Category: Uncategorized

Chris Butler, SLP Yorkshire Region 19/9/2024

To my knowledge since the end of WWII the world has came close to nuclear war and consequently the end of almost all life on the planet on several occasions. On at least two occurrences this was due to mistaken warning signals received by early warning detection systems which were recognised just in time. On three occasions we know of the move to the highest state of nuclear alert happened deliberately. Most well known was over the Cuban missiles crisis. US President Kennedy took the world to the brink to the extent that people all over the world went to sleep on the night of 27 October 1962 not knowing if they would ever wake up again. At two other times there was similar threat – during the 1973 Arab – Israeli war and in 1983 when the Warsaw Pact feared a NATO war game was real and the prelude to an all out attack. In these latter two cases as with the accidental scenarios we found out only much later how close we came to oblivion. Just this past week the Starmer led UK government threatened Russia with giving Ukraine Storm Shadow missiles that could target and hit major Russian cities like the capital Moscow and St. Petersburg. These missiles can only be programmed, operated and targeted with NATO personnel and US/NATO satellite systems. Russian President Putin made clear in a statement that there would be a serious response by Russia. Information is coming into the public domain that this response would have meant direct targeting of sites in Britain that produce these missiles. The escalation from this to all out nuclear war would have been rapid. It appears now that despite on going bellicose rhetoric emanating from the likes of Starmer and Lammy that saner voices – probably in the US – have prevailed and that the warmongering proposal to send such threatening weaponry to the reactionary regime in Ukraine has been withdrawn. We should be thankful for that if true. The issue remains however that this war must end. There need to be serious peace negotiations that recognise the legitimate concerns of Russia. The Minsk Accords have gone thanks to western meddling and with them the best chance Ukraine had for maintaining its post-1991 borders. But peace is the imperative, an end to the killing and an end to the threat of world wide war. James McDaid, Leaders, Socialist Labour Party. 18/9/2024

Reuters Sir Keir Starmer is seeking support from the United States to permit Ukraine to use long range missiles to attack Russian towns and cities particularly in the Kursk area of Russia, yet he says not a word about the Fascist Government of Israel who have unlawfully occupied Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem and large areas of Palestine land since 1967. Israel is guilty of Genocide according to the United Nations, the International Court of Justice and countries all over the world. I call on Starmer to seek support from the United States and all countries who have condemned Israeli aggression and its genocide to permit the Governments of Gaza and the West Bank to use long range missiles against the fascist government of Israel unless israel agrees to withdraw all its troops and “settlers” from the lands of Palestine. Arthur Scargill, President National Union of Mineworkers 1982-2002 Deputy Leader Socialist Labour Party 14/9/2024

Guardian. It has been discovered that in Ireland Apple had been underpaying tax between 2003 and 2014. As a result Apple has been ordered to pay 13 bn euros plus 1.2 billion bn in interest, a total of 14.3 billion euros to the Irish State This decision begs the question “ How much tax has Apple and other International conglomerates have been paying in tax in the United Kingdom? “ According to TaxWatch’s analysis Seven large tech groups estimated to have dodged £2bn in UK tax in 2021 in which case why has the Government not sought to recover this £2 billion plus interest particularly as it is more than enough to pay the full Winter Payments to pensioners, Winter Fuel payments which were introduced by Gordon Brown as Labour Party Chancellor in 1997 and regarding as binding by six Governments until 2024 Arthur Scargill President National Union of Mineworkers 1982-2002 Deputy Leader Socialist Labour Party 12/9/2024

Posted 9/11/2024 (9th September, 2024) – from F.B. post The Israel occupation forces have systematically struck areas already designated as “humanitarian safe zones” during its one-year genocide in Gaza, including Al-Mawasi in Khan Younis   At least  40 Palestinians have been killed  and more than 65 others injured in Israeli airstrikes that targeted a tent encampment located in Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza strip on Tuesday, September 10. The heavy aerial assault also created two massive, nine-meter deep craters, which has led  many to allege  that Israel used US-manufactured 2,000 pound bombs in the attack. Although Al-Mawasi area was already designated as a “humanitarian safe zone” by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), it has been subjected to deadly attacks by Israeli warplanes more than once during the last several months. According to  Anadolu  News Agency, the Israeli military have committed  5 massacres in Al-Mawasi , killing at least 217 Palestinian people between May and September 2024. Palestine Solidarity Campaign, September 2024 Cease Fire in Palestine and Ukraine NOW. Every day that goes by and the talking goes on falls into the hands of the oppressors who have made no secret of their intentions to remove Palestinians from their homeland by one means or another regardless of international law and rulings by the United Nations intend to prevent genocide and provide necessities for life and well being in Gaza and now other parts of Palestine in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The United Kingdom has been called the most prominent Cheer Leader in support of United States Foreign policy of providing arms to others to avoid entering fights involving their own army, which by all accounts is not in any condition to succeed in overcoming forces that it has ranged against itself. The creation of enemies has been carried out by continuing foreign policy which seeks to dominate others by force while deliberately refusing to solve problems by diplomatic means. This has been achieved by creating false narratives whcih bare little or no relation to actuality. The leaders of the U.S. CIA and British MI6 appeared on television to tell how Russia was losing the war in Ukraine when it has been clear that the Ukrainian army is desperately short of fighting men and women. They continue to make a case for the Ukraine to become a member of NATO which Russia has made clear since the end of the Soviet era would be an intolerable threat to Russia’s sovereignty. The United States stated this exact position in its Munroe Doctrine over 100 years ago. Both conflicts in Palestine and Ukraine have no strategy or plan to end while in both cases people are dying at alarming rates. Two more countries are being destroyed as the United States and western backers continue to keep White colonial domination alive while Israel has seized on the opportunity of attempting to involve the United States in wide spread war threatening a nuclear confrontation. The far right Zionist administration led by Banjamin Netanyahu have shown determination to keep the “war” going until its objectives have succeeded. This includes defeating Hamas, labelled as “terrorist” by the U.S. and western governments and creating a Jewish state in greater Israel. Although this appears to be self-defeating and the means of achieving this, if not the ideal, is widely opposed by the the Israeli people themselves. Many Jewish people world wide are dismayed that Zionism is conflated with Judaism and have been prominent in world wide demonstrations in support of a cease fire and peaceful solution to the conflict. John Tyrrell, President, Socialist Labour Party 11/9/2024

From Brad Whitley Message Dear Comrades, I am a lone socialist in a sea of liberals and conservatives. I am an American, and I just wanted to thank you for this website. Mr. Scargill has become a hero of mine. As an educator of young people, socialism is the only way that I can see any of them getting out of the generational poverty that has been forced upon them by the duopoly of the USA political system. If we had a socialist movement here that actually stood a chance that is. Good work on making Britain better by standing up for the worker. In Solidarity, Brad Thanks Brad, your message is much appreciated and encouraging. We note that there is, or was a Socialist Labour Party in the USA with which our founder James Connolly has some association. Fraternally, John Tyrrell, President Thank you. If you see a miner from 84 or even Mr. Scargill, tell them about me. I am one lone man in an area of deep militant conservatism and vapid liberalism. I see movies like Brassed Off and Pride. I read about Mr. Scargill, and how the miners almost won in 84 after beating back the plues in 72, it stirs my heart. The American worker and the British worker is the same as the Palestinian worker, we are all subjects of the bosses and in order to be free we must unite and build the world were the Red Flag flies and no one goes hungry or sick anymore and moms don’t have to fear that bombs will hit their babies cribs. In Solidarity, Brad

The Labour Party ceased any commitment to Socialism in 1995 when it ditched Clause 4 from its Constitution and openly committed itself to Capitalism. The Labour Party since 1985 not only ceased to have any commitment to Socialism but since that decision has been a party which supported staying in the European Union and adopted a policy to retain a Single Market, the Free Movement of Capital, Free Movement of Labour and open borders, policies which cost the Labour Party victory at the 2017 General Election by just 2-4%. Had it accepted the result of the 2016 Referendum which reflected the Will of the people it would have won the 2019 General Election, but it allowed the forces of the right wing of the party to publish a Manifesto which departed not only from its Manifesto in 2016 but a Manifesto which betrayed the will of the people. After which it committed another fatal by allowing the Leader of the Party Jeremy Corbyn to resign, History should have told Corbyn. that Leaders fightback and win not resign and hand on a plate the Labour Party then able to continue its march forward towards policies ranging from scrapping Winter Payments for 12 million pensioners to its support for the fascist government of Israel who despite an Order of the International Court of Justice to stop its killing of over 40,000 men, women and children in Gaza. and on the West Bank both areas occupied illegally by Israel, but have together with the United States havesupplied Israel with armaments to continue its bloody slaughter of the innocent Palestinian people. The hypocrisy does not stop there, Oh no when the United States unlawfully invaded Iraq in 2023, the Labour Party led by Tony Blair joined in on the grounds that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, a claim which was not only a lie but a lie which cost over a million lives, yet Russia enters into conflict with Ukraine and its leaders who overthrew an elected government and banned political parties together with reneging on an agreement have spent £10=16 billion* supplying arms and assistance together with NATO and 50 other countries for a war against Russia. (* The cost of restoring support for pensioners with a winter fuel allowance is £2 billion) It is reminiscent of the 14 countries including Britain who in 1916/ 1917 fought with “White Russians” in an attempt to defeat the Soviet Union. Parliamentary Groups are not the answer to Sir Keir Starmer’s right wing march: James Connolly warned of the dangers of establishing or supporting a Social Democratic Broad Church which he said would have non believers as its members and supported. How right he was. Arthur Scargill President National Union of Mineworkers 1982 -2002 Deputy Leader Socialist Labour Party

Submitted by Dr Chris Butler, SLP Yorkshire Region 8/8/2024

Winter payments were brought in 1997 because it was recognised that the cost of heating along with other rising costs of essentials like food was causing problems for many unable to afford basics to keep warm and well nourished. Failure to allow for this put pressure on the health services, affecting particularly the elderly and schools where children were found to be going hungry. While thsi affects people in England and Wales, the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Governments will be responsible for taking decisions there. In 2024 Scotland will be taking responsibility for the first time, although it is reported there have been no communications between ministers about practicalities. In 2019 Labour attacked theTories for taking away TV licences for over 75s. Starmer himself is on record of attacking a Tory MP’s suggestion that Winter Fuel Payments should be removed. Senior Citizens cover the whole range of income brackets, but what is the reality? Payment will be available from some eligible for benefit through a means test. According to responses many who have depended on his support are finding that it will not be available to them this year. One commented: “I’m 70 yrs old, my state pension is £12,233 per year for which I worked for 52yrs non stop, I pay more than half my income on rent, can’t get any benefits so losing the winter fuel allowance is a bit of a big deal.” Looking elsewhere there are questions to be asked about spending on the provocation of unnecessary wars where spending seems unlimited. The SLP wishes to see projects for peace funded, not those leading to deaths of thousands of civilians, including those in Gaza and Ukraine (which involves funding armies with declared Banderites with fascist insignia on their uniforms taken from their predecessors who assisted Germany in the Holocaust). Like their Tory predecessors both Prime Minister and Chancellor are personally extremely wealthy. We expect a Labour Government to represent and support those struggling on a low income and more likely to have health problems. In addition the Chancellor has announced a cap on care allowances for the elderly. This appears to be a sell out at an early stage! John Tyrrell, President, 4/8/2024

A Cabinet Meeting It wasn’t a surprise to see Volodymyr Zelensky invited to a Cabinet Meeting by Keir Starmer. Even though it hadn’t happened with a foreign leader since Bill Clinton in 1997. Zelensky’s term of office has run out, and with no election being called, he has no presidential legitimacy based on votes. The Government has agreed to £3 billion military expenditure for Ukraine. Whilst the King’s speech wasn’t clear on actual amounts to be spent on public ownership of the railways, Better British Buses and a British clean energy company, the spending commitment has been made for weapon,s to Ukraine, 2.5% of GDP on Defence and replacement of Trident nuclear weapons. A commitment to NATO expansion was given as though the frontier was always at the borders of Russia, and never at the Berlin Wall. Also a commitment for Ukraine to be in NATO, a proposal disasterous for peace and security. As alarming was Zelensky seeking permission to fire British long range Missiles at Russia as well as the shorter range Missiles.Yet again NATO expansionist wars are at the expense of the British people’s welfare and safety. We saw for months that the Labour leadership refused to back a ceasefire to stop the Genocide of Palestinian people in Gaza by the Israeli State. Genocide is still being inflicted on the Palestinian people in Gaza. The war still rages on in Ukraine, with British weaponry targeting Russia. All this under a Labour Government. Kathrine Jones, Socialist Labour Party, Wales. 24/7/2024