Speaker: Diane Abbott MP

Introduction: Ken Livingstone

Chair:  Kate Hudson

7pm Thursday 5 March, at Conway Hall

Following the recent exposure of a coup plot in Venezuela, RT conducted an interview (linked to below) with Eva Golinger, the author of the Chavez Code.

Greece: EU still trying to impose austerity

The new Greek government’s struggle with the EU has started to unfold with the outcome of the first round of negotiations with the EU institutions. This has seen Syriza forced to make a number of concessions on their anti-austerity programme.

The Syriza government is in a fight with hugely powerful forces – Germany, the IMF, European capital – which made it clear to Greece they were prepared to unleash a whirlwind if its government does not comply. The clearest threat was of an engineered run on the Greek banks which would have brought the tills to a standstill and led to an immediate chaotic social and economic crisis. The consequences would have made the 2013 Cyprus crisis look like a walk in the park.

By Jane West

There are only two possible outcomes to the General Election in May this year. Either Cameron will be returned to Number 10 or he will be replaced by Ed Miliband as Labour Prime Minister.

For the left and all progressive people the choice is unequivocal: kick out the Tories and put Ed Miliband and Labour in Number 10.

The following article by Matt Willgress was originally published by the Morning Star. It sets out some of Correa’s achievements since he was first elected President, including poverty reduction, low unemployment and an economy growing at four per cent a year - all underpinned by a huge increase in state investment, whose proportion of GDP has trebled in eight years.

Eight years ago President Rafael Correa was elected in Ecuador and, as in many Latin American countries in recent years, there’s been a tremendous shift in the country.

By Jude Woodward

In the wake of the grotesque and vile attack on Charlie Hebdo in Paris, which left 12 innocents dead, there has been an understandable rush to not only condemn the attack but to gather under the principle of the "defence of freedom of speech".

Large demonstrations in Paris have taken up the slogan "Je suis Charlie” to express their defiance at attempts to intimidate journalists into silence.