change Fund for innovative communities in Scotland
* a £30m Scottish Investment Fund for socially beneficial enterprises
* legislation to protect the coastline against the risk of oilspills in the Firth of Forth
* a strong campaign to get a buildings insulation programme in place across Scotland
* helped secure the abolition of student tuition fees in Scotland

Patrick Harvie is clear that even a small number of Green MPs at Westminster could begin working towards similar progressive measures. That’s why he’ll be out campaigning with Rupert Read in various locations across Norwich North on Sunday and Monday, and ready to meet the media on request.

High Profile Greens To Speak in Norwich

2009-07-05T21:13:00.003+01:00

High profile Green Campaigners and Parliamentary Candidates Tony Juniper and Peter Tatchell are to speak at public meetings in Norwich in the run up to the Norwich North by-election.

LEADING ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGNER TONY JUNIPER VISITS NORWICH NORTH

The internationally-renowned environmental campaigner and writer Tony Juniper will visit Norwich North on Wednesday July 8th in support of the Green Party campaign for the Norwich North by-election. Tony Juniper has been campaigning on green issues for 25 years, most recently as Director of ‘Friends of the Earth’. He is an inspirational speaker, and his visit to Norwich during this campaign is a great boost for the campaign.

At 7.30pm on Wednesday July 8th Tony Juniper will address an election rally at The Belvedere Centre, Belvoir Street, Norwich, on the subject “Making them listen: How MPs and Parliament will be transformed by the Greens.”

Leading human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell is also due to visit Norwich in the next couple of weeks. Rupert has this endorsement from Peter:

"Fed up with the established parties and corrupt MPs? It is time for change. Register your anger by voting Green - for a new, clean politics. There are already plenty of Tory, Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs. Electing another MP from these big-three establishment parties won't make any difference. But electing Rupert Read as a Green MP for Norwich North will make history. He would be the first ever Green MP. It would put Norwich on the map. Vote for change, vote Green."

On an episode of Newsnight last week political commentator Michael Crick predicted that the Greens were on course to beat New Labour into third place - if the Greens can hold off the Liberal Democrat challenge, (whose campaign has already been damaged by some unfortunate negative campaigning) we will be in the prime position to challenge the Conservatives.

More Green Contenders On July 23rd

2009-07-01T20:31:00.004+01:00

As well as the Norwich North by-election on July 23rd there are set to be a series of other by-elections at local council level around Britain on that day, some contested by Greens.

In Wembley, London, Martin Francis is carrying the Green Banner and campaigning on a range of issues -

I would press for changes in the Council's consultation system so that people are fully involved in how their area develops and feel that they are really being listened to. Often decisions seem to have be made in advance and those who have taken part in consultations feel their views have been ignored and their participation was a waste of time. I have supported residents angry about the potential impact of the Wembley Masterplan on their environment and have steadfastly opposed the Wembley ARK Academy because we have had no say in the Council handing over tax-payer funded education to a financial speculator and because the particular site will mean the loss of playing fields and increase traffic congestion. I support the campaign for a new community secondary school in the south of Brent to serve local people. I would seek to ensure that all major developments, such as the Civic Centre are consulted about at the proposal stage: "Should we have one?", rather than later: "What kind of roof should it have?"

More here

Meanwhile in the Green stronghold of Brighton there is a by-election in the Goldsmid ward being contested by Alex Phillips -

"This long overdue by-election gives Goldsmid residents an opportunity to vote for a positive change," commented Alex.

"The Green Party's forward-looking policies to create jobs, increase affordable housing and improve the city's public transport are what the people of Goldsmid have told me on the doorstep they are looking for.

"The past two years of Tory administration have left residents underwhelmed, and the previous Labour-run council had run out of ideas and direction."

More here

Norwich North By-Election - Ready to Go!

2009-06-29T23:30:00.003+01:00

The Norwich North by-election is being planned for July 23rd. The Green Party is ready for the challenge, and delighted that the fight for Norwich North can now begin in earnest.

The Green Party candidate for Norwich North is Dr.Rupert Read, a Norwich city councillor and UEA lecturer who narrowly missed election as an MEP in the recent European elections.

Rupert Read said today:

“After the gloom of the economic downturn and the scandal surrounding MPs expenses, which has sullied all three main parties,the Greens are offering a fresh new approach. We want cleaner politics as well as consideration for the environment underpinning every aspect of policy.

“For the first time ever, the national spotlight will be on the Green Party in a by-election campaign and our prospects are being taken extremely seriously. The big three parties have everything to lose. The Green Party has everything to gain.”

Dr Read, who has previously won plaudits for his Party’s ‘Clean Campaign Pledge’, recently saw a huge expansion of the Green vote in the east of England after his campaign for the European elections and came within 1% of securing a seat.

Green support peaked strongly in their emerging stronghold of Norwich, where the Greens came out on top with about 25% of the vote, a tremendous achievement and one which shows that the Green Party and Dr Read will be a major force in the forthcoming coming by-election. In Norwich North, the Green Party won two Council seats for the first time, giving it new momentum. (Labour won just one seat, and the Lib-Dems none at all).

Norwich Green Party Site.

Greens Prepare To Fight Norwich North By-Election

2009-06-26T20:55:00.002+01:00

Here are some of the first news releases about the Green campaign in Norwich North -

Candidate selected for Norwich North

At a packed meeting of Green Party members this week, Dr Rupert Read was selected as the Green Party's parliamentary candidate for the Norwich North by-election, ahead of fellow Norwich City Councillor Claire Stephenson, and former councillor Jessica Goldfinch.

Rupert Read said: "I'm honoured to be given the opportunity to represent the Green Party in a by-election in which, for the first time ever, the national spotlight will be on the Green Party and our campaign and our prospects are being taken extremely seriously."

As well as being a Green city councillor, Dr Read (43) is also a lecturer in philosophy at the University of East Anglia.

Dr Read recently won a huge expansion of the Green vote in the east of England in his campaign for the European elections and came within 1% of securing a seat. Hundreds of supporters took an active part in that campaign, and, in the absence of the high-level funding enjoyed by other parties, the Greens are calling for similar assistance in Norwich North where they'll be organising their first major leafletting this weekend.

Norwich Green Party has 13 Norwich City Councillors (Labour 15, Lib-Dems 6 Tories 5). It has 7 Norfolk County Councillors serving 7 of the 13 Norwich county wards. In the 2009 European election, the Green Party secured more votes than any other party in the Norwich City Council area, gaining 25%.

Here is the news release on the first opinion poll relating to the forthcoming election -

Norwich by-election - Greens take off as Labour goes into freefall

The first poll in the Norwich North by-election shows a major increase in the potential Green Party vote - as Labour's support collapses.

The poll shows the Conservatives ahead on 34%. Labour have fallen to second place, and their support has plummeted FIFTEEN points to 30%. Meanwhile the LibDems are worrying on 15%.

But the poll suggests the Green Party's support has shot up to 14%, putting the Greens hot on the heels of the Liberal Democrats. In UK-wide polls relating to parliamentary elections in the last year, the Greens have more commonly been on around 3% - and the previous record was 8%.

The by-election is being fought for the Greens by Dr Rupert Read, a Norwich city councillor and local university lecturer, who narrowly missed election as an MEP in the recent European elections.

College poll shows popularity of Green Party higher education policies

The poll, which was conducted by ICM and commissioned by the University and College Union, also questioned respondents about their attitudes to education - and Green Party policy proved popular.

Nearly three-quarters of adults (73%) agreed that giving young people affordable access to local education and training would reduce crime and anti-social behaviour - a view shared by the Green Party.

Over four-fifths (82%) of adults in the Norwich North constituency agreed that every local person who met entry standards should be entitled to a free place at a local college or university. Green candidate Rupert Read, who teaches at the University of East Anglia, said he would do everything in his power as an MP to help bring this about.

Rupert Read said today: "This poll is very encouraging for the Green Party.

"In the Norwich North by-election, the big three parties have everything to lose. The Green Party has everything to gain."

Note

The poll was commissioned by the University and College Union and carried out by leading pollsters ICM. It surveyed a random sample of 504 adults aged 18+ by telephone on 19-21 June 2009. More detailed results can be found at: http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=3987.

Wobs Support The Wildcats

2009-06-25T09:04:00.006+01:00

Birmingham members of the radical industrial unionist IWW this week took action in solidarity with the workers sacked last week by Total and the wildcat strike action that has spread around the country in their defence.

This is their news release:

Following the sacking of 647 striking workers by Total last week, the Industrial Workers of the World yesterday (Tuesday) protested outside one of the main Total petrol stations in Birmingham. They called for an end to the further assault on workers' rights. Total sacked the 647 striking workers and ordered them to re-apply for their jobs. This has since prompted a wave of wildcat strikes involving around 3000 workers and a rally outside the plant yesterday (Tuesday). The IWW protesters held placards that read 'Stop Total Sacking Striking Workers' and 'An injury to one is an injury to all'. They maintained a presence in front of the petrol station for 2 hours during the evening rush hour. Most of the cars crawling past in the slow-moving traffic showed signs of support, and trade at the petrol station was much slower than normal. The owner of the petrol station was indignant that the protest was focused on his petrol station. But he did seem to acknowledge that as an employer even his best interests weren't served by Total's mistreatment of workers. Keeping up bad publicity for Total, and combining it with the ongoing workers' struggles and strikes, will hopefully end with a victory for the striking Total workers. "We need to end this practice of bosses cutting pay, jobs and working conditions in order to line their own pockets - and that means fighting back when they try it!", said one of the IWW protesters.

West Mids IWW

More on the Lindsey Oil Refiinery dispute from Left Luggage, here.

Interesting Discussions

2009-06-21T22:56:00.004+01:00

There are a variety of interesting articles and discussions across the British left blogosphere at the moment on the future of the left in this part of the world and more generally the state of union and community level activity.

Left Luggage cover much of this in their latest round up.

An article that has got a lot of attention in certain circles has been the post election analysis on the Independent Working Class Association site.

There is a new entry on the infrequent Stargrave1 blog that sketches out the obstacles presented by Labourism and Leninism to left wing progress in Britain.

Elsewhere, the attention of Greens is turning to the forthcoming Norwich North By-election, as noted by Derek Wall on the Socialist Unity Blog.

Demand Freedom For Jailed Iranian Workers!

2009-06-20T13:43:00.002+01:00

Amnesty International has launched an online campaign this week demanding the release of jailed trade unionists in Iran. Please sign up today:

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions_details.asp?ActionID=613

Support the Iranian Struggle

2009-06-17T22:33:00.003+01:00

The following is from human rights campaigner and Green candidate Peter Tatchell regarding solidarity action on Thursday -

Support the Iranian people's struggle for democracy and freedom

Protest this Thursday 18 June, 6-8pm, outside the Iranian Embassy in London, 16 Princes Gate, SW7 1PT.

Spread the word via twitter, facebook, myspace and your email address book.

Show the Iranian people that they are not alone.

Show the Tehran regime that the humane world is against its vote-rigging and tyranny.

“We are protesting in support of the Iranian people's struggle for democracy, freedom, equality and social justice,” said human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.
“They are heroes and heroines. We salute their courage and
determination. May they triumph over the forces of dictatorship and
repression.”

If you cannot attend the protest, write, phone or email your protest to the Iranian Ambassador, Rasoul Movahedian:

Movahedian@iran-embassy.org.uk
020 7225 4208
Embassy of Iran, 16 Princes Gate, SW7 1PT.

Thank you and solidarity, Peter Tatchell

Support The SOAS Occupation!

2009-06-17T11:43:00.003+01:00

An occupation is ongoing at the SOAS in London, following a chain of events that led from bad treatment of migrant workers to official collaboration with deportation arrests.

BBC Report here.

Greens in London have been heavily involved in the campaign to support the workers and students in their struggle. More from London Green MEP Jean Lambert here.

You Tube video here.

Iran - Elections Stolen, Repression Continues

2009-06-14T14:23:00.005+01:00

The repression against the independent workers' movements in Iran continues, now combined with widespread Police and secret police action against supporters of opposition parties after the disputed election.

It is shameful that some self proclaimed "liberation" leaders and "international socialists" are lining up behind the authoritarian and dictatorial Iranian leadership. Lessons there for those who tend towards idolisation of "radical" regimes in South America and elsewhere.

Fortunately international workers' organisations are not so foolish and know the difference between solidarity with fellow workers and standing aloof in the name of a dogmatic and abstract "anti-imperialism" that identifies with regional rulers.

IRAN: ALL OUT FOR 26 JUNE GLOBAL SOLIDARITY ACTION DAY

Four global union organizations representing over 170 million workers have called a worldwide action day on June 26 to demand justice for Iranian workers. Demonstrations will take place outside Iranian embassies and consulates to protest the ongoing denial of rights and arrests of trade unionists within the country. Please visit the campaign's new website at http://www.justiceforiranianworkers.org/ and make sure to click on the 'Get Active' link.

Green progress in Europe

2009-06-09T08:50:00.005+01:00

This is the news release from the Greens' European grouping:

Great Result for European Greens strengthens GREENS/EFA Group by at least 10 Seats

The European Green Party has had an excellent result in the election to the European Parliament. A total of 46 Green MEPs have been elected, up from 35. The Greens/EFA Group is now likely to have 53 MEPS (46 Greens and 7 EFA MEPs), up from 43, although the exact formation of the Group is still to be confirmed

EGP Co-Spokesperson Philippe Lamberts, who has been elected a MEP for the Belgian French-speaking Green Party Ecolo, said: “To have increased the number of Green MEPs from 35 to 46 is a great success. Our showing is even more remarkable when you consider that we have 11 more seats than before in a parliament with 49 fewer MEPS and that all other groups have shrunk. Countries which deserve a special mention from our point of view include France where Europe-Ecologie obtained an amazing 16% of the national vote and so will have 14 MEPs and Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Finland which will all have more Green MEPs than last time round and Greece which now has its very first Green MEP (The Greek Greens’ campaign demonstrated European solidarity as an Austrian-Greek Green stood as a candidate to support the Greek party). What our 31% increase in seats proves beyond any shadow of a doubt is that the Greens are a major political force to be reckoned with and that we are gaining the trust of more and more voters, not only in our traditional areas like the environment and climate policy and human rights, but also economics and social policy. “

EGP Co-Spokesperson Ulrike Lunacek, who was also elected a MEP for the Austrian Greens, who maintained 2 seats despite an electoral atmosphere marred by rightwing populism, continued:” I would like to congratulate all Green parties and their members, candidates and workers for their hard work and to thank all the people who, as our slogan said, dared to “Think Big, Vote Green. We will fight hard on their behalf for a Green New Deal for Europe, which was at the heart of our common election campaign and obviously appealed to many voters, including many who had never voted Green before. The Green New Deal would not only create 5 million new Green-Collar jobs in 5 years but would also help fight climate change as 500 billion Euros of public and private funds would be invested in renewables, energy efficiency and other future-oriented technologies. While we are generally very pleased with our showing, we are very disappointed not to have made an electoral breakthrough in the EU’s new member states or in southern Europe, with the notable exception of Greece. From now until 2014, working hard with Greens in those countries will be our major priority so that we can ensure that voters in every EU member state have a viable option of sending a Green MEP to the Parliament.”

(Note - the EFA part of the Parliamentary grouping is composed of Regionalist and Left Civic Nationalist Parties including the SNP and Plaid Cymru.)

Green progress in local elections

2009-06-07T14:41:00.002+01:00

In the June county council elections the Green Party continued to make steady progress.

The party made its breakthrough onto four county councils - Cambridgeshire (1 seat), Devon (1), Gloucestershire (1) and Suffolk (2).

In Norfolk the Greens held 2 seats and gained 5.

In Lancashire the party successfully defended 1 seat and gained a second. Lancaster Greens also held a city council seat in a by-election, and continue to hold 12 seats on the city council.
More here and here.

Also last week, two leading Green political activists, Peter Tatchell and Caroline Lucas, were awarded prestigious ethical awards.

VOTE GREEN TODAY!

2009-06-04T08:54:00.002+01:00

VOTE GREEN TODAY!

Make it more than a protest vote.

Green Election Videos

2009-05-20T21:04:00.004+01:00

Here are some of the very good Green Party election videos for the forthcoming European and local elections.

This is the main one first broadcast last week for the Euro elections on June 4th -
http://www.thinkagainvotegreen.org.uk/

And here is the i-player link for the June 4th local elections broadcast from this week.

Here is one, (courtesy of Jim's blog) from the campaign in the North West where lead Green Candidate Peter Cranie could well be slugging it out with far right leader Nick Griffin for the last seat under the electoral process used for these elections.

A You Gov poll reported earlier this week that 34% of respondents had said they would either vote Green or consider voting Green. More here.

For a more old fashioned campaigning method here is a printable Green Party poster.

It is perhaps a sign of the times that fellow Green blogger Matt Sellwood was given a guest post on the Labour supporting Daves' Part Blog to put forward the case for left-wingers to give their votes to the Greens in these elections, particularly in London and the South East where Jean Lambert and Caroline Lucas are defending their seats and in the North West battle mentioned above.

Free May Day Detainees In Iran

2009-05-15T08:37:00.006+01:00

There were some marvellous marches, demonstrations and rallies around the world earlier this month in celebration of International Workers' Day, May 1st. In some parts of the world however, these were met by repression and violence. Below are details on solidarity actions and events for the Iranian workers who bravely stood up for the right of working people to organise and who have been detained by the state.

1 Iran's May Day Organizing Committee: A Call for the International Campaign to Free May Day Detainees
2 Sample Protest Letter (IASWI)
3 Protest Rally in London, UK
__________________________________________________________

Iran: A Call for an International Campaign to Free May Day Detainees

Workers and labour organizations in Iran and all over the world!

On May First, the International Workers’ Day, many workers and their families assembled in Laleh Park of Tehran in response to the May Day Organizing Committee (consisting of independent labour organizations in Iran ). People gathered to present their demands and to commemorate the May Day; however, they as well as other visitors of the park were violently attacked by the security-intelligence forces and plain-clothes agents. These forces used all kinds of tools and equipments to assault people, as the result of which many got severely injured and more than 150 people while being beaten were taken to custody. At this time, about 100 of the above are still incarcerated.

The people who were so brutally beaten and arrested had not committed any crime. They were repressed because they wanted to commemorate their international day, along with billions of other workers around the world, and put forward the demands of million of working people of Iran . They are being oppressed because of their efforts to form independent organizations. Many of them just like thousand other workers in Iran have not been paid for months. They are now in such unbearable situation only because they raised their protest voice together.

Everyday, the families of the May Day detainees have been gathering outside courts and judicial offices but they have been badly treated and never received a clear answer from the judicial authorities. We, millions of workers and toilers and egalitarians, are responsible towards our imprisoned colleagues and their families and must not leave them on their own. We have to engage in united and immense efforts for the freedom of all prisoners.

We therefore launch a campaign for the freedom of May Day detainees and call on all workers’ and human rights’ organizations in Iran and internationally to denounce these arrests, demand unconditional freedom of all detainees and support the legitimate demands of workers in Iran, which was stipulated in their 2009 (1388) May Day resolution. All concerned organizations and individuals are urgently requested to take any necessary and possible measures, depending on their capacity, in support of the May Day detainees.

LONG LIVE CLASS SOLIDARITY OF WORKERS OF THE WORLD

Please send the report of your actions, statements and solidarity messages to campain1may@gmail.com.

May 9th, 2009 (Ordibehest 19, 1388)
The May Day Organizing Committee:
• The Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Bus Company
• The Syndicate of Workers of Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Company
• The Free Union of Workers in Iran
• The Founding Committee of the Syndicate of Building 's Painters and Decoration's Workers
• The Collaborative Council of Labour Organizations and Activists
- The Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations
- The Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Free Workers’ Organizations
- A Group of Worker Activists
- The Women’s Council
• The Center for Workers’ Rights in Iran

Supported by:
The Electrical & Metal Workers' Trade Association in Kermanshah, The Association in Support of the Sacked Workers of Saqhez, The Committee in Defence of Haft Tapeh Workers, Workers of The Parris textile Factory in Sanandaj, Workers of the Shin Baft Spinning and Textile Factory in Sanandaj, Workers of Shahoo, Sanandaj Textile, Gharb Baft, Ajor Shil, Shir Paak Araa, Gunnny Baafi (Gunny Making) Sama, Fajr Flour and Nirou Rakhsh factories, Service workers of Sanandaj’s Tohid Hospital, A group of Retired Workers of Sanandaj, Workers of Farsh Gharb Company in Kermanshah, Dena Laastic (Rubber), A group of workers of Ghaa-en Cement, A group of Workers of Aslavieh …

(more names to be added)
Translated by the May Day Organizing Committee

Thanks to all protest letters sent thus far

Sample protest letter: Protest against repression of May Day Events in Iran
Send your protest letters to (Prepared by the IASWI):

To: info@leader.ir ; dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir ; info@judiciary.ir ; iran@un.int ; ijpr@iranjudiciary.org ; info@dadiran.ir ; office@justice.ir; matbuat@mfa.gov.ir; info@police.ir;
Cc: info@workers-iran.org; campain1may@gmail.com

The May Day rally and celebration in Tehran , which was organized by independent Iranian labour organizations on May 1st, 2009, was violently attacked by security and intelligence forces and many were beaten and over 150 people arrested.
About 100 women and men are still incarcerated. They are detained in unacceptable conditions in section 204 of Tehran ’s Evin Prison.

We condemn these attacks on workers’ rights and independent labour organizations and activists. Workers must have every right to organize and celebrate May Day events. We are asking for the immediate and unconditional freedom of all May Day detainees. We also demand that the government to respect workers’ rights to organize, assemble and strike, put an end to persecution of labour activists, free all jailed workers and not to interfere in the affairs of independent workers’ organizations.

Please mail your protest letter to (optional), and send a copy also to campain1may@gmail.com:

Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
The Presidency,
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection,
Tehran , Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 649 58 80

Leader of the Islamic Republic:
Ayatollah Sayed *Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Shoahada Street
Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 251 7774 2228

Head of the Judiciary:
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Justice Building
Panzdah-Khordad Square
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 21 3390 4986 (may be difficult to reach)

Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Institutions in Geneva, Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 28, 1209 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 733 02 03, E-mail: mission.iran@ties.itu.int
CC: International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (info@workers-iran.org).

You can also send your protest letters to the Iranian Embassy in your country: click: http://www.worldembassyinformation.com/iran-embassy/index.html

Demonstration in London

Protest against the arrests of workers at May Day rallies in Iran !

The 2009 May Day rallies in Tehran and Sanandaj were violently attacked by the Iranian security forces and over 150 people arrested.

In Tehran a large crowed responded to a call made by 10 workers’ organisations and institutions and gathered in Laleh Park to celebrate the May Day. The security forces in a brutal and violent attack broke up the rally and arrested over 150 workers. A number of workers were also arrested during a rally in the city of Sanandaj in western Iran .

The only crimes of these workers are attending the May Day rally and protesting against the lack of the most basic workers’ right and demanding the right to organise and to strike.

We, the participants of this protest action, while strongly condemn the arrest of labour activists, do our utmost to have these workers released and call on all progressive and humanitarian organisations to join us and do whatever possible to
free the jailed workers in Iran.

We call on all trade unions and labour and progressive organisations and pro human rights institutions to condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran for the continued imprisonment of workers in Iran and the violation of the most basic human rights and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all the detainees.

Date: Saturday May 16
Time: 2pm
Place: BBC Television Centre, Portland Street , London W1A 1AA

Called by:
- International Alliance in Support of workers in Iran - Britain Section
- March 8 Women Organisation (Iran-Afghanistan)
- Council for the Defence of people’s struggle in Iran
- Worker-communist Party of Iran-Hekmatist
- Worker-communism Unity Party
- Fedaian Organisation (Minority)
- International Iranian Refugee Organisation – Britain
- Association of Iranian Political Prisoners in Exile

Oxford Working Class Bookfair

2009-05-12T09:10:00.002+01:00

Someone posted this in comments, (thanks) but it sounds an interesting enough event to publicise on the front page - so here you go -

1ST OXFORD WORKING CLASS BOOKFAIR
Saturday 20 June, 11 am - 6 pm
Ruskin College, Walton Street, Oxford
www.oxfordworkingclassbookfair.blogspot.com
oxfordworkingclassbookfair@googlemail.com

We cordially invite YOU to visit the 1st ever OXFORD WORKING CLASS BOOKFAIR! There will be books, talks, workshops, short films and more books and magazines . . .

We plan to recover/reclaim some of the hidden history of Oxford, with its gallery of rogues, rebels and revolutionaries, to touch upon some topics of contemporary relevance to the man & woman on the street today, provide quality entertainment, discuss the big issues past and present & hopefully have a real good time to boot! - All in a relaxed and warm atmosphere!

The range of local groups invited includes; political groups, Trade Unions, community groups, campaign groups, booksellers and history societies. If you would like to have a stall email us at the address above!

The event will include a commemoration of the hundredth anniversary of the 1909 RUSKIN COLLEGE STUDENT STRIKE, a pioneering student uprising for independent working class education, that saw students breakaway to form a radical education and self-help networks based on an alternative progressive view of what education could be. They argued that it wasn't enough for the working class to have limited extended access to higer education, but rather that they needed a fundamentally different kind of education, curriculum & pedagogy to meet their needs and the needs of the class. They were involved in the PLEBS LEAGUE (a grassroots education iniative) and set up an anti-capitalist education network of CENTRAL LABOUR COLLEGES, many of the leaders of the student uprising were miners and trade unionists who went on to be authors of THE MINERS NEXT STEP, a classic text of rank & file trade unionism and syndicalism.

Along the way, we will learn the story of the RED SHIRTS, a group set up at Ruskin College to sabotage the attempts of Oswald Mosely's fascist BLACK SHIRTS to get a base in 1930s Oxford & consider how we fight against fascism & racism today. There will also be sessions on culture, trade union & labour history, feminism/women's liberation, ecology & climate, war & empire etc. More information about speakers, events and other happenings planned will appear on our page shortly - watch this space! Sponsors include the local I.W.W and trade unionists.

Peter Cranie Article

2009-05-07T22:28:00.003+01:00

Peter Cranie had an article on reasons for voting Green in the North West region on Guardian Comment Is Free that gathered a lot of comments:

Vote Greens in to keep the BNP out

It's votes for the Green party, not Labour, that will stop Nick Griffin gaining a seat in the European elections

* Peter Cranie

As 4 June approaches, a serious threat hangs over British politics. BNP leader Nick Griffin is a candidate in the North West England Euro election. If he is elected, this will be the biggest step forward for the far right in British history.

Anti-racist votes in the North West region for Labour, the Liberal Democrats or the Conservatives will certainly count. No one can dispute this, as those parties will claim seven out of the eight regional seats. But it's the eighth seat that Griffin is aiming for. Calling on everyone to once again get out and vote for red/yellow/blue simply won't work on voters already disillusioned with the Westminster parties. But those few extra thousand votes could keep the Greens ahead of the BNP – and that is the scenario with the best chance of keeping Griffin out.

The Green party is taking this responsibility seriously. In fact the Greens have one clear tactical aim in the North West Euro election: to finish fourth ahead of the BNP and keep Griffin out of the European parliament. We put the Green anti-BNP case in detail at www.stopnickgriffin.org.uk. In contrast, Labour is claiming on its leaflets that "only Labour can stop the BNP". This isn't just factually wrong, it is actually counterproductive, given that many former Labour supporters simply can't stomach another forced vote for the government.

The North West Greens have already built a broad coalition of anti-racist support to enable us to play this key role in keeping the BNP out. Former Lib Dem and Labour councillors around the region are backing us. The Respect party in the North West has stood down from the election and is urging its members and supporters to vote tactically for the Greens to keep out the BNP. In 2004 our combined electoral support here was 6.8%, ahead of the 6.4% gained by the BNP.

Jon Cruddas has warned that the BNP may need just a 7.5% share of the vote for Griffin to win the last of the eight Euro seats in the North West region. Cruddas is right – but his nightmare scenario can only happen if the BNP finish as the fourth largest party.

Green party membership is up by more than a third since the last European elections. Our councillor numbers have doubled. There is heightened media and public interest in issues such as climate change and the Green New Deal – issues where the big three parties are way behind the Greens – and the party has benefited from the decline of Labour and the Lib Dems in the polls since 2004.

Voting to ensure the Greens finish fourth will be the best way to prevent Griffin sneaking in through the back door. It will also mean one more Green party MEP to fight in the European parliament for social and economic justice, for greater openness and accountability, for stronger action on climate change and for a massive push for jobs in the new Green industries.

May Day Greetings!

2009-04-30T19:42:00.003+01:00

May Day Greetings to all readers of Greenman's Occasional Organ old and new.

It seems we are fated to live with the ancient curse of "living in interesting times"!

Feelings of solidarity and comradeship go out to all those facing attacks from bosses and governments, to all those living in the shadow of the new flu and the fears that it arouses, to all those who dream and organise and struggle for a better world.

May out of our current trials and battles come greater international understanding and unity, and clearer views of how we might work together to fight climate change, eliminate bigotry and take back control of our own lives, workplaces and communities from neo-liberal capitalism and corporatism.

Below is the draft text of the leaflet that the Nottinghamshire General Membership Branch of the IWW will be distributing at local May Day events over the next few days:

Make This A May Day To Remember – Join The IWW!

Whilst May Day has historically been a day of worker's solidarity and a celebration of the power of working people, this is not a day or year like any other.
That's because the world is in the midst of economic recession and financial failure, and it is workers worldwide who are suffering from layoffs and mass firings in almost every sector of the global economy.

While working people are under attack, the capitalists are taking advantage of the situation to claim for themselves bigger and larger shares of national and global wealth, as governments rush to bail out banks and investment firms, which have been allowed to become "too big to fail."

Under the newly amended rules of capitalism, corporations (especially in the financial sector) can scam, steal, and hustle virtually everyone, and when the economy falls, the government sails in and bails them out with public money!

Under a system such as this, the capitalists can never lose. It's like a gambling casino, where the house rules change all the time to benefit the winners.

But workers are losing.

Around the world, workers are facing lost jobs, vanished careers, repossessed homes, and families broken and shattered against the grinding wheel of Capital. Capitalism is destroying our natural environment and squandering the resources of the world in its never-ending pursuit of profit at all cost. It is even beginning to threaten the long term survival of a viable civilization. The pursuit of dwindling resources leads to more catastrophic wars.

This will be one hell of a May Day for many - but it's the one that globalized capitalism has fashioned for us all.

Only if labour – the organised working class - is truly globalized can it now effectively fight for its’ fair share from the ravages of capitalism.

Everywhere, people are beginning to fight back – strikes, occupations, militant demonstrations are growing across what were previously held up as countries of capitalist triumph. Many of the tactics and strategies being employed have a long and glorious history – some are those that were employed from the start by the Industrial Workers of the World, the international Union set up in North America at the beginning of the Twentieth Century. Despite a marvellous period of struggle that union was diminished by repression, war and the false hopes upheld by business unions and dogmatic “Communists” alike. Nevertheless it survived, and now in the first decade of the Twenty First Century the IWW, or Wobblies as they are affectionately known, have enjoyed renewed growth as working people seek effective and militant forms of organisation untainted by soggy capitulation or links to failed models of 20th Century regimes.

The IWW has particularly grown in Britain, with new groups and branches springing up across the country – including locally in Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire. Many who attended the Put People First demonstration in London in March this year were surprised and impressed to see the many flags and banners of the IWW, with a block of marchers to rival many of the TUC unions.

The IWW is not exclusive, you can hold dual card membership with a TUC union if they are the main organisation in your workplace – we are not about dividing, but uniting workers around a militant platform. We are not about splitting workers and sectionalism, but about uniting all workers in each industry and all industries. We are about workers, not bureaucrats, calling the shots, about democracy and direct action rather than credit cards and funding neo-liberal political parties. We are not about narrow nationalism, but international workers’ solidarity that recognises that, as ever, UNITY IS STRENGTH!

Join with us and begin the task of building the new society within the shell of the old. Defend the gains that working people have made and look forward to a just, sustainable and dynamic society where all are engaged in democracy at every level, in every community and workplace.

Forward to the future – forward to ONE BIG UNION!

New(-ish) Green Left Blogger

2009-04-28T21:50:00.003+01:00

I was pleased to be alerted to another Green Left colleague who has now been blogging for a while - Nick. His blog is Rosso-Verde.

Meanwhile, some more interesting political food for thought here.

Where is the British Labour Party going?

2009-04-21T20:59:00.004+01:00

Long time Labour Party members continue to leave the Party. This is being spaked by a number of "last straws" like dodgy local candidate selections, the announcement of massive public spending cuts being likely, sleaze on the internet emanating from spin doctors and fixers. This week, respected long term Labour member and former Halifax MP Alice Mahon decided to leave as reported by the Left Luggage blog.

What might happen to Labour in the wake of what seems like inevitable crushing defeat in the next general election? This is my take, slightly adapted from what I posted on Urban 75 earlier-

Where Labour go might depend on who stays with them and who goes.

In the wake of a whacking defeat the first to go (already deserting really) will be the financial and business backers, the careerist elements and the crypto-tories. I would guess some of the ousted New Labourite MPs and their entourages will just revert to being the "business people", lawyers and accountants that they were or aspire to be - and abandon politics. Some may just defect to the new ruling party. Membership loss will be certain.

Who will stay?
- The right wing controlled union bureaucracies for a start! They have nowhere else to go and some of the bureaucrats need a link to even a marginalised Labour party as it gives them extra power in affiliated unions and the glimmer of a place in the House of Lords.
- The Blairites with no preferable jobs to go to, who are already predictably saying that Brown's demise is because the Brownites abandoned full-on Blatcherism.
- The rump of lobby fodder, the soft left when it suits them, and Brownite MPs - there are unlikely to be many more accurately described "left" MPs remaining as (already small in number) they will be culled in proportion by the voters, and notable members of the Campaign Group (e.g. Simpson) are retiring at the next election anyway. At a local level, the lifetime, right-wing, tribalist hacks might remain, to preside over even smaller numbers of members. (Take a look at the recent selection in Simpson's seat)

Who will be "left"?
- There may be some reflux of leftists into the party seeing an opportunity and encouraged by the corporatist union leaders' rhetoric about reclaiming the party (ignoring that these are right wing union leaders). I suspect these leftists will have a hard time of it - Blairites and bloggers like Akehurst are already preparing for a new set of purges and witchhunts, and the right control the mechanisms and structures of the party - there is virtually no chance of a new 80s 'Bennite' period for structural reasons alone - before we even get into the numbers game.

So we will have a Labour Party dominated at the top by Blairites spouting Labourist rhetoric, backed by "reformed " Brownites and chancers like Cruddas talking all left (take a look at his voting record for where he is really coming from) - see the "unions' friend", privatiser Alan Johnson and the sickening Mandelson on Newsnight last night (welcoming a new age of "left wing" interventionism and regulation) for a taste of the dishonesty and language mangling that is to come.

Whether slimmed down New Labour get away with this and whether the ridiculous cycle repeats is down to how cynical and pissed off the British working class really are come the election and afterwards, and whether real alternatives emerge. We will get a chance to see how the land lies with the Council and Euro elections in June.

Blog to be more truly "occasional"

2009-04-18T15:23:00.003+01:00

When I started this blog with the title Greenman's Occasional Organ it was meant to be just that, Occasional. However, through time I have got into the habit of doing weekly links and feeling obliged to blog every couple of days at least. This has led to blogging (and collecting interesting links) taking up more of my precious time than was desirable and to me blogging sometimes for the sake of it - covering things that were widely available elsewhere and which I made little extra contribution to by blogging on them.

As my time is precious, and I am currently in a process of re-assessing my commitments, affiliations and stances, I think it is time for the blog to live up to its' title. From now on I will try to be more disciplined in only blogging when a) I feel truly motivated to do so and b) When I feel there is information and links that really need to be blogged either because I can shed a more unique light on the info than others, or because it is an issue where more bloggers covering it is likely to have a positive effect in itself.

So, no more Weekly links, more personal comment rather than just advertising events and more effective promotion of causes and events where I can have an effect.

In addition, I am thinking of launching a more politically focused blog under another pseudonym, around the subject of a new political project.

Thanks to those who have been regular readers of this blog so far, and I hope the changes meet with your approval.

Easter Blogging Break

2009-04-10T21:45:00.000+01:00

I am taking an Easter Break from blogging...normal service will be resumed etc etc...

Protests, Occupations And Strikes

2009-04-08T18:47:00.006+01:00

Visteon Occupation
A mini documentary on the occupation at Visteon here.
Thursday, April 9, 11am: Rally at the Enfield plant. Factory address: Morson Road. Five minutes’ walk from Ponders End train station, Enfield.
Here is a blog hosted by the people at Libcom.

MITIE Cleaners
My fellow blogger Matt has blogged about the MITIE dispute here.
There is another solidarity action this Thursday - info here.

SCAPA Workers, France
The workers at SCAPA, a British owned adhesive plant in France held three British bosses captive for some time to press their grievance over the threatened loss of their jobs. The practice has also spread to Universities as part of protests over education cuts.

Local Government
Meanwhile, British council workers have been offered a 0.5% pay offer for the coming year as the employers prepare "austerity" budgets.

Russia
In Russia, 800,000 armed forces civilian staff are set to protest over unpaid wages from April 10th, it seems unclear as to whether this will involve mass strike action.

Iran
From Iran there is news of workers' action in the Sugar industry.

Weekly Links 07/04/2009

2009-04-06T23:21:00.007+01:00

Another busy week and little time to post links, but nevertheless a few that might be interesting to some of my readers.

Green Politics
Monday was National Pensions Action Day and the Green Party in England and Wales announced its key election pledge for pensioners - a £165 a week non-means-tested citizens' pension for every pensioner in the UK.
Much of the green focus in the protests last week was on the climate camp in the city - a blog on this here. The Green Party also spoke out about the provocative policing on the G20 demos.

British Politics
Here is a You Tube video of the whole of the Put People First March passing on the 28th March in London.
Here is film of a Police attack on the Climate Camp later in the week - the mass media preferred to focus on a bit of minority window smashing at a city bank rather than police brutalisation of peaceful protesters.
I had a fine pint of Leveller ale from the Newark brewery this evening - a reminder of the Leveller legacy kept alive by the annual Levellers Day festival in Burford, Oxfordshire - more info on this years' event here. The theme this year being the energy crisis.
Speaking of British republicans, tickets for the annual conference of the main umbrella republican organisation, Republic, to be held on the 20th June in London, are now on sale.

Unions and Workers
More on the inspiring Visteon occupations here.

As people are probably aware, workers are currently occupying Visteon Car Plant in Enfield against redundancies. But in an exciting move, workers have also raised the idea of transfering from producing cars to more environmentally useful things. This is from the text of their leaflet:

'As well as proper redundancy payments, some are suggesting that the skills of the workers who can make anything in plastic, should be used to make increasingly needed parts for green products - bike and trailer parts, solar panels, turbines, etc. Government investment in this rather than throwing money at bankers could be profitable & save jobs in the long term.'

The example of the Lucas Aerospace Plan continues as an inspiration to new generations of workers.

Support The Occupations!

2009-04-04T15:40:00.002+01:00

Two schools have been occupied in Glasgow in opposition to the Council's planned closure programme. This, along with recent factory occupations in Ireland, Scotland and England, is another sign of the growing awareness of the need for direct action tactics to oppose the onslaught of cuts, closures and job losses that ordinary people face in the aftermath of the breakdown of casino capitalism. French workers have been engaged in some even more militant and radical action, including occupying and keeping bosses captive! The ruling class and the establishment should know that we will not take the destruction of our communities, livelihoods and services lying down. These are all signs of what is to come.

From the BBC -

A demonstration has been held in support of parents who have occupied two closure-threatened schools.

More than 20 parents barricaded themselves inside Wyndford Primary and St Gregory's Primary in the Maryhill area of Glasgow on Friday afternoon.

The city-wide Save Our Schools Campaign held a rally outside the premises in a show of solidarity.

Glasgow City Council has proposed closing or merging 13 primary schools and 12 nurseries across the city.

Parent Debbie Watson is one of those occupying the school.

She said: "We are fighting against the closure of our schools.

"If our schools close within the Wyndford community, our community dies.

"It's already in a bad state as it is, but our community will fight to the bitter end to keep our schools open.

"We will be here until the very end until Glasgow City Council and the Labour councillors wake up."

The support we've been getting has been amazing. I've had about 300 texts from all over Britain and even one from Italy
Nikki Rathmill
Protestor

More, including the interview above, here.

The Glasgow Save Our Schools Website is here.

All these occupations should be applauded and supported and publicised as much as possible to show people what is possible.

Left and Green G20 Comment

2009-04-02T20:35:00.006+01:00

Some very good left and green commentary before and after the G20.

On Britain's Guardian Comment Is Free pages there was a good article by Seamus Milne about the protests (here) and another, beautiful and poetic statement of the situation we find ourselves in, (as opposed to where we could be) in the prosperous West/North, by Jeremy Seabrook

Imagine a society that looks with different eyes on the submissive surrender of its children to forces which, from the moment they open their eyes, ensnare them in the silken nets of commerce, instructing them in perpetual dissatisfaction and teaching the corrosive lesson that even the most abundant plenty can never be enough. Imagine a liberation that threw aside the sexual burka, the invisible but ubiquitous garment that determines a rigid hierarchy of desirability and glamour, so that the beauty of the wise, the kind, the merciful and the noble might appear once more through the shallow virtue of the skin-deep. Think of a society where voices of sobriety and wisdom are audible above the strident cries of the preachers of the market.

The hyperactivity of a manic entertainment industry will fade, and we will ask ourselves why we spent one-eighth of our life on earth gazing at other people's passions by the unearthly glow of a TV set, or why we sat for a year in traffic and stood uncounted hours in line waiting to relieve ourselves of the money we have earned. Why, people will ask, have we been both distracted from life and amused to death? Whatever happened to our ability to delight and enchant, to hold one another enthralled as we sang and celebrated our lives, rather than wept over the fate of shadows on screens, or vicariously lived the rise and fall of the famous, paying homage to their fabricated success?

More here.

Following the Summit announcements, the usual suspects like the Brownite mouthpiece Will Hutton sung the praises of Gordon and the G20. The Brownites and other enthusiasts for the deal hope that we will believe that the leopard can change its spots, that the IMF, strengthened and emboldened, will not use that new strength to impose an only slightly amended version of the "Washington consensus" globally (perhaps in the age of trillion dollar rescue packages and global "quantative easing" we should speak of the "London Consensus" - a shiny new "humanitarian" and cleaned up method of imposing the power of corporations and finance houses on the poor people of the world.)

Fortunately questions are already being asked about the lack of a significant environmental and climate change tackling element to what is proposed, and the nature of the agenda behind the agreement, as well as the unlikelihood of meaningful action by those who have been instrumental in creating the current crises in the first place.

Alternative Summit Takes Place On UEL Lawn

2009-04-01T21:36:00.003+01:00

The University of East London had closed its campus down and cancelled all lectures for Wednesday and Thursday out of fear that demonstrators would use the university buildings as a base for protest at the ExCel centre Thursday. Despite this, a crowd of 200-300 people gathered from 5pm onward on the university's lawn, sitting in the sun and clearly enjoying the relative calm after the riots in London.

Speakers including comedian Mark Thomas, Dr Camilla Power of the University of East London, Tony Benn, Stop the War coalition organiser Lindsey German and academic Richard Wilson assembled with the crowd.

More from Guardian CIF here.

Pictures from todays' events in the City on Indymedia here.

Here are pics from the Climate Camp action.

The G20 Alternative Summit must go on!

2009-03-31T19:41:00.004+01:00

Disturbing developments in London -

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, April 31st 2009. 3 p.m.

G20 SUMMIT: PUBLIC OUTRAGE AS UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON CLOSES CAMPUS TO EDUCATION AND DEMOCRACY

* The G20 Alternative Summit must go on! Classes and lectures must go on!

* In only a few hours a petition to Keep UEL Open receives over 1400 signatories from across the world, including well-know academics and writers, e.g. Naomi Klein.

* University is a crucial centre of democracy. Democracy is now the only safe path for the world out of the current multifaceted crisis.

London – Following the decision of the University of East London’s Corporate Management Team to close down the entire university on Wednesday, April 1st and Thursday, April 2nd, staff and students have launched a petition to keep the university open, arguing that they “would feel ashamed of UEL if this institution […] were to become known as the university that had closed its doors to democratic debate and education in times of crisis such as these.”

The University of East London was scheduled to host the G20 Alternative Summit on Wednesday, April 1st, intended as a popular assembly for everyone engaged in current struggles for social justice. Amidst fears over ‘security’ in light of these G20 protest events, management first withdrew its support for the Alternative Summit and subsequently decided to shut down the entire campus for the duration of the G20 summit and protest events, cancelling lectures and classes and shutting the library.

In the petition, staff and students are arguing that such ‘security’ considerations are a “classic excuse for every historic attempt to curtail free speech. Instead of seizing the opportunity to become a common space thriving with creative energies, [the University of East London] plans to become an empty shell for two days.”

The petition states that,

“It is time for the university management to become accountable not only to the government funding bodies, but to the wider public to whom it owes both its livelihood and a duty to fulfill its role as a part of civil society. The past 3 decades have seen public spaces such as universities hollowed out by the state and by corporations, as more and more of our common resources are transformed into sterile commodities, valued only in cash terms. In universities this has led to a policy regime which increasingly sees ‘employability’ in the ‘creative industries’ or in ‘business and finance’ as the only benchmark of success by which a university education can be judged; which sees research separated from teaching; which sees ‘knowledge transfer’ to the commercial sector as the only legitimate destination for the fruits of inquiry."

The signatories to the petition, which include a number of well-known academics from universities across the globe, including writer and activist Naomi Klein, are urging UEL management to “reconsider [their] decisions and take this unique opportunity to open the university as a crucial centre of democracy, since democracy is now the only safe path for the world out of the current multifaceted crisis. We must keep our university open to staff and students, rejecting the claims and ‘risk assessments’ that reproduce fear instead of promoting dialogue. We urge you to take responsibility for enabling the university to act as a truly public space for debate in a time when nobody can doubt that radical new ideas are needed.

Quick Weekly Links

2009-03-31T08:39:00.006+01:00

A very busy week this week, so just time for a few links that might be of interest.

Matt Sellwood has put a draft of his forthcoming pamphlet on Greens and The Left in Britain on his blog and is requesting comments - read it here.
Matt also has video of Mark Thomas' contribution to the Put People First Rally that I mentioned in my last blog entry - good rabble rousing stuff, with humour. A report and pics from the march and rally on the Lenin's Tomb blog here. Joseph Healy's reflections here.

Meanwhile, some interesting links from Jim's Daily (Maybe) blog here.

In other news this week (as the Two Ronnies used to say!)a big victory for the anti-incineration movement in Cornwall.

The RMT are balloting for strike action on the London Underground in a battle against job cuts, a pay freeze and management bullying.

Information here on another story I have covered previously - latest developments in the battle to defend the William Morris gallery in Walthamstow.

Finally, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) issued a report on "The Financial and Economic Crisis: A Decent Work Response," which examines current rescue efforts in 32 countries, including all members of the G20, and notes that demographic projections suggest that nearly 90 million net new jobs would be needed over 2009-2010 to absorb new entrants in the labor market and avoid a prolonged jobs gap. The study calls for enhanced cooperation among key international organizations and a reprioritization between these goals, to, inter alia: pave the way for a green economy; and enhance the Green Jobs agenda, considering that green technologies tend to be more job-rich than their carbon-intensive counterparts. A more sceptical view on likely "green bailout plans" from India here.

28 March London Demo Pics

2009-03-28T23:01:00.005Z

Some good pictures of the Put People First Demo in London today posted on Indymedia -
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/03/425535.html
It was a bit showery, particularly at the end in the Park, and not quite as big a demo as I would have hoped, but nevertheless it was a good day out with a good positive feeling and relatively "light" policing. The Green helmets from Avaaz were great, as were the street theatre, the green placards, the muticoloured Wobbly flags, Mark Thomas' rabble rousing speech and "revolutionary Wetherspoons" which was crammed to the brim with the "cream" of Britain's agitators like a scene from a Ken MacLeod novel around teatime.

Mobilise For The G20 Protests!

2009-03-26T18:13:00.005Z

The G20 protests over the next week offer the first real opportunity for mass protest in Britain around the deepening economic crisis and the ongoing assault on ordinary people being carried out to appease the bankers and finance capitalists.

The neo-liberal beast is wounded, it is time to forge the coalition to begin digging its' grave and fight those who seek its' resurrection.

There are so many events and types of action planned that there is something for everyone - a way for everyone who is affected and concerned to show their anger, unrest and resolve to find better ways of running our world.

There is a massive demonstration planned for Saturday 28th March under the banner Put People First! - For, Jobs Justice and Climate. The broad demands of the march are for decent jobs and public services for all, an end to global poverty and inequality and for the building of a green economy to tackle climate change. Whether the current political and economic systems and their representatives at the G20 would be willing or able to deliver these things is another question! But in that question are the seeds of a debate that needs to be had and the beginnings of a radical critique. I would urge everyone who can to get down to London for what promises to be a massive demo - assembling at Victoria Embankment from 11am.

The Wobblies, the growing section of the IWW in this part of the world promise a vibrant and militant bloc, plus there should be representatives of just about every left of centre, progressive and campaigning organisation from the UK and farther afield.

For those interested in NVDA (non-violent direct action) the Climate Camp are holding a City G20 Climate camp on 1st April in the City outside the European Climate Exchange.

The Stop The War Coalition and CND are raising the peace issue at several points.

For other forms of action a whole range of groups are planning various actions during the summit period.
See Indymedia - main G20 page here and also - here, here, here and here.

The G20 Meltdown Site is Here.

The Alternative G20 meeting website is here.

Similar demonstrations are taking place in Berlin and Frankfurt in Germany, and then on Monday 30th March there is mass action planned in Ireland.

WE WON'T PAY FOR THEIR CRISIS!

Good News for Left Greens!

2009-03-24T19:05:00.005Z

Some links below to reports and news from the Green Party of England and Wales Spring Conference that was held in Blackpool last weekend.

Here is the official Green Party Web Page.

Here is the speech delivered by Caroline Lucas, and here is that of her Deputy, Adrian Ramsay.

Here is a report from Joseph Healy.

The Green Left were very pleased with the success of left motions and candidates at the conference.

The latest good news is that Green dissidents in the Czech Republic have been instrumental in bringing down the Centre Right Atlanticist government and its' right-green little helpers as reported by Derek, here. Irish left greens take note!

Strikes And Protests In France

2009-03-20T15:24:00.003Z

The day of action in France on Thursday saw a magnificent display of solidarity and militancy in the face of the onslaught of the ruling elites.
Here are some links to pictures and reports -

One important struggle is that of the Continental Tyre Company workers in Compiegne - here

Here is a map showing the spread and size of the protests from Le Monde, with a contrast between Police and organiser estimates and comparison to earlier protests.

Here is the BBC report.

Here is Al Jazeera's report.

Here is the story, in the Washington Post.

Here is the right-wing British Telegraph, focusing on violence.

Left reportage on the days' events from Lib Com here, and from Monthly Review here.

For readers of French here is the statement of the French Unions from the CGT site.

Free Climate Change Workshops For Trade Unionists

2009-03-18T19:42:00.003Z

FREE WORKSHOPS FOR TRADE UNIONISTS

COIN WORKSHOPS

Climate Change for Trade Unionists Workshop Series, April onwards (FREE)

Want to find out everything you need to know about climate change? Ever felt you'd like to join others in taking real and lasting action on climate change within your trade union?

The PCS Union and COIN are hosting a series of five workshops on climate change for trade unionists:

* Climate Change Condensed: All you need to know about climate change in just 3 hours. For those who are new to climate change.

* How to win the climate change argument in a 15 minute tea break: Arms you with ways to respond to colleagues' denial and evasion of climate change.

* Climate Change Negotiation: For reps, branch officials and negotiators who want to find out how to mobilise members and how to approach management on climate change issues.

* A Green New Deal?: For any active trade union member who wants to get their head around the big issue - what does a low carbon society mean for Trade Unionists?

* Trade Union Climate Action Groups: For trade unionists who want to discuss, work and/ or campaign around a climate change issue of interest over a six-month period.

These workshops are FREE and open to any trade unionist. For further information including the workshop leaflet and booking form, please see the front page of the website - http://www.coinet.org.uk
_______________________________________________