Tory crisis grows with allegations of Islamophobia and blackmail
Johnson is on the edge and the Tory crisis continues. As we await the findings of the Sue Gray inquiry into the many parties held at Number 10 during lockdown, he now faces allegations of Islamophobia in the Tory party. Nusrat Ghani, former Transport Minister, has alleged that a Tory whip said her “Muslimness was raised as an issue” by Downing Street for her firing. Ghani added that the whip told her that her “Muslim woman minister status was making colleagues feel uncomfortable”. See the Socialist Worker report here.
The divisions in the Tory party are becoming ever more bitter and rancorous – with the defection of Christian Wakeford to Labour last week, public exhortations by senior Tory MPs at PMQs for Johnson to stand down and accusations of bullying and blackmail by whips. Senior Tory MP William Wragg claimed on Thursday that party whips were “threatening to withhold investments from MPs’ constituencies that are funded from the public purse”. See the SW article here.
But this is not just a crisis for Johnson, or even just the Tory party. Its a crisis that implicates much of the establisment. Surely the police must have noticed the suitcases of wine being brought into one of the most secure buildings in the country. And this is the same police force that violently arrested women on a vigil for Sarah Everard during restrictions last year. It's the same police and authorities that have issued over 118,000 fines to people for breaking restrictions.
The revelations have shown the utter contempt the Tories and their friends hold for ordinary people, and their rank hypocrisy. They come at a time of rising living costs - from the tax rises planned in April, to hikes in energy and gas prices, and rising inflation hitting working class living standards.
This is a time when more resistance is needed. It was good to see the 800 strong protest, "Sack Boris Johnson, End Tory Rule, Independence Now", organised by All Under One Banner in Glasgow on Saturday. But we need much more. The wider left should be calling protests and organising to put the boot into the Tories while they are weak and divided - not just spectate.
Oxford & Thames Valley SWP meetings - all welcome
50 years since Bloody Sunday in Derry: Murder, lies cover ups, and the British state
7pm Wednesday 26th January
Zoom meeting ID: 861 2001 6477 Passcode: 967537 or use http://bit.ly/OxTVSWP
In January 1972 14 unarmed demonstrators were shot dead in Derry by British soldiers.
From the start the British authorities lied about shots being fired at the soldiers. It took until 2010 after a report by Lord Seville to finally admit that the dead were totally innocent for the government to apologise to the families of the dead.
But even then there was no admission of responsibility by the state. There were a handful of unsuccessful half hearted attempts to prosecute surviving soldiers.
The real issue was not about a few bad apples. The murders were a result of conscious decisions taken by the army command, with the full backing of the government. This was not an isolated event, but one replicated throughout the thirty years long conflict.
Join the discussion how we can hold the state responsible for these acts, and prevent them happening again
Future meetings (titles subject to change depending on developments)
- 3rd Feb - Ukraine, Russia and the West - are we heading for war? (online)
- 3rd Feb - Socialist Worker Student Society meeting - Is revolution possible in the 21st century? - Oxford Town Hall
- 9th Feb- Marxism and Trans Liberation (online)
Socialist Weekender in the Lake District
6PM Fri 25th Feb - 4PM Sun 27th Feb
A radical weekend in the Lake District for students and young workers. Includes debates, talks and socials
We're hosting a socialist weekender for students and young workers who hate capitalism and Tories.
There is no shortage of reasons to be a socialist. From climate change to the rise of racism, from the pandemic to the economic crisis - it's clear we need to a world different from the crisis of capitalism.
But how do we win that world? What does it mean to be a revolutionary in the 21st century?
This weekend will involve talks and debates on Marxist theory, revolutionary strategy and ideas to change the world.
Tickets:
Your ticket includes access to the weekend and accommodation for the two nights. Tickets are £27.54 and can be booked online here
Transport: The nearest station is Oxenholme Lake District. SWP branches can help subsidise train fares
Cost of living crisis, attacks on jobs and pensions: Build solidarity with the strikes
TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022 AT 19:00
• John McDonnell, Labour MP
• Mark Serwotka, PCS General Secretary
• Karen Reissmann, NHS nurse and Unison NEC (pc)
• Daniel Kebede, NEU Senior Vice President
• Jane Loftus, CWU President
• Gary Walker, CHEP UK striker, Unite
• Patrick McGrath, Wincanton B&Q Worksop strike, Unite Convenor
• Rob Baker, Eastbourne refuse striker, GMB
• Strikers from the UCU and other disputes
....and more to be announced!
Key anti-racist events for 2022
Oxford mobilising for UN Anti-Racism Day meeting
7 PM 25th Feb
Online c/o zoom Zoom meeting ID: 816 0949 1229 Passcode: 247394 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81609491229?pwd=a2FTSnZRRXZEMkVlOWk0N0lETkI1QT09
Meeting is open to anyone wanting to build the national demonstration on March 20.
SUTR & TUC TRADE UNION CONFERENCE SAT 5 FEB 2022: FIGHTING FOR ANTI RACIST WORKPLACES
Join, share and invite to the Facebook event here
Full timetable can be downloaded from here
On Saturday 5 February trade unionists and workplace activists from across Britain will come together at the ‘Fighting for anti racist workplaces’ conference – hosted by the TUC and Stand Up To Racism – to talk about how we oppose the government’s racist offensive.
Boris Johnson and Priti Patel’s Nationality and Borders bill is attempting to effectively remove the right to seek asylum in Britain while the scapegoating of refugees and migrants continues.
The government’s CRED report denied the reality of institutional racism exposed by the Black Lives Matter movement, despite the massively disproportionate death rate amongst black front line workers and communities.
The government’s new police bill targets BLM activists and the GRT community and strengthens police powers despite the ongoing reality of black communities facing disproportionate use of stop and search and deaths in police contact.
The government is playing the game of divide and rule, attempting to fool working people that ‘others’ – migrants, refugees and Muslims – are to blame for the problems in our society.
This ‘divide and rule’ strategy legitimises racism and risks opening the door to the racist and fascist right.
We need to take up these arguments in our workplaces and build the unity we need to oppose racism and austerity.
The conference will discuss how we do this and how to maximise the trade union turnout at UN antiracism day events initiated by Stand Up To Racism and also supported by the TUC.
Speakers:
- Christina McAnea UNISON general secretary
- Kevin Courtney NEU general secretary
- Mark Serwotka PCS general secretary
- Manuel Cortes TSSA general secretary
- Sarah Woolley BFAWU general secretary
- Gloria Mills UNISON head of equalities
- Steve Hedley RMT assistant general secretary
- Ian Taylor CWU NEC/ North West Region chair
- Shavanah Taj Welsh TUC general secretary
- Zita Holbourne PCS vice president
- Amarjite Singh CWU NEC/ South East Wales Amal secretary
- Tony Adams NUJ Black Members Council
- Juliana Ojinnaka UCU Black Members Committee chair
- Mohammed Shafiq PCS Black Members Committee chair
- Glen Hart RMT Black & Ethnic Minority Advisory Committee chair
- Taranjit Chana GMB RACE
- Mel Mullings RMT Black & Ethnic Minority Advisory Committee
- Lee Baron Midlands TUC secretary
- Winston Richards CWU Lodnon Region chair
- Matthew Creagh TUC Policy Officer for employment rights
- Mohammad Asif Afghan Human Rights Foundation
- Lawrence Davies Belly Mujinga case lawyer
- Neomi Bennett Equality4BlackNurses
Oppose the racist offensive - join UN Anti Racism Day national March Against Racism in London on 19th March - book your seat on the Oxford coaches to the march here
19 March 2022 - will see events and actions around the world for UN Anti-Racism day.
PROTEST FOR A #WorldAgainstRacism
#NOracismNOfascism
On Saturday 19 March 2022, World Against Racism & Fascism – an international coordination of anti racist movements – will come together for UN Anti Racism Day to oppose all forms of racism and fascism in a global day of action.
In Britain, the day of action is being called by Stand Up To Racism and the Trade Union Congress (TUC). Mass, yet safely socially distanced, demonstrations have been called for Saturday 19 March in London and Glasgow, and for Sunday 20 March in Cardiff, and will be internationally linked online with demonstrations around the world.
So far, 17 countries have already backed the call with actions planned for the day, with more movements joining - see their joint launch statement https://worldagainstracism.org/march-2022/19m2022-eng/
See list of the movements that have signed the call so far
In Britain we have an increasingly racist government introducing ever more vicious legislation against refugees & migrants, denying the existence of institutional racism and cracking down on protest.
The government is out to roll back the gains made by the Black Lives Matter movement. It is denying the existence of institutional racism in the CRED report and the on-going reality of racist policing. It is opposing the decolonisation of education—and even defending the “right” of racists to boo footballers who Take The Knee.
Internationally, we see the disproportionate impact of climate change on the Global South and refugees losing their lives in the face of “Fortress Europe”. And Islamophobia, antisemitism and racist and fascist organisations are on the rise across Europe.
On Saturday 19 March 2022, there will be a wave of international events to mark UN anti-racism day—an event to mark resistance to apartheid in South Africa in the wake of the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre.
These #WorldAgainstRacism protests will be held in dozens of countries and cities. Get involved to say #BlackLivesMatter #RefugeesWelcome