The Crackdown in Belarus
In Belarus, a populist government that long claimed the support of its people finds itself repressing a historic protest movement – and its demands for a more democratic politics.
4352 Articles by:
Ko Leik Pya
Ko Leik Pya works as a teacher and writer in the UK and Myanmar. He writes here under a pseudonym.
Italy’s Far-Right Is Still in the Driving Seat
Italy’s far-right remains on the rise – with both the Lega and Fratelli d’Italia projected to gain in September’s elections. The country’s political direction offers a stark reminder of what happens when a fighting Left disappears.
John Swinney Must Go
Scotland’s SQA results fiasco is just a symbol of growing inequalities in Scottish education which are leaving working-class students behind. It needs to change – and that starts with John Swinney’s departure.
The Mask and the Queue
Pubs are reopening, but they don’t feel the same as they did before the pandemic. What are the possibilities for the future of the public house as a public space?
How DHL Profits from Crisis – While its Workers Bear the Cost
The CEO of parcel giant DHL recently said the company had “never been in better shape,” with profits soaring during the Covid-19 crisis – but its workers face unsafe conditions, a lack of sick pay and paltry rewards.
Covid-19 Has Exposed Britain’s Childcare Crisis
Almost half of the women workers who have lost their jobs during Covid-19 cite lack of childcare as a factor. It’s time to recognise childcare as a public good – and make it available to everyone.
Failing the Public While Making a Killing
England’s privatised test and trace system is failing by all international standards, but two corporations – Serco and Sitel – stand to make three quarters of a billion anyway. It should be a national scandal.
Our Plan for a Democratic, Liberated and Socialist Student Wing
In the first student representative elections since the abolition of Labour Students, Fraser Amos, Nabeela Mowlana and Micaela Tracey-Ramos outline their socialist vision for Labour student organising.
Why We Need the Right to Roam
The coronavirus crisis has seen many more people holiday at home this year, but vast private estates mean that only 8% of land in England is accessible – it’s time to fight for our right to roam.
The Real Crisis in the Channel Is the One Facing Migrants
Migrant crossings in the Channel have been described as a ‘national crisis,’ but the real crisis is the war and persecution that forces families to flee their homes – and the border regimes that brutalise them.
Letter: Bolsonaro and the Brazilian Far-Right Are Putting Lives at Risk
Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, Diane Abbott and figures from across the labour movement sign a letter condemning the Bolsonaro government’s handling of Covid-19 – and warning he poses a threat to public safety.
Towards a New Spanish Republic
As Spain’s former king flees the country after a string of corruption revelations, Podemos co-founder Juan Carlos Monedero makes the case for abolishing the country’s monarchy – and building a new republic.
How Socialists Won Our Democratic Rights
The myth of modern democracy is that it was handed down from on-high. In fact, the ruling class resisted extending the franchise at every turn – and it was socialists who fought them for the right to vote.
The Covid Crisis Could Produce a Rail Revolution
With air travel decimated by the pandemic, countries across Europe are investing in high-speed rail networks – now is the time for Britain to invest, and ensure its regions aren’t left behind once again.
How Socialists Invented the Summer Holiday
In 1930s France, the labour movement made summer holidays a priority — and forced bosses to pay workers for time at the beach.
Remembering John Weeks
Late last month, pioneering socialist economist John Weeks passed away. Ann Pettifor remembers her colleague and friend – and his contributions to left-wing politics.
Clapping Was Not Enough – It’s Time to Give NHS Workers a Pay Rise
Today, across Britain, the same NHS workers that the government called ‘heroes’ during this pandemic had to protest for decent wages and working conditions. The time for clapping is over – they deserve a pay rise.
How the Black Death Changed the World
In just a few years, the Black Death wiped out more than one third of Europe’s population. The world it left behind offered new possibilities for peasants and workers to resist their masters.
Rock in Opposition
A new book on the experimental group Henry Cow concentrates on their attempts to combine socialist politics and avant-garde music.
How the Southbank Centre Betrayed Arts Workers
London’s Southbank Centre is a product of municipal socialism – but today it represents a corporate attitude to the arts, with plans to layoff nearly 400 workers while managers earn six-figure sums.