& Workers’ Liberty

SolFor siociadl ownershaip of the branks aind intdustry y No 465 28 March 2018 50p/£1 Inside: Socialists boycott Russian election tism expressed on the ... While the forms of antisemi detectable, such as far Right of politics are easily here needs to be a deeper Holocaust denial, t Vladimir Putin was re-elected with stitutes antisemitism in the 77% of the vote. Sections of the Russian understanding of what con left called for a boycott of the election. ondon mural which has See page 3 labour movement… the east L controversy is an caused such understandable The return of ankers and capitalists example. The idea of Jewish b racist science orld is an old exploiting the workers of the w This was long ago, and antisemitic conspiracy theory. lism of fools”... rightly, described as “the socia Best wishes, The unscientific idea of “race”, and the claim that it is linked to intelligence, is resurgent. See page 9 Jeremy Corbyn MP See pages 5-8 Leader of the Labour Party UUK backs down, but no Antisemitism deal yet

UCU members are discussing another offer from UUK in their pensions is a real issue dispute. See page 11 Vote Criticise the “left”, Labour on 3 May! oppose the right See page 10 2 NEWS More online at www.workersliberty.org Afrin cannot be ignored Kurds had taken place elsewhere in border, semi-police force that the city, the troops of the fascist By Simon Nelson northern Syria, focused on driving would have US backing. Turkish regime of Turkey have besieged Daesh out from Kobani. forces did not want to clash with Afrin. Kurdish forces retreated from Displaced people, of whom there the SDF while they fought Daesh so “Instead of letting the civilians of Afrin in northern Syria on 19 are now millions in Syria, had pre - have instead now taken Afrin. Afrin out, the brutal inhuman Syr - March after Turkey seized con - viously gone to places like Afrin More than 100,00 people have ian regime has blocked each and trol of the centre of the city. which had taken Syrian Arabs as now left with 10,000 still living in every safe route from the citizens. On 25 March Turkish state media well as Yazidis from Iraq. Afrin. The Turkish forces and hard - Thousands of the city’s population said they had full control of the city The retaking of Afrin happened line Islamists within the Free Syrian and the displaced people living in and were now “sweeping for land - very quickly. The inappropriately Army are chauvinists who have al - the city are confronting inhuman mines and IEDs to allow citizens to named “Operation Olive Branch” ready started sectarian attacks atrocities and crimes. The city of return.” was launched by Turkey on 20 Jan - against the remaining Kurdish pop - Afrin is part of the autonomous re - The 200,000 Kurds who were in uary 2018. Compare this to the ulation. There has been widespread gion of Rojava. The bombings and Afrin prior to the assault are likely siege of Eastern Ghouta by Assad looting by the FSA and while prop - ground attacks by Turkey have led to be forced into internal exile; which has been ongoing since 2013. erties are looted and the Turkish to thousands of people being dis - many are heading towards Aleppo. The Kurdish forces dominate the military refuses to let people re- placed; dozens of people have been And Turkey’s seizure of Aleppo US backed Syrian Democratic enter the city. killed and wounded so far. could be catastrophic for the Kur - Forces (SDF). While the SDF was Dashty Jamal from the Worker “Russia, playing a prominent dish cause not just in Syria but focused on driving out Daesh it Communist Party of Kurdistan, role in the Syrian civil war, has “The European nations favour across the Middle East. One of the was tolerated, but Turkey was un - who has taken part in the daily given Turkey the green light to their NATO ally and have nothing first acts of the encircling armies happy about the Kurds consolidat - demos outside Downing Street, enter Afrin, and the USA, which to say. Thus with international was the destruction of a statue of ing their power closer to the said: who does not want Turkey to be - permission of agreement and si - the Kawa, a legendary blacksmith Turkish border, and realising a “After facing 53 days of a war of come Russia’s main and strategic lence the citizens of Afrin are left important in Kurdish mythology. form of Kurdish self-determina - unbalanced forces, with the help of ally, is silent and lets the city fall besieged in the fire of the Turkish Until now Afrin was a largely tion. The trigger point was the an - the Islamic terrorist groups, despite into the hands of the Turkish army. and Islamic Turkish-supported safe area, as most of the fighting by nouncement of a Kurdish-led a strong defence from the people of terrorism.”

Wages: catch-up needed No justice, no peace! The Judge has been criticised for prepared to participate in a process By Charlotte Zalens being “naive and old fashioned”, where their presence is mere win - By Rhodri Evans for being allowing former under - dow dressing lacking all substance Campaigners staged a walk out cover police to conceal their identi - and meaning which would achieve At least briefly, average wage of the Undercover Policing In - ties, his past experience in super nothing other than to lend the rises have caught up with quiry currently happening in the secretive courts, and his member - process a legitimacy it does not prices. Just. Royal Courts of Justice on ship of the men-only Garrick Club. have.” Over the three months to Janu - Wednesday 21 March. In one example, Judge Mitting 60 protestors walked out of the ary average weekly earnings grew The hearing on 21 March as due remarked that he believed an offi - court to chants of “no justice, no 2.8 per cent compared to one year to hear applications by former un - cer was very unlikely to have had peace”. Protestors have said they earlier. That was exactly the same dercover police officers requesting any intimate relations with those will not be boycotting the inquiry as the official rate of inflation. anonymity during the inquiry. As he spied upon because he had been permanently, but pressure is It means only that we have the hearing started, Phillippa Kauf - married for many years! mounting for the position of Judge stopped going backwards, and mann QC, representing hundreds Kaufmann read out a statement Mitting to be reconsidered. started to stand still. And maybe of “spycops” victims, called on the on behalf of the “spycops” victims only for a short while. Judge, John Mitting, to step down. You can follow the spycops which said: “Our clients are not Earnings growth reached a tem - campaign at: www.spycops.info Total working-class earnings are porary peak of 2.9 per cent in still further behind, because of the March 2010, and another peak of cuts in benefits, and are still lag - 3.2 per cent in May 2015. In 2015-6 Rajoy tries further repression ging more and more. wages consistently, though only Supporters of Catalonia separating Unemployment remains low, By Colin Foster Instead of negotiating and slightly, outpaced prices for a from Spain hold a small majority in finding ways for a democratic while. and workforce participation the Catalan parliament, though rates high. Profits are strong. decision by the people of Catalo - But then they fell behind again. Big demonstrations in Barcelona they are probably still short of a nia, the right-wing minority gov - Wages are still some 3 per cent The unions should be making a on 25 March responded to the majority in the electorate. Other concerted push on wages. ernment in Madrid continues to below 2007. arrest, in Germany that day, of separatist leaders are in exile or try to “solve” the problem by re - Catalan separatist leader Carles jailed. pression. Puigdemont. Tensions rise amid anti-Muslim violence in Sri Lanka By Rohan Fernando of accused rioters. long history in Sri Lanka. Tension tity”. movement, the Sri Lanka Podujana With police unable to contain the has been rising since 2012, mainly Fears about an increase in the Peramuna, which recently secured riots, Maithripala Sirisena’s gov - fuelled by hard-line Buddhist population of Muslims (amplified A state of emergency declared the most seats and local authorities ernment declared a state of emer - groups, such as Bodu Bala Sena through social media) have cur - in local elections. Rajapaksa, the on 6 March to try to rein in the gency, for the first time since the (Buddhist Power Force), which has rency. One of the more fantastical former president, condoned in - spread of communal violence in civil war that ended in 2009. They links with hardline Buddhist group conspiracy theories is of a Muslim Kandy, Sri Lanka was finally granted security forces and the po - Ma Ba Tha in Myanmar, and Maha - plot to reduce the Sinhalese popu - stances of anti-Muslim violence lifted on the 18 March. lice sweeping powers to detain sus - son Balakaya. lation by feeding them contracep - when in power. The violence was sparked by the pects. A reported 300 arrests have Such groups are often treated tives. The myth has been deployed The government’s response death of a Sinhalese man, allegedly been made. with impunity by the authorities as in campaigns to call for consumer does nothing to solve underlying after being beaten by a group of Ethnicity and religion are closely they are led or financed by Bud - boycotts of Muslim-owned shops. political issues and masks the Muslim men. linked on the island. Sri Lanka’s dhist monks and temples. Other groups accuse Muslims of deeper divisions in Sri Lankan Muslim-owned homes and busi - Buddhist Sinhalese population are More recently, Bodu Bala Sena forced conversions and of desecrat - nesses were attacked in a series of about three quarters of the coun - has been behind various mobilisa - ing Buddhist temples. society, the legacy of colonial revenge attacks, with violence esca - try’s 21 million population; the tions against the country’s minority Commentators also believe the rule and the failure of the left to lating further when two hardline Muslim minority is about 9 per - Muslim and Christian communi - recent spate of violence points to a organise against the communal - Buddhist monks arrived to negoti - cent. ties, whom it views as a threat to Sri renewal of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ist politics that have divided the ate the release from police custody Communalist politics have a Lanka’s Sinhalese-Buddhist “iden - Buddhist-nationalist opposition working class of Sri Lanka. Workers’ Liberty @workersliberty NEWS 3 Russian socialists slam Putin’s fake poll

the Crimea (2014), Ukraine (2014) former member of United Russia, elections function as a genuine ex - the regime of the personal power of By Dale Street and Syria (2015). State spending on the country’s ruling party. ercise in democracy. But the Russ - Vladimir Putin, behind whom the military forces has increased Zhirinovsky stood, again, as the ian presidential election was in a stands the bloc of oligarchs, the Vladimir Putin was re-elected correspondingly. demagogic candidate of the ultra- different league. The purpose of the military, and the bosses of state cor - Russian President in the election Economically and socially, Rus - nationalist Liberal Democratic election was not to provide a mech - porations. held in mid-March. He secured 77% of the vote on a sia is now the most unequal of the Party of Russia. Other candidates anism to determine who would be “A fourth term of office for Putin 68% turnout. Sections of the Russ - world’s biggest economies: 10% of consulted the Kremlin before elected as Russia’s president. promises the Russian people noth - ian left called for a boycott of the the population own 87% of the standing, most notably Ksenia As the Russian Socialist Move - ing apart from a further increase in election and were right to do so. country’s wealth. (In the USA 10% Sobchak, millionaire daughter of ment put it, in explaining its deci - poverty, social disintegration and Under the Russian constitution a own 76% of the wealth.) 46% of the the former pro-Putin mayor of St sion to call for a boycott: state violence. President cannot serve more than value of all personal bank deposits Petersburg. She discussed standing “The March presidential elec - “For real democracy – not fake two consecutive terms of office. On are held by just 1% of the popula - as a candidate with Putin himself. tions, like previous ones, will take elections! Power to the millions, standing down in 2008 Putin tion. Even in the most liberal of bour - place under the control of the not the millionaires!” served for four years as Prime Min - For a time, the Russian economy geois democracies there are limita - Kremlin... The purpose of this imi - ister to President Dmitry boomed under Putin tions on the extent to which tation of an election is to preserve Medvedev. In reality, he continued But the boom years were ended to be the decisive source of power by the collapse in the price of oil in the country. and the imposition of sanctions In 2011 the term of office of a after Russia’s annexation of the Russian President was extended Crimea from four years to six years. The Around 16% of the population following year Putin was again now lives below the poverty line. A elected President amidst multiple survey conducted last year found allegations of ballot-rigging. Now, that the income of 41% of Russians after the most recent elections, his was so low that they struggled to rule has been extended by another be able to afford food and clothing. six years. As an election sop, the Duma By the time his latest term of of - passed legislation to increase the fice expires, Putin will have been in Russian equivalent of the National power as President (or indirectly in Minimum Wage (NMW). power as the “eminence grise” dur - Despite all such factors, Putin’s ing the period of his premiership) election victory was a formality. In for almost exactly a quarter of a fact, it was a formality precisely be - century. cause of such factors. Putin has presided over the im - Putin’s control of the media, the position of increasingly authoritar - imprisonment or murder of high- ian forms of rule in Russia, a profile opponents, the top-down clampdown on political dissent, a control of the Russian system of neutering of the media, a succes - government, and the success (or sion of military adventures, and apparent success, as presented by rising levels of economic and social the media) of his military adven - inequalities. tures have provoked apathy and demoralisation among broad layers of the population. APPOINTEES Along with the expenditure of Russian regional government energy simply to survive, this apa - has been scrapped and replaced thy and demoralisation have by federal districts run by ap - sapped the potential for militant pointees personally chosen by opposition. Putin. Putin has also benefited from ap - The powers of the upper cham - pearing to have restored stability to Alexander Nix, Arron Banks, Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and Mark Zuckerberg ber of the Russian Parliament have the Russian economy, rebuilt Rus - been curtailed, and the election of sia as an international power, and regional governors replaced by reasserted the importance of ‘tradi - personal appointment by Putin. tional’ (i.e. conservative) Russian Media empires run by anti-Putin values, in alliance with the Ortho - Democracy and social media oligarchs have been taken over and dox Church. programmes critical of Putin taken not shy about claiming to be in - the pro-Brexit campaign organisa - off the air. Internet usage and blog - By Rosalind Robson volved in very many electoral tion, BeLeave. The money came gers are now subject to strict con - CHALLENGERS campaigns around the world and from Vote Leave, potentially vio - trols. The main would-be challenger to The scandal surrounding how to be used by the military and lating referendum spending rules. Critical journalists (Anna Putin – Alexei Navalny, a kind of Facebook shared with a Cam - politicians to study and manipu - Separately, around £3.4 millon was Politkovskaya and Natalya Es - Russian anti-corruption populist bridge psychologist, and his late public opinion, using what are spent by different Brexit Leave temirova), human rights lawyers who describes himself as “a na - firm (Global Science Research) called “psy ops” to provide insight campaigns with Canadian data (Stanislav Markelov) and political tionalist democrat” – was barred the personal information of 50 into the thinking of the target au - firm AggregateIQ during the run opponents (Sergei Yushenkov and from standing. million users, without their ex - dience. up to the EU referendum; that firm Boris Nemtsov) have been mur - “Election campaigning” did not plicit consent, has revealed a Employees of CA have been is linked to Christopher Wylie. dered. involve political debate. It was one gruesome network of right-wing filmed boasting of using manufac - It is unlikely that the #Delete - After his re-election in 2012 Putin prolonged “get out the vote” cam - academic, political and busi - tured sex scandals, fake news and Facebook movement which responded to a wave of popular paign. ness connections. GSR’s data, mined in 2014, was dirty tricks to swing elections emerged before the recent scan - protest with new legislation which Putin wanted 70/70: at least 70% sold on to the data analytics com - around the world. dals, will be an effective form of imposed heavy fines on anyone of the vote on a turnout of at least pany Cambridge Analytica (CA). A former contractor for CA, protest beyond causing Mark who organised or participated in 70%. Voters were variously offered The company is partly owned by Christopher Wylie, says the firm Zuckerberg some concern over an unauthorised demonstration. the chance to participate in raffles. the family of Robert Mercer, an used GSR data information to tar - Facebook’s share prices. We’ve be - This was ramped up again in 2014, The role of the other election can - American hedge-fund manager get US voters with personalised come so indifferent to a lack of pri - introducing a penalty of up to five didates was not to seriously chal - who supports right wing causes, political advertisements based on vacy, so attuned to having our years of forced labour or prison. lenge Putin but, to lend an including Brexit. Its director and their psychological profile. data mined and so uncritical of the Putin has also ordered and appearance of legitimacy to the CEO is Alexander James Ash - On Sunday 25 March, whistle- plutocratic nature of bourgeois presided over a succession of overt elections and to help increase burner Nix. CA is affiliated to the blower Shahmir Sanni told the Ob - democracy. and covert military interventions turnout. much larger Strategic Communi - server that a digital services firm We need an urgent public de - by Russian military forces: Chech - Grudinin, the Communist Party cation Laboratories Group. SCL is linked to Cambridge Analytica re - bate about democratising both nya (1999/2000), Georgia (2008), candidate. was a millionaire and ceived a £625,000 payment from politics and online platforms. 4 COMMENT Email your letters to [email protected] Zionists banned from anti-racist demo work (signatories to its open letter included THE LEFT Tony Greenstein, Jackie Walker and Moshe Machover), Brighton and Hove PSC, By Dale Street Sheffield PSC, York PSC, and Jews for Boy - cotting Israeli Goods. The logic of absolute anti-Zionism played But when the SUTR Steering Committee itself out on the streets of Glasgow during met, only SNP MSP Sandra White backed the and after the Stand Up to Racism (SUTR) demand for a ban: the EIS (the main Scottish UN anti-racism day demonstration of 17 teachers union) had threatened to withdraw March. sponsorship and financial support from the For absolute anti-Zionism, Zionism is not demonstration if the FoI groups were banned just another nationalism. It is a monolithic Organisations which had been calling for a and uniquely evil ideology, pro-imperialist ban then announced that they would be boy - by nature, inherently racist (if not outright cotting the SUTR demonstration. According fascist), and necessarily genocidal. to the Scottish PSC: By the same token, Israel is not the expres - “Throughout the world an Israeli flag is sion of Hebrew-Jewish national self-determi - seen as a symbol of ethnic cleansing of nation. It is the product of ethnic cleansing, a the Palestinian people and the genocidal settler state which is inherently expansionist, siege of the people of Gaza. Flying such a and an apartheid state incapable of reform. symbol of apartheid on a demonstration As such, it has no right to exist. makes it impossible for most Palestinians and This absolute anti-Zionism has resulted in Lebanese, as well as many Scots to partici - demands that Student Unions should refuse pate.” to fund Jewish Societies which fail to dis - (The “principled anti-racist” decision of the The Red Front Republic boasted: “Today in (In its coverage of the march the RCG also avow Zionism and, more recently, in cam - MCS to join the boycott was marred by the Glasgow a group of Zionists tried to attend claimed: “The AWL (publishers of ‘Solidar - paigns for boycott, disinvestment and fact that at the very same time its vice-con - an anti-racism march while waving Israeli ity’) claims that ‘absolute anti-Zionism’ is sanctions directed at Israel, including a boy - venor was attending an international confer - flags. Ourselves and other groups prevented somehow antisemitic without explaining cott of the Israeli trade union movement. ence in Beirut at which the virulent them from joining the march, and drowning why. It does this only to justify its support for On the SUTR demonstration the focus of antisemite Gilad Atzmon received an award out their bigotry.” the pro-imperialist, pro-Zionist Labour Party. this absolute anti-Zionism was the participa - for his services to the Global Campaign to Re - Following events from Brighton, Tony Zionism is racism!”) tion of members of Glasgow Friends of Israel turn to Palestine.) Greenstein tweeted: “Excellent that the Zion - Buoyed up by what they see as their vic - and the Confederation of Friends of Israel ists weren’t allowed to pass despite the scab - tory and by their “exposing” of the SWP (Scotland). ZIONISM bing of the SWP”, while the Scottish PSC (which effectively runs SUTR in Scotland) for Participation by the two Friends of Israel tweeted: “Good on the people who tried to failing to ban the FoI groups from the march, On the demonstration itself the Revolu - (FoI) groups was not opposed on the basis of block Israeli supporters from marching. Well the absolute anti-Zionists now intend to split tionary Communist Group (RCG) took the any detailed analysis of their politics. It was done, [a group from] West Dumbarton, stop - the political forces which have traditionally lead in denouncing the decision to allow opposed simply because they were Zionists ping Zionist supporters of apartheid Israel.” backed SUTR. According to the Scottish PSC: the FoI groups on the march: The RCG was also delighted: “The RCG and defended Israel’s right to exist. “Zionism is militant racism. It is a complete “Since most SUTR organisers are unre - was proud to stand with others in Glasgow For absolute anti-Zionists that was suffi - fabrication that Zionism is not racism and Is - pentant and are attacking their critics, the on 17th March to successfully prevent the cient justification for banning them from the rael is not a racist state, committing genocide divisions they have sown among the wider Zionist [FoI groups] from participating in the demonstration. In the run-up to the demon - in Gaza. By ten votes to one SUTR voted last anti-racist milieu in Scotland (and the rest annual SUTR march. Questions need to be stration there had been a concerted campaign weekend to open the door to the Zionists to of the UK) will need to be discussed and asked … but these questions should not de - to push SUTR (Scotland) into banning the FoI march today. But the Zionists will not be al - a way forward found on the basis of the tract from our victory.” groups from marching on the demonstration. lowed to march today.” widest, principled unity of all anti-racists.” This was the demand of the Scottish Pales - An RCG leaflet, headed “The Zionists Shall tine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), the Revolu - Not Pass” (a variation of a Stalinist anti-fas - tionary Communist Group (RCG), Scotland cist slogan from the Spanish Civil War) like - Against Criminalising Communities, the wise argued: Moishe Postone, 1942-2018 Muslim Council of Scotland (MCS), the Com - “Zionism is a racist ideology which serves munist Party of Britain (Scottish Committee), to defend the Israeli colonial-settler state the Association of Palestinian Communities against the Palestinian people. … We stand in Scotland, and eight “Scottish Jewish anti- here today to say: Not In Our Name! The By Colin Foster racists”. Zionists Shall Not Pass! Free Palestine! Boy - From further afield SUTR was lobbied by cott Israel!” the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Net - The Marxist writer Moishe Postone, best- When the FoI groups arrived for the known for his 1993 book Time, Labour, demonstration, they were hemmed in against and Social Domination , died on 21 March a wall by members of the RCG, the Commu - at the age of 75. nist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist), He was also well known for his critique of the Red Front Republic, Class War, and mis - left antisemitism. A non-reply cellaneous other ‘Palestine activists’. Born in Canada, he first studied for a de - The SUTR stewards did nothing. In fact, gree in biochemistry at Chicago University, the demonstration set off twenty minutes but then moved to studying history. He re - In Solidarity 464 we ran an open letter to early, leaving the FoI groups kettled in. Even - called a big student occupation in 1969, and the Birkbeck University academic tion [which] go beyond the domination of the tually, the latter (about 25 strong) and their a reading group on Hegel and Marx which Ashok Kumar, replying to his off-hand bourgeoisie over other classes, because they opponents (whose numbers fluctuated be - came out of it, as turning-points in his devel - claim (Sky News, 4 March) that AWL is dominate the bourgeoisie as well, though of tween around 60 and 90 in the course of the opment. a “chauvinist organisation”, that we are course the bourgeoisie benefit enormously morning) set off. He went to do further postgraduate study “right-wing”, and that we support from them”. The FoI contingent was repeatedly blocked at Frankfurt University with Iring Fetscher, a “wars” and “colonial settler states”. Like many writers influenced by the Frank - We sent the open letter to Ashok Kumar, from advancing by the various brands of philosopher in the tradition of the “Frankfurt furt School, he saw Stalinism as a form of of course, and politely offered him space in ‘Palestine solidarity’. The SUTR stewards, School” of Adorno, Horkheimer, Marcuse, state capitalism rather than a sort of progress. Solidarity to reply. He responded: who might have been expected to ensure that and others. The “pseudo-emancipatory” aspect of an - “I’m not going to dignify your racist-in- the agreed right of the FoI groups to join the From that study Postone developed a cri - tisemitism, in Postone’s view, is generated by chief’s meandering, stream of conscious - demonstration was implemented, were tique of capitalism based on Marx and fo - its superstitious identification of those ab - ness whataboutery with a reply especially nowhere to be seen. cused on the critique of labour (as labour is stract and impersonal forms of domination in light of this: [our website coverage of the The repeated blockages and delays meant defined in capitalist society), which he con - with a supposed personal power of Jews. 17 March anti-racist march in Glasgow that a demonstration route normally covered trasted to the critique of capitalist society (See bit.ly/2010-post and bit.ly/2016-post for where some left activists “kettled” groups in less than half an hour took nearly two from the point of view of labour which he Solidarity interviews with Postone on that carrying Israeli flags to stop them joining hours to cover. By the time George Square saw as made by “traditional Marxism”. He question). had been reached, the SUTR post-demonstra - discussed that critique with us in an inter - the march, see this page]”. After returning from Germany, he spent tion rally which had been taking there had al - view: bit.ly/2016-post2. No evidence. No reasoning. No argu - over 30 years as an academic at Chicago ready finished. Value-relations in capitalist society, he ar - ment. But that’s the way with that University, where he influenced many For the absolute anti-Zionists the day’s gued, generated abstract “forms of domina - school of thought. generations of left-wing students. events constituted a decisive victory. Workers’ Liberty @workersliberty WHAT WE SAY 5 Antisemitism is an issue It is strange to see things for which Soli - Yet Corbyn is here ambivalent on the Is - darity and Workers’ Liberty have long rael-Palestine dispute. In the letter he argues been despised and abused, among much that “newer forms of antisemitism have been of the left, the kitsch left, now being bran - woven into... criticism of Israel, particularly dished as weapons against the Corbyn in relation to the continuing dispossession of Labour Party by our political enemies. the Palestinian people”. That could refer to Certainly “left-wing” antisemitism, ex - the Israeli settlement program in the West pressed as “anti-Zionism”, is a malignant and Bank, or to what the “left” antisemites mean powerful force on the left. Especially among by such words, that Israel’s existence as such the would-be revolutionary left, who on is the dispossession. many other things say what we say. The core of the antisemitic infection is de - DENOUNCE nial that Israel has a right to exist — insis - The Jewish Board of Deputies has a right, tence that it is a historically illegitimate state a duty, to watch for and denounce every which should be done away with if it contin - kind or hint of antisemitism. ues to refuse to dismantle itself. A whole clus - Its intervention in the Labour Party is, ter of attitudes and positions have their roots nonetheless, extraordinary, and can’t but be there. a variant of joining in with the right-wing It is an infection carried by the “revolution - gang kicking Corbyn. ary” absolute anti-Zionist left into broader There is antisemitism in the Tory party. areas. These ideas need to be stigmatised and What has the Board of Deputies done about driven out of the labour movement. The po - that? Or planned to do? litical, intellectual and moral health of the Suspicion that the Board of Deputies acts labour movement demands no less than that. with anti-Labour and anti-Corbyn bias will The emergence of the Corbyn Labour Party not help the fight against antisemitism in the is the greatest and most progressive develop - Labour Party. The right to criticise Israel can - ment in British politics for a very long time. not be surrendered or allowed to be stifled. Many people new to politics have been Blatant and persistent antisemites should drawn into activity around the rejuvenating be expelled from the Labour Party. But more Labour Party, for the first time. than that is needed. Jeremy Corbyn should That the “left-wing” antisemites should not should not be members of any working-class and formations which are based in that tribe; take the lead in initiating an educational cam - be allowed to infect newcomers and young or socialist party. It is necessary to educate but Jeremy Corbyn believes not in the de - paign in the Labour Party and in the broader people with their political sickness is a to-be- and re-educate the left and the labour move - struction of Israel but in the creation of an in - labour movement on the complex of ques - or-not-to-be question for socialists, for con - ment, to get the movement to see, reject, and dependent Palestinian state alongside Israel tions involved, including Israel-Palestine. sistent democrats, and for the labour fight their “left-wing” antisemitism. — the “two states” settlement. But this issue is now being used as a stick In his letter of 26 March to the Jewish Lead - It is to be hoped that Corbyn’s commit - movement. ment to Jewish communal leaders is an Those who want the destruction of Israel with which to beat Corbyn and the Labour ership Council and the Board of Deputies of Party he leads. Corbyn is not one of the tribe British Jews (bbc.in/jc-2603), he quotes Au - indication that such a campaign will now and advocate, or would support, an Arab or happen. Islamic war of extermination against it of left-wing antisemites. He has a history of gust Bebel that antisemitism is the socialism association with some left-wing campaigns of the fools. Big rise in antisemitism since 2013

The year 2017 saw a 60% increase in an - tisemitic incidents in the USA, and a dou - bling of the number of cases of antisemitic harassment, vandalism, and attacks in schools and on college cam - puses. Over 1,000 of the 1,986 antisemitic inci - dents reported and collated by the Anti- Defamation League happened in schools or universities. The total number has been increasing since 2013, and is now over two and a half times its level then (bit.ly/adl-2017). The rise parallels, and must surely be driven by, the surge in “America First”, anti- ”globalist” feeling flagshipped by Donald Trump. Many nationalist-minded people, in - cluding some who consider themselves left- wing, have a prejudice against Jews as somehow representing the global and the cosmopolitan. of 2013. The date 2013 figures here, perhaps, 1% as Islamist. There are many active anti - more antisemitic incidents, in ratio to the Trump’s friendliness to the current right- as the turning point when, on a world scale, semites who do not see themselves as far- small Jewish populations, than anti-Muslim wing Israeli government does not necessarily right-wing nationalist responses to the 2008 right or Islamist. incidents in ratio to the larger Muslim minor - clash with anti-Jewish feeling among Trump capitalist crash started to outpace left-wing In 2015 the French left activist Yves Cole - ity. supporters. The “Christian Zionists” see the internationalist responses. man wrote a detailed survey of the rise of Neither faces the level of hostility that establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine The UK has seen no rise of antisemitic in - anti-Muslim racism and antisemitism in Eu - the Roma do. But the figures make clear with its capital in Jerusalem as a necessary cidents in schools and universities compara - rope since the 1990s (bit.ly/yves-2015). that antisemitism is not a vanishing step towards a “Second Coming” after which ble to that in the USA: in the UK those are Muslims in Europe are generally poorer residue, and not an affair only of the neo- the Jews will disappear by all being con - fewer than 10% of the total (bit.ly/cst-2017). and of more recent migrant origin than Jews, Nazi or explicitly far-right fringe. verted to Christianity. In cases where CST has a description of the and they suffer social discrimination and in - In the UK, the Community Security Trust antisemitic harasser or attacker, the majority stitutional racism, even, in some countries, Solidarity 466 will be out recorded 1,382 antisemitic incidents in 2017, were “white, north European”. In only10% of religious discrimination, which Jews do not. its highest figure since it started in 1994, and, the total incidents could the motivation be However, the (incomplete) figures gathered after Easter, on 11 April. as in the USA, two and a half times the figure identified as specifically far-right, and in only from sources across the continent show many More online at www.workersliberty.org Workers’ Liberty @workersliberty 21 lies the ostensible left tells itself o about — a Greater Israel with a large long- By Sean Matgamna term Arab minority. The Israeli right seems to be reconciling to that second option. A central fact of our political situation is The prospect then would be for ongoing that the left, especially the ostensible rev - oppression, conflict, and strife for genera - olutionary left, is a major source of anti - tions to come. semitism — they say “anti-Zionism” — in The main blame here belongs to Israel be - the country and in the labour movement, cause, from its present position of strength, it including the Labour Party. Jeremy Corbyn has admitted that there are could probably arrange a more or less just pockets of antisemitism in the Labour Party. two-states settlement, and it doesn’t. On the self-described revolutionary left you But if the “Greater Israel” outcome hap - will find only pockets of opposition to the pens, a lot of the blame would belong with “anti-Zionism” which becomes antisemitism the Arab states which have again and again — AWL for example. rejected reconciliation with Israel. The root of “left-wing” antisemitism is the belief that Israel should not exist, that it is a Lie 4: The left is pro-Palestinian, that’s all. historically non-legitimate state, and that it This is not antisemitism but a form of neces - should be put out of existence as soon as pos - sary anti-imperialism. sible and by any means necessary. It is an Truth: Socialists and democrats should in - “absolute” anti-Zionism, and also, though deed support the Palestinians and their vicariously and secondarily, an “absolute” rights. But in “left” antisemitism, hatred of Is - Palestinian and Arab nationalism. rael becomes predominant, overshadowing pro-Palestinian sentiment, tainting it. Around that core of modern “left-wing” Anti-semitism continued after the Second World war. Desecrated graves, Prestwich, 1965. antisemitism there is a cluster of ideas and at - The ostensible left finds itself allying with Arab-chauvinist and Islamic-chauvinist atti - titudes, that is, of ideological lies. Here I will The racism, even the Nazi-like racism, of Jews returning from the camps met with hos - tudes of absolute or even mystical “anti- examine some of them. the oppressed (which includes rich and pow - tile riots. Polish Christian antisemitism was Zionism”. Socialist Worker , for example, erful Arab states) is not the same as the in gear with German antisemitism, even welcomed the Hamas victory in Gaza over Ideological lie 1: Socialists and decent lib - racism of the oppressor? That is the intellec - though the Nazis had classified all Poles as the more secular Palestinian politicians! erals should back the Palestinians. That tual track-system on which this strange tol - sub-human. In real politics, the last thing the absolute means opposing Israel, and that’s all there is erance runs. It is one example of the strange Small-scale anti-Jewish pogroms took place anti-Zionists are, is pro-Palestinian. Their to it. The talk about antisemitism is a device phenomenon that the kitsch left is not inhib - in Britain, in Manchester, Liverpool, and drive is their hostility to Israel — a program to blur the suffering of the Palestinians and ited or even troubled to find itself in pursuit Leeds, in 1947. Mobs surged through Jewish of destroying the “Zionist state” that is in re - to undercut support for them. here of those, the “Zionists”, the Jews, who areas, Cheetham Hill in Manchester, for ex - ality the opposite of being pro-Palestinian. Truth: Socialists and decent liberals do have over centuries been persecuted and ample, breaking windows and assaulting back the Palestinians! That means a Palestin - murdered by reaction. people. ian state side by side with Israel, and support ANTI-WAR They are not inhibited by finding them - Organised by Mosley fascists, those attacks for Palestinian rights against the Israeli poli - Lie 5: The absolute anti-Zionist stance is selves, on this, close to the crazed American were connected to the war between Jewish cies which prevent the Palestinians getting a only an application to Israel of a general far right, who think that countries like the guerrillas and the British Army in Palestine. state. anti-war stance. USA are ruled by Jewish “Zionist Occupation Antisemitism is on the rise in Europe, and Truth: The kitsch left thinks that any Arab Governments”. in Britain too. The “left-wing” element here Lie 2: Anti-imperialists, socialists, and de - or Islamic war on Israel is justified. Any - is an “anti-imperialism”, a willingness to ac - cent liberals should support the destruction body’s war on Israel. They are warmongers! Lie 8: Antisemitism is not a real problem commodate to Islamic and Arab anti-West - of Israel, because that is the only way to win now. It is just a stick used to beat pro-Pales - ernism that demonises Israel as imperialism justice for the Palestinians. Lie 6: The left is critical of Israel and Zion - tinians. The left-wingers accused of anti - incarnate, just as in the past Jews were de - Truth: One of the central problems on the ism. It is a polemical slander to equate that semitism are not racists! nounced as the incarnation of money-mad - left is that the “destroy Israel” strand domi - with antisemitism. Truth: The left is not racist as such. It is ness and money-power. nates, and not the “help the Palestinians” Truth: Criticism of Israel is not anti - however difficult to imagine what degree of strand. semitism, or not necessarily so. The antise - extra hostility to Israel and to “Zionists” Lie 9: The Holocaust is being used cyni - The absolute anti-Zionist left rejects the mitic “left” does not just criticise Israel. It (Jews with a reflex identification with Israel) cally to serve Israel and Zionism, to disarm “two states” policy of the Palestine Authority uses sometimes valid and necessary criti - the “left” would generate if it were racist. critics, and to facilitate the growth of Zionist and of most Palestinians. That left makes the cisms of Israel as arguments for why Israel The fundamental truth is that antisemitism influence and control. Anyway, it was long political choice of allying with Islamic and should be destroyed. As arguments deployed has been in the ideological subsoil of Chris - ago. Leave it alone. Arab chauvinists for whom the living Pales - in advocating the destruction of Israel and tian Europe for many, many centuries and is Truth: The Holocaust is a major fact of re - tinians don’t matter — for whom those living backing any Arab or Islamic force that wants there still. “Who condemned Jesus Christ to cent history. Of course it looms large in the Palestinians are a cipher, a token, of Islam’s to go to war with Israel. death? Pontius Pilate did it as the desire of awareness of all half-way decent thinking war with the infidels or of that left’s “anti-im - That “anti-Zionism” is antisemitism. It im - the Jews” — that response only recently people. Of course it looms large in the minds perialism”. plies and generate a comprehensive hostility ceased to be part of the catechism taught to of the relatives of those engulfed in it. Israel is not going to abdicate. It is not to most Jews alive today, because they will Catholic children. The basic idea, and spin - going to be destroyed this side of a funda - not denounce Israel out of hand. offs from it, are still there. Lie 10: The Holocaust was a German affair, mental shift in world forces and of a loss of Many “left” antisemites equate anti - Christian antisemitism played a part in the nothing to do with the broader world. As Ken will in Israel to defend itself and survive. The semitism exclusively with Nazi-style racism, Nazi massacre of Jews in countries such as Livingstone said: “Hitler went mad and “destroy Israel” position thus condemns the or Stalinist scapegoating. They sincerely hate Hungary, Poland, and Romania. started killing Jews”. Palestinians to never, in calculable time, gain - those antisemitisms — even while they them - There is a large repertoire of antisemitic Truth: The Holocaust was the work of the ing a Palestinian state, although a Palestinian selves are antisemitic in their own way. themes there for the appropriation — the German state. That hard fact should not be state alongside Israel was stipulated in the Jews rule the world through the banks, and eroded or lost sight of. But the Holocaust was 1947 United Nations resolution. To never Lie 7: Anti-Zionism is only championing of so on. The internet is awash with virulently not just a German affair. There was an inter - making peace and being able to live in peace. the Palestinians, of righteous Palestinian na - antisemitic conspiracy theories. There is al - national and historical aetiology to it. The rest Those who make a solution for the Pales - tionalism and of those Arab or Islamic forces ways demand for scapegoats and universal of the world refused to let in Jews who tried tinians depend on the destruction of Israel that take their side. As Lenin said, the nation - villains, and “the Jews” and “the Zionists” to flee from the Nazis. are not friends of the Palestinians. Since the alism of the oppressed is not the same as the have been the perennial scapegoats. In 1924 the USA legislated to limit annual late 1980s, the secular Palestinian nationalists nationalism of the oppressors. Absolute anti-Zionism is a form of anti - immigration from any country to 2% of the have set out the rational political demand: Truth: The two-states policy of the Pales - semitism. It is hostile to that big majority of number of people from that country who two states. tinian Authority — an independent Palestin - Jews alive today who will not accept that Is - were already living in the United States as of ian state alongside Israel — is the Palestinian rael should be destroyed and that Zionism the 1890 census. An openly stated objective Lie 3: A single state in the territory of pre- nationalism of the real world. and Israeli nationalism are racism. It backs was to stop Jewish immigration, and it was 1948 Palestine, with religious but not national One of the strange things here is that the militant action against “the Zionists”, mean - cut to a trickle. A move in 1939 to let in 20,000 rights for Jews, is the just solution and the anti-racist kitsch left have no qualms about ing in the first place Israel, but not only Israel. child Jewish refugees was stifled in Congress. best solution. allying with the vilest Arab purveyors of old In 1945, the revelation of the Nazi death In summer 1939 the St Louis sailed from Truth: It is no solution to anything. There Nazi antisemitism. The Arab press, in many factories for Jews horrified much of the Hamburg with a cargo of 900 Jews seeking are now two version of a “one-state” solu - countries, is awash with directly appropri - world. It also immediately unleashed aggres - refuge. They had transit visas to stay in Cuba tion: the fantasy one of an Israel-conquering ated Nazi antisemitism. The kitsch left tacitly sion against Jews, such as street attacks, in until they could get the USA visas for which Arab state, and the one that may well come accepts that, without qualm or comment. the USA for instance. In Paris and in Poland they had applied. HISTORY 6-7 Israel was created by the Jewish people in arrival of Jewish migrants in Palestine was the mid 20th century for immediate reasons accompanied by migration also of Arabs into that are not affected by question of distant Palestine, attracted by economic growth historic origins. That question of origins has there. The driving-out of 1948 occurred in the no bearing on current politics, except perhaps midst of an invasion of the newly-declared on Israel-Palestine for religious mystics. The use of it in current Israeli Jewish state by five Arab armies — politics is another part of the attempt to dele - those of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and gitimise Israel. Iraq — a war to conquer and, self-declaredly, a war to drive out the Jews. Lie 14: The Zionists collaborated with the Nazis; the Nazis liked the Zionists, as Ken Lie 17: The fact that the Palestinians have Livingstone rightly said. never accepted their loss makes this a unique Truth: That is one of the “constructions” of case. Israel is entirely responsible for the fate the rabid Stalinist antisemitic campaign of of the Palestinian refugees and all the bad 1949-53. It is a fact of history that some anti - things the Palestinians have experienced in semites, for instance the Irish antisemite the last 70 years. Arthur Griffith, the founder of the first ver - Truth: The reason the Germans accepted sion of Sinn Fein, polemically contrasted the their expulsion was that “return” would have “manly” Zionist nationalists with non-Zion - involved war with Russia and its satellites. ist, typical Jews, equating the latter with the Israel was not solely responsible for the de - hostile caricatures of Jews dear to the anti - velopment of the Palestinian refugee phe - semites. The idea that this fact taints Zionism nomenon. Millions of Palestinians (1.5 or Israel is a product of pure absolute anti- million today) remained in refugee camps be - Zionist malice. cause the surrounding Arab states in which The Nazis killed Zionist Jews as they killed they lived would not let them integrate, as other Jews. As a matter of fact, it was Pales - the 13 million Germans were eventually tinian Arab anti-Zionists who collaborated (though not easily) integrated. Some host with the Nazis. During World War Two the Arab states would not even left the Palestin - official leader of the Palestinian Arabs, the ian refugees work. Mufti of Jerusalem, organised Bosnian Mus - To the Arab states, even after their defeat lims as Nazi soldiers. But of course that fact in 1948, overcoming Israel seemed possible. does not in any degree negate the right of the Palestinian “return” was, for them, far more Palestinian Arab people to their own state practical politics than a war for return with now. Russia was for the Germans.

UNIQUE Lie 18: The six million or more Palestinian people scattered around the Middle East and Lie 15: The driving-out of the Palestinian beyond it have an inalienable right to “re - people in 1948 was a unique crime. Be - claim” the territory of pre-1948 Palestine, in - cause of it, there are now six million cluding the entire territory of Israel. Palestinian refugees. Truth: In and around the 1948 war between Truth: The corollary is that a majority of the the newly-declared state of Israel and five people born in Israel and living there, many Arab states, 750,000 Palestinian Arabs were with their parents and grandparents also driven out or fled from the territory on which born there, have no right to be there, or any - Millions of Palestinians remain in refugee camps because Arab states do not let them integrate. Israel now exists. way fewer rights than the six million Jordan is home to about 1.9 million Palestinians; 337,000 live in camps. Some fled, in part at least, because they ex - “refugees”, most of them born outside Israel pected the Jews to do to them what the in - or Palestine. Why? How? How can the de - A tremendous antisemitic demonstration Jews between mid-1941 and early 1945. vaders said they would do to the Jews. But scendants of Palestinians have more rights in in Cuba led the Cuban government to refuse But here we are not engaged in an aca - there was nothing unique about it, particu - what is now Israel than the generations who to let them land. They sailed on to the USA, demic discussion of history. The Holocaust- larly not at the time. have been born there and built up a society could see the lights of Miami from the ship, mitigators want to “forget” the Holocaust in Over the years after 1948, about 600,000 there? and cabled President Franklin D Roosevelt to order to portray the creation of Israel as an al - Jews were driven out or fled from Arab states Calculating from mortality statistics, of the let them in. They received no answer from most motiveless crime against the Arabs and in which they and their ancestors had lived Israeli Jews of 1948 there are maybe 200,000 FDR. The State Department did reply, accus - not what it was, a reaction by masses of for generations, sometimes for centuries. still alive; of the Palestinian Arabs who fled ing them of trying to jump the quota queue. hounded people to the greatest crime in Most of them went to Israel. There was, over or were driven out, somewhat fewer. By what The ship went back to Europe, on the eve recorded history and the events that led up a number of years, in effect, a brutal popula - principle of justice, or common sense, do the of World War Two. Into the Holocaust. The to it. tion exchange. surviving Palestinian refugees of 1948 get to Nazis mocked those in other countries who The absolute anti-Zionist left does not deny Vast population movements took place in pass on rights over the territory of Israel protested at Nazi antisemitism: they didn’t that the Holocaust happened. But it tries in central and eastern Europe at the end of greater than the rights of people born there, want Jews, either. various ways to minimise it, to turn it into a World War Two. European Jews were up - living there, and working there, to their sec - Antisemitism played a big part in stopping sort of historical hologram, something with - rooted and sent to the murder factories. Sur - ond or third generation descendants? Jewish migration to the USA and elsewhere, out ongoing effects. vivors from 1945, perhaps half a million of and in corralling Jews for Hitler’s “Final So - them, were housed in Displaced Persons’ Lie 19: The creation of Israel was a racist lution”. The aetiology of the Holocaust was Lie 12: The Arabs shouldn’t “pay for” Eu - camps, some of them former Nazi concentra - crime, something uniquely evil, akin to the not created by Germany or by the Nazis ropean crimes against the Jews. If the Jews tion camps, and got out only when it was Nazi ill-treatment of the Jews in Europe. That alone. are to have a state, why should it be in Pales - possible for them to go to Israel in 1948 and crime must be undone. tine? after. Truth: The term “racism” is now often a HOLOCAUST Truth: There isn’t any “should be”. There In and around 1945, thirteen million Ger - bludgeon rather than a clear definition of is just “is” and “was”. That is how it turned anything. There is a continuum that begins Lie 11: The Holocaust was not a unique mans were driven out of parts of Eastern Eu - out. The world closed its doors to the Jews, with mild partiality and goes through open- event. But the Jews won’t “let go” of their rope where their ancestors have lived for and Palestine became the refuge of Jews flee - minded patriotism to rabid nationalism, then tragedy because it justifies Israel. centuries — from the Sudetenland, from Truth: As is often said, there have been ing antisemitism, in the 1920s from Poland, Poland, and from East Prussia (now part of to murderous chauvinism, and to racist clas - many holocausts, for instance that associated in the 1930s from Germany, and in the 1940s Poland, or, some of it, Russia). sification of the “other” as inferior by their over centuries with the slave trade and its ef - from all Europe. Jerusalem had a central They were uprooted at gunpoint, driven genes or even unfit to live. Calling all vari - fects on Africa. There have been many geno - place in their religion. There was always a onto the roads or railway wagons, and forced eties of Israeli nationalism “racism” is an ide - cides, of the Armenians by the Turks in World Jewish minority in Palestine, and in 1900, be - to flee to a ruined and starving Germany. Per - ological blow on behalf of Arab and Islamic War One, of Roma people by the Nazis in fore any large Zionist colonisation, Jews were haps as many as half a million of them died nationalists and chauvinists in an ongoing World War Two. In the mid 1840s there was a majority in Jerusalem. in the forced migration. One reckoning has it war of ideas and definitions. a “holocaust” in Ireland when over a million that one in four of the people of Germany The idea that Israel is uniquely racist is were allowed to starve to death. There was Lie 13: It is a myth that Jews had ancestral today are immediate descendants of those 13 code for denying the rights of an entire peo - even an element of intention in it. The British ties in Palestine. Modern Jews are the descen - million expelled. ple and supporting their subjugation, for government passed tax laws intended to dants of the Khazars, a Turkic people of cen - Only sections of the German right — what maintaining that they deserve to be killed if force reluctant landlords to evict tenants to tral Asia, not of ancient Palestinians. some called the German revanchists — ever they refuse to accept being conquered, de - wander the roads and die in a starving and Truth: The idea that the Khazars were the advocated recovery of Germany’s lost lands prived of self-rule and national rights, and cholera-ridden country. ancestors of the Azhkenazi Jews is interest - in the east. forced, the women among them especially, to Not forgetting the Roma or the Armenians, ing. Like most people who encounter it, I live according to hard-line Islamic rules in an nothing compares in scale, organisation, in - have no way of judging what degree of truth Lie 16: Israel is a colonial-settler state, Arab-Islamic state. tensity, or the number of casualties, with there is in it. which drove out the original population. what the German Nazis did to six million It is entirely irrelevant to today’s political Truth: During the period of British rule, the arguments about Israel! Continued on page 8 8 FEATURE More online at www.workersliberty.org

From page 7

The Israeli Jews are nationalists. Some of them, as of other peoples, are racists. To “A refusal to settle down” damn the whole people as “racist” for having and acting on a distinct sense of their own Klara Feigenbaum, a Trotskyist activist of identity is a denial of rights, not an uphold - Romanian origin, known as Irène, died at ing of them. the age of 97 in March 2017, a year ago. Alongside her then-partner David Korner, Lie 20: The Palestinians were destroyed as alias Barta, she founded the “Groupe Com - a nation, and justice demands the restoration muniste”, which in 1944 took the name of pre-Zionist Palestine. “Union Communiste” (UC), and which led Truth: It is right and proper that left-wing the 1947 Renault strike alongside the militant people side with the defeated and the weaker worker Pierre Bois, at a time when the CGT people in the Israel-Palestine conflict. We do and the PCF (which was then in the govern - that. We back the Palestinian Authority’s call ment) were opposed to all strikes. It was from for a Palestinian state alongside Israel. this group that would later spring Voix ou - What justice — justice for both peoples — vrière (although Irène was only active in it for demands is an independent Palestinian state, the first few years) and then Lutte ouvrière in contiguous territory, side by side with Is - and Fraction l’Étincelle (a part of the New rael. Anticapitalist Party, NPA). The elevation of Palestinian nationalism into a supra-historical absolute is a perni - cious nonsense. Until 1918 Palestine was a A tribute by Mathieu and Richard backwater part of the Turkish province of Moyon, Klara and David’s sons. Syria. It was only a geographic term. There was no Palestinian nation distinct from gen - [Irène’s] life as an activist was defined by eral Arab or “south Syrian” identities. No - a refusal to settle down. Everything she body claimed that there was. did was an attempt to make an active, The existing Palestinian nation emerged in concrete political response, as swiftly as the conflicts of the mid 20th century. Pales - possible, to a situation marked by grave tine, as a modern political unit, existed as a crises, and threatened by actual catastro - British-ruled territory for only three decades, phes. 1918 to 1948. The idea that that political unit Irène didn’t pursue activism for a living, or is something basic and fundamental is an for fame, or to give meaning to her life: but ideological artefact created in the Israeli-Arab to put an end to injustice and to the poverty conflict. of the human condition. As a child, she saw that good works and charity were nothing dead-end of nationalism: the articles in La continue their activity. Organised at first in Lie 21: Antisemitism is a right-wing phe - but sticking plasters required by the capitalist Lutte de classes display an impressive breadth different groups, Bois and Hardy got together nomenon. To talk about left-wing anti - mode of production. It was the discovery of of political vision. While Barta took on the in 1956, in what would become Voix ouvrière semitism is absurd. Marxism, its clarifying analyses and its ra - greater part of the analysis and writing, he and then Lutte ouvrière. But even if this ten - Truth: Yes, right-wing — but not exclu - tional method that gave her the key – the was assisted by Irène, upon whose shoulders dency claimed the same heritage, Barta and sively so. At different times, some people only key – to evaluate events and to help his - rested the functioning of the whole organisa - Irène thought that in reality its politics had who were generally of the left have thought tory on its way towards the ending of the tion. nothing to do with those of the UC. Irène to use popular anti-Jewish prejudices as a class struggle through the abolition of social But the predicted revolutionary wave did thought that, in fact, the group had given up weapon against capitalism, for example by classes, authentic world communism and a not materialise. Upon Liberation, the activists on applying pressure to the course of history. specially denouncing prominent Jewish cap - society with neither money nor oppression, of the Union Communiste had to confront a But, in spite of her disagreements, for several italists, or taking “the Rothschilds” as epito - where people simply manage objects: not novel situation: the participation of the years she gave “the young comrades” tech - mising capitalist power. other people. French Communist Party (PCF) in govern - nical help, typing up workplace bulletins. The German Marxist August Bebel fa - In 1936, Klara was 16. When news of the ment, and its opposition to any action by the Irène would later inspire the re-publication mously described such anti-capitalist anti - first Moscow Trial broke, she turned her back working class (“the strike is a weapon of the of the UC’s writings, in particular articles semitism as “the socialism of the fools”. on the Romanian Communist Party, to which trusts!”). A space opened up for intransigent from La Lutte de classes and La Voix des tra - Frederick Engels had to explain to the she had been close. In July 1936, the Spanish denunciation of the government’s policy and vailleurs but also pamphlets and internal doc - French socialist Paul Lafargue, a son-in-law revolution began: “We could feel a tremor on of the collaboration of the PCF and the CGT uments which she found in the archives and of Karl Marx, why this was unacceptable. The the air as far away as Bucharest”, she said. with the government, and of the kind of dic - typed up – again! It was more than just a mat - great Russian populist movement Narod - Along with three friends, she decided to go tatorship which between them they imposed ter of her wanting to give these actions, naya Volya — they killed the Tsar in 1881 — there. But very quickly, Stalinism strangled on the workers. The UC concentrated its analyses, writings and activists the promi - welcome the terrible pogrom movement that the Spanish revolution. The young Romani - meagre forces on the Renault factory at Bil - nence they deserved. it was another way for began that same year as the people asserting ans stayed in France and joined the Interna - lancourt. her to prepare the way for the future, by po - themselves against oppression. tionalist Workers’ Party (POI). Klara became In April 1947, in spite of violent opposition litically arming future generations. In that The German Communist Party in the early Louise. from the CGT, the strike began in the Collas sense it was true that right up until the end, 1920s experimented with a similar approach, The declaration of war in September 1939 sector of the factory, where Pierre Bois Irène was full of optimism: that revolutionary though Ruth Fischer, one of the CP leaders re - and Daladier’s ban on communist organisa - worked, and quickly spread to the whole optimism which persists in spite of anything. sponsible, was herself Jewish. tions scattered the Trotskyist activists, and plant. A strike committee was set up. Even if In the face of the attacks carried out in 1995 The ideas popular on the Trotskisant left saw many of them lose their way politically. its demands weren’t completely met, this by some youth from working-class estates, now originated with Stalinism in the late Louise and Barta published three editions of strike was victorious: a pay rise, partial pay like Khaled Kelkal, Irène saw the pressing 1930s, and in the late 40s to early 1950s. Stal - L’Ouvrier in which they denounced the com - for strike days, and above all, the breaking of need to bring socialist political ideas back inism was not left-wing. It was a bastardisa - ing repression and butchery, and what they Stalinism’s hold on the workers. into neighbourhoods that had become ac - tion of right and pseudo-left. It was outside termed the imperialist war. Louise and Lu - But the danger that the movement could tivist deserts. The bulletin Cinquième zone , the old left-right division in politics. But its cien were arrested and jailed for three spread and get out of the PCF’s control led which she helped found, and assiduously people thought of themselves as left-wing. months in the Petite-Roquette prison [in the party to have its ministers resign from the proofread, addressed itself “to young people There are other examples. Paris]. They were released before France’s ca - government. … this allowed the PCF and the from the estates whom everyone talks about The ostensible left now uses Israel as an ar - pitulation. CGT to regain control of the 1948 strike but never to, and certainly never about poli - chetype of “imperialism”. Its insistence that The Occupation changed things. Louise be - wave... tics.” Today, we might well regret bitterly the Israel be done away with pits it comprehen - came Irène. Recruiting and providing theo - Despite the correctness of Barta’s analyses, fact that she didn’t bring the bigger organisa - sively against Jews who identify with Israel, retical and practical training for young workers’ day-to-day support of the SDR (the tions along with her in this initiative. however critically. activists (like Mathieu Bucholz, murdered by Syndicat Démocratique Renault, created in A fighter, funny, modest, clear-sighted, That insistence is not racism. It is anti - the Stalinists in 1944 and Pierre Bois, who the wake of the strike), the work of activists intransigent, devoted, sometimes hot- semitism in its own way. Antisemitism is a would later lead the May 1947 Renault strike) and the sympathies of the workers, a new tempered, generous, driven to share her historical shape-shifter. There are many and the publication of La Lutte de classes took generation of militants did not arise. The UC culture and learning, those of us who had strands and strains of antisemitism in history. priority, in view of an analysis that predicted was exhausted, and tensions arose. Pierre the chance to know her, to learn from her Christian antisemitism did not necessarily that the Second World War would create a Bois and Barta parted ways. The last issue of and fight alongside her were lucky, be - want to kill Jews. In principle it wanted to revolutionary wave similar to the one that La Lutte de classes came out on 30 March 1950, cause in so doing we were able to live for convert the Jews to Christianity, to do them followed the First World War. The aim was to spelling the end of the UC. All of Barta’s and a while in the society of the future. the favour of saving their souls. prepare the working class. Analysing the in - Irène’s subsequent efforts at launching com - mon activity came to naught. • Published 12 March 2017. Translated from “Left-wing” antisemitism has more in ternational situation, denouncing the imperi - A group of the younger activists from the Convergences révolutionnaires by Michael common with that than with racist anti - alist war and the lot of the working class former UC, including Pierre Bois and Robert Elms semitism. which was its cannon fodder, attacking the Barcia (alias Hardy), decided that they would Workers’ Liberty @workersliberty FEATURE 9 The return of racist science However, another prominent anthropologist, different “races” had different SCIENCE Alfred Kroeber (father of Ursula K Le Guin), levels of ability and looked in - actively opposed racist interpretations of stead at their different environ - By Les Hearn human differences throughout his long ca - ments. reer. He argues that indigenous A recent article by Gavin Evans in the It is now accepted that Homo sapiens is New Guineans and Australians Guardian has drawn attention to a resur - one species with superficial differences in fa - are probably more intelligent gence in the idea that race and intelli - cial features, hair, eye and skin colours, and than the white colonists, de - 2 gence are linked. 1 These terms, though so on. Genes for these are distributed accord - spite their “stone age” technol - commonly used, are quite difficult to de - ing to environmental factors such as temper - ogy, since they easily master fine…and for good reason. (see separate ature or sunlight. Other genes seem equally advanced industrial technol - boxes) distributed and equally variable, with some ogy when given the opportu - In the 19th century, despite the religious exceptions, such as genes for lactose toler - nity. Caucasians were simply tradition that “God… hath made of one ance in dairy farming societies, genes for luckier: their civilisation arose blood all nations of men,” it was axiomatic sickle cell trait in areas where malaria is in an area where metals could that there were different races with different prevalent, and genes for cystic fibrosis where be obtained, plants and ani - abilities. Since European powers were domi - tuberculosis is common. These genes have mals suitable for domestication nant, “Caucasoid” (white) peoples were held survival value in these environments. existed, and the resulting superior. Other races were divided into Mon - However, this doesn’t stop some people as - denser populations encour - goloid (yellow), Malay (brown), American serting that there are genetic differences be - aged the development of resist - (red), and Negroid (black), in a hierarchy tween ethnic groups which affect ance to disease. linked with the darkness of their skin. characteristics such as intelligence and ten - All this begs the question of For Darwin, the races were too similar not dencies to violence (e.g. alt-right hero Steve what intelligence is (see box). It to have descended from a common ancestor Bannon, fan of the Front National). DNA is often assumed that the com - employment, poor housing, and worse but others held that the races had evolved structure discoverer James Watson also plex abilities humans have to share ideas and schools). separately. White slave-owners held their strayed out of his field to assert that melanin work with each other to gain their living can Murray and Herrnstein’s The Bell Curve African slaves to be of a different, inferior, was linked to libido. be measured, not in real life tasks, but with (1994) refined the race and intelligence theory species which justified their enslavement. There are appreciable differences in habi - pencil and paper! This has given rise to IQ to argue that poor, especially poor black, peo - This idea that inferior races were liable to en - tats occupied by different groups of humans, testing which inevitably reflects middle class ple were inherently less intelligent than white slavement was unaltered by the fact of mil - and in their cultures, but there is no evidence Caucasian culture. Diamond speaks of how or Asian Americans. They argued for reduc - lions of white slaves being held by the that humans of particular groups are geneti - “stupid” he felt in the company of New ing immigration, against welfare policies that Ottoman Empire from the 16th to 19th cen - cally any more or less able to adapt to, act on, Guineans who could follow faint jungle trails “encouraged” poor people to have babies turies, captured by Barbary pirates from as or alter their environments. The differences or erect a shelter but who would fail dismally and against affirmative action. More recent far north as Iceland. in the state of “advancement” of various in an IQ test! opponents of affirmative action include Jor - Despite Darwin, as late as 1939, the promi - human cultures already have an adequate ex - Early IQ testing led to theories about the 3 dan B Peterson and James Damore (author of nent anthropologist Carleton S Coon divided planation, as Jared Diamond says. intelligence of immigrants to the USA. Robert the Google memo opposing inclusion and di - people into Caucasoid, Congoid/Capoid, Diamond, an expert on the birds of Papua Yerkes’ tests, used to evaluate draftees in versity policies). 4 Mongoloid (including native Americans), New Guinea, was talking to a local politician World War One, showed that southern and Damore’s is an interesting case. He argues and Australoid, believing them to be de - who asked him “Why is it that you white eastern European immigrants had lower IQs that women are inherently less likely to excel scended from different populations of Homo people developed so much cargo and than native-born Americans; that Americans in software engineering for biological (i.e. ge - erectus, a view which some hold even now. brought it to New Guinea, but we black peo - from the northern states scored higher than netic) reasons but then argues for dropping Coon’s views were certainly of interest to ple had little cargo of our own?” Diamond re - those from southern states; and that African all diversity and inclusion initiatives, includ - those who believed in a hierarchy of races. jected the simplistic explanation that Americans scored lower than White Ameri - cans. Some began to talk about a “Nordic” ing those for black and Hispanic people. Log - race as being the most intelligent. ically, he must feel that they are also Partly driven by revulsion at the Nazis’ genetically unfitted for software engineer - racist policies, scientists began to recognise ing… the unscientific nature of IQ testing, ignoring Intelligence is not what intelligence tests What is intelligence? as it did environmental and cultural factors. measure. Practising intelligence tests can im - However, anti-immigration, eugenics, and prove one’s attainment (as can having a good breakfast!) but doesn’t necessarily mean that In Latin, intelligens means understand - descent and identified up to 52 genes asso - segregation lobbies continued to use IQ tests one is more “intelligent.” But even if intelli - ing and comes from inter (between, ciated with a general intelligence factor, g (a to support their theories. gence was simply determined by genes, it among) and legere (to choose, select or measure that various IQ tests seem to Modern racist theories of intelligence would still be the case that people should be pick out, and later to read). share). emerged some 60 years ago with arguments An excellent definition of intelligence is What this means is that these genes, that genetic differences made it necessary to encouraged to fulfil their potential. “the ability to use what you have got to get which all humans possess, occur as two or segregate black and white children in school. I don’t normally agree with the CBI but, what you want.” 5 Modern dictionaries have more slightly different alleles: 2 some alleles In the 1960s, transistor inventor (!) William when they said recently that thoughts, subtly changed this: “The ability to learn or are associated with higher values of g, oth - Shockley claimed that black children were in - questions, creativity and team-working understand or to deal with new or trying ers with lower. Most of these genes seem to nately unable to learn as well as white ones were just as desirable outcomes of edu - situations; the ability to apply knowledge to be involved in brain development or nerve and psychologist Arthur Jensen argued that cation as academic achievement, they manipulate one’s environment or to think functioning. There is a massive correlation it was pointless trying to improve education referenced a wider and more humanly rel - abstractly as measured by objective criteria between educational attainment and certain for black children as their genes were to evant concept of intelligence. (such as tests).” 6 [my emphasis] alleles but this is hardly surprising since in - blame for their poor attainment (rather than Thus, a general ability to understand telligence tests measure the sort of knowl - poverty, discrimination, racist violence, un - Notes one’s environment and manipulate it has edge and abilities taught in schools and 1. Gavin Evans ‘The unwelcome revival of race tested in exams. science.’ become reduced to skill with abstract tests www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/02/the- of certain abilities which produce a number. There are also moderate positive associa - unwelcome-revival-of-race-science Other tests that produce numbers are to tions with brain volume, autism spectrum Is there such a thing 2. Genes occur in different forms called alleles. found in the educational system but, as the disorder, giving up smoking(?), longevity… All humans have the same genes but the different CBI recently complained, success in “exam and moderate negative associations with as race? forms (alleles) are present in differing propor -

factories” (i.e. schools) does not necessarily Alzheimer’s disease, depressive symptoms, 8 tions in different populations. However, there is lead to success in work and life. ever having smoked, schizophrenia, “neu - According to scientists , neither of the no general pattern to these differing proportions But are there genes for it? Yes — human roticism”… Other factors, such as BMI, in - biological concepts of race, genetically that would support the idea of separate races. genes! somnia, ADHD, have weaker negative distinct or geographically isolated 3. Guns, Germs and Steel, Jared Diamond (1997) links. These are modest conclusions, given groups of a species, apply to humans. 4. See www.workersliberty.org/story/2017-09- We all share the vast majority of our genes 21/google-memo-and-real-bias and those genes give us our large (but not the size of the study. Svante Pääbo, an eminent evolutionary anthropologist, says “What the study of 5. David Adam in The Genius Within (2018) so large as Neanderthal) brains and they It would seem that knowledge of an in - complete genomes … has shown is that 6. Merriam-Webster online give us the ability to learn, which is key to dividual’s genes would allow little to be 7. Sniekers et al. Nature Genetics 2017;49(7):1107- even between Africa and Europe … mastery of our environments. But are there predicted apart from educational attain - 12 there is not a single absolute genetic genes for the narrowly-defined intelligence ment…but this can be found out anyway 8. See https://www.scientificamerican.com/arti - difference, meaning no single variant which is measured by intelligence tests? No through the education process. It is dif - cle/race-is-a-social-construct-scientists-argue/ where all Africans have one variant and doubt! A study published in 2017 7 analysed ficult to see why this research has been and Biological races in humans all Europeans another one, even when https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/236847 the genomes of 78,000 people of European done and what lessons it has. recent migration is disregarded.” 45 Where we stand More online at www.workersliberty.org Workers’ Liberty @workersliberty Today one class, the working class, lives by selling its labour power to another, the capitalist class, which owns Labour set to gain in council elections the means of production. The capitalists’ control over the economy and their relentless been little attempt from Labour tive. Campaigning against the cuts, drive to increase their wealth causes poverty, unemployment, LABOUR build a fight to stop or reverse starting a fight against the govern - the blighting of lives by overwork, imperialism, the destruction them. ment, and supporting strike action By Keith Road In many areas Labour councillors against job losses and cuts to serv - of the environment and much else. boast about the money they have ice provision is central. All of this Against the accumulated wealth and power of the capitalists, The local government election saved, how they have gone further would be tremendously inspiring, the working class must unite to struggle against capitalist campaign has now started. On 3 than required to “improve effi - and if it happened across the coun - power in the workplace and in wider society. May there will be elections in 150 ciency.” But what is actually hap - try could give the labour move - The Alliance for Workers’ Liberty wants socialist revolution: councils, with 45 of these being pening is the shutting down of ment some confidence in defeating all out. Corbyn’s Labour is ex - libraries, of children’s centres and the government. collective ownership of industry and services, workers’ control, care provision for the elderly. The leadership of the Labour and a democracy much fuller than the present system, with pected to do well, particularly in big cities. Party have been unclear on what elected representatives recallable at any time and an end to After May there will be more left- VICTORIES councillors should do. When Cor - byn launched the local election bureaucrats’ and managers’ privileges. wing, Corbyn supporting council - There have been some victories campaign in Trafford, (where We fight for trade unions and the Labour Party to break with lors. There continue to be many against cuts to local services or Labour needs to gain only one seat stitch ups in Labour and plenty of unpopular schemes like the “social partnership” with the bosses and to militantly assert to take control from the Tories) his right-wingers managed to be rese - Haringey Development Vehicle, working-class interests. speech contained little strategy for lected however, including notable but now left-wing councillors will Labour councils. cases like Haringey, there has been have to provide alternatives. In workplaces, trade unions, and Labour organisations; an upsurge in newer and returned In Haringey local parties came A key promise missing from Cor - among students; in local campaigns; on the left and in activists being selected. They will at together for a day-long conference byn’s speech was what Labour wider political alliances we stand for: least want to shake up the way that to discuss the manifesto but the de - would do about the spending cuts • Independent working-class representation in politics. Labour has run local government cisions could not be binding. In that have happened since 2010. The obvious popular measure • A workers’ government, based on and accountable to the since 2010. places where such discussions have Since 2010 there has been little re - would be to call for these cuts to labour movement. not happened, local manifestos are sistance from Labour run councils likely to be uninspiring. be reversed and for money to be • A workers’ charter of trade union rights — to organise, to to central government cuts. Cuts A single vote or even a handful of returned to local councils so strike, to picket effectively, and to take solidarity action. may not be the first choice of votes against a Labour group they can provide the services we • Taxation of the rich to fund decent public services, homes, Labour councillors, but there has budget proposals is will be ineffec - need. education and jobs for all. • A workers’ movement that fights all forms of oppression. Full equality for women, and social provision to free women from domestic labour. For reproductive justice: free abortion on Starting to reimagine local government demand; the right to choose when and whether to have children. Full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and By Ruth Willis have worse working conditions. As narrowly defined and doesn’t in - transgender people. Black and white workers’ unity against cooperatives have to compete in a clude not voting for cuts to services racism. capitalist market they find it hard for working-class people. It was On Saturday 24 March around to be profitable without massive collectively agreed to write a model • Open borders. 100 Labour Party activists at - subsidy. submission for Labour’s Democ - • Global solidarity against global capital — workers tended “Re-imagining Local There was discussion about racy Review on some of these is - everywhere have more in common with each other than with Government: London for the Labour councillors opposing cuts sues, including opposing the many and not the few”. their capitalist or Stalinist rulers. This event came out of discus - completely. Some council candi - restrictions on councillors voting dates said that they wouldn’t vote for needs budgets and against cuts. • Democracy at every level of society, from the smallest sions between London Momentum members and left activists. We for cuts while others said that to do The event was lively, political, workplace or community to global social so would risk expulsion from and brought together those who organisation. wanted to create a forum for the left to think about what it would do if Labour. Most agreed that Labour’s want to change the way Labour • Equal rights for all nations, against it won seats in the May elections. rules about the functioning of acts locally. We need more events imperialists and predators big and small. An ill prepared left, devoid of Labour groups and councillors like this. Maximum left unity in action, and strategy and ideas could be sub - need to be challenged. Harrow There will be a follow up after • councillor Pamela Fitzpatrick said openness in debate. sumed in the right-wing swamp the May elections, when we will that currently makes up the major - that while councillors can abstain have to put our ideas into prac - ity of councils. Local government on matters of conscience this is very tice. If you agree with us, please take some policy is dominated by a manage - copies of Solidarity to sell — and join us! rial ethos in which officers dictate many of the decisions and council - lors act as administrators of Tory NEC slate debates cuts. John Burgess, from Barnet Uni - splitting the left vote is unwise. Events son branch secretary spoke of their By Will Sefton The LRC have said they will not fight against outsourcing and the necessarily challenge the whole need for Labour to commit to The decision of the Labour Rep - slate, nor even any of it, if they Monday 2 April Saturday 14 April resentation Committee, Grass - Minnie Lansbury — teacher, Leeds March for the NHS bringing services in house and cannot get consensus on such a roots Black Left and Red suffragette and rebel councillor 11.30am, Leeds Art Gallery, The working with the unions. course. The final decision will be Labour to challenge the official 12.45pm, The Victory Inn, 6 Duke Headrow, Leeds LS1 3AA In the session “From the streets made on 6 May 2018. We urge Centre Left Grassroots Alliance Street, Brighton BN1 1AH bit.ly/2p8mDpf to the council chamber”, activists comrades across the Labour left to slate for Labour’s National Ex - bit.ly/2pJbkEi talked about how to bring local discuss the potential for reforming campaigns and their demands into ecutive is a tactical mistake. Saturday 28 April We agree with these comrades or replacing the CLGA and choos - the Labour Party and how to cam - Tuesday 10 April Sheffield March for the NHS that the method selection for the ing candidates on a democratic paign locally for manifesto confer - Sheffield Capital study course 1.30pm, Barker’s Pool, Sheffield CLGA slate has been opaque for and political basis. ences. Younger Labour members 7pm, Workspace, Sheffield Uni - S1 2JA some time. It is unclear how Those who have seized on this listened, riveted, as John Dunn versity Students Union, Western bit.ly/2IqM5P6 groups are able to be involved and initiative with violent apolitical spoke about the battle fought by Bank, Sheffield S10 2TG level of control they then have hyperbole across social media Clay Cross councillors in the early bit.ly/2IYVKMY Saturday 5 May over the agreed candidates once in have also got it badly wrong. A de - 70s, and how they mobilised the ‘We are the lions, Mr Manager’ office. cision to hold discussions should community to defy Tory rent in - Saturday 14 April — play about the Grunwick The decision of Momentum to not be branded as a wrecking op - creases. Unseat Wandsworth Tory strike unilaterally declare their full slate eration, or an attempt to destroy There were areas of discussion Council 7.30pm, Mechanics Institute, 103 and push that through the CLGA unity, or worse of all “scabbing.” and difference. While cooperative 11am, Outside PCS Union build - Princess St, Manchester M1 6DD is also unwelcome. However, with Discussions on the political principles were welcomed there ing, 160 Falcon Road, London bit.ly/2FHsS9N only a short time left to get local basis of future NEC slates was also criticism of the way the SW11 2LN Party nominations, and the chal - should begin now, but to stand right have used coops as a soft op - bit.ly/2Gfdd1R lenge of standing and winning in alternative candidates now tion to justify further outsourcing. Have an event you want listing? Email: nine seats all running at once, would be a mistake. [email protected] It was pointed out that mutuals can REPORTS 10-11 UUK backs down, but no deal yet Victories at London

By Gemma Short schools On Friday 23 March UCU mem - By Gemma Short bers were emailed by the union with a ″proposal for resolving School workers across London the dispute″ on pensions from have been striking against Universities UK. academy proposals, terms and The new proposal is a significant conditions, appraisal, and man - step back by the employer, and agement styles. shows victory could be within In January National Education reach, but does not guarantee Union (NEU) and GMB members enough for strikes to be called off at Charlton Park academy in schools from considering acad - just yet. Greenwich won an agreement that emisation″ and calling for parental The new proposal commits UUK nationally negotiated terms and and staff ballots in schools that to a re-valuation of the USS scheme agree to recommend to the JNC joint valuation panel. conditions would apply to all staff still plan to academise. for the first time. This is a signifi - and the trustee measures aimed at However, this is the first serious (see: bit.ly/2Gh5Six). Strikes against academisation cant step back for UUK. This re-val - stabilising the fund to provide a guar - offer from UUK; they are backing Campaigns against academisa - have also happened at Village uation is to be done by a formally anteed pension broadly comparable down and the job now is to keep tion in Newham have linked up school in Brent, though the acad - agreed joint expert panel, com - with current arrangements .″ [empha - pushing them backwards. This is NEU members, parents, and emisation was unfortunately not prised of actuarial and academic sis added] also a proposal over which there Labour Party activists. Strikes stopped. experts nominated in equal num - This is unclear. Will ″guaranteed has so far been no negotiation be - have happened at Avenue Pri - Strikes against appraisal sys - bers from both sides. This is a sig - pension broadly comparable with tween the UCU′s negotiators and mary school, Cumberland school, tems at City of London Academy nificant change in how the USS current arrangements″ effectively UUK; that negotiation process and Keir Hardie school. in Southwark resulted in victory pension scheme is managed. To mean retention of the defined ben - should happen. The strikes have stopped acad - after three days of strikes (see: allow the re-valuation to happen, efit scheme, or something different? The momentum of this dispute emisation at Keir Hardie school, bit.ly/2GfMbrk), and NEU mem - the current USS terms will stay in The UCU leadership is selling it as should not be squandered. It will where parents were sent a letter bers at Leopold School in Brent place until at least April 2019, al - such, but it is far from certain. not be easy to re-mobilise a dispute just before the Easter holidays say - won a last minute deal which they though the original proposed Some UUK-commissioned finan - in a year′s time if the outcome of ing plans for academisation were discussed on the school gates on changes to the scheme would have cial reports concluded that defined the joint panel is not good enough. now off the table. Avenue Primary the planned day of strike before only taken effect from April 2019 contribution would only be 10-20% On the Monday and Tuesday be - has been unable to convert to an returning to work over an ″unac - anyway. It is yet to be seen if the less in retirement; would that be fore the UCU′s Higher Education academy as scheduled by Easter ceptable management style″. Pensions Regulator will waive the ″broadly comparable″? It could Committee meeting, a number as a local parent has won the first Victories were also won at a 30 June deadline for valuation of mean something similar to the re - UCU branches across the country stage of their legal challenge at the number of other schools before USS. cent CWU-Royal Mail deal which passed motions criticising sections High Court to the consultation strikes took place, including It is not clear what will happen agreed a ″collective defined contri - of the proposal and called for as - process. The legal challenge, Haverstock in Camden over re - after April 2019 if the joint panel bution″ scheme, for which there is surances on a defined benefit guar - which could reach Judicial Re - dundancies, Oaklands in Tower breaks down or fails to deliver. currently no legal framework. antee amongst other things. view, could have significant con - Hamlets over absence policies, Some UCU members have raised There are other possible hybrid As Solidarity goes to press, we sequences nationally. Nightingale in Enfield over work - criticism of the joint-expert panel. schemes that could result from fu - don′t know what the UCU′s The campaign within the load, and St Aloysius in Islington The UCU is in effect signing up to ture fights and negotiations. Higher Education Committee will Labour Party in Newham has over appraisal. be bound by the decisions of the The proposal also refers to the recommend. If the proposal is turned around a council which Strikes are also planned at panel. There is no guarantee that “affordability” of the scheme. Such put to members as an offer in its previously backed academisation Connaught school in Waltham - the panel members will be account - references may in effect act as a pre - current state, members should to a situation where a Full Council stow over pay (see able to UCU members even in the condition on the outcome of the reject it. meeting in March passed a motion bit.ly/2pIj2yz) after Easter. limited way that the current nego - saying it ″strongly discourages tiators are, and it seems the panel outcomes won’t be subject to a bal - lot of UCU members. It also shifts For a national strike committee the dispute into the realm of ″ex - pert″ technical discussion over A motion calling for a national strike committee to be set up was Rail strikes continue methods of valuation and ″whose passed at a Sheffield University UCU meeting. numbers are right″, rather than an The motion states that “members feel a lack of ownership over the dis - By Ollie Moore 80% turnout in a recent re-ballot, industrial/political question of pute at the national level, as distinct to the high level of ownership they renewing the mandate for further pension provision. feel in relation to the dispute at the local level” and that “Many members strikes. On MerseyRail, the union is Guards on Northern Rail struck A key point in the dispute up of HEC are not based at striking institutions”. It also said “that while due to meet the employer for talks on 26 March, as the RMT union until now has been keeping the de - some aspects of negotiations are confidential, in order to maintain a at conciliation service Acas to dis - began the latest round of action fined benefit scheme, rather than sense of ownership of the dispute amongst the membership and there - cuss a possible deal to retain a sec - aimed at halting the imposition being moved to a defined contribu - fore to maintain members’ incredible resolve to take industrial action ond member of staff on all trains. of “Driver Only Operation”. tion scheme which would see cuts members must have a sense of how negotiations are progressing.” Official Northern figures said Questions remain as to whether the to income in retirement. The pro - The full motion can be viewed at: bit.ly/ucumotion they were able to run 50% of its second staff member will be a posal says, ″If in the light of [the UCU London Region has called a national co-ordination meeting on timetabled service, but union safety-critical guard. valuation] contributions or benefits 28 April where rank-and-file coordination of the dispute could be organ - sources say the company’s esti - Meanwhile, strikes on Lon - need to be adjusted in either direc - ised. mates are inflated. don’s Docklands Light Railway tion, both parties are committed to For details of the event see: bit.ly/ucumeet RMT members on South Western are planned from 28-30 March Railway are also due to take action and 20-24 April, in a dispute over in the coming weeks, with a ban on the contractor Keolis Amey rest day working planned for the Dockland’s failure to respect Easter weekend. agreements and procedures Universities plan job and course cuts On Greater Anglia, RMT secured around rostering, health and an 80% majority for strikes on an safety, and training. KMPG. research and become a ″top 100 By Peggy Carter From money put aside for redun - university globally″. dancies, the UCU estimates that the Yet students surveyed by the Victory for Daily Mail cleaners Job cuts have been announced University is planning for at least Higher Education Policy Institute at the Open University and at 250-300 voluntary redundancies in (P48) said if universities wanted to Liverpool University. By Charlotte Zalens been threatened by Mitie′s manage - Cuts at the Open University the coming year, and for compul - save money they should cut spend - ment that they would be sacked if would result in 41 degree courses sory redundancies to follow. ing on “buildings” and “sports and they struck. Over 100,000 people The University of Liverpool, social facilities”. Cleaners who clean the offices signed an online petition written by being axed, leaving only 71, reduc - of the Daily Mail newspaper have ing the number of courses available whose Vice-Chancellor is President When asked what they should the cleaners supporting their de - of UUK, has announced plans to not cut, their top answers were won the London Living Wage. by a third. The University plans to The cleaners, who are employed mand for the Living Wage. cut at least 220 jobs.The plan is ap - “learning facilities”, “teaching save £100m from its £420m annual by contractor Mitie, were being bal - Cleaners have won a 25% pay parently motivated by a wish to im - hours”, “student support serv - budget, yet the University has loted for strikes by the United rise from the national living (min - prove rankings for teaching and ices” and “academic support”. spent £2.5m on consultancy fees to Voices of the World union and had imum) wage of £7.50 an hour. SolidaFor a workers’ giovertnment y No 465 28 March 2018 50p/£1

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