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Don't Let Tories Wreck the NHS! So& Wloirkdersa’ Lirbeirtty y No 239 21 March 2012 30p/80p www.workersliberty.org For a workers’ government Gay marriage Pensions: the Iran and the page 3 balance-sheet left pages 6-7 pages 9-10 What the NHS Bill Serco and Virgin Care are bidding for a three-year contract means: worth £130m to run children’s health services in Devon Serco or Branson to run children’s health See page 5 Don’t let Tories wreck the NHS! NEWS What is the Alliance Brooks arrested, cancer persists for Workers’ Liberty? By Andrew Smith David Cameron’s family Today one class, the working class, lives by selling and Tony Blair’s. It is rela - its labour power to another, the capitalist class, tively rare, in this society, “But don’t rejoice too soon which owns the means of production. Society for such big fish to get at your escape reeled in. Also pleasing is is shaped by the capitalists’ relentless drive to The womb he crawled the fact that she did not increase their wealth. Capitalism causes from is still going strong” seem to know that the ar - poverty, unemployment, the blighting of lives by Bertolt Brecht overwork, imperialism, the destruction of the rest was coming. It is good news that for - environment and much else. It is still a number of big mer Sun and News of the Against the accumulated wealth and power of the steps, however, from here World editor Rebekah to senior News Interna - capitalists, the working class has one weapon: solidarity. Brooks was arrested on The Alliance for Workers’ Liberty aims to build solidarity tional figures being con - 13 March, along with five victed of anything serious. through struggle so that the working class can overthrow other senior News Inter - These people have a lot of capitalism. We want socialist revolution: collective ownership national officials, for money and very good But even if Brooks et al ties will remain fully func - of industry and services, workers’ control and a democracy conspiring to pervert the lawyers; and their connec - do go down, and even if it tioning. Even in the best much fuller than the present system, with elected course of justice. tions with various wings seriously impacts on Mur - possible variant, it will representatives recallable at any time and an end to of the political establish - Brooks is one of Rupert doch’s empire, the capital - produce new Rupert Mur - bureaucrats’ and managers’ privileges. ment mean there will be a Murdoch’s top aides. She ist press system which dochs and new Rebekah We fight for the labour movement to break with “social lot of pressure for some is close friends with both produced these monstrosi - Brooks, all over the world, partnership” and assert working-class interests militantly sort of fudge. against the bosses. in the future. Our priority is to work in the workplaces and trade unions, Socialists must argue for a a democratic media supporting workers’ struggles, producing workplace bulletins, Don’t let Mugabe jail Zimbabwean socialists! which combines public helping organise rank-and-file groups. ownership of large-scale We are also active among students and in many campaigns Six Zimbabwean ac - media resources with free - Munyaradzi Gwisai (a for - Send protests to the and alliances. tivists arrested in Febru - dom from state control. mer Movement for Demo - Zimbabwean embassy in Such a media would ary 2011 at a meeting We stand for: cratic Change MP, before London at zimlondon allocate those resources about the Egyptian revo - to political parties, work - G Independent working-class representation in politics. the MDC purged its left @yahoo.co.uk, ring 020 lution face up to ten ers’ organisations and A workers’ government, based on and accountable to the wing and then entered 7379 1167, or write to Zim - G years in prison after groups of citizens based labour movement. government with Mu - babwe House, 429 Strand, being convicted of “incit - gabe), Tafadzwa Choto, on their support in the G A workers’ charter of trade union rights — to organise, to London WC2R 0QE. ing public violence”. Tatenda Mombeyarara, population. strike, to picket effectively, and to take solidarity action. Edson Chakuma, You can also send Taxation of the rich to fund decent public services, homes, G They were due to be sen - Hopewell Gumbo and money to support the de - education and jobs for all. • The socialist alternative tenced the day Solidarity Welcome Zimuto. They fendants: ISO Zim Solidarity, to the capitalist “free G A workers’ movement that fights all forms of oppression. went to press: they face up plan to appeal the verdict. Unity Bank, Birmingham, press”: Full equality for women and social provision to free women to ten years in prison, or a Please send solidarity Sort Code: 08-60-01, Ac - www.workersliberty.org/ from the burden of housework. Free abortion on request. Full fine of $US2000, or both. messages to solidarity count number 20136938 freepress equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The six convicted are @freethemnow.com Black and white workers’ unity against racism. G Open borders. G Global solidarity against global capital — workers everywhere have more in common with each other than with Labour HQ: unholy alliances, hidden agendas their capitalist or Stalinist rulers. G Democracy at every level of society, from the smallest workplace or community to global social organisation. The Labour Party is creat - We have no grudge general secretary in the age And though the press G Working-class solidarity in international politics: equal ing a new Executive against Sir Charles (unlike of “centralised command may write about the good, rights for all nations, against imperialists and predators big Board. Jon Lansman com - others) but his experience and control” launches into loyal, party staff reacting to and small. ments. is not exactly in empower - a defence of the defenders change “with fury”, the G Maximum left unity in action, and openness in debate. There are some unholy ing the footsoldiers and we of Labour’s members: truth is rather different. G If you agree with us, please take some copies of Solidarity alliances and hidden agree with Emma Burnell “If I was on the NEC I There are, of course, to sell — and join us! agendas here that the who argues forcefully that would be worried. I would widely held concerns about leakers are not keen to what is at stake here is worry because it looks like change and how that will 020 7394 8923 [email protected] expose. whether the party is going the leader’s office has taken affect people’s jobs. Legiti - 20e Tower Workshops, Riley Road, to devolve power to its over the running of the mate trade union issues, Firstly it seems that Sir members. She is confident party. It looks like the gen - and we sympathise with London, SE1 3DG. Charles Allen, Labour sup - that it will: eral secretary’s role is being the staff though change is porter, senior adviser to watered down. And the certainly needed. But the Goldman Sachs, former DEVOLVED danger is that when all of corrupt and rotten rem - CEO of Granada and ITV, “Power will be devolved this plays out, the role of nants amongst them are appointed to help review to Labour Party members the NEC in overseeing the whipping up the fury, spin - GET SOLIDARITY Labour’s management because we will demand good governance of the ning and leaking and cast - structure to make it fit for nothing less. party is being watered ing the blame widely, EVERY WEEK! purpose, is himself to chair We know what we want, down.” without concern about the the new board. we are no longer shy of de - Since when have the damage to the party. Special offers So Labour’s national ex - manding it and we have Blairites been defenders of In fact, destruction is ecutive is not going to get more ways of doing so the role of Labour National their strategy for survival: G Trial sub, 6 issues £5 the board of six the execu - loudly and forcefully every Executive? What is going damage the leader, his tive approved, appointed on here is a power struggle. staff, the NEC, the general G 22 issues (six months). £18 waged £9 unwaged single day.” and led by their chosen And she doesn’t mince In one corner, you have secretary, it’s all worth - general secretary. Instead, a some of those chosen to ad - while, they’re all on the G 44 issues (year). £35 waged £17 unwaged her words about those re - totally different structure sponsible for this public vise a leader elected to wrong side. If they don’t G European rate: 28 euros (22 issues) or 50 euros (44 issues) has been approved without shambles: sweep away command and win, at least they’ll take a consulting them. “The process has ex - control who are themselves few down with them. The This structure is to be co- unwilling to let go. culprits here complain Tick as appropriate above and send your money to: posed rich seams of divi - led by Tim Livesay, who is sion between the Leader’s In another corner, you about “the lack of leader - 20e Tower Workshops, Riley Road, London, SE1 3DG accountable to the Leader office and the Party Head - have the corrupt and rotten ship” but what really infu - Cheques (£) to “AWL”. and not the whole execu - quarters. remnants in the party ma - riates them is that the tive, with a chair whose ac - “Like aged, tired and chine of the old command leadership is not the lead - Or make £ and euro payments at workersliberty.org/sub.
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