Eco-Socialism

This is an edited version of the main document that was agreed in September’s Annual General Meeting of Socialist Resistance. The document explains why Socialist Resistance is discussing changing its political programme, perspectives and public profile towards being an anti-capitalist, ecosocialist organisation. This is to make explicit a change in our perspectives that has been underway for at least a year and now needs to be signalled publicly. At the core of this change is the contention of the authors of the text that free-market, privatising neoliberalism has over 20 years arrived at a new and deadly phase – what we call ‘savage capitalism’. The document explains why now only a socialist response that centrally addresses the environmental crisis is adequate to the current period.

 

Respect

Ealing Southall flop and prospect of an early election

Alan Thornett outlines a series of necessary steps for Respect if it is to grow and present a serious challenge in any forthcoming general election.

 

Europe

As rejected EU constitution rides again

In his recent meeting with German Prime Minister Angela Merkel, Gordon Brown has made it clear that the re-presented EU constitution resurrected in the form of a treaty will not be put to a referendum - as promised by Labour in 2004 - but will simply be put to Parliament.

 

Britain

It could not have been a much better summer for Gordon Brown, having finally succeeded to the top job he has coveted for 14 years.

 

Britain

Gordon Brown is trumpeting the question of housing as being one of the issues which distinguishes him from his predecessor Tony Blair. But when you examine the new Housing Green paper in more detail, what is promised does not go very far to meet the real housing needs of working people. The Green paper “Homes for the future, more affordable, more sustainable”, published in July, sets a target of 2 million new homes by 2016 and 3 million by 2020.

 

Editorial

Climate chaos has been particularly impossible to avoid this summer - you really would have to put your head in the sand.

 

Editorial

George Bush is staring political and military defeat in the face in Iraq . The American commander in Iraq , General David Petraeus, will report to Congress in mid-September on the success of “the surge” of 30 000 US troops into key parts of the country.

 

NHS

The announcement by Health Secretary Alan Johnson that he is rubber-stamping controversial closures of maternity and other hospital services in Greater Manchester has raised again a major question mark over the “review” of the NHS in England being carried out by new junior Health Minister Sir Ara Darzi. Darzi, a leading consultant and academic with something of a maverick reputation, was a shock ministerial appointment in Gordon Brown’s post-Blair reshuffle.

 

Education

Fighting New Labour’s academies

The TUC’s report on academies, “A new direction”, published in July 2007, argues for “a new direction for the programme that would lead to a more positive engagement by all stakeholders and a more equitable distribution of the educational benefits for disadvantaged communities in particular.” (p4).

 

Climate Change

Heathrow climate camp

I couldn’t go to last year’s climate camp at Drax power station, so was determined to get down to the Heathrow protest last month, even if not for every day.

 

Trade Unions

The priorities of the leadership of public sector union UNISON are all too clear to see. They are interested in cuddling up to Gordon Brown rather than protecting the rights or jobs of their members.

 

Trade Unions

At the time of writing, the main (Royal Mail) postal strikes are still “suspended”, while those at Post Office Counters continue.

 

Turkey

Turkish elections

The election results on July 22 in Turkey were a sweeping victory for the right. The Islamist AK Partisi thoroughly beat its main rivals, securing 341 out of the 550 seats in the Parliament.

 

Palestine

At the end of July, Socialist Resistance correspondent Tony Richardson visited Ramallah for the launch meeting of a very important new democratic trade union federation in Palestine - the Coalition of Democratic and Independent Trade Unions.

 

International

Niger Delta

The recapture in June 2007 by units of the Nigerian army of an oil platform occupied by militants from the Niger Delta, is the latest battle in a long running war. Twelve militants, two civilians and a soldier were killed and nine civilian hostages were set free in the operation.

 

Debate

Liam Mac Uaid recently interviewed Cuban Trotskyist Celia Hart in Havana, asking her first about her forthcoming trip to Venezuela.

 

Review

The War On Democracy, (John Pilger 2007)

Two strands run through John Pilger’s debut feature film. The first tells the story of the USA ’s brutal interventions in Latin America, focusing primarily on Guatemala and Chile .

 

Review

2007 Socialist Register, Coming to Terms with Nature (edited by Leo Panitch and Colin Leys wth Barbara Harriss- White, Elmar Altvater and Greg Albo)

The editors and authors of this year’s Socialist Register have produced an excellent collection whose aim is “contributing to the development of a better ecosocialist understanding of contemporary capitalism, and the kind of politics that could lead to an ecologically sustainable as well as a democratic socialism”. This book is a fantastic resource which I strongly recommend.