Category: Uncategorized

53rd anniversary of Saltley Gate 10/2/2025

I was informed today by his son, Graham, that Ken Capstick  whilst on holiday in Bulgaria with his daughter, Julie, was taken ill and following an emergency operation  sadly passed away. I know there will be many messages and expressions of sorrow and shock at the loss of an outstanding trade unionist and Socialist, who continued to fight to the very end of his life for workers’ rights and Socialism. During the railway workers’ strikes of a couple of years ago, Ken and I stood side by side on RMT and ASLEF picket lines.  To mark the 40th and 50th anniversaries of the Battle of Saltley Gate, 1972 – in which Ken fought on the picket lines –  we spoke together.  Only last year, we shared a platform at the major rallies marking the 40th Anniversary of the Miners’ Strike of 1984/1985. Ken was a former Vice-President of the National Union of Mineworkers Yorkshire Area.  He was a leading member and official in the Socialist Labour Party, and since 2017 a Trustee of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme.  To every task or role he took on he brought unswerving commitment together with an extraordinary range of skills. Ken and I were comrades and personal friends for over 50 years.  No words can express the sense of loss I feel.  However, his death is a massive loss to the Labour and trade union movement of a man who fought from a young age for trade union rights and a Socialist system of society. I extend my deepest sympathy to Ken’s much-loved children, David, Julie and Graham and his grand-children who were his pride and joy. Arthur Scargill President, National Union of Mineworkers 1982-2002 Leader, Socialist Labour Party 1996-2024

Palestine Support Campaign is just one reliable outlet for genuine Palestine goods.

https://shop.palestinecampaign.org/products/olive-wood-salad-server-set

Olive wood artefacts include jigsaw puzzles.

Crafts people have suffered from attacks from both the Occupation Force and vindictive settlers seizing land and property. Wood carving, textiles, jewellery etc. are just a part of a vibrant arts and craft tradition. It is a great source of gifts.

John Tyrrell, Socialist Labour Party 5.12.2024

SLP 5/12/2024 J.T.

Rob J. Hawkins, SLP South West Region 3/12/2024

A cease fire was called between Israel and Lebanon. May be good news for some but true to fashion it has diverted attention back of Gaza for Israel to finish its intended erasure of Palestine. This is a call to deal with Chevron specifically but it is just one of major organs of Capitalism funding the unending and unspeakable violence including children, women and men with aid workers, jounalist reporting this as key targets. Words are in abundance and ever more images of degradation and suffering shared. World leaders? They make it possible for this to happen in the first place. Now Palestine is alone again after a “cease fire” was announced. It may have stopped in one place, but this was only to intensify the horror in another. We’re left with signing petitions again: https://action.eko.org/a/chevron-stop-fueling-genocide-in-palestine?source=homepage Eko sum up the situation succinctly: We are watching Israel set fire to hospitals, homes, shelters, and nurseries in Gaza, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians and burying countless more under the rubble.  The survivors are being left to die slowly, as Israel continues to cut off access to food, clean water, gas, and medical care to over 2 million people. Chevron is profiting from this violence.  It supplies Israel’s war machine with light and power through its operation and co-ownership of Leviathan and Tamar — two major gas fields off the coast of occupied Palestinian land. Now we are joining Palestinian civil society to call on Chevron to end its support for Israel’s ongoing genocide and systematic violation of Palestinian human rights.  We’ve successfully targeted Chevron before, let’s do it again.    Tell Chevron: stop supporting the genocide in Gaza and divest from Israel’s illegal occupation. Chevron also operates and partially owns the EMG pipeline, which connects Israel and Egypt, passing west of the Gaza shoreline. This pipeline is not under Israeli jurisdiction, and any economic gain in this area without Palestinian agreement is  illegal under international law.  After the International Court of Justice issued its ruling that the Israeli occupation is illegal and that genocide in Gaza is plausible, top legal experts around the world have been warning that companies that are aiding and abetting Israel’s crimes could be held complicit.    We’ve successfully targeted Chevron before.  When the Myanmar military staged a coup in 2021 our community went after Chevron and helped push the company to leave Myanmar.  It took several months of relentless pressure from Ekō and partners. We can do it again.   More Information F­a­c­t S­h­e­e­t­: C­h­e­v­r­o­n F­u­e­l­s I­s­r­a­e­l­i A­p­a­r­t­h­e­i­d a­n­d W­a­r C­r­i­m­e­s Action Center for Corporate Accountability 01 March 2024 Want to Support Palestinian Liberation? Boycott Chevron Truthout 18 August 2024 BDS movement Calls for a Consumer Boycott of Chevron-branded gas stations BNC 30 January 2024 Protesters urge Chevron to divest amid war in Gaza NBC Bay Area 29 May 2024 Top war-crimes court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and others in Israel-Hamas fighting AP 21 November 2024 John Tyrrell, Socialist Labour Party 30/11/2024

Hiroshima 1945. An official in Washington is talking about a “nuclear exchange” as if there would be anything left. Western leaders continue to stoke up war with provocation after provocation. They need to TALK – diplomacy has to take the place of continuing aggression. If they don’t there is no tomorrow. In spite of the emerging situation being so critical responses of leaders are escalating conflict and refusing to contemplate diplomacy. The United Kingdom is at the forefront having sent ballistic weapons into Russia. Effectively we are war with Russia. Well are we? How is this so? There is no declaration made public. There has been no discussion in Parliament. The British Prime Minister went to Washington promoting the idea a few weeks ago and was prevented from advancing. We understood the reaction from Russia again made it abundantly clear that a response was already set and that targets were already selected. Biden would not allow it it was reported. Now missiles have been fired into Russia reportedly with a reversal of the U.S. former decision. The U.S. missiles largely failed but damaged a military target. However the British weapons killed people maybe including civilians. We still no nothing. Our leadership remains bent on war. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson had already stopped diplomacy taking place when he rushed to Kyiv to prevent it. Britain has had an election and a Labour government is in power. The Doomsday Clock stands at 90 seconds to midnight, the closest ever, closer than the Cuban Missile Crisis. This was avoided by leadership action. Now there is no action except doing everything possible to avoid newly elected President Trump being able to stop war. The leadership needs to step up and urgently enter peace talks or go! We have to prevent a nuclear catastrophe and end war right now. John Tyrrell, President, Socialist Labour Party 23/11/2024

2023 ceremony SOCIALIST LABOUR PARTY, EAST MIDLANDS REGION invites you to a Wreath Laying Ceremony on Saturday 14th December at 12.00 noon Speakers: Ken Capstick, Trustee, Miners’ Pension Fund Paul Liversuch, SLP National Executive, E. Midlands Wreath laying ceremony: The Miners’ Statue The Pipe Works Coppice Side, Swadlincote DE11 9AA PLEASE NOTE This will be followed immediately by the meeting and discussion on Ukraine at The Old Post Centre, High Street, Swalincote DE11 0HX at around 12.20pm.

Paul Liversuch, SLP National Executive Member in the East Midlands, met with the new Labour Member of Parliament for South Derbyshire, Samantha Niblett. The subject was on care for those with conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease which is a great concern for Paul having had personal experience of giving care. It lasted for an hour. Paul made it clear that it cannot go on like this anymore. It’s a crmbling services and needs Government intervention. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/news-and-media/behind-closed-doors Paul Liversuch. SLP East Midlands Region 19/11/2024

SUPPORT CUBA Havana, Cuba, 2012. Picture John Tyrrell The United States have occupied Part of Cuba and used it as a prison camp for people from many lands and it has imposed sanctions on its mainland against the will of it’s people. It is currently undergoing power cuts, food restrictions and constant infiltration by the CIA. It’s time for China and all other countries who believe in saving lives as opposed to destroying lives to help the Communist State of Cuba – not by resolutions or discussion but by practical help. Help by trade but more important help by donating all the essential items that they need . Help by building more Hydroelectric Plants from areas like the Sierra Maestra Mountains, help by supplying Oil, Gas, Coal, and Fuel Plants which can produce electricity cleanly, above all fund Oil and Gas plants in the sea which lay off its coast. Demonstrate the hypocrisy of the United States who occupy lands all over the world that Socialism can and will defeat Capitalism. Help it use its Solar Power and its Geothermal Power and show to the all of South America Countries that the future belongs to them. Arthur Scargill President National Union of Mineworkers 1982 – 2002. Deputy President Socialist Labour Party 31/10/2024 The Socialist Labour Party had two delegations to Cuba in 2008 and 2012. As President Obama observed while the U.S. exported armies, Cuba sent doctors and teachers to countries where there was need. While resources are scarcethanks to sanctions imposed by the United States, Cuba shares its resources widely. 2008 Santa Clara where Che Guevara Mausoleum is. Statue of Che with details of events in Cuban revolution. Reception at Street Party. Education in Cuba, Santa Clara. At Conference Marxism in the 21st Century in Havana. Lily Mcleod, John Mcleod, John Tyrrell, Shangara Bhatoe and Sheera Johal. 2012 Havana, Medical care. John Mcleod and Andrew Jordan left, Heads of Health Centre centre, Shangara Bhatoe and John Tyrrell right.