Neither Washington nor mosque
A mere six years rarely provides sufficient distance from which to assess the impact of major historical events. But it already seems clear that 9/11 has done as much to shape our world as any other event in most of our lifetimes, save perhaps for the collapse of communism. In a sense, the two developments [...]
Taking trade unionism forward
If the Trade Union Congress – which kicks off in Brighton today – is ever again to become anything more than a worthy annual talkfest, the labour movement needs to renew its relevance to working people in an environment very different to the one in which most activists grew up. Last time I saw the [...]
Sunday blogging notes
(1) Mick Hall – one of the few vaguely sensible participants in the UK Left Network e-group – has launched a blog under the name of Organized Rage. Sorry for not getting round to linking until now, Mick. It’s well worth checking out: expect plenty of well-informed coverage of Irish politics, plus lots of anti-fash [...]
Johann Eliasch and sweatshop labour
Johan Eliasch, boss of sportswear firm Head, is to let his membership of the Conservative Party lapse – even though they still haven’t repaid his generous £2.6m loan – and will from now on be advising New Labour on climate change. This blog has had occasion to comment on the source of the Swedish businessman’s [...]
Full employment: still a political priority
Full employment always used to be a basic tenet of the post-war consensus, not a transitional demand from outer space. Yet for the last three decades, it has effectively been written off as a policy objective. Tory chancellor Norman Lamont was famously happy to describe lengthening dole queues as ‘a price well worth paying’ for [...]
Not everything can equal fascism
If you went on any of the big anti-war demos, you’ll have seen the stickers featuring the star of David and the swastika. That’s justified, because Zionism equals Hitler’s national socialism. Obviously. On the other hands, several currently popular liberal-left authors make the case that radical Islamism can properly be described as ‘islamofascism’. The idea [...]
The timeless make-up of that Conservative soul
Michael Ancram has today waded into his nominal boss, with the publication of a 30-page document carrying the patently caustic title Still a Conservative. The clear implication has to be that David Cameron isn’t. The erstwhile Earl of Ancram (pictured left: he does mean Dylan covers, apparently) is clearly having none of that touchy-feely cross-party [...]
Gordon Brown’s ‘New Politics’: socialist exclusion unit
The prime minister today unveiled his vision of a ‘New Politics’. But Gordon Brown’s erection of an even bigger big tent surely marks a further step in the continued rightwards evolution of New Labour. That can be seen by looking at the track record of the two Tory MPs who will now be helping to [...]
The left and working-class living standards
Two week holidays in Thailand. Forty-two inch plasma screen high definition televisions with built-in DVD player. A decent pair of jeans for four quid. Anyone advocating radical social change to a system that has put all that within reach of the majority of the UK population better have a bloody good reason. The Tories won [...]
