Yesterday, RBS Chief, Ross McEwan told MPs that the closure of 62 branches was “commercially necessary”. We publish here an article form our recent issue of Revolution on the RBS and why think its necessary (for non commercial reasons) to nationalise the banks under workers control.
Continue reading RBS Closures: Nationalise the Banks Under Workers’ Control!
By John Webber, Glasgow Marxists
In the last two weeks we’ve seen Holyrood coming into conflict with Westminster over the devolution of powers and Corbyn declaring his support for remaining in the customs union after Brexit. At the weekend we also saw Sturgeon and the National liken Corbyn to Farage after a speech on immigration at the Scottish Labour conference. In light of such events, we publish here, a Marxist analysis by John Webber on the Labour, the SNP and The Single Market.
Daniel Morley of Socialist Appeal in London discusses the latest accusations and revelations that have engulfed Oxfam and the murky global charity sector, including Scottish charity SCIAF. A sexual abuse scandal originally centered around Oxfam has now spread to many other household name charities, including Red Cross and Unicef. This has shone a bright light into the opaque world of the big charities, revealing that these organisations are part and parcel of the capitalist system that they purport to be on a mission to make just. In reality, they feed on poverty and the public’s conscience whilst doing nothing to end it.
Originally published on socialist.net
By Amy Dean, Glasgow Marxists
We publish here the editorial for issue 20 of Revolution, the Scottish paper of The International Marxist Tendency. This issue includes articles on abolishing the monarchy, the battle for Bifab, Corbyn, the SNP and The national question, the Holyrood budget, bitcoin and supporting Syria’s Kurds against Turkish invasion. If you’d like a copy, please let us know. Minimum price is £1 plus postage but extra solidarity donations are always welcome. If you agree with our ideas get in contact and join us in fighting for a Scottish Worker’s republic and a World Socialist Revolution.
By Paddy O’ Brien, Edinburgh IMT
For over 100 years we have had mass media in the UK, feeding the working class propaganda and telling them which of the established political parties to vote for. You would have hoped in a so called “democratic” and “free” society that over this period, the style of journalism would have evolved into a fair and unbiased view to inform people of the social injustices in society. But as we all know, the press has continued to report on insignificant news stories that do nothing but incite national division between the working classes. If you want an example to this journalism, look no further than the headlines of Britain’s longest running newspaper (I use the term loosely), The Daily Mail.
Continue reading Flaggate: National Divisions and The Capitalist Press
By Alex Johnson, IMT Edinburgh
With the recent announcement of the engagement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and the upcoming wedding, we call not for celebration of but the abolition of the monarchy. The royal family is a feudal relic and symbol of national chauvinism which, along with the House of Lords, reveals what our so-called ‘democracy’ really is – a system designed and run to serve the interests of the ruling class. The monarchy is a drain on the public purse, receiving handouts of £35.7 million per year on top of countless other expenses. The upcoming royal wedding is an excellent example of this. While the royal family will pay for the wedding ceremony, reception etc., the taxpayer will foot the bill for the policing, security costs and public order arrangements around the event. Kate and William’s 2011 wedding saw £15 million spent of policing alone, with 5000 officers deployed. This time we can expect the same arrangements, if not even greater measures following the recent increase in terrorist attacks.
Continue reading Abolish The Monarchy: For a Workers Republic!
By Alex Johnson, IMT Edinburgh
Recent figures show unemployment to be at 4.5%, the lowest seen since the 1970s. When we take a moment to examine this figure more closely, however, we find that it isn’t the cause for celebration the Tories would have us believe.
Continue reading DPD driver’s death demonstrates brutality of precarious work
By Marios Kalomenopoulos, IMT Edinburgh
The political situation in Scotland has been rather quiet, recently, however this superficial stability hides important changes that are developing below the surface. The unions response to the proposed budget from the SNP government is one such expression.
By Max Wright, IMT Edinburgh
A century ago, on 6th February 1918, the historic Representation of the People Act was passed. Importantly, the 1918 Act allowed 8.4 million women and 5.6 million men in Britain to vote for the very first time. As Marxists, it is important to examine the victories – and shortcomings – of one of the first steps towards universal suffrage.
Continue reading 100 years on: remembering the Representation of the People Act
Max Wright, IMT Edinburgh
Beginning this month, the National union of students (NUS) and University and College Union (UCU) have called for four rounds of strikes action in a unified defence against the slashing of Pension benefits. Lecturers at Edinburgh University will be partaking part on this strike. These benefit cuts will lead to a typical lecturer being £10,000 worse off in retirement, at Edinbrugh this is happening even when the university is already reliant on “voluntary” severance deals. Edinburgh IMT call for total support of the action in order to fight back against the increasing levels of Marketisation affecting our education system. The strike action was backed by 88% of UCU members in the largest vote for industrial action ever seen in the higher education sector.
