by Michael Roberts (from Richard Mellor) Germany holds a snap election on Sunday and the current coalition government of Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP) is heading for a heavy defeat. The main opposition conservative Christian Democrat-Christian Social Union alliance is polling about 30% in voting intentions, while the SPD is down to 16% (from 26% last time) and … [Read more...]
Auschwitz, the bankruptcy of the idea of progress and the rehabilitation of the utopian dimension of socialism
By Yorgos Mitralias Why republish a text on Auschwitz and its meaning, written in Greek in the last century? Because, reread today, at a time profoundly marked not only by the genocide of the Palestinians and the destruction of Gaza, but also by the return in force of the fascist threat - and war - on a global scale, embodied by the Trump-Musk duo, this text takes on a heightened significance … [Read more...]
IRELAND: LESSONS OF THE ELECTION
A WIN discussion December 2024. Follow it on Youtube HERE. The recent general election in Ireland has marked a setback for the left. The two traditional parties of the ruling class have between them come close to an overall majority and are likely to continue to rule as a reactionary coalition. The Greens have been all but wiped out; Sinn Fein has lost momentum in terms of its voting percentage; … [Read more...]
Trump and the European right: an attraction-repulsion relationship that does not bode well…
by Yorgos Mitralias What to think of Trump's return to the White House? For the European bourgeoisies and their parties, the answer should be and has been positive and even enthusiastic. But why? Because of Trump's very clearly expressed intention to implement reactionary, anti-union, anti-worker, anti-social and pro-capitalist policies that the European right-wingers would like to … [Read more...]
Monarchy – By Finn Geaney
The multimillionaire scion of the super-wealthy, landowning Windsor family was 2 years ago accorded some powers over the Westminster Parliament and Government, powers that previously were exercised by other members of his family. This landed elite of privileged oligarchs have, over centuries, abrogated to themselves significant power over Britain’s elected parliament. The powers that Charles III … [Read more...]
Political repression is ruining our lives – Support the movement to protect our freedom to protest!
For more than seven months, a retired head teacher, a dementia care advisor and a retired environmental health officer have been left waiting in limbo by the Metropolitan Police, desperately hoping to find out if they will face criminal charges instigated by an east London council following a town hall protest. In February 2024, the three socialist campaigners attended a fraught Newham council … [Read more...]
Politics in Scotland
A WIN discussion October 2024. Listen HERE. From the mid-2000s the Scottish Nationalist Party has dominated Scottish politics - it was able to negotiate a referendum on Scottish Independence in 2014 and sweep aside all other parties in the 2015 British General Election. Prior to that the Labour Party was the dominant force in Scottish politics from the 1960s onwards. Why was there a move to … [Read more...]
GERMAN WORKERS FIGHT BACK!
A WIN Discussion October 2024. Listen to the meeting HERE. At this week’s WIN meeting we welcomed a well-known militant activist in Germany: Thorsten Donnermeier is chair of the divisional Volkswagen shop stewards’ council and a member of the union shop stewards’ committee for all Volkswagen factory locations in Kassel, representing more than 10,000 union members. Together with other grass-roots … [Read more...]
A Quick Comment on the UK Riots and Immigrant Bashing – LBC Radio interview
by RICHARD MELLOR WATCH THE RADIO INTERVIEW HERE James O'Brien is very good here. The caller's mind won't be changed though because he's dishonest about his real feelings and view of the world. He also probably reads the Daily Mail, the Express and other rags that also foster nationalist and racist views. I remember an English woman complaining to me that all these Somalis who come in and … [Read more...]
Elections, Campaigns and the United Front
by Dave Hill I want to talk about three different things. I want to talk about the 2024 General Election in the UK and the local campaign in Brighton and Hove; the Far Right and their targets; and the United Front, bringing together organised labour and the traditional left with the pro-Palestine/ Gaza anti-imperialist campaigners and activists in an inclusive, democratic and participatory … [Read more...]