Europe

If you want to win elections you must aim at the centre ground. At least that is the official line. But what is the centre? The centre between what? The centre the media refer to, in reality is an extreme expression of the interests of the bosses. The latest attack on education is an example. It goes against the interests of the overwhelming majority of people in Britain, but no doubt the right wing of Labour and the Tories will meet in the “centre” and vote for it together.

Preparations are going ahead for a merger of three big trade unions in Britain, Amicus, T&GWU and GMB. The bureaucracy is pressing heavily for this. It would potentially be a very powerful union, but past experiences have shown that mergers have tended to reduce the level of internal democracy. The left in Amicus gathered around the Amicus Unity Gazette are not opposed to the merger in principle but are demanding the rank and file have a last say through recall conferences and that they be allowed to decide on the key issue of the rule book.

On January 28 and 29 a memorial meeting was held at the Institute of Political Studies at Grenoble University to pay homage to the life and works of Pierre Broué, that outstanding Marxist historian and revolutionary. Among the speakers were Alan Woods, Celia Hart and Trotsky’s grandson, Esteban Volkov.

The recent conflict between Ukraine and Russia over the price of gas brought to the surface the contradictions in the Ukraine, a country which is being pulled towards the western sphere of influence. That was what the so-called Orange Revolution was about. Now the Ukraine people are disillusioned as they watch an international conflict for control of resources that stretches right across the former Soviet Union and beyond.

A militant mood is developing among Spanish workers. Thanks to their mobilisations a PSOE government is in office. Now reaction has reared its ugly head, including army officers, but the leaders of the left and the trade unions are doing everything they can to hold back the workers. At the same time the bosses are on the offensive, announcing plant closures and sackings. However, the workers are not always prepared to stay calm and do nothing.

A conference is taking place in London this Saturday to discuss the crisis of working class representation. It will not take any decisions, but some of those taking part clearly have the perspective that a break with the Labour Party is necessary. What is the answer to the present Blairite domination of the Labour Party?

The Grand Coalition of the SPD and Christian Democrats has now been in office for some months. Its programme is “more of the same”, further privatisations and cuts in social spending. Although this may hold for a while, beneath the surface a new mood is developing. The signs are already there in some significant strikes such as that of the Gate Gourmet workers.

In December there was a massive general strike in Greece with huge participation both in the public and private sectors. This is less than two years into the right-wing New Democracy government. The strike was against a new bill affecting workers’ rights. A militant mood is once more growing among Greek workers and it is destined to get stronger in the coming period.

The recent Turner report on pensions in Britain came up with the same proposal we have seen everywhere else in the world, raise the age of retirement! Is it really true that we can't afford to pay pensions? Productivity of labour is going up all the time; so fewer workers should be able to keep more pensioners. That would be the case if it weren't for the profit motive that drives capitalism.

Glasgow has the lowest life expectancy in Britain, 69.3 years compared to Kensington and Chelsea whose resolute residents can expect a longevity of more than 85 years. This is the difference between the poorest and wealthiest parts of Britain.

Twenty-five years ago today John Lennon was killed in New York. There was a mass outpouring of grief all over the world. This was because he symbolised something different from the mainstream music industry. He gave expression in the words of some of his songs the genuine feeling of disgust of many workers and youth at what capitalist society stands for.

The workers and students in Slovenia have awakened. For the first time since Slovenia’s separation from Yugoslavia, workers and students from all across Slovenia came together on November 26 to march for a common goal and to clearly demonstrate that they are prepared to fight against the government’s counter-reforms in education and the economy.

Last year the PSOE leader Zapatero was swept to power on the back of mass mobilisations against the war in Iraq in the aftermath of the Madrid bombings. He has introduced some minor reforms, but has not tackled the real issues facing the Spanish working class. Now the PP, backed by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, has been mobilising the most reactionary layers of Spanish society. The “two Spains” are back.

The Swedish Marxists of the Socialisten journal have sent us this appeal which is taken from the website of the underground drivers’ trade union branch (www.klubb119.org). It describes a very important trade union struggle in Sweden that involves the rights of all trade union activists. Their next demonstration/strike will take place on Friday, November 18, but the struggle will continue after that. The union is asking for messages of support.