JUNE 2015 £1.50 SPECIAL EDITION Inside: * WWII 70th Anniversary * EU, Ukraine, TTIP * General Election & the Commmunist Response EDITORIAL editorial Johnnie Dear Comrades, Hunter Welcome to this special edition of Challenge for the 20th of June. Warm greetings and solidarity to those picking up a copy at the People’s The People’s Assembly’s End Austerity Now national demonstration in London and the Assembly is Scotland United Against Austerity demonstration in Glasgow. fundamental In the wake of the disastrous result of the general election the working in this struggle. class, the Communist Party, the YCL and the movement find ourselves in Nationally difficult territory (pp.14-15). and locally The new Tory government, given fresh confidence by their false mandate it offers the have already given a glimpse of the scale of the attack they plan over the best chance next 5 years (p.6). As expected our trade unions, the most organised and of building a strong weapons of our class, are first in the firing line (p.7). genuinely mass On the international front the EU continues to enforce austerity here in movement Britain and across the Member States (p.11) and project imperialist policies committed to abroad (p.10). anti-austerity Even at an hour like this we should never permit ourselves to despair, it with the is in attacking our class that capitalism digs it’s own grave and creates the potential to organisation and discipline that will one day be it’s undoing. Capitalism halt this ruling is most unstable as it lurches to the right during periods of crisis. The class offensive resurgence of the far-right here in Britain and across Europe is a symptom of this crisis but one which history has taught us we must guard against in its tracks (pp.8-9). The Communist Party has a clear strategy and outlook going forward - a determination to continue rebuilding the communist movement in Britain and ensuring the Tory government does not live out it’s 5 year term(pp.16-19). The People’s Assembly is fundamental in this struggle. Nationally and locally (pp.20-21) it offers the best chance of building a genuinely mass movement committed to anti-austerity with the potential to halt this ruling class offensive in its tracks. As ever, if you want to contribute to Challenge, either through writing articles, poems, reviews or providing artwork then don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected] or writing to Challenge, Ruskin House, 23 Coombe Road, CR0 1BD. 2 CONTENTS editorial in this issue In the News 4-5 Queens’ Speech 6 Anti-Union Laws 7 WWII 70th WWII 70th Anniversary Anniversary p8-9 8-9 EU & Ukraine 10 TTIP 11 YCL Summer Camp 12 YCL EC Statement Morning Star at 85 13 p14-15 EC Statement 14-15 Communist Party 16-19 People’s Assembly: Be- yond London & June 20 People’s As- sembly 20-21 p20-21 Back2Basics 22-23 Red Star Festival 23 April 2015 Volume 21, Issue 39 Poetry Corner 24 Layout & design: Ben Stevenson, James Rodie & Johnnie Hunter Print: Communist Party What We Stand For 26 Published by: YCL, Ruskin House, 23 Coombe Rd, CR0 1BD 3 IN THE NEWS in the news Ireland: LGBT Rights Corbyn Makes it on Win in the South; to the Ballot Under at- t took a nail-biting photo fin- ish to push veteran leftist and tack in the ILabour Party back-bencher Jeremy Corbyn into the running for the Labour Party leadership North election. The MP for Islington North was the final candidate to secure wenty thousand LGBT enough nominations from the rights supporters marched Parliamentary Labour Party, 35 Tin central Belfast on Satur- in total, under new rules with a day (13/06/15) demanding legal higher threshold. recognition of same-sex marriage Corbyn’s announcement that be extended to the British oc- he was seeking nomination was cupied North of Ireland. met with excitement by leftists The Republic of Ireland both within and out with the La- recently approved gay marriage bour Party. A regular backbench from MPs but has delivered a areas such as “free-schools” it is after a referendum vote won by rebel on matters such as nuclear confused message so far – des- little surprise Kendall can boast the Yes side by a massive 62%. weapons, foreign policy and aus- perate not be out-matched in the support of popular figures The Republic only decriminal- terity Corbyn now stands to be swallowing austerity dogma but such as Lord Peter Mandelson. ised “Buggery” or “sodomy” in the only staunch left-wing anti- keen not to isolate left members Undoubtedly Kendall is the 1993 so, especially given the con- austerity and anti-war candidate who he might have relied upon strongest representation of the tinuing influence of the Catholic in the election. until Corbyn entered the race. right-wing of the Labour Party’s Church in the country, the result The MP of 32 years joins Keen to channel the personal- attempt to capitalise on the loss of the vote might have come as a three other candidates in the ity “politics without ideology” of the May General election. surprise to some. race – Andy Burnham, Yvette which Blair championed, Yvette Having a genuine left candidate Although the occupied North Cooper and Liz Kendall. Until Cooper is seeking to style in the running is an exhilarat- was the first part of the UK to Corbyn threw his hat into the herself as the face of experience ing prospect from many on the deliver Civil Partnerships in 2005 ring the “debate” consisted of, and a trusted pair of hands to left and makes this election in LGBT rights have come under rightly, condemning Labours own take “the party forward”. One particular pivotal for the future attack over the recent period. record in government, but for can only assume it’ll be in the of the party. The Democratic Unionist Party “overspending”, and of falling direction of wherever the Tories Ballot papers go out to La- have blocked previous votes on over one another to praise the and right-wing media choose to bour members and supporters equality for civil marriage and record of the ConDem govern- lead it. on the 14th of August and the are attempting to introduce a ment. The fourth contender is arch- result of the vote will be an- so-called conscience clause to Andy Burnham received the Blairite Liz Kendall. Most ardent nounced at a special conference equality legislation. highest number of nominations supporter of Tory policies in on the 12th of September 4 IN THE NEWS SYRIZA Tories Struggle to Avoid Announce “Grexit” reek Prime Minister and leader of SYRIZA EU GAlexis Tsipras contin- ues to find himself between the EU-led Troika lenders and a hard place at the time Referendum of writing. With no deal yet reached with Greece’s vampire creditors who demand more cuts before releasing bailout funds some now fear Greece will be forced to exit the EU. Tsipras and SYRIZA he one Tory manifesto MPs the new government EU membership since 1975. formed a government after policy many on the left passed the EU Referendum Bill Communist Party of Britain the Greek general election Twill support is the prom- paving the way for a referen- international secretary John in January but falling short ise of a referendum on Brit- dum in 2017. Foster welcomed the oppor- of a majority by 2 seats they ain’s continuing membership of The rebellion concerned tunity for the expression of were forced to get into bed the anti-democratic neoliberal an amendment which would the “democratic right of the with the right-wing “Inde- European Union. have prevented the govern- people to vote on EU mem- pendent Greeks”. Cameron was forced to ment from campaigning on the bership.” Tsipras promised Greeks include the promise against his referendum in the immediate The European Institutions an end to years of EU own will in order to placate weeks leading up to the vote have been the subject of enforced austerity measures back-benchers and many grass- as is custom. But with the popular anger across Europe and attacks on living stand- roots Tory organisations who amendment rejected the Tory due to their efforts to enforce ards but has always remained are opposed to the EU for cabinet will be free to spend austerity and privatisation. fundamentally committed purely xenophobic reasons. tax payers’ money to try to Although many on the left to remaining within the EU Playing to this crowd found secure a vote to stay in the EU. in Britain continue to hold il- imperialist bloc. new urgency when Cameron Labour refused to entertain lusions of a ‘Social Europe’, Mr Communist Party of was confronted with numer- an EU Referendum in their Foster condemned the EU as Greece general secretary ous defections to UKIP in the recent election manifesto but “an institution that is imposing Dimitris Koutsoumpas dis- run up to the general election. will campaign to remain in the austerity, cuts and privatisation missed “illusions” that anti- Many expected the new EU in the coming referendum. across Europe and which is austerity policies could be government to wriggle out of The 2017 referendum will thereby a major driver of the implemented while Greece the commitment but despite be the first say the British rise of right-wing and racist remained in the EU. a back-bench rebellion of Tory people at large have had on parties.” Mr Koutsoumpas said: “Today the deceptions that Syriza addressed to the Greek people before the Scab SECC Sacks Union Actvist elections, when it promised n May 25th UNISON union activists.