Page Socialist Fight Liaison Committee for the Fourth International
No. 32 July/August 2019 Price: Cons: 50p, Waged: £1 (€1)
Alabama’s hounding of Marshae Jones and The Handmaid’s Tale: the face of US fascism today: “The investigation showed that the only true victim in this was the unborn baby, it was the mother of the child who initiated and continued the fight which resulted in the death of her own unborn baby.” (p. 13) Police Lt Danny Reid of Pleasant Grove, Alabama, December 2018
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 2 Socialist Fight Where We Stand (extracts) the attacks of this Tory government it is now necessary tion. We therefore reject the reactionary “intersectional” to work within the Labour party as well as within other theory as hostile to Marxism, to the class struggle and to proto-parties such as Left Unity and RESPECT that revolutionary socialism. seek to present socialist and anti-imperialist politics in 11. We also support the fight of all other specially op- opposition to the neo-liberalism that is now deeply pressed including lesbians and gay men, bisexuals and embedded within the Labour Party. We support all transgender people and the disabled against discrimina- genuine left developments within Labour, such as the tion in all its forms and their right to organise separately Corbyn for leader campaign. in that fight in society as a whole. 4. We strongly support campaigns to democratise the 13. We fight racism and fascism. We support the right of trade unions’ traditional link to the Labour party. We are people to fight back against racist and fascist attacks by for funding only those MPs who agree to and have a any means necessary. Self-defence is no offence, we record of fighting for union policies. support it. Two people might make racist/far right 5. We fight for rank-and-file organisations in the trade comments but on challenging them one might turn out unions within which we will fight for consciously revolu- be a hardened racist/fascist and the other might be tionary socialist leadership.in line with Trotsky’s Transi- mindlessly repeating the Sun editorial. It is necessary to tional Programme statement: distinguish. It is a legitimate act of self-defence for the “Therefore, the sections of the Fourth International working class to ‘No Platform’ fascists but we never call should always strive not only to renew the top leadership on the capitalist state to ban fascist marches or parties; of the trade unions, boldly and resolutely in critical these laws would inevitably primarily be used against moments advancing new militant leaders in place of workers’ organisations, as history has shown. routine functionaries and careerists, but also to create in 14. We oppose all immigration controls. International all possible instances independent militant organizations finance capital roams the planet in search of profit and corresponding more closely to the tasks of mass struggle imperialist governments disrupts the lives of workers against bourgeois society; and, if necessary, not flinching and cause the collapse of whole nations with their direct even in the face of a direct break with the conservative intervention in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan and apparatus of the trade unions. If it be criminal to turn their proxy wars in Somalia and the Democratic Repub- one’s back on mass organizations for the sake of foster- lic of the Congo, etc. Workers have the right to sell their ing sectarian factions, it is no less so passively to tolerate labour internationally wherever they get the best price. subordination of the revolutionary mass movement to Revolutionary internationalism Subscribe to Socialist Fight the control of openly reactionary or disguised conserva- Four Issues: UK: £15.00, EU: £18.00 16. We were and are for the immediate withdrawal and/ tive (“progressive”) bureaucratic cliques. Trade unions or defeat of imperialist armies in wars like Iraq, Afghani- Rest of the World: £20.00 are not ends in themselves; they are but means along the stan, Libya, Syria and Ukraine. Whilst giving no political Send donations to help in their produc- road to proletarian revolution.” support to the Taliban in Afghanistan, the Sunni and tion Cheques and SOs to 6. We totally oppose all economic nationalist campaigns Shia militias in Iraq, Hamas or Fatah in Palestine, Gad- like for ‘British jobs for British workers’ that means dafi (as was) in Libya, Assad in Syria, the ‘Islamic State’ Socialist Fight Account No. 1 capitulation to national chauvinism and so to the politi- Unity Trust Bank, Sort Code in Syria and Iraq, the theocratic regime in Iran or the cal and economic interests of the ruling class itself. We Donbass leadership in Eastern Ukraine we recognise US- 08-60-01, Account. No. 20227368. are therefore unreservedly for a Socialist United States of led world imperialism as the main enemy of humanity Europe. and so advocate critical support and tactical military 9. We are completely opposed to man-made climate assistance from the working class to all those fighting for Revolutionary socialism change and the degradation of the biosphere which is the defeat of imperialism as part of the perspective of 1. We stand with Karl Marx: ‘The emancipation of the caused by the anarchy of capitalist production for profits Permanent Revolution. working classes must be conquered by the working of transnational corporations. Ecological catastrophe is 18. We are for the overthrow of the Zionist state of classes themselves. The struggle for the emancipation of not ‘as crucial as imperialism’ but caused by imperialism Israel and for a Multi-Ethnic workers’ state of Palestine the working class means not a struggle for class privileg- so to combat this threat we must redouble our efforts to as part of the Socialist Federation of the Middle East. es and monopolies but for equal rights and duties and forward the world revolution. 19. As socialists living in Britain we take our responsibili- the abolition of all class rule’ (The International Work- Special Oppression and Racism ties to support the struggle against British imperialism’s ingmen’s Association 1864, General Rules). 10. We recognise that class society, and capitalism as the occupation of the six north-eastern counties of Ireland 2. In the class struggle we shall fight to develop every last form of class society, is by its nature patriarchal. In very seriously. For this reason we have assisted in found- struggle of the working class and oppressed in the direc- that sense the oppression of women is different from all ing the Irish Republican Prisoners Support Group and tion of democratic workers’ councils as the instruments other forms of oppression and discrimination. Sexism we will campaign for political status these Irish prisoners of participatory democracy which must be the basis of and the oppression of women is inextricable tied to the of war and for a 32-county united Socialist Ireland. We the successful struggle for workers’ power. ownership and the inheritance of private property. To reject all ‘two nations in Ireland’ theories. Revolutionary strategy and tactics achieve sexual and individual freedom women need to 21. We are for the re-creation of a World Party of Social- 3. We recognise the necessity for serious ideological and fight in the class struggle in general to overthrow class ist Revolution, a revolutionary international, based on political struggle as direct participants in the trade unions society itself. We cannot leave the struggle against wom- the best traditions of the previous revolutionary interna- (always) and in the mass reformist social democratic en’s oppression until the revolution but must recognise it tionals, critically understood, particularly the early Third bourgeois workers’ parties despite their pro-capitalist as one of the most fundamental aspects of the revolu- and Fourth Internationals, with their determination to leaderships when conditions are favourable. In fighting tionary struggle itself or we will never make that revolu- combat and overcome both reformism and centrism. ▲ Contents Editorial: Chris Williamson in, out with Watson and Lansman…………………………………………………..Page3 Brian Higgins is dead but his struggle but his struggle goes on…...…………………………………………....Page 4 Open letter to the left ……………………………………….....…………………………………………..……….Page 5 Irish Republican Prisoners Support Group……………………………….....…………………………………… Page 6 the accidental death of Lyra McKee………..……………………………………………………………………. Page 7 Lutte Ouvrière festival report ……………………………...... ………………..……………….Page 8 Only World Revolution can Stop Climate Change.………………………………….…………………..………..Page 9 KUWG Model Resolution: The PCS must stop cruel Sanctioning!...... …………..…..……………...Page 10 UN report compares Tory welfare policies to creation of workhouses …………………………………….…..Page 11 Labour Against the Witchhunt farcically witch hunts Peter Gregson ………………………………………….Page 12 Alabama’s hounding of Marshae Jones and The Handmaid’s Tale: the face of US fascism today …………..Page 13 UKRAINE - POLITICAL DECLARATION the Union Council of Borotba ...……..………………………...Page 15 Palestine and Sudan.…………………………………………….…………………….…………………..………Page16
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 3 Editorial: Chris Williamson in, out with Watson and Lansman he re-suspension of Chris Williamson pulsion of Williamson, his most likely challeng- T after the two-day lifting of his suspension er for the Deputy’s job – particularly now that in late June is an index of the supine and such challenges are now easier to make if not treacherous nature of the mainstream ‘left’, and to win! – they secure Watson’s hated tenure in the complete lack of backbone of Corbyn, his job even though he has no mandate for his McDonnell and Abbott themselves. With the attacks on the left. The other purpose is to reimposition of his suspension, the likelihood demoralise the left and hopefully cause large- is that Williamson’s case will be forwarded by scale leakage away of Corbyn-supporting mem- the NEC to the National Constitutional Com- bers. Which is why no one on the left should mittee, a body so corrupt and dominated by resign from Labour. It is exactly what the reac- witchhunters, both of the overt pro-Zionist tionaries want. right and their Lansmanite agents that William- Corbyn’s lack of backbone and opportun- son is likely to have the kind of rubber-stamp ism over this is characteristic, and behind it is expulsion previously dealt out to the likes of the traditional lack of ideological coherence of Jackie Walker and Tony Greenstein. the Labour left. Trotsky wrote about this most This is an incredible provocation against the perceptively in the lead-up to the General left and those who joined the Labour Party to Strike of 1926: support Corbyn and to reassert working class stone did after 2000. This could be an inspira- “The left muddleheads are incapable of power; but politics and political representation against the tional tactic if such an outrageous expulsion if through the turn of events it fell into their hands neo-liberalism and neocon war making of the were to go ahead. they would hasten to pass it over to their elder Kinnock/Blair/Brown period. The aims are However, the purge could be headed off by a brothers on the right. They would do the same clear: Williamson is regarded by many of the determined campaign by a reinvigorated left with the state as they are now doing in the par- left as the rightful Deputy Leader to Corbyn, within the party. Williamson’s decision to go ty.” (Leon Trotsky, “Problems of the British La- rather than Tom Watson who is just as crook- public and fight back is indicated by his speak- bour Movement” (6 January 1926). ed a liar as Boris Johnson, having gained elec- ing at the SWP’s Marxism on 5 July and in Liv- The danger of power being handed over to the tion in 2015 by promising to loyally serve un- erpool on 22 July at a public meeting demand- right, of a new coup, is palpable today. The der the obvious winner, Jeremy Corbyn; he has ing “Defend and Build the Labour Left. For a Zionists and the right-wing have joined in their become Corbyn’s most entrenched enemy and socialist Labour government”… Reinstate attack on Corbyn just as the Tories are in a organiser of provocations, smears and hate Chris Williamson and all wrongly accused! catastrophic crisis of their own, in the middle campaigns against the left. A victory by Chris could lay the basis to re- of a leadership election that looks certain to Momentum’s Jon Lansman revealed himself verse all the fraudulent expulsions of leftists as put in power the reactionary Trump-like ad- once again to be an outright enemy of the left the behest of the anti-Arab Zionist racist thugs venturer and fraudster Boris Johnson, whose and an ally of Tom Watson in seeking to over- who are currently gaslighting Labour’s anti- demands for a hard and likely no-deal Brexit throw Corbyn; his denunciation of William- racist, pro-Palestinian membership. are likely to tear the Tories apart and lead to a son's brief readmission on Twitter illuminated We cautiously welcome the initiative by La- General Election sooner rather than later. his reactionary nature very clearly. bour Against the Witchhunt (LAW) and the It does appear likely that the mechanism for a Likewise the joining in with this of middle- Labour Representation Committee (LRC) to new coup in the Labour Party could be the class fake left celebrities like Owen Jones, Ash call for a properly democratic, inclusive organi- ‘investigation’ being conducted by the Equali- Sarkar and Matt Zarb-Cousins; these petty sation of the Labour Left, even though LAW ties and Human Rights Commission into sup- bourgeois poseurs are epitomised by Sarkar itself does not have clean hands. LAW, like posed ‘anti-Semitism’, which was the result of who shot her mouth off to Piers Morgan last Momentum to a degree, has a record of falsely complaints from various racist Zionist MP’s year: “I’m literally a communist, you idiot!” she accusing some of its own supporters of ‘anti- and the Zionist fake-charity, the “Campaign postured. Well in backing the racist- Zionist Semitism’ and purging them, including sup- Against Anti-Semitism”, which is in fact a par- campaign against Chris Williamson, she is now porters of Socialist Fight and LAZIR (Labour ticularly virulent arm of the Israel lobby, highly “literally” a scab! Against Zionist Islamophobic Racism). Like- political, and aimed at destroying the democrat- This has finally dug Momentum’s grave, as wise we support the call by prominent London ic rights of critics of Israel’s persecution and there has been news of widespread cancella- Labour left figure Graham Durham for a new, slow genocide of the Palestinian people. tions of membership of this miserable abortion inclusive left-wing organisation. But we are There are British precedents; the sequestra- of a left movement since Lansman’s position opposed to it being a mere network of local tion of the NUM’s assets during the 1984-5 became known. The bulk of Labour members groups. miners’ strike, when a state lawyer declared are opposed to Chris’s purge, as shown embar- Any such body has to be democratically or- before a court: “I am the NUM”. That was rassingly when the very Blairite Labour List ganised and have a central, elected body, ac- under Thatcher. But under the Blair/Brown attempted a survey of membership sentiment countable to conferences etc. to decide poli- government, we saw similar phenomena. In the around it: 61% voted in favour of Williamson’s cies, otherwise it is danger of being subjected late 2000s after Israeli attacks on the Palestini- reinstatement: only 31% supported his suspen- to the tyranny of structurelessness. The whole ans in Gaza, George Galloway set up ‘Viva sion. left must insist on full implementation of work- Palestina’, with the aim of delivering aid to If Williamson is expelled we say he should ing class democracy, which means no ideologi- Palestinian victims of Israeli terrorism in Gaza. stand in his own seat, Derby North, in the cal bans and proscriptions against left-wing The corrupt Charity Commission, the same General Election as an Independent Anti- tendencies and full freedom of political debate. one that allows the so-called “Campaign Zionist Labour candidate. No one on the left Working class democracy should be the princi- Against Anti-Semitism” to wage flagrantly po- should oppose him, and anyone who does ple which organises the left and the Labour litical campaigns in support of Israeli crimes stand against him for Labour will be marked in Party itself if we are to go forward. under cover of charitable status, imposed its advance as a Zionist stooge and should be ex- One purpose of Williamson’s suspension is a ‘regulation’ on Viva Palestina even though it coriated by the genuine left. He should force blatant piece of ballot-rigging by Watson and did not claim or seek charitable status. It was then punished for engag- his way back into Labour the way Ken Living- the Blairites/Zionists. By engineering the ex- Go to Page 15 ►
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 4
Brian Higgins is dead but his struggle for a public inquiry into collusion by union officials in blacklisting militant construction workers goes on e note with great sadness the ing is ended once and for all. Blacklist- W passing of Brian Higgins at ing is an industrial crime, the blame for the start of June. He was a bricklayer which lays squarely at the door of the from Glasgow, Shop Steward and construction companies.” Safety Rep for the construction un- “Daniel O’Sullivan, who was once chair- ion UCATT on many sites in Scot- man of the secret agency that operated the land and England. His file by The blacklist, worked for more than 30 years Consulting Association (CA) blacklisting until 2008 as a manager in the construction firm ran to 49 pages which made industry. He said that as part of his job, he him the most blacklisted worker in had meetings with senior union officials. Britain. Brian had been secretary of These included representatives from Unite Northampton UCATT and leader of and the Union of Construction, Allied the rank and file Building Worker Trades and Technicians (UCATT), which Group for many years. has merged with Unite. He was one of the major figures in Brian is on the far left here, his usual political position “O’Sullivan said his discussions “made the fight against the blacklisting of clear to me that the union officials were also trade unionists by construction companies. led a group of 41 blacklisted workers to call concerned to prevent unnecessary disruption Blacklist Support Group spokesman Dave on Unite to commission an independent on site. Occasionally, union officials would Smith said: “It is undeniable that Brian inquiry into the claims. They said officials give me information concerning a particular was one of the leading rank-and-file in- working for Unite, and another union that individual”. He gave as an example a worker dustrial militants of his generation, who has merged with Unite (UCATT), have been who was described on his file in 2005 as a had a significant impact on trade union- implicated in what amounts to a “running “troublemaker” by a union official.” [1] ism in the construction industry.” sore” for the trade union movement. “We QUOTE ENDS A motion in the Scottish Parliament tabled are not looking for a witch hunt, we We therefore demand that, in memory of by Labour MSP Neil Findlay called Mr Hig- simply want answers into possible union this heroic class fighter, this “independent or gins a “working-class hero,” but said that he collusion in order to avoid repeating mis- full public enquiry” as promised by Len had been “denied justice” due to delays in takes of the past,” they added. McCluskey and Gail Cartmail over two years various inquiries and investigations into “Len McCluskey said that if he was re- ago, be initiated by Unite as soon as possible blacklisting. In an article in The Guardian dur- elected, he would “set up an independent in order to expunge this “running sore” from ing the Unite General Secretary election union inquiry to investigate all evidence the trade union movement. campaign in 2017 Rob Evans on 4 Apr 2017 made available” to him about any officer Gerry Downing Chair LE RM002 North states: collusion. “I will not allow any officer who London Retired Members “According to signed statements by man- has colluded in blacklisting to work for agers involved in running the blacklist, trade Unite,” he said. Notes union officials helped to get some of their “Unite’s acting general secretary, Gail Cart- [1] Rob Evans, 4 Apr 2017, The Guardian, Un- own members excluded from jobs as they mail, said: “Only a full public inquiry with ion officials face allegations of collusion over blacklisted workers, Files revealed during high wanted to prevent disruption on industrial judicial authority will fully explain the court action show some employees were la- sites. Files from the blacklist show that trade depth to which the state and employers belled ‘troublesome’ by union staff and were union officials described individual workers colluded to deny construction workers denied work by companies, https:// as “militant”, a “troublemaker”, or with a employment. Unite has campaigned le- www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/apr/04/ warning to be “careful”. gally, industrially and politically to win unite-officials-face-allegations-of-collusion-with “Evidence of the apparent collusion be- justice for blacklisted workers and to en- -firms-that-are-blacklisting-activists ▲ tween trade union officials and managers has sure the disgusting practice of blacklist- Gerry Downing It was my great Brian Higgins: “I have to say the thing we’re talking about this with knobs on privilege to have know Brian and about it which angers, in fact, enrages here! Don’t tell us that sometimes the me most, is that some full time officials names of site union militants and activ- stood on picket lines with him on a undoubtedly aided and abetted blacklist- ists did not come up, and what full time few occasions. His words and ac- ing of rank and file union members and officials said, in these circumstances, did tions were often controversial but I some are probably still doing this as the not end up on some Consulting Associa- supported all of them, particularly Blacklist continues. It is painfully obvi- tion (CA) files. This sort of socialising, the south London direct labour ous building employers – who regularly fraternising and consorting with building pickets and the ongoing fight wined and dined full time union officials, employers masquerading as to drive out of the unions all those took some on golf outings and to sport- ‘negotiations’ is corrupt and corrupting officials who participated in the ing contests, to very expensive posh ho- in the extreme. It’s absolutely disgusting Blacklist. And we know who they tels, and even on visits to the Naval and to think that while fulltime union offi- are. Why are they still in post, still Military Gentlemen’s Club – would de- cials were doing this many rank and file mand some things in return! After all union members were being blacklisted blacklisting? It is up to us to fight there is no such thing as a free lunch and out of existence!” ▲ that battle in memory of Brian’s heroic struggles. ▲
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 5 Open letter to the left regarding the ‘anti- Semitism’ smear in Labour
DEAR COMRADES OF THE LABOUR LEFT, The suspension of Peter Willsman, for saying something that is provenly true and on film (In Al Jazeera’s documentary The Lobby), that the Israeli Embassy is actively sponsoring activi- ties within the Labour Party aiming at undermining and de- stroying the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, is so brazen that there has to be a response from the left. If this is allowed to pass without some kind of serious resistance, then anything can be done to Corbyn and his supporters with impunity by the Zionist witchhunters. Proof is no defence. Even if you can prove that your accus- ers are corrupt liars, you will still be suspended and marked One of Jeremy Corbyn’s close allies has been suspended from the for later expulsion from Labour if you speak the truth in any party after he was recorded claiming Labour’s antisemitism crisis way. The attacks on Lisa Forbes, the victorious Labour candi- was “whipped up” by the Israeli embassy, which is the obvious date in the Peterborough by-election, are of the same brazen amplifying that would be for the putative Labour Anti-Zionist ilk. She was denounced as an anti-Semite by corrupt racists External Tendency (LAZET?) to stand Independent Anti- like Margaret Hodge and Jess Phillips simply for ‘liking’ a FB Zionist Labour candidates against the traitorous Zionists. item expressing outrage at the massacre of Muslims in Christ- church, New Zealand. So would it not be good if Tony Greenstein were able to stand against Louise Ellman? Tony was expelled and smeared Even more brazenly and outrageously, the Jewish Labour as ‘anti-Semitic’ for denouncing her defence of Israeli abuse of Movement called for Lisa Forbes to be suspended and the Palestinian children. whip withdrawn for having signed a statement opposing the adoption of the IHRA definition of ‘anti-Semitism’, whose Would it not be good if Marc Wadsworth were to stand movers aim to ban anti-racist criticism of Israeli crimes against against Ruth Smeeth, the racist whose allegations of ‘anti- the Palestinian people as ‘anti-Semitic’. So not only is the IH- Semitism’ can be seen to be lies by anyone with an ounce of RA to be used to ban such criticism as ‘anti-Semitic’, but op- integrity who watched the video of his challenging her collab- position to the adoption of the fake definition itself is also to oration with the racist Tory Daily Telegraph at the Chakrabar- be deemed ‘anti-Semitic’ also. ti report press conference in 2016. Would it not be great if Ken Livingstone were to challenge The JLM is a totalitarian, racist organisation Hodge over her disgusting attack on Corbyn as a ‘fucking rac- This is a perfect totalitarian formula, which brooks no opposi- ist anti-Semite’ which ought to have not only led to her expul- tion or criticism whatsoever. In our view the response of the sion from the party but also a party-funded libel suit against Labour left to this should be to state openly that the Jewish La- her on Corbyn’s behalf? Or for Jackie Walker to challenge bour Movement is a totalitarian racist organisation that needs to be Stella Creasey? Or Gerry Downing of Socialist Fight to chal- smashed. lenge Tom Watson? These are all possibilities. But more needs to be said, and done, than mere pronounce- The point is that the purged left needs to stand up and fight ments. The expulsions and purges of long time leftists put back against the creeping purge of Corbyn supporters, critical capable people into prolonged limbo, a kind of purgatory, and less so, that is underway. These challenges should be care- indefinitely. We need to counter this and force the reactionary fully targeted to cause the maximum public challenge to these role of Labour’s Zionist Fifth Column to the attention of the political figures not least because if Labour does win the Gen- whole labour movement, and indeed the public as a whole. eral Election, they will be plotting with the likes of Pompeo The expulsions are meant to immobilise our people semi- and the Israeli Embassy to destroy Corbyn in office and re- permanently. place him with a Blairite/Zionist. We need a new left body to deal with this. We propose that At the same time these very few candidates, no more than expelled members of Labour should organise themselves in a say half-a-dozen, must be very clear in our call for a Labour Labour Anti-Zionist External Tendency, whose purpose is not vote in every other constituency, and for a Labour victory in to build a separate party from Labour, but to fight to get the the general election. party on the straight and narrow through the purging of Zion- We cannot go quietly in this attempt to sabotage what was ist racists, the supporters of the JLM, the Labour Friends of originally the most promising left-wing development in the Israel, and Progress, and the reinstatement and re-integration of Labour Party for a century. The left needs to show some ag- those anti-Zionists expelled, suspended and driven out. gression back to the Zionists to prepare for the battles to Until this is done, the expelled members in particular, who come. have nothing to lose, should target Labour’s Zionist traitors, Fraternally, the likes of Watson, Hodge, Ellman, Philipps, Smeeth, the Eagles, Creasey etc for prominent public attacks. One way of Socialist Fight. ▲
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 6 Irish Republican Prisoners Support Group
Political Status for all Irish Republican prisoners! Free Brendan McConville and John Paul Wotton, no extradition to Lithuania for Liam Campbell!
Lyra McKee, From page 7 ► ing and other Republi- can terrorist campaigns since then (straightforward Loyalist propaganda— Castlerea Prison Dean Byrne Magahaberry Prison, Harristown Dónal Ó Coisdealbha IRPSG!). These include Kevin Barry, The Time has Come, Old Road, Ballinderry Caslerea Edward McGrath Upper, Lisburn, The Broad Black Brimmer, The Men Behind the Wire. These Roscommon Connor Hughes songs glorify armed insurrection and rebellion, prison Eugene Kelly Darren Fox BT28 2PT, Ireland related deaths of Republican terrorists and are support- Darren Gleeson Conan Murphy Roe 3 ive of terrorist organisations (past and present)”. Joe Finnegan James Smithers Conor Hughes And in that letter lies the essence of the Good Fri- Eddie O'Brien Joe Walsh Ciarán McLaughlin Dean Evans Seán Walsh Kevin McLaughlin day Agreement. If you accept the occupation of the Mick Gilmartin Portlaoise Gaol Roe 4 six north eastern counties of the Irish nation and Dublin Road Martin McHale Luke O'Neill the Loyalist veto on Irish reunification you may Portlaoise, David Murray Brendan McConville Co Laois Dylan Cahill have limited rights and aspiration to equality – if Darren Poleon Ireland Jim Smyth you are middle class and can afford it. If you are Colm Mannion Seán McVeigh working class and nationalist like Derry’s youth you C2 Brian Mannion Gavin Coyle get nothing, even less than Loyalist workers, who Colin Casey Kevin Braney Patrick O'Neill Daniel Hegarty are in the main the defenders of the status quo Ciaran Maguire Matt Johnston E1 Portlaoise Gerard Burleigh which oppresses themselves. Robert Day Julian Flohr Quoile House In a document published by the Saville Inquiry dat- Dónal Billings Sharif Kelly Kevin Hannaway Brian Walsh ed 7 January 1972, General Sir Robert Ford Com- Vincent Banks Seán Hannaway Mark McGann mander Land Forces, Northern Ireland (now dead), Jonathan Hawthorn David Nooney Seamus McLaughlin declared himself ‘disturbed’ by the attitude of army Frank Murphy Conor Metcalfe Barry Petticrew Michael McDermott Damien Metcalfe and police chiefs in Derry and added: John Brock Erne House E2 “I am coming to the conclusion that the minimum Martin Manning John Paul Wottoon Charles Anthony Deery force necessary to achieve a restoration of law and John Roche Lagan House Garret Mulley Declan McDermott order is to shoot selected ringleaders amongst the Sean McGaw Ryan Glennon John O'Brien DYH (Derry Young Hooligans).” Joe Cassidy Dóchas Centre Stephen McCullagh He claimed not to remember this memo at the E3 & E4 Mountjoy Prison Limerick Prison, Mul- hearing, and he wasn’t pressed on it, but he did just Philip Barney McKevitt North Circular Road grave Street, Limerick that three weeks later. Seven of the murdered were Patrick Brennan Dublin 7, Ireland. Rose Lynch Stephen Hendrick Ursula Ní Shionnáin indeed Derry teenagers, but not hooligans, peaceful (not on IRPN list) demonstrators demanding their civil rights like the Derry teenagers who confronted the PSNI on March 18th. As the Ballad of Joe McDonnell says: And you dare to call me a terrorist While you looked down your gun When I think of all the deeds that you had done You had plundered many nations divided many lands You had terrorised their peoples you ruled with an iron hand And you brought this reign of terror to my land
Signed John Carty, Chair Gerry Downing, Secretary Irish Republican Prisoners Support Group. Families of those killed in the Ballymurphy Massacre hold images of the 11 slain outside Laganside Court in Belfast as the inquest continues into the murders by 24-4-2019 ▲ the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment between 9 and 11 August 1971.
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 7
Statement of the Irish Republican Prisoners Support Group (London) on the accidental death of Lyra McKee 24/04/2019
he Irish Republican Support Group expresses our T deepest sympathies for the family and friends of Lyra McKee tragically accidentally killed when she was standing behind a police vehicle on the Creggan estate on April 18. In a statement to the Irish News on April 22, the New Irish Republican Army (NIRA) offered “full The Irish Republican Support Group expresses our deepest sympa- and sincere apologies” to the journalist’s family and thies for the family and friends of Lyra McKee tragically accidentally friends: killed when she was standing behind a police vehicle on the Creg- “On Thursday night following an incursion on the Creggan gan estate on April 18. by heavily armed British crown forces which provoked riot- ing, the IRA deployed our volunteers to engage. We have instruct- cialist working class leadership of those struggles. Uncondi- ed our volunteers to take the utmost care in future when engaging tional but critical support from socialists is the great principle the enemy and put in place measures to help ensure this. In the for those waging anti-imperialist struggles, and in these cir- course of attacking the enemy. Lyra McKee was tragically killed cumstances of hypocritical witchhunting by former Republi- while standing beside enemy forces. The IRA offer our full and cans and others who defend British occupation and the Loyal- sincere apologies to the partner, family and friends of Lyra McKee ist veto the emphasis will be on the “unconditional” and the for her death.” “critical” we will state but leave to better days. A Saoradh Statement on April 19 also said, “This outcome is The Loyalist veto is a concession to Orange Order suprema- heart-breaking, and we extend our sincerest sympathy to the cist ideology and the traditional ‘croppy lie down’. That cry of family, friends and loved ones of the deceased”. the Orange marching season voices the old fear of the French But it put the accident in its proper context, as the NIRA did: Revolution of the Church of Ireland Protestant Ascendency “Last night, in the latest in a series of attacks, heavily armed Crown bigots in 1798. That cry recognises the revolutionary potential Forces were sent into Creggan to attack Republicans in advance of of the struggle against British imperialism in Ireland but seeks upcoming Easter Rising Commemorations. The purpose of this to defeat it. To seek to unite Protestant and Catholic workers incursion has been confirmed this morning by PSNI/RUC Com- in a syndicalist manner regardless of their allegiance or opposi- mander Mark Hamilton. As per usual, nothing was found, and this incursion was utterly futile and pointless. tion to British imperialism has never worked in the past and will not work now. “The Crown Forces have waged a campaign of oppression in Re- The IRPSG fights for political status for all Irish Republican publican Derry and the community has endured ongoing State Violence in the area, with deafening silence from the political es- prisoners in jails in the north of Ireland and the Irish Republic, tablishment representatives in the area. Saoradh has not shied away principally Maghaberry and Portlaoise. Political status is de- from highlighting this, including attacks on our members. In doing nied in Maghaberry in an outrageous way, that belies the so we have continually given our analysis that this oppression promises of the Good Friday Agreement. Before that 1998 would inevitably be met with resistance, as has historically been the Agreement Republican prisoners could learn the Irish lan- case. guage, play Gaelic games of hurling, football, camogie, hand- “The inevitable reaction to such an incursion was resistance from ball and wear the Ester Lilly to commemorate the 1916 upris- the youth of Creggan. The blame for last night lies squarely at the ing in order to persuade them that they would be equal citi- feet of the British Crown Forces, who sought to grab headlines zens after the Agreement was signed. But in 2016 the IRPWA and engineered confrontation with the community. reports discrimination against all aspects of Irish cultural iden- During this attack on the community, a Republican Volunteer at- tity in Maghaberry. On 05/10/2016 a prison governor re- tempted to defend people from the PSNI/RUC. Tragically a young sponded to a solicitor’s letter stating: journalist covering the events, Lyra McKee, was killed accidentally “The Northern Ireland Prison Service has over recent months while standing behind armed Crown Force personnel and ar- been required to remove such (sic) inflammatory items such as moured vehicles.” Irish tricolours and signs erected by prisoners in Irish.” The IRPSG expresses our full solidarity with the anti- This is a response to a challenge regarding a printed issue the imperialist struggles in Ireland and make a sharp differentia- ‘Scairt Amach’ magazine which was refused although it was com- tion between Republican fighters against British occupation of posed in the jail to begin with. It is clear, however, that the Irish the six north eastern counties of Ireland, the British Army, the language and national flag are ‘inflammatory’. Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and Loyalist de- In response to a challenge regarding CD’s being denied entry on fenders of that occupation. We support the Republican anti- 07/07/2016 the security governor wrote: imperialist struggles waged by all “dissident” groups whilst “Several songs included in the CD your client has requested are disagreeing with some of their methods and fighting for so- inextricably linked to the 1916 Ris- ◄ Continued on page 6
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 8
Lutte Ouvrière festival report 7—10 June By John Owen
delegation of 15 comrades from Our contingent was manning a A Grand Bretagne (Britain) (from Socialist stall allocated to us on the cities Fight [8 Comrades] and Workers Fight, the politique. Two large auditorium areas LO British section) wended their way over to were set up for debates; two semi- the LO festival 40 km north of Paris in the circular open-air amphitheater secluded wood near the village of Presles in spaces, as the arguments raged the Val d’Oise, to the grounds of a chateau translations across the divide from donated to the LO group in 1981. Ever since each group echoed in the air. It all then a festival of labour socialists debate and seemed strange. But we got used to festivities for the whole family has been held. it. It seemed both comic and dra- The whole of the French left is invited and matic at the same time my rusty O there are no restrictions on attendance the Level school French could not entrance is 12 Euros for the 3 days cheap as keep up with the fast and furious The Socialist Fight Forum chips. The figures went from about 5000 on discussion. on the gilets jaunes the Friday as we set up camp to 20 to 30,000 There were two giant 60-foot as members of the public strolled in on both inflatable screens showing the great film, Yet despite the sceptics drawing negative Saturday and Sunday. They ferried people to three billboards afterwards discussion and conclusions from the Euro election results, the site on continuous shuttle of 5 coaches debate morning noon and into midnight hour; Labour’s appeal to the working class voters leaving every half hour from Saint-Denis - you required your fill of cinema. As I won- was strong. no matter what witch-hunt tactic Université the nearest metro station. Those dered I saw archaeological exhibitions fossil or bogus red herring anti-Semitism campaign with cars parked in a field nearby. This was bones from dinosaurs excavated locally, na- kicked up by the right in the Labour party and filling up as we arrived. ture trails for children, science experiments aided and abetted by the Tory press. The truth There were tents, marquees, in fact every village, a medieval village blacksmith and forg- got through to voters. available space full of debates discussions and ers and a suit of amour-clad re-enactments The whole camp should be described give attentive listening people. All of them in- group. you a Monet style impressionistic picture of volved, giving vigorous interventions, but All the stalls were allowing kids to play too, this socialist village. It was gloriously decked without rancour or hostility. you could even make your own sword or oth- out in red flags and banners from beginning The whole experience was conducive to er vicious clobbering devices. There was hogs to end thousands of them in all the languages resolving issues, the speaking and elaborating on the roast spit, there were artistic galleries of the world. These were emblazoned with of current questions, in a practical open and open music classes much more than I could workers of the world unite. Such a great honest way. Very healthy indeed. We have absorb. Circus performers, theatre groups, sight to see in the sunshine as tens of thou- something to learn thought I. giant skittles where humans were the pins sands of people attended. Something we ur- As I aimlessly wandered the site from the (children of course), and all the while the gently needed to consider organising here in big stage or the place du grand podium place felt safe for children to run around in Britain to help rally the cause and inspire hope where bands acts and speeches were made, anxious parents still looked on, but the mood in the people for change. throngs of people enjoyed the entertainment was pleasant, relaxed and full festival mode. If lessons can be learnt at all for the British which was mostly upbeat stomping music that I’d expected dull dry doctrinaire, po-faced labour movement it is that the cause of labour seemed to go down well. Groups came from kids not wild joyous happy folk meandering is international. No boundaries borders, all the world over. Comedy acts for children the entire place. blocks on free movement, on people getting was great stuff. All of this provided despite We held our debates on the gilets jaunes in or out yes there are national differences, be the intermittent rain. Right across from here movement or yellow jackets protest move- it culture language and other nuances, but was a long walk to the hub of it all the chateau ment with a speaker from the group. Roberto socialism is a world outlook for the solution which held a library of several thousand so- spoke English and French; he was explaining to the world’s problems and needs, it is inter- cialist books and literature. very well the social significance of the group national to the very core. But for me crucial as it was also were, we and why it needed to be supported. Then our We have to clasp hands with our brothers queued for our breakfast. A curious method turn next discussion on the Brexit issue and and sisters on the continent, struggle for the of grilling double egg, bacon on bread tea the call for a second referendum. world revolution not confine ourselves to coffee or juice, costing 4 euros. Closest thing A number of British Labour party members narrow national petty squabbles and English to a full English. We had left Leytonstone wearing red T-shirts, were there and one of peculiarities. These limitations are fatal to the London on Friday morning and arrived across their friends spoke against the 2nd referendum, spirit and essence of labour movement, there the sea on the ferry with storm warnings pre- as a solution. She began declaring we had to cause is our cause. Long live the world social- dicted respect the will of the people and the outcome ist revolution. Vive la France Vive la Grande We duly set up tents in our allocated space of the vote. The recent candidate for Peter- Bretagne solidarity with the gilets jaunes and as night came with rain, we got ready for borough union activist Lisa Forbes Labour movement. storm. The alarm bells went as code red hurri- victory, election result were nationalist politics We can best support the movement to give cane warnings was declared in Paris, 70 mph were defeated and class politics prevailed, solidarity to the yellow vest protest by build- gales everything was on standby. The eye of showed depth of feeling for a future socialist ing up our own activities and to get something the storm was passing directly over us. We labour government was still on the cards. going here on a similar scale. Like amongst were evacuated to a stall area to sleep. Safely Some however disagreed. In fact all the wise Deliveroo riders’ couriers union rights for all under a structure more robust than our flimsy acres and doubting Thomas’s were predicting and Non to zero hours’ campaigns. tents. Others slept in the chateau. even more Corbyn was finished and nationalism was on slept cramped in the vans they arrived in. the ascendancy all proven were proven wrong. Solidarity forever. ▲
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 9 Only World Revolution and a Global Planned Economy can Stop Climate Change he protests organised by Extinction elimination, neutralisation or recycling of lobby, has fought back, in alliance with other T Rebellion have highlighted the threat to industrial wastes. It’s much cheaper to pour reactionary lobbies such as the arms lobby civilisation that capitalism itself poses, and industrial waste into the air or the nearest and the Israel lobby, using its economic has always posed. Today’s capitalism has river. Rather than pay for the real costs of power for political ends in financing huge created a situation where over 50% of the production, society as a whole subsidises amounts of disinformation about climate world’s wealth is owned by just 2% of the profit-making by cleaning up some of the change that has brought to power climate- population, and that super-rich minority live mess or suffering the environmental and denying, pro-oil and pro-pollution far right mainly in the advanced capitalist countries. health costs – or exporting these to poorer politicians like Trump, who ride roughshod Meanwhile the bottom third world countries. over even the tinkering with the market 50% of the world’s popu- Many in the environmental agreed at Paris and Kyoto. lation own only around movement have argued that It is not possible to solve the problem of 1% of the world’s wealth. this could be solved under climate change as long as capitalism and cap- You might ask; what has capitalism with the right mix- italist interests continue to dominate the this to do with climate ture of taxes, incentives and world. Nor can it be solved in one country. change? The answer is: regulations. Big business National reformism confronted with the everything! Because the would have cheaper and problems of climate change will prove utterly private ownership of more efficient production, powerless. Any serious measures in one wealth is power, and the and consumers more envi- country aimed infringing on the ‘right’ to power to determine social ronment-friendly products pollute of the capitalist corporations will priorities depends upon a and energy sources. In a ra- bring economic and political warfare from tiny, super-rich minority of tional society, such innova- the powerful friends of these corporations capitalists – who are also tions would lower the overall around the world. the imperialists who domi- environmental impact, when Look at what has happened in Brazil, nate the world and wage substituted for more harmful where Lula, the leader of the mild reformist bloody, destructive and technology. But we don’t live Workers Party, is now in jail on fraudulent genocidal wars against in a rational society. corruption charges while eye-watering poor people around the world whenever One feature of capitalism that flows from amounts of money has been spent by the their interests are threatened. It is they who its ‘growth at all costs’ nature is known as the US, the energy monopolies, the domestic prosper above all from an economy built on Jevons Paradox, after a 19th Century Econo- capitalist gangsters and military to install fossil fuels, which are enormously profitable mist. This refers to capitalist industry’s ten- Bolsonaro. This neo-fascist president has to extract and which drive the capitalist en- dency to use up even more of a natural re- been put in place to support the loggers and gine of production. It is production for prof- source as it finds more efficient ways to use destroyers tearing down the Amazon Rain- it and competitive-monopolisation – the it. As William Jevons wrote in his 1865 book forest for the benefit of big agribusiness and drive to out-profit your competitors while The Coal Question: waging genocidal war against its indigenous dividing up the spoils between modern capi- “It is the very economy of its use that leads people, notwithstanding the Amazon basin’s talism’s corporate giants, owned by that tiny to its excessive consumption … if the crucial global importance for the environ- minority, that drives the capitalist economy. quantity of coal used in a blast furnace, for ment. This is capitalist imperialism in action. The entire engine of capitalist growth is instance, be diminished in comparison with This alone indicates the utterly implacable built into the economic system itself. The the yield, the profits of the trade will in- nature of capital as a system. Trump and driving force of the system is the need, on crease, new capital will be attracted, the Bolsonaro represent the real face of capital- pain of bankruptcy and collapse, to accumu- price of pig-iron will fall, but the demand ism. Much more than all the Obamas, Blairs late more profitable, productive capital, to re for it will increase, and eventually the num- and Camerons, who have talked ‘Green’ but -invest profits in more productive machinery ber of furnaces will more than make up for done less than nothing to challenge the real and other tools and instruments of produc- the diminished consumption of each” source of the problem. ing more products, cheaper and more profit- It also indicates that the core of the ruling This in a microcosm is why market mecha- ably than the competition, again on pain of classes are quite aware of what they are do- nisms, schemes such as carbon-trading that bankruptcy. There is no way to escape from ing, but are also utterly unable to stop their were instituted by the 1997 Kyoto protocol, this vicious cycle of accumulation and more system destroying the environment as their or the increased use of carbon taxes and ‘cap accumulation, and the compulsion to sources of wealth and power depend on this. and trade’ as decided by the 2015 Paris Con- squeeze every possible morsel of profit out We will never be able to get rid of them ference of the United Nations Framework of anything that could conceivably have a peacefully and legally. The huge majority of on Climate Change, as a mechanism to sup- potential for profit-making, as long as capi- the working class and the poor around them posedly promote the transition to non-fossil talism is the mode of production that our all are going to have to throw them out, by fuel technologies, will not work. They all rely society is organised around. compulsion and in an organised way. on peripheral means to try to nudge the capi- In order to deal with Climate Change we talist market to abandon its most lucrative Ecological vandalism need a world revolution and international sources of profit, incrementally. Fundamental to capitalism’s development economic planning on a massive scale, to has been its power to shift the cost of its Trump and Bolsonaro personify abolish the fossil fuel industries and replace ecological and social vandalism onto society capital them with renewable sources of energy, from as a whole, by using the biosphere as a giant wind, waves and the Sun, as well as seems ‘toilet’ down which it can flush its toxic But the root of the problem is profit itself; this is why the fossil fuel lobby, which is far highly likely to mass-extract carbon dioxide wastes. Many more profits can accrue if the and other ‘greenhouse’ gases from the at- capitalists don’t have to bother with the more powerful than for instance, the tobacco
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 10 mosphere, and the systematic replanting of We need now a global revolutionary move- World War II, which with the development forests, to clean up oceans etc. The old mot- ment to accomplish that, a new mass revolu- of nuclear weapons gave birth to what to of the environmental movement was tionary international party of Communists, a seemed to be the ultimate threat of annihila- ‘think globally, act locally’, but that has new World Party of Socialist Revolution, as tion. Today, to deal with the capitalist threat proved to be inadequate. the Communist Third International and then to the very foundation of life on earth, the Nor will the various promises of the La- later the Fourth International, guided by the biosphere itself, there is no other tradition bour Party to reform capitalism really deal politics and leadership Lenin and/or Trot- that that of Communism that is adequate to with the problem, though today’s climate sky, the leaders of the Russian workers revo- the task. change activists need to work with the many lution of 1917, tried to build in the early 20th Recommended reading: “Change the working class people who do support La- Century. That opportunity to abolish capi- System, not the Climate”, Pamphlet by bour to mobilise mass activity and deepen talism was lost due to defeats at the hands of Terry Townsend, republished by Social- the class consciousness of its supporters. reaction, which led to the barbarism of ist Fight. ▲
KUWG Model Resolution: The PCS must stop cruel Sanctioning! Passed with none against but one abstention by Brent Trades Union Council on 26-6-19
THERE IS NOW A MASSIVE VOL- of DWP workers have left their jobs or union. UME of evidence of the cruel and inhu- retired early because of their distress at We therefore resolve to invite and to mane treatment, damaging to health and being instructed to carry out sanctioning urge, all union branches, Labour party causing death, that social security sanc- actions. It is indisputable that the mental bodies and others to join us in issuing, as tions are causing. health of such workers will be seriously a matter of urgency, an open letter to the Sanctions have no place in a civilised put at risk when they sanction claimants, General Secretary and DWP Group society, and it is a reasonable expectation especially when the outcome is personal President of the PCS union. that DWP workers who are members of injury or death. We ask them to campaign amongst DWP trade unions, i.e. the Public and We call on PCS members to refuse to their DWP members and ballot them to Commercial Services Union (PCS) serve the DWP in harming us. We don’t collectively refuse to carry out any duties should not bring harm upon us by im- want individuals to put themselves at risk connected with sanctioning of social plementing sanctions. of disciplinary action. What is required is security claimants. We ask for this to be We also know that significant numbers collective action to be taken by a trade implemented without delay. ▲
UN Report ► seized #UniversalCreditUncovered more Angry than Frightened”, and so overcome our fears by still hashtag to launch its own nine-week cam- protesting, and like yourselves, exposing the TRUTH. Please paign of “facts”. The charity tweeted: “Instead of spending keep up the Good Work! time on spin, they should tackle the reasons why so many In Solidarity people waiting for #UniversalCredit are forced to CJ Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group #foodbanks. From: Rebecca Riddell
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 11
Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group UN report compares Tory welfare policies to creation of workhouses Extracts rom The Guardian, Robert Booth, and The Mirror, 22/5/19
A LEADING UNITED NATIONS poverty expert has com- pared Conservative welfare policies to the creation of 19th- century workhouses and warned that unless austerity is ended, the UK’s poorest people face lives that are “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”. In his final report on the impact of austerity on human rights in the UK, Philip Alston, the UN rapporteur on ex- treme poverty, accused ministers of being in a state of denial about the impact of policies, including the rollout of universal credit, since 2010. He accused them of the “systematic immis- eration of a significant part of the British population” and Rudd will argue that Alston is politically biased and did not warned that worse could be yet to come for the most vulnera- do enough research. The minister is seeking guidance from ble, who face “a major adverse impact” if Brexit proceeds. He the Foreign Office on the best way to respond after Alston said leaving the EU was “a tragic distraction from the social compared her department’s welfare policies to the creation of and economic policies shaping a Britain that it’s hard to be- Victorian workhouses. lieve any political parties really want”. Alston quoted the 17th-century philosopher Thomas The “endlessly repeated” mantra about rising employment Hobbes to warn that unless austerity was ended and welfare overlooks that “close to 40% of children are predicted to be cuts were reversed, millions of poorer Britons faced lives that living in poverty two years from now, 16% of people over 65 would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short”. live in relative poverty and millions of those who are in work “Thomas Hobbes observed long ago, such an approach condemns are dependent upon various forms of charity to cope”, he the least well-off to lives that are ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and said. short’,” he said. “As the British social contract slowly evaporates, Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary, said in No- Hobbes’ prediction risks becoming the new reality.” vember she was “disappointed to say the least by the extraor- Charities, MPs and benefits staff slam Tory dinary political nature” of Alston’s language after his tour of places including Newcastle, Glasgow, Belfast, Cardiff, Jaywick ministers for blowing public cash on a (seaside village in Essex), and London. Alston replied in his “spin” campaign for their scandal-hit benefit 21-page final report that there was an “almost complete dis- system. connect” between what ministers and the public saw. The The nine-week PR campaign in Metro launched on the same impact of austerity was obvious to anyone who opened their day as DWP policies were compared to Victorian workhouse eyes, he said. culture in a searing report by a UN Rapporteur. Hours after it In his most barbed swipe at Rudd and her predecessors in launched, MPs heard Universal Credit is pushing women to- charge of welfare, he said: “It might seem to some observers wards selling sex to get as little as £5 for an electric bill. that the department of work and pensions has been tasked Figures released last week show 14% of all new UC claims with designing a digital and sanitised version of the 19th- are still not paid on time and in full. Campaigners say the way century workhouse, made infamous by Charles Dickens.” it is paid can worsen domestic abuse. DWP Secretary Amber He said he had met people who had sold sex for money and Rudd herself admitted in February that UC had, in the past, joined gangs to avoid destitution. driven some people to food banks. The advertising campaign The report slams the government’s austerity programme, states: “A lot has been written about Universal Credit recently with criticisms of “shocking” rises in the use of food banks - not all of it correct, sadly” and rough sleeping, falling life expectancy for some, the One says it’s a “myth” that “you have to wait 5 weeks to get “decimation” of legal aid, the denial of benefits to the severely any money on Universal Credit”, when in fact, Jobcentres can disabled, falling teachers’ salaries in real terms and the impov- “urgently pay you an advance.” However, the advert fails to erishment of single mothers and people with mental illness. spell out that these advances are taken out of future benefits Alston said austerity had: “deliberately gutted” local au- and have to be paid back over several months. thorities, shrinking library, youth, police and park ser- In another case, the advert says it’s a “myth” that “Jobcentre vices to the extent that it was not surprising there were staff want to stop your benefit payments”. It says in fact, “unheard-of levels of loneliness and isolation”. “they’ll support you all the way. Fewer than 3 in every 100 UC Amber Rudd loges a formal complaint with claimants are having payments reduced by sanctions”. The advert fails to mention what this ‘3 in 100’ stat amounts the UN … for telling the truth! to - more than 400,000 sanctions have been dished out to The work and pensions secretary, Amber Rudd, plans to people on Universal Credit, 20,000 lasting longer than six lodge a formal complaint with the UN about the damning months. Sanctions over six months are now set to be banned. report on austerity in Britain by its special rapporteur on ex- Foodbank charity the Trussell Trust treme poverty, Philip Alston. ◄ Previous page
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 12
Labour Against the Witchhunt farcically witch hunts Peter Gregson 06/05/2019 by Socialist Fight
abour Against the Witchhunt have again farcically witch L hunted another group, having expelled Socialist Fight, Gerry Downing and Ian Donovan on 6 January 2018 they expelled Peter Gregson on Saturday 4 May on even more spu- rious grounds. The expulsion was a disgrace. It is a frameup and totally contrary to labour movement democracy and the basic princi- ple of class politics that an injury to one is an injury to all. There is no fundamental difference between the purge of Pe- ter Gregson that is being proposed here and the purge of Jackie Walker from Momentum by Jon Lansman. Both are driven by opportunism and demagogic distortion of com- rades’ views on sensitive issues involving Zionism and the Jewish Question. ‘anti-Semitism’, are not about opposing some dominant rac- The facts are very simple. Peter Gregson is not being ac- ism in society, but capitulating to it. Jews are not a target of cused of denying the Nazi holocaust himself. What we have is the ruling class, unless they are opposed to Zionism and de- guilt by association not at one remove, but two. One more fend the Palestinians in which case they are targeted as … than in the latest smear of Jeremy Corbyn; the Labour leader supporters of the Palestinians, not for being Jewish. wrote a foreword for JA Hobson; another whose books on In that context, accusing long time left-wing people, on the imperialism apparently has some racialised remarks about far left wing of Labour who refuse to bow down before the Jews. If he had only written a foreword for a book about ‘anti-Semitism’ witchhunt, of ‘anti-Semitism’ can only mean Hobson which contained at least one (neutral) reference to his one of two things. Either echoing the propaganda of Stalinism remarks he would have been in the same position as Peter against the ‘far left’, that equates Trotskyism with Nazism. Or Gregson. This smear is even worse than the one against Cor- anti-communism, which is behind the whole idea of ‘left-wing byn over Hobson! anti-semitism’, the idea that too much anti-racism, too much In one of the updates to the petition Peter initiated advocat- working class politics somehow leads to anti-Semitism. And ing mass defiance by Labour Party members of the racist IH- that is actually the essential thrust of the whole gamut of the RA pseudo-definition of anti-Semitism, he linked to an article witchhunt against the left in the first place. We need a consist- by Ian Fantom, which contained a long analysis of some writ- ently Marxist left that has no truck with any of this, and LAW ings by the founder of Zionism, Theodore Herzl, as well as a and its component parts currently show that, like Lansman link to an article by someone else entirely who questioned the and Momentum, they are not up to the job. truth of the Nazi holocaust. His petition update on 22 March contained the following There is no suggestion that the views of the third writer in paragraph deemed vilely anti-semitic because he supposedly the chain of association, Nick Kollerstrom, have anything in supported a Holocaust denier: common with those of Peter Gregson, who clearly stated that “Also see the article “UK’s Labour Antisemitism Split” by Ian they were ‘toxic’. And he never cited Kollerstrom, so the de- Fantom here. Ian organised the Keep Talking group that filmed mand in the motion that he ‘dissociate’ himself from him is my talk in the last but one update. (But I must say I think the absurd as he was never associated with him in the first place. Kollerstrom article he mentions is quite toxic).” The fact that someone cites a third party who also cited this Because he mentions “the Kollerstrom article” although he Kollerstrom person for a different reason altogether does not says it is “quite toxic” he was expelled by 20 for, 9 against and constitute an ‘association’ with Kollerstrom. It is guilt by in- 8 abstentions. Of course, the vote on such spurious grounds voluntary non-association. was really about the petition which asked Labour party mem- The statements by LAW, Tony Greenstein, the CPGB et al bers to endorse the proposition that Israel is a racist endeav- that they do not support Pete’s suspension or expulsion from our, approaching 2,500 LP members have already done so, to the GMB, and the Labour party are simply hypocritical. In Tony Greenstein’s outrage. And despite his backsliding Jere- pointing the finger at him and saying he is guilty of anti- my Corbyn attempted to get that clause inserted into the IH- Semitism in some way, they are speaking with forked tongue RA statement at the NEC on 4 September but was balked by in this regard and in the real world saying he is fair game for John Lansman and the TU bureaucracy, including the “left” everything that the bureaucracy wants to do with him. This Unite members. cause for his expulsion too, surely? was also true of the purge of Socialist Fight from Labour Against the Witchhunt (sic!) in January 2018. The allegations of ‘anti-semitism’ against such long-term socialists in this context, where the ruling class, the right-wing and even the far right are on the warpath against
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 13
This was too much for the libertarian CPGB/ Weekly Work- the same thing as Finkelstein said explicitly himself later and as er and Jack Conrad, who are for free speech for fascists but Jeremy Corbyn said in that Morning Star article in 2009. not for free speech for their left opponents who they admit are So pointing out direct evidence of Zionist influence is now not “personally” antisemitic, just “politically”. Of course, right antisemitism. Jeremy Corbyn was as bad as Socialist Fight, wingers and Zionists will ignore this subtle distinction, which Gerry Downing and Ian Donovan in his youth, apparently! cannot exist for politically conscious people. Tony Greenstein to have him expelled like Peter Gregson? The Zionists have made another attack on Jeremy over a This all started in earnest with Gerry Downing’s expulsion in 9 Morning Star article he wrote on 28 January 2009. He referred March 2016. We said then where it was going but Tony to “the high level of influence the Israeli government appears Greenstein were having none of it▲ to have in the upper echelons of parts of the mass media”. According to Iggy Ostanin this means that he supports the old The Zionists made another attack on Jeremy over a Morning antisemitic trope that the Jews control the mass media, alt- Star article he wrote on 28 January 2009. He referred to “the high level of influence the Israeli government appears to have hough that is clearly not the case. in the upper echelons of parts of the mass media”. Bur Tony Greenstein really has to get onto the next antise- According to Iggy Ostanin this means that he supports the mitic trope Dave Rich picks up on in that Corbyn article: old antisemitic trope that the Jews control the mass media, “How far an Obama administration is prepared to stand up to although that is clearly not the case. Israel and limit its control of US foreign policy is unclear.” Dave Rich (head of the Zionist ‘charity’ Community Security He must organise to have Jeremy Corbyn expelled from the Trust, retweeted Iggy Ostanin, “Further on in the article Cor- Labour party because that is what he, Jack Conrad and Jackie byn claims that Israel has “control of US foreign policy.” Two Walker expelled Socialist Fight from LAW on 6 January 2018. conspiracy theories for the price of one.” Mustn’t have hypocritical double standards, Tony! At the 2016 This all started in earnest with Gerry Downing’s expulsion in Communist University Tony Greenstein tried to howl down 9 March 2016. We said then where it was all going but Tony Greenstein were having none of it! Norman Finkelstein for defending Socialist Fight for saying Alabama’s hounding of Marshae Jones and The Handmaid’s Tale: the face of US fascism today By Gerry Downing “The investigation showed that the only free, saying she had acted in self-defence but true victim in this was the unborn baby, it indicted Marshae for manslaughter for Marshae Jones was the mother of the child who initiated “initiating a fight knowing she was five and continued the fight which resulted in months pregnant.” the death of her own unborn baby.” Zoe Williams, writing in The Guardian on 2 Police Lt Danny Reid of Pleasant Grove, July commented: Alabama, December 2018 “A confluence of Alabama’s bizarre “stand your n 18 December 2018 a fight began ground” gun laws and the ideological push to grant the foetus legal personhood has resulted in O between two young working class black an indictment that looks – to outside eyes – like women, Marshae Jones and Ebony Jemison, something directly from Gilead [1]. Its implica- over a man, in Pleasant Grove, Alabama, tions for the criminalisation of pregnancy are outside a store where the three worked. The amplified by the precariousness of Roe v Wade police allege that Marshae, then 27, who was under Trump’s conservative supreme court.” five months pregnant, began the conflict and We have condemned elsewhere the dick- was winning until Ebony pulled a gun and waving “right to bear arms” gun laws in the shot her in the stomach five times, killing the USA, which sees more massacres of inno- foetus but not Marshae. Mark White, a law- cents than any other advanced nation. Last yer who defended Marshae, said that investi- May Alabama passed a bill banning abortion gators working with his law firm had found a in almost every circumstance – including rape cellphone video of the fight, which showed and incest, the worst of all such laws passed This highlights the real purpose behind Marshae backing away at the time Jemison by nine states and counting. Alabama is also these misogynistic patriarchal laws; to deepen fired the gun. On the spot judgement was one of 38 states which have now passed foe- women’s oppression, so dealing a severe delivered by the policeman Lt Danny Reid in tal homicide laws that recognize a foetus as a blow to the struggle of the whole working the above quote. person, with all the rights and more of a citi- class for socialism. “The US right’s concern On 26 June Marshae was indicted by a Jef- zen and therefore a potential victim. Alabama for the foetus doesn’t survive the trip down ferson County grand jury for manslaughter has prosecuted hundreds of women for using the birth canal” as Emer O’Toole wrote in and imprisoned in Jefferson county jail on a controlled substances while they are preg- The Guardian on 1 July in reference to the $50,000 bail bond, which was quickly raised nant, under a 2006 “chemical endangerment” same bigoted right-wingers’ enthusiasm for due to the outcry over the case. The grand law. Obviously, such prosecutions discourage the appalling treatment of caged immigrant jury was convened by District Attorney pregnant addicts from seeking medical treat- Latino children on the Mexican border. Lynneice Washington (Democrat!), the first ment, endangering the life of the woman and The black, female District Attorney said black female District Attorney in Alabama’s the foetus. she was deeply wounded by the charges that history. They allowed the shooter to walk
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 14 a working-class black woman was being treated in a way that no wealthy white woman would have been. “There was a barrage of insults — desecration of my integrity, my character, my name, I am a black woman in black skin. So, don’t tell me how I don’t appreciate the sensitivity of a woman and the rights of women.” On 3 July Washington, who had signed the indictment, said: “I have determined that it is not in the best interest of justice to pursue prosecution of Ms. Jones on the manslaughter charge for which she was Aside from the shocking racist backwardness (PATCO) by Ronald Regan in August 1981 indicted by the grand jury, no further legal of Lt Danny Reid and that Jefferson grand and the defeat of the miners’ strike in Britain action will be taken against Ms. Jones in this jury and the obvious comparison between in 1985, via the Malvinas war in 1982 and the matter.” Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom and fall of the Berlin Wall and the USSR (1989- Several pastors from Alabama churches Lynneice Washington, what about the refer- 91). The right wing neo-liberal agenda, con- stood with Washington as she announced ence made by Zoe Williams to Gilead, the solidated by these defeats, is now under at- dropping the charges, obviously to defend 1985 nightmare land of The Handmaid’s Tale? tack from the right. her against enraged racist bigots. This has fascinated and horrified so many Nine US states have passed almost total northern liberals as they look southwards to bans on abortions this year, challenging the What political lessons and the redneck lands of Jim Crow, led by Ala- constitutional judgement of Roe v. Wade in conclusions? bama, the nearest we have come to Gilead. 1973. Alabama passed the almost total ban So, what are we to make of all this? Is this a The ideological echoes of the Civil War are on abortions early in May, as we have seen. matter for concern for the working class and heard again. Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mis- revolutionary socialists? It does not involve a Let us remind ourselves of the nightmare sissippi and Ohio passed so-called heartbeat strike or an occupation of a workplace or scenario looming into view now in Alabama. bills that effectively prohibit abortions after even a struggle against the misleadership of Margaret Atwood projected a totalitarian six to eight weeks of pregnancy, when doc- the trade unions or any reformist workers’ state called the Republic of Gilead, whose tors can usually start detecting a foetal heart- social democratic party. leaders had overthrown the US government beat. The vast majority of women will be Fascism can only triumph when the organ- and abolished its constitution. A right-wing unaware they are pregnant before then, so ised strength of the working class is broken coup against Donald Trump! Women were these too are effectively total bans. Utah and and all their organisations, trade unions, re- reduced to the status of men’s property, the Arkansas voted to limit the procedure to the formist social democratic parties, right, cen- chattels of mediaeval law and custom. The middle of the second trimester. Previous tre, left and centrist-revolutionary are name of the female hero is Offred, because attempts by the far right have failed, a 2006 smashed. Surely this does not affect these women can only use the name of their mas- bill in South Dakota was repealed in a refer- organisations? ter, the man Fred, like the slaves in the US endum, and a 2016 Oklahoma bill was vetoed Back in 1902 Lenin dismissed such narrow and Caribbean in the 18th and 19th century—I by the governor. On these social issues vile definitions of the class struggle: worked with West Indian Lynchs and Mur- reaction is accelerating in the USA; we are “In a word, every trade union secretary conducts phys, the names of their ancestors’ Irish slave confident that the whip of this counterrevo- and helps to conduct “the economic struggle masters (who were transported there as slaves lution will drive the revolutionary left in the against the employers and the government”. It themselves by Cromwell in the 17th century). US and everywhere else to seek the path to cannot be too strongly maintained that this is In Gilead newspapers are censored, a the- revolution via Trotsky’s Traditional Pro- still not Social-Democracy, that the Social- onomic [2] military dictatorship rules and all gramme. Democrat’s ideal should not be the trade union pre-existing religions, including all Christian secretary, but the tribune of the people, who is denominations, are banned. The Old Testa- Notes: able to react to every manifestation of tyranny [1] Wikipedia, The Handmaid’s Tale was well re- and oppression, no matter where it appears, no ment is the model for this social and religious fascism. That bit does not look a lot like Nazi ceived by critics, helping to cement Atwood’s matter what stratum or class of the people it status as a prominent writer of the 20th century. affects.” Germany, does it? But the next bit does: poor Atwood maintains that the Republic of Gilead is And in 1940 Trotsky discussed the situation people, i.e. those not administering and run- only an extrapolation of trends already seen in the in the USA and the huge gap between the ning the top level of the system, have almost United States at the time of her writing, a view backwardness of the working class and their no rights, particularly women, who cannot supported by other scholars studying The Hand- objective tasks there: own any property, earn money, or even learn maid’s Tale. Indeed, many have placed The Hand- to read or write. maid’s Tale in the same category of dystopian fic- “The objective situation of the country is in tion as Nineteen Eighty-Four and Brave New World, every respect and even more than in Europe How far down the road are we? with the added feature of confronting patriarchy, a ripe for socialist revolution and socialism, riper How far down the road are we in Alabama, categorization that Atwood has accepted and reit- than any other country in the world. The politi- with many other Jim Crow redneck states not erated in many articles and interviews. https:// cal backwardness of the American working class far behind, to Margaret Atwood’s Gilead en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Handmaid%27s_Tale is very great. This signifies that the danger of a fascist catastrophe is very great. This is the point now? The counter-revolution is now advanc- [2] Wikipedia, Theonomy, from theos (god) and of departure for all our activity. The program ing on these social questions; abortion rights, nomos (law), is a hypothetical Christian form of must express the objective tasks of the working misogyny, race (police murders), sexual orien- government in which society is ruled by divine class rather than the backwardness of the work- tation and transgender in lockstep with the law. Theonomists hold that divine law, including ers. It must reflect society as it is and not the defeats imposed on the organised working the judicial laws of the Old Testament, should be backwardness of the working class. It is an in- class from the liquidation of US Professional observed by modern societies. https:// strument to overcome and vanquish the back- Air Traffic Controllers Organization en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theonomy ▲ wardness.”
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 15
UKRAINE - POLITICAL DECLARATION THE UNION COUNCIL OF BOROTBA 04/23/2019 We publish below, under the authorization of Borotba, a policy statement of the group about the political situation in Ukraine after the presiden- tial elections of the country where the opposition candidate Vladimir Zelensky was victori- ous. Borotba is a communist organization being hounded after far-right parties and groups seized power through the EuroMaidam movement, sup- ported by the EU and the US. The Ukrainian coup occurred in 2014 and was one of the first successful hybrid war movements of imperialism supported by neo-Nazi militias. The political lessons of the Borotba comrades are of great im- portance to us workers and Brazilian communists in our fight against the Bolsonaro government. Frente Communista dos Trabalhdores http://lcligacomunista.blogspot.com/ people, Vladimir Zelensky is just a comedian and Borotba are, in fact, illegal. he defeat of the Poroshenko regime in and an actor. In fact, he is the owner of a mul- In the atmosphere of renewal, many expect the elections was the logical outcome of T timillion-dollar business owner, one of the president Zelensky to democratise the political a government based on neoliberal reforms and richest of the offshore oligarc. He is a close situation in the country, in particular: excessive nationalist propaganda. The people friend and business partner of the oligarch ● Disarmament nationalist gangs and private of Ukraine expressed their distrust of corrupt Igor Kolomoisky, who is now in disgrace. armies; officials hiding behind patriotic rhetoric. Presi- Zelensky is a compromise figure between ● The release of all political prisoners; dent Poroshenko’s campaign was trying to some of the largest Ukrainian capitalists. The ● Denazification of power and military depart- establish a confessional state, with a language oligarchs have long dreamed of a presidency ments; full of militaristic rhetoric and nationalist slo- which is “technical” only, which will have lim- ● Legalization of organizations and opposition gans. ited powers in the context of strengthening the parties, banned by the former leadership of the The electoral slogan “Army, language, faith” role of parliament. The oligarchs, fearing country. won the support of only 25% of voters. It strengthening the role of one of them, want to Time will tell if the new President will meet should be noted that the result was the most forge a parliamentary republic which is a kind the expectations of millions. However, despite crushing defeat of a president in the history of of “club for the elect”, which will establish a a ban on the Borotba Union, despite the in- Ukraine. Even this modest result was only balance of interests. timidation of special services and the threats achieved through the creation of an atmos- There is a danger that, depending on the of the neo-Nazis, we will continue to fight for phere of fear in society, in the context of the massive popular support and the expectation a free and socialist Ukraine! prohibition of leftist political organizations of change, President Zelensky will start to and control over the media and the use of We ask all honest people not to keep quiet! pursue the most unpopular and neoliberal dirty political technologies. This defeat gives We ask all who want to change to unite in reforms, such as the sale of agricultural land, the people of Ukraine optimism and faith in autonomous groups and get in touch with the privatisation of the gas transmission sys- the future. each other! tem and the privatisation of state companies. Unfortunately, despite some improvements In this situation, there is no political forces or We call on all those who are tired of na- in the public atmosphere, Ukraine will still any party in the country that can withstand tionalist propaganda to take to the streets have difficult times ahead. For most ordinary this neoliberal course. The Communist Party on 1 May under red flags! ▲
◄Editorial, from p. 3 ing in political activi- place them in the name of ‘anti-racism’. – it could lead to a split in Labour of the bulk ties, even though it never denied being a politi- Perhaps Watson, the Deputy leader, could of its working class base that might dwarf cal campaign to deliver humanitarian aid to a take over from the ‘anti-Semite’ Corbyn and 1931 and lead to the formation of a real work- civilian population that had been made politi- on an ‘emergency’ basis, lead Labour into the ers party, as opposed to the bourgeois workers cal pariahs. General Election, and hope to become Prime party that Labour is. Nevertheless the ruling Something like this is the most likely mecha- Minister as a fait accompli to provide the rul- class and its lackeys are desperate enough to nism of the next coup in Labour. Such quan- ing class with a desperately need alternative to try this, or something like it. gos can be very useful to the ruling class. The the Tories and in position to lead a wholesale It is obvious that the sentiment at the EHRC previously ‘investigated’ the BNP, and purge of the left once again. base of the Corbynite movement is that no doubt this will be used along with copious Far-fetched? Perhaps. But then again Don- Momentum must be replaced by another amounts of lying amalgam to find a legal ald Trump being president of the United all-inclusive left-wing movement, this time means to put the Labour Party into some kind States would have been far-fetched just a few based solidly on the principles of workers’ of receivership, or something like that, allow- short years ago. democracy, not the corrupt anti- ing the pro-Palestinian (‘anti-Semitic’) ele- Or Brexit. Or Boris Johnson as Prime Minis- democratism signified by Lansman’s per- ments in the leadership to be suspended from ter. It is clear that this is a huge risk for the sonal ownership of Momentum. ▲ office etc, and good pro-Zionist types to re- Labour Party bureaucracy and the ruling class
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward! Page 16 Palestine and Sudan, George Galloway’s Kalima Horra – Al Mayadeen TV Socialist Fight report On 15th June 2019 George Galloway held a reacting against these protests, which have filmed event for his TV show Kalima Horra been taking place since December 2018. on Al Mayadeen TV in London, which was These protests initially started due to the launched in 2012 in Beirut, with George rising costs of living and the deterioration Galloway joining shortly afterwards as a in economy, and then turned into the de- presenter. mand for Omar al-Bashir to step down. The topics for debate in this show were This TV debate was against the back- ‘Sudan: a regime change’ and ‘Trump’s Israel- ground of the strikes, the deposing of al- Palestine Deal of the Century: or, the Slap of the Bashir on the 11th April (who had a grip on Century?’. power for 30 years) and the Khartoum The format of the show takes the form of The trouble with this approach is that the Pal- massacre just days previously on the 3rd June, George Galloway outlining a basic introduc- estinians have been the ones doing all the where 118 people were killed, 70 raped and tion to the topic followed by participation compromising, the Israelis have not conceded many injured. from the audience, which consists of guests anything, zero in fact, and have no intention to Numerous bodies were dumped into the with direct experience, or political commenta- do so. Nile, and there were reports of violence and tors who may have an interest. On this show The annexing of East Jerusalem, the declara- rapes against both the medical professionals some members of Socialist Fight were invited tion of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and its and injured civilians that were being treated. to attend and participate. recognition by the US, Netanyahu’s declara- According to the Central Committee of Suda- tion that the illegal settlements in the West nese Doctors (CCSD) at least five major hos- Trump’s Israel-Palestine “Deal of Bank are to be annexed and recognised as Is- pitals were closed by the militias with the inter- the Century” or, the “Slap of the raeli sovereignty (along with the Golan net being shut down to prevent news reaching Century”? Heights), and now his cynical distortion of the outside world. This was the first part of the show and some history by claiming that Palestinian DNA is The large protests and strikes are clearly hav- of the points discussed were: European in an attempt to delegitimise the ing an enormous effect, the reaction from the • What is Trump aiming to achieve in the so- Palestinians claim for a right to their home- generals and the RSF (Rapid Support Forces), land. This is nothing more than race science who are formed from the Janjaweed militias, called deal? and is similar to what the Nazis used in their have become more reactionary and violent. • Does anyone know what this deal is exactly attempts at justifying supremacy and territorial The same Janjaweed who were responsible for about? expansion. the massacres in Darfur over a decade ago and • Would this plan, discussed in Bahrain this The only positive sign that can be taken away are now being funded by the EU. month, have any chance? from this is that it will be another attempt at Since the massacre President Al-Burhan, ● What would be the effect of Iran vs. US- ‘peace’, which will fail and that will bury the Hemedti and the members of the Transitional Saudi-Israel tension over this plan? two-state solution, which will in turn change Military Council have opened dialogue with A range of participation from the audience thinking towards a one state solution. One the protesters resulting in a draft agreement held a common consensus, which was that this where it will be more acceptable in the eyes of for a ‘sovereign council’, which are set to see is nothing new on offer but further exploita- people to argue for equal rights for all, equal civilians take up to six out of eleven seats in a tion of the Palestinians who have suffered rights for the Palestinians side by side with transitional government, but this seems to be a immeasurably since the 1948 Nakba. Jews. This position will be far easier to argue sticking point. The US administration’s push by Trump’s for and work towards and far harder for peo- While the ceasing of violence is welcome, it son-in-law Jared Kushner, to solve the Israel- ple to deny, which after all is a fundamental seems that this is an attempt by the TMC to Palestinian conflict is nothing more than an human right. reorganise and undermine the revolution and attempt to bribe the Palestinians to fully sur- demands from the people for democracy by render and kill the ‘two-state’ solution with Sudan: a regime change just buying time. They are very reluctant to $50 billion, not Israeli or US money, but Arab Some of the discussion points in this show cede power and the protesters need to be very money…. the Arabs themselves having to pay were: careful that the huge momentum that was built for a peace that Israel will profit from. • Who is in charge of Sudan at the moment? is not lost. The two-state solution is already dead, this • Are the supporters of Israel, Saudi and UAE To simply enter into a power sharing agree- would just legitimise it. The Palestinians have backed by Egypt and the US now standing in ment with the same individuals and generals in already boycotted the June workshops, with front of Qatari-Turkish Alliance? place will achieve very little, the protesters the Palestine Authority arguing for a political need to understand that the whole system settlement first followed by a financial settle- • Where do Russia and China stand in this needs to be rebuilt from the bottom up. As ment, and not the money-first carrot that situation? Marx wrote in his letter to Kugelmann,: ● Has the military council achieved what the Kushner is dangling. This is just another cyni- “If you look at the last chapter of my Eighteenth military expected? cal attempt by the US and their proxy in the Brumaire you will find that I say that the next Middle East, Israel, to circumnavigate a lasting Many of the people in the audience, who had attempt of the French revolution will be no long- political settlement, justice for the Palestinians direct or indirect experience of the situation in er, as before, to transfer the bureaucratic-military and the right of return of all Palestinian refu- Sudan, described the events that unfolded and machine from one hand to another, but to smash gees and their descendants. argued for a new government formed by the it.” Kushner stated, “If we want to find a path- people and reorganised from the bottom up. For this Revolution to work it mustn’t fall into way forward, it means that both sides need to How this was to come about was what was the trap of being absorbed into the state to find a place where they both feel that they can open for debate, with several calling for sup- break it but rather to break the existing state gain more than they give and move forward port from the ‘international community’. machinery and sweep it clean with a new and have the opportunities to live better lives”. It is the international community that are broom. ▲
Leon Trotsky: I am confident of the victory of the Fourth International; Go Forward!