Carnival of Socialism

IT’S TIME FOR THE LATEST CARNIVAL OF SOCIALISM! Sometimes carnivals have themes, but being a particularly uncreative spirit I couldn’t think of one. So instead I’ve decided that this weeks carnival will have a motto instead, and apologies if it’s not a particularly catchy one. I call it “everyone’s really fucking sick of the expenses scandal and there are a load of more important things going on in the world than the revelation that MPs are a bunch of dishonest bastards.” So I’ll do my best at providing a round-up of the lefty blogosphere above and beyond reports of what MPs have been stealing (although if you want a good critique of the scandal, Boffyblog does a superb job.) Apologies if I miss out your blog (it either means its rubbish, I personally dislike you, or most likely I’ve just not got round to reading it.) Anyway, on with the carnival…

Well we’ve got some elections coming up, and the left are looking to gain votes for all sorts of people including the greens, the SSP, and No2EU. And, of course there’s a big fight on to stop the BNP winning seats. Jim Jay at the Daily (maybe) has published a fantastic little round-up of news and views on the European election from around Europe. Jim also had a cool piece as a columnist in the London paper the other day, and it wasn’t his usual contribution of “You had dredlocks and were drinking organic cola on the 73 bus at 2am…” (only kidding Jim.) This is important though – Jim has shown us that this column is a space in the press we can try to occupy; a way for us bloggers to break into the real world and try to disseminate our material beyond the left-blogosphere’s target audience of the beardy and incontinent.

Penny Red reminds us that there’s an important feminist perspective (alongside all of the other reasons) on getting the vote out against the BNP. Whilst Stroppyblog directs us to an interesting story of action being taken by posties in Macclesfield. The fight against the BNP is a tough one, and we need to be activists. Red Maria over at dolphinarium also shows how the BNP are targeting Catholic voters. Far too many of my friends seem to think that it’s enough to sit on facebook and proclaim “urgh! I got a nasty leaflet through my door.” So please, the next time you feel like changing your status to something like that instead use the energy knocking on your neighbours’ doors to make sure they won’t be voting BNP.
The other story involving the BNP this week was about the possibility of Nick Griffin attending the Queen’s garden party as reported on Though Cowards Flinch Since that article it’s been confirmed that he probably wouldn’t be allowed to attend, but of course BNP London Assembly Member Richard Barnbrook will still be going so Prince Phillip won’t be left alone on the ‘orrible-racist table.

Away from the horrors of the BNP, both Socialist Unity has offered an article about the problems of the labour party and Harpy Marx has written piece in similar despair at Labour – both consider too the issues of the greens, and how they stand with relation to the left.

Away from British and European politics, there’s been plenty going on with regard to the middle east. One of the big victories here has been a campaign against some posters the Israeli Tourist Board put up on the tube. To my knowledge they were first reported on Lenin’s Tomb last Saturday, and over the course of the last week there has been an apology, and as Random Pottins tells us, the posters will be coming down, which is at least a bit of good news. All we need now is for them to actually get the fuck out of the occupied territories.

Infantile and disorderly has plenty to say on on what the Guardian has to say about Iran (this post advertises an even already passed but is important nonetheless) and it’s always good to see the liberal press being exposed as being rather too liberal with the truth.

There have also been a fair few protests in the last few weeks that have been reported on the blogosphere. David Broder at The Commune reports on the continuing protest outside parliament by Tamils. Yesterday the United Campaign Against Police Violence organised a kettling of Scotland Yard, and pics and a report are now available on Socialist Unity.
And finally there was a fantastic little demonstration here in Islington about cuts in public sector jobs (at universities and in the civil service), which we plugged here on the third estate. The speeches made from a grassy knoll in a park just by Archway had me thinking that we should get a grassy knoll put in Trafalgar square.

Now on to what is left. Here at the third estate we like miscellanea. In fact we’d even go as far as considering it our speciality. So here’s a round up of some of the more interesting random bits and bobs from the last couple of weeks of lefty blogging:

A Very Public Sociologist has written a cool little piece on the politics of gastric bands and their medical and social effects. No doubt some rad fems will be heading over there to argue about it, but it’s very interesting stuff.
Dave Osler has blogged on the possibility of Esther Rantzen running as an MP in Luton South and offers reflections on that thin line between celebrity and politician.
If you’re really feeling stuck for what to do with your bank holidays then you can go join in the argument about Mao and Trotsky over at Renegade Eye . I have to admit I didn’t make it through the comments as I don’t get off on this stuff, but I fully accept that worryingly plenty of people do.
And finally Leanne Wood has plugged an important petition against the tories proposing exceptions to the minimum wage

IMPORTANT FINAL CONTRIBUTION
Aside from the left blogosphere, the BBC of all people yesterday released some important news for socialists everywhere

The next Carnival of Socialism will be taking place New Direction on June 7