Articles by Socialist Action

Ignore the hype, Trump won by default

9th November 2016 Socialist Action 0

By Jude Woodward

The victory of Donald Trump has handed the most powerful office on earth into the hands of someone whose promises include a giant wall along the Mexican border, the expulsion of 11 million ‘illegal immigrants’ – roughly 6 per cent of the US workforce – ‘extreme vetting’ for any Muslim seeking to enter the country, the repeal of Obamacare, keeping existing gun laws and punishing women who seek an abortion. He denies the existence of climate change, proposes to engage in a new era of protectionist trade policies, professes to ‘love war’, and is prone to casual racism, misogyny and bigotry towards Jews, LGBT people, Latinos and any other minority group.

US ‘pivot’ to Asia hits the rocks

8th November 2016 Socialist Action 0

By Jude Woodward

The US foreign policy establishment is reeling after its strategy to reassert itself in Asia and contain the rise of China received a hammering from an unexpected quarter – its long-term ally, former colony and reliable stooge, the Philippines.

New situation after court ruling on Article 50 vote in Parliament

7th November 2016 Socialist Action 0

Notes from the front of 7-11-16

New situation after court ruling on Article 50 vote in Parliament

The High Court ruling that there must be a parliamentary vote to trigger Article 50 is the first time that the real world has been allowed to intervene in the delusional Brexit process. So far the leaders of the Brexit process have appeared to assume that a referendum vote to leave the EU means they no longer have to take account of laws, different opinions on the type of Brexit, the impact of economics or the interests of other governments. This potentially begins to allow some democratic and political scrutiny of what the gung ho Brexiteers are trying to impose.

Labour right sides with Saudi dictatorship

3rd November 2016 Socialist Action 0

Notes from the front of 3-11-16

Labour right sides with Saudi dictatorship

On 26 October Shadow Foreign Secretary, Emily Thornberry, moved a motion in Parliament calling for an independent, UN led investigation into violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen. It called for the British government to suspend its support to the Saudi-led coalition pending the outcome. The motion was defeated, with 197 MPs voting in favour and 283 against.

The attack on Corbyn is about Palestine not anti-Semitism

2nd November 2016 Socialist Action 0

Notes from the front of 2-11-16

The attack on Corbyn is about Palestine not anti-Semitism

Anti-Semitism is deeply reactionary, and in an extreme barbaric form was the cutting edge of Nazi ideology, that underpinned the Holocaust. Where ever it exists it should be opposed.

However, the claims that the Labour Party is seriously infected with anti-Semitism and that Shami Chakrabarti’s report covered this up are part of an on-going campaign to smear Jeremy Corbyn and oust him as leader.

Shoring up terrorism in Syria and Iraq

27th October 2016 Socialist Action 0

Notes from the front of 27-10-16

Shoring up terrorism in Syria and Iraq

Despite the orchestrated hysteria around the fate of Aleppo, imperialism’s role in Syria was very obvious in recent days. Attempts by the Syrian and Russian governments to re-open peace negotiations were thwarted by the refusal of the armed opposition in Syria to support the ceasefire in Aleppo, or allow the UN proposed evacuation.