£1.20 Weekend edition Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017

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CHRIS WILLIAMSON INDIA’S STRUGGLE UKRAINE’S DOCTOR DEATH On cementing your head in a microwave: p13 2017 was unprecedented: p12 President slammed by communists: p6 www.morningstaronline.co.uk

MAJOR ASKED P17 SCAB MINERS HOW TO BREAK UP INDUSTRY UDM’s Lynk backed phased closures in secret chat by Conrad Landin tion of the remaining pits. The industry was Industrial Reporter privatised shortly after those closures. EXCLUSIVE The minutes state that Mr Lynk favoured JOHN MAJOR met secretly with the strike- a “phased programme closing down 12 to breaking Union of Democratic Mineworkers 18” pits and argued that the remainder could (UDM) while formulating plans for pit clo- be made profi table. He said he wanted min- sures, the Morning Star can reveal today. ers “to be given 10 per cent of the new indus- Newly declassifi ed government documents try’s shares… with the opportunity to buy show that, in 1992, the then prime minister perhaps 15 per cent more in instalments.” invited UDM leader Roy Lynk to Downing But Mr Lynk’s pet project would require Street. closures, he told Mr Major, because “if you

The disclosure follows the Star’s revelation were going to amputate a leg it was better satirists: Star Morning of best The last year that Margaret Thatcher held sev- not to do it toe by toe.” eral secret soirees with Mr Lynk. Mr Major sought the UDM leader’s advice The UDM was formed when the Notting- on the impact of pit closures on small com- hamshire and South Derbyshire divisions of munities dependent on mines. He replied: the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) “Horrifi c.” voted to break away after the 1984-85 strike, Mr Lynk recommended that miners’ hard- which was not joined by many workers in won benefi ts, including concessionary coal those areas. and clothing allowances, should be “cut out” In 1988, Ms Thatcher wrote in a memo to as they “drained the industry.” her private secretary: “We have to keep the He also suggested that Nacods, the over- UDM satisfi ed. We (and the country) owe a men, deputies and shot-fi rers’ union, which lot to their members.” LYNK LINKS: Ex-energy minister Tim Eggar did not join the strike, should be “abolished” Now, documents from the administration joined John Major in meeting with the and he appears to have suggested that safety of her successor Mr Major have been released UDM leader shortly before he was ousted costs were too high. to the National Archives. Among the fi les, the The minutes of the meeting show Mr Morning Star has uncovered memos proving “Some people thought the NUM were Eggar suggesting that, “if safety rules were that Mr Major continued to have a close rela- paranoid. We might have been paranoid, but cut, might that not make Mr Lynk’s job and tionship with the scab “union.” that doesn’t mean they weren’t out to get us.” the acceptability of privatisation more prob- Responding to the revelation of the meet- Downing Street minutes detail a meeting lematic?” ing, current NUM leader Chris Kitchen told between Mr Major, energy minister Tim The UDM leader responded by claiming the Star: “This is evidence this close relation- Eggar and Mr Lynk on October 1 1992. This that there were “too many outdated regula- ship between the UDM and the government was just under two weeks before British Coal tions” and that “more fl exibility was needed.” continued to 1992. announced that it would axe a large propor- Turn to page 4 HAPPY NEW YEAR! WE’RE BACK ON JANUARY 2, DON’T MISS OUR BUMPER SIZED START TO 2018! cartoons: in 2017 Morning Star 2 NEWS HOME Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017

NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE ENJOYING THE WHITE STUFF: A woman and child speed downhill on a sledge at Mam Tor in the Peak District yesterday after Christmas crisis Britain had one of the coldest nights of the year, with temperatures falling to -12.3°C at in intensive care Loch Glascarnoch in the Scottish Highlands ‘put kids at risk’ by Lamiat Sabin ment must urgently explain … how they will avoid another appalling slump in care.” HALF of children’s intensive Meanwhile, offi cial NHS care units were dangerously England fi gures also show that full in the run-up to Christmas non-emergency calls to the 111 Day, Labour Party analysis of hotline reached this year’s new NHS England data peak in the seven days ending revealed yesterday. on Christmas Eve. The units were running at There were 396,262 calls over 85 per cent capacity made, compared with 325,042 between December 18 and 24. the previous week. More than a third of the 38 Also, bed occupancy rates on units in England had all of Christmas Eve dropped to 84.2 their beds occupied in the per cent, compared with 95.3 same period. per cent the previous week. The worst day of the week The number of hospital was December 19, when 55 per diverts, where patients are cent of children’s intensive care redirected to another hospital, units were running at over 85 fell from 30 to six in the week per cent capacity and 47 per cent ending Christmas Eve. of them were completely full. And there were 812 beds Shadow health secretary closed due to norovirus or Jonathan Ashworth said: “To diarrhoea and vomiting as run a children’s care unit Christmas approached, down above 85 per cent occupancy from 1,071 the previous week. places patient safety at sig- An NHS England spokes- nifi cant risk and is an entirely man said despite the pres- intolerable situation. sures, “occupancy and noro- “With the new year fast virus levels all dropped thanks approaching and demand likely to the hard work of NHS staff.” to further increase, the govern- [email protected]

FIFTH COLUMN Compass ‘backing calls for Labour Party breakaway’

“CENTRIST” Labour pres- In the message, the organi- sure group Compass is lining sation also takes credit for halt- up with calls for a new party, ing “the march of a nasty self- YOUNG PEOPLE Labour sources say. serving brand of right-wing In a New Year email to all politics that runs right through members seen by the Star yes- the Tories, Ukip and the DUP.” terday, Compass chair Neal “A straightforward call for Huge ‘inheritance boom’ Lawson implies that the group’s a new party has been argued work in 2018 lies beyond Labour. in the Glasgow-based Herald He writes: “Our journey recently by Chris Deerin, con- started in the Labour Party, tributing editor of the New and that party still matters, Stateman, accompanied by a won’t solve housing crisis but it never sought to end there. vituperative attack on the cur- “One party can’t possibly rent Labour leadership,” a by Lamiat Sabin a property now, renting a meet and overcome all the member of the Campaign for house is also out of reach after multiple challenges we face.” Socialism told the Star. a 3 per cent price increase in YOUNGER people will enjoy the past year, a new study the biggest “inheritance revealed yesterday. boom” of any post-war gen- Research by credit-report eration, but it will be too late provider Noddle found that to solve the housing crisis and average rental deposits across DRESS LIKE wealth inequality, according Britain stand at just under to a new report published £1,000, rising to more than today. £1,800 in London. A STAR The Resolution Foundation One in six people under the said assets and riches accumu- age of 34 is now unable to leave lated by older people would the family home because of the Be the envy of your benefi t younger generations in rising cost of renting a prop- friends and comrades years to come. erty themselves, said the with these mint The think tank said inherit- report. embroidered Morning ances would double over the called millennials, born expectancies, the Foundation Landlords and letting agen- next 20 years as so-called baby between 1981 and 2000, who estimated that the most com- cies are often rejecting pro- Star polo shirts. boomers, born between 1946 are yet to get on the housing mon age at which millennials spective tenants because of These high-quality and 1965, grow older. ladder, are less likely to have inherit would be 61. their credit history, a survey Almost two-thirds of people property passed on to them. Resolution Foundation sen- of 2,000 renters and landlords cotton shirts are aged 20 to 35 have parents who Even for millennials who ior policy analyst Laura Gar- revealed. available for the low, low own property, which they might can expect an inheritance, this diner said that inheritance is An analysis of offi cial data price of £7 – don’t miss out! expect to get a share of in the may happen far too late to help “not the silver bullet” that will and Noddle’s research sug- future, according to the report. them buy their fi rst properties get millennials on the housing gested that hundreds of thou- By contrast, fewer than two and may be more use for ladder or will address the sands of 18 to 34-year-olds Available M, L, XL for just £7+ £3 p&p in fi ve adults born in the 1930s grandchildren’s home owner- inequality gap. believed renting a house is shop.morningstaronline.co.uk received an inheritance. ship, it was claimed. For hundreds of thousands “impossible.” (020) 8510-0815 The Foundation said so- Based on their parents’ life of young people unable to buy [email protected] Morning Star Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017 HOME NEWS 3

TRANSPORT Half of all rail journeys on foreign-owned trains A billion trips taken last year on franchises run by any state operator but Britain’s by Our News Desk point of privatising the railway if it’s then going to be owned and operated by the states of MORE than half of all passen- other countries. ger journeys on Britain’s rail “It’s OK for the French gov- network are on foreign-owned ernment to run our railways, but services, according to offi cial it’s not OK for the British gov- fi gures. ernment to run our railways.” About a billion trips, 57 per The ORR fi gures show that cent of all journeys, in the 12 £4.2bn of taxpayers’ cash went months to September were to the rail industry in 2016-17, taken on franchises run by more than twice as much as other countries, the Offi ce of British Rail used to get before Rail and Road (ORR) fi gures privatisation. show. Train drivers’ union Aslef Twenty-three per cent were general secretary Mick Whe- German-run and London Over- lan said: “It is splendidly ground, the busiest rail com- ironic that the Tory govern- pany fully or partly owned ment believes in state owner- overseas, provided 189 million ship of Britain’s railways, as journeys. It is part of Arriva, long as they are foreign state- a subsidiary of German state- INTERCITY INTERLOPER: Am Abellio Greater Anglia train, owned by the Dutch and Japanese owned companies. owned Deutsche Bahn. “The only state that cannot, The Netherlands ran 15 per which is 70 per cent owned by running South Western Rail- based National Express in under the Tories, run our rail- cent of services. Its state- the state-run SNCF, also has a way with First Group in February. ways is the British state. owned Abellio runs Scotrail, stake in Southern, which pro- August, taking over from Brit- Campaign group Railfu- That’s why we believe in bring- has a majority stake in the vided 121 million trips in Brit- ish fi rm Stagecoach’s South ture’s spokesman Bruce Wil- ing Britain’s railways back into Greater Anglia franchise and ain over the year. West Trains. liams described the fi gures as public ownership, a policy now also owns 70 per cent of the Other foreign state-owned And Italian state operator “perverse.” popular with Conservative as West Midlands franchise. services include Hong Kong Trenitalia took over the c2c He said: “It does raise the well as Labour voters.” French company Kelios, company MTR, which began franchise from Birmingham- question about what is the [email protected]

CONSUMER RIGHTS INDUSTRIAL Glasgow Council accused of scabbing Greedy holiday SNP-run Glasgow City Council The union says work on trol of the city council, they was accused of strike-break- projects has fallen behind promised the people of Glasgow ing yesterday in a dispute over since the overtime ban started. a fresh start. Surely when they A NOTE ON OUR pay, writes Peter Lazenby. However, Unite accused the said that, they didn’t have strike- fi rm ads could be The council runs arm’s- council yesterday of intimidat- breaking and bullying in mind.” WEBSITE length company Glasgow Life, ing workers by questioning The city’s Labour group THE Morning Star is aware which organises public events them about their union mem- leader Councillor Frank there have been serious in the city, including events at bership and bringing in scab McAveety, said: “The allega- breaking the law Glasgow’s Emirates stadium. contract workers to undermine tions that the union are mak- problems with our online edi- tion since the launch of the Members of union Unite at the industrial action and catch ing are extremely serious.” new website and especially by Lamiat Sabin promotion followed immedi- Glasgow Life implemented an up on work. He called for Glasgow Life since December 21. ately, with another seven days overtime ban on November 25 The union’s Willie McGonigle to conduct an inquiry and hold We would like to apologise added to the same deal. and voted for strike action. said: “When the SNP took con- talks to prevent further action. to subscribers and assure GREEDY holiday companies A Virgin “holiday sale” them that our developers are could be breaking the law by offered seven nights at a Flor- working on restoring pushing consumers into paying ida hotel from £792 per person subscriptions that are more for breaks advertised as if booked by August 17. The currently not functioning. time-limited deals, Which? same dates dropped to £677 per The website encountered Travel said yesterday. person the day after the sale. WE’RE HIRING technical problems and Consumers are at risk of Two nights at the Ares Eiffel crashed on December 21, and being “fooled” by enticing hotel in Paris were available for over the Christmas period adverts that portray deals as £404 through Expedia’s “fl ash DEPUTY FEATURES EDITOR only an out-of-date version bargains only available for sale,” but a new “40 per cent was available as we had short periods of time, accord- off” promotion was running a We are seeking a deputy features editor The successful applicant will need… diffi culty restoring staff ing to the consumer watchdog. fortnight later and the same to join the production team at our busy access to update the site and Its researchers tracked stay was available for £382. ■ A fl air for the English language and east London newsroom. restore articles which time-limited deals over three Which? Travel editor Rory for snappy, punchy presentation disappeared. We have now weeks in July and August and Boland said: “The tight dead- Regular Sunday working is required as ■ Attention to detail found the same offer was lines, emotive language and regained access and new part of a fi ve-day 35-hour week in order ■ The ability to operate well as part content is again appearing available for the same price countdown clocks are all to cover the paper’s six publication days. on the website. We are or cheaper in 16 out of 30 cases designed to rush us into mak- of a small team and off er new working through the backlog after the deals had ended. ing a decision, but it might not This post is subject to a probationary ideas of articles which are currently The watchdog has shared the be the right one. period. Holidays start at 28 days a year ■ Good knowledge of Adobe inaccessible and they should fi ndings with trading standards “Don’t be fooled. Compare rising to 30 days, plus bank holidays. Creative Suite or similar software all be back online shortly. offi cers and the Advertising prices with other holiday com- ■ Tight copy-editing skills Standards Authority. panies and travel agents to If you have the skills and you’re ready We are very sorry for the ■ An interest in labour movement inconvenience these In October, Sandals offered check savings are genuine.” to take on a new challenge at a national problems have caused our a seven-night all-inclusive break Sandals Resorts and Virgin newspaper which isn’t afraid to tell it like and progressive issues readers and contributors, to Jamaica from £1,465 per per- Holidays told Which? that they it is, email [email protected] for and thank you all for your son as part of its “summer 2018 did not intentionally advertise an application pack. Women and minority ethnic candidates continued support amid mega sale.” But the price anything misleading. are particularly encouraged to apply these diffi culties. dropped by £50 per person the Expedia said it was going to BEN CHACKO day after the sale ended, Which? investigate the issues raised. CLOSING DATE: found. The fi rm’s Halloween [email protected] Thursday January 18 Morning Star 4 NEWS HOME Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017

ARCHIVES FRONT PAGE Maggie T scorned a MAJOR ASKED SCAB MINERS’ LEADER HOW fl ight with TO BREAK UP INDUSTRY FOR PRIVATISATION giant panda FROM P1: He did, however, ers took action, “it could take THATCHER refused to share repeatedly raise concerns between nine and 12 months a plane with a giant panda on about whether he could hold to get collieries back into pro- her fi rst trip to visit US presi- onto his post — fears that duction.” dent Ronald Reagan, declas- proved well founded, since he In a paper dated September sifi ed documents show. was ousted as UDM president 11, Mr Heseltine argued that The former PM argued that two months later. His victori- redundancy terms must be the cuddly animals brought ous opponent Neil Greatrex kept generous because offer- bad luck to politicians, accord- opposed the plan for miners to ing less “would be to treat ing to National Archives doc- take on part-ownership of the those who have remained loyal uments released yesterday coal industry. to the industry worse than under the 30-year rule. Mr Lynk told the Tory min- those who have left.” The Smithsonian Institution isters that his opponent was He said the UDM would be in Washington asked in 1981 if saying he was a “puppet of the “hit harder than the NUM.” As it could borrow a male panda government” and he com- well as strikes, less generous from London Zoo to mate with plained that he was “losing redundancy terms could pro- a female panda that the Chi- ground because he had not voke “possibly industrial van- nese had given to the US. been given enough informa- dalism and perhaps civil dis- Seizing on the request as a tion” by the Major administra- order.” chance to promote the cash- tion. An accompanying list of col- strapped zoo, London Zoological The then PM was so con- lieries earmarked for closure Society president Lord Zucker- cerned by the issues raised by specifi es for each pit whether man contacted Downing Street Mr Lynk that he asked for min- the majority of miners are suggesting the PM herself isters to be given a detailed members of the NUM or UDM. might like to preside over the presentation addressing the Nigel Lawson, the chancel- handover, suggesting the PM question of whether “more pits lor at the time, said that redun- might like to take the panda in might be being closed than was dancies should be “more gen- the back of her Concorde when entirely necessary.” FURTIVE FIGURE: Former prime minister John Major at a charity cricket match in July 1998 erous than the statutory min- she fl ew to Washington. The government was still imum” but “well below” Brit- Ms Thatcher, however, was concerned about the risk of Michael Heseltine, then A Department for Trade and only been possible due to the ish Coal’s proposed terms. having none of it. Her private another miners’ strike. A president of the Board of Industry (DTI) paper con- government having “the full Mr Lawson appears to sec- secretary Clive Whitmore paper from September 15 1992 Trade, warned that “strike cluded that “work-ins, sit-ins co-operation of management ond a suggestion from junior replied: “She has commented notes that “a sense of betrayal, action supported by the manag- and colliery takeovers are also and the UDM”. treasury minister Stephen that she is not taking a panda particularly in Nottingham- ers would cause deep mines to possible.” It said the preserva- And if, this time, members Dorrell for the paltry sum of with her: ‘Pandas and politi- shire,” could be created by the deteriorate to the point where tion of the coal industry of Nacods and the British “£10,000 per miner” to be paid. cians are not happy omens’!” pit closures. they could not be privatised.” through the 1984-85 strike had Association of Colliery Manag- [email protected] he BE IN IT T TO WIN IT club The Morning Star DON'T For peace and socialism sent... proud to pre MISS OUT! e is Th A renewed opportunity to win our famous Signup form b £501 JACKPOT. clu My name is: My address is: £5 A MONTH buys you a monthly place in the big draw. Postcode Telephone: Email: Please pay the Cooperative Bank PLC, Islington Branch, INCREASE your chances of winning by taking £ out membership in multiples of £5. The club sort code 08-92-99 for the credit of the PPPS – 501 Club, account number 6510-7317 the sum of: pays out 17 prizes each month, from £25 to each month until further notice and debit my account accordingly. £501. My account number is: My sort code is: Standing order start date: Signature THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO SUPPORT YOUR To the manager (include bank name, address and postcode): PAPER. By becoming a 501 Club member you are helping the Morning Star cover its printing, DON’T SEND THIS FORM TO YOUR BANK. PLEASE MAIL IT TO: 501 Club, William Rust House, 52 Beachy Rd, Bow, London E3 2NS distribution and staff costs. You must be 16+ to join. Registered Small Lottery London Borough of Tower Hamlets Reg No. 2708. Morning Star Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017 HOME NEWS 5

GONGS Establishment darlings rack up more honours by Our News Desk helping to push through Tory cuts and privatisations including the Health and THERESA MAY dishes out Social Care Act and the gongs and grand titles to a sell-off of Royal Mail. string of Establishment At the same time, two figures in the Prime Barbadian trade unionists, Minister’s New Year Linda Brooks and Cedric Honours announced today. Murrell, are honoured with Key Tory powerbroker the OBE for services to the Graham Brady, regarded as labour movement. the voice of the party’s This year also sees a backbenchers at Westmin- number of anti-Establish- ster through chairing the ment artists receive 1922 Committee, has been awards. given a knighthood. Accepting an MBE for Two other members of services to music, Grime the 1922 Committee musician Wiley said: “It executive are also hon- feels like the school grade I oured, with vice-chair- wanted and didn’t get but woman Cheryl Gillan being now I’m finally there.” made a dame while Another key figure from CRIME: Floral tributes were treasurer Geoffrey the grime world, Grace left in a north London park Clifton-Brown is knighted. Ladoja, picks up an OBE for yesterday after a young All three backed a Leave services to music. woman was found murdered vote in Brexit referendum, She manages grime star there. as did a fourth Conserva- Skepta, who appeared to The body of Iuliana Tudos, tive MP to be honoured, hint in recent song Hypoc- 22, was discovered in veteran former minister risy that he had “rejected” Finsbury Park on Wednesday. Christopher Chope, who an MBE. She had died from a stab receives a knighthood. Marc Almond, singer- wound to the abdomen and a Their awards may be songwriter of Soft Cell fame, head injury, a post-mortem seen, in part, as offsetting accepted an OBE for services examination found. the knighthood for former to arts and culture despite Police believe she was deputy prime minister and saying that he is “a little bit” attacked on Christmas Eve on prominent Remainiac Nick anti-Establishment. her way home from work at Clegg, who lost his seat at “I can’t really be a rebel The World’s End in Camden. the last election in a delayed any more,” he claimed. punishment for five years of [email protected]

PRISON INDUSTRIAL Guildford Four’s Conlon ‘was on Guards’ strikes rock verge of suicide’ rock rail at New Year by Lamiat Sabin much rather join my dear father,” Mr Conlon wrote. RMT takes on South Western and CrossCountry tomorrow Mr Conlon, who died aged 60 GERRY CONLON, who was in 2014, and the rest of the by Alan Jones to Transport Secretary Chris “We have given them falsely convicted of the Guild- Guildford Four — Paul Hill, Grayling to express concern repeated reassurances that we ford pub bombings, was on the Carole Richardson and Paddy at the “lack of clarity and con- will need more guards as we brink of taking his own life Armstrong — were sentenced NEW Year’s Eve rail services tradictory messages” and to introduce new and longer after spending 12 years in to life for the 1974 IRA bomb will be hit by a fresh round of offer further talks. trains,” he claimed. “For the c u prison, private letters to the attacks which killed five people. strikes aimed at protecting the “It really should be straight- sake of our passengers and Irish government showed yes- Their convictions were role of guards on trains and forward. The Scottish and their members they need to terday. overturned in 1989 after it was rosters. Welsh governments have stop scaremongering and start The Guildford Four member proved that their “confessions” Members of the Rail, Mari- services to and from London agreed to keep the guards on talking.” wrote in 1987, while locked up were obtained by torture. time and Transport (RMT) Waterloo, the busiest station in our trains, so there is no rea- Mr Cash said of the Cross- at Long Lartin in England, that Mr Conlon’s father Giuseppe, union on South Western Rail- the country. son why the UK government Country dispute that it is the he could not face another 18 as one of the Maguire Seven, way (SWR) and CrossCountry RMT general secretary and the UK-based operators company’s “ineptitude and years in “living hell.” His was also falsely imprisoned will walk out for 24 hours Mick Cash slammed the “con- cannot do the same,” he said. arrogance” that has forced the father had died in prison seven over allegations that he helped tomorrow, causing delays and tinuing failure of the train “We should be allowed a union to take this further years before. pass nitroglycerine to the IRA cancellations. companies and their political clear opportunity to negotiate round of action. The letter, dated May 10 to make bombs — their convic- The union is planning more puppet masters in govern- a deal with South Western “Our members are standing 1987 and released by the tions were quashed in 1990. strikes in January on SWR, ment” to make any attempt to Railway that underpins the up for the principles of a decent Department of Foreign Affairs Mr Conlon pleaded with Mr Southern, Merseyrail, Greater resolve the separate disputes guard guarantee.” work-life balance and against in Dublin under the 30-year Lenihan: “I hope the Irish gov- Anglia and Arriva Rail North over rail safety. SWR managing director the abuse of rostering and Sun- rule, was sent to then tanaiste ernment will be able to do some- services in the bitter row over He said there is “chaos and Andy Mellors said the company day working by a management and foreign affairs minister thing to help us before another guards. confusion” in the rail industry wants to discuss with RMT that is out of control,” he said. Brian Lenihan. innocent person, like my father, At CrossCountry, the dis- over the government’s posi- what happens when a guard is A spokesman for Cross- “I can assure you that I do dies from that terrible disease pute is over rosters and Sun- tion, which makes it almost unavailable at short notice, Country urged RMT to call off not intend to serve [the rest of known as British justice.” day working. impossible to negotiate. insisting that it plans to keep a the strike. a 30-year sentence], I would [email protected] The SWR strike will disrupt Mr Cash has written again guard on all its trains. [email protected] Morning Star 6 NEWS WORLD Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017

UKRAINE IN BRIEF FRANTIC: Palestinian protesters evacuate a wounded youth yesterday during continuing clashes on the border east of Gaza with Israeli No reprieve for security forces following protests against US Poroshenko pals up President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Auschwitz guard Jerusalem as the capital of Israel GERMANY: The Federal Constitutional Court with ‘Doctor Death’ rejected a bid yesterday by a former Auschwitz death camp guard to get a New health scheme ‘tantamount to genocide’ reprieve. Oskar Groening was by Ben Chacko have often had to bribe doctors mafia and the IMF, legally convicted in July 2015 of to actually get hold of pre- destroys free and accessible being an accessory to the scribed drugs. medical assistance — in fact, murder of 300,000 Jews UKRAINE’S communists The new system is insur- depriving the vast majority of and sentenced to four accused President Petro Poro- ance-based and introduces our citizens who are on the verge years in prison. A federal shenko of being “an accom- charges for certain medicines of, or below the poverty line of court rejected his appeal plice to Doctor Death” yester- and treatments. Proponents the services of qualified special- against the conviction last day after he signed IMF- say it increases choice as ists,” the Communist Party of year. The court has now prompted healthcare changes patients will be allowed to Ukraine (KPU) said yesterday. rejected a claim that the into law. choose their doctor, while doc- “This will lead to a sharp 96-year-old’s right to life Mr Poroshenko signed the tors will be paid more for the reduction in state and munic- and physical safety is Bill on State Financial Guar- more patients they have. ipal hospitals, especially in being violated by his antees of Medical Services and But it has faced fierce criti- rural areas, and a massive imprisonment. Medicines on Thursday during cism, with even Ukraine’s outflow of qualified doctors a trip to Odessa. parliamentary health commit- abroad.” The law, which was tee chairwoman Olga Bohol- KPU general secretary approved by the parliament in omets, a supporter of the 2014 Petro Symonenko argues that Masked men batter October, is the brainchild of Maidan coup, who was once the law violates Ukraine’s con- Michigan-born US citizen personal physician to presi- stitution. green campaigner Ulana Suprun, who moved to dent Viktor Yuschenko, pre- “Legislative permission to RUSSIA: Green activist Ukraine in 2013 and was dicting hospital closures in introduce paid services in pub- Andrei Rudomakha from appointed acting health min- rural areas and an exodus of lic medical institutions calls the Caucasus has been ister last year. doctors to the cities, with con- into question MPs’ knowledge brutally beaten by masked It replaces a system sequences she called “tanta- of the constitution, which men, his deputy said descended from that of the mount to genocide.” states medical care for yesterday. Soviet period, in which medi- “This so-called medical Ukrainians is a right,” he Environmental Watch on cal care and all medicines reform, implemented by a US pointed out as the Bill made the North Caucasus leader were free, although critics say citizen at the request of the its way through parliament. MrRudomakha was that, in recent years, patients international pharmaceutical [email protected] attacked in Krasnodar near the Black Sea. His group has exposed illegal landfills, contamination of rivers and land grabs by local officials and oli- garchs. He had just returned from the Black Sea where his team were investigating the illegal construction of a luxury mansion. Mr Rudomakha has a fractured skull and broken nose, but his life is not considered to be in danger. Continued anger over Fujimori PERU: Four people were arrested at Thursday’s Fujimori Never Again march, the Interior Ministry said yesterday. On Christmas Eve President Pablo Kuczynski outraged the nation by pardoning former dictator Alberto Fujimori, who was serving a 25-year sentence for crimes against humanity including murder. Broad Front MP Marco Arana said: “We will march until the pardon is GRIEF: Head of Mar Mina church Priest David at the scene of the attack annulled and Kuczynski resigns.” EGYPT Gunman targets Cairo Coptic church 29 held in Ankara AT LEAST 10 people were He also said the assailant make up about a tenth of the killed yesterday, eight of them was killed in the shoot-out, country’s population. ‘terrorism’ raids Coptic Christians, by a gun- though the Interior Ministry Christians and churches TURKEY: Hundreds of man who opened fire outside said he had been wounded and have also come under attack police were involved in a Cairo church. then arrested in possession of from the banned Muslim Broth- simultaneous raids that Health Ministry spokesman “an explosive device.” erhood organisation of ousted saw 29 people arrested in Khaled Megahed said the Copycat terrorists claiming president Mohammed Morsi. Ankara yesterday. attack outside the Coptic allegiance to Isis have Security has been stepped The detainees are church of Mar Mina left at emerged in Egypt’s Sinai up around churches prior to accused of being members least one policeman dead and peninsula and carried out a Christmas, which Copts cele- of Isis and planning New five others wounded, including number of attacks on soldiers brate on January 7, in line with Year terrorist attacks. two critically. and Coptic Christians, who the Eastern Orthodox churches. Morning Star Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017 WORLD NEWS 7

SOUTH AFRICA Pressure mounts on Zuma as court rules MPs fell short by Our Foreign Desk president to account,” said Mr Jafta, ordering Mr Zuma and parliament to pay costs. SOUTH Africa’s Constitu- The ruling was not, however, tional Court put the cat among unanimous, with Chief Justice the pigeons yesterday, ruling Mogoeng Mogoeng slamming that parliament failed to hold the majority ruling as judicial President Jacob Zuma to overreach, insisting that it hit account over public spending the separation of powers. on his private residence. “The majority has imposed The country’s top court its preference on parliament ordered the national assembly in circumstances where sepa- to institute rules “without ration of powers forbade it,” delay” to provide for the pres- he said in his judgement, ident’s removal. which he asked Mr Jafta to The ruling, read out in court read into the record in full. by Justice Chris Jafta, was in Yesterday’s ruling follows response to a petition by three the court’s conclusion last year opposition parties: the Demo- that Mr Zuma violated the con- cratic Alliance, Economic stitution in benefiting inappro- Freedom Fighters and Con- priately from state funding for gress of the People. his home in Nkandla. They sought a ruling by the The African National Con- court requiring assembly gress, which elected Cyril Ram- speaker Baleka Mbete to take aphosa at its conference earlier necessary and appropriate steps this month to replace Mr Zuma to determine the seriousness of as ANC president, said it will the president’s violations. discuss the ruling at a high-level “We conclude that the meeting on January 10. assembly did not hold the [email protected]

CUBA Infant mortality reduced to new record milestone

CUBA’S infant mortality Health Organisation confirmed dropped to a record low rate of that Cuba was the first country 4.1 per 1,000 births in 2017, the to have eliminated mother-to- Health Ministry announced on child transmission of HIV. Thursday. Cuba’s infant mortality rate “This is a milestone that compares favourably to Brit- reflects the integration of the ain’s, which was estimated at entire healthcare system in 4.3 per 1,000 births in 2017, the country, which is about and that of the US, which aver- GAZA lives saved, quality of life, hap- aged 5.8 in the same year piness and satisfaction for our according to the CIA. people,” Public Health Minis- This figure conceals gross ter Roberto Morales said. inequalities, with the number He added that the country of infant deaths in poor states has eliminated diseases includ- like Mississippi more than Medics say disabled ing polio, diphtheria, tetanus, twice that in New York and whooping cough, measles, black babies twice as likely to rubella and mumps among new- die before their first birthday protester WAS shot borns. Two years ago, the World as white babies. LIBERIA Israeli army in denial over killing despite compelling evidence Beloved ace Weah tops poll by Our Foreign Desk Their internal investigation, on the chair away and then confined to a wheelchair since concluded within one day, carried him to the ambulance.” falling victim to a 2008 Israeli – with some dodgy friends states that they only targeted The medical records air raid on the Bureij refugee PALESTINIAN medical the “main instigators” of an obtained by Associated Press camp during Operation Cast FORMER Fifa world player of for Democratic Change, a coa- records show paraplegic Gaza “extremely violent” demon- have now been passed to Lead, an Israeli assault on the year George Weah was lition formed to support him. resident Ibrahim Abu Thraya stration, that the disabled man Israeli authorities, who claim Gaza that killed more than confirmed as the new presi- It is generally considered to be (left) was killed by a bullet to was not shot at and that they to have repeatedly requested 1,400 Palestinians. He lost dent of Liberia yesterday, with to the right of the Unity Party the head, despite Israeli claims could not say how he might them from Gaza. both legs and an eye in the his rival Vice-President of Ms Sirleaf and Mr Boakai. that the cause of his death was have died. The documents, from the strike, which took place as he Joseph Boakai finally conced- His running mate and new “impossible to determine.” It also found “no moral or Shifa hospital, say that he was sought to rescue wounded vic- ing defeat. vice-president, Jewel Howard- The 29-year-old was killed professional failures” by sol- struck by a bullet above the tims of a previous strike. Weah, nicknamed “King Taylor, is the ex-wife of former on December 15 during a pro- diers during the clash. left eye and died of bleeding A frequent presence at dem- George” by his supporters, tyrant Charles Taylor and a test on the Gaza border against Protester Ahmed Yaghi says from the brain. The Israeli onstrations against Israel’s had received 61.5 per cent of member of the National Patri- US President Donald Trump’s he saw an Israeli soldier take army says the report “will be siege of Gaza and illegal occu- the vote with 98 per cent of otic Party, which he is believed recognition of Jerusalem as aim and then heard a gunshot. studied and examined during pation of the West Bank since, the ballots counted. to control from prison. capital of Israel. “I ran closer and saw Ibrahim the following days,” while add- his image has now become Mr Weah won Liberia’s first In 2012, she attempted to push Israeli troops fired on the bleeding from his forehead. He ing sceptically that its source widespread as a symbol of independently run election a law through parliament which protesters, who were burning was on the wheelchair. was “the media.” resistance. since the end of its civil wars. would introduce the death pen- tyres and throwing stones. “Some youths pushed him Mr Abu Thraya had been [email protected] He stood for the Congress alty for homosexual acts. Morning Star 8 FEATURES Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017

ABOVE: Grenfell Tower disaster protesters gather outside a council meeting, July 19

LEFT: The People’s Assembly marches in Manchester as Tories meet for their party conference, October 1 Struggle on The best photos from protests in Morning Star Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017 FEATURES 9

ABOVE: Campaigners in Edinburgh protest against new US President Donald Trump, January 20 ABOVE: Westminster protest on April 26 marks a year of the Southern Rail dispute the streets BELOW: #OurNHS rally, central London, March 4 Britain during the past year

LEFT: Period poverty protest outside Downing Street, December 20

BELOW: Campaigners protest at Holyrood against the British government’s “rape clause” for tax credits, April 20 Morning Star 10 FEATURES Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017

TURKEY REPORT Figen Yuksekdag: A woman of substance orn into a Turkish farming The leader of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) faces the family, Figen Yuksekdag is a revolutionary leader who should be revered as rest of her life spent in solitary confi nement on trumped-up an icon across the world as a leading feminist, charges of terrorism, writes STEVE SWEENEY socialistB and Marxist. Despite leading one of the most “a unifi ed movement of the oppressed A bomb blast at an HDP rally in “No force can act in the Suruc area stay and has struck a defi ant tone inspirational struggles in Europe and in these lands.” the unoffi cial Kurdish capital of Diya- without the knowledge of the state or ever since. beyond, however, her name is barely The formation of the HDP in 2012 rbakir killed four people and the the MIT (National Intelligence She describes her fi rst political act known outside Turkey or the Kurdish represented a signifi cant step for- youth wing of Yuksekdag’s ESP were Organisation),” she said after the as distributing feminist leafl ets while movement. ward for the left and for democracy targeted, with 33 people killed in the attack. she was at high school and has had a Figen Yuksekdag is a radical fem- in Turkey. Its electoral success in border town of Suruc as they organ- The lifting of immunity for law- long involvement in the women’s inist who was elected as the co-leader June 2015 saw the party break the 10 ised a press statement before a soli- makers paved the way for a series of rights movement in Turkey, editing of the HDP alongside Selahattin per cent threshold and enter the darity trip to help rebuild the Syrian raids in which HDP MPs, including the Socialist Woman magazine. Demirtas in 2014. Turkish parliament for the fi rst time Kurdish city of Kobane. Yuksekdag, and activists were In 2009, while editor of the com- She faces aggravated life in prison, with 81 MPs. While the blasts were attributed arrested in November 2016. munist Atılım newspaper, Yuksekdag meaning the rest of her life spent in It ended the ruling AKP parliamen- to Isis, there has been some sugges- Yuksekdag knew her arrest was was arrested and taken into custody. solitary confi nement, on trumped-up tary majority, but as it failed to estab- tion of the involvement of the Turkish coming. Both her and co-chair Sela- Prosecutors accused the newspaper charges of terrorism as Turkish lish a coalition, fresh elections were state. Yuksekdag herself has accused hattin Demirtas were given the of conducting “criminal activity.” On President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called and attacks on the party esca- the government of long-standing sup- opportunity to leave the country for her release she co-founded the Social- clamps down on all forms of opposi- lated. port for the jihadist group. Brussels. However, she decided to ist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), tion in the country. He has branded the HDP a terror- ist organisation and accuses it of being linked to the outlawed Kurdis- tan Workers Party. Among the charges faced by its leaders are accu- sations of “establishing and manag- ing a terrorist organisation.” There is a heavy price to pay for those fi ghting oppression and tyranny in the country with the state of emer- gency that has been in place since the failed coup of July 2016 used against all layers of Turkish society. Yuksekdag has been singled out for particularly harsh treatment by the Turkish state. In April 2017, while already held on pre-trial detention, she was sentenced to a year in prison for “disseminating the propaganda of a terrorist organisation.” And she was handed a sentence of 18 months in prison in June 2017 on identical charges for comments she made in an interview with the Ger- man media organisation Deutsche Welle. She had already received received a 10-month sentence for speaking at the 2012 funeral of Yasemin Ciftci, a member of the Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) which is listed as a terrorist organisation. It was because of this that in Feb- ruary 2017 she was stripped of her status as an MP and subsequently her position as co-chair of the HDP. The party rejected the decision and branded it political and “against peace.” HDP spokesman Osman Baydemir told me when we met in Istanbul just before the HDP announced that Ser- pil Kemalbay would be the party’s new co-chair that she was being deliberately targeted because of her status as a Turkish woman. He said the government was determined to TIME TO ACT: HDP chairwoman “sabotage the solidarity between the Figen Yuksekdag (centre) meets Turkish public and the Kurds.” the Organisation for Security and It is the unity between Turks, Co-operation in Europe delegation Kurds and other minority groups that in Ankara in August 2016 the country’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan fears and it is this unity that is central to the programme of the

HDP which Yuksekdag describes as ParliamentaryPic: OSCE Assembly/Creative Commons Morning Star Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017 FEATURES 11

JUSTICE IS DONE: The Green Party’s Caroline Russell with James standing down as its leader in 2014 bal fi ght against patriarchy, fascism Farrar (middle) and Yaseen Aslam, to join the HDP. and imperialism. the two drivers who won their case Her leadership of a progressive Kurdish women came to the world’s against Uber over holiday pay movement is of huge signifi cance in attention when they famously played A a country ruled by a party that has a leading role in the liberation of the been described as “anti-woman” and Syrian Kurdish city of Kobane which sees discrimination against women had been held under siege by the Isis in all walks of life. death cult. She explains that Kurdish women The women’s revolution in Rojava have “paid their dues” in a substantial in northern Syria has seen them way with thousands joining the become the most secular, revolution- national liberation movement and ary face of women in the Middle East, e many being killed in the struggle for leading the armed struggle against freedom for the Kurdish people. Isis through the YPJ Women’s Protec- Because of the leading role that tion Units and the YPG People’s Pro- they have played, women have a spe- tection Units. cial place in the Kurdish liberation It is the same people fi ghting Isis movement. Their struggle was not in Syria that are fi ghting against what just national but social as well, they see as the “fascist dictatorship” against patriarchy in both society and of President Erdogan in Turkey. the revolutionary movement. Women who sacrifi ced their lives, hile the People’s including Kurdistan Workers Party Democratic Party (PKK) members Beritan (Gulnaz (HDP) of which she Karatas), Zilan (Zeynep Kinaci) and was leader is seen Mizgin (Sema Yuce), became heroic as a pro-Kurdish symbols of the movement, infl uencing party, Yuksekdag is all revolutionary progressives in Wkeen to stress its plurality and its Turkey. status as a movement that binds But Yuksekdag dismisses those together the oppressed of Turkey. such as political commentator Baris She has been a steadfast supporter Yildirm who accused her of not being of the YPG and YPJ forces in Syria “hard left” enough and as an ethnic and stands in solidarity with the Turk not being able to fully under- Democratic Union Party (PYD) in stand the Kurdish question. Rojava, which like the HDP is She insists that the Kurdish issue branded a terrorist organisation by is something that should concern all Erdogan but also, like the HDP, has Turks and internationalists, seeing women at the centre of its political their struggle bound up with the glo- life. For the HDP, the role of women is not something to merely pay lip serv- ice to. Women make up around half of the party and are actively involved in its structure and decision making. EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS It is unique in Turkish politics in that equality is embedded in the party structures and for each elected XPLOITATION of workers, male position there is a woman coun- failing to abide by regulations terpart. in London, cover-up of a major Its Women’s Assembly aims “to data breach and sexual harass- Uber brand transform and democratise politics Ement claims are just some of the which has been built as a power- features of the past year for belea- oriented and monopolistic male zone, guered car hire company Uber. to promote women’s participation in In Britain, the future of the car politics and to socialise politics.” hire company has come under threat, takes a bashing It organises at all levels from local as TFL refused to renew its licence neighbourhood, to districts, cities and to operate in the capital. within the party, creating autono- Uber was accused of a number of As Uber practices of exploitation mous women’s only spaces to achieve irregularities, including its approach effective and organised participation to reporting serious criminal come under ever-widening legal in life and struggle. offences, its approach to how medical Despite facing life in jail, Yuk- certifi cates are obtained and use of sekdag has no regrets. At her fi rst blocking software, stopping regula- scrutiny, so does the socially court hearing she said: “They tory authorities getting full access demand one hundred years! If I had to the app. irresponsible gig economy as a more lifetimes, I’d still do the same The company has begun an appeal things. We have a cause of democracy in the courts. whole, writes PAUL DONOVAN and peace worthy of a century.” Other towns are looking closely at Yuksekdag is a hero of our move- what is happening in London and the 2.7 million individuals in Britain. The an independent investigation, which ment. An attack on her is an attack running of the company, with company then paid the hackers saw more revelations and eventually on all women. It is an attack on pro- Brighton and Cambridge among those £75,000 not to release the stolen data. 20 staff were fi red. gressives and democracy and we reviewing operations. The UK Information Commis- In June, CEO and company founder demand her immediate and uncondi- The company has also been seek- sioner’s Offi ce said that Uber’s admis- Travis Kalanick stood down. tional release. ing to defend its position as a main sion over the hack “raises huge con- Further problems saw the Google I will be part of an international player in the gig economy. This has cerns around its data protection self-driving-car group, now known delegation attending her next court involved claiming that its drivers are policies and ethics.” as Waymo, accuse Uber of using sto- hearing in Ankara next month (Feb- self-employed and so not entitled to Also in the US, former Uber engi- len technology to advance its own ruary). We were blocked from enter- things like holidays and sick pay. neer Susan Fowler alleged, in a blog, autonomous-car development. ing the court room in December as A tribunal ruled in favour of two that she was sexually harassed and The law suit, fi led in the US Dis- we were deemed a “security threat.” drivers supported by the GMB who experienced gender bias during her trict Court in San Francisco, claimed The HDP said it was an attempt to claimed to be effectively employees time at the company. that a team of ex-Google engineers intimidate and deter us, calling on of the company. The company She claimed that one manager stole the company’s design for the us to come back in bigger numbers. appealed against the key tribunal propositioned her and asked for sex, lidar laser sensor that allows self- We pledged to heed that call and ruling on workers’ rights but lost but her complaints to HR were dis- driving cars to map the environment bring a large international solidarity again in November at the High Court. missed because the manager was a around them. delegation. It is now looking to take its case to high performer. Fowler said Uber So it has truly been an “annus hor- The British delegation is being the Supreme Court. continued to ignore her complaints to ribilis” for the car hire company, with organised and co-ordinated by the There was more damaging news HR and then her manager threatened its global reputation in tatters. The Kurdistan Solidarity Campaign who from the US, where there have been to fi re her for reporting things to HR. new management will certainly have are also raising funds to send as revelations of a data breach and The New York Times then pub- its work cut out, not least over the many people as possible to the trial. sexual harassment claims. lished further details of other abuses way it treats its workers, if next year Uber admitted that it had failed to involving sexual harassment and isn’t to prove yet worse than this year. n For more details on how you can disclose a cyber-attack that exposed drug use. support please visit www.kurdistan- the data of some 57 million drivers The company hired former US n This article fi rst appeared solidaritycampaign.org and passengers. The breach affected attorney general Eric Holder to lead at Unionline. Morning Star 12 FEATURES Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017

INDIA Star N unprecedented wave of workers’ and farmers’ struggles spread across the whole of India through the year that is coming to an end. Comment They challenged the Modi gov- ernment and its pro-rich, anti- 2017: Strugg Aworker, anti-farmer policies, forcing the government to reverse course in some cases. NBA bounced These battles spanned issues related to falling living standards, growing inequality and looting by the ruling classes, as well as the communal politics of the Sangh Parivar, by Israel a powerful group of Hindu nationalist organ- isations, which is trying to divide people on workers and DONALD TRUMP, who claims the right to award one people’s territory to another people as their capital religious identity lines. city, appears to have taken a further step. These struggles were increasingly diverse, Israel’s Sports Minister Miri Regev, who declares yet more united, weaving together different authority over Trump’s mind, decided to give US Na- industrial sectors and also forging unity between peasants and workers. tional Basketball Association (NBA) commissioner Adam Continuing from the past few years’ move- Silver a dressing-down for publishing on the associa- ment for better prices for agricultural produce, tion’s website a factual reference to the Israeli-occupied reach new he freedom from debt and an end to forcible land West Bank as “Palestine — occupied territory.” acquisition, farmers in several regions were Regev insisted in her letter to Silver that this formu- on the roads, sometimes facing police bullets lation was not in line with Trump’s thinking, was hurt- (Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra) SAVERA surveys how Indian ful to Israel and “distorted” reality. and elsewhere forcing the authorities to bow She accused the NBA official of “legitimising the to their demands (Rajasthan). division of the state of Israel” and of “gross and blatant The broad platforms of struggle evolved workers and peasants groups have interference” in its affairs, noting positively the US in previous years gained immense strength president’s recent declaration on Jerusalem. in 2017 in terms of the scale of activities and Regev didn’t add that 14 out of 15 UN security council mobilising strength. been resisting capitalist injustice members rejected Trump’s bizarre stance while the UN In dozens of public-sector areas — ports, general assembly insisted that Washington’s position steel plants, coal mines, ordnance factories, was illegal, without substance and should be reversed. banks, insurance companies etc — workers over the course of the year In contrast, Silver bowed the knee promptly, blam- went on strike or protested against relentless ing someone else and apologising to this minister from government pressure to privatise national another country with no legal right to push him or any assets by handing them over to industrialists. JUBILANT: Kadakampally other US citizen around. Contract workers and “scheme workers” (those employed in government schemes) saw Surendran after large-scale protests, often confronting police winning HIH Kazhakkoottam attacks in various states. constituency He was doubtless aware that just as one Trump flun- Unorganised sector workers like those in key counterposed “alternative facts” to facts during the road transport sector fought against pro- the presidential election campaign, the current US and posed laws to squeeze out small units and Israeli leaderships advocate “alternative internation- privatise public services. And in industrial al law” in preference to international law recognised areas from the north-east to Gujarat and from by the rest of the world. Himachal Pradesh to Tamil Nadu, workers Regev’s affront at what she called Silver’s legitima- braved attacks from police and hired goons tion of “the division of the state of Israel” speaks vol- to fight for their livelihoods. umes for the attitudes of Israel, the US and the latter’s Diverse strands of struggles were brought allies, especially in the EU. together in two major protests held in the Her position, shared by Prime Minister Benjamin capital Delhi in November. Netanyahu, is that Palestine is not only “a country eve- One was the historic three-day “maha- ryone knows does not exist” but one they have no padav” (mass sit-in) in which about 200,000 intention of ever seeing take shape. workers participated, pressing the govern- Netanyahu insisted during the last Israeli general ment to accept their long-pending demands. election campaign that no Palestinian state would come These include a minimum wage of Rs 18,000, into existence on his watch. an end to privatisation, control of prices, a Only after he was safely returned to office did he strengthening of the public distribution sys- respond to pressure from then US president Barack tem which ensures food security and with- Obama to acknowledge, with a nod and wink, that, of drawal of neoliberal labour law reforms. course, his government remained committed to the The other, also in November, saw a two-day two-state solution to which the entire international Kisan Mukti Sansad (farmers’ liberation par- community pays lip service. liament) in which over 100,000 farmers con- gregated in Delhi, including families of farm- ers who had committed suicide due to debt HIH and losses. Now liberated from Obama’s insistence that Israel So 2017 became not only a year of deep — and its global backers — should at least appear to unrest among India’s working people, it also subscribe to the international community’s demand saw increasing intertwining of the two biggest that the Palestinians should have their own state on classes of Indian society — workers and peas- Gaza and the West Bank, including east Jerusalem as ants. This was repeatedly seen in several their capital, Netanyahu and Regev feel entitled to struggles. refer to the entire region as Israel. Trade unions held protests across the coun- Prior to Trump’s advent, diplomacy dictated genu- try on June 16 after five people were killed flection in the direction of a two-state solution while in a brutal police attack on protesting farm- Tel Aviv accelerated illegal colonisation of the West Bank ers in Mandsaur. ments were forced to announce debt waivers. for by different peasant organisations, with and the Palestinians were berated for holding back peace Workers participated in large numbers in The most significant victory was in Rajasthan the Maharashtra Rajya Kisan Sabha (affiliated negotiations by resisting Israel’s ethnic cleansing. protests organised in 150 districts on August where the government was forced to concede to Aiks) playing a leading role. The ugly alliance of Trump, Netanyahu and his min- 9 by the Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan, a joint plat- various demands after a massive movement Hundreds of thousands of peasants and form of peasant groups and other organisations. led by All India Kashmiri Samaj (Aiks). agricultural workers came out on streets of isters has the singular merit of dispensing with the Workers also joined the massive kisan Due to the farmers’ pressure, the govern- Kolkata for the Nabanna Rally organised by hogwash and making clear their joint project of a mukti yatras that covered over 10,000km ment was also forced to roll back the notifica- Aiks, the All India Agricultural Workers single-state solution to Israel’s advantage, with Pal- mobilising farmers. tion banning sale of cattle for slaughter in Union and other organisations on May 22. It estinians remaining as refugees outside their homeland 2017 could well be the year of the struggling animal market. was met with brutal repression by the Trina- or confined to apartheid bantustans or US-style Native farmer. High indebtedness, often leading to Farmers led by Aiks had burnt copies of the mool Congress government’s police, leading American reservations. suicides, inability to meet even cost of produc- notification in most districts of the country. to the death of one comrade. The UN security council and general assembly have tion due to unremunerative prices, land acqui- The matter was also taken to the Supreme There have been a series of struggles by confirmed that this is not what the rest of the world is sitions and low agricultural wages all con- Court. Farmers’ organisations have waged a adivasis for implementation of the Forest prepared to tolerate. tributed to ever-deepening agrarian crisis battle against cow vigilantism — the harass- Rights Act and against evictions. Politicians in Britain and the EU must come clean. that burst out in angry protests in Madhya ment and even killing of farmers transporting In Jharkhand sustained and militant strug- Are they with Trump and Netanyahu or a viable two- Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar cattle by Hindu fanatic groups. gles of adivasis on a joint platform including state solution? Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal Over 30 such lynching deaths have been the Adivasi Adhikar Manch and Kisan Sabha If the latter, then words are no longer enough. Is- and other states. reported to date. Aiks collected funds to sup- against the amendments to the Chotanagpur rael must face the pressure of boycott, divestment and In most places it was met with strong-arm port the families of some of the victims. and Santhal Parganas Tenancy Acts by the sanctions to accept international law. methods by government officials, but such In Maharashtra, an unprecedented Bharatiya Janata Party (Indian People’s was the pressure that almost all state govern- statewide bandh (general strike) was called Party) state government. Morning Star Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017 FEATURES 13 gles of d farmers heights

There were police shootings in which one delivering services like primary healthcare, adivasi participant was killed and several meals in schools and childcare and nutrition. injured. The joint movement ultimately forced During 2017 scheme workers held protest the government to withdraw the amendments. actions in Maharashtra, Assam, Kerala, Andhra All these struggles were woven together Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Haryana, through a Kisan Mukti Yatra that travelled Punjab, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Himachal FIRE SERVICE CUTS 10,000km across the country mobilising farm- Pradesh, Gujarat and Assam, among others. ers for increased struggles, finally converg- They also successfully held a one-day ing at the Delhi Kisan Mukti Sansad in Delhi country-wide strike on January 20 which was on November 21-22. preceded by demonstrations in practically all Over 200,000 farmers participated in the districts. historic event. Families of over 40 farmers who Later in the year, on August 21, health work- The sorry story of committed suicide due to unpayable debt bur- ers held a massive protest at the parliament, dens and losses in farming were also present, submitting hundreds of thousands signatures narrating their harrowing experiences. from villagers from all over the country in The Sansad adopted two “bills” for a com- support of their demands. plete debt waiver and for ensuring remu- Even government employees, both central Microwave Man is nerative prices for farmers’ produce. and state, were on the warpath against govern- A major strand of workers’ struggles was ment delays in implementing pay commission against the Modi government’s privatisation recommendations and changes in pension plans. drive. Over 130,000 central government employ- In its three-and-a-half year reign, Narendra ees went on strike on March 16 while on Modi’s so-called nationalist government has March 2 state government employees held a a lesson to us all sold off Rs1.25 trillion worth of public-sector mass sit-in protest at Delhi, demanding with- assets to private buyers, putting thousands drawal of a new pension scheme, against of jobs at risk. outsourcing of work and other demands. Municipal workers in Andhra Pradesh, A childish prank gone wrong rotests against these moves spread Karnataka and Tamil Nadu held protests and through workers in the public sec- strikes against similar outsourcing of jobs to tor throughout the country. In most private contractors. In Karnataka, even gram is a reminder that the fire of these struggles the Centre of panchayat (village council) workers protested Indian Trade Unions played a lead- against similar issues. ing role, often uniting other trade Road transport workers in various parts and rescue service do more unionsP on a joint platform. of the country struggled against the proposed Defence production employees held a new law for privatisation, including in Tamil than put out fires, writes 45-day relay hunger strike in July. Nadu, Kerala, W Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, In Tamil Nadu, Kamrajar Port employees Assam and Karnataka. protested against sale of the profit-making port Construction workers, mostly in the unor- CHRIS WILLIAMSON to Adani Group, reportedly a crony of Modi. ganised sector, protested against low wages, Bharat Earth Movers Ltd employees went job losses and repression in various states T the beginning of December a YouTube When hacking away at the our public services on strike in May in Kolar and Mysore districts including Haryana and West Bengal. prankster cemented his head into a — like a firefighter with a chisel to a microwave of Karnataka and Palakkad district (Kerala) A countrywide strike by medical sales rep- microwave. The video has been watched — the Conservatives are fond of pointing to the against disinvestment. resentatives was held in February demanding over five million times since it was falling number of fires. Yet the total number of In March, Cochin shipyard workers went cost-based capping of medicine, nil tax and posted. rescues has increased 6 per cent in the last year. on strike against 25 per cent privatisation. regulation of working conditions in multina- AAfter wrapping his head in a bag, sticking it Taking the prankster’s home turf as an example, In April, workers went on strike in three tional companies. into the oven and pouring in Polyfilla, Jay Swin- the West Midlands has seen an 18 per cent increase steel plants (Durgapur, Salem and Bhadra- Workers from 300 tea gardens in West Ben- gler realised his head was trapped and he was in rescues while it continues to face an 11 per cent wati) which were up for sale. Dredging Corp gal went on a two-day strike demanding bet- struggling to breathe. cut in central government funds. workers also struck work in April. In Hary- ter wages. They had to face police brutality. “I’m going to die” he said, a mouth filled with Let the idiotic story of microwave man serve ana, state road transport workers went on a In Tamil Nadu, fishermen held protests dust and barely audible. as a lesson to us all: the Fire and Rescue Service lightning strike against a plan to hand over against a government law prohibiting them from His friends called 999. In less than five minutes does more than put out fires. routes to private operators. going beyond three nautical miles out to sea. an ambulance appeared, quickly followed by a The service rescued 43,000 people last year, There were huge protests in coal mines Beedi (cigarette) workers in several states fire engine. A paramedic and five firefighters spent that’s 3,600 per month or more than 100 per day, against closure of 10 ECL mines in West Ben- protested against low wages. Even Life Insur- over an hour saving him from his idiotic stunt. including microwave man. gal. National Aluminium Company workers ance Corporation agents held a protest rally Shaun Dakin, an officer from West Midlands Less foolish examples of rescues include 11 in Odisha protested against privatisation. in Delhi in August against government policy Fire and Rescue Service (FRS), said: “As funny refugees who were trapped in the back of a lorry On February 28, bank employees across regarding the insurance sector. as this sounds, this young man could quite easily carrying expensive chocolate from Belgium, three the country held a one-day strike against In many states, like Karnataka, West Ben- have suffocated or have been seriously injured.” people stuck in a pub lift and saving several peo- government privatisation plans. Again, on gal, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Assam huge Fortunately, he wasn’t — although, unfortu- ple from a flood caused by an antique water main. August 22 the bank employees struck work, protests were held by joint platforms of trade nately, Swingler and his friends continue their Some of these examples might be worth a laugh, demanding an end to a merger move of pub- unions and other organisations against price childish pranks. but the consequences wouldn’t be funny without lic-sector banks, demanding stringent action rises, farmers’ debts, job losses and other “All of the group involved were very apologetic,” the FRS. against wilful defaulters. people’s issues. officer Dakin said, “but this was clearly a call-out The Labour Party is calling for moratorium on One of the significant features of workers’ As the year ends, the foundation laid by which might have prevented us from helping some- further cuts to the FRS. In government we will struggles in 2017 was the high participation these struggles and many others will become one else in genuine, accidental need.” recruit 3,000 new firefighters, lift the cap on pay of women. a launching pad for widening struggles in the Beyond the dangerous mix of childish egos and and review staffing levels in order to rebuild the This was mainly because women are the coming months. video cameras there’s another important lesson dignified public service that we all deserve. majority among scheme workers and they Ultimately, the aim is to reverse the anti- here. As the name implies, we should remember So, next time you hear the Tories using smoke fought a bitter and arduous battle against people policies followed by this and previous that the Fire and Rescue Service does far more and mirrors to hide the hatchet they have been government funding cuts and refusal to treat governments and install a pro-people dispen- than put out fires. wielding on the fire and rescue service, remind them as regular employees. sation with an alternative set of policies. No wonder then that when debating cuts to the them about the fable of microwave man. There are about 10 million scheme workers FRS — which has lost 11,000 jobs since 2010 – the in the country, employed on irregular or con- n This is a slightly edited version of an arti- Fire Brigades Union says we should look at the n Chris Williamson is shadow minister for fire tract basis, though they work year-round cle that first appeared at www.cpim.org. total number of rescues, not fires. and emergency services. Morning Star 14 FEATURES Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017

The Quizmaster with William Sitwell 1 day COMMIE CHEF 1. Which Nobel Peace Prize winner acquiesced in Test your left the ethnic cleasing of the Rohingya? FIGHTING general 2. From which of the Blackadder series comes this knowledge Chouquettes quote: “Baldrick, go forth into the streets and let with our daily it be known that Lord Blackadder wishes to sell quiz – and see FUND HIS is a recipe from previous year won’t be his house. Percy, just go forth into the street.”? if you can beat the manufacturers repeated. This year, how- The of French organic ever, we at least have a Tory 3. What are baby cheetahs called? Quizmaster… gruyere. It’s ideal Party which has evolved Answers on Tuesday… forT a party or buffet and it’s into nothing beyond organ- simple to prepare. ised meanness in complete Gruyere is ideal for peo- disarray and a Labour Party ■ Yesterday’s answers YOU’VE RAISED ple like me who have to keep leader who knows a socialist WE STILL NEED their salt intake as low as from a socialite and prefers 1. The Northern Lights is the possible. the former. name of a train that runs from The other low-salt cheese So, here’s wishing you a London to which Scottish city? £16,905 £1,095 is emmental, which is simi- good one and lots of loved Aberdeen lar but in my view less tasty. ones, friends and comrades 2. Which English town gives A MOVING total of £2,955 ar- fi ver came from readers in Every year we seem to to enjoy it with and help its name to a variant of rived yesterday, with tributes North Devon — thanks! wish each other the same each other through the bad corduroy? Bedford to Ivan Beavis leading the way. The whole was rounded off thing, that the horrors of the bits. 3. In which year of the Ten readers sent donations with a satisfying £905 in stand- 1900s did Captain Scott in his memory, with sums of ing orders. Ingredients and his team set out for the £5 from a reader who wished One of the readers who sent Antarctic on the Discovery it could be more, three of £20, £50 for Ivan said she’ll miss his ■ ■ (right)? 1901 two of £25, two of £50, two of daily dose of upbeat socialism 25cl/9fl oz water 4 eggs £100 and one of £1,000. We via this column, and I know this ■ 75g/just short of 3oz ■ 200g Gruyere cheese, know he would have relished is true for many of us. butter half of it grated every one comrades. Ivan’s ever optimistic appeals ■ 150g/5½oz fl our, sieved ■ pinch salt We also thank two readers in gave us subversion with a smile, Stockport for £50 and two more puncturing the egos of the pow- Intermediate in Cambridge for the same erful while packing a powerful What to do Sudoku amount, while £100 was sent political punch. He’ll be a hard with the welcome news that a act to follow for whoever takes Preheat the oven to with cooking paper (or very co-op on Forest Row is selling up the reins at the Fighting Fund. 180°C/350°F/mark 6. well greased), drop walnut- more Morning Stars these days. But Ivan dedicated his life Pour the water into a sized balls. A friend in Brodick sent us to socialism and to the only heavy-bottomed pan, add Bake for 40 minutes, then £100 in memory of another socialist daily in the land — the butter and salt and bring open the door of the oven fi ne socialist, Alex Clark, and your very own Morning Star to the boil. and leave the chouquettes we were delighted to receive — and he’d have insisted that Remove from the heat and cooking for a further fi ve min- new year greetings and a prez- we keep this Fund going from add sieved fl our. utes. zie of £190 from the Richmond strength to strength. Stir immediately and rap- Cut the rest of the cheese and Kingston Readers and The offi ce isn’t staff ed over Supporters Group. the weekend, but you can still idly to make sure no lumps into triangles just the right Individual donations of £1, donate online and get us past form. size to stick into the chou- £2, two fi vers, £7, £10, £20, £30 our last target of 2017. Reduce the heat to low and quettes and arrange them on and £60 cheered us up and a Let’s do it. return the pan — keep stir- a plate. ring vigorously. You can serve these warm The mixture should form a or cold. Either way, they won’t You can give by… homogeneous ball. take long to disappear. When it does so, remove POST Payable to PPFF to: Fighting Fund, once more from the heat and 52 Beachy Road, London E3 2NS add the eggs, one at a time, PHONE From 10am-5pm on (020) 8510-0815 beating them in vigor- ously. ONLINE At morningstaronline.co.uk/support Add the grated cheese and — you guessed it — keep stirring. WEEKEND WEATHER Onto an oven tray lined Cloudy max 3°C Solution on Tuesday… ABERDEEN Sat Sun Cloudy max 5°C BIRMINGHAM Sat Cloudy max 10°C Crossword 1,219 set by Alamet Sun Sunny max 9°C CARDIFF Sat Cloudy max 12°C ACROSS DOWN Sun Light showers max 10°C 1. Scorn for Tory to attract (8) 1. Kidnapper at top of hill (6) EDINBURGH Sat Light rain max 6°C 5. Standing for leaders of 2. One bringing tidings from Sun Light showers max 6°C senate Trump attacked – sister to agents: “O, not a...!” (6) Heavy rain max 7°C tweets unwisely sent (6) 3. Former way of paying rand GLASGOW Sat 9. Criticise suff ering with style to treasury (9) Sun Light rain max 6°C (7) 4. By transformation Africa LIVERPOOL Sat Cloudy max 10°C 10. PM OK, as owned by the bred pet that had been made Duke of Westminster (7) in advance (13) Sun Partly cloudy max 9°C 11. Petrol I verify is partly made 6. Regularly (termly) what in LONDON Sat Cloudy max 13°C of fruit (5) retrospect might be fragrant Sun Cloudy max 12°C 12. Metamorphosis of Gregor S (5) as assailant (9) 7. Negotiate for bag in time to MANCHESTER Sat Cloudy max 10°C 13. American sportsmen cry (8) Sun Partly cloudy max 9°C returned to occupy digs (7,5) 8. Corrupt purser is in for a NEWCASTLE Sat Cloudy max 8°C 17. Extra fence for American shock (8) sportsman (4,8) 10. Direction to perform Sun Sunny max 8°C 20. Cleaner city beat swindler Carmen tonight (8,5) NORWICH Sat Cloudy max 10°C (9) 14. Meal lent after holiday (9) Sun Cloudy max 11°C 22. Get rid of gangster, a native 15. Nicking cars, a pair, gets PLYMOUTH Sat Heavy rain max 13°C of Australia (5) ruler caught fi rst (8) 23. Cut nice disc about missing 16. Reckon to contain Sun Light showers max 11°C revolution (7) transport to church put SHEFFIELD Sat Cloudy max 10°C forward (8) 24. Practical person on a roll (7) Sun Sunny max 9°C 25. Good notice given to 18. Spoke to artist laid up (6) obtain appliance (6) 19. Piece for actors to learn SOUTHAMPTON Sat Cloudy max 13°C 26. Free Wales! The alternative when missing a service (6) Sun Cloudy max 11°C is asked for this way (4,4) 21. Wool’s fi nished. Man perhaps provides yarn (5) Outlook: Birmingham, Newcastle and Sheffi eld hoard all the sun available on the open market and it looks rather gloomy for the rest of us although tempera- Solution on Tuesday… tures are up in most places so venture out well-wrapped up. Happy new year! Morning Star Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017 FEATURES 15

AUSTRIAN POLITICS

HE new Austrian gov- his deputy Heinz-Christian Stra- ernment’s programme, che (FPO) complements these presented in mid- measures against employees and December, will bring the unemployed by facilitating major deterioration in An assault on the their clientele. quality of life for the The government is planning majorityT of the population. a further reduction in corpora- The coalition of the conserv- tion tax, a lower turnover tax for ative People’s Party (OVP) and overnight tourist stays and other right-wing Freedom Party tax cuts. (FPO) tied up a package of people of Austria The aim of the OVP and FPO measures shortly before Christ- is to reduce the tax and duty rate mas that included cuts at all from around 43 to 40 per cent. levels of society. During the election campaign, In addition to the extension of The ruling right-wing coalition is planning Kurz said that this would cor- working hours and restructuring respond to a sum of up to €12 of the social benefi ts system, the billion. According to the govern- right-wing government plans tax attacks on workers, the unemployed, tenants ment programme, this sum will breaks for entrepreneurs and be compensated by benefi t cuts property owners. in the social sector. There will also be a further and asylum-seekers, while entrepreneurs have The challenge for the right- clampdown on asylum-seekers wing government is to make and refugees, an expansion of the these cuts tasty for those who surveillance apparatus and ideo- reason to celebrate. SIMON LIODL reports voted in favour of the OVP or logically motivated measures the FPO in October. such as a planned dual citizen- Introduction of the 12-hour day Strache has presented himself ship for members of the “ethnic or the 60-hour week will normal- for years as an advocate for the groups of German and Ladin ise already existing exemptions. “little people,” who now will be mother tongue in south Tyrol.” Employees will also have to on the receiving end of unprec- The core of the socio-political fi ght alone with their employers edented cuts. plans of the OVP/FPO govern- when it comes to OVP and FPO Many FPO voters had ment is the “fl exibilisation” of plans. expected improvements in their working hours and the restruc- Collective regulations and the living situation. After Kurz and turing of unemployment bene- infl uence of trade unions are to be Strache had presented the plans fi ts. be pushed back. This is, of course, for the introduction of the The latter means the introduc- phrased positively in the govern- 12-hour day, there was huge out- tion of a system closely based ment programme. “Goals are a rage among FPO supporters on on the German Hartz IV model. less restrictive legal framework internet forums. Many accused Anyone dependent on social and the strengthening of organi- Strache of “treason.” security benefi ts in future has sational options at company level.” The ideological glue with to give up any assets. Unem- The team led by Federal Chan- which the two right-wing parties ployed people will receive less cellor Sebastian Kurz (OVP) and want to calm their electorate are and less money in the course of “the foreigners.” their job search and also have In many passages of the gov- to accept jobs far away from “ Unemployed ernment programme, refugees their homes. and asylum-seekers are held Previous regulations on pro- people will receive responsible for the high costs of fessional and remuneration pro- the social security system. tection could also be cut. Anyone less and less money Consequently Kurz, Strache who becomes unemployed in the and co are planning cuts in this future must therefore accept in the course of their fi eld as well. In the future, asy- any job offered to them — no lum-seekers will receive a max- matter how qualifi ed he or she REACTIONARY: Heinz- job search and also imum of €520 and thus face the is or what level their income was Christian Strache of the have to accept jobs prospect of being impoverished at before. FPO and (right) Sebastian or becoming criminals. Those who fi nd work again Kurz of the OVP far away from their will have to adjust to longer shifts and less overtime pay. homes ” Pic: Pressemappe / Creative Commons Pic: Dragan Tatic / Creative Commons The pick of the box for This week’s TV the next seven days

Friday Jessie Ware, Soul II Soul, Beth Ditto, George Film The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – the McCrae and Jose Feliciano. But if you just want to Touring Years, 1.10pm Channel 4 boogie on down, then… Saturday Nile Rodgers and Chic: Good Times, All about Eve, 3.20pm BBC2 Ron Howard’s 2016 documentary showcases the Fab Four as a live act. Interviews, including with 11.30pm BBC1 NEW Keen fan Eve worms herself into the life of Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, punctuate the … is probably the show for you. Stopping only for Broadway star Margo Channing, whose friends concert footage, which — considering the weak London’s midnight fi rework display, Rodgers will come to suspect the younger woman’s intentions. amplifi cation and all the chaos and audience lead his band through a set of their ‘70s disco hits, A great cast, led by Bette Davis, and witty dialogue hysteria — shows the Beatles playing brilliantly. plus some of the tracks he has produced for acts make this a classic of Hollywood’s golden age. such as Sister Sledge, David Bowie and Diana Ross. Wednesday Made in Dagenham, 9pm BBC4 Music Comedy Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins and Miranda New Year’s Eve Richardson are among the stars of this comedy Jools’ Annual Hootenanny, Saturday drama about the 1968 Ford sewing machinists’ A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong strike, which helped to win women the right to 11.20pm BBC2 equal pay. If you haven’t seen the fi lm before, This year’s edition of Jools Holland’s New Year (7.10pm BBC1) NEW don’t miss it. If you have, see it again! shindig includes Ed Sheeran, Mavis Staples, The Mischief Theatre company — know for West New Year’s Day End successes like the The Play That Goes Wrong and The Comedy About a Bank Robbery — gives Sue Perkins and the Chimp NEW YEAR’S DAY: Air Force One, 9pm Sky1 Dickens’s tale the anarchic comedy treatment. Sanctuary (9pm BBC2) NEW A Die Hard-style “thriller” in which the US president (Harrison Sue Perkins visits Chimp Haven, the US nation- What Ford) and his family are taken hostage by Russian terrorists. Drama al chimpanzee sanctuary, to meet a group of to miss It’s the usual Hollywood guff — loads of violence, macho pos- females who have just “retired” from medical ing and absurd stunts, plus an added dollop of Russophobia. Saturday research. A recent law has ended decades of testing on chimps, but, as this documentary TUESDAY: Harry Hill’s Tea Time 8.30pm Sky1 Spiral (9pm BBC4) NEW Fans of infantile idiocy will love this cookery-themed attempt shows, the animals can fi nd it hard to adjust to The discovery of a dead man’s torso kicks off a new life afterwards. at comedy, but the rest of us should steer well clear. series of the acclaimed French detective drama. Morning Star 16 CULTURE BEST OF 2017 Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017

H THEATRE PAUL FOLEY to excite, astonish and bemuse in a year which saw a 30-foot statue of T’S been another tough year for Engels dragged across Europe and the north west but, throughout plonked in front of the complex’s front these turbulent times, the cultural door. life of the region has shone through The great man now permanently Ithe gloom. greets visitors enjoying Manchester’s Against the odds in 2017 our great contemporary arts scene and high- theatres have continued to make audi- lights at HOME included People ences laugh, cry and become angry Places and Things, Duncan Macmil- as well as determined to fight for a lan’s frightening play about addiction better world. and the 12 steps to oblivion and, as While most have tightened their part of the celebration of 1917 revolu- belts, the Liverpool Everyman took tion centenary celebrations, perhaps the bold step of creating its own rep one of the finest productions of Uncle company that debuted with a smash- Vanya seen in many a year, in which ing Fiddler on the Roof, a musical Katie West delivering an astonishing portrait of peasant life in tsarist Rus- performance as Sonya. sia. The Royal Exchange started the Not only was it entertaining, it was year in blistering form with a mag- a million miles from the Hollywood nificent and portentous revival of schmaltzy film version. Federico Garcia Lorca’s The House This was followed by a rare staging of Bernarda Alba with a mesmerising of East German playwright Manfred performance from Kathryn Hunter Karge’s The Conquest of the South in the lead role. Pole, a quirky and very funny play Other highlights were a great updat- about a gang of misfits trekking to the ing of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, which Pole without actually leaving their turned the spotlight on sexism in bedroom. today’s society, and an enthralling pro- But the highlight of The Every- duction of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. man’s year was Lizzie Nunnery’s Over in Bolton, the Octagon had in a man’s world, while Timberlake Katy Cavanagh, in David Rudkin’s North-west theatres certainly rec- wonderful The Sum (pictured), a some great production to mark its 50th Wertenbaker gave us the remarkable impressive thriller Ashes, which cov- ognise the importance of local com- play bristling with anger for a lost year. Among the best was Ann Bron- feminist ecological tale Winter Hill. ers IVF, Northern Ireland and death munities and 2017 saw them deliver generation, yet remaining hopeful te’s excellent The Tenant of Wildfell The year saw the Octagon reunite — not a combination you often see. great entertainment “for the many, for a better future. Hall which tells it like it is for women two great actors, Colin Cooper and In Manchester, HOME continued not the few.”

H FILMS ALAN FRANK The Mummy Baywatch Tom Cruise assaults a classic film This pointless feature-length monster in weary Indiana Jones-style thriller, a spin-off from the TV series, Top 10 in a turkey weighty enough to feed has lifeguard Dwayne Johnson look- a full cinema audience (below). ing after beach-bound civilians and Call Me by Your Name battling seaside criminals while Director Luca Guadagnino never David Brent: Life on the Road spending time trying to bring brash strikes a false note in this story of a An ineffably stupid film sees Ricky newcomer Zak Efron to book. Water- young Italian man (Timothee Cha- Gervais on the road as a wannabe logged. lamet) embarking on a gay romance rock star in a series of unfunny with a US scholar (Arne Hammer) in sequences that clearly appealed to Fifty Shades Darker a genuinely moving drama (right). him. Not me, though. A jaded sequel in the cinematic versions of EL James’s trilogy of The Disaster Artist Daddy’s Home 2 erotic novels, with Jamie Dorman The funniest film of the year with This depressing pre-Christmas trying to lure Dakota Johnson back James Franco, directing to perfec- sequel should have been left unseen into his life. Cue largely humiliating tion, also playing the mysterious up the chimney, like Santa in Grem- sex scenes. If a new vacuum cleaner film-maker who created The Room, lins. Crass jokes matched only by the sucked like this, Dyson would soon “the Citizen Kane of Bad Movies.” deeply unfunny Mel Gibson. be out of business. Unmissable. Suburbicon Mother! IT This satire on 1950s suburban The real shock in this hyper-pre- Stephen King’s supernatural clas- America “invaded” by black resi- tentious shocker is the rave reviews sic about a centuries-old evil clown dents is an increasingly unlikely garnered for a melodrama whose who terrorises children in Pennsyl- crime thriller, with director George stars appear to work hard to end it as vania gets a blood-freezing treatment Clooney sensibly staying off-screen. soon as possible. They got paid. Audi- by director Andy Muschietti. A ences were not so fortunate. nerve-shredding shocker. A Ghost Story Victoria and Abdul The most astonishing supernatural Judi Dench, Oscar-nominated for element of writer and director David 1997’s Mrs Brown, gives another Lowery’s critically overlauded fable award-worthy portrayal as Queen to wake up the next day and die again bearded and reclusive, is back in this of the afterlife was that most review- Victoria in a funny and hugely enjoy- that night. A shocker that really latest and hugely enjoyable episode ers appeared not to notice that the able story of her rapport with a young shocks. of the famed space opera, written titular spectre regrettably resembled Muslim clerk at her court. and directed by Rian Johnson. something created by a dopey teen- 78:52 ager for Halloween. La La Land The classic Psycho shower scene This delightful Oscar-winning tale lasts less than a minute but took 10 to avoid Kingsman: The Golden Circle of love and ambition in Hollywood is seven days to film and Alexandre O Jane Goodman co-wrote this over- immaculately performed by Emma Philippe has produced a riveting King Arthur: Legend of the wrought 007-wannabe spy thriller Stone and Ryan Gosling. documentary about how Alfred Sword sequel with director Matthew Hitchcock did it. If the subject Vaughn and the result The Big Sick of this drivel- is mindless A seemingly mismatched couple Happy End ling medieval a c t i o n falling in love is a cinema staple, but Director Michael Haneke’s cruel mess had s e q u e n c e s this Chicago-based romance between but eminently justified dissection of returned and and increas- a Pakistan-born aspirant comedian the conformist values of an evil used Excali- ingly inane and a divorcee hits all the right marks French family whose construction bur to dis- p l o t t i n g . without cynicism or fairy-tale cliche. company is collapsing elicits memo- emb owel L u c k l e s s rable performances from Isabelle d i r e c t o r audiences Happy Death Day Huppert and Jean-Louis Trintignant. Guy Ritchie also have to This taut horror film with a twist it would have watch Elton has luckless US college student Jes- Star Wars: The Last Jedi been more enjoy- John trying to sica Rothe murdered every night only Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker, able. act. Morning Star Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017 CULTURE BEST OF 2017 17

Lorna Miller

Mike Bryson

Billy B CARTOONS

Biting back Skelf

REXIT, Labour’s resur- that’s not an accusation that can be gence in the general levelled at Morning Star contribu- election, the Nightmare tors. on Trump Street and 2018 will present new challenges Citizen Chicane Bthe ongoing Tory and they’re sure to rise to them. assault on the NHS, Watch this space! social services and the most vulner- MICHAL BONCZA able were major themes wittily addressed by the growing roster of Noel cartoonists contributing to the pages of the Morning Star. A good number of them were shortlisted for the prestigious annual Political Cartoon of the Year competition organised by the Polit- ical Cartoon Society. It was won by Ben Jennings, who started his cartooning career on the pages of the paper. With honourable exceptions, the competition was marked by a dis- tinct lack of political bite, unsur- prising given the mainstrean titles Kate Evans represented in the final selection. Rob Amos But, as these cartoons show,

Smuzz Dan Strange David Peter Kerr Stella Peet Richard Cole Richard Morning Star 18 LETTERS Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017

TRANS ISSUES NEW YEAR BORIS JOHNSON Debate could do Be careful The Tories failed in not to lose with more on the the critique case for inclusivity 2017, now’s our time amid insults THE year 2017 was surely the “year that shook consequences which are graphically shown BORIS Johnson’s incompe- IN REGARD to the recent transphobia, suggesting the British again.” every day on our streets. tence and his protection by articles about transgender that this individual is not as Before, the Tories ruled and anything left Every day there reports of under-fi nanced the Establishment from rights and how they relate much of a woman based on of centre was said to be anathema to our people. national and local services being damaged. The the results of his inepti- to feminism, we, the how long they have But when acted upon by Theresa May in a gen- NHS, Housing, care and social services, men- tude present a target many Glasgow branch of the identifi ed. eral election this proved a false prophecy. The tal health, schools and the police are all being thousands the width of a Young Communist League The second reduces trans strong and stable door had closed. undermined as needs expand and services barn door. (YCL), have some concerns. women to people “suffer- There were signs in 2016 of “the year that reduce. What a stupid own goal We understand that the ing” from gender dyspho- shook Britain fi rst.” On June 23, the Brexit vote Austerity has brought low wages and infl a- is the review by Jonathan Morning Star is a platform ria. This is a myth propo- and on September 24, Jeremy Corbyn’s re- tion, increased poverty and poorer productiv- Meades, The Capital for debate, but a debate gated by the right to further election. Unheeded by May on June 8 of this ity. Austerity cut the “welfare spend” to the Offences of Boris Johnson needs two sides and we feel alienate trans individuals, year, the general election saw Labour gain 30 sick and the poor as the rich got richer. (M Star December 23), the case for trans-inclusive as is the notion that trans more MPs and today it leads in the polls. Little has been attempted to shift our econ- which follows an exactly feminism has not been women are men waiting for There are signs though of resting on laurels. omy from its reliance on fi nancial services to accurate account of the made adequately. an opportunity to abuse. It can’t be. May and her Tories are shown wealth creating industries or addressing the misdemeanours of this We would like to draw We call on the Star to increasingly as not fi t for purpose, propped up skill shortages instigated by Thatcher in the parasite by hate-fi lled attention to two specifi c provide articles that make a by the DUP. Their grip on the instruments of 1980s. invitations to suicide, very comments in Jo Bartosch’s case for inclusivity. power is so weak that the ability to tend to the We can’t await Brexit’s conclusion to put paid close to the death threats article (November 25): her Our branch has a large needs of our harassed populace is beyond them. to the Tories. Every day that dawns does so on of which the left tendency line about “a teenager who number (one third to a half) Rome (or our equivalent) is burning, so the another Tory blight on our society. has recently been accused has identifi ed as a woman of LGBTI individuals, and Labour movement has to challenge and get rid To the polls! in the media. for less time than I’ve had has links with AC Queers of the Tories before they can do any more dam- ROY JONES Can’t you even hit this the shoes I’m wearing” and and other LGBTI anti-fas- age to British people imposing policies with Colwyn Bay grossly oversized target the claim that “there are no cist, left-wing organisa- without such obvious safeguards in place to tions. damage to our precious identify trans women who We feel that publishing POLITICS cause? suffer from gender such articles without Are you talking only to dysphoria from men who appropriate response is not the people in your own might wish to abuse access helpful to our cause of On the shifting winds of Mr Heseltine little bubble, or do you to women-only space.” building an equal, socialist, genuinely want to change There are clear issues inclusive society. I NOTE Michael Heseltine’s to lead a Labour government. Labour government might be how things are run? with both statements. The YCL view that people of his gen- Then again those of my gen- better than a Tory one. SIMON NICHOLLS fi rst we regard as blatant Glasgow Branch eration never thought Jeremy eration never thought we’d see KEITH FLETT London N12 Corbyn would be in a position Heseltine conclude that a London N17

DEFENCE Turn useless carrier into a trade ship THE recent leak on new Brit- Morning Star ish aircraft carrier HMS USELESS: HMS Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth is utterly irrelevant to the vessel’s We rely on you, our readers, to future. While the leakage has keep the only working-class FIGHTING sensationally been quoted as FUND 200 litres per hour, that’s only voice in British media going 44 gallons per hour. I’ve bailed more out of a rowing boat. The Morning More importantly, the vessel was designed 20 years ago and ‘‘ Star is the is clearly not fi t for modern most precious warfare, with its ancient com- donate puters even running an elderly and only version of Windows for War- ONLINE voice we ships. The aircraft, which will www.morning not arrive for several years, have in the staronline.co.uk/support will also be built to similarly daily media antiquated designs. It would be far better to ~ Jeremy repurpose the ship as a yacht Britannia. It would cer- or use as a base for overseas Corbyn replacement royal yacht. With tainly give the new generation sales displays of British-man- Brexit impending, this would of royals something to do that ufactured military equipment excel for royal visits promot- would generally be perceived (even if we can no longer ing British trade and diplo- as useful even by the most afford to purchase such kit for Standing Order, People’s Press Fighting Fund macy throughout the world, as ardent republican. our own armed forces). were undertaken so sucess- The vessel is large enough JOHN EOIN DOUGLAS My name is: My address is: fully by the previous royal to have garden parties on deck Edinburgh Postcode Telephone: STOP THE WAR COALITION Yesterday’s Email: Please pay the Cooperative Bank PLC, Islington Branch, Sudoku solution It began over Afghanistan sort code 08-90-33 for the credit of the People’s Press Fighting Fund, account number 5050-5115 the THE Stop the War Coalition We are now effectively back sum of: £ each month until further notice and debit my account accordingly. was not founded to oppose the to supporting the Taliban, who war in Iraq. It was founded we created, against the local My account number is: My sort code is: to oppose the war in Afghan- franchise of Isis, which did not istan. So it has been right exist until we took out the bul- Standing order start date: Signature from the very start. wark against such things in Iraq. Our arbitrary interven- By far the most prominent To the manager (include bank name, address and postcode): tion in an Afghan civil war politician in the western world that has now been going on to have said all of this through- DON’T SEND THIS FORM TO YOUR BANK. PLEASE MAIL IT TO: continuously for 40 years out every one of these adven- has been an abject disaster tures is Jeremy Corbyn. PPFF Organiser, William Rust House, 52 Beachy Road, Bow, London E3 2NS from the outset and it con- DAVID LINDSAY You must be 16+ to join. Registered Small Lottery London Borough of Tower Hamlets Reg No. 2708. tinues to be so. Lanchester, Co Durham Morning Star Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017 LETTERS 19

GRAHAM STEVENSON explores our online archive 80 YEARS years AGO ago… TODAY... GRAHAM STEVENSON explores our online archiveCheers of for the PollittMorning as Star’s he earlyvisits years Brigade BRITISHA STRIKE Commu- of 500 parade Lieutenant-Colo- ■ nist“boys leader and girls” Harry nel Vladimir Chopic agedPollitt between was “received 14 and 21, referred in ironic terms atwith the a factorytremendous of William burst to “the drunkard of Lustyof cheering” and Sons, when Ltd. he in Seville, Quiepo de Llano, Poplar,made a resultedsurprise inChrist- 100 who had broadcast the permas cent visit unionisation to the Interna- and fantastic lie that three ational pay riseBrigade’s of half British a penny battalions of the Interna- forBattalion many ofin theSpain, workers, the tional Brigade had been reportedDaily Worker the Daily reported wiped out at Teruel.” Workeron December of July 30 23 1937. 1936. Soldiers who were all DueFormer to the DW success editor of supposed to be dead and theWilliam strike Rust, it was working decided in who had not been sent to betweenSpain as RWthe paper’sLister, of war the the battle had a “quiet Transportndcorrespondent, has was become chuckle at the rebels’ increasinglypresent at the collectable event and latest radio victory.” designwrote proudlyclassics. that: The British Battalion ■“Harry Daily arrived Worker on(1930- gave gifts of toys to 45)Christmas and Morning Day when Star the hundreds of the children (2000-present),festivities were aswell they in the town where they appearedunderway in... print,his speech at were quartered. Some http://tinyurl.com/of greeting aroused us received presents from DWMSarchive.all to great enthusiasm.” Ten days’ their Brigade Com- accessThe Battalion costs just had £5.99 a mander, given to those and“good a wholeold-fashioned year is £72. who had shown “out- Christmas, complete standing devotion to with puddings and duty.” chickens and various At the big dinner, little presents. Even the Professor J B S Haldane absence of beer was responded to a toast to hardly noticed, as it was himself and all friends of replaced by liberal Spanish democracy by Skelf supplies of wine and declaring that he had Champagne.” done “all I could to help Parcels sent by the Spain because I realised people of Britain helped that (the British) EDUCATION complete the day and National Government Pollitt’sLABOUR unexpected MPs visit has broken international ■was cheeredmatched on by the joy at law. Then the British Communistrecent Republican MP for West lads let themselves go Fife,advances. Willie Gallacher with some of their good duringAt a morninghis “great Battalion old songs.” Ofsted shoulders much speech,” the Daily Worker of July 24 1936 headlined.Worker warned of fascist pogroms DuringUP TO a 900,00024-hour on Germany’s side. debate■Romanian Mr Gallacher Jews were Around 400,000 Jews attackedfacing “ruin “government and persecu- were murdered, or died of the blame for failures misers”tion,” warned and called the Daily them of hypothermia, starva- “hWorker of December 31 tion and epidemics on OFSTED has an absolute nerve It is all very well for politi- require urgent and careful own referral units have to 1937. Romanian controlled to announce that “more than cians such as Andrew Adonis attention, but how can schools make sacrifi ces elsewhere, Forcible expulsion soil, whilst many others 100 schools have not improved to call for a ban on what he afford the cost of such require- which often means subjects from the country was died outside the country, for over a decade,” as if it was called “the cancer of school ments? such as drama and dance being one of many new reducing the number of their fault (M Star December expulsions,” and on manipu- Perhaps Ms Spielman would dropped from the curriculum. measures likely to be Jewish citizens overall 14). lated admissions, but as long prefer pupils with behaviour Ofsted does enjoy a “unique enforced by the new from 700,000 in 1930 to Chief inspector Amanda as the main focus of both issues to sit in with the GCSE overview” and has the ability “National Christian” 145,000 in 1956. Spielman also showed concern Ofsted and the government is pupils, but what would her to “speak truth unto power.” government of Octavian The 1944 defeat of at the treatment of some of on examination results, and inspectors say about the lesson It should be placing the Goga. Romania, as part of the Britain’s disadvantaged chil- Tory governments continue to which was constantly inter- blame where it really lies: with The party, with its Eastern Front, was dren by saying that the prac- underfund state education, rupted, or about the school the government and its failure swastika symbol, never wholly carried out by the tice of “off-rolling is an invid- schools have hugely diffi cult with subsequently declining to fund state schools and their received more than about Red Army. Romania ious example” of schools losing choices to make. results? teachers adequately. 10 per cent of the vote, changed sides in defeat, sight of the purpose of educa- “Diffi cult children” and Schools employing special- BERNIE EVANS but was chosen by King and the Germans were tion. those with special needs ist teachers or setting up their Liverpool Carol II to form a driven back into Hun- government which would gary after their Sixth confi scate all land owned Army was encircled by a FOREIGN POLICY by Jews, ban the Soviet onslaught, being establishment of Jewish destroyed for the second shops or businesses in time. the villages and cancel The fi rst time had been What’s Johnson playing at? the naturalisation papers at the Battle of Stalin- of Jews who had fl ed grad, after the Sixth BRITAIN’S War Party politicians were on Venezuela, Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba or Libya, Hungarian persecution committed the infamous fi ne form before Christmas, with Boris John- or any other state that has at one time or after 1919. The banning war crime of massacring son in Moscow spewing out fake accusations another been in the crosshairs of US impe- of Jewish rights to deal more than 30,000 Jews at of Russian “meddling” in the EU referendum rialism. in wines, spirits or Babi Yar. and “Defence” Secretary Gavin Williamson It is time that we were represented by tobacco was also telling us that North Korea is all set to fi re politicians who put our interests before the planned. Jewish-owned You can nuclear missiles at London. interests of the US military-industrial com- newspapers had already read editions of Why is Johnson intensifying a CIA/DNC- plex. been suppressed. the Daily Worker generated hysteria that could lead to a confl ict We need a people’s foreign policy delivered Fears of a fascist (1930-45) between two nuclear-armed powers? Why is by an anti-war Labour government and built dictatorship triggered and Star (200 0-today)Morning Williamson parroting Washington’s imperial on international co-operation, security and panic selling on the , online at line rather than urging diplomacy and dialogue? peace instead of imperialist carnage, arms Bucharest Stock mstar.link/DWMSarchive And when will the people of Britain wake companies’ profi ts and permanent war. Exchange. Anti-semitic Ten days’ access costs up to the risk that these idiotic and unpatri- The Labour Party, trade unions and all laws worsened in the just otic politicians present to our safety and anti-war and peace organisations should early 1940s after £5.99 and a security? combine their efforts to achieve this in 2018. Romania entered the war year is £72 We have no quarrel with the people of CHRIS REA North Korea or Russia — or Vietnam, Iran, Moston, Manchester EMBARRASSING: Boris Johnson Morning Star 20 LETTERS Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017

CHRISTIANITY Don’t believe the Bible – Christ was a revolutionary READERS & PAM PINK shouldn’t believe everything the fi ction in the New Testament that the tematically falsifi ed what Jesus stood for. SUPPORTERS she reads in the Bible (M Star December Romans executed Jesus rather than This is hardly surprising when you Promote Morning Star events for free on 21). If Jesus was no threat to the power Barabbas merely because because the remember that the New Testament was (020) 8510-0815 or [email protected] structure of the Roman empire, then why Jews asked them to. Since when does an written almost a century after Jesus’s did the Romans crucify him? occupying power bow to the wishes of a death, by men who renounced their Judaism Crucifi xion was a particularly barba- subject people? and created a doctrine which the Romans EVENTS rous form of execution reserved for slaves In his excellent book Revolution In were happy to adopt as a state religion. CLYDEBANK — Morning Star sale: Every Saturday, 1-4pm, at Buchanan and “bandits” (for which read freedom- Judea, Hyam Maccoby — a noted Talmudic VICTOR ADERETH Every Thursday from noon to 1pm Street stall (opposite Gordon Street). fi ghters). And it is hard to take seriously scholar — shows how Christianity has sys- London E6 outside Council Buildings, Rosebery LEICESTER — Readers and sup- Place. Call George on 07511 546-085. porters group: Contact Dave Wil- COATBRIDGE — Lanarkshire ford at [email protected] Readers and Supporters Morning or (0116) 2897-975, or David Grove at CHRISTIANITY Star sale: Every Saturday outside [email protected] or (01780) Asda. Call Ronnie on 07906 195-404. 238-463. We hope to reinstate regu- DUMFRIES — Morning Star sale: lar meetings soon. Every Saturday from noon at the LONDON — Regular readers and Midsteeple. New readers and sellers supporters meeting: Contact Mary welcome. 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In justifi ca- Jesus, a painting by James Tissot [email protected]. pitch: Thursdays and Saturdays, tion, she cites Christian reli- DUNDEE — Morning Star sale: Sheffi eld city centre — contact gious interpretations of the First Saturday of every month at [email protected] for more 11.30am at Brooksbank Clock, Mur- details. Jesus story. raygate. Ring Raymond Mennie on SHROPSHIRE — Regular paper A better materialist inter- 07894 901-688. sales: Call Jim 07896 976-833. Email pretation would place Jesus in EDINBURGH — Regular Morning [email protected]. a properly researched his- Star sale: Every Saturday at the bot- SWINDON — Paper sale: Every Sat- torical context. Then the safest tom of the Mound, noon to 2pm. urday. If you can help, contact Pete at conclusion would be that he GLASGOW — Morning Star sale: [email protected]. was an Essene who did chal- lenge the Romans as colonial GROUPS’ CONTACT DETAILS rulers of Judaea. 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Like devout Jewish rebel against Sables on (01271) 373-338 or email PLYMOUTH — Call 07800 508-261 or because of its open boldness. an Essene, Jesus believed that Rome. [email protected] email [email protected]. The interpretation revolves only God could rule His king- Should there be any DUNDEE — Ring Raymond Mennie PONTYPRIDD — Email Viv 07894 901-688. around what God’s things are. dom. “Render unto Caesar doubt, why did the Romans Martin: [email protected]. Jews believed that they and what is Caesar’s and unto God crucify him? Jesus was DUMFRIES — Email stuart.hyslop1@ RICHMOND & KINGSTON — hotmail.co.uk for details. their land constituted God’s what is God’s” very pointedly hanged as the king of the Regular group: Ring (020) 8979-6091 gift, to be ruled by Him as a says that Caesar can have his Jews, one the Romans EASTBOURNE — Email Scott at or email [email protected]. [email protected]. SHROPSHIRE — Regular paper RED LIST FORTH VALLEY — Covering sales: Call 07896 976-833 or email GENDER IDENTITY THE Falkirk, Sterling and Alloa: Call [email protected]. RETURNS NEXT WEEK Colin Finlay on 07837 305-619 or SOUTHAMPTON — Regular email fi [email protected]. group: Contact Glynn Tudor, Thanks for guide to trans issues COMRADES, HAPPY HARPENDEN — Email [email protected] NEW YEAR! [email protected]. to get involved. THANK you for printing the informative identifi cation” and the Gender Reassign- HASTINGS & SUSSEX — Email SHEFFIELD/SOUTH YORKSHIRE — article by Debbie Hayton, “Social accept- ment Act may be at odds with the actual [email protected], R&S group: Call Steve 07851 753-711. ance of trans people springs from our lived experience of “self-identifi cation” Debbie’s article was a welcome call for 07950 138-971. Email [email protected] relationship with society — and that works and additionally with the protected rights an inclusive debate on those issues and KENT EAST — Call 07976 943-514, SWINDON — Paper sales: Email both ways” (M Star December 22). of women’s spaces. for all voices to be involved in order that [email protected]. jackobadenski@ yahoo.com. I have just taken on the role of women’s It was a concise explanation of some an accepted, not imposed, outcome can be KENT NORTH — Email WALES NORTH — Regular offi cer in Newham Momentum and appre- potentially contentious issues, yet framed established. This can only be a good thing. [email protected] meetings: Email trevorjones.dtuc@ or call Ryan on 07549 733-739. hotmail.co.uk or call (01745) 822-218. ciate such a helpful, clear, well-informed in a desire to unfetter traditional tenets of TINA JESS LANARKSHIRE — Ring Ronnie on YORKSHIRE — ryedalesocialists @ article outlining how the concept of “self- sexuality, womanhood and family values. London E15 07906 195-404. gmail.com.

BRISTOL: Bristol, Bath & the VCR Room, Central Library, 7-9 [email protected]. Gloucester CP Branch. Meets second George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EG. NOTTINGHAM: Notts and North Wednesday of the month. For details LEEDS: CP West Yorkshire Branch. Lincs CP Branch. For a Workers’ ring Mike on (0117) 9633-164 or email Meeting third Saturday of every month Brexit. Public meeting, 7pm, January [email protected]. at 11am at the Swarthmore Centre, 17. International Community Centre, ADVERTISE HERE DERBY: Socialist Burns Night. 6.30- Woodhouse Square, Leeds. All Mansfi eld Road, Nottingham. Speaker: 8.30pm at Niagara Suite, the Waterfall welcome. Contact 07866 479-489. Rob Griffi ths, CPB general secretary. COMMUNITY Bar, Railway Terrace, Derby. £15 per LEICESTER: CP branch. Contact: Hear what workers must fi ght for as head. Concessions by arrangement. [email protected], (01780) 238-463. Britain leaves the EU. Full Page: £1,600 1/8 Page: £200 Book by January 10 by email to LONDON: South East London CP. OXFORD: CP branch. Meets monthly LISTINGS [email protected] or by Meets monthly. www.selcp.org — south — all welcome. For details: 07769 557- Half Page: £800 1/15 Page: £100 text to 07779 237-152. All proceeds to [email protected]. 664 or [email protected]. — SMALL ADS — the Star and the William Paul Society. MERSEYSIDE: Merseyside Branch SHEFFIELD: South Yorkshire CP 1/4 Page: £400 Box Ad: £50 (020) 8510-0815 EDINBURGH: Edinburgh Branch CP. Meeting on the fi rst Thursday of Branch. Meets second Monday of the [email protected] CP. Monthly branch meeting fi rst the month. Contact branch secretary month. Ring Carrie on 07531 079-268 (020) 8510-0815 [email protected] Wednesday of each month. 6-8pm in Thomas Butler for details of venue on or Bryan on (0114) 2334-758. Morning Star Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017 RACING SPORT 21

RACING: YOUR GUIDE TO THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION Who will triumph in

the mud today? Farringdon’s doubles Our tipster casts his expert eye over the weekend’s meets SATURDAY KNOCKANRAWLEY EATHER permit- over a course and distance that At Haydock the feature Last Later on at the Surrey track, Newbury 2:25 (nap) ting, the two big obviously suits. RACING Fling Handicap Chase at 2.10 Runaiocht can fi nally notch SOARING SPIRITS meetings at Hay- However, the best-value can go to Crosspark who will another win on his career board Lingfi eld 12:35 dock and New- wager of the day comes on the TIPS relish the return to bottomless by landing the 1.45. The last time bury should go all-weather at Lingfi eld where with ground off a potentially play- he visited the winner’s enclosure SUNDAY aheadW and only mudlarks should the old boy Soaring Spirits able mark of 136. was at Wolverhampton in Febru- BREX DRAGO apply to win races this afternoon. (nb) can fi nally enter the win- Farringdon There is a cracking card on ary off an 11lbs higher rating. Lingfi eld 1:45 (nap) The Mandarin Chase (New- ner’s enclosure again following the all-weather at Lingfi eld Finally, have a second look at bury 2.25) is always a well-con- a 20-month absence. Park this afternoon and the big the exceedingly well-weighted NOBLE DEED tested affair and Knockanraw- That success at Leicester last which is going to be a real sprint handicap could well go Barye in the mile-and-a-half Lingfi eld 2:50 ley (nap) can supplement last summer came off a rating of 65, slugfest for these young horses to the top weight Reckless handicap due off at 2.55. year’s win off a 3lbs higher mark he has raced off as high as 75 in and that should suit Way Back Endeavour at 12.00. The Richard Hughes charge Houseman’s on ground he simply adores. between, and he now gets the Then to a tee. This will be his Lingfi eld has not shown his best form Laid out for this race for the chance to run off 55 with the aid Ben Pauling’s charge has debut, but he has won on a sim- for a long time, but to be fair choice past 12 months, the still lightly of Robert Winston up top. been given plenty of time to ilar surface at Dundalk and this has been set some pretty tough raced nine-year-old was given Of his rivals, Brothers In mature and strengthen and fast-run six furlongs with plenty tasks in better-class handicaps SATURDAY a nice pipe-opener for his Arms has an awful draw in box this former point-to-pointer is of pace in the fi eld should see than this. KILBRICKEN STORM defence when a staying on sec- 13, but beaten favourite last sure to relish this stamina- him outstay his rivals on the run Now a full 13lbs below his last ond at Ayr, beaten a short head time out D’Waterside is quite sapping test around the gallop- down the home stretch. winning mark, the key to his Newbury 3:00 by Catamaran de Seuil. interesting, coming back in ing Berkshire track. The underrated Kasbah could chance is a fast pace which looks SUNDAY That run should have taken trip from an extended mile to He could get the better of be the biggest danger to the assured here and the six-year- MYSTIC MOON the freshness out of him and a bare seven furlongs here. the likes of the hat-trick-seek- selection if jockey Jack Mitchell old is taken to outstay all of his Lingfi eld 1:45 the son of Portrait Gallery Newbury’s feature race is ing Mulcahys Hill and the can get a tune out of him after rivals in the closing stages with looks primed to strike again the Challow Hurdle at 3.00 lightly raced Poetic Rhythm. a luckless run last time out. Shane Kelly back on board.

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BASKETBALL SKIING: Germany’s Pius Paschke soars NBA grovels to Israel over Palestine through the air during a by Our Sports Desk Israeli Sports Minister Miri rations of President Donald “We apologise for this over- trial jump at Regev had sent a vitriolic let- Trump, who has just recog- sight, and have corrected it.” the first ter to NBA commissioner nised Jerusalem as the capital While Palestine does not have stage of the THE US National Basketball Adam Silver, complaining that of Israel,” Regev wrote. formal statehood as such, the 66th four Association (NBA) has bowed the country listing did not Regev further said that Pal- West Bank, Gaza Strip and East hills ski to Israeli pressure and match the pronouncements of estine was “a country every- Jerusalem are not part of the jumping removed Palestine from its US President Donald Trump. one knows does not exist” and state of Israel and for the past tournament listing of countries on its web- “I view the inclusion of that Palestine’s inclusion in the 50 years have been occupied yesterday in site. ‘occupied Palestine’ in the list poll’s list “hurt” Israel and militarily by Israeli forces. Oberstdorf, The NBA issued a grovel- of countries appearing on your “distorted” reality. The acquisition of territory Germany ling apology to Israel on official website as legitimising The NBA’s president of social by force, as Israel has done Thursday for including “Pal- the division of the state of responsibility Kathy Behrens — not only in Palestine but also estine – occupied territory” in Israel and as gross and blatant said: “We do not produce the in Syria and previously Leba- its list of countries for a poll interference, in contrast to the country listings for NBA.com non — is illegal under interna- for fans’ favourite “country of official position of the [US] and as soon as we became tional law. origin” for NBA players. administration and the decla- aware of it, the site was updated. Star comment: p12

MEN’S TENNIS MEN’S FOOTBALL: SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP Hearts boss rejects Murray may miss being ‘too rough’ by Our Sports Desk came in after the game, we sat and had a chat and funnily Australian Open enough he never mentioned HEARTS boss Craig Levein anything about it. yesterday played down Neil “The next game will be the Abu Dhabi performance raises doubts about Scot’s fitness Lennon’s suggestion that his same.” side were overly physical in He added: “You saw two sets by Our Sports Desk due to make his comeback with That in itself seemed posi- week’s Brisbane International, the Edinburgh derby. of players giving everything a semi-final against world No tive but from the start it was while the Australian Open Hibernian manager Lennon and the thing that suffered 20 Bautista Agut at the clear Murray was well short starts in just over two weeks’ said that Hearts “kicked us off most was the football. SERIOUS question marks Mubadala World Tennis Cham- of his best. time. the park” during the goalless “I’ve said this on numerous remain about Andy Murray’s pionship. The limp that was such a Djokovic admitted he could draw at Tynecastle and occasions, in derby matches I fitness ahead of the Australian Murray has given little away talking point at Wimbledon be forced out of the new year’s claimed Jamie Walker should can count on one hand in all Open after he was beaten 6-2 either about the precise nature was still very much in evi- first grand slam after suffer- have been sent off for a series the time I’ve been involved, by Roberto Bautista Agut yes- of his hip injury or his recov- dence and his movement was ing a dispiriting setback. of fouls. the number of good games. terday in a one-set exhibition ery but delaying his departure hampered when dragged out The Serbian had appeared Levein has played down the “Generally it’s just a scrap in Abu Dhabi. to Australia, having originally wide on his forehand side. the furthest forward of all comments however, and sug- for 90 minutes. The Scot, who is working his intended to travel before A helpful net cord allowed men’s tennis’s walking gested the brutal nature of the “Generally in the SPL [Scot- way back from hip problems, Christmas, did not send a Murray to get on the board in wounded, with Rafael Nadal, game — which saw several tish Premiership] it dies down stepped in after Novak Djoko- positive message. the fifth game when he had Stan Wawrinka and Milos players injured on both sides after about half an hour, but it vic’s own Melbourne hopes The 30-year-old had faced points for 5-0, and he did Raonic all pulling out ahead — was merely because it was [the derby] is not one for the were plunged into doubt when intended just to practise with improve in the latter stages. of the tournament. a local derby. purists.” he was forced to withdraw hav- the players competing in the The Scot said that he “felt But he said that he had to “Lenny forgets that I saw ing experienced more pain in tournament in Abu Dhabi, better as it went on. I was a pull out as “in the past few days him play,” Levein joked. his elbow. which is staging the pre-sea- little bit slow at the start.” I started to feel pain in the “There were a lot of times he Send your message Like Murray, Djokovic has son event, but he answered the The three-time grand slam elbow and, after several tests, should have been sent off, let to the movement not played a competitive match organisers’ call following champion is due to make his my medical team has advised me tell you! [email protected] since Wimbledon and had been Djokovic’s withdrawal. competitive return at next me not to risk anything.” “It’s a derby match. Neil Morning Star Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017 SPORT 23

MEN’S FOOTBALL: PREMiER LEAguE Huddersfield warn clubs off poaching their players

by Our Sports Desk “I think everybody knows what a wonderful defender he is, but to be honest these are DAVID WAGNER issued numbers I never deal with and another warning to rival clubs I never thought about. yesterday that they will be Schindler “was, for me, the wasting their time if they stand out centre-back in the last enquire about any of his play- Championship season and what ers during the January trans- I’ve seen in this Premier League fer window. season is outstanding as well.” Terriers head coach Wagner Australian international has been assured by club Mooy has also adapted seam- owner Dean Hoyle that no lessly to life in the top flight players will be sold without his and continues to prove a driv- say so and insisted recently ing force in midfield. the likes of Christopher Schin- “Everything I said about dler and Aaron Mooy will be Christopher Schindler — just staying in West Yorkshire. replace the name Christopher “They heard the message I Schindler with Aaron Mooy,” sent out a few weeks ago,” Wagner said. Wagner said before his side Huddersfield sit 11th in the closes a memorable 2017 at table after collecting 23 points home against Burnley today. from 20 games and, like sev- “They can save their money enth-placed Burnley, have lost for the phone call because we only one of their last five will not sell any player from league matches. our squad in this window who Wagner, still open-minded as I don’t want to sell.” to whether he will strengthen his Wagner made clear his squad next month, said he is a big thoughts on the £75 million good fan of Burnley boss Sean Dyche friend Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and described his side’s achieve- have agreed to pay Southamp- ment this season as second only ton for Dutch international Vir- to that of Pep Guardiola’s runa- gil van Dijk and joked Schindler way leaders Manchester City. was worth even more. “What Sean and Burnley “I have to be careful now what have done is outstanding,” I say because [Van Dijk] is Jur- Wagner added. “The results gen’s player,” Wagner said. speak for themselves.”

MEN’S RugBY uNiON North looks to return today after long Saints absence by Our Sports Desk Head coach Alan Dickens players under pressure, we Lock Sean Robinson and will lead Northampton against can turn that environment to wing Alex Tait will start in Harlequins, while Saints have our advantage.” Newcastle’s trip south, with GEORGE NORTH could make installed experienced Austral- Ben Morgan will make just Will Witty and Sinoti Sinoti his first Northampton Saints ian coach Alan Gaffney as a his fourth appearance of the ruled out through injury. appearance in almost three technical coaching assistant season when Gloucester host Brad Barritt will start for months in today’s Premiership until the end of the season. Sale today, the England Saracens after injury, captain- clash with Harlequins at “We need to be more clinical number eight having finally ing the north Londoners in Twickenham. and really focus on looking shaken off a clutch of injury their home clash with Worces- The British and Irish Lions after the ball and going issues. ter, with Nathan Earle starting wing suffered a knee injury in through the phases,” said Dick- Marland Yarde has slotted on the wing. Saints’ 57-13 humbling by Sara- ens. onto Sale’s bench for the King- England star George Kruis cens in European Champions “Harlequins are a very sholm trip, in boss Steve Dia- has been rested, with Nick Cup action on October 15. tough team to play and like us mond’s sole change to the Isiekwe partnering Will Skel- North missed Wales’s entire have had frustrating periods Sharks squad from their 32-9 ton at lock. autumn Test campaign as a this season but can beat any- win over Bath. Gareth Milasinovic, Darren result of the blow, but has one on their day. Max Northcote-Green, Scott Barry and Sam Olver will all returned to full training — and “We need to go down to Steele and Johnny Williams start for Worcester at Sara- will take a seat on the bench Twickenham with the belief will all start as London Irish cens, with Nick Schonert, Will for today’s Twickenham show- that we can win and I think if host Newcastle Falcons at Spencer and Jono Lance forced down with Quins. we can put some of their key Reading’s Madejski Stadium. out through injury.

Something to say? Join the debate! Send letters (of up to 300 words) to [email protected] or to 52 Beachy Road, London E3 2NS 24 Morning Star Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017 Sport MEN’S FOOTBALL: PREMIER LEAGUE Weekend football Premier League Bournemouth Everton Chelsea Stoke City Huddersfield T Burnley Liverpool Leicester City Newcastle Utd Brighton KLOPP RESIGNED TO Watford Swansea City Man Utd Southampton, 5.30pm Crystal Palace Man City, 12pm* West Brom Arsenal, 4.30pm* Championship Barnsley Reading Birmingham City Leeds Utd Brentford Sheffield Weds Burton Albion Norwich City Hull City Fulham MARKET MADNESS Ipswich T Derby County Middlesbrough Aston Villa Liverpool manager not happy about paying £75m for defender Nottingham Forest Sunderland Sheffield Utd Bolton W by Our Sports Desk only think about the player and Bristol City Wolves, 5.30pm there’s one moment when you £75M MAN: League One get the price and you have to Virgil van Blackburn Rovers Scunthorpe Utd LIVERPOOL boss Jurgen accept it or not. Dijk Blackpool Plymouth Argyle Klopp said yesterday it was “Of course it’s not every Bradford City Oxford Utd Bury Fleetwood T “not nice” shelling out £75 mil- club who will do it [spend such Gillingham AFC Wimbledon lion for Virgil van Dijk but he amounts], but a lot of clubs are Milton Keynes Peterborough Utd had little option to do so. able to do it and they will do Oldham Athletic Bristol Rovers Klopp has finally landed his it.” Portsmouth Northampton T Southend Utd Shrewsbury T main defensive target after a Van Dijk will not yet be a Walsall Rotherham Utd protracted courtship which Liverpool player when they included an unsuccessful take on Leicester today, for- League Two Cambridge Utd Crewe Alexandra transfer request in the sum- mally joining on January 1 Carlisle Utd Coventry City mer and a public apology to when the transfer window offi- Cheltenham T Newport Co AFC Southampton for a “misunder- cially opens. Chesterfield Colchester Utd standing” over the Reds’ pur- Liverpool are expected to Crawley T Stevenage suit. face renewed interest from Exeter City Barnet Grimsby T Accrington Stanley In bringing the Netherlands Barcelona for Philippe Lincoln City Forest Green Rovers international to Anfield, Klopp Coutinho, having refused to do Port Vale Luton T had to set a new world record business in the summer. Swindon T Notts County for a defender, easily eclipsing There is no indication that Wycombe W Mansfield T the £54m which took Kyle their answer would be any dif- Scottish Premiership Walker from Tottenham to ferent should the Catalan Celtic Rangers, 12pm Manchester City. giants come calling again, Aberdeen Hearts Hibernian Kilmarnock The magnitude of the deal with the playmaker even tak- Motherwell Hamilton Academical does not sit easily with the ing the captaincy in the 5-0 Partick Thistle Ross County German, but he believes it is thrashing of Swansea on Box- St Johnstone Dundee no longer possible to keep a lid ing Day. Scottish Championship on spiralling fees. Klopp revealed that was no Brechin City Inverness CT “It’s a big change in football masterplan to buy the Brazil- Dumbarton Morton over a few months and years ian’s continued commitment, Falkirk Queen Of The South and we have to adapt to it. but he was happy to see him Livingston Dunfermline Athletic That’s how it is, it changed turn in a typically impressive Scottish League One already,” he said. performance. Airdrieonians Alloa Athletic “It’s not nice, but that’s the “I don’t know if I make the Arbroath East Fife Ayr Utd Forfar Athletic market. That’s the world. story less romantic but when Queen’s Park Albion Rovers “It’s all about how the mar- Hendo [Jordan Henderson] and armband and he will never Liverpool’s single-minded retention of the Algerian, Raith Rovers Stranraer ket always is, it’s about the Milly [James Milner] were not leave or give him the armband resolve to hang on to Coutinho Klopp added: “He is a fantastic Scottish League Two need and the opportunity. If and he’s especially happy, but has been matched in some player. I can imagine a lot of playing, I need to look at our Berwick Rangers Stenhousemuir you want to sign a player, actu- longest servant … Philippe that’s not how it works. regards by their weekend clubs are interested in him. Edinburgh City Clyde ally the last thing I actually Coutinho,” he explained. “The armband can do dif- opponents, who have thus far “That he’s still there shows Elgin City Stirling Albion think about is the price. “That’s why he was captain. ferent things to you, you can fended off every vulture cir- somebody at Leicester con- Montrose Peterhead “It’s not because I like Maybe I could be smarter, feel the lift or the pressure and cling Riyad Mahrez. vinced him. He’s very impor- All kickoffs 3pm unless noted throwing money around. We think about giving him the it didn’t disturb him.” In a nod to their successful tant for them, 100 per cent.” * denotes Sunday game

MEN’S FOOTBALL: PREMIER LEAGUE be important if we are able to find the right players, other- wise we continue to work with these players and I’m very Conte calls on Blues not happy to work with them,” said Conte. “For sure, the club will try to do their best in the market to improve the squad from a to lose sight of Man City numerical aspect. I’m a coach, I have to work with my players by Amar Azam They are now on a six-game “There are only four places remain tight-lipped about the and my task is on the pitch. winning streak at Stamford for the Champions League and possibility of additions when “The transfer market is for Bridge and given a strong record two for the Europa League, so the transfer window opens the club and they must decide CHELSEA manager Antonio against Mark Hughes’s side, this you have to fight. next week. if they want to improve my Conte has called on his players should be a comfortable match “When your competitor is “I think this window could squad.” not to lose sight of runaway for Chelsea to end the year. doing so well, like Man City, leaders Manchester City or risk However, with Pep Guardio- it’s difficult to fight for the title Published by the People’s Press MSTAR 2017-12-30 SAT 1.2 missing out on a top four finish. la’s men running away with the until the end, but we must give Printing Society Ltd, William Rust Chelsea welcome Stoke City title it seems, the Chelsea boss everything, try to get three House, 52 Beachy Road, Bow, 5 2 London E3 2NS. Telephone: (020) today, looking to build upon their was remaining upbeat about points in every game and 8510-0815. Fax: (020) 8986-5694. recent steady performances. their prospects this season. improve our work.” Email: enquiries@peoples-press. Goals from Alvaro Morata “In this league to finish in the One of Chelsea’s problems com. Registered with Companies House as Morning Star (in- and Marcos Alonso saw off top four is always a success,” this season has been the issue corporating the Daily Worker) No Brighton on Boxing Day in a said Conte. “This is the only of a small squad compared to N5559. Printed by trade union LOOKING AHEAD: Chelsea dominant performance from league with six top teams fight- their rivals. labour at Trinity Mirror. manager Antonio Conte the reigning champions. ing for the title every season. The Italian, however, Saturday/Sunday December 30-31 2017 9 770307 175367