WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK JULY/AUGUST 2021 £1 JOURNAL OF THE CPBML WORKERS Freeports EU Children’s homes Obesity Vaccination A CHALLENGE FORUS ALL YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT – Losing control

A classissue Organise now!

Care homes Profit rules Notes andmore Review, Historic plus Rail Science TAKE CONTROL: BUILD THE NEW BRITAIN News, Book Williams Report For progress

WORKERS See you in court? THE EUROPEAN Commission used to be seen as allowing non-nationals to join national political a voice of authority. But since Britain left the parties, Hungary of not accepting migrants as per European Union, it has been overcome by a need EU orders. The Netherlands, Greece and to assert itself – representing as it does a frac- Lithuania are being arraigned for not having suit- tious bloc of countries that suddenly lost 15 per able laws on hate speech and holocaust denial. cent of its GDP and saw its combined population All that on 8 June. slump from over 500 million to fewer than 450 mil- Two days later, the European Parliament duti- “ lion. fully followed suit by asking the European Court It used to be able to exert authority through its of Justice to deny Poland and Hungary access to control of the purse strings and by keeping every- the EU’s €645 billion Covid-19 relief scheme until one else in the dark. No longer. The peoples and they change their stance on gay rights, media plu- governments of Europe are becoming clued up, ralism and the appointment of judges. and restless. Even little Switzerland has told the That scheme is financed out of borrowed EU to get lost (see page 5). money. Cue more woes for Brussels after the The Brussels vaccine procurement debacle German constitutional court ruled in March that hasn’t helped – public exposure and humiliation the German government could not sign up to the of the worst sort. Nor did the Commission’s ill- scheme, on the grounds that it breaches the fated attempt to strongarm AstraZeneca, which country’s fiscal rules. ended in a Belgian court judgement on 14 June This is no ordinary argument. Germany’s court that effectively told the EU to go away and stop says that its constitution trumps the EU’s. As wasting its time. (The court ordered AstraZeneca Marc van der Woude, president of the EU’s sec- to deliver the vaccines it had already delivered or ond-highest court, observed, “the logic of the was going to deliver anyway.) [German] constitutional court could mean that Now the EU is taking legal action against its each national court would be able to assert its own member states, seven of them. This time it own vision as to how European law would be will be hoping for a better legal outcome, not least applied…Ultimately, some may wonder whether because the cases will go before its own this is a disguised exit from the EU without formal European Court of Justice, which has already sig- application [under Article 50].” Precisely. nalled that it is on the side of EU versus member The Commission will seek to divert attention state power. by stoking tensions with Britain. That won’t work.

Cover photo 1000 Words/shutterstock.com Czechia and Poland stand accused of not The EU is an idea whose time has gone. ■ WORKERS is published by the Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) 78 Seymour Avenue, London N17 9EB. www.cpbml.org.uk @cpbml ISSN 0266-8580 Issue 225, July/August 2021 Contents – July/August 2021

News The Williams–Shapps Report: at heart, no change, p3; Glasgow ” 03 Digest libraries campaigners unite, p4; Free trade threat to farming, p5

Race and working class unity, p6; Must care and health workers be vaccinated?, Features p8; Child care for profit, p11; Youth unemployment: the challenge for us all, p12; 06 Watch out, there are freeports about, p14; Diet and obesity – an issue for the working class, p16; Science, technology and progress, p18

End Notes Book Review: The Democrats’ permanent war, p20; Historic Notes: 1945 – 20 Labour’s foreign policy, p22

WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK @CPBML JULY/AUGUST 2021 NEWS DIGEST WORKERS 3

rAIL At heart, no change scotLAnd Abellio fight continues LIBrArIes Glasgow campaigns unite hgv drIvers Why the shortage fArmIng Free trade threat swItzerLAnd EU rebuffed fActs mAtter References online Build the e-newsLetter How to subscribe on the weB More news online new Britain whAt’s on Coming soon

SCOTLAND Abellio fight continues FURTHER STRIKES have been taking place in the long-running dispute between ticket examiners and conductors in Scotland and their employer, Abellio Scotrail. Their union, RMT, has been organising a series of weekly actions to achieve a measure of pay justice for all grades with enhancements for rest-day working. Now being added to the mix is the 2021 pay submission. Discussions on this have yet to start, because Scotland’s SNP administration has not given the go-ahead to Transport Scotland, their department responsible for Workers rail affairs. RMT General Secretary Mick Dutch national rail subsidiary Abellio took over the East Midlands franchise in 2019. Foreign state ownership of rail is set to continue after the Williams–Shapps report. Lynch commented, “It is extraordinary that the political leadership in Scotland – who hold a direct brief for transport – have Rail: at heart, no change allowed industrial relations on their railways to collapse.” THE WILLIAMS–Shapps Plan for Rail – a government White Paper – has finally The dispute is likely to run on through been published. And like too many of Britain’s trains, it arrived very late and was truly the summer, with the RMT indicating it underwhelming. could affect large events like the Edinburgh The report carried with it a whiff of past times – Network Rail will be transformed (back?) International Festival (in August) and even into something called Great British Railways (GBR) which will remain in the public sector, the international climate conference, COP26, using British Rail’s famous double arrow symbol in its branding. Rail and wheel will be re- scheduled for Glasgow in November. ■ united under GBR as one controlling organisation – now that the dead hand of EU law cannot prevent it. But nothing fundamental will change. This was underlined within hours of the White FACTS MATTER Paper being published when First Group announced that it has already secured new rail contracts to run services that look almost identical to the South Western and Transpennine At Workers we make every effort franchises that First Group has already been running. These are services which effectively to check that our stories are went bust when Covid-19 arrived, and which the government has been propping up with accurate, and that we taxpayers’ money ever since. Going forward, First Group will not have to bear any financial distinguish between fact and risk – that will be borne by us, the taxpayers. opinion. The message is clear: the government has no intention of reducing the involvement of If you want to check our the private sector in running Britain’s train services. Indeed, it has no intention of even references for a particular story, reviewing the way in which the new concession contracts will be structured. ■ look it up online at cpbml.org.uk and follow the embedded links. If • A longer version of this article is on the web at www.cpbml.org.uk. we’ve got something wrong, please let us know!

If you have news from your industry, trade or profession call us on 07308 979308 or email [email protected]

@CPBML WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK 4 WORKERS

Campaigners rally in ON THE WEB George Square, Glasgow. Workers A selection of additional stories at cpbml.org.uk… Fighting for Glasgow libraries Workers want cleaner air – but ON SATURDAY 5 June trade unions and local communities came together in a rally in not Birmingham ULEZ scheme George Square in central Glasgow. It was the first time in several weeks of campaigning Charges of £8 a day for drivers of highly against the closure of libraries and other venues, that the various action groups had come polluting vehicles in Birmingham's Ultra together in a united display of anger at Glasgow City Council – and its “arms-length” cultural Low Emission Zone will hit some of the body Glasgow Life. city’s most deprived neighbourhoods. The campaigners’ strength was emphasised by their keeping the weekly read-ins and picketing going at the local libraries under threat, while the rally proceeded. There was visible Universal Basic Income – no support from local branches of trade unions such as GMB, Unison and Unite, as well as from solution Glasgow Trades Council. Many see their activity as part of the long running national campaign against library A universal basic income sounds nice closures and rundowns, with one activist displaying the logo of a similar campaign in Devon. and fair, but behind the superficial She is Ruth Gillett of the Friends of People's Palace, Winter Gardens & Glasgow Green, attractiveness is the flawed concept that fighting to preserve a large area of Glasgow long seen as belonging directly to the people of the future for our society will not the city. She welcomed a photograph being taken of their newly created banner, and told involve productive work for all. Workers it was made by artist Stasia Rice. Their representative spoke at the rally before it Bus drivers win victory over ‘fire marched the short distance to the City Council building. and rehire’ An umbrella campaign, Glasgow Against Closures, has been set up to coordinate further action. ■ Manchester bus drivers, members of the union Unite, defeated a plan by Go North West to fire and rehire them on worse farm workers. pay and conditions, ending a strike that HGV DRIVERS Such action is both backward-looking, began at the end of February. Why the shortage? with employers longing for the good old pre- Setback for separatists Brexit days of importing cheap foreign THE ROAD Haulage Association (RHA) has labour, and unlikely to succeed, as there is The much-trumpeted “super-majority” for reported that there are currently 70,000 an EU-wide shortage of drivers. Although Scottish separatists never materialised vacancies for HGV drivers, a shortage of the report details the requirements for a when the SNP and the Alba Party faced “catastrophic proportions”. This is illustrated comprehensive training scheme, it fails to the voters in May. by Tesco’s admission that it is being forced address the major cause of the shortage: Protocol denies life-saving drug to bin nearly 50 tonnes of fresh food every poor levels of pay. to Northern Ireland week because there are too few lorry drivers The report says that “respect for drivers to transport produce to its stores. and the vital skilled contribution they make A hard border for medicines between At a time when unemployment is above for society needs to be better recognised”. Northern Ireland and Britain imposed by pre-pandemic levels, the transport industry That won’t happen until the industry pays the EU denies the province early access shows that poor pay and training are a drag wages that will recruit and retain British to a new life-saving cancer drug. on British productivity. drivers, and is prepared to pay for proper In its report, “UK Driver Shortage – RHA training. Plus: the e-newsletter calls for action”, the association calls out the A similar shortage exists in the government (though not the industry), for the construction industry, which once employed Visit cpbml.org.uk to sign up to your “long-term ineffectiveness of many Polish and Lithuanian workers. Unless free regular copy of the CPBML’s apprenticeships for lorry drivers”. But the they can persuade the government to grant electronic newsletter, delivered to report’s headline remedy for this crisis is to visa exemptions for foreign labour (which it your email inbox. The sign-up form is call upon the government to either place might do), employers will be forced to take at the top of every website page – an drivers on the Shortage Occupation List, or on and train British workers at rates of pay email address is all that’s required. create a Seasonal Visa Scheme similar to they can live on. ■

WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK @CPBML JULY/AUGUST 2021 NEWS DIGEST WORKERS 5

WHAT’S ON Coming soon For obvious reasons, CPBML public – physical – meetings are not currently taking place. But we are holding a series of online discussion meetings via Zoom. You’re welcome to take part, or just listen in. Email [email protected] for an invitation and a link to the discussion. To keep up-to-date as things change, make sure you’re signed up to receive our electronic newsletter (see the foot Doug Beckers (CC BY-SA 2.0) of the left-hand column, page 4). Cattle in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia. JULY Free trade threat to farming Tuesday 6 July, 7pm Discussion meeting (via Zoom) BRITISH FARMERS are concerned at the implications of a trade deal “in principle” with “Defence, not aggression” Australia agreed on 15 June and being rushed through by the government. The National Farmers’ Union has warned that the impact of the removal of tariffs could be devastating, What does the defence of Britain mean? particularly for Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish farmers. An opportunity to discuss war, peace The agreement has not been published, but it appears to offer tariff-free imports on beef, and our place in the world. lamb and sugar from Australia, to be phased in over 15 years. Currently beef imports attract tariffs of 12 per cent, with a surcharge of £1.40 to £2.50 per kilogram, varying according to cut. The Australian Agricultural Company (AACo) predicts that the removal of tariffs would SWITZERLAND allow it to increase beef exports to Britain tenfold from the current 1,567 tonnes a year, according to a report in the Financial Times. EU rebuffed The quantities involved are relatively small – we currently produce around 900,000 tonnes TO THE DELIGHT of the country’s leading of beef and veal, importing 253,000 tonnes, so 15,670 tonnes is a small proportion – but the trade union federation, the Swiss danger is that Australia would export high quality beef, such as strip loin, which would government abandoned talks in May with compete with British small farms producing similar cuts. the European Union over replacing Australian beef farming is conducted on huge ranches. AACo farms around 340,000 cattle Switzerland’s 120-odd treaties with Brussels across 18 properties in Queensland and the Northern Territory – in all 7 million hectares, more with one overarching “framework” than a quarter of the UK’s landmass. The average British beef cattle herd is between 28 and agreement. 50 animals. And Australian farmers are free to use hormonal growth products banned in this The deal had been seven years in the country – 40 per cent of their cattle are fed on such products. making. Now it is broken. It had been There have been rumours of a split within government on the agreement, between agreed as a draft three years ago, but aggressive free trade ideologues, and those who understand, to some extent, the threat it opposition within Switzerland forced the poses to British agriculture and food security. The world wars of the 20th century exposed the government to go back for improvements. reliance on food imports from the dominions and colonies as a fatal error, with tens of The three main sticking points were thousands of merchant seamen dying from U-boat attacks, mostly on ships carrying food. wages protection, state aid rules and access The free-traders were desperate to rush to conclude a deal before the G7 meeting in to welfare benefits by EU citizens. And the Cornwall in June, at which Australia was an observer. This arbitrary deadline, plucked from EU, overconfident as ever, refused to make the air, was an attempt to set a precedent for free trade agreements without anyone having a any changes at all to accommodate Swiss say about how they should be negotiated. It seems to have succeeded. reservations. “What is worrying…is that the UK Government is pushing ahead with a trade deal without The ball is now in the EU’s court, but it any public discussion about what trade policy, what kind of economy and what kind of looks like the Brussels bluff has been called. national food production they are pursuing, if there is any strategy at all,” said Professor L. However, it may well try again to exert Alan Winters from Sussex University’s UK Trade Policy Observatory. pressure as the individual treaties become • Meanwhile, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced payments due for renegotiation to farmers of up to £100,000 to encourage them to leave farming. While the scheme is aimed The SGB/USS (Swiss Trade Union at older farmers, environment secretary George Eustice said when launching the scheme, that Federation), the largest umbrella body of it also wants to persuade young people from farming families to leave the land. The unions in the country, issued an immediate programme has no protection to stop agricultural land ending up with developers. statement welcoming the government’s Small tenant farmers, it seems, are an inconvenient obstacle to the multinational decision on the grounds that it guarantees capitalists who would like to consolidate further their stranglehold on our food markets, or Switzerland’s existing wage protection laws exploit our countryside in other ways, for example by property development. against EU-based companies that sought to It is said that people shy away from careers in the countryside. Farmers who have given undermine them. ■ decades of their lives to the land, and their skills and experience, are vital to our ability to develop British agriculture so an independent country can feed itself securely and safely. ■ • A longer version of this article is on the web at www.cpbml.org.uk.

@CPBML WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK 6 WORKERS JULY/AUGUST 2021 The Sewell report has not gone down well with those comm of skin colour. Above all, it’s optimistic – and with good reas Race and working class

Cover of the report from the commission chaired by educationalist Tony Sewell.

IN A LANDMARK report, issues of race on Race and Ethnic Disparities, chaired by policing, and health, the report comes to a and ethnic relations and achievements in educationalist Tony Sewell. It was commis- number of main findings and 24 recom- contemporary Britain have been examined sioned last summer by the government in mended actions. It describes some areas by a distinguished panel of commissioners, the wake of the Black Lives Matter furore. It of continuing obstacles, but also the need which acknowledges that the situation is by was asked to examine the state of race and to build on many successes. no means perfect and that there is much ethnic disparities in this country, why they It boldly states that: “The evidence left to do. exist and what should be done to eliminate shows that geography, family influence, But read on: “The country has come a or mitigate them. The ten commissioners socio-economic background, culture and long way in 50 years and the success of were drawn from a variety of fields of religion have more significant impact on life much of the ethnic minority population in expertise including science, education, chances than the existence of racism.” education and, to a lesser extent, the econ- medicine, policing, economics and broad- Racism has too often become a catch-all omy, should be regarded as a model for casting. All bar one were from ethnic explanation, implicitly accepted rather than other White-majority countries,” it said. The minority backgrounds. examined, it says. optimistic and forward-looking flavour is The commission used a mass of data The report tells us to reject a “fatalistic notable. compiled by the Cabinet Office’s Race and narrative” and recognise that it is hard to That report came from the Commission Disparity Unit, first set up in 2016, together create a successful multicultural society. with evidence from other experts and Racial disparities will occur along the way, by speaking to communities. The report, but our country’s progress to a successful published in March this year, is based multicultural community can be a “beacon ‘The report is on evidence rather than anecdote. to the rest of Europe and the world”. What’s more, to deal with poor out- based on science, Findings comes identified for some groups – for Looking particularly at the areas of educa- instance, for Afro-Caribbean and white not on anecdote…’ tion and training, employment, crime and boys in education – the broad answer is to

WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK @CPBML JULY/AUGUST 2021 WORKERS 7 mitted to the politics of “identity” and division on the basis son… unity

take action to improve outcomes for every- report “for daring to think differently”. one. The report carries a clear message: ‘Probably its worst On Sky News commission member everyone needs to feel part of Britain and and space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin- work together to create better lives here. sin was the Pocock expressed horror at the, to her, It’s not surprising that the report went unexpected hysterical outrage. “We need down badly among those who are invested conclusion that debate, we don’t need to be hurling politically, financially and emotionally into insults,” she said. To the charge that the the notion that Britain is overwhelmingly disparities were report puts a positive spin on slavery, she divided racially, that no progress has been replied, “The intention was to say that made over the past decades, and that not due to despite slavery, the human spirit of the white people are to blame. They want well black people involved in that triumphed known educational findings such as that “institutional over that adversity.” white boys are achieving among the lowest As in the USA, and largely imported educational results, that children of black racism”…’ wholesale from there despite Britain being African families are among the highest a very different society with a different his- achievers, to be pushed aside. Particularly tory, a poisonous race industry has grown upsetting to them is Sewell’s call for an end not due to “institutional racism” but to a up in this country. Great sums of money to the guilt-inducing “decolonising of the multiplicity of factors. are made by purveyors of “unconscious curriculum”, and that all children should be Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer quickly bias” training courses to be flogged to taught about the making of modern Britain, stated that although he had not read the workplaces. Companies and institutions and to see it as their own heritage. report, it couldn’t be right because of its are falling over themselves to send their On health disparities, Sewell calls on rejection of “structural racism” as the most employees to corrective education, largely black and Asian people to take part in important element in disparities. And the to demonstrate their own virtue often while health trials to enable data to reflect the national secretary of the GMB union doing nothing practical to examine and whole population. The report shows that Rehana Azam accused the commission of take action on their own discriminatory health outcomes are worse for some white being “cynical”, “immoral”, and “irresponsi- practices. groups than for many ethnic minorities. ble” because “institutional racism exists”, Stop and Search policing is not rejected her evidence being that ethnic minorities Spurious but rethought, in part to protect young are dying in greater numbers from Covid! Universities and colleges spend precious black men – major victims of homicide in Norwich Labour MP Clive Lewis even funds on spurious academic posts examin- cities – more effectively. This reflects the presented the commissioners as the Ku ing the “institutional racism” supposedly views expressed by many mothers of Klux Klan in a tweeted photo. pervading the whole of British society. young murdered men in London. The commission members have been Politicians like Keir Starmer and public Sewell calls for an end to the term subjected to vile racial slurs and received organisations like the Football Association BAME – Black, Asian and minority ethnic – death threats. In the week after publication feel obliged to demonstrate their correct- given the complex picture of the population the commission expressed its shock at the ness of thinking, or hesitate in fear of say- of Britain. The catch-all term, he says, refusal to even read the report or discuss ing the wrong thing. An accusation of obstructs genuine investigation of differ- the findings on their merits. racism can end in the sack or blight a ences in research. And the report rejects Toxic voices from the race relations career. Better to hide away and say noth- victimhood, calling on people to take industry called Sewell “a token black man”, ing. Sowing division among the people has responsibility by pushing for and grasping and worse. The UN Working Group of become a profitable industry in itself. opportunities. Experts on People of African Descent (like There has been genuine criticism of other puffed up UN organisations which aspects of the report and particular recom- Reaction claim the right to sit in judgement on British mendations, but overall it has been wel- Even before publication, the 258-page society), in a grossly irresponsible charge comed. So let’s celebrate the publication of report was beginning to be heavily criti- from an international organisation, accused a report which rejects the grievance mon- cised for fear of it coming to the “wrong” the Commission of rationalising “white gers, with their promotion of a perpetual conclusions. And it was met by a torrent of supremacy” and called for it to be dis- miserable victimhood, and which calls for shaming and abuse when it actually banded or reconstituted. genuine debate and appreciation for the appeared, mostly from people who had not On 20 April, defending the report in relative health of British society and how far had time to read it but had heard about it parliament, equalities minister Kemi it has come, and for unity in the face of its and knew they couldn’t agree with it. Badenoch denounced such “appalling problems. This report examines race in Probably its worst sin was coming to abuse and false assertions” and accused Britain and finds a decent people doing its the conclusion that, overall, disparities were hysterical opposition MPs of attacking the best. ■

@CPBML WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK 8 WORKERS JULY/AUGUST 2021 The Covid-19 pandemic has taught us – if we needed to be there is such a thing as collective responsibility for the heal Must health and care wo

HEALTH SECRETARY Matt Hancock has announced that Covid-19 vaccinations are to be made compulsory for all workers in care homes in England, and that consulta- tions are to commence on extending this policy to the NHS in England. The govern- ment will require care workers to have both jabs within 16 weeks of the necessary reg- ulations being approved by Parliament. If they refuse, they could lose their jobs. Hancock has admitted that the vast majority of staff in care homes have been vaccinated, but told Parliament that com- pulsory vaccinations in care homes and hospitals would protect not only the indi- viduals vaccinated but those around them, and would save lives. NHS and care home staffs’ unions Unison and GMB have both condemned Hancock’s move. Yet both have also failed to provide a cogent explanation as to why they did so. Both suggested that staff would rather leave their jobs than be vacci- nated – exacerbating existing staff short- ages – but that seems unlikely. Both extol the virtues of persuading rather than coerc- ing workers, and in common with nearly all other unions both encourage their mem- bers to be vaccinated. So is Hancock going over the top by insisting that care and health workers have the jab? Certainly, the fact that up to a quarter of care staff in London are still not

vaccinated must be a serious concern at a Alexey Federenko/shutterstock.com time when Covid-19 infections are rising Not just a museum: the vaccination centre at the Science Museum has been open for business s again after restrictions were eased, albeit from a very low number. Nationally, around and trade unions to persuade them to be get on with their lives. The pandemic has 15 per cent of care workers are not vacci- vaccinated have clearly not completely created greater levels of unemployment, it nated. The figures for NHS staff are similar. worked. has seriously damaged the education of On 14 June the government postponed many, and has caused increased ill health. Refusals the ending of all Covid-19 restrictions The lockdowns in particular have resulted Remember that all these staff were given despite giving clear signals that it would do in greater mental illness, and the intensified priority for receiving the jabs, so these are so on 21 June. Prime Minister Johnson is pressure on hospitals has seen longer wait- individuals who are refusing vaccination now talking in terms of “living with the dis- ing times for patients. For some, the wait rather than workers who have not had the ease”, conveying a much more realistic was too long, and they died – not recorded opportunity. Campaigns by government assessment of how the pandemic must be as Covid-19 victims, but killed by the virus managed in the future. just as surely. After all, the uncomfortable fact is that Notwithstanding, massive steps have Covid-19 probably won’t be eradicated in been taken towards beating Covid. Since ‘Talk of “zero our lifetimes. Talk of “zero covid” is fanciful the last lockdown ended in April, restric- in the extreme, like talking of “zero flu”. tions have eased considerably. The vacci- covid” is fanciful The failure to meet the target date of 21 nation programme has been a success. June to end all restrictions has understand- But the recent predominance of the in the extreme…’ ably caused despair for many longing to highly infectious Delta variant of the

WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK @CPBML JULY/AUGUST 2021 WORKERS 9 taught – that there is such a thing as society. And that lth of the country… orkers be vaccinated?

now seems to have broken that link. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, ‘The figures for lockdowns and restrictions have been imposed on the British people in order to deaths should be control and limit the spread of the disease, with two express aims; to minimise deaths, treated with some and to avoid the NHS being overwhelmed. Around 5 million people have been infected caution…’ with the virus in Britain, with 470,000 of those admitted to hospital with Covid-19. 150,000 have died having tested positive are actually lower than the average. for Covid-19. At the peak of the pandemic, From mid-April 2021 to the middle of daily positive tests were around 80,000, June the official Covid daily death rate was with 4,000 a day being admitted to hospi- below 20, and the daily number of hospital tal, and 1,300 a day dying having tested admissions has been below 150. While positive. infections are rising rapidly again, hospital And a growing number of those admissions and deaths are not. Hospital infected are experiencing “long Covid”, admissions have risen slightly, but by mid- where the effects of the disease persist for June deaths were actually down to around months, causing many to be absent from 10 a day. their workplaces on a long term basis, Inevitably, there is now much debate often leading to them losing their jobs. about how to manage the pandemic in this The figures for deaths should be new situation. The vaccination programme treated with some caution. The deaths is clearly responsible for this turnaround in recorded are of those who died within 28 our fortunes, but many scientists are con- days of having tested positive with Covid- cerned that until at least another 20 per 19. This is not the same as the number cent of adults have received the second who died as a result of having been vaccination, the virus may still again infected. A small number of those who increase out of control. have died as a result of Covid-19 were not It is this situation that has prompted an tested, and were therefore not recorded in evaluation of the mandating of vaccination the official figures. for care and NHS workers. Alongside this, It seems likely that far more died for debate rages about allowing those vacci- another reason but their condition was nated much more freedom than those that since 11 March. either exacerbated by Covid-19, or the have not been jabbed, including the free- virus played little or no part in their demise. dom to travel abroad. Covid-19 virus first recorded in India did So the official figures for deaths have been Some care home employers have reverse the downward trend in infections – inflated. The fact is that while there is no already made vaccination compulsory – which is why the government decided to doubt that a small number of young healthy having already decreed that staff either postpone what it had called “freedom day”. people died from Covid-19, the vast major- agree to be vaccinated or lose their jobs. ity that died were over 60 years old, and Many other employers, not just in the Protection most had other medical issues that made health and care sectors, are thinking of It is encouraging that the vaccines seem to them particularly vulnerable to the Covid- doing likewise. In some workplaces, many be providing effective protection against 19 infection. workers are now expressing concerns to the Delta variant. Most of those being A better picture of what has been going their employers about having to work admitted to hospital or dying in June were on is provided by “excess death” figures. alongside colleagues who are not vacci- those who had not been vaccinated, and These figures compare the average annual nated. there is strong evidence to show that the death rate with a particular year. In 2020 There are various reasons why some vaccinated are at much lower risk of infec- there were 697,000 deaths in Britain, nearly refuse to be vaccinated. Most but not all tion. If they are infected they are very 85,000 more than the average. This would are bogus, though there are valid concerns unlikely to need hospitalisation, or die. Until support the view that deaths actually from, for example, people with serious recently there was a clear correlation caused by Covid were greatly exaggerated allergies. Fuelled by misinformation on the between cases, hospital admissions, and by official figures. deaths. The mass vaccination programme And at present this year, excess deaths Continued on page 10

@CPBML WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK 10 WORKERS JULY/AUGUST 2021 richardjohnson/shutterstock.com Closed building site: safety in the workplace requires a high level of vaccination.

Continued from page 9 Britain, they have now even been cleared The regulations compel employers to for use with pregnant women and children use a hierarchy of control measures that internet and in the media, some believe over 12 years of age. put actions such as the wearing of PPE that vaccines are inherently harmful – even But some individuals have no interest in and masks along with social distancing that the vaccines have the ability to alter collective health and wellbeing or society. way below a measure that actually controls their DNA or their minds. This nonsense is They would not be vaccinated even if fail- the infection itself – vaccination. exposed as such now that 8 out of 10 ure to vaccinate enough people resulted in There is no doubt that the death toll adults in Britain have received at least one a pandemic that would kill most of the among front-line workers not only in care jab. The evidence is overwhelming and world’s population or devastate the world’s and health but in other areas like transport clear. economy. would have been greatly reduced had While they may wish to take huge risks workers been vaccinated. Risks with their own health and lives, they cannot Looked at from a standard health and Some believe that the risks of the vaccine be allowed to put others at risk – and that safety risk assessment perspective, vacci- are as great as the disease. No vaccine is especially applies in the workplace. Indeed, nation is by far the most effective means to 100 per cent safe, but there is overwhelm- that is the basis of Britain’s health and control the risks of Covid infection. And ing data showing that the risks associated safety law; the Health and Safety at Work such an approach in relation to infectious with contracting Covid-19 are huge com- Act 1974 requires employers to take all rea- disease is not novel – the NHS already pared to the risks of vaccination. sonably practicable steps to reduce work- requires many front line workers to be vac- For example, Covid sufferers are 8 to place risks to their lowest practicable level, cinated against other diseases. 10 times as likely to get blood clots – a protecting the health and safety not only of It beggars belief that many will accept condition known as CVT – as people who the workforce but of the public. This last that workplaces can only end the measures get the AstraZeneca vaccine, according to point is especially pertinent in respect of introduced to control infection when the researchers at Oxford University, where the the care and health sectors. vast majority of their staff are vaccinated, jab was developed. The Management of Health & Safety at but then not support moves to get more And some are persuaded not to be Work Regulations require employers to individuals be vaccinated. Control mea- vaccinated by superstition or religious or carry out a suitable and sufficient risk sures in workplaces generally work on the even political beliefs. It is hard to counter assessment to manage a risk, in this case basis that there are rules in place to ensure irrational beliefs. the very serious risk of Covid-19 infection the health and safety of the workforce as a There is no doubt that the Covid-19 leading to hospitalisation, long Covid, or whole. Individuals cannot opt out of those vaccinations are as safe as they can be. In death. control measures. ■

WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK @CPBML JULY/AUGUST 2021 WORKERS 11 Almost unbelievably, most children’s homes in Britain are run by private equity companies… Child care for profit

PRIVATE EQUITY companies have swooped on the children’s care sector dur- ing the pandemic, a Times investigation has reported, seizing on the chance of a quick buck. This adds a dangerous factor to the financial stability of many children’s homes, as the private equity model involves taking on high levels of debt to buy up property and resources, gambling on high profits to be made. There are echoes of the risk-taking which led to the financial collapse of the huge private equity-backed Southern Cross Healthcare Group in 2011, in spite of its huge profit margins. As it was with 31,000 mainly elderly residents of Southern Cross then, now it is Could the Southern Cross debacle be replicated in children’s homes? the lives of children and young people being put at risk through unsustainable lev- £18 million in 2020. Large private chains John Lawrence, is co-owner of Capital els of leveraged debt. The equity compa- are buying property in northwest England, Children’s Care Ltd. This company bought nies have been swallowing up smaller pri- much cheaper than in the South, forcing a large house in Braintree, Essex, and vate providers, aiming to resell at a profit. councils to place children hundreds of opened it as a children’s home last June. Private care fees have been forced up miles from where they live. An Ofsted judgement of “serious and as a result, from an average of £2,800 in In June Josh MacAllister, chair of the widespread concerns” revealed that direc- 2013 to £4,100 a week per child by the end government’s current review of social tors and staff lacked the qualifications, of last year. Their local authority customers, care, called the market for placements for experience and skills required to keep chil- legally responsible for children in care, are vulnerable children “broken”, and said that dren safe. They had no first aid training. effectively being held hostage to pay up the levels of private fees and profits were One staff member worked 72 hours without because of a massive shortfall in places indefensible. leaving the home, another worked a run of amid rising demand. 14 nights in a row. Young residents were There is a long history of problems with Falling standards able to take dangerous risks, with the quality and safety of children’s homes, And along with the rising profits comes a instances of exhausted staff unable to but these have become significantly worse dangerous diminution in quality of care, cope. Essex county council paid the home as they are increasingly seen merely as a reports the Times. While Ofsted suspended £320,000 over seven months to look after financial investment. A number have regular physical inspections due to the difficult-to-place children with complex opened and closed within months. pandemic, 176 new homes were opened needs. As Andy Elvin, chief executive of the between April 1 and August 31 last year, a In-person “assurance” visits, where Adolescent and Children’s Trust, said rise of a third over the same period in 2019. there were concerns, began in September recently, “The majority of children’s homes Reports for nearly a quarter of those 2020, and regular inspections from this now are owned by three or four private inspected (mostly remote inspections only) April. Before the pandemic four in five equity houses and they have a business have yet to be published. Almost a third homes were judged as good or outstand- model that’s based on bed nights. were found to have failings, often charging ing in full inspections. Since then almost Because you can charge . . . upwards of very high fees for children with complex one in three newly registered homes have £5,000 a week from the point of view of the problems supervised by inexperienced low identified significant concerns. people at the top of the tree — the private paid young staff working long shifts. They are expensive to run. Around 60 equity analysts — if you can even get three Ofsted found examples of children and per cent of costs are for staff, so young or four weeks of that fee it was worth it.” young people in care being put at serious inexperienced and unqualified support staff Dubbed “get rich quick homes” by risk by the failings. At one home, children are common. Several of the new homes MPs on the education select committee in stole knives from the kitchen and took during the pandemic had no registered June, average profits for large providers are them to school. At another, staff dropped manager. The work is hard and staff just under 18 per cent, with a rise of a sixth off a young person at a drug dealer’s home turnover is high. Yet these are literally the last year alone. One private equity-owned in spite of police warnings about the area. homes of children and young people chain, the Witherslack Group, almost A scaffolder convicted of carrying an 8- whose educational outcomes are among doubled its profits from £9.5 million to inch knife behind the sun visor in his car, the lowest in the country. ■

@CPBML WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK 12 WORKERS JULY/AUGUST 2021 During the Covid-19 pandemic young people have been hi for young workers in particular, are going from bad to wor Youth unemployment: a Massimo Parisi/shutterstock.com London delivery rider. Many young adults rely on casual work like this, but the gig economy has been hit hardest by Covid-19.

WHILE THE economy is said to be recov- the “recovery” is minuscule as it is. The peared are lost by workers aged between ering, young people are finding it as hard statistics, covering the three months from 16 and 24 years. as ever to get work. A batch of reports in February to April, record a fall of just 0.3 Around 1 in 6 of these young people the first half of the year have now been fol- per cent in unemployment across all ages. will be unemployed this year. That figure lowed by official statistics on the labour Meanwhile, young people – classified as will worsen next year even as the economy market issued on 15 June. As the non- those aged between 18 and 25 – are more begins to recover. It’s expected that young profit social enterprise Youth Employment likely than any other age group to be unem- adults will make up around 37 per cent of noted in its analysis of the statistics, “the ployed. the total unemployed. data shows that young people have not Before the coronavirus pandemic a This will lower tax revenue to govern- seen the same levels of recovery as all high number of young adults were ment and increase benefit spending. The ages.” employed in hospitality, catering, leisure cost is forecast to be £2.5 billion over this To put that observation into context, and retail sectors, as well as in the casu- year, rising to £2.9 billion in 2022. The alised “gig” economy. These areas were impact on the earnings and employment hardest hit; 47 per cent of all young work- prospects of young adults will be high. The ers were furloughed during the first lock- estimate for those entering the labour mar- ‘We’ve seen all too down. A research briefing published in ket in 2021 alone is more than £14 billion March by the House of Commons Library over the next seven years. many of these gives more detail. The report, titled Facing the future - Impact vague, well- employment prospects for young people And among young workers, the impact of after Coronavirus, was jointly produced this will be greatest on the less well off, and meaning schemes with The Prince’s Trust. It says that in the those with no qualifications or those gained economic downturn since Covid-19 struck, at lower levels. Employer demands for in the past…’ 60 per cent of the jobs that have disap- those with few or no qualifications are

WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK @CPBML JULY/AUGUST 2021 WORKERS 13 t particularly hard. Now the prospects for all workers, but rse… challenge for us all

expected to fall in the future. The prospects for many are bleak. Autism and unemployment The TUC warned of this risk to young workers last June. It expresses support for IF EMPLOYMENT prospects for young meet people and adapt. Online is not like the government’s commitments to invest- people generally are grim, for those with that.” ment in housing, transport and new tech- any kind of disability they are desperate. The lack of any formal support for nology. But will these create jobs for skilled And worse still if that disability is autism. gaining employment makes things workers? Unless urgent steps are taken to When the Office for National worse. “It’s not what you know, it’s who provide training for young people so that Statistics released a report on outcomes you know,” says George. they can gain the necessary skills to be for disabled people in February this year, When he can find work, George does able to take advantage of opportunities it showed that only 22 per cent of autistic casual shifts for a company in the secu- provided by that investment, those skilled adults are in any kind of employment. rity industry. “Anywhere the company workers will end up being drawn from other The report itself – the first proper can make cuts it is doing so,” he says. countries. analysis of employment among people One example is ThumbTec, a tech- with autism – was the result of years of nology where a fingerprint rather than a Hopes campaigning by the National Autistic security guard confirms an ID. That can The TUC pins its hopes on a job guarantee Society. “This is a shocking figure, which be combined with “soft” (remote) moni- scheme, an idea also touted by think tanks is even lower than previously suggested toring via CCTV whereby someone sitting like the Social Market Foundation. This in surveys our charity has run,” it said in in, say, Glasgow can provide access to looks superficially attractive with mention of response. workers in a building in London. And, as the living wage, public benefit, “decarboni- “We are really worried that out of all George notes, security is only one of sation jobs” and so on. But at heart disabled people, autistic people seem to many industries where technology is the premise is about jobs that aim to pro- have the worst employment rate. While replacing human beings. vide skills leading to permanent work. So not all autistic people can work, we know Before the pandemic Idris worked on possibly not “jobs” at all and possibly no most want to.” a zero hours contract as a cleaner in a “guarantee”. That willingness to work was obvious football stadium. He reckons that the We’ve seen all too many of these when Workers spoke to two young peo- work won’t come back, at least not in vague, well-meaning schemes in the past. ple with autism about their experiences that form. “They don’t need casual work- But the TUC is for once talking about finding work. George and Idris* are both ers like me [whom they have to train],” he developing skills for British workers instead Londoners in their 20s, and as they sat in said. Instead, the work will be outsourced of importing them. And it does make a café in north London they described a to a professional cleaning company. important points – any scheme should ramshackle system made up of numer- Things had anyway become much bring extra money, and be about new ous separate charities focused on the harder after the financial crisis of 2018, posts and not replacing existing workers. It needs of young people with disabilities, which wiped $7 trillion off the value of should also reflect local labour market but each with its own way of working. global stock markets. As the pandemic needs, linked to regional economic plans. The Covid-19 pandemic has not just comes (hopefully) to an end, people gen- The government has done nothing cut down on job opportunities, it has erally assume things will improve, but effective in response to the warnings last made it harder for people like George from where George stands that’s just year about the disproportionate impact of and Idris to put across their skills and wishful thinking. “Actually it’s making the pandemic on young workers. It’s their willingness to work. “When the things worse: employers are even keener equally unlikely to take notice of the latest Jobcentre tells you about a vacancy, you to make cuts,” he says. ■ reports or “job guarantee” proposals unless just send off a CV,” said Idris. “For me it forced to do so. just doesn’t work. It doesn’t fit in with * Names have been altered to preserve The Lifetime Skills Guarantee how I interact with the world. I need to anonymity. announced by Boris Johnson with a fanfare last September looks like a hollow shell. And without pressure from workers, it’s economy. Or worse they will end up in the alcohol or drugs. All this would instead likely to remain that way. black economy where minimum wages, mean increased government spending health and safety and job security simply being needed even more by the NHS and Demands don’t exist, or turn to crime. social care – as well as police, courts and Unions must demand greatly increased A lack of employment, money and a prisons. spending by government in a decent future purpose in life will mean much greater lev- Glib phrases like “perfect storm” don’t for our youth – otherwise too many will face els of ill health and an increase in the num- do justice to this looming disaster. Avoiding a lifetime of casual work in the gig bers resorting to the escape provided by it is everyone’s responsibility. ■

@CPBML WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK 14 WORKERS JULY/AUGUST 2021 Freeports are a reality. Most workers have never heard of t within them will really matter… Watch out, there are free Workers Felixstowe Docks, Suffolk – one of the sites listed for England’s eight freeports.

IN MARCH the government announced the trade” and “free movement of labour”. manufacturing element, explaining how location of eight new freeports across A House of Commons libraries briefing firms are able to import goods without pay- England. The eight were chosen following a points out there is no single definition of a ing tariffs whereby producers “process bidding process which involved coalitions freeport, and they operate in different ways them into a final good and then either pay a which had to include the relevant Local in different countries. But they all have fea- tariff on goods sold into the domestic mar- Authority (or authorities), local enterprise tures in common, such as “various conces- ket or export the final goods without paying partnerships and large manufacturing sions on customs, other tax and planning UK tariffs.” employers as well as the port concerned. advantages and reduced bureaucracy”. There will be other financial benefits too This is a policy decision with big conse- The briefing also explains that while for employers within freeports, who will pay quences. But few people know what being within a country’s geographical bor- reduced national insurance contributions freeports are about, even in sectors directly ders, freeports are effectively outside a for new staff. Freeport status will lead to “a employed in the ports. Plenty of workers country’s custom borders. That’s a crucial wide package of tax reliefs”, according to are asking, “What is a freeport”? difference: in practice freeports can the government, including tax relief on pur- There is evidence that workers are amount to little more than warehousing to chasing land, constructing new buildings or already planning how to organise in this areas where added value manufacturing renovating old ones, and investing in new new environment. There is an urgent need occurs before goods are re-exported. plant and machinery. for a wider understanding to aid that organ- The stated ambition for the eight Freeports are not all maritime ports – isation. Yet the idea has not been hidden – freeports announced for England is that freeports have been a favoured they will become more like regeneration Conservative party policy for some time, zones. The geographical area involved is and a particular favourite of the current greater than the physical port and freeports ‘Putting the Chancellor. can be up to 45 kilometres (27 miles) across. It is planned that companies inside adjective “free” in What is a freeport? the sites will also be offered tax breaks, Good question. We have learnt that putting mostly lasting five years. front of a word is a the adjective “free” in front of a word is a The Treasury documentation for the favoured government tactic. Think “free application process did focus on the favourite tactic…’

WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK @CPBML JULY/AUGUST 2021 WORKERS 15 them, but they soon will – and workers’ organisation eports about

rather it is loosely connected to the “pillars” ‘How does this in the Plan for Growth. England’s freeports policy relate to the Infrastructure plan? Teesside So surely the freeports policy is part of the industrial strategy? national infrastructure plan? Humber Another good question. And the Liverpool A good question…’ answer is “No, not really”. For a start, an city region underpinning principle of the national East Midlands infrastructure plan is about the connectivity Airport of the whole of the UK and freeports are they can include airports. Indeed, one of only an English initiative. the eight chosen freeport locations is East The government originally aimed to cre- Midlands Airport, one of the UK’s busiest ate ten free ports, seven in England and Felixstowe and cargo airports, second only to Heathrow, one each in Wales, Scotland or Northern Harwich and handling over 320,000 tonnes of flown Ireland. But the devolved administrations cargo every year. would not support it. Holyrood now pro- As Unite the union pointed out to their posed “greenports”, Wales has not made a Thames members during the consultation phase, decision and the Northern Ireland Protocol “Freeports are similar to free trade zones or is a potential block on development there. Solent ‘enterprise zones’…The difference is that a Locally the initiative has not been freeport is designed to specifically encour- planned with other aspects of infrastruc- Plymouth age businesses that import, process and ture. Maggie Simpson from the Rail Freight then re-export goods, rather than more Group points out that “none of the free general business support or regional ‘level- ports in the North of England have got the existing work from other areas with the ling up’ objectives.” right rail connectivity at the moment”, and promise of tax breaks. The movement of those further south don’t fare much better. jobs pits regions against each other, with Industrial Strategy? The only way to counter this now is to the double impact of one area losing You might be asking how this policy relates use the decision on freeports to demand employment and revenue for local authori- to the industrial strategy? Another good better rail connections. For example, ties, while employers in the freeport zone question. Until you remember that the UK Stewart Swinburn, a Conservative council- avoid tax.” So, the risk is clear. does not have an industrial strategy. lor in North East Lincolnshire, whose patch Under the slogan “From Free Zones to These days a search for “UK industrial includes the major port of Immingham, Union Zones” the Unite union has already strategy” takes you to a government web- points out that HS2 will be vital for freeing begun a process of mapping and identifi- site telling you that the strategy has been up capacity on lines currently used for pas- cation in the eight locations. It is identifying archived. The site goes on to say that the senger services so that goods and materi- all the workplaces which will fall within government is “transitioning the Industrial als can reach the Humber freeport. them – be they the port, logistics or ware- Strategy into our Plan for Growth and its The other vital planning consideration is housing centres, manufacturing, or con- related strategies” that the UK has 120 commercial ports and struction projects. The site includes an introduction from proper infrastructure planning would not be Unite will then identify areas of union the prime minister which talks about a about splitting off eight of them. Rather the density and those areas where recruitment “post-industrial era”, as if such a thing were focus would be on their quite different is vital in a programme involving local reps possible. Everyone relies on industry for characteristics such as the fact that some working with the national industrial sectors everyday living, so the use of this phrase are specialised container ports, only some and the research department. This can should always be challenged. can deal with agricultural goods and others then lead to more specific demands The Plan for Growth describes itself as are designed for specialised bulk traffic, around maintaining and improving pay and being based on three core pillars: infras- such as coal or oil. conditions. tructure, skills, and innovation. All important Employers will see freeports as an issues in themselves but a long way from a Impact opportunity to undercut wages and condi- coherent industrial strategy which one And what about the impact of the eight tions, with negative impact on other ports. would expect to begin with an analysis of freeports on other ports? As Unite argued The union challenge is to turn that aspira- what Britain requires to meet the needs of in the consultation period, there is evidence tion on its head, utilising the connections its population. So the freeports policy does that freeports and zones don’t create between sectors within freeports to work- not sit as part of an industrial strategy – new economic activity “but rather relocate ers’ own advantage. ■

@CPBML WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK 16 WORKERS JULY/AUGUST 2021 Obesity in Britain is increasing, especially in children. This and persistent… Diet and obesity – an issu 1000 Words/shutterstock.com Junk food, anyone? The supermarkets are chock-full of it – and much of it heavily advertised and promoted.

THE STRONG link between obesity and overeating associated with insufficient Teachers noticed that children returning to poor outcomes from coronavirus has physical activity. But that simple truth hides school had become less active during lock- caught the headlines. But there are many a twist: in Britain – and many other coun- down. Even before the pandemic hit, Sport other impacts on health and mobility – as tries – the food industry is in the hands of England found that only 53.4 per cent of well as an increased incidence of social companies that pump their products with children were getting an hour or more isolation and decreased rates of employ- sugars and fats that we humans have been physical activity per day, and that reduced ment. conditioned by evolution to crave. to 51.1 per cent in 2020. Sporting activity Why is this a concern to the working They do it even with so-called slimming had largely ceased, though other forms of class? We should not live with low quality products, adding the weasel words about activity had increased. housing and high levels of pollution. Nor weight-loss “only in association with a Whatever the reason for obesity, it is should we accept poor diet and a lack of calorie-controlled diet”. And animal fats the leading preventable cause of death in quality food – two drivers of obesity. and sugars are cheap. No wonder that the Britain, though for a small minority the Obesity is detrimental to our lives and is fast-food outlets that working-class families cause is genetic, and hence not easy to avoidable – and it’s not simply a question are blamed for using proliferate in the prevent. It is a key risk factor in coronavirus of personal choice and responsibility. poorer areas of Britain. Healthy food is not patients, and lockdown has contributed Fundamentally it is a social and political cheap. Nor is it addictive. significantly to sedentary life-styles associ- problem and not a medical one – although ated with overeating. the health services must deal with the Inactivity The majority of adults are now consid- consequences. Insufficient physical activity is an important ered to be either obese or overweight. In The most common cause of obesity is factor in causing overweight and obesity. 2019 the Health Survey for England

WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK @CPBML JULY/AUGUST 2021 WORKERS 17 is a relatively recent development, but the trend is clear ue for the working class

estimated that 28 per cent of adults are always the case. obese and another 36 per cent overweight The 2016 childhood obesity action plan ‘People don’t need but not obese. Being mildly overweight in had good analysis and high ambitions. But your 20s may not seem like a problem, but action has focused on tokens like junk food to be treated as that is linked to a significant incidence of advertising restrictions, food labelling and obesity by the age of 35. Even a weight the sugar drinks tax. None of this is pro- victims or be taught loss of 5 to 10 per cent, maintained in the ducing results. That’s not surprising when long-term, brings significant health benefits. despite an overall reduction in sugar in by their betters The direct health risks include joint drinks there has been an increase in the problems, lower back pain, hypertension, total sugar in processed food. how to eat…’ high cholesterol levels, strokes, deep vein The National Child Measurement thrombosis and type-2 diabetes. Breast Programme looks at the weight of children and colon cancer, stress incontinence, in reception classes (aged 4-5 years) and menstrual and respiratory abnormalities are again in year 6 (age 10-11). It found that the food, and more action to reduce the ultra- all associated with obesity – as are depres- total of overweight children in reception is processed food with high sugar and salt sion and low self-esteem. 13 per cent and obese around 10 per cent, content heavily marketed by food manufac- The cost of all this to the NHS across with the total steady overall since 2006. turers and supermarkets. Britain is projected to be around £10 billion The picture is worse with the older chil- But people do not need to be treated annually by 2050. And wider societal costs, dren – over 20 per cent are obese, double as victims or to be taught by their betters for example people being unable to work or the level in reception classes. And that fig- how to eat. Stigmatising and stereotyping needing social care, are estimated at ure is increasing. There is a marked and come in many forms. The government’s around £50 billion a year by then. increasing difference in year 6 obesity lev- illusions of behavioural control are typical Figures before the Covid-19 pandemic els between the least and most deprived – also of its approach to obesity – just hit show admissions for weight-related 14 per cent compared to 25 per cent. “nudge” people into seeing the conse- causes now six times the level of just a Medical professionals have a role to quences of weight gain – and how it affects decade earlier. Prevalence was twice as play, but we can’t leave things entirely to others, and people will act once they see high in poorer areas – where over a quarter them. Much of their work presently deals how bad things will get. of children are classified as obese. with the direct and indirect results of obe- That’s not much different from shaming sity and not the cause. Bariatric surgery, people for their weight and assumes that Trend operating on the gut to reduce food intake, only the enlightened can see the outcomes, This is a long-term trend. Obesity in adults is no answer. and the stupid get fat through personal almost doubled between 1993 (15 per cent) Part of the problem was the transfer of choice. and 2018 (28 per cent). During that period responsibility for this area of public health As with the pandemic, there’s also the the proportion of obese and overweight from the NHS to local authorities as a result tendency to exaggerate and create scary adults rose from 53 to 63 per cent. of the appalling Health and Social Care Act headlines. The facts are bad enough with- What should workers as a class do 2012. There are a few signs that the trans- out that approach – “you are all guilty” about this? How can we collectively help to fer is being reversed – for example in the denies the possibility of specific, practical empower individual workers to address the 2019 NHS Long Term Plan and in last solutions. obesity issue on behalf of themselves, their year’s government strategy. We can’t reverse all the failings at once. families, the NHS and, in particular, their But it’s time to make a start on what can be children? Positive achieved and not be limited by the failed It’s wrong to deny there’s a problem or We need to create the conditions for posi- attempts so far. This needs resources and to assert that it’s a matter of personal tive change. That should be part of a wider to be prioritised. Obesity is at least as much lifestyle choice – that condemns a large response – to learn what works and what of a health problem as smoking and is less number of people to ill health. Fatalism in does not and to understand what is achiev- easy to manage. the face of these alarming trends isn’t an able. That entails holding elected politicians There is no obesity without overeating answer either – that wasn’t how our class to account – and should also involve and inactivity. There are no drug dealers responded to the pandemic. healthcare professional bodies and unions. without addicts and no capitalism without Nor is it good enough for us to leave More widely, control of working hours exploitation. The solution to all things is in things to others. Politicians are fond of and patterns and availability of quality food our hands. The class has shown itself to be announcing strategies – as the government in schools and workplaces must play a uniquely responsive to compliance with did in July 2020. The trouble is that they part. So must consistent support for the public health messages during the pan- are hopeless at implementing them, even school nurse programme. So should the demic. This particular “epidemic” can’t be if they have good ideas, which is not wider availability of cheap good-quality vaccinated away. ■

@CPBML WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK 18 WORKERS JULY/AUGUST 2021 As communists, we are for the development of all fields ba the theme of science and technology for May Day – becau Science, technology and

WE LIVE in Britain, and Britain is a unique because they met every full moon. They country (as indeed are all nations). It was met in Birmingham – away from the corrup- here that the industrial revolution began, tion of Regency London – uniting talents here where the working class was born, such as Wedgwood, Erasmus Darwin here where trade unions were first formed. (Charles’s grandfather), James Watt and And here, in Scotland, that the begin- the artist Joseph Wright of Derby. nings of a primary education system were The key thing about the Royal Society laid with no fewer than four Education Acts was and is its approach. Its motto is in the 17th century. “Nullius in verba”, meaning “take nobody’s It’s no accident that the birth of modern word for it” (very close to Karl Marx’s industry took place in Britain. Generations motto: “Doubt everything”.) As the Royal of schoolchildren have been taught that it Society today says, it’s an expression of was because of the availability of water, determination “to withstand the domination coal and iron ore. True, but it was also the of authority and to verify all statements result of relatively high degrees of literacy by an appeal to facts determined by even among agricultural workers – the pop- experiment”. ulation from which the new urban working That has a good sound. An indepen- class was recruited. And crucially that the dent sound. Dogma, the authorised version Catholic Church had no power here. of truth set in stone and handed down to And here, in Britain – all this is con- the people, has never gone down well in nected – that the first independent (that is, this country. non-state funded) formal scientific society was formed 460 years ago. The Royal Industry Society, founded on experimentation and The Industrial Revolution came from the in the teeth of opposition from the Church. application of science and technology. It Italy had by then had two stabs at cre- created the liberating concept of progress, ating scientific societies: one collapsed in progress for the people, and it created the 1630 after opposition from the Vatican; the working class. Yet the big bourgeoisie ben- other was disbanded in 1667 after one of efitted most from it. its founders became a cardinal. The new industry was built not just on By the middle of the 18th century the the physical backs of workers, but on their Royal Society – free from church and state, intellectual backs too. James Watt, trainee though personal backing from Charles II instrument maker, transformed steam was crucial – had become also a central power. Abraham Darby, son of a yeoman clearing house for ideas from all over farmer and locksmith, invented the pig iron Europe. process. Michael Faraday, apprentice Science took off in Britain (the Royal bookbinder, who laid the basis for the elec- Society later degenerated, but that’s tric motor. Just some of a whole list of another story). Remember the Lunar working class intellectual heroes. Society, “the Lunarticks”, so called They were all ready to make the world anew. Ready to withstand the domination of authority, whether from church or state (many were religious dissenters as well).

‘Make Britain a They took nobody’s word for anything. Workers Crick Institute, London: with 1,900 staff the largest science Superpower? The government is now talking about mak- proportion of its publications rated as superpower? We’ve ing Britain a “science superpower”. “highly cited”. With less than 1 per cent of Actually, we have been one since the 17th the world’s population, we produce 14 per been one since the century. And we still are. cent of the world’s top-rated science. Poor “little Britain” – as some here like Our research impact, judged by how 17th century. And to denigrate us – ranks third in the world for many other scientists use research done the number of scientific publications a year here, has been higher than any comparable we still are…’ (after the US and China), first for the country since at least 2008. Poor little

WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK @CPBML JULY/AUGUST 2021 WORKERS 19 ased on human skill and ingenuity. That’s why we chose use it goes to the heart of the idea of progress… progress

the top 20, the first EU-based institution, successful information technology com- the Université PSL in France, creeps in at pany as “a vote of confidence” in Britain. 44. The European Commission tried but Class struggle does not necessarily failed to exclude Britain, along with lead to the victory of one of the contending Switzerland and Israel, from research pro- classes. As Marx noted in the Communist grammes on quantum and space research. Manifesto, it can end in the common ruin of The government is clearly raising the both. In Britain now the bourgeoise and the amount of money it puts into research. But working class seem locked in a spiral of where is the investment in the education of decline – the bourgeoisie because it has the people? Instead, it is content to see tal- either abandoned production in favour of ent undeveloped here. Its new “Office for speculation, or decamped abroad; and the Talent” is exclusively charged with making working class because it has failed to it easier to import talent trained abroad. accept that only revolution can save it. And where are the new industries, the Materialism is totally accepted in Britain. new industrial workforces? Not here, not in But not yet dialectical materialism. the quantity there should be. In 2019 Leaving the EU has been a huge step (before the Covid-19 effect) investment in forward. Without it we would still be university spin-out companies actually chained to a bloc constitutionally commit- declined by 9 per cent. ted to the unrestricted market. Unable, In a country dominated by finance capi- also, to take forward new gene editing tal, outstanding science is divorced from technologies fully, for example. If you want production. You’d think that science would dogma, its high priests are to be found in be applied to making things that people the European Court of Justice. need, but instead the proportion of our We have a timely reminder of what workforce engaged in manufacturing fell by freedom from the EU means with the 62 per cent between 1982 and 2018. Covid-19 vaccination programme. Britain could and did act with speed, while the EU Progress did…the opposite. By 1848, Karl Marx was able to describe We are far from fully liberating our phe- the existence and potential of the force nomenal potential in science and technol- called into being by capitalism and des- ogy. But the vaccine success is a two- tined to destroy it, the working class. edged sword for the government. People But even though Marx could discern are asking, if we can do it for vaccines, why the shackles on progress that capitalism not for other parts of industry? Why not for was starting to forge, he would surely have all industry? been shocked at the decline of the bour- Manufacture, making things, is still geoisie, a class he described as being essential to Britain. You can’t eat a financial unable to live without revolutionising the derivative. You can’t live in a junk bond. means of production (and with them, the New industries are essential to the future of working class). Britain. The alternative is decline, for Britain Has the British bourgeoisie stopped and the British working class. revolutionising the means of production? That need not happen. It must not hap- Largely it has turned to mere speculation, pen. We have everything we need in this creating “wealth” through property bubbles country to become a beacon of progress to biomedical research centre in Europe. and short-lived stock exchange booms. the world. But we have to realise that it’s Capital, capital everywhere, and never a not enough to repatriate control from the Britain has won more Nobel Prizes than pound for production. EU to Britain. For real change, real Germany. More than France, Italy and the One episode crystallises this rottenness progress, the working class must take Netherlands combined. – the £24 billion sale of ARM Technology to control itself. ■ There are five British universities in the a Japanese conglomerate in 2016. ARM world’s top 20, according to the QS designs small chips for phones, cars, com- Rankings, the most widely viewed and puters, and so on – most of the world’s • This article is an edited version of the used ranking in the world, including four in small chips, actually. Yet the government introduction given at the CPBML’s online the top ten. While Switzerland has two in hailed the sale abroad of our most May Day discussion meeting.

@CPBML WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK 20 WORKERS BOOK REVIEW JULY/AUGUST 2021 Happy that Joe Biden is US president? Just remember, he president for the full eight years. And look what happened The Democrats’ permane

Obama’s unending wars: fronting the Kuzmarov explains why the US govern- foreign policy of the permanent warfare ment is so keen to back its ally Saudi state, by Jeremy Kuzmarov, paperback, Arabia in its war of aggression against 343 pages, ISBN 978-1949762006, Clarity Yemen. Socotra is part of Yemen, an island Press, 2019, £21.41. Kindle and eBook 380 kilometres off its coast, in a strategi- editions available. cally important position between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Control over MUCH AS his supporters like to present Socotra could stifle China’s vital oil imports him as a new saint, US President Barack and its exports to Western Europe. Obama continued and expanded Bush and US forces are directly involved in the Cheney’s aggressive policies. In this excel- Saudi war of aggression in Yemen, which lent book, Jeremy Kuzmarov, a history pro- included occupation of Socotra. The New fessor at Tulsa University, Oklahoma, York Times reported in 2018 that secret shows how the Democratic Party’s leaders teams of Green Berets (US Army special used Obama as cover for reactionary poli- forces) were training Saudi ground forces cies at home and abroad. Their liberal and and providing intelligence for bomb target- humanitarian veneer tried to disguise the ing. US forces also assisted aerial refuelling USA’s permanent warfare state. of Saudi warplanes. Obama imposed record military bud- Obama provided more than US$20 bil- gets and promoted seven wars of imperial- lion worth of new weapons to Saudi ist aggression – more than his Republican Arabia’s forces after the war started. CIA predecessors. He ordered the bombing of analyst Bruce Riedel said, “if the United Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, States and the United Kingdom, tonight, Libya and Somalia. He sold 50 per cent told King Salman [of Saudi Arabia] ‘this war more arms abroad and ordered 10 times as has to end’, it would end tomorrow. The many drone strikes as Bush. And Obama Royal Saudi Air Force cannot operate with- more than doubled special forces deploy- out American and British support.” ment – to 138 countries. Bush’s illegal “extraordinary renditions” continued. Syria President Assad of Syria earned the enmity Aggression of the US government when in 2009 he Throughout Obama’s entire presidency, rejected a pipeline project from Qatar to from 2009 to 2017, his Vice President was Turkey, which would have passed through Joseph Biden. Biden had voted for Bush’s Syria. Soon after he rejected the project, invasion of Iraq. Now Biden promoted the CIA started funding opposition groups May 2011: a US sergeant takes a re-enlistment oa every aggression and every reactionary act in Syria, including al Qaeda and ISIS. of Obama’s presidency. Obama delegated Besides Britain and Saudi Arabia, Qatar, China Sea. These are estimated to contain to Biden most of the major decisions on Turkey, the UAE, Jordan, Libya and Israel 213 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion Iraq. all funded and armed the assault on Syria. cubic feet of natural gas. Obama’s Middle East policy proved a The Strait of Malacca in the South disaster, achieving none of its original aims. China Sea is a choke-point for China’s His collaboration with al Qaeda and its off- trade, especially of its oil imports. The US shoots failed to win support, unsurprisingly, government is trying to control China’s ‘Obama sold 50 per as those terrorist organisations disinte- trade routes; Yemen’s Socotra at the west- grated. Anti-American governments now ern end and the South China Sea at the cent more arms run Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. eastern end. Obama shifted the US foreign policy abroad and ordered focus to the Pacific basin, with encourage- US front ment from Hillary Clinton, his Secretary of Funding for these activities is channelled 10 times as many State (foreign minister). This “pivot to Asia” through the National Endowment for was designed to disrupt China’s rise by Democracy, supposedly a private organisa- drone strikes than funding and backing secessionist move- tion but in reality, a front for US government ments, and to probe its borders and inter- policy. It has little to do with democracy, Bush…’ fere in its territorial waters in the South created during Ronald Regan’s presidency

WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK @CPBML JULY/AUGUST 2021 was Obama’s vice- then… ent war

TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION DVIDSHUB (CC BY 2.0) ath at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. TODAY in the wake of revelations about the CIA’s undercover, sometimes illegal, activity. According to William Blum, a US histo- rian and foreign policy critic, the plan was Workers is the journal of the CPBML, written by workers for to “…shift many of these awful things to a workers. No one is employed to write, edit and design it. It is the product of the new organization, with a nice sounding labour, thought and commitment of Party comrades and friends who see the need to name.”. The idea was that it “…would do produce an independent, workers, communist magazine in and for Britain in the 21st somewhat overtly what the CIA had been century. doing covertly for decades, and thus, hopefully, eliminate the stigma associated Every two months Workers covers the issues of the day: measured, analytical, with CIA covert activities.” and clear – and deeply committed to the interests of Britain and the British working The NED’s “Democracy Award” is pre- class. dominantly given to groups agitating against governments that the USA does Subscribe either online or by post for just £15 for a year’s issues not approve of. China is a particular target delivered to your address. (These rates apply to UK subscriptions only – please email – for example the award in 2019 went to [email protected] for overseas rates.) Go online at cpbml.org.uk/subscribe, or for three groups aiming to interfere with inter- postal applications send a cheque (payable to CPBML-Workers) for £15 to Workers, ■ nal Chinese policy. 78 Seymour Avenue, London N17 9EB. UK only.

@CPBML 22 WORKERS HISTORIC NOTES JULY/AUGUST 2021

The end of the Second World War could have ushered in a foreign policy for Britain. Labour ensured that it didn’t… 1945: Labour’s foreign p

IN JULY 1945, during the last days of the Agreement. Britain’s intelligence, espi- Second World War, a new Labour govern- onage and covert action services would ment was elected with Clement Atlee as officially collaborate with the CIA and the prime minister. Its election manifesto called FBI. This meant cooperating in US covert for “A world of progress and peace”. military action abroad. Instead it at once adopted an aggressive In August 1948, the US government for pro-US and anti-USSR foreign policy. the first time officially authorised guerrilla Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin rejected operations in the socialist countries. he CIA the option of conducting an independent promptly launched operations into Soviet pro-British approach to international affairs. Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. He took a hostile attitude to the Soviet In July 1948, the leading members of Union, Britain’s wartime ally, affirming the the government agreed to allow American Labour government’s continuity with bases and nuclear bombers in Britain, Churchill’s pro-Empire and anti-Soviet putting Britain in the front line of any future stance. war. The Cabinet did not accept the princi- British troops across the world were ple that there should be permanent US ordered to assist in restoring colonial bases in Britain, but was overridden. The empires. This was not “cold war”, but an matter was not even reported to aggressive colonial policy of attacking and Parliament. The British government had no thwarting national liberation movements. control over the bases. As a result, the Attlee government Then, in 1949, Labour collaborated in maintained high levels of spending on the founding NATO. That permitted “visiting” empire and on the armed forces – which in armed forces to be stationed in another 1946 cost over 45 per cent of Britain’s member country, legitimising the US pres- Prime Minister Clement Attlee (right) with Foreig GDP. ence in Britain. an anti-Soviet alliance with the United States and Anti-Soviet Anti-union repression across the British Empire. In January 1948 the Labour government In Britain, Labour kept the wartime Order set up a new Foreign Office department, 1305, which outlawed strikes, only repeal- in England, its only object is to maintain its funded by the secret service budget, to ing it in July 1951. Across the Empire the stranglehold over India and its colonies.” “pass over to the offensive” against the Labour government attacked trade unions. When the Labour government said it Soviet Union. The top Foreign Office civil In Malaya it banned them, in Kenya it would impose partition it caused massive servant, William Strang, said, “it is vital to arrested trade union leaders and in Sierra popular protest, including a mutiny by a the success of the operation that His Leone the Colonial Office “re-organised” quarter of the Indian navy. British forces Majesty’s Government should not overtly trade unions. And it led the charge to break repressed it, killing 223 sailors. appear to be conducting a worldwide anti- up the World Federation of Trade Unions This revolt was key to the British gov- Communist campaign, and we must in no and to create separate international trade ernment’s reluctant decision finally to quit circumstances appear to be interfering in union organisations, polarised against the India. The British state then allied with the the domestic affairs of friendly nations.” USSR. Islamist Muslim League to defeat the In 1946, the British and US govern- In the Middle East and elsewhere the majority-supported Congress Party and ments signed the UKUSA Security government backed reactionary govern- ensure the country’s partition. ments against socially progressive move- ments. It partitioned Palestine. It continued Greek adventure its brutal occupation of Libya from 1943 to British governments had traditionally inter- 1951. It set in motion the coup plot to over- fered in Greek affairs. The Labour govern- ‘Across the Empire throw Iran’s elected government, which ment continued Churchill’s policy of armed Churchill and Eisenhower carried out in intervention against national liberation the Labour 1953. forces. By 1946, Greek resistance was In India Jawaharlal Nehru, who later proving too much for the British govern- government became the country’s first prime minister ment – costing over £130 million a year after independence, accused the Labour (equal to about £5 billion today). attacked trade government of being no better than its pre- Worldwide, Britain’s armed forces were decessors: “This is the old game of British overextended, trying to fight many colonial unions…’ imperialism. Whoever might be at the helm wars at once. In February 1947, Bevin

WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK @CPBML JULY/AUGUST 2021 Worried about the future of Britain? Join the CPBML. a progressive ABOUT A US policy A As communists, we stand for an independent, united and self- reliant Britain run by the working class – the vast majority of the population. If that’s what you want too, then come and join us.

All our members are thinkers, doers and leaders. All are expected to work to advance our class’s interests. All must help to develop our understanding of what we need to do and how to do it.

What do we do? Rooted in our workplaces, communities and trade unions, we use every opportunity to encourage our colleagues and friends to embrace the Marxist practice and theory that alone can lead to the revolution that Britain needs. Marx’s understanding of capitalism is a powerful tool – the Communist Manifesto of 1848 explains the crash of 2007/8.

Either we live in an independent Britain deciding our own future or we become slaves to international capital. Leaving the EU was the first, indispensable step. Now begins the fight for real independence.

We have no paid employees, no millionaire donors. Everything we do, we do ourselves, collectively. That includes producing Workers, our free email newsletter, our website, pamphlets and social media feeds.

We distribute Workers, leaflets and pamphlets online and in our n Secretary Ernest Bevin. Together, they forged d embarked on a systematic programme of workplaces, union meetings, communities, market places, railway stations, football grounds – wherever workers are, that is where we aim to be.

We hold public meetings around Britain (Covid permitting), in-depth announced that the British government study groups and less formal discussions. Talking to people, face to face, is where we could no longer pay for troops in Greece. have the greatest impact and – just as importantly – learn from other workers’ US forces moved in, though the last British experience. troops were not removed until 1954. In 1949, Attlee approved Operation We are not an elite, intellectually superior to our fellow workers. Valuable, the attempted counter-revolution All that distinguishes Party members is this: we accept that only Marxist thinking and the in Albania, which was a complete disaster. And when the war in Korea started, organised work that flows from it can transform the working class and Britain. The real Attlee at once put Britain’s naval forces in teacher is the fight itself, and in particular the development of ideas and confidence that the Far East at Truman’s disposal. In July comes from collective action. 1950, the Soviet Union proposed a cease- fire and withdrawing all foreign troops from Interested in these ideas? Korea. The US and British governments • Get in touch to find out how to take part. Go along to meetings in your part of the rejected this. country, or join in study to help push forward the thinking of our class. The US government wanted to destroy • Subscribe to Workers, our bimonthly magazine, either online at cpbml.org.uk or by the Democratic People’s Republic of sending £15 for a year’s issues (cheques payable to Workers) to the address below. UK Korea. Britain’s Chiefs of Staff warned against this action. Attlee and Bevin only. Email for overseas rates. rejected their advice. • Sign up for our free email newsletter – see the form at www.cpbml.org.uk Britain sent 100,000 troops to Korea and increased spending on the armed forces as its contribution to the US war of CPBML aggression. That war against Korea locked 78 Seymour Avenue, London N17 9EB US and British foreign policy into an anti- communist straitjacket. We’re still living email [email protected] with the consequences. ■ twitter @cpbml www.cpbml.org.uk @CPBML phone 07308 979308 No return to the Middle Ages TO ATTACK free speech in the name of religion union has been silent, publicly, about the is to harken back to the Middle Ages. Yet we unjustified suspension of one of its members. moved away from stoning blasphemers, And when a trade unionist in Bury, burning witches, locking up unmarried mothers. representing refuse collectors, put a motion to ‘We abolished We abolished the blasphemy laws. We are a his trades council calling for support for the secular society, forged by people who broadly teacher, an NEU official tried to get him to the blasphemy take the view that material reality should drive withdraw it on the grounds that it was all aspects of public life. “unhelpful” to draw attention to the case. The laws. We are a The shocking events at Batley Grammar motion was carried. School in March this year should alert us to the Many institutions in this country, secular society, constant need to defend this principle. A government, councils, unions, media, seem to religious education lesson dealing with be in thrall to threats from religionists who seek “blasphemy” triggered angry demonstrations, to impose their views. BMAT could not have forged by people causing the early closure of the school before expressed this attitude any more clearly in its the Easter holidays. report. “The Trust will not avoid challenging who broadly Worse, the head teacher immediately subject matter, but at the same time is apologised for the “offence” caused, and committed to ensuring that no offence is take the view suspended the teacher involved. This craven caused.” submission was not enough for a bunch of Extremists with a medieval mindset will that material bigoted protesters, most not connected with welcome such developments; especially they the school, who demanded the teacher be will be encouraged by the bigoted assumption reality should sacked. that all muslims are fundamentalists. And the One so-called community leader described narrative that muslims are everywhere victims drive all aspects the teacher as a terrorist. Others said he had implies that they cannot face freedom of insulted the whole muslim community. But speech. That’s also a form of bigotry. of public life.’ tellingly, other local mosques refused to have The evidence points the other way. For any part in the demonstrations. example, the British crime survey showed that Now Batley Multi Academy Trust (BMAT) nearly two-thirds of British Bangladeshis are has published a summary of its investigation worried about the threat of Islamic extremism. into the events there. The report acknowledges Accusations of “islamophobia” have that the teacher “genuinely believed that the become a tool to allow an insidious image [of Muhammad] had an educational fundamentalist agenda to creep into schools, purpose and benefit”. With suitable hand- at the expense of children’s education. And wringing about never using such images again, more widely they are attacking free speech – the report concludes that “the suspensions put the right of people to exchange and challenge in place will now be lifted”. ideas. It appears other teachers were found to Fundamentalists and those who bow to have used similar images. Mercifully only one them will try to use this situation to divide the was publicly named, by a so-called charity working class and attack others who go named “Purpose of Life”, which works in the against their reactionary ways. They insultingly school. In publicly naming him, they claim to speak on behalf of all muslims and tell contributed to a toxic, fascistic atmosphere in them they are not part of the British working which the teacher was forced to seek police class, promoting the myth that the “west” is at protection and flee with his family. war with Islam. Disgracefully, that organisation has To speak out without fear or favour is received thousands of pounds from the local fundamental to our freedom of thought. We National Education Union (NEU) branch, which cannot stand by when it is reduced to pious still supports it. Even more disgracefully, the words. ■

Subscriptions BADGES OF PRIDE

Take a regular copy of the bimonthly full- Get your full-colour badges celebrating May Day (2 colour WORKERS. Six issues (one year) cm wide, enamelled in black, red, gold and blue) delivered direct to you costs £15 including and the Red Flag (1.2 cm wide, enamelled in Red postage and packing. and Gold). Subscribe online at cpbml.org.uk/subscribe, or by post (send a cheque payable to The badges are available now. Buy them online at “CPBML-Workers”, along with your name cpbml.org.uk/shop or by post from Bellman Books, May Day badge, £2 and address to WORKERS, 78 Seymour 78 Seymour Avenue, London N17 9EB, price £2 Avenue, London N17 9EB). for the May Day badge and £1 for the Red Flag badge. Postage free up to 5 badges. For orders Name over 5 please add £1 for postage (make cheques payable to “CPBML-Workers”). Address WEAR THEM – SHARE THEM Red Flag badge, £1 Postcode

WWW.CPBML.ORG.UK @CPBML