On the 20-23rd July, two comrades from the Marxist Student Federation were invited to attend the third Gazte Topagune Sozialista (Socialist Youth Gathering) held by GKS and the Ikasle Abertzaleak student organisation in the Basque Country. We were also joined by a comrade from Lucha de Clases, the section of the IMT in the Spanish State. GKS is a new socialist youth organisation in the Basque Country, with the aim of building a classless society with a particular slant against the class collaborationist tactics of the social democrats. 

Whilst Sweden is often portrayed internationally as an egalitarian – even a ‘socialist’ country – the reality is that today it is one of the most unequal countries in the world, as demonstrated in the newly published book, ‘Sweden of the Greedy: how the welfare state became a paradise for the super-rich’. Moreover, as the recent sell-out of the Kurds reveals, the Swedish ruling class are vicious imperialists whose concern for ‘human rights’ is sheer hypocrisy.

In her bid to become the next Tory leader and PM, Liz Truss has pledged to bring in a host of new anti-union legislation. Trade union leaders have responded defiantly. This must be matched with militant struggle and bold united action.

The following resolution was passed unanimously, at the end of April, at the Banja Luka congress of the Yugoslav section of the IMT by Marxist delegates that had gathered from across the former Yugoslavia, from Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Slovenia and Croatia.

The resignation of Boris Johnson has opened up a new chapter in the crisis of British capitalism. The working class is reawakening. A new generation is moving into struggle. We must build the forces of Marxism to prepare for these titanic events.

The crisis of capitalism is radicalising countless young people, who are hungry for revolutionary ideas and organisation. More and more are identifying themselves as communists. The youth wing of the Communist Party of Britain, the Young Communist League (YCL) has grown on this basis. The British Marxists of Socialist Appeal issued a friendly but sharp open letter to the comrades of the YCL, showing how the opportunism of their leaders, and their emphasis on stunts over theory, stand in sharp contrast to the real ideas of Lenin. The response from the YCL’s official channels entirely proved the comrades’ point.

At the start of July, the Ukrainian courts ordered the closure of the Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU) and the seizure of its assets. The anti-democratic attack is part of a scandalous campaign to crush political dissent and stain the image of ‘communism’ by associating it with Russian imperialism. 

The Ulster loyalist celebrations known as ‘The Twelfth,’ celebrated every 12 July in the North of Ireland, commemorate the victory of William of Orange over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. They are used to whip up sectarian tensions by specifically anti-catholic groups such as the Orange Order, who amongst other things promote the myth that the Williamites’ victory was fought to “overthrow the Pope and popery.” This was recognised for the falsehood it is by the great Irish socialist and revolutionary James Connolly, who understood the pernicious role sectarianism played and continues to play in dividing the workers of Ireland. We republish his thoughts on ‘The Twelfth’

This summer marks a century since the outbreak of civil war in Ireland, when fighting began between supporters of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and those demanding a sovereign Irish Republic. Today, the struggle for a Socialist United Ireland continues.

After months of crises and scandals, faced with a growing rebellion in his ranks, Boris Johnson has finally fallen on his sword. But the Tory leader’s departure will not solve any problems for the ruling class. Instead, explosive events impend.

After being detained for 15 hours, spending the night in a police cell together with common criminals, IMT comrade Juan Glop from Seville was finally released after giving a statement before a judge. The detention of the comrade, coupled with the violent treatment he received at the hands of the police, were a grave injustice that generated a wave of solidarity.

Johnson’s government is imploding, with the resignation of two leading cabinet members last night. Whoever ends up in Number 10, however, faces a perfect storm of stagflation and struggle. We say: Throw them all out – and their rotten system!

Drunk on their victory at the national conference, the Unison bureaucracy has scandalously stripped Paul Holmes of every elected position he holds in the union. The left must urgently mobilise a rank-and-file fightback against this outrage.

Appealing to the rabid ranks of the Tory Party, cynical leadership hopefuls are threatening to dismantle the NI Protocol, setting Britain up for a trade war with the EU. The reckless opportunism of these careerists knows no bounds. This article was originally published on 22 June at socialist.net.

At last month’s Unison conference, the right wing went on the offensive, attempting to regain control of the union. Instead of resisting this onslaught, however, the left went into retreat. We must learn the lessons of these important events.