Solidarity 222, 26 October 2011

Dale Farm eviction

Police and bailiffs finally succeeded in breaking the resistance of traveller families and their supporters and, on Wednesday 19 October, began clearing plots at the Dale Farm campsite. Over 100 riot police were mobilised to aid with the eviction and tasers were used on travellers and activists defending the site. Electricity to the caravans was disconnected, endangering the life of a man whose defibrillator stopped working. He was later rushed to hospital. 34 people were arrested. Bailiffs also breached a High Court order stipulating that they must give 48 hours’ notice before commencing any...

Wage cuts for 90% of us

A study conducted by the GMB union has revealed that real wages have fallen for 90% of the UK workforce since 2007. The study provides a breakdown of by occupation, and reveals that workers in energy and skilled manufacturing workers such as moulders, core makers and die casters have suffered losses of more than 20%. Company secretaries and printing workers have also seen their wages fall by between 15-20%. • More information: see tinyurl.com/gmbstudy

Post-riots clampdown is class hate orgy

New government figures show that the clampdown by police and courts after the August riots has been a class-hate orgy. The riots didn’t help the working-class areas in which they took place. The clampdown is doing worse. 66% of the school-age people arrested in the riots were officially classified as having special educational needs. 33% of those aged between 10 and 17 had been excluded from school during the previous year. Only 13% have been officially tagged as “gang members”. These are not hardened anti-social thugs: just young people getting the roughest deal from the system — young people...

No to "work for your dole"

On 19 October the Boycott Workfare coalition protested outside a conference for businesses involved in implementing the government’s Work Programme and other welfare reforms. Dressed as prisoners in a chain gang, adorned with corporate logos, the protest was to to highlight how big business “gets something for nothing” under the new measures People claiming Jobseekers Allowance could now be mandated to undertake up to 30 hours unpaid work per week for up to four weeks. An artist also invited passers by to take part in her installation about mandatory work activity, paying them 3p a minute to...

Tony Blair: friends in high places

Since leaving office in 2007, former prime minister Tony Blair has, according to the Daily Telegraph, amassed a £20 million fortune (estimates vary). How’s he done it? Selling himself to the highest bidder. On the very same day he handed over to Gordon Brown, Blair stepped into the job of official representative to the Middle East for the UN, EU, USA and Russia. He then set about collecting a series of consultancies, advisory positions and board memberships for institutions like JP Morgan Chase, Zurich Financial Services and the UI Energy Corporation — a South Korean oil firm that operates in...

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.