Notes from the front

British leaders’ debates highlight need for new politics

Even many of the most blinkered political commentators have registered that the seven-way leaders debate embodies the fracturing of the traditional British political system dominated by the two major parties. The fact that it also clearly ushered in a new era of women’s political leadership is clearly progressive.

Yemen: US client kicks off another Middle East war

Yemen has become the latest victim of imperialist inspired chaos in the Middle East, as Saudi air strikes rain down and Islamic State linked militants are infiltrated into the country, in a US-backed attempt to restore ousted President Al-Hadi.

Budget promises only more austerity

Despite a rapturous welcome to George Osborne’s last Budget (on 18 March) from the press and the BBC the political impact has been negligible. Party political support registered by polls has been barely affected.

US declares its aim to overthrow socialism in Venezuela

On 9 March President Obama signed an Executive Order declaring ‘a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the situation in Venezuela’ and imposed sanctions on seven Venezuelan officials.

The declaration has sent out a clear signal that the US priority in Venezuela is to overturn the elected government. It is similar to an order signed by Ronald Reagan in 1985 against the Sandinista government of Nicaragua, which added Presidential authority to that campaign to destabilise a country which at the time, like Venezuela today, was trying to consolidate its socialist revolution.

EU is using ‘salami slicing’ tactics against Syriza

The EU rejection of the latest Greek government proposals confirms that the struggle is both intensifying and is likely to be prolonged.

The EU’s very public dismissal of Syriza’s proposals on reforming the tax collection system – and the widespread ridiculing of them by the European media – shows that the Eurogroup of finance ministers is not looking for any compromise and just aims to crush Syriza’s opposition to austerity. This stance is reinforced by the European Central Bank which is refusing to provide short-term funds (‘liquidity’) to Greek banks in case these are used to fund government operations.

Eurogroup, ECB and IMF seek Syriza’s unconditional surrender

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told a weekend rally that Syriza’s international opponents ‘plan was and is to wear down, topple or bring our government to unconditional surrender before our work begins to bear fruit and before the Greek example affects other countries,’ he said, adding: ‘and mainly before the elections in Spain.’