Management Threatened Lecturers with Huge Legal Bills If They Continue with Action

PAGE 10 SACK ESTHER McVEY: HOW TO UNSEAT A TORY THEATRE: THE ALMIGHTY

FOR PEACE AND SOCIALISM SOMETIMES IS STUNNING AND ACUTE PAGE 13

£1 Tuesday February 20 2018 Proudly owned by our readers | Incorporating the Daily Worker | Est 1930 | morningstaronline.co.uk CITY UNI BOSSES ‘BULLIED STAFF INTO BREAKING STRIKES’ Management threatened lecturers with huge legal bills if they continue with action

STAFF at City, University of by Conrad Landin some universities are choosing London, accused management Industrial Reporter to take a hard-line approach yesterday of bullying them into to try and bully staff into not breaking the national lectur- joining the strike action over ers’ strike by threatening to pensions. lumber striking workers with “This is utterly counterproduc- huge legal costs. tive and, in our experience, treat- Students being charged sky- ing staff with such contempt high tuition fees at a number of only hardens their resolve. universities have called for their “Instead of threatening strik- institutions to compensate them ing staff , university leaders for lost contact hours. should be focusing their eff orts At City, more than a thousand on getting [management] back students are thought to have to the negotiating table to sort signed a petition demanding a out this dispute.” rebate of £1,295 for the Univer- The potential of compen- sity and College Union (UCU) sation claims could give the 14-day strike over pensions. union more leverage as it battles College management wrote to changes to lecturers’ pensions. staff yesterday, telling them that But student campaigners striking lecturers “may be per- have said the debacle dem- sonally liable for any damages” onstrates the extent to which if sued by students. higher education has become “Individuals choosing to take Legal sources said it was marketised in Britain. part in this industrial action doubtful that such lawsuits National Union of Students will need to be aware that City could succeed. executive member Amelia Hor- reserves the right to join an indi- “It’s a fairly classic approach gan said the government and vidual member of staff as a party to try and scare off strikers,” university bosses “have waged to any claims for damages made one lawyer said. “Whether a concerted campaign not just against City that have arisen as they’d ever get off the ground to turn to our universities into a result of non-performance of is questionable.” businesses but to turn students their duties, for example, claims UCU general secretary Sally into consumers too.” SCOTLAND: SNP NEEDS TO ACT ON POVERTY from students,” the memo said. Hunt said: “Unfortunately, Turn to page 5

PAGE 4 PROTEST: AT THE BAFTAS PAGE 6 IRAN: CRASH SITE FOUND Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 2 Tuesday news morningstaronline February 20 2018 @m_star_online

■ POULTRY CRISIS

DISAPPOINTED: Union slams KFC ‘cock-up’ Demonstrators outside the Rolls Building in central London over chicken delivery failures yesterday, when Transport Secretary Chris Grayling won a A “BIRD-BRAINED” delivery KFC this would have con- High Court injunction banning contract was roasted as “an sequences. Well now the “unlawful protest activities” by absolute cock-up” by public chickens are coming home environmental campaigners opposed to the HS2 rail line sector union GMB yesterday to roost. running through a woodland after hundreds of KFC res- “It’s an absolute cock-up. area of Hillingdon, west taurants were forced to close. KFC is left with hundreds of London The fast- restaurants food chain c l o s e d shut 750 of while DHL its 900 out- try and run lets across the whole Britain after operation running out out of one of chicken. d i s t r i b u - The GMB tion centre blamed the where con- shortage on ditions are s w i t c h i n g an utter from distri- shambles. bution fi rm “ K F C ’ s Bidvest Logis- b i r d - tics to DHL b r a i n e d last week in d e c i s i o n a bid to save has caused money. u n t o l d T h e misery to “penny- customers, p i n c h - to Bidvest ing” switch w o r k e r s not only cost 255 Bidvest jobs and restaurant staff who and the closure of a depot are not being paid. but leaves hundreds of work- “Now they’ve been left ers at closed KFC restaurants with egg on their face.” not getting paid, the union DHL said it is working to argued. rectify the situation and GMB national offi cer Mick apologised for any incon- Rix said: “We tried to warn venience.

he ■ SEXUAL HARASSMENT T BE IN IT TO WIN IT Upskirting victims club ‘as young as 10’: Just £5 A MONTH gives you the opportunity to win Campaigners call the £501 JACKPOT. Increase your chances of winning by taking out membership in multiples of £5. The club pays out 17 prizes each month, from £25 to £501. for criminalisation THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO SUPPORT YOUR PAPER. by Our News Desk By becoming a 501 Club member you are helping the Morning Star cover its printing, distribution and CAMPAIGNERS are calling for staff costs. “upskirting” to be criminalised he DON'T as the fi rst fi gures ever to be T published on the voyeuristic ANGER: Police told Signup form MISS OUT! practice reveals victims tar- Gina Martin (right): b geted are as young as 10. ‘There’s not much clu Equality groups and politi- we can do’ My name is: cians joined victims to urge the My address is: government to make upskirting — taking photos up the Postcode Telephone: skirts of unsuspecting people Email: — “an eff ective criminal law” higher, given the diffi culties Merseyside Police said there Please pay the Cooperative Bank PLC, Islington Branch, sort code 08-92-99 for the credit of the alongside other sexual off ences. in police being able to log and were 12 crimes recorded, all PPPS – 501 Club, account number 6510-7317 the sum of: £ in words: No specifi c law exists cur- investigate in many cases. involving women. Four of the each month until further notice and debit my account accordingly. rently to ban it and police are One force, Avon and Som- alleged victims were children. forced instead to try to lump it erset Police, had six records Offi cers said that because My account number is: My sort code is: under other criminal off ences of upskirting including two upskirting is not a specifi c Standing order start date: Signature such as outraging public against girls aged 10 and 14, but off ence under Home Offi ce To the manager (include bank name, address and postcode): decency. the cases didn’t progress due to counting rules for recorded Offi cial police stats published insuffi cient evidence. crime, data was retrieved by

yesterday showed that 78 inci- Dorset Police had one case means of keyword searches. DON’T SEND THIS FORM TO YOUR BANK. PLEASE MAIL IT TO: dents were reported in two of a man allegedly seen taking Locations included public years, with just 11 resulting in images up the skirt of a 16-year- spaces such as nightclubs and 501 Club, William Rust House, 52 Beachy Road, Bow, London E3 2NS suspects being charged. old. The suspect was identiﬁ ed, restaurants. You must be 16+ to join. Registered Small Lottery London Borough of Tower Hamlets Reg No. 2708. Campaigners said the true but there were “evidential dif- Durham University’s profes- number is likely to be much ﬁ culties.” sor of law and sexual violence morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline news Tuesday @m_star_online February 20 2018 3

■ UNDERCOVER POLICING 15 YEARS LATER, SPYCOP IS LIVING WITH ACTIVIST Police officer ‘Christine Green’ mingled with hunt saboteurs and animal-rights activists

AN UNDERCOVER copper is by Conrad Landin tion Squad, which infiltrated deployment finished and still in a romantic relation- numerous left-wing cam- stayed in touch with some ship with an activist she was paigns, trade unions and animal rights activists. They sent to monitor more than 15 environmental groups. later moved to Scotland, years after her deployment in 2000. The activities of the SDS where a Guardian journal- ended. Animal rights campaigner and other undercover units ist visited them last year. Mr The officer, who used Paul Gravett, who was also are the subject of a public Frampton declined to com- the “cover name” Christine key to the unmasking of inquiry that has still to start ment at the time. Green, has lived in remote spycop turned Tory council- hearing evidence after the They are thought to have parts of Cornwall and Scot- lor and former deputy police government set it up in 2015. moved again since then, but land with anti-fox hunting commissioner Andy Coles, Police files on covert oper- their current whereabouts campaigner Tom Frampton, said he had known Ms Green ations have been destroyed are unknown. the Guardian reported yes- during her deployment. since the probe was estab- [email protected] terday. She became friends “She had quite a seri- lished, and victims of police with Mr Frampton during her ous and aloof personal- spying have accused the deployment. ity although she could Met of trying to wreck the Ms Green is the first be friendly to people she inquiry’s progress. female officer known to have wanted to know,” he told the The inquiry is expected had a long-term relationship Guardian. to release several more with a campaigner. It is not Activists said Ms Green cover names used by known at what stage she helped manage the finances infiltrators today. revealed to her boyfriend of the campaign group Lon- Police officers regularly that she was a police spy. don Animal Action and was adopted the names of HAVE YOUR SAY! Like other officers from also involved in deployments dead children with the Write (up to 300 words) to the Metropolitan Police’s of hunt saboteurs across same given names as their or elite undercover squads, she south-east England. own. [email protected] by post: 52 Beachy Rd, said she was going abroad She was reportedly a mem- Ms Green lived in Cornwall London E3 2NS when her deployment ended ber of the Special Demonstra- with Mr Frampton after her MORNINGSTAR ONLINE.CO.UK The socialist news hub

■ RAIL PRIVATISATION FAILURES ■ INDUSTRIAL James Connolly expert Clare McGlynn said & The Re-Conquest of Ireland there “are few public places Jobs at risk as where women are free from Pressure builds this abuse.” Author John Callow provides She said: “The government’s Russell Hume the fi rst critical reappraisal continuing failure to provide of Connolly’s last major work an eff ective criminal law over East Coast goes into using a wealth of original against upskirting breaches documents and photographs. women’s human rights. by Alan Jones “Chris Grayling, put tax- administration In Connolly’s 1915 work the “We are entitled to protec- payers and passengers fi rst. great revolutionary grapples tion from degrading and abu- Don’t give Virgin Trains East HUNDREDS of jobs at Rus- with questions of nationhood, sive treatment, whether offl ine A PETITION calling for the Coast a free ticket to ruin sell Hume are at risk after women’s rights and political or online, and we are entitled East Coast Mainline to be our railway. Bring East Coast the meat supplier crashed and economic democracy in a to have our privacy in public brought back into public into public ownership now.” into administration yes- way that resonates today. respected. ownership will be handed to Rail union RMT general terday following a food NOW “We are also entitled to a the government today. secretary Mick Cash backed hygiene probe. TWO-THIRDS law that is fi t for purpose, a Activists will hand in the petition, saying: “The The Food Standards OFF £5 (WAS £18!) + £3 p&p law that treats this abuse as the 29,000-strong petition privatised East Coast Main- Agency launched an inves- Call (020) 8510-0815 a form of sexual off ence and to the Transport Depart- line has failed the travelling tigation into the Derbyshire- that provides anonymity to all ment in London, calling on public and it has failed the based fi rm last month over complainants. Chris Grayling not to “bail workers who operate it. an alleged “serious” breach “Only then will victims feel out” the Stagecoach/Virgin “There are RMT members of food hygiene rules. more willing to come forward franchise. on the job today who have Major customers includ- and report to the police and Transport Secretary Mr gone from British Rail to ing JD Wetherspoon and CONFESSIONS OF support prosecutions.” Grayling said earlier this GNER, to National Express, Jamie’s Italian ended their by Richard Campaigner Gina Martin month that Stagecoach to Directly Operated contracts as a result. A TERRORIST Jackson said she spotted a man upskirt- would continue running the Railways, to Virgin/Stage- Administrators KPMG said ing her at the British Summer London to Edinburgh line for coach and who are now left 266 people had been made Time festival last year, but, “a small number of months,” wondering who their sixth redundant, with 36 staff In a claustrophobic concrete when she reported the incident but the government may step employer will be in little remaining to help wind cell, two men face each other to police, she was told: “There’s in to run the service. more than two decades on down the company, though across a bare table. One is a not much we can do.” The Campaign group this vital section of Britain’s all workers are expected to wanted terrorist, the other End Violence Against Women We Own It petition accuses rail network. lose their jobs eventually. a British intelligence offi cer. coalition’s Sarah Green called Stagecoach and Virgin of fail- “Today’s petition called The FSA said last month But as the violent secrets are for the law to be “urgently ing, saying: “Chris Grayling for a simple and sensible that it had become aware revealed, the line between examined” in this area. says he will give in to their solution. End the fi xation of hygiene issues at Russell interrogator and confessor Women and equalities select demands and bail them out to with the spivs and specula- Hume following an unan- begins to blur. committee chairwoman Maria the tune of £2 billion. tors from the private sector nounced inspection of its Miller said it would consider “East Coast was run suc- and bring the whole lot Birmingham site. “A book that’s too important whether the “horrifi c crime of cessfully in public ownership back in house, on a perma- In a statement, the com- not to read.” – Morning Star upskirting” should be included from 2009 to 2015 after the nent basis, with immediate pany directors said the FSA in a further inquiry into sexual last private company failure eff ect.” had created “impossible £9 £8.10 + £2.70 postage and packaging [email protected] harassment. but then it was reprivatised. trading conditions” for the | [email protected] business. shop.morningstaronline.co.uk (020) 8510-0815 Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 4 Tuesday news morningstaronline February 20 2018 @m_star_online

■ SOCIAL MEDIA Disabled victims of online abuse still failed by Twitter by Will Stone are unacceptable on Twitter’s and Facebook should be a valu- 2,000-word rules, yet Twitter able tool for disabled people to claims that this mention pro- take part in everyday conversa- TWITTER is still failing disa- vides enough of a disincentive tions, but hate-fi lled language bled victims of hate and abuse to abusive comments against keeps many away. 10 months on from a promised people with disabilities. “It has become so common review, campaigners warned However, the charity warns that it barely raises an eye- yesterday. that the menu omission mas- brow and this situation has to Disabled users of the social sively reduces the chance of change. media site still don’t have any disabled people taking action “Platforms like Twitter have way of fl agging up disability against the hateful language to give us the tools we need to hate speech, said charity Mus- they may encounter. protect ourselves from hate cular Dystrophy UK. Twitter agreed in April 2017 speech and adding disability Abusive tweets based on at a public meeting at London to its ‘report tweet’ function someone’s race, religion, City Hall to look at how disa- is an easy starting point.” gender or orientation can be bled people can report abusive Disabled People Against Cuts reported instantly using a drop- comments, but there has been activist Linda Burnip said: “The down menu in which disability no visible change to the process situation on Twitter refl ects is not given as an option. since then, Muscular Dystrophy the attitude towards disabled There is only a single men- UK argues. abuse across society, where dis- tion that hateful comments The charity’s Lauren West ability doesn’t seem to matter about someone’s disability said: “Platforms like Twitter that much.”

■ LABOUR PARTY ■ INDUSTRIAL Labour kicks out activist New Usdaw for anti-semitic remarks president in LABOUR activist Tony Green- Labour’s national constitu- stein has been expelled from tional committee (NCC) found call to resist the party following allegations that all three charges of a of anti-semitism. breach of the party’s rule 2.1.8 zero hours Mr Greenstein was sus- by Mr Greenstein were proved. pended in 2016 after he was A Labour spokesman said: SHOPWORKERS must accused of making off ensive “The NCC consequently deter- “stand up to the compa- comments, including the use mined that the sanction for nies we work for” and of the term “zio.” the breach of Labour Party fi ght to end zero-hour He was expelled at the rules will be expelled from contracts, newly elected weekend following a discipli- membership. Usdaw president Amy Mur- nary hearing, which had been The party declined to make phy said yesterday. delayed for health reasons. further comment. Tesco worker Ms Mur- phy said she would “continue to challenge the union leadership and the bosses” as the shopwork- ■ DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BILL Choose from loads of fantastic Don’t forget we ers’ union’s most senior products in the Morning Star have lots more lay offi cial. books, CDs, Ms Murphy, who has posters, T-shirts served on the Usdaw execu- BAFTAS RED CARPET ONLINE and much, much tive for six years, is a member of the Socialist Party more on your and the union’s Broad Left SHOP online shop: faction. She was seen as being to shop.morningstaronline.co.uk the left of her opponent OCCUPIED BY ‘TIME’S Barbara Wilson. Usdaw general secretary John Hannett said: “Con- gratulations to Amy on her election and I look for- UP, THERESA’ DEMO DAVID ROEBUCK ward to working together 16.1.1946-3.2.2018 to strengthen our union, improve workers’ lives and SISTERS UNCUT: Feminist group says legislation will criminalise survivors Died peacefully in St Catherine’s Hospice deliver for our members.” aged 72 years. He paid tribute to outgo- FEMINIST protest group Sis- by Will Stone report abuse to police, as in ing president Jeff Broome ters Uncut crashed Sunday the recent case of a rape victim Much loved husband of Maria, father of and said the union would night’s Bafta fi lm awards to call being detained and threatened Alexander, Steven and Jon. “pull together to ensure “Time’s Up” on Theresa May. with deportation. the union continues to Donning “Time’s Up, consultation in Parliament, is The group also highlighted Friend and comrade. Son in law to recently be a strong voice for our Theresa” T-shirts, activists lay designed to bring in tougher the recent case of Katrina deceased Annetta Zavalis — together members.” on the red carpet in protest at sentences and “deliver more con- O’Hara, who was murdered planning the revolution. Mr Hannett, who is set the Prime Minister’s imminent victions” for domestic violence. when police took her phone to David’s funeral service will take place on to retire, will be succeeded Domestic Violence and Abuse However, Sisters Uncut investigate her violent partner. Wednesday 21st February 2018, 1pm at by his deputy Paddy Lillis. Bill, which they argue will warn it will leave survivors of Research by the Prison criminalise survivors. domestic violence “locked up Reform Trust found that more St. John’s Minster, Church Street, Preston, Inspired by the global Time’s in prison, locked out of refuges than half of women in prison PR1 3BT. HAVE A STORY? Up campaign against sexual and locked in to violent rela- are survivors of domestic vio- All enquiries to Co-op Funeralcare, Email us: harassment, they chanted: “The tionships” as police investigate lence, who, activists argue, 55 Liverpool Road, Penwortham PR1 9XD. news@ DV Bill’s a cover-up, Theresa victims. should have received support peoples-press.com May, your time is up.” They warned survivors face not jail sentences. Tel: 01772 748244 The Bill, which is still under much greater risks when they Suzanne Da Costa, a domes- morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline news Tuesday @m_star_online February 20 2018 5

■ SCOTLAND Lib Dems face election spending probe by Our News Desk The Liberal Democrats have rator Fiscal Service concluded ing rules” and it had waited insisted that all spending was in October 2017 that no pro- till Police Scotland had fi n- “apportioned correctly,” mak- ceedings should be taken at ished “investigating potential THE elections watchdog has ing it clear the party has “full that time following a “full breaches of candidate spending launched a probe into the Scot- confi dence that there is no sub- and careful” look at the cir- rules” before opening its own tish Liberal Democrats’ spending stance to this complaint.” cumstances of the case. probe. in the 2016 Holyrood campaign. Scottish prosecutors Mr Cole-Hamilton, who is A spokesman for the Scottish The Electoral Commission announced four months ago the Scottish Liberal Democrat Liberal Democrats said: “This is confi rmed it had received a that no action was being taken health spokesman, fought the a classic SNP tactic when they complaint and was now looking against a Liberal Democrat MSP Edinburgh West constituency have lost an election. at whether the party’s return after Police Scotland conducted but was also a candidate on the “Last year they wasted 13 was “true and accurate.” an investigation into his cam- party’s list for the Lothians months of police time with It is understood the investi- paign spending. region for Holyrood. their complaint about the elec- gation will consider whether Alex Cole-Hamilton won the The Electoral Commis- tion in Edinburgh Western and spending was correctly attrib- Edinburgh West seat from the sion said it was “responsible the police found there was no uted between the party and the SNP by 2,960 votes in May 2016. for investigating potential case to answer.” candidates. The Crown Offi ce and Procu- breaches of the party spend- [email protected]

■ FRONT PAGE University ‘bullied its staﬀ to end walkouts’

FROM P1: Ms Horgan, who represents postgraduate students on the executive, said City was “deploying classic divide-and- rule tactics” in its email to staff . “First we saw the implicit suggestion that students should receive compensation for can- celled lectures on strike days,” she told the Star. “Then, having held down pay and repeatedly raided staff pensions, management at one institution is threatening to make lecturers person- ally liable. While this is highly dubious legally, it’s a disgrace- ful attempt to blackmail staff into breaking the strike. “But it does highlight just how broken our higher education system is. Students and lecturers — and the many post- graduates who are both — need to stand together and fi ght for free, liberated and accessible education.” Independent analysis com- missioned by UCU suggests high-paid lecturers could lose FOR ART’S SAKE: Darktown Turbo Taxi, a Saab 9-3 customised by Jonny Hannah and unveiled at Yorkshire as much as £200,000 a head in Sculpture Park yesterday, is seen behind Caldera by Tony Cragg, which is on display there until March 24 their retirement as a result of the pension changes. As the pensions battle heated up yesterday, Theresa May announced a review of post-18 “Our critics were convinced that the Daily Worker was a education, but Labour accused Mad Hatter scheme, and we were somewhat amused when her of kicking her problems the Daily Herald rang us up on the fi rst day of our into te long grass. appearance to know if it were true that the Daily Worker The Prime Minister admitted was not coming out again …” tic violence helpline worker have been slashed by almost it was “clear” that Britain did who took part in the protest, a quarter, resulting in 1,000 not have “an education system said: “Imagine calling the women and children being at all levels which serves the police for help and ending up turned away by refuges over needs of every child.” She was in a police cell. a six-month period, according criticised for failing to acknowl- “It’s incredibly traumatic to the Bureau for Investigative edge that her own govern- and a story I’ve heard too often Journalism. ment’s trebling of tuition fees The paper’s fi rst editor tells the from survivors. Sisters Uncut’s Ana Kaur, had exacerbated the problems rollercoaster story of its “We shouldn’t be giving the who took part in the protest, in higher education. early years, from the police more power. We should said: “We are in solidarity with Reiterating Labour’s pledge Great Depression to the be giving power back to sur- the Time’s Up campaign. to abolish tuition fees, shadow Attlee government via vivors.” “As well as calling Time’s Up education secretary Angela Cable Street and World War II The group also claim the Bill on individual perpetrators, we Rayner branded the review is a “dangerous distraction” have to call Time’s Up on our “an unnecessary waste of time.” from devastating funding cuts government for failing to pro- Th university did not respond £8 + £2 p&p to domestic violence services vide us with real options and to a request for comment before shop.morningstaronline.co.uk nationwide. support.” the Star went to press. Since 2010 refuge budgets [email protected] [email protected] 020 8510-0815 Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 6 Tuesday world morningstaronline February 20 2018 @m_star_online

n IRAN in brief Crash toll corrected to 65 as Death sentence for Isis adherent teams reach mountain site IRAQ: A Turkish woman was sentenced to death on Sunday and 11 other women by Our Foreign Desk ago after being grounded for international sanctions on received life behind bars for seven years. Tehran in exchange for curbs involvement with the Isis Press TV said search teams on its nuclear enrichment pro- terror group. IRANIAN search-and-rescue reached the crash site before gramme, allowing Iran to pur- The women, who were teams have reached the site dawn yesterday. chase planes and parts. all arrested after their hus- of a plane crash that authori- The station said the weather The country has since signed bands died resisting Iraqi ties say killed all 65 people on had improved, though it was deals to buy tens of billions forces retaking Mosul and board, Iran’s Press TV reported still windy. of pounds worth of new air- Tal Afar, claimed they had yesterday. Transport Minister Abbas craft, but US President Donald been duped or forced to join The Aseman Airlines ATR- Akhoundi, who joined the air Trump’s refusal to recertify the their husbands in Iraq. 72 went down on Sunday in search, said the cause of the deal has injected uncertainty Only the woman sen- foggy weather, crashing into crash was still “not clear.” into those sales. tenced to death said she had Mount Dena in a remote area Iran was banned from buy- The plane had 59 passengers travelled willingly, although of southern Iran. The airliner ing necessary plane parts and six crew members, the later expressing regret. said all on board Flight EP3704 for years because of Western state-run IRNA news agency were killed, including six crew sanctions over its nuclear pro- reported late on Sunday, lower- members. gramme. ing the initially reported death Wolves’ comeback The aircraft was brought The 2015 nuclear accord toll of 66. DIFFICULT TERRAIN: Search-and-rescue team in southern Iran back into service only months with world powers lifted [email protected] plan: 500 by 2023 FRANCE: Environment Minister Nicolas Hulot n EQUATORIAL GUINEA n FRANCE presented a plan yesterday to bolster wolf numbers despite shepherds’ Legal wrangling over Obiang Mangue case complaints about attacks FRENCH lawyers tried to million (£26.50m) sus- The country would then Chile calls for on their flocks. convince the International pended fine. argue that Mr Obiang Wolf numbers are set Court of Justice (ICJ) yes- Mr Obiang Mangue, who Mangue has immunity from to increase from 360 to terday that it has no juris- did not attend the trial, prosecution because of his 500 by 2023, while farm- diction in a corruption denied the charges and position as vice-president. Salamanca’s ers will be given financial case already completed in defence lawyer Emmanuel French representative help to protect their live- France. Marsigny accused France Francois Alabrune told the stock, using fences and Equatorial Guinea Vice- of meddling in Equatorial court that those arguments dogs, and will be allowed President Teodoro Nguema Guinea’s domestic affairs. were “wholly artificial.” extradition to cull 10 per cent of the Obiang Mangue was con- The west African country At a preliminary stage population a year. victed by a Paris court in has been trying since 2016 of the case in The Hague, October of embezzling pub- to invoke international the world court ruled that by Our Foreign Desk have been orchestrated by his lic money worth millions conventions on diplomatic it appeared to have juris- accomplice in the Guzman kill- Gupta hunt may of pounds, handing him relations and organised diction, but it will prob- ing, Raul Escobar Poblete, aka a three-year suspended crime to give the ICJ juris- ably take months to reach CHILE will press France to Comandante Emilio. involve Interpol prison sentence and a €30 diction. a final decision. extradite former guerilla He is thought to have fled Ricardo Palma Salamanca, who to Mexico, leaving last year SOUTH AFRICA: Authorities was arrested on Thursday after when Mr Escobar Poblete was may call on Interpol to 22 years on the run. arrested, to go to Cuba and track down members of Mr Palma Salamanca killed France, where he was arrested the shadowy billionaire senator Jaime Guzman, a top on Thursday on a street in Gupta family, the alleged adviser to fascist former presi- Paris. puppet-masters of dis- dent Augusto Pinochet, in Chilean Supreme Court graced former president 1991 in an ambush on his car. judge Mario Carroza said he Jacob Zuma. He also kidnapped Cristian had been detained in France Police Minister Fikile Edwards, the son of the owner last December but was released. Mbalula said in an inter- of El Mercurio newspaper. Chile’s Independent Demo- view on Sunday that the He was a member of the cratic Union, the party founded anti-corruption investiga- Manuel Rodriguez Patriotic by Mr Guzman, welcomed the tion was focusing on India, Front (FPMR), the military wing arrest, saying current leader China and Dubai. of the Chilean Communist Juan Antonio Coloma would Party named after the hero of visit France soon to speed up the country’s war of independ- the extradition process so he 17 killed in giant ence against Spain. can return and complete his Mr Palma Salamanca was life sentence. trash-heap collapse sprung from jail in a daring A court banned Mr Palma prison break in 1996. A helicop- Salamanca on Saturday from MOZAMBIQUE: At least 17 ter lowered an armoured cage leaving France, ordering him people were killed yester- into a high-security Santiago to attend a police station every day when heavy rains prison into which he jumped day. The extradition hearing caused a rubbish heap in with three other FPMR mem- is expected to take place next Maputo to collapse. bers to freedom. month. Part of the Hulene rub- The escape was thought to [email protected] bish mound, which had reached the height of a three-storey building, n BOLIVIA fell onto nearby houses n Dynamite ‘to blame for carnival blasts’ UNITED STATES in the deprived district. TWO DEADLY blasts that rocked Mr Romero said officials were The second blast, on February Trump backs gun-law sop Stop to killings carnival celebrations in Bolivia trying to work out who planted 13, occurred only a few yards were caused by dynamite, Inte- the dynamite, six-and-a-half away, killing four people. DONALD TRUMP backed plans about a bipartisan Bill designed GAMBIA: President Adama rior Minister Carlos Romero pounds in both cases, and why. Sixty people were injured in for strengthened federal gun laws to strengthen the FBI database of Barrow announced a mora- revealed on Sunday. On February 10, the explosive the two attacks. yesterday in the wake of the latest prohibited gun buyers. torium on the death pen- The explosions earlier this was placed near a gas canister Mr Romero said police had US school shooting. Police named 19-year-old Niko- alty to Independence Day month in the southern city of on the cart of a food vendor, found a small piece of dynamite Press secretary Sarah Hucka- las Cruz as the man who shot crowds on Sunday, calling Oruro were originally thought who was killed along with in a hotel bathroom in Oruro, bee Sanders said the president dead 17 people. He reportedly had it the “first step towards to have been caused by explod- four members of her family which is in a mining area where spoke on Friday to Senator John links to white supremacist groups abolition.” ing gas canisters. and three other people, he said. the explosive is widely available. Cornyn, a Texas Republican, and bought his gun legally. morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline world Tuesday @m_star_online February 20 2018 7

■ SYRIA ■ ISRAEL-PALESTINE Journos seek INVADERS BLITZ SYRIAN TOWNS protection for Palestinian TO STOP ARMY REACHING AFRIN colleagues MEDIA workers called on the European Parliament yester- Turks vow to press on with obliteration of Kurds as Damascus forces and YPG line up to ‘defend Syria together’ day to help end attacks on Palestinian journalists in by Our Foreign Deks of YPG volunteers through its Palestine and Israel. lines yesterday. The volunteers Representatives of the PREMATURE moved from Aleppo to bolster International Federation of TURKISH troops rained shells TRIUMPHALISM: A the defence of Afrin. Journalists (IFJ), its affi liate down upon northern Syria worker puts up a new Ankara made it clear that the Palestinian Journalists yesterday in a bid to deter sign, Olive Branch Street, any alliance would not stop its Syndicate (PJS) and the Fed- Damascus government forces named after Turkey’s Operation Olive Branch inva- eration of Arab Journalists from joining their erstwhile military invasion of sion aimed at wiping out the (FAJ) joined MEPs and diplo- Kurdish enemies to fi ght off north-west Syria, in the YPG, which Turkey considers mats to launch a PJS report street where the US Turkey’s invasion. an extension of the outlawed showing a huge rise in the embassy is sited in the Pro-Ankara and pro-Damas- number of violations of jour- Turkish capital Ankara Kurdistan Workers Party. cus sources reported heavy Turkish Foreign Minster nalists’ rights last year. shelling in and around the Mevlut Cavusoglu vowed to The report lists 909 media towns of Harbul, Maryamin, press on. “We have started an “violations” in 2017, up a Sheikh Issa, Tal Riff at and operation in Afrin in order third on 2016. It says eight Tarandah as well as numerous to get rid of the threat to our offi ces of three media com- villages along the main road national security,” he said from panies and two radio stations that leads from Syrian army- Jordan. “We still insist on this.” were forced to close down on held territory into Afrin. He said, if President Bashar Israeli military orders. State news agency Sana al-Assad’s forces were there Twenty-nine journal- reported hours earlier that Syr- to “clear [the area] from YPG, ists remain in Israeli jails, ian government forces would there are no problems,” but he including fi ve waiting to be enter the Kurdish-controlled warned: “If they support terror- sentenced and six in admin- enclave of Afrin “within hours” Senior Kurdish offi cial Badran Press: “The army will set up true,” he told Russia’s Sputnik ists, no-one will stop us.” istrative detention, accord- following an agreement with Jia Kurd told Reuters yesterday military positions in the border news agency. “We have repeat- Turkey has now arrested 786 ing to the report, while Face- the YPG fi ghters that control that government troops would area and the agreement is that edly stated that the Syrian gov- people for opposing its invasion book closed 158 Palestinian the area. be allowed along the border to the Syrian army and the YPG ernment army has not and will of Afrin, the Interior Minister accounts on Israeli request. Syrian troops and pro-gov- ward off further Turkish mili- will defend Syria together.” not enter Afrin. We will make announced yesterday. Ankara IFJ deputy general secre- ernment militia were muster- tary activity and would enter But Brusk Hasake, YPG an offi cial announcement if an considers any criticism of its tary Jeremy Dear told the ing in northern Aleppo yes- Afrin within two days. spokesman in Afrin, denied agreement is reached or the bloody invasion to be “terror meeting: “Media violations terday afternoon, reportedly And a Syrian Kurdish offi - that any agreement had been situation changes in any way.” propaganda.” are a systemic attempt to waiting for a green light to cial, speaking on condition of reached with Damascus. Nonetheless, the Syrian [email protected] silence the voice of Palestin- continue into Afrin. anonymity, told the Associated “The information is not army allowed two busloads Star comment: p8 ian journalists.”

■ SUDAN 80 bread protest prisoners released

by Our Foreign Desk in the jails of the dictatorship,” the party said, adding: “It is a clear sign that the regime is SUDAN has released more than targeting our party.” 80 prisoners locked up for tak- The SCP played the leading ing part in bread protests last role in organising the January month. protests, sparked by the ending President Omar al-Bashir of subsidies that has forced up announced the release on Sun- the price of bread and other day, according to his aide. necessities but with their The Sudanese Communist longer-term roots in decades Party praised the “steadfastness of International Monetary Fund- of the political detainees” and demanded free-market policies. the “pressure exerted by the Opposition parties said several solidarity movement inside and people were killed by the govern- outside the country” for forcing ment’s violent suppression of the the president’s hand. protests, while more than 300 It reported that prisoners were arrested in their aftermath. shouted: “Freedom, justice, SCP spokesman Fathi el-Fadl revolution!” as they walked out said: “We in the SCP, like the rest of Kober prison in Khartoum. of our people, pledge to continue The prisoners said they had the fi ght to topple the regime been subject to physical and and to demand the release of mental torture. all political prisoners.” Among those released were He said that, while the release Hanadi Fadl, a member of the of some detainees was “a victory SCP political bureau, several of for the solidarity movement,” all PALESTINE: The artist his poster entitled There is Woman films. In Decem- nobility in the face of oppres- the leaders of the Islamist Uma “fraternal parties and friendly behind the iconic 1968 a Real Wonder Woman was ber, Ahed was arrested and sion. This is a kid, a child … Party and women’s rights cam- organisations” should continue poster of Che Guevara has in reference to Israeli Hol- charged with assaulting I’m afraid they’re going to paigner Amal Habani. their eff orts to “demand the designed a poster for the lywood actor Gal Gadot — Israeli soldiers after they kill her. And that’s why I’m But many SCP leaders, immediate release of the SCP “real Wonder Woman,” who was a soldier in Israel had shot her 14-year-old doing what I’m doing.” including political secretary leaders and members still in the jailed Palestinian teen Ahed and has publicly denounced cousin in the face. The poster can be down- Muhammad Mukhtar al- hands of the dictatorial regime.” Tamimi. Palestinian rights — the Mr Fitzpatrick said: “Ahed loaded for free from mstar. Khatieb, are “still languishing [email protected] Jim Fitzpatrick said that star of the latest Wonder Tamimi, to me, signifi es link/TamimiPrint. Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 8 Tuesday features morningstaronline February 20 2018 @m_star_online

Star comment Voices of Scotland

WENTY years ago, when I was campaigning for Turkey has no right a Scottish Par- Tliament, I didn’t to invade Syria under envisage that it It’s long past time would be a vehicle to simply pass on Tory austerity — in fact, false pretexts I thought the exact opposite. It seemed at the time that the Scots had suffered enough TURKEY has no right to invade Syria in pursuit of “terrorists” under 18 years of a right-wing that the SNP took or to threaten Damascus if it fails to clear Afrin province of Tory government, in particular the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG). being used as guinea pigs for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s regime has been up to the hated poll tax. its neck in dirty deals with terrorists ever since, alongside It was thought that a Saudi Arabia and Qatar, assisting jihadist fightersto invade devolved parliament would Syria with the goal of overthrowing President Bashar al-Assad. allow resistance to the worst real action to Erdogan allowed Islamic State (Isis) to use Turkish terri- excesses of Tory cuts in future. tory for recruitment and training camps, hospitals and other The parliament we voted for facilities, allowing Isis fighters to cross freely into Syria. had tax-varying powers and If it were not for Russia’s intervention to assist Damas- now those powers are even cus — setting up S-400 and S-300 air defence systems and stronger and more effective, if updating the Syrian air force to provide cover for govern- only the current SNP Scottish ment ground troops and its Lebanese, Palestinian, Afghan government would use them to eradicate and Iranian allies — Syria’s secular state could already have their full effect. been history. With those new powers there Isis and other jihadists, while no longer a threat to the is even more opportunity to do state’s existence, still pose a military danger, but the com- things differently — to be radi- peting national interests of the Assad government, Syria’s cal instead of tinkering at the Kurds, Turkey and the US are the biggest complicating factor. edges and to begin to reverse poverty the damage of years of cuts in our communities. This Budget is particularly Turkey and the US are Nato partners, but they are at dag- important as it’s an opportu- gers drawn over US backing for the YPG in northern and nity to use the new tax bands eastern Syria. Russia and Syria are historic allies, but Moscow to begin to reverse the public- is cosying up to Turkey, selling it similar S-400 air defences sector cuts. to wean it away from Washington. It’s important to councillors Russia’s air force has, on occasion, provided weaponry and who have already seen services air cover to YPG anti-Isis operations but has urged the Kurds reduced and it’s important to against erecting a US-backed statelet in Syria, pointing out this council staff who haven’t had would concentrate hostility from both Ankara and Damascus. a decent pay rise for years Syrian government co-operation in allowing YPG fighters and who have watched as col- through its lines to fight Turkish forces in Afrin may be fol- leagues’ jobs disappear and lowed by Damascus asserting its sovereignty over the enclave they have to take on more and resisting Ankara’s invasion. duties. That will require a united Kurdish position rather than And it’s important to the Childhood poverty is on the rise – the disparate voices heard so far. Kurdish autonomy within a people of Scotland who depend unified Syrian state is the optimum basis on which toresist on our public services, who a territorial carve-up by either Turkey or the US. directly suffer from cuts to so why won’t the SNP government those services. Whether it’s a reduction in learning support in schools, pot- act, asks ELAINE SMITH Greenstein’s real crime holes in our roads, loss of a meals service for elderly or closure of community centres, libraries living in relative poverty in holds with children are being live in a household where at is anti-zionism and swimming pools, we are all 2015-16. pushed into poverty. least one adult is in work. affected by a cuts Budget. That’s nearly 260,000 chil- Low wages, insecure employ- THERE was a certain inevitability that the first Labour Party Now is not the time for the dren, and it’s 40,000 more than hat’s why a coali- ment and zero-hours contracts member to be expelled on charges of anti-semitism would SNP to be timid with its tax the previous year. tion of charities, mean that work doesn’t always be a Jewish anti-zionist. plans. It should use the powers Forecasts also show that up faith groups and provide a route out of poverty The party’s national constitutional committee (NCC) insists of our parliament for a fairer to 100,000 more children will trade unions back and, when wages are lower than that Tony Greenstein has been expelled for being abusive to Scotland. be living in poverty in Scotland Tthe Give me Five expected, parents are often pro-zionist Labour Party members and it is incontestable that Scottish Labour’s alterna- by 2020. campaign, which forced to use foodbanks or rely he is unlikely to have a future in Britain’s diplomatic service. tive Budget is fully costed and The SNP government has urges the Scottish government upon vicious payday loans. Greenstein’s real crime, however, is anti-zionism, which based on progressive taxa- introduced a Child Poverty Bill to use the new powers to top up Since child benefit is a uni- is unpardonable for those in Labour and further afield who tion because, as socialists, we which provides a framework child benefit payments by £5 versal benefit, a £5 top-up defend Israel’s half-century brutal occupation of the West believe in the redistribution of and sets targets for reducing per week. Research shows that would provide a stable and Bank and its illegal colonisation policies. power and wealth to eradicate child poverty, but it isn’t good doing this would lift 30,000 reliable source of additional There has been a concerted effort in recent years, tokeds the obscenity of poverty in a enough to trot out targets with- children out of poverty. income for families. largely from outside the party but encouraged by some within rich country. out a proper and effective plan Scottish Labour’s Mark Grif- The eradication of child it, to smear Labour — and particularly leader Jeremy Corbyn This is the first Budget of of action to achieve them. fin MSP has lodged amend- poverty should be a priority — as soft on anti-semitism. Richard Leonard’s leadership Since, by definition, a child is ments to the Social Security for any government that calls It is an unjust charge, but right-wing opponents of Corbyn and he has been very clear living in poverty if the house- Bill to make this happen. itself progressive and the SNP have run with it as means of undermining him. about stopping the council hold income is insufficient to It was costed in our Budget Scottish government could use Divisions within the Jewish community about attitudes cuts, delivering a fair pay rise meet the child’s basic material plans, but the SNP government its taxation powers to meet the to zionism are nothing new and are often expressed in very to all public sector workers, needs, the Scottish government is resisting it. cost of topping up child benefit. harsh terms. putting more into our NHS and should understand that the This top-up would fund a After 10 years in office it’s Is Greenstein’s use of the word “zio” towards those he beginning to address poverty most immediate and effective nutritious breakfast every day, shocking that the SNP won’t opposes more objectionable than describing a Jewish anti- through a child benefit top-up. way of lifting children out of a good-quality winter coat or use the powers of the Scot- zionist as “anti-semitic?” It’s long past time that the poverty is to directly raise fam- taking part in a school trips. tish Parliament to their full His expulsion, after a two-year suspension, does not augur SNP took real action to eradi- ily income levels. This would help to prevent chil- extent to redistribute wealth well for the fate of other anti-zionist Labour Party members cate poverty — in particular, Under the Tories, child ben- dren being hungry, cold or left and power, eradicate poverty facing similar charges. child poverty — and the ine- efit payments have risen just 2 out of school activities. and create a fairer Scotland for It will delight Israeli politicians pursuing colonialist quality that underpins it. per cent since 2010-11 and have It’s an extremely effective the many. expansion against Palestinians but will dismay those who, The Scottish government’s not changed at all since 2015. way to reduce material depri- Scottish Labour undoubtedly in common with Corbyn, have backed the peaceful boycott, report on poverty and income Coupled with the increased vation for all households that would if in government. divestment and sanctions campaign against Tel Aviv in sup- inequality tells us that, after cost of raising a child, this is are struggling. port of Palestinian national rights. housing costs, 26 per cent of part of the reason that ever- Some 56 per cent of children ■ Elaine Smith is Labour MSP children in Scotland were increasing numbers of house- in Scotland who live in poverty for Central Scotland. morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline features Tuesday @m_star_online February 20 2018 9

HE marketisation of education is not a new conver- sation. The UCU The university system Tstrike, a strike over lecturer pension cuts, is dominating the news. Debate about interest e rates on student loans and their is failing the poor disproportionate consequences for low-income students are also very current. The hugely inflated rates of New guidance from a body that pay for universities’ highest k management has also been an ongoing discussion for many supposedly seeks to widen participation years, even more so following the discovery that 95 per cent of vice-chancellors have been seems to be disregarding the security involved in setting their own salaries. As tensions rise over these and safety of its poorest students, writes various issues, indicative of a system crumbling under the BETHANY PICKERING weight of neoliberalism, it is easy to miss smaller changes that nonetheless have a devastating impact on working- class students. Particularly when these changes are made under the progressive veneer of widening access. In 2016, Sajid Javid, secretary of state for business, innovation and skills and minister of state for universities, sci- ence, research and innovation Jo Johnson sent a directive to Office of Fair Access (Offa) director Les Ebdon. Largely, the directive said what one would expect to see from the government to this kind of body. There were mentions of closing the Bame attainment gap and reaching out to mature students. These are positive changes in higher education, regard- less of how dubious they may be coming from a Conservative government. A small but significant part of this directive, however, focused on financial support for low-income students. It stated that “we want you to be firmer with institutions to ensure their investment is allocated to the most effective Although evidence does ods encouraged by this body no evidence of low-income interventions, encouraging suggest that the financial sup- appear to disregard matters students in receipt of the bur- more investment in outreach port individual institutions such as mental health and sary dropping out more than and other activities and less on offer doesn’t have a significant ability to participate in extra- higher-income students. financial support. effect on university choice or curricular activity, especially Whether this is because of “Outreach inspires students the choice to attend university, with regard to a likely drastic the bursary seems not to have into higher education and max- it also found that a third of stu- change in work-study balance. been considered. Many are now imises the numbers reached.” dents report negatively on their Even the evidence it has calling for the student union to Here we see the beginning of wellbeing due to the financial used to monitor drop-out rates take direct action against the what may become a huge prob- burden of meeting rent and is pre-2012, when tuition fees university, including protests lem for working class students. basic survival costs. were just a third of what they and occupations, to demon- Since then, Offa, a body It found that excessive work- stand at now and grants were strate the opposition of the with the power to restrict ing hours, debt and lack of still part of the student finance student population to these universities from charging access to family support were structure. dangerous changes. full tuition fees as well as fine highly negative on the wellbe- At Queen Mary, University A new campaign group, them or deduct grants, has ing of students. of London, the bursary restruc- QM Students Against Bursary been demanding that higher It also stated that financial ture will come into effect this Cuts, is encouraging students to education institutions justify burden had been a key reason September. attend the student union’s “all their financial support spend- that many low-income students A high proportion of low- members meeting” in order to ing using “robust evaluation” had considered dropping out, income students can expect to mandate the student union to and evidence. with research indicating that lose half or even all the bur- support this direct action. This evidence, however, is students want more cash sup- sary they would have received It seems likely that we will not nearly as clear-cut as Offa port to tackle these issues. if they began their course in see more campaigns like this would have us believe. Ultimately, this new guid- the 2017-18 intake. springing up over the coming In fact, it seems that the ance from a body that suppos- Although a minimal increase years. only evidence that the body edly seeks to widen participa- was made to the bursaries for Although bursary restruc- has considered is whether or tion seems to be disregarding students with parental incomes tures are happening unevenly not it affects students’ decisions the security and safety of their under £15,000, this represents across higher education, Offa to enter higher education and poorest students. such a small minority of the does not appear likely to relent whether it affects the univer- Very little evidence is avail- student population that the from pressing universities into sity choice they make. able as to whether reducing restructure shows a marked lowering bursaries and we will It’s easy then to see how bursaries will affect the grades redirection of funds away from soon be seeing what effect this these reforms may be seen achieved at university by low- financial support. has on a significantly affected through the damning lens of income students. Their justification reflects working class student popula- marketisation. The new evaluation meth- Offa guidance — they found tion. Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 10 Tuesday features morningstaronline February 20 2018 @m_star_online How to unseat a Tory MP

RichaRd house (Rh): i think we all Richard House talks to ALEX McFADDEN about the successful Sack Esther n have a lot to learn about community organising and activism from the McVey Campaign of 2015 and the new campaign to unseat her in Tatton successful sack esther McVey campaign that you spear- headed in the 2015 general election campaign. can you tell us what you think were the decisive factors in your campaign’s success? Alec McFadden (AM): The 2015 campaign to unseat McVey was fought on a number of fronts. First — and I’m speaking frankly here — there was the hatred local people felt towards her, particularly those with disabilities who had either lost their disability benefits or who’d had them reduced when McVey was the disability minister. Next, there was the local TUC in Wirral, which organised against benefit sanctions. Third, there was a brilliant publicity campaign, partly fed by McVey’s own outrageous statements made both inside and outside Parliament — McVey was completely divorced from real people’s experience on the ground. We launched the campaign at the Open Golf tournament in July 2014 in Hoylake, with banners, stickers, many activists, and last but by no means least — a 10-foot inflatable rat. I negotiated with the Mer- seyside Police to have our campaign spot opposite the Sack Esther McVey Again, and Rh: a final question. do tect their own, and try to save golf club entrance, which was it has developed very quickly you think that the sack them from electoral humilia- also, as it happens, in close — in less than a month — in McVey campaigns to date tion. proximity to the local Con- terms of a strong and expe- might prove to offer a kind The new campaign is of servative Club. rienced national steering of “campaigning template” course a continuation of the Next, our campaign was committee — a team of wide- for unseating Tories all over trade union and communities excellently organised, fed by ranging experts working as a the country? Perhaps with response to the attacks on the great campaigning ideas and collective that includes trade Momentum’s campaigning welfare benefits system by the imagination. unionists, Labour councillors involvement? Tory government. Of course we also did the and DPAC activists, with social AM: I do think there’s a In 2015 we succeeded in usual bread-and-butter things, media activity developing well model to be followed here, sacking McVey, and showed like leafleting in the local com- and a new bank account that’s which is centred around com- the power of the organised munity, including a special eve- now open for campaign dona- munity involvement, with community backed by trade of-poll “Sack McVey” leaflet. tions. trade union funding, support unionists. We also had the crucial sup- OUSTED: I’m taking the campaign from left Labour nationally, Tory Prime Minister Theresa port of John McDonnell, and a McVey into Tatton itself on Febru- and by doing everything pos- May has shown both total arro- brilliant Labour election candi- loses her ary 19, where I’ll be address- sible not to split left-wing and gance and foolishness in bring- date, Margaret Greenwood. And Wirral West ing their CLP meeting about anti-Tory votes. ing McVey back, and to an even sunny weather on polling day seat in 2015 the campaign. We also have A note of caution, however. higher position than previously helped too. a new campaign song coming In the week of the 2015 general in the government. For the record, after two out on February 5, the very election, Wirral MBC Election So our aim is not only to Sack recounts our excellent can- makes things happen rather Tatton (Cheshire) seat is that, day when McVey will face Department informed me that Esther McVey Again and bring didate overturned the Tory than spend time documenting in the 1997 general election, parliamentary questions as the Commonwealth Parliamen- down the nasty Tory govern- majority of 2,500, winning by the results, like many activ- prominent BBC journalist DWP minister. tary Association UK Assessment ment, but also to create alter- over 400 — much against the ists, I think. In this campaign, Martin Bell stood as an inde- It’s interesting that the Team had decided to monitor native welfare and disability national swing. So we clearly despite winning and sacking pendent candidate, with Tatton Tories are now back-pedalling the West Wirral election and policies for an incoming Labour had an effect — and a decisive McVey, Labour lost the general then one of Britain’s safest Tory on their disability legislation’s campaign, and they requested government. one, as it proved. election, Ed Miliband resigned, seats. discrimination against people to meet me. There’s lots more I could say and I was then immediately Sitting MP Neil Hamilton with mental health or learn- We duly met, and I answered n Alec McFadden is convener — enough for a book, actually! involved in helping Jeremy to (now of Ukip) was engulfed ing difficulties, with a massive their questions. They looked at of the Sack Esther McVey Again — but that’s the essence of it. get elected. in sleaze allegations and the review just announced. our election campaign materi- campaign, the press officer of Labour and Lib Dem parties Could our high-profile cam- als, including leaflets and stick- Salford TUC and Salford Unison Rh: in retrospect, was Rh: can you now tell us stood down to give Bell a clear paign have had at least some ers, and they then visited the branch officer. Richard House is there anything about this about the new campaign to run. He was duly elected with marginal effect on this? And/or voting stations on polling day, a Corbynista activist in Stroud, campaign you’d like to unseat McVey as dWP minis- a majority of over 11,000 votes, is there now an attempt to sell and attended the count and two Gloucestershire. have changed — any mis- ter? how is it looking so far, overturning a 22,000 Tory a softer, more cuddly McVey? recounts. takes made, or anything you in terms of support, ideas, majority, the first successful Finally, we are currently I point this out because it n Donations towards the might have done that you and fundraising? and do tell independent MP since 1951. looking for a new independent seems clear they were trying to campaign would be gratefully didn’t think of at the time? us also about the historical So when it comes to unseat- candidate to challenge McVey find some technicality to stop received. The bank account AM: My only real regret is background to McVey’s Tat- ing MPs in seats where votes at the next election, and promi- McVey losing — and of course name is Sack Esther McVey — that we’d have liked to have ton constituency returning are weighed rather than nent NHS supporter Professor they failed to find anything. Again, account no 20353180, made a full record of the cam- an independent MP back in counted, Tatton certainly has Stephen Hawking has been But we mustn’t underesti- sort code 60-83-01. See also goo. paign and the victory at the the 1990s. encouraging form. mentioned by many. Watch mate the lengths to which the gl/kzMcmX for a crowd-funding time. I tend to be someone who AM: The background to the The new campaign is called this space. Establishment will go to pro- donation option. morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline features Tuesday @m_star_online February 20 2018 11

EVOCATIVE: New York and (left) Chicago, pictured in the 1950s

Chris Searle on jazz

John Jenkins Young Jenkins: 1957 Quintet Sessions (Fresh Sound FSR CD931) A ﬁery musical talent A STRANGE jazz life was that of the alto saxophonist John give ample testimony of his Jenkins’s effusive solo almost opus, is the final track, begun Jenkins. Born in Chicago fiery talent and musical skill. leaves the ground and levitates by a succession of deep, deep in 1931 he went to Du Sable The first was a Prestige New as he spins out his patterns of notes from Ware before High School, which had an Jazz album in July with Jordan, sound and a much more gruff Jenkins lays bare the lyricism extraordinary music teacher pianist Bobby Timmons, who Jordan keeps up the almost of his horn and offers citations called Captain Walter Dyett played on some of the great- hectic pace until Jenkins comes from English Country Gar- who tutored some of the most est albums of Art Blakey’s Jazz back for more. den, from Rudy Van Gelder’s powerful saxophonists of the Messengers, the booming Chi- Blue Jay, another Jenkins famous studio in Hackensack post-bop epoch, including cago bassist Wilbur Ware and New Jersey. Johnny Griffin, Sun Ra’s great Mingus’s favourite drummer, Jordan is beautifully elo- tenor horn John Gilmore and Dannie Richmond. quent and Timmons adds his Clifford Jordan. Off they go with a Jordan gospelly notes while Ware’s Much influenced by the Char- composition, Cliff Edge, with bass walks beside him. lie Parker sound and Parker’s the two horns in unison before It’s the end of a fine session disciples Jackie McLean and Jordan’s terse-toned chorus and Captain Dyett would have Sonny Still, Jenkins gigged for grips the quintet and Ware’s been proud of his two boys. several years around Chicago earthy bass holds it all together. A month later and Jenkins before moving to New York in Jenkins’s keen alto shapes was back in the same studio March 1957 where he very soon more pliable phrases until recording for Blue Note. found himself playing in the Timmons’s soulful notes come This time there was still Mingus band. loping in. Richmond, but Sonny Clark Within a few months he had The ballad Tenderly shows was the pianist, the bassist was been picked up by major jazz Jordan’s more tranquil side “ Paul Chambers of Pittsburgh record producers at Prestige, before Ware digs deep in his and the featured guitarist the Savoy and Blue Note labels solo and Jenkins’s alto almost Everything I young Kenny Burrell of Detroit. and two of the albums that he sings as you hear the words in They swing niftily into Cole made are featured on this Fresh his soft tones. Have Is Yours is Porter’s From This Moment On Sound reissue, Young Jenkins. Princess is a cheerful Jenkins with Jenkins in full radiant fet- Everything I Have Is Yours theme with all members excel- His virtual disappearance tune and the writer takes the tle and Burrell strumming an is blown with full balladic ling. As it ends and you hear from the New York jazz scene first solo, imbued with sun- blown with full interval. beauty by Jenkins as if it were the urban Chicago sound of was almost as sudden as his shine and optimism which Clark plays a punchy chorus the last dance and Burrell’s his blues-baked timbre, you ascent and by 1962 he had bade seems to affect Jordan as he balladic beauty and Burrell’s fleet fingers pick incisively gentle notes add to wonder about the life and tal- the life farewell, working as a comes sauntering in, full of out a very rapid solo. the serenity. ent of the mysterious Jenkins messenger in Manhattan and fluency and a sense of hope. by Jenkins as if Jenkins’s first composition is Sharon is another Jenkins and why that one single year a stallholder in street markets, Timmons’s keys skip into his Motif, which his horn explores tune and its open, groovy of exposure in the jazz centre only reappearing as a busker in chorus. with a full assurance, Burrell theme gives Burrell in par- of the world didn’t launch him the late ’80s and briefly recon- It was trombonist Julian it were the follows, ever-inventive, spark- ticular a foundation for some into a life of music. necting with Jordan before his Priester who wrote the very ing Clark to formulate a bluesy brilliant lines of invention. Who knows? At least we have death in 1993. lively Soft Talk heralded by a last dance theme before Chambers’s danc- The album’s final track is this brilliant recorded legacy to And yet these 1957 albums Richmond roll. ing bass marks out its way. Burrell’s Blues for Two, a pacy remember and celebrate him. Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk Tuesday morningstaronline 12 February 20 2018 info | entertainment @m_star_online

WEATHER OUTLOOK Fighting Fund days 9left TODAY NEXT FEW DAYS Eastern England will Generally dry and YOU’VE RAISED: WE NEED: remain cloudy and be- bright through the rest come windy on Tuesday of the week, but turn- with rain, drizzle and ing increasingly colder hill fog. Elsewhere, dry with frost and patchy £8,846 £9,154 and bright with plenty freezing fog. Brisk east- of sunshine and a cool erly winds will develop breeze, slowly easing. across the south from Thursday. AN IMPRESSIVE £846 came £20 sends in the message that sent in a very generous £200 Standing orders put on a through our door yesterday, help- she hadn’t met Dawn or Ivan but — “a a bit of cash to remember mighty show yesterday with ing to smooth out the bumpy — had “wonderful convo on the tel- those who have left us.” They £293.50. Well done all. but necessary — road to socialism. ephone. Splendid to have known won’t be forgotten. Many thanks to a regular CONTACT US We’ve received some very two such exceptional people. Thank you also to the com- supporter in South Yorkshire kind messages along with Happy memories.” We couldn’t rades for their donation of £15 who sent over a very generous your generous donations so we agree with you more, comrade. with the wish that it was £150. £100 — we appreciate all the GENERAL ENQUIRIES CIRCULATION thank you all for those. We are grateful to the sup- Well, needless to say, £150 hard work you do up there for William Rust House Bernadette Keaveney With a pang of sadness we porter who also sent in £30, would have been splendid but our paper, comrade. And also 52 Beachy Road, [email protected] thank those of you who donated with condolences to Dawn and £15 is just as appreciated. Times to the donator for their tenner. London E3 2NS on behalf of our comrades Dawn Ivan’s family and many, many are tough so every single little Onliners stumped up £148. [email protected] CAMPAIGNS and Ivan. A reader who donated thank yous to the reader who penny helps. Excellent work all round! (020) 8510-0815 Calvin Tucker (Mon-Fri 10am-5pm) [email protected]

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DAILY SUDOKU Expert TV preview with Ann Douglas

Alamet’s Crosswordsare ﬁ endish fun on Saturday

Yesterday’s sudoku

Solution tomorrow… Final episode of fl y-on-the-wall QUIZMASTER with William Sitwell fl atpack doc looks to Indian future CATCH Brit skaters Penny South Korean women in their and why, Hollywood kept the TODAY’S QUESTIONS Coomes and Nicholas Buck- twenties have gone under the lid on his criminal behaviour land taking to the ice at the knife. for decades. Winter Olympics 2018 (8pm, It’s the fi nal episode of Flat- Or dive straight into ecclesi- 1 What did Jeremy Corbyn BBC1). They hope to snag med- pack Empire (9pm, BBC2) so astical clashes with historian describe as ‘a force for a more als in the ice dance free dance sit back and enjoy national Simon Sebag Montefi ore who equal society’? competition, which is basically favourite Olivia Colman narrate races through the roots of ballroom dancing on blades, so behind-the-scenes activities at Istanbul in Byzantium: a Tale of 2 A museum in Tampere, fewer jumps and death lifts but Swedish furniture giants Ikea. Three Cities (10pm, BBC4). Yes, Finland, is about which fi ction- more fancy footwork. This show’s warmth comes it’s a rerun but worth watching al characters created by a Coomes has just about recov- from the unintentionally sweet as Montefi ore tracks the city’s Finn? ered from a shattered knee-cap moments caught between staff , transformation from small back in 2016, which will defi - there’s a change of room-sets fi shing village to the eastern 3 Positive meniscus and nitely make for a nerve-racking in Wembley and, in line with capital of the Roman empire. planoconvex are types of watch. the company’s £1.3 billion And fi nally, a bit of radio what? And while South Korea is expansion into India, a group comedy mixed with evolution- busy hosting the Winter Olym- of excited Indian journalists ary psychology courtesy of Sara pics, it’s interesting to see the visit ‘Ikea Town’ in Sweden to Pascoe: the Modern Monkey YESTERDAY’S ANSWERS country stands atop another fi ll their plastic blue bags. (6.30pm, BBC Radio 4). This 1. If you were an entomomaniac, what would 3. Which is the only property on the British kind of podium: plastic surgery. If you can bear hearing fi rst episode covers the grisly you be interested in? Insects. Monopoly board worth £400? Mayfair (the Surgeons and patients disclose more skin-creeping details subject of murder as stand-up most expensive). their experiences in Plastic about Harvey Weinstein, this comedian Pascoe explores what 2. True or false: the swede and the oilseed Surgery Capital of the World timely documentary Working drives our darkest urges and rape are related. True. They even share the (10.45pm, BBC1) and explore with Weinstein (10pm, Chan- quashes the ad-driven stere- same latin name (Brassica napus). why a shocking 60 per cent of nel 4) will shed light on how, otype of the friendly meerkat. morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline Tuesday @m_star_online culture February 20 2018 13 n music review Eggscellent duo hatch another immaculate conception

The lovely eggs Is Eggland is launched at as Porky the Poet quips, banner (arts-emergency. building energy of the sort 100 club, london this gig, and what a gig. they’re “the only band to org). I last saw Linda Hayden HHHHH The Lovely Eggs’ music has have Lego on their rider.” Both he and The Lovely spooking up in Blood on bollocks. Young they are and pretty Eggs spit some fury at Satan’s Claw. Front-person Holly is a good too. our Tory overlords and in It works its way into the AMERICA’S Next Top Model woman and she’s got Boris It’s great to see this sense particular the dwindling sellout crowd and everyone (ANTM) is all looking Johnson’s in her pocket. of community. In proper opportunities for working is possessed. fierce and Tyra’s homilies. The band is from Lan- style, the tour has its own class people in the arts. New single Wiggy Giggy Despite its desperate cool- caster and they’ve been print fanzine and there’s The Lovely Eggs are is getting a lot of airplay ness, it never gets beyond showcasing Lancaster Music even a Tim Wells poem in going the right way about on the non-ANTM stations “industry” and safe. Co-op on their current it. it, doing their own thing, and that and its stomping For realness you need tour, with local writer Ian So much music today is doing it brilliantly and predecessor I Shouldn’t RuPaul’s Drag Race, where Marchant kicking off the industry, it’s inspiring to giving support to those Have Said That show that wit and intelligence strut night by launching his A see a band that sees the joy around them. the band know exactly it for all they’re worth. Hero For High Times about in craft. As for the music — cat- what RuPaul means when There’s both toughness the history of British coun- Not from Lancaster but egory is lo-fi psychey punk telling the kweens: “Don’t and heart and so it is with ter-culture. He’s doing it at a good egg, Porky the perfection. fuck it up.” music — the Lovely Eggs the right gig. Poet does a rousing set of They might just be Holly n This is Eggland is available bring realness. Co-op band Mr Ben and sparky poetry, standing (pictured)and David, but from thelovelyeggs.co.uk Their latest album This the Bens also play and, next to an Arts Emergency they fill the stage with a Tim wells n opera review n TheaTre review Outstanding rendition of a Mental health check Puccini classic A stunning new play on a young woman battling her inner from Welsh demons raises some acute questions, says PAUL FOLEY The almighty sometimes National Opera royal exchange Theatre, manchester Tosca temperature as she seeks to HHHHH millennium centre, cardiff/ find out who Cavaradossi was Touring speaking to in the church HHHHH before she entered. What S THE epidemic really fuels her jealousy is of childhood her suspicion that the he mental illness WELSH National Opera’s has based his painting of the threatens to opening night performance Madonna on Marchesa Atta- Aoverwhelm an of Tosca was sublime, with vanti, a regular churchgoer i n c r e a s i n g l y superb acting and singing and she entreats Cavaradossi tenuous NHS provision, Katy from Claire Rutter as Tosca, to change the woman’s blue Rudd’s production of Kendall Hector Sandoval as the eyes to brown as she exits. Feaver’s perceptive, shocking painter Cavaradossi and Mark Cue the arrival of one of and beautifully crafted play is Doss as the evil Baron Scarpia. opera’s all-time evil charac- timely and urgent. Giacomo Puccini’s tale of ters as Scarpia swaggers in. It not only unravels the love, lust, power and corrup- Seizing on the fan left behind severe impact of mental illness tion, driven by his divine by the fleeing jailbreaker, he on an adolescent on the cusp of music, gets a breathtaking realises that it belongs to his adulthood, it also reveals the start in the opening act set sister Marchesa Attavanti damage such a profound illness in the Sant’Andrea della Vale and uses it to fuel Tosca’s has on carers. church. There, Cavaradossi is jealously. Anna has carried her mental helping escaped political pris- Doss creates a true monster illness like a rusty anchor from oner Cesare Angelotti (ably but his aria, counterbalanced her early childhood. Renee, her sung by Daniel Grace) evade by the singing of the church frightened and anxious mother, the clutches of Scarpia and choir and townswomen, is tries to “edit” her daughter’s his secret police. beautiful. life by intervening and direct- Director Michael Blake- In the second act, Scarpia ing every important decision. more’s deft touch provides has Cavaradossi tortured to Now she’s reached 18, Anna some light relief in the heav- get Tosca to reveal Angelotti’s begins to wonder who she is — ily atmospheric church, with hiding place and Puccini’s maybe it’s time to stop popping

Donald Maxwell’s sacristan work takes on a contemporary the daily cocktail of chemicals Pic: Manuel Harlan providing a nicely judged relevance as Scarpia offers and set the real Anna free. balance of comic timing and to free Cavaradossi from his The alarmed Renee feels cast. Norah Lopez Holden every bone in her body. It’s a Sharon Duncan-Brewster gives beautiful singing in his duet death sentence if Tosca sleeps the need to step in. But both (Anna) is rapidly becoming a performance that should sweep a beautifully nuanced perform- with the Cavaradossi. with him. women are strong-willed and great actor. After a bravura the boards in this year’s acting ance as Vivienne, the psychia- The priest, suspicious of the This leads to one of the the inevitable clash irrevocably performance in Thornton awards. trist who Anna depends on as artist, thinks he may have greatest soprano arias in changes their fragile relation- Wilder’s Our Town at this The wonderful Julie Hes- much as the drugs to keep her republican sentiments and opera as Tosca sings Vissi ship. theatre last year, she delivers mondhalgh is perfect as Anna’s stable. be an enemy of the church, d’Arte — “I lived for my art, Feaver’s writing is extraor- an astonishing tour de force as frustrated and broken mother, Slightly aloof, she’s con- a refrain Scarpia echoes later I lived for love” — wondering dinary. Sharp, and without a the cerebral pendulum in her who flips from being appalled flicted by the need to be objec- in the second act. why, after all she has done, single wasted word, it creates head swings from charming at her daughter’s behaviour to tive at the same time as her But it is with Tosca’s God would abandon her. fully rounded and complex to hysterical, from the witty being overcome with her deep inner humanity recognises entrance that the opera really A wonderfully staged characters as it slowly opens a comic to paranoid manic, from love for the troubled girl. what a great person is buried comes alive. Her coquettish opera, well worth every one window on the reality of their sweetly loving to hate-filled Mike Noble as Oliver — a lad deep within her patient. attempts to act piously while of its five stars. difficult lives. vengeance. with his own issues who even- A magnificent play. Highly simultaneously flirting with Tours until April 20, details: Such great writing is She effortlessly moves you tually finds Anna too much to recommended. her lover Cavaradossi is a joy. wno.org.uk rewarded with outstanding from you wanting to hug and handle — is excellent as her Runs until February 24, box She ramps up the emotional DaviD NicholsoN performances from the entire laugh with her to shaking confused boyfriend, while office: royalexchange.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 14 Tuesday letters morningstaronline February 20 2018 @m_star_online n HYPOTHECATION n EUROPEAN UNION National insurance ‘United states of Europe’ has should fund pensions backing of many top Marxists i WELcOME Jerry Jones’s letter (February 16) on hypothecating Nick Wright (Letters Febru- said seriously — and to under- trotsky and other Bolsheviks Otto Bauer and Max Beer, sup- cannot do is claim any respect- a substantial share of income ary 13) tries to conjure up the stand what he said. rested on his fear of vapid ported the slogan of a united able Marxist heritage for it. tax revenue for the NhS. ghost of Lenin against the call it is true that, in August 1915, abstraction and grand ideals states of Europe. the first, sec- JiM DENhAM the other intelligent for a united states of Europe. Lenin composed an article enti- being counterposed to concrete ond and third internationals all Birmingham hypothecation proposed by As a general rule, i am tled On the Slogan for a United tasks and a realistic assessment propagated the slogan at vari- the tax review of the com- against conducting political States of Europe in which he of the balance of forces in a ous times. the only substantial munist Party of Britain (cPB) arguments by using quotes dropped his previous support given country. it was a purely and consistent opponent of the economics commission is for from the socialist “greats” for this slogan as an immediate, tactical difference. slogan was rosa Luxemburg, national insurance contribu- (often taken out of context) as agitational demand. But even the history of Marxism on whose positions on national- tions (Nics) to fund the state though they are biblical texts. so, he stated that the objective this issue can be summed up ism and imperialism were out pension scheme, along the lines however, as Lenin is the sin- (of a united states of Europe) briefly: Marx and Engels, Babel of step with Lenin and most of the State Earnings’ related gle most important revolution- was “quite invulnerable as a and kautsky, Lenin (most of the Marxists of the time. Pension Scheme (SErPS), con- ary thinker of the 20th century, political slogan.” time) and trotsky, along with Nick is free to argue for his ceived and introduced by the it’s important to take what he Lenin’s disagreement with gramsci, Alexander Parvus, “realistic” position, but what he HAVE YOUR SAY Labour Party in 1978 — and Write (up to 300 words) to immediately undermined by [email protected] the thatcher government. or by post: 52 Beachy Rd, Nics are paid by both London E3 2NS employee and employer and, as pensions are deferred wages, this is an appropriate hypothe- n OUR PAPER cation. the tax review also rec- ommends that Nics fund other employment-related benefits, Time to go such as jobseeker’s allowance. the private pension business back to the is just a wealth extraction exer- cise, aided and abetted by the Daily Worker government with huge and unnecessary tax allowances. ALEX gOrDON is right in his the cPB review is the best criticism of our new-look paper study ever made of the British (M Star February 5) — a missed tax system, far surpassing the opportunity indeed. much-lauded institute for Fis- Now that it is popular to cal Studies’ Mirrlees review of claim working-class status for 2011 in its analysis and practical almost everyone, from come- proposals. dians to teachers, we should i trust that John McDonnell’s have been more radical and team will be making good use reverted to our founding name: of it to craft taxation policy for REPRESSION: A police officer the Daily Worker. the next Labour government. manhandles a protester at a however, such a change cArOL WiLcOX suffragette rally outside would require an improvement highcliffe Buckingham Palace in May 1914 in the contents too. Nevertheless, i must admit that the articles on teresa Bil- n OUTSOURCING lington and countess Markie- n FEMALE ENFRANCHISEMENT wicz (M Star February 7) were Mood music for excellent. When it comes to feature Socialists key to women’s suffrage victory articles, the motto should be helpline workers fewer but better. IT IS ironic that Capita’s con- it WOULD appear that, apart socialists, feminists and work- versal suffrage] was a woman this debate was conducted this would free up space in tracts include the jobseeker’s from one or two notable excep- ing-class rank-and-file women. delegate from the extremely throughout the socialist press at the paper for more, and more allowance hotline (M Star tions, the chattering classes Lenin noted in his notes opportunist British Fabian Soci- public meetings, the unions and varied, news. February 1). have dominated the media on the international socialist ety. No-one supported her.” he socialist societies and parties. BrYN rOWLANDS Will the staff be listening celebrations in relation to of congress of 1907: “the only one went on to say that the English the fight for universal suf- Malmesbury to the Beatles’ Help in their the limited franchise gained who tried to make out a case for bourgeoisie hoped to get the frage was a class issue and spare time? in 1918. a socialist campaign in favour vote for themselves without should be celebrated as such. JERRY STILES there is a marked absence of of a limited women’s suffrage it being granted to the female tErrY MccArthY n ENERGY Mitcham the major contribution made by [qualified as opposed to uni- proletariat. hastings No-fixed-charge tariffs were best LIkE Peter Storch (Letters February 17), I receive a combined energy bill made up mostly of standing charges. I live alone, am out most of the time and have an annual income of around £8,000. I seem to recall that I used to get my gas on a tariff that had no standing charge, and I believe it would be help- ful if this kind of tariff was widely reintroduced. They would help those who use little energy, many of whom aren’t particularly well off. TIM MICkLEBuRgH grimsby morningstaronline.co.uk Morning Star morningstaronline Tuesday @m_star_online sport February 20 2018 15

OFF TO THE RACES: Red Bull became the first of Formula One’s front-running teams yesterday to break cover with their new car for the forthcoming season. The team from Milton Keynes — which boasts one of the best driver pairings on the grid in Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo — will hope their new design will challenge Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team this term.

n MEN’S FOOTBALL n MEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE DOES CONTE’S FUTURE England extend Bennett as coach HINGE ON BARCA TIE? by Our Sports Desk and England captain who conducted a review into the national team’s perform- Chelsea v Barcelona side. You can see with coach AUSTRALIAN Wayne Ben- ance at the World Cup. (7.45pm) Ernesto Valverde they play a nett is to continue as Eng- Bennett (pictured), who by Amar Azam different type of formation,” land head coach and will succeeded Steve McNamara he said. also lead the revived British two years ago on a part- “You can see that everyone Lions in 2019. time basis while continu- ANTONIO CONTE’S Chelsea is committed, everyone is giv- The 68-year-old’s two-year ing his day job with Bris- enter into a crucial few weeks ing their all, defensively and contract with the Rugby bane Broncos, declined to as they look to take some pride offensively.” Football League ran out discuss his future in the from a season to forget for the He added: “They are a team after he guided England immediate aftermath reigning Premier League cham- that try to put the first pres- to the final of the of December’s final. pions. sure very, very high, always 2017 World Cup, However, the With Manchester City working to have the ball, so, if but he has agreed former Australia romping home, Chelsea’s we can pass this first phase of a new two-year and Queensland title defence is all over, but, their pressure, if we have the deal after being coach won many with Conte publicly critical of cool head to do that and not persuaded to stay admirers for the the club’s lack of support in put ourselves under too much on in the job. way he turned boosting the squad, support- pressure, I think we can hurt The length of England into a ers are hopeful that they can them because they will leave a Bennett’s new con- competitive force still clinch some silverware lot of spaces at the back.” tract suggests he will not after a dismal 2016 Four and end a torrid season on Chelsea’s last match against PENSIVE: Antonio Conte lead England into the next Nations, guiding them to a high. Barcelona was a memorable World Cup in 2021, when he a first World Cup final for It starts tonight with the visit semi-final in April 2012. A last- will be 71. 22 years and to a man the of Spanish giants Barcelona, as minute goal from Fernando evening of high drama in west expected to win the league It is thought Castleford players expressed their Conte’s team renew rivalries Torres in the Nou Camp put London. easily. coach Daryl Powell has support for his continued with an old foe in the Cham- Chelsea into the final, which Barcelona appear a powerful Under coach Valverde, Barce- been sounded out as a pos- involvement. pions League. they went onto win. unit heading into this match. lona have become a more for- sible successor to Bennett Bennett said: “It was However, they face both However, the Stamford In their last match, goals from midable unit, defensively sound but currently prefers to disappointing not to be Manchester clubs over succes- Bridge faithful have not for- Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba and difficult to break down. focus on his job with his lifting the World Cup last sive weekends in the league as gotten the encounter between against Eibar took Barcelona 10 Despite the odds being club who have made a dis- December, but I mentioned they look to secure a top four these sides in May 2009. points clear, equalling a club stacked against them, Chelsea appointing start to the new about this squad being on finish this season. This was the infamous meet- record 31 matches unbeaten. need to ensure that they are Super League season. a journey. I want to con- Midfielder Cesc Fabregas, ing in which referee Tom Hen- Their closest challengers still in the tie after the first Bennett’s reappointment tinue that journey because formerly of Barcelona, was ning Ovrebo denied Chelsea a Atletico Madrid closed the leg. Should they put themselves follows a recommendation I firmly believe we can in optimistic mood about the series of penalties. Barcelona’s gap to seven points. However, into that positon, the return from rugby director Kevin achieve something special clash against his old club. Andres Iniesta went on to score Barcelona, five times winners leg in three weeks could be an Sinfield, the former Leeds together.” “I think they’re still a great a stunning last-gasp win on an of the European Cup, are still interesting affair. Tuesday SPORT February 20 2018 INSIDE: Bennett agrees England extension n WINTER SPORTS TONIGHT’S FOOTBALL Champions League After it was announced that Bronze medallist Krushelnitsky tested positive for Bayern Munich Besiktas Chelsea Barcelona banned substance meldonium, Russian Curling Federation president claims that: Championship Aston Villa Preston Barnsley Burton Brentford Birmingham Middlesbrough Hull Millwall Sheffield Wednesday Nottingham Forest Reading Sheffield United QPR ‘HE WAS SPIKED BY OUR Bolton Sunderland, 8pm League One Fleetwood Town Portsmouth Shrewsbury Town Gillingham League Two Cambridge United Notts County Crewe Exeter City POLITICAL ENEMIES’ Barnet Carlisle, 8pm Scottish Championship Dumbarton Morton THE Russian Curling Federation by Kadeem Scottish League One claimed yesterday that their Simmonds TARGETED? Alexander Krushelnitsky Stranraer Arbroath bronze medallist Alexander Scottish League Two Krushelnitsky failed a doping Annan Athletic Peterhead test after being deliberately tar- camp or in the intervening geted by rival athletes or “Rus- period. There’s a possibility All kickoffs 7.45pm unless noted sia’s political enemies.” of it being something within Krushelnitsky partnered the team, that something hap- wife Anastasia Bryzgalova to pened during training camp or SPORT ON TV bronze in the mixed doubles at as a political means to achieve the Winter Olympics last week, some goal.” n FOOTBALL: Champions League beating Norway for a place on The positive sample is last-16 first leg, Chelsea v Barcelona the podium. seen as a major blow to Rus- However, news broke over sia’s chances of being rein- — BT Sport 2 7pm, Bayern Munich v the weekend that the 25-year- stated before the close of the Besiktas — eir Sport 1 7.30pm. old tested positively for meldo- Pyeongchang Games, with n SNOOKER: World Grand Prix — ITV4 nium, the substance for which athletes currently participat- 12.45pm and 6.45pm. Russian tennis star Maria ing in South Korea as “Olympic n TENNIS: ATP, Rio Open — Sky Sharapova was suspended after Athletes from Russia” after the Sports Main Event 11pm; WTA, Dubai testing positive at the Austral- International Olympic Commit- ian Open in 2016. tee (IOC) suspended the Russian Duty Free Tennis Championships — BT Before it was banned, many Olympic committee last year in Sport 1 10am and 3pm. Russian athletes used the drug, connection with a massive dop- n WINTER OLYMPICS: Live cover- which is designed for peo- ing scheme at the 2014 Olym- age — BBC Two 6am and 1pm, BBC ple with heart problems and pics in Sochi. One 9.15am, 11.45pm and 4am some believe can help athletes However, the IOC allowed increase stamina. 168 athletes to compete at (Wed); Curling, round-robin stage — Russian Curling Federation these Games under neutral uni- favourites, and to undergo that “Russians were tested to you possibly need doping for?’ Eurosport 1 5.45am; Ice hockey, men’s president Dmitry Svishchev forms and without the Russian extra drug tests. a significant level more than As I am thinking,” said Dan- play-off match — Eurosport 1 and 2 said that Krushelnitsky tested national flag. Krushelnitsky’s “A” sample others.” ish skip Madeleine Dupont. “I’m 1.45pm, men’s quarter-final match — clean as recently as January IOC spokesman Mark Adams tested positive though a sec- Russian women’s curling not even sure what use doping Eurosport 2 3am (Wed); Alpine Ski- 22, the day before he flew to a says a failed doping test could ond “B” sample will be tested coach Sergei Belanov said he would be for in curling. pre-Olympic training camp in keep Russia’s banned team and results could be announced didn’t believe that a young and “There is probably some- ing, women’s downhill — Eurosport 1 Japan, and feels it is possible from marching under the within 24 hours. “clever man” would dope. “It’s thing with strength, I’m not 1.30am (Wed); Freestyle Skiing, final someone spiked Krushelnit- national flag at the closing cere- The Norwegian team fin- stupid, but Aleksandr is not stu- sure, it’s not down my alley.” of the men’s skicross — Eurosport 1 sky’s food or drink. mony, adding that it could have ished fourth and could get the pid, so I don’t believe it.” Norwegian skip and Olympic 4.15am (Wed); Nordic Combined Ski- “It can’t happen at the Olym- “consequences” in evaluating bronze if the positive test is For the rest of the curlers in 2010 silver medallist Thomas ing, men’s Gundersen HS140 large hill pic Village because everyone the behaviour of the Russian confirmed. Pyeonchang, the positive test Ulsrud said: “For me it’s tough eats the same canteen food,” team, which was required to Adams says Russians at the has left many bemused. to see doping in curling. Maybe ski jump — Eurosport 1 9.45am, men’s Svishchev said. abide by restrictions, includ- games have undergone “rig- “I think most people will as a brusher, but come on, hit Gundersen 10km cross-country race — “It could happen at training ing bans against some medal orous testing” and points out laugh and ask: ‘What could the gym, you know.” Eurosport 1 12.45pm; Biathlon, mixed relay — Eurosport 1 11am; Bobsleigh, heats of the women’s discipline — n WINTER SPORTS Eurosport 2 12pm; Snowboarding, qualifying for the men’s big air event Women’s teams expanding for Beijing Olympics — Eurosport 1 12.30am (Wed). TODAY’S TIPS by Our Sports Desk championships to 10 teams and an 8-0 loss to Switzerland but over Finland, the world’s third- IIHF council chair Zsuzsanna played much better a week later ranked team last year. Kolbenheyer said the quality in a 2-0 loss to the same country. Kolbenheyer said the 2019 Farringdon’s Doubles THE women’s ice hockey tour- of women’s hockey around Kolbenheyer also noted stan- world championships with 10 FROZON nament will be expanded from the world is good enough for dout play by several young play- teams will be a test event for Wolverhampton 5:40 (nap) eight teams to 10 for the 2022 this step. ers in this tournament, includ- the IIHF to see how the format HARTSIDE Olympics in Beijing, the sport’s She pointed to Japan beating ing Switzerland’s Alina Muller, works. Wetherby 2:00 world body announced yester- Sweden 2-1 in overtime on Sun- 19, who had four goals in her “We will keep the structure day. day in the classification round Olympic opener, and Anna we have at that tournament Houseman’s Choice International Ice Hockey Fed- and no team scoring more than Shokhina of the Russian team. as well and then we will see if DESERT WIND eration (IIHF) head Rene Fasel eight goals in a game as signs She had three goals and two we would like to change it for Wolverhampton 6:40 said it was made at the request of progress. assists in four games. Beijing,” she said. of Beijing Olympics organis- “In Sochi, the first result “If we could continue like ers. He believes the talent gap was 9-0 and we now have here that, I think we can get to the Published by the People’s Press MSTAR 2018-02-20 TUE 1.0 between the North American 8-0 both for the Korean team, next level for the next Olym- Printing Society Ltd, William Rust powerhouse teams and the rest so we can say that women’s pics,” Kolbenheyer said. House, 52 Beachy Road, Bow, 0 8 London E3 2NS. Telephone: (020) of the world will close much hockey developed a lot in the Beijing will be the seventh 8510-0815. Fax: (020) 8986- faster than it took on the men’s last eight and four years com- Olympics with women’s ice 5694. Email: enquiries@peoples- side of the game. pared to Vancouver and Sochi,” hockey since it was added in press.com. Registered with Companies House as Morning Star “I think the women are com- Kolbenheyer said. 1998 in Nagano. Either the US or (incorporating the Daily Worker) ing closer,” Fasel said. In 2010, Canada routed Slova- Canada has won the gold medal No N5559. Printed by trade union The IIHF already announced kia 18-0. The combined Korean each time and the US are back labour at Trinity Mirror. IN THE FINAL: United States expanding the 2019 world team opened these games with in the final again after a 5-0 win Tuesday February 20 2018 9 770307 175220