National

The gathering of over 4,000 people at the People’s Assembly Against Austerity in London on Saturday 22nd June was truly inspirational, reports John Keeley. To be together with so many who regard profit as a dirty word & who want a world based upon more humane values, such as equality, solidarity & dignity, it’s hard […] Read more »

Chavs author, Independent writer and Labour activist Owen Jones talked to Salman Shaheen about the People’s Assembly and the prospects for resistance to austerity If the People’s Assembly could be summarised in a word, it would be optimism. From the opening speeches it crackled, infusing enthused activists with the idea that austerity – a failure […] Read more »

Ken Loach addressed a packed meeting at the People’s Assembly on June 22nd. The article Ken refers to in his speech can be found here and here The film of Ken was produced by Percivale Productions which is making a film about Left Unity and the process of founding a new party of the Left. Read more »

The national launch of the People’s Assembly against Austerity is a very welcome development, says economist Michael Burke. It brings together a number of the largest unions, anti-cuts group and political forces both inside and outside the Labour Party in opposition to austerity policies. Many will have been drawn into active opposition to government policies because […] Read more »

Luke Cooper discusses the potential and pitfalls of this Saturday’s People’s Assembly Against Austerity The People’s Assembly has resulted in a considerable bout of energetic debate on the British left, ranging from the super-supportive, to the cynically-critical, and those, on the money perhaps, who are supportively critical. But no one is seriously downplaying the size […] Read more »

With the Tour de France starting on 29 June Mark Perryman argues for a two wheels good politics ”Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race.” HG Wells The most infamous quote on cycling from modern British politics remains hard right Thatcherite Norman […] Read more »

This documentary film, based on Friedrich Engels’ book “The Condition of the Working Class in England”, is made by Mike Wayne and Deirdre O’Neill, both members of Southwark Left Unity. Here it is reviewed by Mark Boothroyd. “Well the way this government is at the moment, I’m afraid, I think its absolutely disgusting, they’re taking […] Read more »

Merry Cross shares an excellent piece of advice about how to challenge domineering behaviour in others – or address it in yourself. As a white disabled woman, I am already hugely bothered by the fact that too many thoroughly good people who joined Left Unity are thinking of leaving, because of the behaviour of white […] Read more »

Lewes Left Unity have held their first meet-up, Mark Perryman reports Last Thursday, signatories to Ken Loach’s Left Unity Appeal in the East Sussex town of Lewes, met up for the first time. We opted for abandoning the formalities of traditional Left meetings and instead we gathered in an artists’ cafe, sat on sofas and […] Read more »

Jim Jepps reports back from Camden Left Unity’s launch meeting. In Camden we approached launching Left Unity a little nervously and had a couple of meetings with half a dozen of us getting together in front rooms before we decided to take the plunge. We knew if we didn’t take this step then it would […] Read more »