Solidarity 770, 1 July 2026

Andrew Stone Higgins is the editor of From the Free Speech Movement to the Factory Floor: A Collective History of the International Socialists, published by Haymarket in March 2026. Andrew spoke to Daniel Randall from Workers' Liberty about the book.

That Labour has pushed out Keir Starmer instead of waiting for Nigel Farage to be his replacement is good. Being both sanctimonious and untrustworthy, both ineffectual and control-freaky, has discredited Starmer beyond repair. That the replacement is taking place through a “coronation”, and that the left Labour MPs in the Campaign Group are not daring even to try to get nominations for a contest, is bad. In 2007 Gordon Brown replaced Tony Blair as Labour leader and prime minister in a “coronation”, and that didn’t go well. Getting, say, 70% in a vote gives you credit. Getting 99% or 100% makes...

1939-40: The US Trotskyist movement, the SWP (no relation to British SWP), which is then the strongest in the world and one of very few that would be able to operate with some freedom during World War 2, splits in a dispute over whether to back the USSR in its war against Finland (Nov 1939 to March 1940). The USSR “defencists” led by James P Cannon (and supported by Trotsky) expel the minority led by Max Shachtman. 1940, August: Trotsky killed by Stalinist assassin. Late 1940 to early 1950s: The minority, now organised as the Workers Party (WP), conclude that the USSR has become a new...

Reform suffered an electoral setback in the Makerfield by-election on 18 June. Since their May council victories they have had some damaging internal frictions and defections. Reform is in a mess, but we can’t be complacent. To stop the far right we need the labour movement and the left to respond with much more urgency. They needs to be confronted in the streets, workplaces and communities. Confronted on the streets in spite of police protection for the far right. On 13 June thousands of people gathered in Brighton to stop the far right from marching and they succeeded. We need more of that...

On Friday 26 June Lebanon and Israel signed an agreement which gives a vague outline of how Israel and Lebanon, acting under US pressure, intend to deal with Hezbollah, the Shia party-militia and Iranian proxy which rules in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah was not party to the deal and has denounced it. Hezbollah’s leader Naim Qassem described the framework agreement as “humiliating, shameful.” The Israeli army currently occupies about 5% of Lebanon and has agreed to withdraw from two small pockets of Lebanese territory along the Litani river, handing control over to the Lebanese Army. The...

The issue of workplace heat dominated many trade-union branches in the week starting 22 June, and many small victories were won. Some workers, such as London bus drivers, took direct action and refused work on health and safety grounds. Many others won mitigations like agreements to work from home or workplace closures. These actions kept workers safe, but long term solutions require more sustained pressure. At least one union branch, Arriva London North Unite, is leading the way by balloting on this issue. Many employers introduced temperature “fixes” during the heat wave, often under...

June 23 marked the tenth anniversary of the referendum vote that took the UK out of the EU following a spectacularly dishonest campaign by the populist right and a pathetically inept official “Remain” campaign. Shamefully, much of the UK left advocated voting “Leave”, but dressed up their capitulation to the populist right by claiming their pathetic efforts (sometimes pretending to be a campaign calling itself “Lexit”) offered options different from those coming from victory for the nationalist and often racist campaigns being run by the two main “Leave” outfits, one run by Dominic Cummings...

From London Hazards Centre June 27: Bus drivers across London have taken direct action to protect themselves and the travelling public in this week’s heatwave. At the Bow garage, Docklands garage, and elsewhere, drivers have refused to drive buses without air-conditioning on health and safety grounds. Arriva London North Unite branch is now balloting members for industrial action over this issue. A large part of London’s bus fleet lacks effective air-conditioning and temperatures in bus cabs have exceeded 40ºC this week. On driver reported 53.5ºC which is pushing at the limit of human...