Solidarity 365, 20 May 2015

A government for the rich

The Tories are committed to cutting public spending by £30 billion over the next four years. This will mean annual cuts twice the size of any year’s cuts over the past five years. Although they have not identified all their cuts it is already clear to some degree where the axe will fall. Policies include debarring unemployed under-21s from claiming Housing Benefit and cutting the annual benefits cap — the maximum payable to any claimant, whatever their circumstances — from £26,000 to £23,000. Jobseekers Allowance for 18-21 year-olds will be replaced by a six-month Youth Allowance, after which...

Listen to the secular!

Pretty much all the left press other than Solidarity has denounced the election court decision against Lutfur Rahman, mayor of Tower Hamlets in East London, and most of the left has backed Rabina Khan, Rahman's ally, for the new mayoral election on 11 June. Does the left press reckon that Rahman didn't do what the court disqualified him for doing? Or that he did do it, but it was all right? It's hard to tell. I don't know if the writers in the left press even read the judgement. If they did read it, then probably, like me, they were annoyed by the style of the judge, Richard Mawrey - pompous...

Italian school reforms spark revolt

Having wiped the floor with the major Italian unions over the Jobs Act, and blew away what passes for the "left" in his own party with a display of ruthless, cynical contempt for the niceties of bourgeois parliamentary procedure and the countries constitution, with the successful passage of his new and profoundly reactionary electoral law, the "Italicum", Matteo Renzi believed he could make it a hat-trick of victories with his latest bill to reform the countries decrepit and dilapidated educational system. Of course he had every right to feel confident — his counterparts in the schools and...

Free jailed Iranian trade unionists!

On April 19 Ali-Reza Hashemi, the General Secretary of the Iranian Teachers' Organisation, was arrested and taken to Evin prison. Teachers' in Iran have been fighting against low pay and pay disparity. On April 16 teachers demonstrated outside Educational Ministry buildings across Iran. In 2010 Hashemi was sentenced to five years in prison in 2010 for “pursuing [teachers’] trade demands” and “meeting the families of imprisoned teachers” Hashemi was also charged with “gathering and collusion to disrupt national security” and “propaganda against the system”. Hashemi was also sentenced to three...

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.