The signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by Iran and the United States does not signify the end to US imperialism’s long-term assault upon the Islamic Republic. We...
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Tory manifesto is the most right-wing since 1945
By Ian Richardson
One of the clearest examples of ‘fake news’ and ‘alternative facts’ so far in the British election campaign has been the media’s flagging of the Tory manifesto as stealing moderate Labour’s clothes by ‘abandoning Thatcherism’ and instead pitching ‘for the centre ground’, allegedly abandoned by Corbyn’s Labour. In reality May’s Tory manifesto is the most right wing Tory manifesto since the Second World War, going way beyond Thatcher in its proposals to deepen the attack on the welfare state, extending austerity’s scope to both the very young – ending free school lunches – and to the elderly with the ending of winter fuel payments except to the very poor and a ‘solution’ to the social care crisis of making those needing it pay for it themselves from the value of their homes.
Women’s March Against Trumpism – 20 May
Assemble 12pm Saturday 20 May
Victoria Square in the centre of Birmingham
The anti-choice, US-inspired ‘March for Life’ is organising a ‘Life-fest’ event in the centre of Birmingham on Saturday 20 May.
‘March for Life’ might have a shiny family-friendly appearance but don’t be fooled. It is made up of extreme anti-women, anti-choice, evangelical groups which are homophobic and have links to the far right. ‘March for Life’ is styled on the US anti-abortion movement and is using the same extreme slogan ‘life from conception –no exception’. It is actively supported by US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Speakers are being flown in from the US to the march in Birmingham.
Why the ‘Belt & Road’ region will be the main locomotive of the world economy
The following article by John Ross, explaining why the Belt & Road region is now the main locomotive in the world economy, was previously published by Socialist Economic Bulletin.
The importance of the Belt and Road (B&R) summit for China and participating countries is well known. What is not so widely grasped is that the B&R region is now by far the most powerful locomotive not only of the regional but of the global economy. To be precise:
· Measured at current exchange rates the IMF projects that in the next five years’ growth in the B&R region measured in absolute dollar terms will be almost twice that in North America and four times that in Europe.
Labour’s manifesto
By Ian Richardson
The radical policies outlined in Labour’s manifesto have galvanised wide layers of the Labour Party membership in the fight to defeat the Tories. Beyond committed Labour activists, the broad mass of voters do not care whether the manifesto is labelled too radical by its critics and are only interested in whether policies are likely to benefit them. The manifesto is replete with proposals that will do that.
Macron may have won, but he will fail
By Jane West
The French presidential elections ended with Macron sweeping into the Élysée Palace on 66 per cent of the vote, and Le Pen roundly defeated. But this is the beginning, not the end. Macron has no alternative to the politics of austerity that have destroyed the Socialist Party, and therefore he will fail. His popularity will be short-lived and the fight between the left and the far right as to which will succeed in hegemonising the increasing alienated French electorate will break out with renewed force.