Month: July 2017

What the G20 tells us

10th July 2017 Socialist Action 0

By Ian Richardson

The Hamburg G20 summit was highly revealing. G20 summits rarely provide the impulse for major new developments, and the latest was no exception. Instead they can provide an important marker point or snapshot of the global relation of forces. The most important signal from the latest G20 summit was that the relative decline of the US continues and Trump’s ‘America First’ policy is only accelerating it. As a result, other leading powers are being driven towards greater co-operation, unity on tackling climate change, and defence of trade against protectionism.

NUS 2017 – left suffers avoidable defeat

4th July 2017 Socialist Action 0

The following article by Fiona Edwards, on the left’s defeat this year in the National Union of Students, was initially published here by Student Broad Left.

In April 2017 the left wing of the National Union of Students (NUS) lost the Presidency, having held the post for one year. Malia Bouattia was defeated in her bid for re-election and the NUS right wing have retaken the top officer position in NUS, alongside a majority on the leadership team.

Desperate to keep Corbyn out, allies prepare to prop up the Tories

3rd July 2017 Socialist Action 0

By Ian Richardson

The Tory deal with the DUP has faced widespread criticism both for its blatant bribery and the threat it poses to the Good Friday Agreement. But the degree of hostility to Jeremy Corbyn from pro-establishment political forces in general is so great that other potential allies are also preparing to come to the Tories’ rescue if needed.

Defending living standards not the EU is the biggest issue in British politics

1st July 2017 Socialist Action 0

By Jane West

Labour’s successful campaign, in comparison with the Tories’ set back, at June’s General Election was due to the growing rejection of austerity, which trumped May’s assumption that a mandate for Brexit would be the decisive issue. The fact that defence of living standards, not the EU, is the biggest issue in British politics was also at the root of the setback for both the SNP and the Lib Dems in the election.