#288 final print copy_01 cover 04/09/2017 03:29 Page 1 CHARTIST For democratic socialism #288 September/October 2017 £2 Labour back from the edge Manuel Cortes John Palmer Julie Ward MEP Brexit follies Frances O’Grady Ending pay cap Don Flynn Migration myths Mary Southcott Tyranny in Turkey Kate Bell Gig Economy Ian Bullock Russian Revolution plus Book & Film reviews ISSN - 0968 7866 ISSUE www.chartist.org.uk #288 final print copy_01 cover 04/09/2017 03:29 Page 2 Contributions and letters deadline for Editorial Policy CHARTIST #289 The editorial policy of CHARTIST is to promote debate amongst people active in 10 October 2017 radical politics about the contemporary Chartist welcomes articles of 800 or 1500 words, and relevance of democratic socialism across letters in electronic format only to: [email protected] the spectrum of politics, economics, science, philosophy, art, interpersonal Receive Chartist’s online newsletter: send your email address to [email protected] relations – in short, the whole realm of social life. 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It brings together people who are interested in socialism, some of whom are active the Meeting Brexit head on – Labour Party and the trade union move- ment. It is concerned to deepen and Brexit the end of progressive politics? extend a dialogue with all other socialists and with activists from other movements involved in the struggle to find democrat- ic alternatives to the oppression, exploita- Monday 25th September tion and injustices of capitalism and 1.00pm-3.00pm class society Editorial Board Komedia Studio, Brighton CHARTIST is published six times a year by the Chartist Collective. This issue was produced by an Editorial Board consisting Join the discussion with a panel of European and British MEPs and of Duncan Bowie (Reviews), Andrew Coates, Peter Chalk, Patricia d’Ardenne, activists Mike Davis (Editor), Nigel Doggett, Don Flynn, Roger Gillham, James Grayson, Hassan Hoque, Peter Kenyon, Dave Lister, Puru Miah, Patrick Mulcahy, Sheila Julie Ward (MEP NW England) Osmanovic, Marina Prentoulis, Robbie Scott (Website Editor), Mary Southcott, Marina Prentoulis (Senior lecturer at University of East Anglia & Chartist John Sunderland. EB) Production: Ferdousur Rehman Sarandra Bogujevci (a war refugee and newly elected left member of the Signed articles do not necessarily represent the views of Kosovo parliament) the EB Jozef Weidenholzer (Austrian Social Democrat MEP, President of Contacts Progressive Alliance of Socialist & Democrats in European Parliament) Mike Davis (editor, Chartist) chair. 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CHARTIST Email: [email protected] FOR DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM Website: www.chartist.org.uk Email:[email protected] Twitter: @Chartist48 Newsletter online: to join, email [email protected] #288 final print copy_01 cover 04/09/2017 03:29 Page 3 CONTENTS FEATURES END PAY CAP Frances O’Grady on the iniquities of 8 austerity PROGRESSIVE TAXATION 9 Duncan Bowie says Labour must clarify policy BREATH OF FRESH AIR Leonie Cooper on Labour’s environment 10 plan Pay cap must go says Frances O'Grady NURSING CRISIS - page 8 Tory cuts are deadly says Jean Smith 11 Cover by Martin Rowson MIGRATION IS INEVITABLE 12 Don Flynn on what’s wrong with borders GIG ECONOMY CHARTIST Kate Bell & Guy McClenahan on protecting FOR DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM 14 the precariat Number 288 September/October 2017 SOUTH AFRICA LEADERSHIP REGULARS Bob Newland on awards and succession 16 OBITUARY 4 Nigel Watt on Ousmane Sembene ERDOGAN TIGHTENS GRIP Turkey moves closer to dictatorship says NOTICE 4 Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi on Jewish 17 Mary Southcott Labour Voice EDITORIAL GERMAN ELECTIONS 5 Braking Brexit and preparing for power NHS nurses demand a change -page Ed Turner says Merkel looks safe from SPD GREENWATCH 11 18 challenge 6 Dave Toke on electric cars ANTI-IMMIGRANT POLL POINTS AND CROSSINGS 7 Stuart MacLeod on ScotRail a model Trevor Fisher on rightward drift 19 OUR HISTORY - 74 24 George Lansbury BASIC INCOME FILM REVIEW Bill Jordan puts the case 25 Patrick Mulcahy on Bushwick 20 BOOK REVIEWS 26 Mike Heiser on the Holocaust, Duncan RUSSIAN REVOLUTION CENTENARY Bowie on Red Petrograd, Revolutionary Ian Bullock on socialist responses and Georgia and Alice Bacon, Jon Tayor on Soviet flaws Egyptians, Hassan Hoque on Neo- 22 liberalism, Stephen Ball on teachers, SPECIAL 8 PAGE LABOUR CONFERENCE SUPPLEMENT Mike Davis on 1956 & The Reasoner, Jeremy Corbyn, John Palmer, Manuel Cortes & Julie Ward on Jim Grayson on Co-ops the follies of Tory Brexit – Andrew Dolan on The World WESTMINSTER VIEW Transformed – Puru Miah & Mike Davis on Momentum 32 Catherine West MP on back from Brexit Migrant workers on the move fruit brink picking- pages 12-13 September/October 2017 CHARTIST 3 #288 final print copy_01 cover 04/09/2017 03:29 Page 4 OBITUARY Ousmane Sembene Nigel Watt on a great African socialist and film maker hat provoked me Marseilles for ten years. His first described dramatically the mal- to write this note novels, Le Docker Noir and God’s treatment of an African servant was the arrival of Bits of Wood (about a strike on in France. “Xala” was his fourth a review copy of the railway) highlighted workers’ feature film. My favourite among the book, Learning his films is Camp de Thiaroye Wfrom the curse: Sembène’s Xala which depicts the event after the by Richard Fardon and Sènga la war when the demobbed African Rouge. The book recounts and soldiers revolt when their pay is comments in detail on the book cut. The French army attacks and and the film of Xala, both by slaughters most of them. For this Ousmane Sembène. Xala means a film he had to find Algerian fund- curse and the curse is laid ing and for many years it was against a wealthy, pompous busi- banned in France. His ninth and nessman, making him impotent last film, Moolaadé, which con- when he arrogantly marries a demns female circumcision was third wife. The book is interesting shot when he was 82. He died in to read when you have just seen 2007. the film. (It’s on youtube.) He was a forceful critic of every My reason for drawing your kind of injustice and of the élites attention to Ousmane Sembène, who enrich themselves at the peo- if you are not already aware of ple’s expense. He has inspired him, is that, first as a novelist many African writers and film and then as Africa’s first and still makers even if the élites are still greatest film maker he spread a there. socialist message to the public in A tour of several African coun- a very effective way. Being from conditions – or lack of them. tries, with talks and screenings the original ‘four communes’ of Back in Senegal he was award- including the biopic Sembène Senegal he was a French citizen ed a scholarship to the Gorky film directed by Samba Gadjigo, is and was called up in the war, institute. His first (and Africa’s taking place this year. later working as a docker in first) feature film, Black Girl, New organisation founded for Jewish Labour Party members n August Aug 5th, a Labour Party, said the new new organisation, organisation has a valuable role Jewish Voice for to play in strengthening the party Labour, announced in its opposition to all forms of its foundation as a racism including antisemitism. Onetwork for progressive Labour It rejects attempts to extend the Jews united in opposing all forms scope of the term ‘antisemitism’ of racism. beyond its meaning of bigotry “Our mission is to contribute towards Jews, particularly when to making the Labour Party an such accusations are directed open, democratic and inclusive at activities in solidarity with party, encouraging all ethnic Palestinians such as Boycott, groups and cultures to join and Divestment and Sanctions NOTICE participate freely,” the group said against Israel. in its founding statement. “We Manson said JVL will provide a stand for rights and justice for much-needed forum for Jews who JVL will hold a public launch on Jewish people everywhere, and want to celebrate and debate the September 25 in Brighton, during the against wrongs and injustice to long and proud history of Jewish 2017 Labour Party conference. Palestinians and other oppressed involvement in socialist and people anywhere.” trade-union activism and in For more information contact Unlike the (Labour-affiliated) antiracist, antifascist and anti- jewishvoiceforlabour@ gmail.com Jewish Labour Movement, JVL colonial struggles. http://www.jewishvoiceforlabour.org. does not make commitment to the “We invite everyone of Jewish uk/ State of Israel a condition of heritage in the Labour Party to membership. Also unlike the join us in continuing these great Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, JLM, full members of the JVL traditions,” said Manson.