Workers' Liberty

Tony Benn is a former British cabinet member.

Dear Tony Benn
You have put your name to a petition on behalf of Saddam Hussein’s deputy Tariq Aziz.

We have opened a discussion in Solidarity about the important issue of “left-wing anti-semitism” or judeophobia. It is worthwhile here to make it clear what we are, and are not, talking about.

What is “left-wing anti-semitism”? Where is it manifested? What is to be done about it?

In an autumn of demonstrations in France, Saturday 15 October saw a small demonstration of a few thousands in Paris demanding, “Homes for all, end the expulsions”.

by colin foster

Last-minute tweaks to Iraq's constitutional referendum on 15 October had the desired effect.

by david broder

Over three weeks after the German election which left both the Social Democrats (SPD) and the conservative CDU with too few seats to form a government, the two parties finally agreed on 10 October to form a “Grand Coalition” for the first time since 1969.

It is too early to know what effect the earthquake will have on the volatile political conditions inside Pakistan, but it is certain to exacerbate existing trends. Cathy Nugent reports

According to socialists and trade unionists, current Pakistani government estimates of casualties (40,000) from the 9 October earthquake are far too low. The figure could rise to 100,000 or more.

Charlie McDonald, PCS Department of Work and Pensions East London branch secretary

Public and Commercial Services Union members working in Jobcentres and dole offices in London have voted for a series of strikes. The first is due to take place on 16 November.

Brazil

The Brazilian Workers’ Party (PT) candidate Lula da Silva was elected president in 2002 but without a majority in Congress. To gain support for the election and then in power, the PT formed alliances with other parties.

Paul Hampton reviews Hugo Chávez and the Bolivarian Revolution by Richard Gott (Verso, 2005)

A police crackdown against workers from the Chongqing steel plant earlier this month resulted in the death of two women protestors, 24 workers injured and the detention of three of the workers’ leaders, according to the China Labour Bulletin.

Activists should get hold of a copy of Basta! to show to their union branch or student union. It is a short film by Mariette Heres about the Bolivian gas and water wars. It will be shown at the No Sweat conference on 26 November.

By Harry Palmer

The road to the Bolivian elections on 4 December is becoming increasingly fraught with obstacles.

During his eight years

on the old General Electric Theater,

Reagan enjoyed certain distinct

professional advantages.

Hundreds of women worked

at those benches. With prosperity,

more and more were added.

By Ruben Lomas

60 years ago, the 1945 Labour government was voted into power.

By Laura Schwartz

How much are we prepared to sacrifice in order to ensure our safety? This question has been fiercely debated in the weeks since the London bombings by politicians, journalists, senior members of the police force and civil liberties campaigners.

RECORD FINE FOR PFI FIRM

Earlier this month PFI engineering firm Balfour Beatty and Network Rail, the successor company to Railtrack, were fined £10 million and £3.5million, respectively, for their part in the Hatfield rail disaster. The judge described the crash as “one of the worst examples of sustained industial negligence”.

During the nineteenth century, the emerging workers’ movement began to develop its policy on the “woman question”.

Prêcheurs de Haine (Preachers of Hatred), by Pierre-André Taguieff, is a large scale, French-language study of “left wing” “judeophobia”.

Taguieff is not himself a leftist, but his observations and analysis of the left are not necessarily invalidated by that.

In the last issue of Solidarity Stan Crooke presented an exposition of Taguieff’s arguments*. In this issue he critically examines Taguieff’s material and his assessments. In future issues of Solidarity will publish a discussion on this book and on “left-wing” judeophobia in general. We invite contributions to that discussion.

By Andy Hilton

Boycotters are back

It looks as if the “boycott Israel" crowd have recovered sufficiently from their defeat in the Association of University Teachers (AUT) to come back for another stab.

Rosalind robson reviews dispatches, undercover in the secret state, Monday 17 October, Channel four

Sacha Ismail is obsessed with The West Wing (Season six, out on DVD and showing on more4)

Sally Murdock reviews Serenity

Serenity is set 500 years in the future. A brutal military totalitarian force called the Alliance has taken control of the universe.

A national campaign has been launched against City Academy schools. These are (usually new) schools which are, in return for minimal financial sponsorship are managed entirely by businesses or religious groups outside of any local community control. The campaign wants to press the TUC, the NUT and other teaching unions to launch a national conference and demo as agreed at last month’s TUC conference.

GMB Shout is the LGBT group set up by activists in the GMB. It meets in London and organises around GMB equalities events. There’s no formal recognition by the GMB.

On Saturday 22 October in London, and 29 October in Leeds, members, sympathisers, and friends of the AWL are meeting for the second in our new series of monthly day schools.

By Mike Rowley

Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority plan to use Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust as a pilot project for private management in the NHS.

The export of cotton from the US South was a major factor in the growth of British industry during the 19th century. The blockade of Southern ports by the Union navy resulted in a major crisis.

By Sacha Ismail

In my first article, I described how the bourgeoisie of the Northern United States formed a coalition with other social layers to defeat a pro-slavery rebellion and destroy slavery in the US South. This article looks at the US working class during that period.

By Daniel Randall (NUS National Executive, personal capacity)

In my last column I wrote about the need for students to unite with workers on their campuses to fight back against attacks they both face.