For all its good ideas, says Jonathan Timbers, the Green Party needs to do some serious thinking if it is to be a credible and progressive alternative to Labour The Green Party is often seen by some democratic socialists in England as a left-wing alternative to the Labour Party. There are a growing number...
Stock ideas
Mike Wadsworth finds little support for housing co-operatives at a recent meeting of his CLP All-member meetings, organised by the political education officer, are a regular feature of the constituency Labour Party in Great Yarmouth. Previous topics have included the Labour Party-trade union link and the future of pension and welfare provision. The issues...
Introduction
Independent Labour Publications (ILP) is an educational trust, publishing house and pressure group committed to democratic socialism and the success of the democratic socialist Labour Party. The primary aims of its publications are to contribute to political analysis and the development of democratic socialist perspective and policy; to help stimulate a debate within the...
A socialism for our times
Independent Labour Publications (ILP) is an educational trust, publishing house and pressure group committed to democratic socialism and the success of a democratic socialist Labour Party. The ILP was formed in 1893 as the Independent Labour Party, which became a co-founder of the Labour Party at the beginning of the 20th century. Today we...
An integrated future?
Integrated education is vital to the future of a non-sectarian Northern Ireland, says Gary Kent There was a time when Northern Ireland barely made any impact on mainland and mainstream British politics. It was, to use a phrase popularised by the Sunday Times, John Bull’s slum. After partition in 1921, which Britain accepted rather...
You don’t need a weatherman…
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Mike Peters takes issue with the whole concept of natural disasters In January 2005 there was a programme on British TV about global climate change, in a series called ‘War on Terra’. Seven dates were selected to illustrate the recent alarming escalation in the number of ‘exceptional’ meteorological...
Why is France burning?
Doug Ireland traces the historic, social and racial roots of the violent rebellions which swept France this autumn. The night of Saturday 5 November was the 10th day of the spreading youth riots that had much of France in flames this autumn. It was the worst night since the first riot erupted in a...
Where do we go from here?
Greg Power pays tribute to Robin Cook, who died in August, and argues that his contribution to democratic socialism has been underestimated The last chapter in Robin Cook’s memoir is entitled ‘Where do we go from here?’ It is essentially a plea for the party in government to be more explicit about the values...
Forward, not back
Following Labour’s third election victory, Peter Hunt argues that mutuality should be at the heart of modern socialism Months after the ballots closed, memories of the campaign remain fresh. Those of us with the experience of several general elections will have been struck by how under-whelmed the electorate was with Labour; how hard it...
Compass points north
Will Brown reports on Compass roadshows in Leeds and Gateshead Following its successful conference in London last June, the centre-left Labour Party organisation, Compass, embarked on a series of regional ‘roadshows’ taking in Yorkshire and Humberside, the north east, Scotland and Wales, among other areas. Besides launching regional Compass groupings, the purpose of these...
Reclaiming the territory
BARRY WINTER interviews Jon Cruddas, MP for Dagenham, deputy leadership hopeful, and co-author of a new pamphlet on the democratic renewal of the Labour Party You wish to stand for deputy leader of the Labour party, but not deputy PM. Also, you’ve recently co-authored a very interesting pamphlet on renewal of the party. Are...
A suitable case for treatment
Barry Winter welcomes the call for Labour’s renewal in a new Compass pamphlet. But where are the forces to make it happen? A robust dialogue about democratically renewing the Labour Party has never been more vital. That’s no guarantee, however, that one will take place. Interest in party democracy is still overshadowed by the...