For Democratic Socialism #292 May/June 2018 £2 Saving the NHS
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#292 working_01 cover 23/04/2018 12:50 Page 1 CHARTIST For democratic socialism #292 May/June 2018 £2 Saving the NHS Stephanie Clark Selling our health Bob Littlewood Council's in frontline James Anderson Ireland borders Ruth Taylor & Janey Stone May 1968 Billy Hayes Fixing the system Paul Garver Trump resistance plus Book & Film reviews ISSN - 0968 7866 ISSUE www.chartist.org.uk #292 working_01 cover 23/04/2018 12:50 Page 2 CONTENTS Contributions and letters deadline for FEATURES Editorial Policy CHARTIST #293 NEW COUNCILS ON THE FRONTLINE The editorial policy of CHARTIST is to promote debate amongst people active in 08 June 2018 Bob Littlewood outlines the challenge radical politics about the contemporary Chartist welcomes articles of 800 or 1500 words, and 8 facing local Labour relevance of democratic socialism across letters in electronic format only to: [email protected] the spectrum of politics, economics, ALTERNATIVE LOCAL MODELS science, philosophy, art, interpersonal Receive Chartist’s online newsletter: send your email address to [email protected] relations – in short, the whole realm of Alena Ivanova and Paul Smith on Preston and social life. Chartist Advert Rates: 9 Bristol initiatives Our concern is with both democracy and socialism. The history of the last century Inside Full page £200; 1/2 page £125; 1/4 page £75; 1/8 page £40; 1/16 page £25; small box 5x2cm £15 single has made it abundantly clear that the sheet insert £50 BREXIT & THE IRISH BORDER mass of the population of the advanced We are also interested in advert swaps with other publications. To place an advert, please email: James Anderson on the perils of a hard capitalist countries will have no interest [email protected] border in any form of socialism which is not 10 thoroughly democratic in its principles, its practices, its morality and its ideals. LEFT REMAIN CASE Yet the consequences of this deep attach- Ireland border issue threatens Brexit Stephen Marks on socialists for the EU ment to democracy – one of the greatest Page 10 advances of our epoch – are seldom 11 reflected in the discussion and debates CHARTIST AGM 2018 Cover by Martin Rowson amongst active socialists. POLITICS FOR MANY CHARTIST is not a party publication. It Billy Hayes on a new drive to make votes brings together people who are interested Can Labour find winning ways? in socialism, some of whom are active the 12 count CHARTIST Labour Party and the trade union move- ment. It is concerned to deepen and BOBBY KENNEDY LEGACY FOR DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM extend a dialogue with all other socialists Number 292 May/June 2018 and with activists from other movements Nigel Doggett recalls the times, the politics involved in the struggle to find democrat- Saturday July 7th 13 and the man ic alternatives to the oppression, exploita- REGULARS tion and injustices of capitalism and Central London TRUMPING TRUMP class society Venue tbc US resistance is growing to the populist OUR HISTORY 78 Editorial Board 14 president says Paul Garver 4 The Commonwealth party Manifesto CHARTIST is published six times a year EDITORIAL by the Chartist Collective. This issue was Speakers & discussions on Brexit, neo- NHS UP FOR SALE 5 Tory Brexit home truths produced by an Editorial Board consisting Stephanie Clark on how Tories are letting of Duncan Bowie (Reviews), Andrew liberalism, Independent Labour Party, the predators in GREENWATCH Coates, Peter Chalk, Patricia d’Ardenne, 16 6 David Toke on onshore windfarms Mike Davis (Editor), Nigel Doggett, Don Momentum, Labour strategy. Flynn, Roger Gillham, James Grayson, Jeremy Hunt selling off the NHS Page PARIS MAY 1968-50 YEARS ON POINTS & CROSSINGS Hassan Hoque, Peter Kenyon, Dave Lister, Check www.chartist.org.uk for further details 16 Ruth Taylor & Janey Stone remember the 7 Paul Salveson on local surprises Puru Miah, Patrick Mulcahy, Sheila revolt plus Chartist archive Osmanovic, Marina Prentoulis, Robbie 18 FILM REVIEW Scott (Website Editor), Mary Southcott, 25 Patrick Mulcahy on Funny Cow John Sunderland. WORKERS’ DEMOCRACY? Production: Ferdousur Rehman Ian Bullock considers soviets, delegate & BOOK REVIEWS 26 Andrew Coates on Rethinking Signed articles do not necessarily represent the views of 20 representative systems Democracy; Duncan Bowie on Labour the EB CHARTIST Church, Paul Salveson on Walt Join the growing body of supporter LULA IMPRISONED Whitman; Stephen Marks on FOR DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM subscribers for which you will receive Wainwright’s democracy; Nigel Watt on Contacts occasional discussion bulletins and an Thomas Zicman de Barros on high stakes in Making Africa Work; Maria Prentoulis invitation to readers’ meetings and the 22 Brazil on Social Democracy; Mary Southcott Published by Chartist Publications AGM. Alternatively, just take out an on Erdogen’s Turkey PO Box 52751 London EC2P 2XF ordinary subscription. SOCIAL SECURITY SCANDAL tel: 0845 456 4977 STRASBOURG VIEW £15 ordinary subscription Rory O’Kelly argues Labour needs to stand 32 Julie Ward MEP on Brexit shambles Printed by People For Print Ltd, Unit 10, Riverside Park, £30 supporter subscription 23 up for the poor Sheaf Gardens, Sheffield S2 4BB – Tel 0114 272 0915. (6 issues) Email: [email protected] Visit www.chartist.org.uk/subscribe for ANTISEMITISM & WINDRUSH Website: www.chartist.org.uk details Bryn Jones sees moral panic & Don Flynn Email:[email protected] Ex-president Lulu da Silva fighting to traces migrant ire Twitter: stand again Page 22 24 @Chartist48 Newsletter online: to join, email [email protected] May/June 2018 CHARTIST 3 #292 working_01 cover 23/04/2018 12:50 Page 4 OUR HISTORY EDITORIAL OUR HISTORY - 78 Tory Brexit dreams hit reality COMMON WEALTH MANIFESTO 1943 Brexiteers crow about the great prospects for Stephen Marks discusses a new must-read pam- Britain’s future trade and prosperity outside the phlet arguing the left remain case for a European he Common Wealth Party was a Christian study of four radicals who were involved in the party. EU. The freedom to strike trade deals as ‘global recovery and reform programme within the EU. socialist political party founded in July 1942, The Common Wealth party had no significant impact Britain’ is held up as the alternative to the domi- James Anderson puts the spotlight on the big by the alliance of two left wing groups, the after 1946 and was finally closed down in 1993. nation and bureaucracy of Brussels. The emptiness issue which could upset the whole Brexit apple 1941 Committee, supported by Picture Post “The age that is ending is based on competition and duplicity of this promise was further revealed cart, namely the Irish border. He outlines the and J B Priestley, Spanish Civil War veter- between men and nations. It was the age of capitalism by two developments last month: first, Trump’s minefield in difficulties in avoiding a hard border Tan and Communist Tom Wintringham and the neo- and monopoly, nationalism and imperialism. It has trade war threat and secondly, revelations over the unless agreement on a customs union is reached. Christian Forward March movement led by Liberal MP greatly increased the productive capacity of the world: ‘Windrush generation’. Julie Ward MEP reports on Brexit negotiation for Barnstable, Richard Acland. built railways; grown cotton; dug coal. It has also built Trump threatened huge tariffs on European and developments, the inadequacies of UK lead David It appealed to egalitarian sentiments and hence slums; grown hatred; dug graves for two generations of Chinese steel and oil exports, to which the EU and Davis and the need for Labour to firm up its posi- aimed to be more appealing to Labour's potential vot- youth. It was not without value in its growth and flow- China responded in kind. This action if pursued tion. ers, rather than voters leaning Conservative. Common ering, but it is now outgrown and decayed. The beliefs opens the way to a vicious trade war which could Meanwhile chancellor Hammond continues the Wealth stood for three principles: Common Ownership, and forms of authority that shaped it are today shack- translate into a loss of 100,000s of jobs and compa- tough austerity regime hammering public ser- Morality in Politics and Vital les on humanity. ny bankruptcies. Of course, Trump is the big vices, pay and living standards. Bob Littlewood Democracy. Disagreeing with Our proposals, we change since the UK EU referendum. This is the reports on the opportunity in local council elec- the electoral pact established gladly admit, do not ‘America First’ president, as Paul Garver reports, tions for Labour to clear out many Tory controlled with other parties in the make sense in terms of playing the populist nationalist cards to white authorities but it has to be an anti-austerity cam- wartime coalition, key figures the ideas of the City or Anglo-Saxon Americans. No way is Trump going to paigning message from Labour. There is no room in the 1941 Committee began the Foreign Office. be giving preferential treatment to UK firms in for business as usual. Alena Ivanova reporting sponsoring independent can- They cannot be under- any future trade deals. Rather the UK will be on Preston’s Community Wealth plans and Paul didates in by-elections under stood by those who exposed with no effective trading bloc for protec- Smith highlighting Bristol’s radical housing ini- the banner of the Nine Point think that if all men tion. tiatives provide two examples of a progres- Group. and nations pursue Nor will the Commonwealth countries sive alternative for Labour. Following the electoral their own interests, provide an economic refuge. These While outsourcing is becoming success of Tom Driberg in universal prosperity countries of the Empire, currently of a increasingly discredited following the Maldon with this support in and good will must UK trading value of 9% compared to collapse of Carillion, tin-eared 1942, there was a move to result.