Their Democracy or Ours?

With Bush and Blair bleating about democracy in the Middle East ie cutting aid from a democratically elected government in Palestine, condemning the Lebanese people for peacefully protesting against Siniora's bankrupt government, supporting Saudi Arabia etc. some interesting news comes to light.

The US uses its aid budget to bribe those countries which have a vote in the United Nations security council, giving them 59 per cent more cash in years when they have a seat, according to research by economists.

What price democracy?

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1973770,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=12

Vermin of the Year

Some scallywags and outright bastards here on Morbo's'Vermin of the Year Award'. It's a fairly tough choice to pick the most bigoted, nasty individuals. At present it is neck and neck between Jack Straw and John Reid. Take a look and vote for who you think most deserves this years award.

http://throughthescarydoor.blogspot.com/2006/12/morbos-vermin-of-year-aka-git-parade_19.html

Thinly Veiled Attack

The right wing media and BBC have reached new heights in the hysteria over the veil. Apparently there is a 'theory' that the murderer of PC Beshenivsky may (or then again may not) have fled the country wearing the niqab. Police are refusing to comment and there is no source for the 'theory'.

The Daily Express has printed the claims as if they are fact and have even handily reproduced a front page special on 'how the suspect would have looked if wearing the niqab'. The usual suspects have lined up in protest at how the veil is a threat to security including rabid Tory bigot David Davis, who also put his oar in over the teaching assistant.

Veil fetishism now seems commonplace and it seems as though the veil is now to be equated to murdering people. This reactionary nonsense is something which must be opposed. The 'theory' seems to have no substance and is a further attack on Muslims in this country. There were also inferences that the Suffolk murders may have been perpetrated by an 'illegal immigrant' although these 'theories amounted to nothing.

Let us be clear about this. This is Islamophobia. Nothing more, nothing less. Let us unite and stand together against the oppression and racism that is driving these comments. Say no to Islamphobia.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/6195581.stm

Unison Witch Hunt : Update

An update on Unison activist Tony Staunton. He has been suspended by Unison for 60 days in a clear attack on left wing activists. Please rush messages of support and write to Unison national office. Action like this can only serve to weaken the movement and plays into the hands of the very people we should be fighting against. Unity is strength. Stop attacks on trade unionists.

Tony Staunton, Plymouth local government Unison branch secretary, has been suspended from office for 60 days by Unison union leaders.
This is part of an investigation over the alleged political use of a computer bought for him by his union branch.

Tony says, “I intend to defend myself vigorously. I have not broken and would not knowingly break the rules of the union. I remain committed to the aims and objectives of Unison and a devoted trade union activist. I ask for your formal support.”

Messages of support to addressoffice@unisonplymouth.net copies to layactivists@hotmail.co.uk

Messages of concern to: General secretary, Unison, 1 Mabledon Place, London, WC1H 9AJ and Unison South West. Unison House, The Crescent, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 4DU. Fax 01823 336 013

Another One Bites the Dust

One by one they are dying. First Reagan, then Friedman and now evil murderous dictator Augsto Pinochet. Friend of Thatcher and murderer of thousands, Pinochet finally escapes justice and dies at the age of 91. And poor Maggie is upset too. Good riddance. Bastard!

Nazi's Humiliated in Dagenham

The British Nazi Party rally in Dagenham on Saturday ended in humiliation as they were drowned out by a large anti-fascist counter demonstration of around 400.

The anti-fascist opposition to the Nazi's was made up of a variety of local residents and activists and had a large trade union presence with banners from GMB, Unison, PCS, T&G.; Also supporting the action were Respect councillors and Labour Party members.

This was the first attempt by the BNP to draw on it's electoral success in the May elections. The fact that despite extensive leafletting they managed to attract only 70 hardcore members, many not from Dagenham, shows that local people are opposed to the politics of hate.

Unite Against Fascism helped expose the lies peddled by the fascists and their exploitation of housing problems in Dagenham. The BNP do not offer any solutions to working class people and offer racism, violence and hatred. The Unite Against Fascism counter action showed how people can stand together and shows that the Nazi's are not wanted and the majority of people reject their poison and racist ideology.

JJB Strike Blog

Following the sacking of Chris Riley after successful strike action over pay, there is now a blog with up to date information regarding the JJB dispute.

http://jjbfightback.blogspot.com/

JJB Strike Leader Sacked, Urgent Response Required

URGENT - DONT LET THEM SACK STRIKE LEADERS AT JJB SPORTS

After the fantastic victory at JJB sports, the managerment have sacked Chris Riley, a leading steward that many will know from his speech at the Organising for Fighting Unions Conference. They have also threatened the convenor, Jon Stewart. - see their appeal for support from below.

The strikers won because of the fantastic solidarity of the strikers, and because the strike was organised to use supporters to put maximum pressure on the company through hitting David Whelan, the owner, at his Wigan football club, and by organising protests outside JJB stores throughout the country. They are calling for pickets to be set up at JJB stores and are planning further strike action if talks tomorrow are not successful.

Send messages of support today to Chris Riley at the email below.
Threaten to organise pickets at your local JJB stores. They can then use these messages in the meeting tomorrow.

We should then get the support back up and running.
Do collections, organise pickets of JJB stores, and invite a speaker to your meetings.

chrisfluffriley@hotmail.co.uk

Too many nurses?

Patricia Hewitt has consistently refused to take any responsibility for the crisis in the NHS. Health workers and other hospital employees are sick and tired of her bleating rhetoric about how the NHS has received record amounts of money and that more doctors and nurses have been employed under a Labour government than ever before. Now she is trying to justify cuts, closures and job freezing by claiming that

'some parts of the NHS in England have taken on too many doctors and nurses'

I'm sure that many people would be intrigued to know where these hospitals are that seem to have a surplus of staff. Certainly none of the places I have worked which include Merseyside, Yorkshire, Sussex and Cambridgeshire have such luxury!

She states that she will get the NHS back into budget by March next year which can only mean one thing - more cuts and job losses.

It is vital that effective campaigns oppose the privatisation of our NHS. We are seeing record amounts of NHS money filtering out into the hands of corporate business who are responsible to shareholders. PFI schemes are not only reducing services to those that are the most profitable, they are costing the taxpayer millions as costs spiral.

The Tories are jumping on the bandwagon too, trying to claim to be the party of the NHS. Many MP's are hijacking local campaigns to protest against closures. We should not be fooled by this. Under the Tories the policy on the NHS would remain almost identical to that of New Labour, with closures and job losses, privatisation and cutbacks.

The trade union bureaucracy needs to wake up before it is too late and we no longer have an NHS to defend. This will be one of the key battlegrounds and fights for the unions. We need to push the unions to name the day for national action and be at the forefront of groups such as Keep our NHS Public and Public Service Not Private Profit.

www.keepournhspublic.com
www.publicnotprivate.org.uk