PAGE 9 ZUMA: IT’S TIME TO GO PAGE 16 SANCHEZ: AVOIDS JAIL FOR TAX CLIMATE: FOR PEACE AND SOCIALISM RADICAL ACTION IS THE ONLY OPTION PAGE 8

£1 Thursday February 8 2018 Proudly owned by our readers | Incorporating the Daily Worker | Est 1930 | morningstaronline.co.uk SCHOOLS IN CRISIS TORIES SLASH 15,000 TEACHING STAFF FROM CLASSROOMS Secondaries ‘at breaking point’ as budget cuts leave schools billions short

by Conrad Landin redundancies, to continue to keep class sizes at an accept- able level and to offer a full SECONDARY schools are at and rounded curriculum to “breaking point” thanks to all pupils. the Tories slashing 15,000 staff, “The school funding crisis headteachers warned yesterday. is real. Funding increases need New research shows that to be in real terms, not in cash English secondary schools have terms.” lost an average of two class- National Education Union room teachers, two teaching joint leader Mary Bousted said: assistants and two additional “Schools are cutting back on support staff since 2015. teacher numbers and the pupil- The education unions behind to-teacher ratio is worsening. the research, which is based “Children only have one solely on official government chance to go to school. We statistics, said the reduction in should be investing in this the workforce stemmed from generation of young people who real-terms budget cuts of £2.8 will see such profound changes billion in that period. during their lifetimes.” Staff numbers in secondary General union GMB, which schools fell by 15,000 between represents support staff, said 2014-15 and 2016-17, while pupil the funding crisis had been numbers rose by 31,000. “made in Whitehall.” National Association of Head National officer Karen Leon- Teachers general secretary Paul ard said: “Theresa May needs to Whiteman warned: “School stop burying her head in the budgets are at breaking point. sand, get a grip of what is hap- TAIWAN: QUAKE LEAVES SEVERAL “School leaders have made pening at the DfE [Department PAGE 7 every other possible efficiency for Education] and start fully and now it is impossible for funding our education system.” DEAD AND HUNDREDS INJURED many schools to avoid making Turn to page 4

PAGE 3 TAYLOR REVIEW: NEWS PAGE 13 SHAKESPEARE: NOT TO BE ANYMORE? Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 2 Thursday news morningstaronline February 8 2018 @m_star_online

■ ENGINEERING ■ PUBLIC SERVICES Unison calls Banks poised for public interest code for monster on contracts UNISON has called for a new code of conduct governing pri- profi ts on vate companies that deliver public services, following the collapse of Carillion and profit warnings from Capita. GKN takeover The union wants firms to abide by a set of principles to ensure the driving force behind by Will Stone services is the public interest, though its preferred option remains in-house provision. BANKERS stand to rake in mil- Unison general secretary lions of pounds from the “hos- Dave Prentis has written to tile” takeover of engineering Cabinet Office minister David firm GKN, the Unite union Lidington calling for a new said yesterday. public service ethos to under- The “eye-watering” sum of pin contracts handed to private £140 million will be shared MORNINGSTAR firms. by bankers, lawyers and pub- ONLINE.CO.UK Mr Prentis said: “If the UK is lic relations executives if Mel- The socialist to have decent public services, rose succeeds in its takeover news hub the country now needs an equiv- bid, research by Unite found. alent set of principles that will The sum includes up to £69m apply to any private company for financing arrangements, up Labour said it was “deeply that receives taxpayers’ money to £50m for financial advice, worrying” that corporate elites to deliver public services. £9m for legal advice and mil- could make such huge sums “The government should set lions more for PR and profes- from the takeover of one of about establishing these new SWING CITY: A team of volunteers remove church bells that have sional services. Britain’s biggest engineering principles without delay. been in the bell tower of All Saints Church, Bolton Percy near York, Unite, which is opposed to and manufacturing businesses. “Ultimately, the primary since 1605. The three bells, weighing in at over two tons, sit in a any takeover, said the total Shadow business secretary motivation for the provision medieval bell frame dating back to 1424. Volunteers have raised amount is more than 80 times Rebecca Long Bailey said: “This of services must be the public £18,000 to restore the bells at restoration specialist Whites of the average total lifetime wage takeover bid could risk weak- interest, not the pursuance of Appleton. of a GKN worker. ening Britain’s industrial base profit.” The figures are detailed in and diminishing our national Melrose’s bid document, the defence capabilities, as well as union said, and would be on potentially threatening thou- top of any “incentives” given to sands of jobs. ■ PRIME MINISTER’S QUESTIONS company executives following “The government should a successful takeover. intervene and take a closer look Union officials met Business at Melrose’s bid. Secretary Greg Clark yesterday “They cannot sit back and Corbyn homes in on Tory police failure to press him to block the bid. allow for such takeovers to Unite assistant general secre- go ahead without appropriate by Will Stone tary Steve Turner said: “This is a oversight and investigation.” bid that puts a ‘jackpot’ payday the issue at Prime Minis- for a small number of people ter’s questions, Labour’s work JEREMY CORBYN hammered ahead of the long-term stabil- and pensions spokesman Jack the Tories on their key battle- ity of a world-class engineer- Dromey said that GKN was ground of crime and policing ing firm and the thousands of “facing a hostile takeover” and during Prime Minister’s Ques- workers who make it a success. asked whether the government tions yesterday. “The government needs to stop would block the bid, as it has The Labour leader left this takeover and prevent the the power to do so. Theresa May floundering wealth of the firm being stripped Prime Minister Theresa May when he asked her whether and funnelled into the pockets of replied that the Department for she regretted cutting 21,000 wheeler-dealers at the expense of Business was looking into this. police-officer jobs. GKN workers’ livelihoods.” “The government will always Taking a swipe at her record Unite assistant general sec- act in the national interest,” she as home secretary from 2010-16, retary for manufacturing Tony asserted. Mr Corbyn reminded the Prime Burke also warned that long- Melrose executive vice-chair- Minister that violent crime is term investment could dry man David Roper claimed the rising and chief constables up if the takeover succeeded, union and Labour concerns say they “no longer have the leading to cuts in research and were “unfounded.” resources to keep communi- development. [email protected] ties safe.” During a heated exchange, he said: “Too many people don’t feel safe and too many people Norfolk & Suff olk aren’t safe. “We’ve just seen the high- Readers & Supporters Group est rise in recorded crime for a quarter of a century.” Mr Corbyn also pointed out Join us in Great Yarmouth for the inaugural that gun crime has soared by 20 meeting of the Norfolk and Suff olk per cent in the last year. HEAD TO HEAD: Corbyn takes the stand against Theresa May’s Home Offi ce record Morning Star Readers and Supporters Group. “The chief constable of Mer- seyside said recently: ‘Have I crime,” including those to social services have left us less with a supposed extra £450 Morning Star editor Ben Chacko will be joining got sufficient resources to fight youth centre staff and the pro- safe? million — following years of us to discuss bias in the mainstream media gun crime? No, I haven’t’,” the bation service, now disastrously “The reality is you can’t have swingeing cuts. and socialist responses. Labour leader noted, before ask- part-privatised. public safety on the cheap.” “What we’re also doing is 7.30pm Thursday February 8 ing: “Does the Prime Minister He stormed: “After seven In a sheepish response, Ms ensuring our police also have think he is crying wolf?” years of cuts, will the Prime May claimed that “you can’t the powers that they need to do Herois De Mar, 6-7 Broad Row, Great Yarmouth Mr Corbyn argued that other Minister today admit that her get away from the fact that the job we want them to do,” Norfolk NR30 1HT public service cuts are “clearly government’s relentless cuts to what the government is doing she said. contributing to the rise in police, probation services and is protecting police budgets,” [email protected] morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline news Thursday @m_star_online February 8 2018 3

■ CRIME ■ UNEMPLOYMENT Bus boss fi ne Woman rushes to is fi rst over pension pay benefi t meeting

A BUS company boss has become the first person at closed centre in Britain to be fined for deliberately trying to avoid paying staff pensions. by Will Stone attend mandatory appoint- Alan Stott, 69, and his ments, it appears that the gov- company Stotts Tours ernment hasn’t even told them (Oldham) were ordered A SERIOUSLY unwell woman that their current centre has to pay more than £60,000 spent a tenner rushing to a man- closed. after he and his company datory appointment at a closed “Unfortunately, whilst shock- admitted eight charges of jobcentre because the govern- ing, the case I raised during wilfully failing to comply ment failed to inform her it had PMQs will not be unique. with the law on workplace shut, MPs heard yesterday. “People will be turning up pensions. The unnamed 58-year-old, to jobcentres across Glasgow to All British employers who has a variety of major find out for the first time that are legally required to health conditions and was only their local service no longer put eligible staff into a recently discharged from hospi- exists.” pension scheme and pay tal, travelled to Bridgeton job- The SNP MP pointed out that minimum contributions centre in Glasgow on Tuesday. the Department for Work and under the automatic enrol- However the jobcentre had Pensions (DWP) holds extensive ment scheme. been closed down on Friday as details of every claimant and Stotts Tours (Oldham) part of the government’s wider should take responsibility to should have put 36 staff cost-cutting programme. inform them. into the scheme and The centre is one of six in the She urged the government started paying contribu- city and 10 across Scotland to to apologise and refund the tions from June 2015, a close. woman’s taxi fare. spokesperson for the Pen- Glasgow Central MP Alison The closure programme has sions Regulator said. Thewliss (pictured) called the been condemned by MPs and The regulator’s director situation a “shambles” jobcentre union PCS for forcing of automatic enrolment Dar- and “absurd” after rais- vulnerable claimants to travel ren Ryder said: “This case ing the issue in PMQs. further for appointments. shows the cost to employers She said: “Not only A DWP spokesperson said that failing to comply with are my constituents the closures represent “good automatic enrolment can who previously used value for the taxpayer” by bring — a bill of tens of thou- Bridgeton job- saving over £135 mil- sands of pounds, a criminal centre expected lion a year for the conviction and a damaged to travel to next decade. reputation.” a lt e r n at i v e willstone@ ■ EMPLOYMENT LAW locations to peoples-press.com

TORIES OPEN DOOR ■ SOCIAL CARE NAO slams Tory failure on care jobs fall AUDITORS slapped down the The report highlighted that, Department of Housing, Com- Tory government yesterday in 2016-17, around half of care munities and Local Govern- TO TRIBUNAL FEES for failing to come up with a workers were paid £7.50 per ment and encourages local and strategy to head off a looming hour or less — equivalent to regional bodies to align their social care staffing shortfall £14,625 per annum — which, own plans to it. TAYLOR REVIEW: Good Work plan suggests rowback on court ruling nationwide. along with tough working con- Care worker union Unison The National Audit Office said ditions, prevents workers from said the report exposed “the gov- by Conrad Landin Discussing Mr Taylor’s rec- rates could also be repealed, that, with care worker num- joining and remaining in the ernment’s lamentable approach Industrial Reporter ommendation that workers while some employment tri- bers already at troubling lows sector. to social care,” while Labour MP EXCLUSIVE should get confirmation of bunal fines against employers and unlikely to match rising The NAO has recommended Barbara Keeley said “the social their employment status with- will be quadrupled to £20,000. demand, there is “no national that the Department for Health care workforce remains an after- out charge, the report goes on Zero hour and agency work- strategy to address this work- produce a “robust national thought for this complacent TORIES could be gearing up to to say: “Should the government ers will only have the right, force challenge.” workforce strategy” with the Tory government.” reintroduce employment tribu- decide to reintroduce fees in however, to “request” a more nal fees, lawyers warned yester- the employment tribunal sys- stable contract. day as a feted shake-up of workers’ tem, [the government] would TUC general secretary rights received a frosty reception at that point consider the Frances O’Grady said: “The from the labour movement. question of whether to charge government has taken a baby DON’T BE LEFT The government published fees for proceedings about the step when it needed to take a its Good Work plan in response determination of employment giant leap. to former Blair adviser Matthew status and consult.” “These plans won’t stop the WITHOUT US Taylor’s review of work, which Thomsons Solicitors chief hire-and-fire culture of zero- was ordered by the Tories fol- executive Steve Cavalier hours contracts or sham self- lowing criticism of practices at blasted: “Will they ever learn? employment and they will NOW HALF PRICE! “gig economy” firms like Uber “The fact the government is still leave 1.8 million workers and Deliveroo. even contemplating the possibil- excluded from key protections.” 2 discs with 34 tracks from great But the government’s paper ity of reintroducing employment In the House of Commons, bands and artists - a wealth of defends the fees regime that tribunal fees shows it has not shadow business secretary talent, consciousness and an was quashed by the Supreme learned the lessons of the excori- Rebecca Long Bailey raised egalitarian spirit of resistance in Court last year. ating Supreme Court judgment.” the plight of DPD gig economy words and music The court ruling meant fees The government said it would courier Don Lane. were immediately abolished introduce new workers’ rights The 53-year-old collapsed and £10 £5 + £2 postage and litigants are now being from day one of employment. died from diabetes last month. and packaging refunded, but the government Ministers pledged to enforce He had missed three medical FEATURING: Attila the Stockbroker, document says that the court workers’ holiday and sick pay appointments, having being fined All proceeds go to the Thee Faction, The Hurriers, found “the charging of fees was for the first time and there will £150 by his employer for attend- Morning Star Fight Rosa Fight! Argonaut, not wrong in principle” and that be a new right to a payslip. ing a previous hospital visit. shop.morningstaronline.co.uk Joe Solo, Wimmins Institute, “fees were a legitimate means Laws allowing agencies to [email protected] Phone: (020) 8510-0815 Minotaurs and many more! of making resources available.” employ workers on cheaper Star comment: p8 Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 4 Thursday news morningstaronline February 8 2018 @m_star_online

■ INDUSTRIAL ■ FRONT PAGE Acas not exempt SCHOOLS IN CRISIS from employment FROM P1: The government claims its national fund- ing formula will address rules, tribunal says regional variations in school budgets. But the new figures show some of the by Conrad Landin ent set of rules because it was largest staffing cuts have concerned with public duties been made in the areas not economic activities. with the lowest average CONCILIATION service Acas That challenge has been funding per pupil. These was wrong to claim it was rejected now by the Employment include central Bedford- exempt from employment regu- Appeal Tribunal, which ruled shire, the East Riding of lations when dealing with its that the definition of “economic Yorkshire, York, Derby and own staff, a tribunal has ruled. activity” was “equally applica- Milton Keynes. Civil service union PCS, which ble to services which are funded And four of the five represents Acas workers, con- from another source” as much as worst-hit local authorities demned the quango’s bosses services paid for by customers. — Middlesbrough, Read- yesterday for “using taxpayers’ PCS general secretary Mark ing, the Isle of Wight and money to try to avoid proper con- Serwotka said it was “quite Doncaster — face further sultation with [their] own staff.” remarkable” that a body with budget cuts over the next Acas, headed by former TUC Acas’s brief would seek to avoid two years. general secretary Sir Brendan consulting its workforce. Another head teachers’ Barber, offers arbitration An Acas spokesman said: union, the Association of between employers and trade “Our appeal was in no way School and College Leaders, unions in industrial disputes. avoiding our responsibilities warned that pupils with spe- PCS took a claim to the Cen- to consult our employees. cial needs and poor children tral Arbitration Committee in “We appealed against the would be particularly at risk. 2016, saying that Acas had not CAC decision because the issue “Schools have had to consulted properly with unions of whether we primarily carry make substantial budget over its recent transformation out public duties or economic cuts because of govern- programme, which includes the activity goes to the heart of ment underfunding and closure of the Liverpool office. Acas’s identity and has implica- this impacts on staff- But Acas challenged the CAC tions which are wider than the ing numbers as staffing jurisdiction on the issue, say- current issue of consultation.” makes up the majority ing it was subject to a differ- [email protected] of their expenditure,” general secretary Geoff Barton said. “As a result, they are less able to give individual support to children, they PENGUINS ON PARADE: Keeper more than 19,000 individual more than a month after four Choose from loads of fantastic cannot sustain a full range Zu Zanna counts feathered animals are counted, is a meerkats and an aardvark products in the Morning Star of curriculum options and friends yesterday during a requirement of its licence died in a fire at the zoo on class sizes are rising. stocktake at London Zoo. conditions. December 23, the cause of “This is most damaging The annual event, in which The count was delayed by which remains unknown. ONLINE SHOP to children who need extra support and whose parents Don’t forget cannot afford to supple- we have ment their education with ■ EDUCATION activities outside school.” lots more Cuts to school budgets books, CDs, are believed to have been posters, a major factor in voters UNI BOSS SLAMS T-shirts and switching to Labour at the last general election. much, much The party has pledged to more on reverse the trend by raising your online billions of pounds through taking back Tory handouts DOOR ON MENTAL shop: to big business. [email protected] shop.morningstaronline.co.uk HEALTH PROTEST UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON: Vice-provost shuns calls for more funds

MANAGERS at University Col- by Sam Tobin Students’ union women’s lege London (UCL) have been officer Justine Canady said: criticised for slamming the “We know UCL has the money door in the faces of students to pay for proper mental health calling for more funding for services. The money we are ask- the university’s mental health The open letter, signed by ing for is less than the provost services. academics and student union makes in a year. Students triied to deliver an reps, called for £340,000 to be “Hundreds of students at UCL open letter to UCL management put towards fixing the univer- are suffering because the front- offices last Friday, only to have sity’s crisis-hit mental health line mental health services sup- the door shut on them by vice- services. posed to help them don’t have provost Rex Knight. Nearly 3,000 students use enough resources. Mr Knight caused outrage the services each year, but, “If UCL wants to maintain its in 2016 when he allegedly according to a students’ union image as a world-class univer- threatened a student journalist report, they are operating at 30 sity, it needs to start by actu- with dismissal if she published per cent over working capacity, ally caring for its students,” Ms classified forecasts showing meaning that a third of those Canady insisted. that UCL stood to generate who apply have to wait months Disabled People Against Cuts a cash surplus from student for vital care or, in some cases, (Dpac) co-founder Linda Burnip accommodation. receive no help at all. said that “the pressures and the morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline news Thursday @m_star_online February 8 2018 5

■ COURTS ■ AUSTERITY Councils to Supporters cheer acquittal get Labour help to undo of four arms fair protesters outsourcing by Sam Tobin “clearly related to a matter of SHADOW chancellor John in east London general concern … namely the McDonnell announced the legitimacy of the arms fair and formation of a new team of whether it involved the mar- experts yesterday to help coun- FOUR peaceful protesters who keting and sale of potentially cils bring services back in house blocked a road leading to the unlawful items.” and develop local economies. DSEI arms fair in east Lon- He also noted that there had Labour’s new “community don last September have been been no complaint about the pro- wealth building unit” will acquitted. test and that the police response bring together councillors, Christopher Cole, 54, Hen- appears to have been “entirely on unions, think tanks and inde- rietta Cullinan, 56, Joanna their own initiative.” pendent experts with experi- Frew, 38, and Nora Ziegler, 28, Dismissing the charges to ence of delivering front-line were all cleared of one count cheers from a packed public change, building on ground- of wilfully obstructing a high- gallery, Mr Hamilton said the breaking work by Preston coun- way after district Judge Angus defendants’ actions “do attract cil, Mr McDonnell explained. Hamilton found that their the protection afforded by arti- The Preston project has report- actions were “reasonable” cle 10 and 11 rights … despite edly returned almost £200 mil- and protected by their rights amounting to obstruction of lion to the local economy and to freedom of expression and ACQUITTED: Joanna Frew, Christopher Cole, solicitor Raj Chada, the highway.” supported more than 1,600 jobs assembly. Henrietta Cullinan and Nora Ziegler But he added that his deci- by using local government con- All four were arrested on Sep- sion “cannot and does not tracts to keep money at home and tember 5 for having obstructed the defendants had admitted the depravity of the arms form any form of precedent” develop worker-owned co-ops. Eastern Gateway, east London, intentionally blocking the road. trade.” for similar cases that are due Attacking austerity for forcing by connecting themselves with Stratford magistrates’ Mr Cole said he had written to be heard. councils “to cut and privatise lockboxes, designed to be “hard court heard that all four were “thousands of words” to MPs Raj Chada, who represented many public services,” Mr McDon- to disassemble,” in order to “strongly opposed to the arms and others and had taken part Ms Ziegler, said: “On the day nell said: “The next Labour gov- turn the road into a place of fair” and aimed to both draw in public meetings, “but the after the actions of the suffra- ernment will end austerity and prayer. attention to the event and to arms fair just goes on.” gettes were lauded, it is apt that properly fund local authorities Mr Hamilton said that the disrupt it. The judge said the demon- today’s generation of direct instead of cutting back and pass- “only issue in dispute” was In evidence, Ms Cullinan said stration was “the very epitome action protesters do not have to ing the buck like the Conserva- whether their obstruction had she hoped the protest would of a peaceful protest,” adding wait 100 years to be vindicated.” tives, but we cannot afford to wait been “reasonable,” given that lead people to “acknowledge that the defendants’ actions [email protected] until we are in power nationally.”

■ BLACK-CAB RAPIST HAVE A STORY? FOR PEACE AND SOCIALISM Email us: news@ peoples-press.com High Court grants judicial review of donate Fighting fund costs” of a university education were causing a lot of students Worboys release ONLINE We rely on you, our readers, to to suffer from mental health morningstaronline problems. by Sam Tobin contrary to open justice. .co.uk/page/ keep the only working-class She added that UCL bosses Judges also granted Lon- support-us could start to address the prob- don Mayor Sadiq Khan per- voice in the British media going lem by “meeting [the students] TWO victims of black-cab mission to bring a judicial with regular donations and finding out what they are rapist John Worboys were review action against the asking for.” granted a judicial review Parole Board. A UCL spokesperson said yesterday of his release from Mr Worboys, who Standing Order, People’s Press Fighting Fund that Mr Knight had been “con- prison by the High Court. appeared in the dock at the My name is: cerned that the protest would Mr Worboys was jailed Royal Courts of Justice in escalate if the group managed indefinitely in 2009, with London, agreed that the vic- My nameMy address is: is: My address to get into the provost’s office a minimum term of eight tims and the mayor should is: uninvited … he therefore went years, for drugging and be allowed to see the Parole back into the provost’s office sexually assaulting women Board’s reasons for ordering Postcode and closed the door. passengers. his release. “It is not accurate to say that The Parole Board pro- Lawyers representing the Telephone:...... Postcode the [mental health] service is voked widespread condem- Parole Board and Justice in crisis or that it is over work- nation last month when it Secretary David Gauke said Email: My telephone number is: Please pay the ing capacity,” the spokesperson ordered his release after a they were not opposed to a Cooperative Bank PLC, Islington Branch, sort code 08-90-33 for claimed. decade behind bars. full judicial review hearing the credit of the People’s Press Fighting Fund, account number [email protected] Phillippa Kaufmann QC, going ahead. My email address is: for the victims, told the Ben Collins, for the Parole 5050-5115 the sum of: £ each month until further High Court that the Parole Board, told the court: “The Please pay the Cooperative Bank PLC, Islington Branch, sort code 08-90- Board had reached an “irra- board does not wish to take notice and debit my account accordingly. tional” decision, adding that any step to prevent a review My account33 for thenumber credit of is: the People’s Press Fighting Fund, account numberMy sort the victims were “concerned of the decision and does code is:5050-5115 the sum of: not only for themselves but not propose to stand in the for the wider public and way.” Standing order start date: Signature women in particular.” Judge Sir Brian Leveson said £ Ms Kaufmann told the that the release of Mr Wor- To the manager (include bank name, address and postcode):

court that her clients were boys “shall be stayed pending US TO MAIL AND OUT CUT HAVE YOUR SAY! each month until further notice and debit my account accordingly Write (up to 300 words) to also challenging the rule pre- the hearing on permission for DON’T SEND THIS FORM TO YOUR BANK. PLEASE MAIL IT TO: [email protected] venting the Parole Board from judicial review and directions or by post: 52 Beachy Rd, making public the reasons for … or further order.” PPFF Organiser, William Rust House, 52 Registered under the Industrial London E3 2NS its decision, describing it as [email protected] and Provident Societies Act 1965 Beachy Road, Bow, London E3 2NS No 12750R. Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 6 Thursday world morningstaronline February 8 2018 @m_star_online n south africa n VeneZuela Ramaphosa and Negotiator accuses Colombia Zuma in talks of scuppering election deal by James tweedie myself are aware that our peo- ple want and deserve closure.” by James tweedie He said all opposition embargo on its vital oil exports The other concerns the Furious media speculation demands were reflected in over the election row. recent row between the govern- SOUTH Africa’s government over the past year of Mr Zuma’s the “Agreement of Democratic Two weeks ago, Venezuela’s ment and the United Nations insisted it was business as usual impending exit reached fever TALKS between Venezuela’s gov- Coexistence for Venezuela,” Supreme Court ruled that the about Guyana’s western Esse- yesterday as President Jacob pitch this week. Mr Zuma’s office ernment and opposition were with just two points — electoral opposition could not stand can- quibo regions, the subject of a Zuma and his deputy held talks denounced the circulation of a set to resume in the Dominican guarantees and a schedule — didates under the Mud banner as territorial dispute stretching on a “transition.” fake press release purportedly Republic yesterday following still outstanding. it would breach a ban on “dual back nearly 200 years. Deputy President Cyril Ram- announcing a visit by Russian a row over April’s presidential Lead Mud negotiator Julio membership” of political parties. Last week, Foreign Minis- aphosa issued a statement on the President Vladimir Putin. election. Borges said: “We haven’t signed, At midnight on Tuesday, ter Jorge Arreaza criticised talks, first revealed on Tuesday That fed into last year’s false Chief government negotia- and nor will we, any agreement Dominican President Danilo UN secretary-general Antonio night when the ruling ANC said opposition claims the govern- tor Jorge Rodriguez accused that isn’t dignified and worthy Medina said he had asked both Guterres’s decision to refer the a special meeting of its national ment had awarded a contract Colombian President Juan of the Venezuelan people. sides to return for talks yester- matter to the International executive committee to discuss for a new nuclear power station Manuel Santos of scuppering “At the end, it will be history day morning. Court of Justice, whose jurisdic- the issue had been postponed fol- to a Russian firm. a deal at the last minute in a and the Venezuelan people who “We have prepared a docu- tion neither country recognises. lowing “fruitful and constructive On Monday, ANC support- phone call to the opposition, will judge our actions,” pro- ment that includes the recom- Mr Rodriguez said the clause engagements” between the two. ers beat Black Land First sup- Telesur reported. claimed Mr Borges, a leader mendations the opposition has read: “The government and the Mr Ramaphosa said the dis- porters, including women, at a Mr Rodriguez, who is also of the hard-line Justice First requested and we will receive opposition ratify the legitimate cussions were ongoing “for a Hands Off Zuma march outside Venezuela’s communications party who serves as speaker them tomorrow at 10am,” Mr right of Venezuela over the ter- speedy resolution of the matter the ANC HQ in Johannesburg. minister, told reporters that of the opposition-controlled Medina said. ritory of the Guayana Esequiba in the interests of the country Elderly victim Nkateko Makete, the government delegation had National Assembly. The government had also and request firm support for and its people” and the two who was kicked while on the already signed an agreement In the Argentinian capital asked for two clauses to be the actions undertaken by the would make a joint statement floor, said on Tuesday that she and was waiting for the Demo- Buenos Aires, US Secretary of included, one committing all republic in defence of its sover- “in the coming days.” had not been part of the march, cratic Unity Roundtable (Mud) State Rex Tillerson threatened parties to accept the election out- eign right over the Essequibo.” “The uncertainty surround- having come to deliver a petition representatives to do the same. Venezuela on Sunday with an come “regardless of the results.” [email protected] ing the position of the head of to the provincial government to state and government is a cause improve services in her deprived for concern among many South Orange Farm community. Africans,” he said. [email protected] “Both President Zuma and John Haylett: p9 GERMANY: The Christian Democrat Union and Social Democratic Party (SPD) reached agreement n west bank yesterday, following a 24-hour talks marathon, on a return to the coalition israeli settler guard kills government that brought both electoral disaster. Palestinian teenager The deal still depends on a ballot of more than A SECURITY guard at an illegal shooting of Israeli Rabbi Raziel 460,000 SPD members, with Israeli settlement shot dead a Pal- Shevah at the Havat Gilad illegal recent recruits excluded, estinian youth yesterday follow- and unauthorised settlement which will take several ing an alleged stabbing attack. outpost deep in the West Bank. weeks. Israeli occupation forces said Israel’s Shin Bet security SPD leader Martin Schulz the guard was lightly injured service said the joint operation said the deal would mean in the attack at the Karmi Tsur with the military surrounded that Berlin “will return to settlement near Hebron in the Mr Jarrar’s home in the north- an active and leading role occupied West Bank. ern West Bank. When Mr Jar- in the European Union.” Palestinian authorities named rar emerged with weapons and the alleged attacker as 19-year- explosives, they shot him dead. old Hamzeh Yousef Zamaareh Israeli PM Benjamin Netan- from neighbouring Halhoul. yahu said on Sunday that Havat The previous day, occupation Gilad would be granted official forces killed Ahmad Jarrar, a settlement status in response to suspect in the January 9 fatal Rabbi Shevah’s killing. n ireland n united states Deputy PM Coveney renews Brexit border threats Pence threatens to step up IRISH Deputy Prime Minister market and customs union,” Simon Coveney made a new which would also be “in the bid to derail Brexit yesterday, best interests of the European sanctions against N Korea again threatening a “hard bor- Union and its future. der” if Britain does not stay in “The British government by our foreign desk The two Koreas have used the planet,” he said. the EU customs union. has not been prepared to seek Games as an opportunity for rec- Mr Abe urged countries “not At a conference of business that type of relationship,” he onciliation, with North Korea to be lured by the charm offen- people from Northern Ireland noted, after PM Theresa May’s US VICE-PRESIDENT Mike Pence sending a large delegation. sive of North Korea.” and the republic in Co Louth, confirmation this week that vowed yesterday to impose the But Mr Pence said yesterday Meanwhile, Seoul said it was he warned that the “clock is Britain would stay out of the “most aggressive sanctions yet” that the US would “continue to consulting Washington over a now ticking” on the century- customs union after Brexit. on North Korea over its nuclear isolate North Korea until it aban- North Korean request to refuel old free movement agreement Mr Coveney, in his capacity as weapons programme. dons its nuclear and ballistic mis- the Mangyongbong-92 ferry between the two parts of the foreign affairs and trade minis- Mr Pence, who is on a six-day sile programmes once and for all.” that brought a North Korean island. ter, led EU efforts to block the tour of Asia, spoke in Tokyo “We’ll be there to cheer our band to perform at the games. He said the continued bene- start of phase two Brexit talks alongside Japanese Prime Min- athletes, but we’ll also be there Existing sanctions prohibit fits of the bilateral agreement last year unless Westminster ister Shinzo Abe. Tomorrow he to stand with our allies, and North Korean ships and air- were “best accomplished by the agreed to keep Northern Ire- will attend the opening cere- remind the world that North craft from refuelling in other UK indicating that it wishes to land within the bloc’s “regula- mony of the Winter Olympics Korea is the most tyrannical countries. be part of an extended single tory framework.” threats: Mike Pence in Pyeongchang, South Korea. and oppressive regime on the [email protected] morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline world Thursday @m_star_online February 8 2018 7

in brief students’ protest enters ninth day FRANCE: An occupation by undocumented immigrant students at the Paris 8 university in the St Denis district entered its ninth day yesterday. Management were in talks with the protesters in a bid to move the sit-in to a smaller room. The protesters are calling on the government to grant asylum to all migrants regardless of their reasons for coming to the country. Two miners killed after collapse SOUTH AFRICA: Two workers were killed in a collapse at a US-owned uranium mine in central Gauteng province yesterday. The National Union of Mineworkers said two miners who were trapped n TAIWAN underground by a seismic event at Sibanye Stillwa- ter’s Kloof mine in Weston- Quake leaves at least six aria had both died. NUM spokesman dead and hundreds injured Livhuwani Mammburu sent condolences to their AT LEAST six people were killed Rescuers focused on the Yun- families, adding: “We sell and 76 were still missing last men Tsuiti residential build- our labour, not our lives, night after a major earthquake ing that was tilted at a nearly lungs and limbs.” hit Taiwan’s east coast. 45-degree angle, erecting long Rescuers worked to free steel beams to prevent it from people trapped after the mag- collapsing. UN warns 68m nitude 6.4 quake collapsed Maintenance worker Chen buildings and left others tilted Ming Hui, who was rescued girls at risk of FGM at steep angles. from the basement of the Mar- At least four buildings in shall hotel, where two people UNITED NATIONS: UN worst-hit Hualien county died, said: “At first it wasn’t that secretary-general Antonio leaned at sharp angles, their big ... we get this sort of thing all Guterres warned on Tuesday lowest floors crushed into man- the time and it’s really nothing, that 68 million girls could gled heaps of concrete, glass, but then it got really terrifying.” be subjected to female iron and other debris. Six mainland Chinese were genital mutilation by 2030 Firefighters climbed lad- also injured, the Chinese Com- without urgent action. ders hoisted against windows munist Party-run People’s Daily He said on International to reach residents inside flats. reported. Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation that the practice is “a gross violation of the human n SYRIA rights of women and girls.” The UN Population Fund projects that the estimated 3.9 million girls facing female circumcision every year could FRANCE CLAIMS FORCES USED rise to 4.6 million by 2030 due to population growth. Drug giant denies CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN ATTACKS death accusations UNited NatioNs to laUNch iNVestiGatioN: But Russia and Syria say claims is pretext for US military intervention PHILIPPINES: Drug giant Sanofi denied allegations yesterday that its dengue FRANCE claimed yesterday that Syrian airbase after the Khan jets had again violated Lebanese his Turkish counterpart Recep fever vaccine had caused the Syria’s government has used by James Tweedie Sheikhoun massacre. airspace to launch missiles at a Tayyip Erdogan discussed a deaths of three children. chemical weapons in attacks Syria and ally Russia both site west of Damascus, but air “diplomatic road map” for Syria Sanofi is in dispute on extremist-occupied areas. denounced the attack as a false defences had shot down most over the coming weeks. with the Filipino govern- French Foreign Minister Jean- United Nations,” Mr Le Drian flag “provocation” by al-Qaida- of the projectiles. That took place as Turkey and ment over a refund for its Yves Le Drian told BFM TV: “All said. affiliated Hetesh terrorists occu- The Foreign Ministry said the its proxy jihadi forces contin- Dengvaxia vaccines after a indications show us today that The UN Organisation for pying the central town, designed attack was intended to support ued their assault on the north- study showed it may actu- the Syrian regime is using chlo- the Prohibition of Chemical to give pretext for US military beleaguered terrorists and pro- western Syrian canton of Afrin, ally increase the risk of rine gas at the moment.” Weapons (OPCW) confirmed intervention on their side. long the war in Syria. held by the US-supported Kurd- severe dengue infection. That followed the latest yesterday it was “investigat- Both have since slammed the Israeli Prime Minister paid a ish People’s Protection Units. Paris-based Sanofi CEO claims that the armed forces ing all credible allegations” OPCW probe into the incident rare visit to the occupied Syr- Turkish artillery destroyed Olivier Brandicourt insisted: had carried out chlorine gas and would report back to the as fatally flawed, relying on ian Golan Heights on Tuesday, part of a primary school and “We have absolutely no evi- attacks in East Ghouta, north- organisation’s member states. tainted evidence provided by threatening Iran over claims it nearby houses in Midanki vil- dence that the vaccine has east of Damascus. The claims could set the the terrorists themselves. was establishing bases in Syria. lage yesterday and damaged the been linked to any deaths.” “An investigation has been stage for a repeat of last April’s The Syrian Armed Forces On Sunday, French Presi- water plant serving Afrin city. opened on that matter by the US cruise missile attack on a General Command said Israeli dent Emmanuel Macron and [email protected] Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 8 Thursday features morningstaronline February 8 2018 @m_star_online Star comment The Taylor Review allows Radical action is the Tories to kick workers’ rights into the long grass only sensible opt GOVERNMENT willingness to take forward 52 of the 53 recommendations in the Matthew Taylor’s review into working practices confirms the original document as RITAIN faces a pretty thin gruel. number of serious Tinkering at fringes of neoliberalism won’t de Business Secretary Greg Clark claims that the govern- and interlinked ment will “address very clearly” the rights of those in threats to the insecure work, but only by reminding workers and their Bpublic’s health changes we desperately need, writes IAN SI employers of already existing law. and future well- Useful but hardly earth-shaking, especially since this being. Tinkering around the modest-to-a-fault approach abandons 1.8 million workers edges, gradual reform or trian- to a life in employment without such rights as sickness gulation-style politics are simply and holiday pay. no longer commensurate with The government boasts of going further than Taylor the challenges bearing down on by enforcing holiday and sick pay entitlements, giving us. Radical action, implemented all workers the right to demand a payslip and allowing right now, is the only realistic flexible workers to demand more stable contracts. option. It promises monitoring of the quantity and quality of Research consistently shows jobs in the gig economy, together with making flexible Britain has one of the highest workers aware of their rights. levels of inequality and one of It also dangles the carrot of the Low Pay Commission the lowest levels of social mobil- maybe considering a higher minimum wage for workers ity in Western Europe. on zero-hour contracts and moots repeal of legislation However, the Guardian allowing agencies to employ workers on cheaper rates. reported last year that the gov- People can’t live on dangled carrots and hints that ernment’s own Social Mobility further action might conceivably be taken in the sweet Commission found “policies by and by. have failed to significantly The government was supposed to be tackling the reduce inequality between rich scourge of the gig economy, where workers are treated and poor despite two decades of as though self-employed but are largely or totally in thrall interventions by successive gov- to a single employer. ernments.” This growing threat, designed to boost profitability Headed by former Labour MP by absolving employers from responsibility to meet Alan Milburn, the study noted minimum standards is touted as a mutually beneficial there had been “too little” “flexibility” and Taylor has accepted this false picture. progress since 1997, with many Sharing Economy UK chair Richard Laughton persists policies implemented in the past with this fiction, claiming that “many people hugely no longer fit for purpose. above pre-industrial levels dur- to remember the Guardian f Corbyn and his core value the flexibility that platforms provide,” omitting the The study warned “that, with- ing the next five years, already strongly opposed Jeremy Cor- leadership team can be reality that “many people” equates to “many employers.” out radical and urgent reform, breaking the hopeful goal of the byn’s bid to become leader of persuaded and/or pressed the social and economic divi- 2015 Paris climate accord. the Labour Party, instead lend- to be more radical, that’s sions in British society will Indeed, the United Nations ing its support to New Labourite Igreat, but, if not, then the widen, threatening community news service recently noted Yvette Cooper. grassroots needs to be pre- While some participants, particularly students, may cohesion and economic prosper- “pledges made under the Paris Before and after Corbyn was pared to go further to achieve be enamoured of flexibility, most workers want either ity,” noted the Guardian. Agreement are only a third of elected, a string of Guardian change. full-time employment or at least a set level of payment Pollution is also a significant what is required by 2030 to columnists, including Polly For example, on the environ- guaranteed to enable them to meet rent and other una- problem, with around 40,000 avoid the worst impacts of cli- Toynbee, Jonathan Freedland, ment, though Corbyn’s Labour voidable commitments. deaths every year in Britain mate change.” Suzanne Moore and Martin Party put forward many good Suggesting, as Laughton does, that simply “knowing attributable to exposure to Sir David King, the former Kettle, were let loose, spewing proposals in their 2017 general when they are to be paid will help individuals make outdoor air pollution, accord- chief scientific adviser to the invective, half-truths and non- election manifesto, Greenpeace informed choices” misses the point. ing to a 2016 Royal College of British government, fleshed out sensical arguments to under- noted “there are some impor- Waffling on about entrepreneurship, participation Physicians report. the danger of climate chaos in mine the Islington North MP tant areas for improvement” and flexibility is meaningless without workers having In response, the government 2014, saying: “What we are talk- and the movement behind him. including the party’s continuing some level of security. announced in July that the UK ing about here is an existential “The Guardian represents a promotion of North Sea oil and As TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady makes clear, will ban the sale of all new threat to our civilisation in the whole batch of journalists, from gas and its “cautious support” nothing that Taylor recommends or that the govern- petrol and diesel cars and vans longer term. moderate right to moderate left for airport expansion in south ment lays down will end “the hire-and-fire culture of from 2040. “In the short term, it carries — ie centre journalists — who, east England. More importantly, zero-hours contracts or sham self-employment.” London Mayor Sadiq Khan all sorts of risks as well and broadly speaking, like the sta- the Labour manifesto, like the As with the “lump” introduced into the building criticised this measure, argu- it requires a human response tus quo,” Tony Benn memorably Tory Party, championed eco- industry a generation or two back, the gig economy ing Londoners needed action on on a scale that has never been wrote in his diaries. nomic growth – precisely the can have a short-lived and illusory appeal to workers, pollution right now, but, while achieved before.” “They like the two-party ideology and economic path especially when an initial glut of demand appears to Khan has introduced several What is required, according system, with no real change. that is propelling the planet pay above the national minimum wage. important measures, includ- to the respected climate scien- They’re quite happy to live over the climate cliff. The crunch comes when the stream of work dries ing the rollout of an Ultra Low tists Professor Kevin Anderson under the aegis of the Ameri- More importantly, the Labour up, they can’t work through ill health or have to take Emission Zone in the capital, and Professor Alice Bows, is for cans and Nato … they are very manifesto, like the Tory Party, a break because of family commitments and realise the Commission on the Future the wealthier nations to imme- critical of the left … they are just championed economic growth, there is no fallback in pay or benefits. of London’s Roads and Streets diately adopt a de-growth strat- the Establishment. It is a society precisely the ideology and eco- The government has clearly used the Taylor report criticised Khan himself in Octo- egy — wholesale systems change that suits them well.” nomic path that is propelling in time-dishonoured fashion as a means of deferral to ber for not going far enough. on a far greater scale than the A Corbyn-led Labour Party the planet over the climate cliff. kick real and effective oversight of the gig economy The Green Party has also allied mobilisations that “won” winning the next election on We desperately need radical, further into the long grass. highlighted the hypocrisy of the second world war. the back of energised social joined-up thinking. For exam- Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long Bailey may Khan talking a good game on So who should we look to for movements offers the best ple, a reduction in private car have brought on a fit of the vapours for the Tory front “healthy streets” while back- assistance in implementing the chance for significant progres- use and increased funding for bench — and one of two erstwhile denizens of Labour’s ing the plan for the Silvertown radical policies that will address sive change in my lifetime. public transport would have a — when she asserted the crying need for involvement Tunnel — that is, a new urban these threats? But, while it is essential to number of positive knock-on of workers through their trade unions. motorway — in east London. The redesigned Guardian defend Corbyn from Establish- effects for society beyond help- Trade unionism remains the strongest potential Turning to climate change, newspaper sees itself, in the ment attacks, those who wish ing to reduce carbon emissions. guarantee that workers’ rights will be defended until the future is looking bleak. A words of editor Katharine Viner, to address the threats I’ve listed A reduction in air pollution, less such time as a Jeremy Corbyn-led government will pass new forecast published by the as the repository for “thought- above need to understand they noise and improved quality of appropriate legislation to plug these holes opened up Met Office last month assessed ful, progressive… and challeng- will almost certainly need to sleep, fewer road deaths, safer by unscrupulous employers. that annual global average ing” thinking. push beyond Corbynism in its streets meaning more people temperature could reach 1.5°C However, it is important current guise. walking and cycling, leading morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline features Thursday @m_star_online February 8 2018 9

John Haylett on South Africa

OUTH Afri- IN TROUBLE: South African President Jacob Zuma can presidency (left) and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa (right) is the spokesman Bon- gani Ngqulunga Swas aghast on Tuesday at Com- munist Party (SACP) demands that President Jacob Zuma con- firm or deny plans to sack his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa and ption replace him with Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. “The allegations reported in the media that President Jacob deliver the Zuma wishes to fire Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and replace him with Dr Nko- SINCLAIR sazana Dlamini Zuma are pre- posterous and outrageous,” said Ngqulunga. “The allegations of ethnic mobilisation by the president are equally without merit,” he added for good measure. The SACP statement issued by Alex Mashilo read: “SACP condemns ethnic mobilisation [and] challenges President Zuma With Zuma still holding to deny or confirm emerging information that, in pursuit of private interests, he is preparing to fire Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa “The SACP calls upon the on, the ANC is in trouble whole of our movement, as well as South Africans in general, to reject regressive forms of mobi- JOHN HAYLETT assess the ongoing dispute within lisation and abuse of state power to try and manipulate and fur- ther polarise internal ANC and the ruling party and its potential consequences alliance politics.” Ngqulunga’s case might have diary challenges on both sides.” The ANC share of polls in gen- favoured miners’ union leader ment and of a scheduled NEC been stronger had he omitted In the event, the Zulu warrior eral elections has fallen steadily Ramaphosa as his successor, emergency meeting. the risible assertion that Zuma, mobilisation didn’t material- since the euphoric days of the was persuaded to back Mbeki The ANC president knows who marketed himself as “100 ise, leaving small numbers of country’s first democratic elec- by, among others, his close com- that an 18-month election cam- per cent Zulu boy” when ANC pro-Zuma BLF supporters to be tions in 1994. rade Oliver Tambo, Ramaphosa paign, with Zuma still in office, to more people exercising and deputy president and facing a attacked by ANC members and Voters’ impatience to see took the BEE route, hoovering will be an albatross around his less obesity and depression. All rape charge, has no truck with supporters claiming to defend the emergence of the advances up directorships and becoming, and the party’s neck. of these would lead to a reduc- ethnic mobilisation. their HQ. envisaged in the ANC Freedom by repute, the second richest Unspecific ANC statements tion in stress on the NHS. The president’s supporters Images of them wearing “This Charter is one factor, but more African in the country. about progress being made in This kind of holistic thinking were expected to rally in num- ANC is not for sale” T-shirts, car- striking is popular awareness Zuma has been embroiled in talks between the two presi- has long been the mainstay of bers on Monday outside the ANC rying bricks and clubs, were that the belt-tightening and several financial scandals over dents gave way yesterday to the Green Party which, let’s not Luthuli House headquarters in captured on video, featuring self-restraint prescribed for the years, accused of selling Ramaphosa’s clarification. forget, stood aside 30 candidates Johannesburg for a Hands off disgraceful assaults on women. them by their governments have political protection and influ- His reference to “direct dis- for another progressive candi- Zuma protest against plans to One was seen to be kicked not applied equally to those in ence, most notably over his cussions on the transition and date they thought had a better instruct him to stand down as while on the ground and office. complicity in state capture by matters relating to his position chance of winning the seat at state president and be replaced another clubbed as she cowered Capitalist interests, both the wealthy Gupta family from as the president of the repub- the last general election. by Ramaphosa. in a pickup. Police intervened to domestic and overseas, took the India. lic” leave no doubt as to what It is the Green Party who have This would replicate the pro- separate the two sides, disarm- political demise of their former His journey from SACP cen- he wants, while the “postpone- been questioning the concept of cedure by which Zuma took up ing the ANC assailants. apartheid regime allies in their tral committee membership ment until further notice” of economic growth and discuss- the presidency after the ANC ANC Greater Johannesburg stride, reaching out to the new in 1991, when a third of the Sona indicates that Zuma will ing, long before Labour, the idea national executive commit- region confirmed Thabiso Set- rulers even before the transition party leadership decamped, to never deliver it. of a universal basic income and tee told his predecessor Thabo ona, a local branch secretary, to democracy. espousal of supposedly tradi- Both men know that the land value tax. Mbeki to step aside. had been suspended, adding Citing the Soviet Union’s tional Zulu values, including parliamentary opposition will Last month, Green MEP Molly The protest was orchestrated that he had handed himself in self-induced disappearance to polygamy and Neanderthal not allow a Sona speech to pro- Scott Cato suggested extending by Black Land First (BLF), a to police. pronounce that socialism was attitudes to women, has increas- ceed and that a no-confidence VAT to all processed and factory schism from Julius Malema’s ANC national spokesperson off the agenda and a market ingly caused support for him motion scheduled for February farmed meat to help combat Economic Freedom Fighters Khusela Diko condemned the economy was the only game in and the ANC to ebb. 22 could well be carried. climate change and encourage (EFF) led by Andile Mngxitama, violence outside the party’s town, ANC leaders’ new-found The nadir of this journey was Even if and when Zuma healthier eating habits. which retains the pro-Zuma headquarters, saying: “Regard- friends offered assistance of all his trial for the rape of Fezekile leaves office, it won’t be a Though Corbyn is riding high stance once adopted, but long less of what some may deem as kinds to woo them into compli- Kuzwayo, the lesbian daughter picnic for the ANC and Ram- at the moment, joining forces since dropped, by Malema. provocation by the Black Land ance and against radical change. of close comrades, when Zuma aphosa because EFF leader with the Green Party would It was backed by Amabutho First movement who intended to The policy of black economic testified to finding her in a state Malema has already threat- massively strengthen the move- e-Sizwe SamaZulu whose con- march to Luthuli House, there empowerment (BEE) trans- of arousal and Zulu tradition ened to go after him more ment that has made his leader- vener Sizwe Zuma declared that will never be any justification formed comrades of modest dictated that he could not leave strongly than Zuma has been ship so successful. these Zulu “warriors” would for scenes as the ones witnessed means almost overnight into her unfulfilled without doing pursued, but as long as he As the title of Canadian converge on Luthuli House to today. multimillionaires. his duty as a man. remains the only way for the author Naomi Klein’s genera- ensure that Zuma stays in office. “Disturbing in the extreme is Former liberation move- Ramaphosa, who was backed ANC is down. tion-shaking book about climate South Africa’s rumour the assault of women in such a ment armed wing uMKhonto strongly by the trade unions Ramaphosa’s assertion that, change and capitalism argues, machine was fed by Zuma’s visit callous and dehumanising man- we Sizwe commander Ronnie in Cosatu for the presidency “throughout this process, I the size and all-encompassing to King Goodwill Zwelithini ner.” Kasrils, who served in the gov- against Zuma’s estranged wife am guided by the principle nature of the climate crisis kaBhekuzulu at his Ondini The violence in Johannesburg ernments of Mandela and Thabo Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, that the interests and needs “changes everything.” Royal Palace in Ulundi, inspir- and off-stage threats by a “close Mbeki, described what had is viewed by them as honest of the South African people “It means there is a whole lot ing suggestions of an attempt adviser to Zuma,” reported in taken place as a Faustian pact. in comparison to the current are paramount” ought to be of stuff that we have been told to persuade the Zulu traditional the New Age, describing what Comrades previously commit- incumbent. superfluous but reflect the is inevitable that simply can- leader to back the president’s bid happened there as a “declara- ted to serving the people now ANC NEC members have been scale of the problem and the not stand,” she explains. “And to remain in office. tion of war” and warning “if a saw their priority, acknowl- tight-lipped about events of need for change. it means that a whole lot of stuff The presidency insisted that fight must happen, then it must edged or not, as serving them- the past week which have seen we have been told is impossible the encounter was a “long- happen” form the backdrop to selves. Both Zuma and Ram- postponement of the president’s ■ John Haylett is the Morning has to start happening right standing courtesy meeting” a critical juncture in South aphosa are implicated in this. State of the Nation Address Star’s political editor. His column away.” postponed from January “due to Africa’s post-apartheid history. When Mandela, who had (Sona) to both houses of parlia- appears every other Thursday. Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 10 Thursday features morningstaronline February 8 2018 @m_star_online

INSuLT To HumaNITy: Palestinian Bedouin children at an improvised school class in the Foreign policy for village of Abu Nuwar, West Bank, after the Israeli army demolished a sale: Greece and two-classroom school Israel’s alliance is a betrayal of the Palestinian cause Ramzy BaRoud believes that the country’s growing alliance with Israel is not only bad news for participating in multiple Israeli- jamin Netanyahu to Greece — “This process (of converting Palestinians but also spells new led military drills. the first of its kind. That was Greeks to loving Israel) will take While Israel sees an oppor- the start of a love affair that is time, of course, because it is tunity to advance its political growing deeper. principally related to school edu- dangers for the whole region agenda in Greece’s economic The main motivation behind cation,” he wrote in Algemeiner. woes, the Greek government the closeness in relations is the “But the change in coverage of OR a brief histori- cies that pushed his country to Unsurprisingly, economic is playing along without fully Leviathan and Tamar gas fields, Israel by Greek journalists is a cal moment, Alexis its knees in the first place. subservience is often a prelude assessing the possible repercus- located in the territorial waters good omen.” Tsipras and his Syriza sold out, not only polit- to political bondage as well. Not sions of engaging with a coun- of several countries, including That “change of coverage” political party, Syr- ically and ideologically, but in only did Syriza betray the aspira- try that is regionally viewed as Lebanon. If Israel continues was also notable in the recent Fiza, ignited hope an actual physical sense as well. tions of the Greek people who a pariah, while internationally with its plans to extract gas official visit by Israeli President that Greece could In exchange for bailout loans voted against austerity and bail- becoming condemned for its from an energy source located Reuven Rivlin and his meeting resurrect a long-dormant left- that Greece received interna- outs, it also betrayed the coun- military occupation and terri- off the coast of Lebanon, it will with Tsipras and other Greek ist tide in Europe. tional creditors — estimated at try’s long legacy of maintaining ble human rights record. increase the chances of yet officials. A new Greece was being born £189 billion between 2010 and amicable relationships with its Israel moved to pull Athens another regional war. In the meetings, Rivlin com- out of the pangs of pain of eco- 2015 — the country is being dis- neighbours. into its own camp in 2010, When Tsipras came to power plained of Palestinian obstinacy nomic austerity, imposed by membered. Since his arrival at the helm shortly after the Turkish-Israeli on the shoulders of a popular and refusal to return to the the EU and its overpowering Greece’s regional airports are of Greek politics, Tsipras has spat over the Mavi Marmara political movement, Palestin- “peace process,” thus causing economic institutions — a troika now operated by German com- moved his country further attack when Israeli comman- ians too hoped that he would a “serious crisis.” The “radical so ruthless, it cared little while panies and the country’s main into the Israeli camp, forging dos attacked the Turkish boat be different. left” Tsipras said little to chal- the Greek economy collapsed telecommunications firm has unwise regional alliances aimed bound for Gaza, killing nine It was not exactly wishful lenge Rivlin’s falsehoods. and millions of people experi- been privatised, with a good at exploiting newly explored gas Turkish nationals and injuring thinking, either. Syriza was Greece was not always this enced the bitterness of poverty, chunk of it owned by fields in the Mediterranean and many more. openly critical of Israel and had way, of course. Who could for- unemployment and despair. Deutsche Tel- Although Turkey and Israel “vowed to cut military ties with get Andreas Papandreou, the The Coalition of the ekom. have since reached a diplomatic Israel upon coming to office,” late Greek leader who gave the Radical Left (Syriza) came “The only understanding, Tel Aviv has wrote Patrick Strickland, report- Palestine Liberation Organisa- to power in January 2015 thing miss- moved forward to create alter- ing from Athens. Instead the tion (PLO) diplomatic status in as a direct outcome of ing outside native allies among Balkan “ties have, nonetheless, been 1981 and stood by Palestinians popular discontent with the office of countries, exploiting historical deepened.” despite US and Israeli threats? the EU. Greece’s pri- conflicts between some of these It is that generation that It was a time where vatisation countries and Turkey. ndeed, soon after taking Tzogopoulos and his ilk would ordinary people took agency is Bilateral agreements were power, the “radical left”- like to see gone forever, and be a stance to fight for a sign that signed, high-level diplomatic led Greek government replaced by morally flexible whatever semblance reads: ‘A Nation visits exchanged and military signed a major military leaders like Tsipras. of sovereignty that for Sale’,” wrote exercises conducted in the Iagreement with Israel However, signing up to an was not wrestled Greek political name of deterring “inter- — the “status of forces” Israel-led economic and military away from them economist CJ Poly- national jihad” and fight- accord — followed by yet more alliance, in an area replete with by politicians, chroniou. ing terrorism. military exercises. conflict, is a terribly irrespon- bankers and Greece and Cyprus All of this was reinforced by a sible move, even for politically p o w e r f u l received greater Israeli propaganda campaign in Israel inexperienced and opportunis- bureaucratic attention since they, on hailing the new alliance, cou- tic politicians. institutions. the one hand, were seen pled with a changing narrative For Greece to be the “strong The result, as political counter- in Greek media regarding Israel arm of imperialism in the h o w e v e r , weight to Turkey and, and Palestine. region” — as described by the was quite on the other, because One George N Tzogopoulos leader of the far-left Workers disappoint- of the great economic has been particularity buoyant Revolutionary Party in Greece ing. Tsipras, potential that they about the Israel-Greek friend- — is “completely stupid” as it now prime offered. ship. Writing a series of arti- will, in the long run, bring m i n i s t e r , Just one month after cles in various media, includ- “catastrophic results for (the) t r a n s f o r me d the Mavi Marmara ing the right-wing Jerusalem Greek people.” his political dis- attack, the then Greek Post, Tzogopoulos suggests that, But Tsipras seems incapable course and grad- PoTENTIaL PoWdER KEG: prime minister George unlike the older generation of of looking that far ahead. ually adopted one Greek Prime Minister Alexis Papandreou visited Greeks who have sided with that that is more Tsipras with Israel’s President Israel followed by an Palestinians in the past, the ■ Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, consistent with the Reuven Rivlin (right) official visit by Israeli young generation is likely to media consultant, author and edi- very neoliberal poli- prime minister Ben- be pro-Israel. tor of the Palestine Chronicle. morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline features Thursday @m_star_online February 8 2018 11 The only deal the Tories know how to make is a bad one The Conservatives are making a mess of everything and Theresa May couldn’t be any more unpopular. But, wonders GARETH WILLIAMS, who could replace her?

T THE start of 2017 Prime Min- ister Theresa May felt invincible. ATeetering on the precipice of a dic- tatorship, she decided to take it over the line by “crushing the saboteurs” in a supreme election, which turned into a tactical disaster. With their wings clipped but still completely undeterred, the government lurched forward into 2018 with more austerity the dish of the day, except for a few of their favoured chosen elite who get a big old slice of the public money pie. Sure, there are daily dysto- pian horror stories regarding underfunding in the NHS, astronomical rail fares, a lack of affordable housing, pub- lic services hanging on by a thread, overworked social serv- ices, and a million other things, but those are not good invest- ments for this government. They were happy enough handing over millions of pub- lic pounds to their mates in the business world, with companies such as Carillion and Capita receiving big juicy contracts. They paid no regard to the long-term prospects of those in Carillion’s employment, who, you know, actually did the work for the equivalent of a grain of sand, while the big bosses built sandcastles. It is shameless how the Con- servatives keep public money between them and their mates, almost as if they are taunting and mocking the common people. Let us not forget the outra- geous billion-pound deal with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) — a right-wing, homopho- bia, creationist, pro-execution bunch — that was stitched up last summer. Not a nice set of people, master to the government, businesses, billionaires to get in 2018 unless internal changes US President Donald Trump’s to put these two despised men even by the Tories’ standards. despite hardly figuring at West- more tax breaks at the cost of force their hand. former best mate and chief in charge. So shameless was May’s bid to minster before July. everyone else, and the NHS to You never know though. racist Steve Bannon to discuss Andrea Leadsom always seems cling on to power that not only As shadow Brexit secretary be continually chipped away. Cabinet reshuffles have taken how right-wing movements to be in the running, despite the did she ruthlessly spend money Keir Starmer said, the DUP are Don’t worry though, the place, what with the completely could win here and across the farce last time round. she previously denied was the tail wagging the Tory dog. public’s voice is being heard in unsurprising revelation that Atlantic. No doubt this headline-grab- there, she has also potentially Some would go as far to venture some areas. Yes, with benefits some Tory ministers turned out No doubt, this 19th-century bing infighting, dodgy goings destroyed years of progress in they are more like one of those being cancelled and foodbanks to be self-serving, sexually inap- throwback is hoping to sell on, Brexit and braggadocio Northern Ireland. zombie bugs that burrow in to needed in every town and city, propriate and obsessed with himself to the voters as another “I’m alright Jack” rhetoric is to The implications could be an injured creature and slowly May has decided now may not pornography. “steady pair of hands” and launch potentially distract the public catastrophic. Certainly no one take control of its functions. be the best time to repeal fox As May’s position grows ever an “I am better than you so leave from wanting an end to auster- foresaw the DUP having such Brexit is not all bad for the hunting. Savvy. more unsustainable, who will it to me” sort of campaign. ity in 2018. a major role to play in Brexit. Tories though. Distraction What really needs repealing step in? Jacob Rees-Mogg, per- Maybe Foreign Secretary Boris It is therefore important the It’s fair to say that, at one of from major issues while quietly is the government itself and the haps? Here is a man who, hav- Johnson is the man to replace the public remain vigilant and the most pivotal moments in pushing life-changing policies honourable thing to do would ing watched Mary Poppins as Maybot? Old BoJo is still bum- scrutinise every Tory policy. modern British history, the through is one of their favour- be to go to the polls once again. a child, must have decided to bling around but his popularity They are a government in free Tories have given the lunatics ite tactics. However, the Conservatives emulate the evil bankers. is rapidly eroding away. fall, the only deal they know is the keys to the asylum. So while the public’s money will try to cling on to power Rees-Mogg has been popping What about Michael Gove or a bad one and a self-serving one DUP leader Arlene Foster has is given to their friends, expect until the bitter end. It’s hard up more and more in the media Jeremy Hunt? Surely, surely, the and it is time public money got now become the chief puppet the Tories to double up with big to see them calling an election recently. He even hung out with Tories don’t have the brass neck spent on the public. Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk Thursday morningstaronline 12 February 8 2018 info | entertainment @m_star_online

WEATHER OUTLOOK Fighting Fund days20 left TODAY NEXT FEW DAYS Rain, sleet and hill Rain clearing the south- YOU’VE RAISED: WE NEED: snow slowly edging east Friday, followed southeast, but staying by sunshine and snow dry across central and showers in the north southern parts with a and west. Turning wet £5,776 £12,224 hard frost. Blustery win- and windy on Saturday, try showers pushing into followed by sunshine the north-west. and blustery snow showers Sunday. A SHORT month this one but, comrades continues to be recog- with £50, which as ever is We’ve £10 from Essex in with a full week now gone, nised, and we receive with very greatly appreciated — and were appreciation of our new look, we’re clearly going at a good warm thanks a total of £105 in Ivan Beavis still with us it would which will encourage those in pace. Today we’ve £480, so keep memory of Dawn Power, our bring a great grin to his face. our office who worked so tire- CONTACT US it up and we’ve a good chance of greatly missed administrator at From the capital one lucky lessly on it. reaching the target once again. William Rust House, and Avtar 501 Club winner has returned Four one-offs by various In support of that effort Sadiq, a true comrade commit- his prize money of £25 — hav- means add a tidy £125, recur- GENERAL ENQUIRIES CIRCULATION I have a £60 donation from ted to the working-class strug- ing a little flutter with us really ring online payments total William Rust House Bernadette Keaveney Devon — genorosity I hope will gle and a very great friend of does help keep us going. And £105 and team standing orders 52 Beachy Road, [email protected] inspire many of you to put some this paper in Leicester. while handing your winnings comes through with £35 to London E3 2NS pounds in my palm. Our very own Red Nut of back over is always helpful it’s round us off. [email protected] CAMPAIGNS The tragic deaths of dear Carlshalton Beeches returns by no means obligatory. Well done all, keep it coming! (020) 8510-0815 Calvin Tucker (Mon-Fri 10am-5pm) [email protected]

ADVERTISING Tell us what you’d like to see Give by post... phone... and online Moshfi qur Noor more of in your paper! Email [email protected] [email protected] Payable to PPFF to: From 10am-5pm on morningstaronline.co.uk/ (020) 8510-0815 ext. 205 with your ideas Fighting Fund, 52 Beachy Rd, London E3 2NS (020) 8510-0815 pages/support-us

DAILY SUDOKU (intermediate) TV & radio preview with Ann Douglas

Don’t miss our Commie Chef column on Saturday

Yesterday’s sudoku

Pic: Highways England/ Creative Commons

Solution tomorrow… With so many crises going on it’s easy to forget the Tories’ transport mess QUIZMASTER with William Sitwell GIVEN the extensive and imme- bon voyage to The Hairy Bikers’ Ada: The Countess of Computing TODAY’S QUESTIONS diately obvious problems being Mediterranean Adventure (8pm, (11pm, BBC4) follows the story caused by a chaotic right Brexit, BBC2) tonight. of Ada Lovelace, often refer- NHS crisis and housing crunch, The final leg of the amiable enced as the daughter of poet 1 True or false: there was once a transport has understandably pair’s journey takes in Moorish Lord Byron but a truly sharp Ministry of Public Building and fallen down the list of priorities. influences on Spanish cuisine, mind in her own right. Works. The inconvenience of traffic starting in Valencia, preparing A mathematical prodigy, she jams and stuffy train carriages gazpacho, and learning about published the world’s first algo- 2 What are the three colours of is what comes to mind, which the fruit and veg imported rithm intended to be computed the fl ag of Burundi? can seem like a classic low pri- during the peninsula’s Islamic by a machine and enaged in a ority middle-class problem. period. wide variety of research enda- 3 Which illegalist gang But of course transport has Hugh Maskela: Welcome to vours in a period when society pioneered the use of the an effect far more widely than South Africa (8pm, BBC4) is the largely barred women from sci- getaway vehicle in robberies? that — affecting things such first in a series of actually very entific pursuits. as air pollution, cost increases decent choices of repeats on the Rounding off today’s sug- and the question of hefty infra- channel tonight. gestions is Derry Girls (10pm, structure projects. The musician, who started Channel 4), which has become YESTERDAY’S ANSWERS So today’s Travel Chaos: the off singing about his upbring- a surprise smash hit for the True Cost (7.30pm, ITV) is worth ing in apartheid-era South channel and has already been 1. True or false: there is a memorial to a cat at 2. Tessa and Gianetta become the wives of watching as an update on yet Africa and became a global picked up for a second series. Birmingham Snow Hill station. True – a tile the title characters of which Gilbert and another aspect of Britain that star, died last month and this The bumptious gang have with the cat’s portrait on it (above). The cat Sullivan operetta? The Gondoliers the Tories aren’t adequately tak- retrospective acts as both an put out some enjoyably chaotic lived at Snow Hill before the station’s ing care of. excellent introduction and episodes and they round off original closure in 1972 3. Which literary work is derived from Ilium, one On the subject of taking tribute to his life. with Erin in the editorial driv- of the ancient names of Troy? The Iliad care, we are waving a hearty Later in the night Calculating ing seat on the school paper. morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline culture Thursday @m_star_online February 8 2018 13

■ THEATRE REViEW Heart rules the head in dramatic resistance to youth housing crisis

Booby’s Bay at the top of the debate ladder. Over the past two decades Enter Huck Trebillcock, of Booby’s Bay, hinged as it is he has supposedly grown up Finborough Theatre, London Shows such as Lung Theatre’s the area has been transformed protagonist of Booby’s Bay, on the most basic of love tri- and results in all too predict- HHHII E15, centred on the inspiring by a rapid increase in holiday played by a defiantly sprightly angles, fails to do them real able tragedy. Focus E15 campaign in Newham, homes and buy-to-let property Oliver Bennett, who aims to justice. As news of his downfall hits and Matt Hartley’s Deposit have and, a few days ago, the Daily spark a “ripple of protest” Having impregnated his the headlines, the sense of CONSIDERING how desper- begun to unlock the door but Mail reported that rentals for against the overwhelming young flame Jeanie (the allur- united community action that ate the housing crisis across have one constant, detrimental holiday cottages there have tide of nonchalant hyper- ing Florence Roberts) and could truly turn the tide against Britain has become, it’s a sur- factor in common, their London jumped by 30 per cent this investment that has pushed haunted by the ghost of his such a deep-rooted crisis begins prise how little theatre has focus. January compared with a year young people like himself to brother, he barricades himself to form. responded. Thus Henry Darke’s debut ago. As Darke himself puts it, the periphery of their own into one of the many empty But, ultimately, it feels far Even so, over the last three play at the Finborough shines “Cornwall is plundered for its communities. holiday homes in the bay in act too hollow. years there has been a sporadic light on Cornwall, a different natural beauty, but the lives Undoubtedly, there are of retreat as much as rebellion. ■ Runs until February 24, box office: spate of new plays that have yet no less affected region of of normal Cornish people are many people out there just His campaign feels all too iso- finboroughtheatre.co.uk attempted to put housing issues the country. completely ignored.” like Trebillcock, but the plot lated in a community in which MAYER WAKEFiELD

■ opinion The case against the Shakespeare cult Why do so many still worship at the altar of a playwright whose works describe a world that no longer exists? CHRiS JURY thinks he has the answer Y NOSE was general audience to understand. that there are problems with plays nearly all the protagonists broken in What on earth is going Shakespeare’s writing but, on are aristocrats or royalty. 1981 by a on here? Why are people not the contrary, that your lack of Working-class and even “c i v i l i s e d” allowed to dislike Shakespeare education, intelligence and sen- merchant-class characters are MShakespeare as a writer? Why do we spend sitivity renders you blind to his almost always comic fools or acolyte, who hundreds of millions of pounds greatness. villains. In his plays, the idea launched himself across the every year on performing plays Shakespeare’s plays have of monarchy and aristocracy is table and set about me simply that are 450 years old and that attained the status of religious never challenged and no alterna- because I dared to suggest that describe a world that no longer texts that cannot be criticised tive ever even hinted at. in 1981 The Clash were more cul- exists? and to take him to task as a To suggest that this reflects turally relevant than the Bard. Is it because Shakespeare is writer is to deny his unique some sort of “universal” rep- This pattern has been the “timeless” genius our cul- creative genius, the cultural resentation of human truth is repeated throughout my life as tural elite claims he is? Or is equivalent of denying the divin- to suggest that monarchy and civilised and sensitive Shake- it because appreciating Shake- ity of a Christ or Mohammed. aristocracy are the natural way speare lovers become rabid nut- speare has become a defining Just as religious heretics must be human beings organise them- jobs simply because I say I don’t cultural orthodoxy qualifying silenced and punished, so must selves and that there is no alter- particularly care for his work. you for membership of the mid- the heretical critics of Shake- native — a familiar trope. In middle-class, educated dle class? speare — hence my broken nose. This is, of course, deeply politi- society it’s perfectly accept- For a bourgeois cultural elite, cal and deeply reactionary. able to opine: “I don’t like the the more difficult a form is, the t’s interesting to note that But the cult of Shakespeare plays of Christopher Marlowe/ more useful it is in establishing the cult of Shakespeare as entirely dominates subsidised Harold Pinter/Jez Butterworth” elite credentials. the “special one,” rather theatre in Britain today, where or whoever, but to say: “I don’t The difficulty of Shakespeare than as one writer in the we we fund the Royal Shake- like the plays of Shakespeare” is is not due to intellectual or Icanon of English literature, speare Company, the National to condemn oneself as an igno- philosophical complexity — he CULT? The Globe Theatre in London Pic: Sourav Niyogi/CC developed simultaneously Theatre puts on Shakespeare ramus and cultural Philistine. wrote for a largely illiterate, with the development of the and every rep theatre in the land It is simply not acceptable for popular audience — but rather But that’s not where I’m com- ship of every line he ever wrote. British empire. puts on at least one Shakespeare anyone who claims to be edu- that his plays are written in an ing from. My aversion to Shake- People sometimes respond Crucial to the moral justifi- production a year and schools, cated or intelligent to say they obsolete form of English that is speare comes after reading and to such criticisms by claiming cation for the brutal imperial universities and colleges all do not care for the Elizabethan 450 years old. watching Shakespeare’s plays for that the beauty of Shakespeare’s conquest of half the world was mount endless productions. playwright. The willingness to work hard over 40 years. Using my own language overcomes these the idea that the British were an If drama plays a part in defin- Yet he wrote his plays nearly to appreciate the works of Shake- rational and critical faculties, other weaknesses and renders exceptional race whose moral, ing and redefining human soci- 450 years ago in an England that speare, despite the linguistic dif- I’ve come to the conclusion that them insignificant, even in the practical, creative and intellec- ety, how does putting on plays was a brutal and totalitarian ficulties, is what demonstrates they are massively overrated. “weaker” plays. tual superiority over other races that helped define the world 450 dictatorship, in which to incite your commitment to civilised Many are all over the place Apart from the fact that most meant they were destined to rule years ago help us today? the displeasure of the monarch middle-class values. in terms of any contemporary people don’t go to plays to hear the world. If the time, money and crea- could easily, and often did, end To say “I don’t like Shake- understanding of structure, poetry recited, this argument Surely a nation that could pro- tive effort that now goes into in your torture and execution. speare” is taken by middle-class plotting and characterisation. brings us back to my original duce the brilliance of Chaucer, performing Shakespeare were Concepts of equality before commentators to be a rejection Indeed, the majority of his plays contention that, beautiful Milton, Wordsworth and the put into new plays, we really the law, universal suffrage and of the authority of all the elite are relatively obscure because though this poetry may be, it is greatest writer in world litera- would be living in a new golden women’s rights as we know them experts, academics, theatre of this, with productions of written in an obsolete form most ture must be destined to great- age of the theatre. today were unthinkable. critics, dramaturges and artis- Shakespeare across the world people simply have neither the ness. Thus Shakespeare became Shakespeare also wrote in a tic directors who have declared dominated by only a handful of time nor the inclination to try a literary equivalent to Nelson or ■ Chris Jury is an award-winning very different version of English Shakespeare’s genius. It’s to con- the 37 works attributed to him. to make sense of. Wellington — an imperial hero, actor, writer and director. The co- than now, with many of the fess to not liking any cultural A dozen good and perhaps Yet if you find Shakespeare confirming Britain’s greatness. founder of the Tolpuddle Radical grammatical forms and indi- activity at all and to side with half-a-dozen great plays is a boring and unintelligible or It’s worth pointing out that Film Festival, he is a member of vidual words he uses no longer the plebs who would tear down pretty good record by any- find elements of Shakespeare’s the idea that the so-called clas- the TV committee of the Writers having common currency. This everything decent and civilised one’s standards, but it’s a more plotting or dramatic struc- sics of literature reveal “univer- Guild of Great Britain. This article makes the verse difficult to and replace it with wall-to-wall nuanced response to the writer’s ture weak or implausible, this sal human truths” is a denial of first appeared in Culture Matters, speak and very difficult for a X-Factor and super-hero films. oeuvre than the uncritical wor- apparently demonstrates not the political. In Shakespeare’s culturematters.org.uk Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 14 Thursday letters morningstaronline February 8 2018 @m_star_online

■ PEAKY BLINDERS Sexual freedom existed long before the 1960s

GRAHAM STEVENSON has provided an extremely help- ful service in drawing read- ers’ attention to the recent BBC series Peaky Blinders and of the true role and contribution of the character of Jessica Eden (M Star November 15 2017 and January 11 2018). MARCHING FOR THE NHS: Tens of thousands of people attended the demo I only started watching the latest fourth series and found ■ HEALTH SERVICE it OK as a drama, but was genu- inely struck by frequent refer- ences to the Communist Party Trump should stop talking and its then clear advocacy of proletarian revolution, the dic- such rot about our NHS tatorship of the proletariat and soviet power. ON BEHALF of all those who In this country, we do not I was amused and can’t help marched last Saturday in have 28 million people without but question Graham’s con- defence of the NHS, its employ- health insurance and therefore tention in his article that the ees and its service users, I would without healthcare — unlike in dramatisation was somehow at like to say to Donald Trump the United States. fault for assuming “the 1920s ADVOCATING REVOLUTION: Jessie Eden’s character in Peaky Blinders is played by Charlie Murphy that he simply does not know The NHS may not be as good working class held a sophisti- what he is talking about when as the Cuban system, but it is cated sexual knowledge, val- There is a contemporary in each month, and there were has not changed very much in it comes to matters general and far better than the US-based ues and tastes not dissimilar assumption that sexual free- a wide range of other means for hundreds, probably thousands, the NHS especially, and that we market model. to those of today.” dom and activity only hap- preventing conception or ending of years. are proud that despite its flaws So do shut up, Donald, and We can be in danger of think- pened from the 1960s with an unwanted one. The notion What has changed are “offi- and shortcomings, the NHS is stop talking such bull. ing we are the most liberated and the invention of the contracep- that frequent sexual activity cial” public attitudes and “moral- today the most cherished public PHIL BRAND experienced generation to date tive pill. Absolute nonsense of was deterred is absurd. ity,” which we know are always service in Britain. London SW17 and that previous generations course. If you talk to people and hypocritical and false, and were inevitably more straight- For thousands of years, women observe the popular culture of designed to demonise, oppress laced, ignorant and constrained, have known when they were fer- previous times and epochs, it is and control the working class. and were “less at it,” than we are. tile and at risk of unwanted preg- obvious that the total quantity ANDREW NORTHALL ■ STAR REDESIGN nancy for a relatively few days and content of sexual activity Kettering New look will make our paper even more invisible in newsagents ■ YOUR PAPER I AM afraid that I must agree Plus the loss of the red with the letter from Alex star really adds to my wor- Give Star redesign a chance Gordon (M Star February 5) ries about the direction that in being extremely disap- the paper is taking — there DESIGNING or redesigning any and he’s wrong, or vice versa: So I do think we shouldn’t pointed with the new layout seems to too much sucking- kind of publication is usually such aesthetic verdicts are rush to judgement about the of the Morning Star, especially up to the Labour Party and a pretty thankless task — not always necessarily subjective. new design. I’m sure there’ll be the front page. a danger of losing its dis- least because anyone who’s These things work at an a healthy debate about its pros The new masthead seems to tinct identity that I have ever done this as part of a unconscious as well as a con- and cons on this letters page, be designed to make our paper always admired. working group will know that scious level, and changing a and appropriately so. so indistinct as to be almost Unfortunately, this new reaching consensual unanim- publication’s public-face iden- Let’s all give it a chance and invisible in a newsagents. design only strengthens ity is virtually unheard of. tity in this way is a massive then see how we feel about it It looks like a cheap leaflet my concerns. Contra Alex Gordon (M Star undertaking. It will surely in a month or so. knocked up by someone at PAUL RUTLAND February 5), I like the new take some time before a clear RICHARD HOUSE home on their laptop. Rochford design. I’m not saying I’m right view emerges about it. Stroud

GRAHAM STEVENSON explores the Star’s online archives 80 YEARS AGO TODAY... ■ SYRIA We must give the YPG our support An uplifting tale of the aircraft workers’ fi ght for fair pay THE Daily Worker of February Thus, “95 per cent of the men, num- inspection department — came out, in its fi ght against Isis and Assad ■ 8 1938 reported the strike of bering about 900,” answered the call. “leaving not a single productive worker workers at the Stag Lane factory of Arriving at Stag Lane in motor in the factory.” YOU reported that the YPG YPG is right to seek to continue the De Havilland Aircraft Company coaches, cars and many have “rejected a Syrian offer its positive relationship with You can Shop stewards at Napier’s in Edgware, who had come out in other kinds of vehicles, read editions of Aero Engine works, Acton, last week of protection in Afrin the country. support of fellow employees at the strikers from the Hat- and Percival Aircraft, in return for restoring govern- The YPG is an autonomous the Daily Worker Hatfield plant who had struck some field works cheered the (1930-45) Luton, declared all De ment authority there” (M Star and genuine representative days before, when management men as they left work.” and Morning Havilland embargoed January 23). force of Syrian Kurdistan, Star (200 0-today) attempted to pay a worker under the Some unions had , online at for the duration. Since This is hardly surprising which bravely fought Isis and agreed hourly rate. moved swiftly. The mstar.link/DWMSarchive the latter was almost since the YPG has been fight- needs our continuing support, The shop stewards’ committee at Amalgamated Society Ten days’ access costs exclusively engaged ing for a decentralised co-oper- Russia must use its influence Stag Lane had reached deadlock with ative society which defends the of Woodworkers just on subcontracts for De to ensure the development of the company in talks over the mat- recognised the strike, £5.99 and a Havilland, this meant an rights of women and ethnic a genuinely democratic and ter, so had promptly called on their and one of the union’s year is £72 almost complete stoppage minorities. federal Syria in which Syrian members to carry out the decision they organisers announced there. Social events, such as Bashar al-Assad’s govern- Kurdistan has full autonomy. had already agreed at a mass meeting, that it would pay part of the dancing, darts and football, ment has a record of torturing Thanks for doing your best to should the company fail to confirm cost of a strike headquarters for were being planned, with a “Scot- and massacring its opponents, ensure proper coverage of these that there were no plans for an all- as long as necessary. Everyone “on the land v England international match on the YPG is correct to distrust complex issues. round reduction of agreed rates. clock” — even the highly privileged the strikers’ ground.” him. CHRIS PURNELL For all the US’s faults, the Orpington morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline Thursday @m_star_online sport February 8 2018 15

n MEN’S FOOTBALL COMMENT Moyes has done a great job at keeping West Ham competitive PAUL DONOVAN believes the current Hammers boss is making the best out of a bad situation and needs to be backed in the summer for the club to progress

HE reputation of transfer window rather than from selling the old Boleyn The manager replaced Joe other manager at the club in move to the London Stadium, West Ham United strengthening it. Manager ground, which has now been Hart with Adrian after the the past seven years. the team on the pitch has took another David Moyes was putting on demolished with flats rising latter put in an excellent dis- So things are progressing largely gone backwards. A Tknock recently a brave face on the dealings, up on the site. play against Manchester City. on the pitch. The fans have team that very nearly got into with the reported insisting he was happy with Moyes and his management The former England stopper been disappointed at the the top four of the Premier derogatory comments of the situation. team have done a remarkable has remained on the sidelines lamentable exits from both League in 2015-16, the last sea- director of player recruit- However, Moyes repeatedly job since they came in at the ever since, with the manager the FA and League Cups, but son at the Boleyn ground, has ment Tony Henry about not said during the window that beginning of November. The sticking by his decision. maybe this should not come sunk down the table in the signing African players. he did not want to lose play- manager has shown an ability Moyes has also got the as too much of a surprise, two seasons since. The club dealt quickly with ers and needed to add two or to shuffle the pack of players best out of defenders Angelo given the manager was given A home like the London the incident, suspending, three more. available. He has asserted dis- Ogbonna and Arthur Mas- a brief to keep the club in the Stadium demands a top-six then dismissing Henry for Amazingly, when the £20m cipline among the players and uaka until the latter’s spitting Premier League. football team, but to achieve the comments. net gain that West Ham have improved fitness levels. incident saw him suspended Hopefully things may that goal the owners need to The incident followed got from this transfer window A recent example of the for six games and fined change next year if the club reach into their pockets and quickly on the heels of what is put along side the £20m net strict disciplinary code £50,000 by the club. are under less pressure in the make money available to the many fans considered to be a spend in the summer, the club adopted came recently when One of the most pleasing top flight. manager to get the new play- less than satisfactory month has laid out absolutely noth- Michail Antonio was left elements of the Moyes period Moving forward, West Ham ers he requires. of dealings in the transfer ing since the January 2017 out of the match day squad in charge has been his will- should survive in the league, No club stands still in the window. transfer window closed. because he turned up late for ingness to give young players though there will no doubt be top flight, failure to improve a The net result was the sign- Given this situation, the a team meeting. a chance. While a shortage of some ups and downs along the squad usually means struggle ing of Joao Mario on loan work of both Moyes and The former Everton and players has to a degree forced way. The club has a great tradi- and, in many cases, relegation. from Inter Milan and the Slaven Bilic before him need Manchester United manager his hand, the manager should tion for managing to snatch West Ham have been lucky £10 million signing of Jordan to be viewed in a particularly has got the team melding still be congratulated for his defeat from the jaws of victory. to have two such good man- Hugill from Preston North positive light. together well. He has trans- fearless attitude to giving the The hope must then be that agers recently who have been End. Meanwhile, Andre Ayew For the owners, the cash formed Marko Arnautovic, likes of Declan Rice, Reece Moyes and his team are given able to survive on at times returned to Swansea for £20m cow that is West Ham United who made an inauspicious Burke, Josh Cullen, Reece the long-term contracts and meagre resources. while Diafra Sakho joined at the London Stadium con- start to the season following Oxford, Domingos Quina money backing in the trans- Let’s hope the owners will Rennes for around £10m. tinues to give. The club sell his move from Stoke. Now, and Toni Martinez a chance fer market to take the club on. back Moyes in the summer From a fans’ perspective 57,000 tickets for most home he is a fans’ favourite, scor- to show what they can do. It is a sobering thought for with a new contract and the it looked as though the club games. TV money is going ing six goals in a seven-game Moyes has probably given West Ham fans that, while the funding he requires to make had actually weakened their through the roof, not to run recently before being hit the youngsters at West Ham financial standing of the club West Ham into that top six playing pool as a result of this mention the money made by injury. more of a chance than any may have advanced with the team. Thursday SPORT February 8 2018 INSIDE: Paul Donovan assesses David Moyes’s record n men’S FOOTball n TennIS Nastase has suspension SANCHEZ TO AVOID cut for Fed Cup abuse

ILIE NASTASE had his ban for his conduct dur- ing Romania’s Fed Cup JAIL OVER SPANISH tie against Great Britain marginally reduced on appeal yesterday but his fine doubled. The two-time former grand slam champion, who was captaining the Romania side for the TAX-DODGING World Group II play-off in Constanta last April, was sanctioned for a number of offences by United player sentenced to 16 months and £500,000 fine the International Tennis Federation. by ben Cowles player in the Premier league. Those included mak- His exact salary is legal TROuble: ing a racist remark about unknown, but former boss Alexis Sanchez Serena Williams’s child, MANCHESTER uNITED Arsene Wenger has hinted inappropriate behaviour striker Alexis Sanchez was that Sanchez could be paid towards GB captain Anne sentenced to 16 months in more than £600,000 a week Keothavong and verbally prison yesterday for commit- at his new club. abusing Keothavong, ting tax fraud in Spain, but Sanchez is the just latest Johanna Konta and match will not serve any jail time. highly paid sportsperson to officials. Prosecutors said the be embroiled in tax-dodging. The 71-year-old was 29-year-old had been handed Barcelona’s lionel Messi initially banned from two eight-month sentences was found guilty last sum- attending any ITF events, for evading tax during his mer of defrauding the Span- including Fed Cup and time at Barcelona. ish treasury of €4.1m (£3.6m) Davis Cup, until the end of The new united signing from 2007-9. 2018 and from holding any will not go to prison as first- The Spanish state also official positions until the time offenders avoid jail if found the Argentinian guilty end of 2020. the sentence is less than two of stashing his money in tax His bans will now end years. havens in Belize and uruguay. on April 23 2018 and Sanchez reportedly The Paradise Papers leak 2020 respectively, but his stitched up a deal with revealed last year that For- fine has been doubled to prosecutors, having been mula One world champion $20,000 (£14,000). accused of defrauding the lewis Hamilton avoided Spanish treasury of €1 mil- paying taxes on his £16.5m lion (£900,000) and hiding private jet by using a scheme SPORT ON TV the income he made from developed in the Isle of Man “image rights” between 2012 which allows the super-rich n CYCLING: Dubai Tour — Eurosport and 2013. to reduce VAT bills to zero. 2 9.30am. The Chilean forward will Paris Saint-Germain mid- n DARTS: Premier League Darts — have to pay back that figure fielder Angel Di Maria and Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports plus interest, along with a former liverpool and Barce- Action 7pm. fine of €590,065 (£523,000) lona defender Javier Mascher- n SNOOKER: Snooker Shoot-Out — and will not receive tax ano have both been convicted ITV4 11.45am, 6.45pm. breaks in Spain for two years. in Spain of tax evasion in n WINTER OLYMPICS: Curling — Eurosport 2 11.30am, Figure Skating The striker left Arsenal for recent years, while Cristiano — Eurosport 1 1am (Fri), Eurosport 1 united last month and is now Ronaldo is currently fighting 2.30am (Fri), Ski Jumping — Eurosport thought to be the highest-paid alleged tax fraud charges. 1 11am, Freestyle Skiing — Eurosport 2 12.55pm, Alpine Skiing — Eurosport 2 1.50am (Fri), Curling, mixed doubles — Eurosport 1 4.30am (Fri). n men’S Rugby league TODAY’S TIPS McGuire ‘excited’ about Leeds return at Elland Road Farringdon’s Doubles by Our Sports Desk to ongoing development work. school, but it’s a good club with defeat by Wakefield, deserves a ReCKleSS enDeaVOuR “It’s good that it’s out of the a really good set of lads. “brilliant” reception from the Chelmsford 8:00 (nap) way so early and I think it’s a “I’ve enjoyed the different leeds fans and McGuire still COuRT aFFaIRS Hull KR half-back Danny bit easier with it being at Elland training I’ve been doing and clearly has a strong bond with Towcester 1:50 McGuire is delighted his home- Road rather than Headingley,” I’m enjoying the challenge. the club. town return will be at Elland McGuire said. “I wanted to carry on play- “I left on brilliant terms,” said Houseman’s Choice Road and that is only partly due “That would have been a ing and I felt a new challenge McGuire, who also won three WeSTeRn RyDeR to his love for leeds united. tough one, to go into the away would refresh me and it cer- World Club Challenges and two Huntingdon 2:15 McGuire spent 22 years with changing rooms, but I’m look- tainly has. I feel I’ve still got a Challenge Cups with leeds. leeds Rhinos and made more ing forward to it. I’ve always lot left to give.” than 450 appearances before enjoyed playing there. It’s a fan- McGuire is set to go up Published by the People’s Press MSTAR 2018-02-08 THU 1.0 bringing it all to a fitting close tastic venue and, being a leeds against 14 of the players he Printing Society Ltd, William Rust by leading them to an eighth united fan, there’s something helped guide to Grand Final House, 52 Beachy Road, Bow, 0 6 London E3 2NS. Telephone: (020) Super league title in October. to be excited about.” glory with a man-of-the-match 8510-0815. Fax: (020) 8986- The 35-year-old then joined McGuire says he has settled performance against Castleford 5694. Email: enquiries@peoples- promoted Rovers on a two-year in well after a nervy start. at Old Trafford. press.com. Registered with Companies House as Morning Star contract and faces an early reun- “It’s not been that difficult to Rhinos coach Brian McDer- (incorporating the Daily Worker) ion with his old teammates today. be honest,” he said. “The first mott says the former England No N5559. Printed by trade union But the round two game will couple of days were a bit daunt- half-back, who made his Rovers labour at Trinity Mirror. COmebaCK: Dany McGuire not be played at Headingley due ing, a bit like your first days at debut in their opening-round Thursday February 8 2018 9 770307 175244