A terrifying choice between two unpopular options confronts voters in the US this month.
When Barack Obama was elected in 2008 there were high hopes for what he could achieve. Eight years on the excitement was encapsulated in Bernie Sanders’ left wing challenge for the Democratic nomination.
The Polish government is terrified of women. Its efforts to introduce a total abortion ban have created a massive backlash with hundreds of thousands of people, mainly young women, demonstrating, taking days off and wearing black at school, college or work.
The draft law had proposed a prison term of up to five years for women who had an abortion.
A summit meeting in London last month to plan next steps against the Housing and Planning Act drew 250 people in a serious and determined mood. They included council, housing association, co-op and private tenants, union members and several local councillors.
Among them was the elected mayor of Hackney, Philip Glanville, who repeated his council’s opposition to the Act and called on other councils to join the campaign against it.
As we go to press, thousands of refugees are being herded out of the Calais “Jungle” camp and transported to other parts of France.
Amid harrowing scenes, we have seen people rightly resisting this forced relocation, riot police teargassing refugees, and unaccompanied children being left to wander alone — only to find that, if they weren’t yet “registered”, they were to be arrested.
The campaign by Lord Dubs to let in the unaccompanied refugee children is more crucial than ever.
The news that the Irish government is to appeal the European Commission’s ruling that it must collect €13 billion in unpaid back taxes from Apple seems like a particularly vicious Irish joke.
Jeremy Corbyn’s keynote speech to the Labour Party conference was a defiant response to his critics in the parliamentary party who have been doing their best to undermine him since his re-election as leader at the start of the conference.
On education, arms sales, housing and especially on immigration, he offered a refreshingly radical agenda in complete contrast to that of his deputy and chief tormentor, Tom Watson, the previous day.
*UPDATE* The first round of strikes in September have been suspended by the BMA, whose leaders have caved in to pressure from managers. The subsequent strikes set for October, November and December are still going ahead (so far).
Junior doctors will be on strike for five days from 12 September. This escalation comes out of a rejection by members of the deal put to them by the leadership of their union, the BMA.
Further action has already been announced for October, November and December.
In August, Darayya, the suburb of Damascus noted for its peaceful protests at the beginning of the 2011 revolution, surrendered following a four-year siege. The Syrian regime is now focusing on crushing the remaining pockets of rebel areas in Homs and Damascus.
The British state, its ruling class, its economy and its political system have all been thrown into chaos by the vote to leave the EU.
Some 52 percent opted for exit, on a turnout of 72 percent, higher than any general election since 1992. They did so in the face of opposition from three quarters of MPs, the leadership of all three of the biggest parliamentary parties — the Conservatives, Labour and the Scottish National Party — the overwhelming bulk of British industry and almost every major capitalist institution, from the Bank of England to the International Monetary Fund.
Stand up to Racism is joining some of the biggest mass movements in Britain and major trade unions in a Convoy to Calais to show solidarity with refugees.
Both official EU referendum campaigns are using racism to whip up support and politicians all over Europe are scapegoating the powerless to avoid challenging the powerful.
