CHARTIST for Democratic Socialism #298 May/June 2019 £2
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#298 workingreal_01 cover 29/04/2019 05:25 Page 1 CHARTIST For democratic socialism #298 May/June 2019 £2 Fighting for a European future Peter Kenyon, Catherine West MP Labour & Brexit Julie Ward European elections Paul Nowak Tory work myths Unmesh Desai Fighting far right Alice Arkwright Knife crime Glyn Ford & Patrick Costello Building Euro solidarity plus Book & Film reviews ISSN - 0968 7866 ISSUE 98 www.chartist.org.uk #298 workingreal_01 cover 29/04/2019 05:25 Page 2 Contributions and letters deadline for Editorial Policy CHARTIST #299 The editorial policy of CHARTIST is to promote debate amongst people active in 08 June 2019 radical politics about the contemporary Chartist welcomes articles of 800 or 1500 words, and relevance of democratic socialism across letters in electronic format only to: [email protected] the spectrum of politics, economics, science, philosophy, art, interpersonal Receive Chartist’s online newsletter: send your email address to [email protected] relations – in short, the whole realm of social life. Chartist Advert Rates: Our concern is with both democracy and socialism. The history of the last century Inside Full page £200; 1/2 page £125; 1/4 page £75; 1/8 page £40; 1/16 page £25; small box 5x2cm £15 single has made it abundantly clear that the sheet insert £50 mass of the population of the advanced We are also interested in advert swaps with other publications. To place an advert, please email: capitalist countries will have no interest [email protected] in any form of socialism which is not thoroughly democratic in its principles, its practices, its morality and its ideals. Yet the consequences of this deep attach - ment to democracy – one of the greatest advances of our epoch – are seldom reflected in the discussion and debates Editorial Board Contacts amongst active socialists. CHARTIST is not a party publication. It CHARTIST is published six times a year Published by Chartist Publications brings together people who are interested by the Chartist Collective. This issue was PO Box 52751 London EC2P 2XF in socialism, some of whom are active the produced by an Editorial Board consisting tel: 0845 456 4977 Labour Party and the trade union move - of Duncan Bowie (Reviews), Andrew ment. It is concerned to deepen and Coates, Peter Chalk, Patricia d’Ardenne, Printed by People For Print Ltd, Unit 10, Riverside Park, extend a dialogue with all other socialists Mike Davis (Editor), Nigel Doggett, Don Sheaf Gardens, Sheffield S2 4BB – Tel 0114 272 0915. and with activists from other movements Flynn, Roger Gillham, Rebecca Paterson, Email: [email protected] involved in the struggle to find democrat - Hassan Hoque, Peter Kenyon, Dave Lister, ic alternatives to the oppression, exploita - Patrick Mulcahy, Sheila Osmanovic, Website: www.chartist.org.uk tion and injustices of capitalism and Marina Prentoulis, Robbie Scott, Steve Email: [email protected] class society Carver (Website Editor), Mary Southcott, Twitter: @Chartist48 John Sunderland. Signed articles do not necessarily represent the views of Newsletter online: to join, email the EB Production: Ferdousur Rehman [email protected] CHARTIST APPEAL We live in uncertain and dangerous times. Politics in has operated with entirely voluntary labour. But now the UK is dominated by Brexit. Under this political we need to outlay finance on developing our web storm we continue to endure austerity, insecurity and presence. For that we need skilled people. falling living standards. Internationally we are So we are appealing to readers to make a donation, witnessing the rise of right-wing populists in the big or small, to help revamp the print magazine and shape of Trump in the US, Bolsonaro in Brazil, Modi boost our social media profile. in India, Putin in Russia alongside other new right We also plan an electronic newsletter for nationalists in Eastern Europe, Italy and elsewhere. subscribers. 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New digital forms of communication are central to getting Address……………………………………… democratic socialist ideas out to a wider, especially younger readership. ……………………………………………….. Hence this appeal. We want to improve the look of Please return to Chartist PO Box 52751 the print version while developing the website and social media activity on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube London EC2P 2XF or go to our website and elsewhere. This costs money. For years Chartist www.chartist.org.uk to make a donation #298 workingreal_01 cover 29/04/2019 05:25 Page 3 CONTENTS FEATURES LABOUR’S HOKEY COKEY 8 Peter Kenyon on Labour’s dance around Brexit EUROPEAN ELECTIONS Positive Euro-vision needed from Labour says 10 Julie Ward EMPLOYMENT MYTHS 11 Paul Nowak punctures Tory work claims HOMELESS SCANDAL Labour must get positive on Europe – Lee Rushton on a Labour campaign to end Cover by Martin Rowson page 10 12 the crisis Cover by Martin Rowson BUILDERS & SEIZERS Tom Miller explains why Corbyn Labour CHARTIST 13 need to build FOR DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM Number 298 May/June 2019 LABOUR CULTURE Dave Lister outlines ways to a more REGULARS 14 inclusive party SOLIDARITY IN EUROPE EDITORIAL 4 Brexit-Tory paralysis, Labour’s Patrick Costello & Glyn Ford on building opportunity 15 socialist alliances OUR HISTORY 84 5 Ralph Miliband – Parliamentary ANTISEMITISM Socialism Don Flynn gets behind the row POINTS & CROSSINGS 16 6 Paul Salveson on Northern Powerhouse out of steam Comedian wins Ukrainian presidency – UKRAINE ELECTIONS page 18 David Dalton on victory for a comic GREENWATCH president 7 Labour’s wrong to embrace nuclear 18 power says Dave Toke KIM & TRUMP YOUTHVIEW Carol Turner on a disarmament charade 22 Alice Arkwright on tackling knife crime 19 TV REVIEW 23 Zoe Mavroudi on Leaving Neverland LONDON UNITED FILM REVIEW Unmesh Desai on a new move to combat 24 Patrick Mulcahy on Dragged Across 20 the far-right Concrete CHARTIST LEGACY BOOK REVIEWS 25 Andrew Coates on Marx; Duncan Bowie Ian Bullock identifies the links from 19th to on First International, Waiting for 21 21st century revolution, Czechoslovakia and Algiers; Sheila Osmanovic on Ottomans; Dot Lewis on ANC Unmasked; Nigel Watt Subscribe to CHARTIST : on Slumboy; Keith Bennett on North £18 ordinary subscription Korea; Mary Southcott on Labour London United against racism – page £35 supporter subscription women 20 (6 issues) Visit WESTMINSTER VIEW www.chartist.org.uk/subscribe 32 Catherine West MP says put any deal for details to the people May/June 2019 CHARTIST 3 #298 workingreal_01 cover 29/04/2019 05:25 Page 4 EDITORIAL Europe—Tory paralysis, Labour’s opportunity e live in surreal times. It is unprece - been deepening our ties with sister socialist and dented for a government to be defeat - social democratic parties in Europe. Solidarity is ed on its keynote policy, delivering critical in combating global capital, the tax Brexit-- not once but three times— dodgers, the corporate polluters, and the far right and still remain in office. The prime fascist parties who want to turn the clock back to Wminister refuses to go to the country in a general dark days of the 1930s. As Unmesh Desai points election. So we have the spectacle of LINO (leader out in reporting on the launch of the anti-racist in name only) with her European counterparts in London United the national populists and anti- the 27 other member states seeking a short and migrant xenophobes are also organising across being granted a seven month extension of Article the continent to realise a deeply conservative, 50 until Halloween, October 31st. ethno-centric vision of Europe. Now the UK will participate in the European Brexit will be the leitmotif of British politics for election on 23 May. Labour people and all pro EU the next period. It is the front line of battles to parties should welcome this opportunity to ham - combat racism, to build an economy that puts mer the Tories and show that there is a powerful jobs, public services and workers rights first, and pro-European view in the UK. This will be a kind a world that puts protection of our planet from of General Election or referendum by proxy. The global warming at the forefront of an internation - far right pro-Brexit groups understand this and al agenda as Extinction Rebellion and Greta are organising hard. The Tories are on the back Thunberg have highlighted. foot. Labour can and should make it clear we are Paul Nowak chastises government ministers a remain and transform party. The million plus for warm words on employment and in its Good demonstration in March for a people’s vote, the six Work Plan while presiding over the growth of a million plus who voted to revoke Article 50 are a huge precariat dependent on supplementary ben - huge active base to build on. Scotland, Northern efits and food banks with millions trapped on low Ireland and Wales today back Remain.