Category: Uncategorized

If the dishonest Labour government scrap the Triple Lock which has assisted pensioners each year since 2011 (apart from replacing the inflation rate of RPI with CPI) which it did thus reducing the pension and if the government increases the level of tax on the state pension it will wipe out the Personal Allowance and pensioners will be be worse off.

The tax which should be increased is from Companies such as Amazon, BP, Shell, Apple, and the Companies owed by Elon Musk.

Arthur Scargill

President

National Union of Mineworkers

1982-2002

Remembering the #Grunwick strike led by #JayabenDesai, the fierce and inspirational leader of the 1976-8 #GrunwickStrike.

This was a key event in the history of British trade unionism, particularly for its role in confronting racism and highlighting the fight for trade union recognition.

on June 22 1977 #ArthurScargill showed what real leadership is, along with his army of #NUM members from across the country traveled to the #Grunwick factory to join the picket line, demonstrating workers #SolidarityInAction.

As Arthur always says ;

“What you need is not marches, demonstrations, rallies or wide associations, all of them are important. What you need is direct action. The sooner people understand that, the sooner we’ll begin to change things”

Johnnie Taylor

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and the Labour Government have made clear they intend to raise between £20- £30 billion in order to “balance the books”.

Leaked information suggests that in the forthcoming Budget income tax will rise, pensioners will suffer by deletion of the Triple Lock, and spending on public services (already in a disastrous state) will be cut…again.

Hardship, deprivation and despair are spreading wider and deepening throughout the UK. The education, housing, health and welfare needs of our citizens, children and adults, have suffered years of criminal Government neglect and the British people are paying the price.

There is an alternative

The Socialist Labour Party argues there’s a fundamentally different way to tackle the mess we’re in.

Looking for £30 billion?  That could be raised at the stroke of a pen by slashing Britain’s senseless defence costs, currently standing at £66 billion – with yet more funding being promised to NATO  and to NATO’s war against Russia in Ukraine.  The UK has sent £21.8 billion to Ukraine.  In addition, £2.2 billion has been spent on bringing to Britain and housing some 242,000 Ukrainian refugees.

Britain is on course to increase war-spending  – paid for by our taxes – to £132 billion – a sum more than four times the £30 billion the Chancellor is seeking to “balance the books”.

The Socialist Labour Party wants an end to the war in Ukraine and an end to all the senseless wars funded by Governments such as Britain’s. 

What should that money be spent on?  Our demands are simple and moderate; they include:

1. Council housing for all those in need of a home and without the resources to buy property.
2. Jobs (including proper apprenticeships) for every person able to work – that includes jobs in regenerating Britain’s ravaged manufacturing and industrial base.  Let’s put an end to that aspect of “AI” which renders valuable skills obsolete (while making hundreds of thousands dependent on benefit);
3. Proper funding not only of the NHS but of our devastated social services.
4. Transforming education provision, from nursery care through to the highest levels of learning, for all our children and youngsters, whatever their needs.

We want a society that looks after and involves all of us, excluding none.

The Socialist Labour Party was founded in 1996 following a proposal by British miners’ leader Arthur Scargill.  Those who took part in establishing the SLP included trade union leaders (such as Bob Crow of the NUR/RMT, Joe Marino of the Bakers’ Union and current SLP Leader Jim McDaid of the Educational Institute of Scotland), peace movement, environmental and anti-racism activists.

Statement from the Socialist Labour Party
29th of October, 2025

As a result of Burnham’s statement last night (29th of September) that “he wants to re- join the European Union”,  I take the view that he would be a disaster for the Labour Party and he is as shortsighted as as Starmer and Corbyn who also wanted to re-join the EU.

Our manifesto was and is clear (page 7). Withdrawal from the EU and Nato should allow the UK to develop and expand links with nations in Asia, Africa, South Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, including Cuba, and Venezuela who have endured over 50 years of economic blockade and sanctions because of the United States fear of Socialism.

If Jeremy Corbyn really wants a change he should join the Socialist Labour Party first founder by James Connolly in 1903 and re- founded in 1996 with a promise to restore Clause IV as the heart of of a Party who stand for the will of the people.

I thought that Andy Burnham would be far better than Keir Starmer as leader of the Labour Party based on the views of members of the Labour Party, a view which Andy Burnham stated last night that he wants the United Kingdom to re-join the European Union, a view which Tony Benn and I campaigned for years to leave this Capitalist entity that introduced VAT a tax which has crippled the UK

The central policy of the Socialist Labour Party was and is to leave the EU and which in 2016 became the will of the people.

Arthur Scargill

President of the NUM 1982-2001

The September 2025 Trade Union Congress passed a motion called Wages not Weapons. This motion reversed the decision of  a motion passed  a few years ago supporting increases in defence spending. This is a very welcome development.

In June 2025 NATO called on all of its member states to increase its defence expenditure as a percentage of GDP to 5% by 2030. This would mean massive cuts in public expenditure in countries like Britain.

NATO has become a very war monger organisation in recent years. Adopting a very hostile attitude to both Russia and China. This started after the fascist coup in Ukraine in February 2014 when the democratically elected President Viktor Yanukovich who favoured a neutral Ukraine was overthrown.

Besides welcoming  the  passing of the Trade Union Congress Wages not Weapons motion which is a vote for peace. We should also fight for a Socialist Britain and a Socialist World based on peace,justice and equality.

Kevin O’Connor
SLP Member, London

In these days of supplicant and compliant MSM journalism, it was a breath of fresh air watching the independant media organisation, Declassified UK, demonstrate what proper journalism should look like, here in the UK.

Somehow, they managed to enter Downing Street and be present for the arrival of Isaac Herzog’s motorcade. This president, is the same Isaac Herzog, who had an arrest warrant issued against him in 2024 by the International Criminal Court for plausable crimes against humanity, committed against the Palestinians in Gaza.

Herzog was asked directly in front of Starmer, whether he was a war criminal. Starmer was asked, “Why are you shaking hands with a man who said there are no innocents in Gaza?”

Starmer simply takes the blood-stained hand and turns his back.

There you have it, Starmer’s government feting murderers and genocidaires in plain sight, openly and unashamedly complicit in genocide.
Watch the video and watch the squirming.

By Allistair Lomax

As the news about the wretched antics of Peter Mandelson hitting the headlines my memories flood back to the 2001 General Election when #ArthurScargill stood for the Socialist Labour Party GB against the aptly named #PrinceOfDarkness Mandelson in the safe Labour seat of Hartlepool and I stood in the adjacent constituency of the safe Labour seat of Redcar (former seat of Mo Mowlam)

Sadly, absolutely nothing has changed with the absolutely despicable Mandelson.

By Johnnie Taylor

Any discussion on the SLP relationship to ‘Your Party’ is in my opinion far too premature at this moment in time as we have no clue as to who they are or what they even represent, which therefore makes it impossible to make any reasoned decisions, but may I make the following observations on any ‘new left party’ that comes into existence?

Any ‘new left party’ may want to consider some of the pitfalls of building any ‘left alliances’.

By allowing any new party to become a “broad church” as some would seem to suggest could and would happen in this case, as history proves, embraces sections which are not committed to a fundamental change in the nature of our society. The term “broad church” was introduced to assist the right-wing, not the Left.

This, therefore, is in my opinion the main problem of why alliances of the left will always fail, and why the SLP should not even consider any alliances, but most importantly for me is the principle of being committed to the eradication of capitalism and the establishment of socialism and common ownership as Clause IV (4) in the Socialist Labour Party GB Constitution clearly states, a principle that we as a party will and cannot move on

The aim of common ownership as set out in Clause IV is designed to clearly commit our Party to a strategy for achieving socialism, that surely is what all of us as socialists should agree to isn’t it comrades?

Johnnie Taylor
SLP London Region

Dear Comrades,

The Socialist Labour Party is hoping to stand as many candidates as possible in the elections in Scotland,Wales and England next year (2026).

If you would like to be considered as a candidate, could you let me know, please, so we can try to coordinate the campaigns.

As a candidate your views must align with the SLP constitution and position, as outlined in the party’s Manifesto.

And, of course, you must be a fully paid-up member of the party.

If you wish to be considered, please give me your name, region and contact details so that we can all work together.

Please contact me on christopherbutler1@mac.com.

The Socialist Labour Party has a lot to offer to achieve a just, socialist alternative to the disaster the other parties are making.

Solidarity,

Chris Butler,

Elections Nomination Officer, Socialist Labour Party

We are witnessing one of the most blatant hypocritical propaganda campaigns on an international scale since the Nazi German fascist campaign in the 1930s.

We are witnessing NATO, the European Union, the United States of America and individual countries, including the United Kingdom condemning Russia for its conflict with Ukraine and pouring billions of dollars, euros and pounds sterling into Ukraine on the grounds it is a crime to occupy the whole or part of another country.

Yet Nato, the European Union, the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom are all bloody hypocrites as the following shows:

Nato and the EU supported the overthrow of democratically elected governments in Yugoslavia, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, all instigated by the United States

The United States have occupied part of Cuba (Guantanamo Bay) and supported the overthrow of governments throughout the Middle East, above all, these bodies have supported the fascist State of Israel since 1948 in its policy of occupation of land in 1967 and its occupation of Palestinian land and slaughter of Palestinians, including Gaza the West Bank, the Golan Heights, Lebanon. As well as supporting Taiwan (which is recognised as part of China).

To date the British Government has expended over £125 billion in arms and aid to the fascist government of the Ukraine which
gained power as a result of the overthrow of both an elected president and an elected government.

If it is right for the West to support a fascist Ukraine then it’s right to remember it was Ukraine troops who fought with Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union and were guards at concentration camps which were liberated by the Red Army who also liberated the Ukraine, Czechoslovaia and Berlin.

If the Western Powers can openly support Israel and to their shame provide it with arms then they cannot justify the very opposite in their attack on Russia when it was Ukraine who breached the agreement concluded at Minsk

Arthur Scargill
President NUM 1982-2002

It is being reported on social media, and consequently ignored by the main stream media, that a civil servant has leaked a set of briefing notes prepared for the Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, for her meeting today (8-7-2025) with the Israeli Ambassador, Tzipi Hotovely, in which it is claimed that Nandy will tell Hotovely that the BBC is “institutionally antisemitic” and that “one mistake is an editing error but if you have multiple mistakes you need to look at the leadership”.

And it is further claimed that Nandy will also inform Hotovely that “Glastonbury continues to host acts with vile and inflammatory views”, and that further investigation is required.

This statement flies in the face of the many instances of criticism from external sources over the pro-Israeli bias in the BBC’s coverage of the genocide in Gaza, (which term ‘genocide’ it doggedly refuses to use). Criticism from inside the BBC came from a recent letter drafted by 100 BBC employees to director Tim Davie that accuses the BBC of bias against the Palestinian cause and said:
“All too often it has felt that the BBC has been performing PR for the Israeli government and military. This should be a cause of great shame and concern for everyone at the BBC…”

If this leaked briefing turns out to be true, this has profound and disturbing implications for democracy in the UK. The government is being told to spin a false narrative to its own people, at the behest of the genocidal State of Israel, and forcing the state broadcaster to do the same, in an attempt to suppress dissent.

What is truly shocking, is the extent to which a foreign power, a colonialist, oppressive power, has penetrated the workings of the UK government, to attempt to tighten its grip on our media, in order to silence the voices of opposition to Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people.

We are literally being forced by a Labour government to ‘reject the evidence of your eyes and ears’ in true Orwellian fashion.

We must resist it at all cost, keep control of the narrative and ensure that the truth is heard.

Allistair Lomax

Of the 336 MPs who voted for the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill,  333 were Labour MPs, only 49 Labour MPs voted against.

The Bill passed, subject to review. It has only been delayed in its full implementation. It should never have been voted for on any terms by the majority of Labour MPs. It will create a two-tier system; existing claimants getting access to PIP, but future claimants being denied.

This is a huge cut, similar to the 2017 cut of Child Tax Credit being limited to two children for each family. The health element of Universal Credit looks like being cut much soon.

People under 22 years of age were being focused on to be cut from this. Even before this Bill was passed welfare budget cuts were passed by Conservative governments from 2010.

The new Labour government continued the roll out of Universal Credit, which was always a cut of benefits. It abolishes separate benefits by phasing them out. Disabled people, of working age, depend on PIP as essential support. PIP is the gateway for getting more income under Universal Credit, as Pension Credit is for pensioners. Using one gateway to access essential support acts as a deliberate cut.

Many single State pensioners are caught by a rise of £s a week, it goes over the limit for Pension Credit; thousands of £s a year is lost to them. Couple State pensioners can not only lose Pension Credit, but Housing benefit and Council Tax Exemption too.

Before this Bill there was hardship, sometimes resulting in deaths. NATO expansion and the proxy war in Ukraine caused high energy bills.

At the recent NATO meeting Keir Starmer promised 5% of GDP on Defence by 2035. Twelve new F35 nuclear capable planes were bought from the USA, costing £1 billion. Hundreds of Storm Shadow long range Missiles have been sent to Ukraine, costing £2 million each. The new Trident nuclear weapons and Submarines will cost an estimated £205 billion.

We can afford welfare not warfare.

Welfare is being cut to finance the warfare.

The Socialist Labour Party has been campaigning for a peaceful future since before this century.

Join us!

Kathrine Jones, Vice President, Socialist Labour Party.

Our General Secretary, Chris Butler, comments on Unite the Union’s reluctance to call out Keir Starmer for cutting benefits while pledging to increase defence spending.

“I notice that Unite does not comment on the reason why Starmer wants to make savings in the cost of benefits.

It is so he can increase defence spending to 5% of [UK] GDP. Unite does not comment because they have workers in the Arms Industry building weapons to kill innocent women and children in Gaza, including parts for the F35 fighter planes used to blitz Gaza.

Unite also has members building Small Modular Reactors producing nuclear power.

I don’t think Unite supports Welfare not Warfare.”

Chris Butler 30-6-2025

(It is worth noting that the UK currently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence, which in 2024 was around £64 billion. The proposal by Starmer to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP will mean by 2035, the UK will be spending £140 billion every year on defence.)

I fully support RMT’s Statement which calls for an end to the supply of weapons to Ukraine.

I estimate that the UK have expended £25 billion in support of Ukraine who came to “power as a result of a coup d’etat” .

The people, organisations who staged the overthrow of elected government are the same elements as those in the West of Ukraine who fought with the Nazis in the second world war

Yours in Comradeship

Arthur Scargill

President  NUM. 1982- 2001

President I.E.M.O 1996 -to date

30th of June, 2025

(The original message to the RMT via email was censored as “inappropriate”.)

The Socialist Labour Party condemns the military attack on Iran begun over the weekend by United States President Donald Trump acting in conjunction with the fascist state of Israel.

The bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities makes a mockery of US calls for the restoration of “negotiations in accordance with the plan agreed in 2015 between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany (the P5+1), a plan scrapped by Trump on 2018, during his first term as president.

This bombing not only violates international law but is In breach of the US Constitution as Trump has not even consulted the US Congress.

China, Russia, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea have condemned the United States for its appalling act of aggression. The Socialist Labour Party calls on all governments which genuinely want peace, not world war, to join them.

What is needed are not empty pleas for “restraint” but action which will enable Iran to effectively counter the insane war-mongering of Donald Trump and the fascist state of Israel, and at the same time bring an end to Israel’s ongoing destruction of Palestine.

Socialist Labour Party
Sunday, 22 June 2025

The position of the Socialist Labour Party

Welfare or Warfare, that is the question. That is the question that divides those who care for one another from those who want to dominate and kill others. It includes those who  believe in  helping others, in a welfare state, our NHS, housing, transport, fare wages, pensions  and conditions at work, care for the elderly and disabled. Respect for gender and race. After all, It is warfare that creates the need for welfare.

The other side of the question contains those who want to dominate others, who think only about profit and power. Those who are prepared to use force  to get their will, to suppress others and remove their liberty.

This, they dress up as the need to show strength, for security. They are prepared to invest in arms and weapons that will be used to kill others, to suppress others, to rob them of their well being and wealth. This is neo-colonialism, empire building. It will be dressed up as security, the need to protect ourselves. We need weapons for our defence. We need a strong arms Industry to build these weapons. After all, the arms industry provides jobs, well paid and highly skilled jobs. This is money well spent .

This is not defence, it is offense. It is possible to produce weapons for use to defend us in a case of aggression against us. This is quite different to weapons designed for offense, to kill and subjugate others.

The Arms industry does produce jobs. However, while siphoning off vast amounts of money it pollutes the planet while producing the means of killing people. The money invested in “defence” should go into industries producing many more secure, highly skilled jobs, meeting social needs – such as an integrated energy policy, involving all environmentally acceptable forms of energy:  carbon-capture/clean-coal; wave; barrage; geo-thermal and, above all, solar power.

 Why is it so much easier to find money for killing than money for social and economic well-being? 

The Socialist labour Party is fully committed to Welfare, not Warfare. We believe that the wealth created by our industries must be invested in people, in their welfare, not in killing and suppressing people.  We will restore all benefits and at the higher rate seen in many European countries. We will invest in industries producing socially useful products., in transport, housing, education, our NHS and our vital infrastructure. We will leave Nato, and produce arms only for defence. We will end austerity.

How will we pay for this? By a fair taxation system, taxing the rich and stopping  tax evasion. Having left Nato we will not be raising the percentage of our GDP on arms, paid to the Arms Industry. We will cancel the renewal of the Trident Nuclear submarine fleet, producing an estimated saving of £205 billion. We will stop selling arms to conflict zones such as Palestine or the Ukraine which just fan the flames of war. Through nationalisation of our vital industries we will not be paying excessive bonuses to fat cat bosses. Our trade unions will play a vital part in ensuring safety and proper wages and conditions at work.

In this way we will be able to end austerity. To pay proper welfare benefits, pensions and wages to our citizens.

End austerity, Tax the rich. Welfare not warfare, comrades.

Arthur Scargill.

Chris Butler.

June, 2025