UK – Page 2 – REVOLUTION

N. Ireland: Sectarian Riots — A Bad End to a Bad Peace

Over the past week, the North of Ireland has seen its worst rioting in years, ostensibly over the Northern Ireland Protocol signed by the Westminster government with the EU. The threat of loyalist violence has been in the air for months as tensions have ratcheted up since the Protocol came into effect in January.

Kill the Bill: Demonstrations continue against Tory Police law

Last Saturday, thousands marched in London from Hyde Park to Parliament Square to protest the draconian Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. This new legislation would dramatically curtail the right to demonstrate.

European AstraZeneca debacle: mismanagement, misinformation and vaccine diplomacy

A number of countries in Europe halted the use of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine over the past two weeks, due to an unproven (and unlikely) association with blood clots. Following a review by the European Medical Agency, they have now resumed, but this politically driven decision has seriously dented public confidence in the vaccine, which was already low.

Sarah Everard: Killed by the System

“Killed by the system we’re told ‘protects’ us.” These were the words on one placard at the vigil held on Saturday evening for Sarah Everard in London – a protest against the daily violence, oppression, and unsafe conditions that women face under capitalism.

UCU members: Reject insulting 0% pay offer! For a united fightback!

On 2 February, UCEA (the Universities and Colleges Employers Association) made a final pay offer to UCU members in higher education (HE) of an insulting 0% pay rise for the coming year; in other words, a real-terms pay cut.

Ireland Under Brexit: Crushed Between the Millstones of Imperialism

On 1 January 2021, Boris’ Brexit deal came into effect, and with it the ‘Northern Ireland Protocol’. The Brexit deal has set Britain and the EU up for a multitude of future collisions.

Boris Not Welcome

Boris Johnson’s recent visit to Scotland was supposed to demonstrate the strength of the United Kingdom and the benefits of “mutual cooperation” between its constituent nations. Few people were convinced, however, of the sincerity of the messenger, or the point of the message pitched by Britain’s ‘Minister for the Union’.

Unison election: Potential for a historic Left victory revealed

The result for the Unison general secretary election has just been announced:

Paul Holmes – 45,220 (33.76%)
Christina McAnea – 63,900 (47.7%)
Roger McKenzie – 14,450 (10.79%)
Hugo Pierre – 10,382 (7.75%)

While McAnea, the right-wing candidate, won the election to replace Dave Prentis, this election in reality shows enormous potential for the left.

One Year after the Election: Boris’ Government of Crisis

One year ago, on 12 December, the Tory Party won a shock landslide victory in the 2019 general election. Promising to ‘Get Brexit Done’, Boris Johnson and the Tories secured 43.6% of the vote, providing them with an 80 seat majority in Parliament.

Foreign Aid: the Smiling Face of Imperialism

The recent announcement by Chancellor Rishi Sunak that British foreign aid would be cut by £5 billion – from 0.7 to 0.5 percent of GDP – was greeted with uproar by the establishment. But whilst the imperialists shed crocodile tears for the world’s poorest, their real concern is that with these cuts, their own financial interests will suffer.