Graphic: An Phoblacht

Sinn Fein maintains its mandate to oppose austerity and defend the peace process

12th May 2015 Socialist Action 0

By Frances Davis

In the north of Ireland the election was dominated by two factors: the economic situation and austerity; and the political and peace process. Sinn Fein have been at the sharp end of the fight against austerity and in resisting Tory welfare `reform’ cuts from being implemented in the six counties. They have also been in an on-going struggle to defend the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement against an anti-agreement offensive of unionism and the Tory-led government, which has attempted to stall and roll back progress.

End Austerity Now! – Support the 20 June national demonstration

11th May 2015 Socialist Action 0

By Ian Richardson

The People’s Assembly Against Austerity is organising a major national demonstration on June 20 under the headline title End Austerity Now. For the left both inside and outside the Labour Party, and all those who wish to resist the massive attacks to come from the newly elected Conservative Government in the years ahead, building this demonstration must be our immediate priority.

Tactical victory for Cameron – unnecessary defeat for Labour

10th May 2015 Socialist Action 0


The outcome of the 2015 general election was a tactical triumph for David Cameron but it was achieved by destroying his own political allies the LibDems. For Labour this was a huge missed opportunity. There is now a Tory Prime Minister with a majority in Parliament with the lowest share of the popular vote ever, who presided over the longest decline in living standards, yet Labour lost seats. The rise of the SNP, the other big winner from the election, being due to the greater distance it places between itself and Tory policies.

Notes from the front – of the week 5/5/2015

5th May 2015 Socialist Action 0


Kick out the Tories! – Ed Miliband should be next PM!

With opinion polls continuing to suggest a neck-and-neck race and no party likely to get an overall majority, the Tory campaign to cling on to office is feverish. New ‘constitutional’ conventions are being invented daily, such as the spurious contention that the largest party – in seats or votes – must be allowed to form a government. And it has been declared that on the one hand Scots can vote for whoever they like, but if it is the SNP they should be excluded from government influence.

Left victories mark start of new era for student movement – NUS Conference 2015 report

2nd May 2015 Socialist Action 0

This year’s NUS Conference (21 – 23 April) for the first time in decades saw the left win the majority of the NUS leadership positions, a majority of the NUS Executive and strengthened support for the policy of free education. The following article, by Aaron Kiely (NUS NEC) and Fiona Edwards (Student Broad Left Secretary), reporting on the Conference was originally published by Student Broad Left.