PLAYING THE GOOD GUY ROLE AT OUR EXPENSE?

thanks for this Fidel.



When the US administration hypocritically offered $100,000 in aid to cope with the catastrophe caused by hurricane Gustav --after an in situ inspection to assess the damages-- the response was that Cuba could not accept any donation from the country blockading it. Also, that the damages had already been assessed and that we only asked for the ban to be lifted on the export of indispensable material and credits associated with commercial transactions.
Some in the North shouted themselves hoarse that Cuba’s refusal was unthinkable.
Then, a few days later, when hurricane Ike swept the country from the Punta de Maisi to Cabo San Antonio (from east to west) the neighbors to the North were smarter; they softened their language. They spoke of planes ready to leave with products valued in 5 million USD and said that an assessment would not be required since they had already done it with their own means; what else if not espionage on our country. This time they would put the Revolution in a spot, they thought; if we dared refuse the offer we would be in trouble with our people. Perhaps they believed that no one here had watched the images brought by the United States TV networks of the UN occupation forces distributing food to the hungry Haitians who fought over it through a barbwire fence with the result of several injured children.
Hunger in that country is the consequence of the long and ruthless plundering of the peoples. There, in Gonaive, our physicians have been risking their lives caring for the population as they do in almost every municipality of that nation. This cooperation has continued to be provided there the same as in tens of other nations in the world, despite the hurricanes. The new and shrewd Note received a categorical response: “…our country cannot accept a donation from the government that is blockading it; however, it is willing to purchase indispensable material that the US companies export to other markets. Therefore, it requests authorization for such exports as well as for the credits which is the common procedure in every commercial transaction.
“If the US administration does not wish to do this permanently, Cuba requests authorization for at least the following six months, particularly mindful of the damages caused by hurricanes Gustav and Ike and the fact the most dangerous months of the hurricane season are still to come.”
It was not an arrogant reply; it is not Cuba’s style. As can be seen in the Note, the view was modestly expressed that it would suffice with the lifting of the ban for a limited period of time.
On Friday 12th, the US Secretary of Commerce, Carlos Gutierrez, dismissed the notion that the blockade could be temporarily lifted.
Obviously, the government of that powerful country is unable to understand that our people’s dignity is priceless. The wave of solidarity with Cuba, which comes from both big and small countries, with resources and even without them, would no longer exist if Cuba relinquished its dignity. Those who in our country are upset about it are absolutely wrong. If instead of $5 million the figure were $5 billion the answer would still be the same. Not any money can pay for the thousands of lives lost, the suffering of our people and the over $200 billion lost to the blockade and the Yankee aggressions.
The partial official report explained to our people that in less than ten days the country had lost over five billion dollars. It was also explained that the estimates were made according to historic and conventional prices rather inconsistent with reality. It should not be forgotten that “the estimates of losses in terms of housing were made on the basis of historic and conventional prices, and not on their real value at international prices. Suffice it to say that in order to build a lasting house that would put up with the strongest winds a basic element is required which is in very short supply: labor force. This is needed both for a temporary repair and for a lasting construction. That labor force has to be distributed among a number of production and services centers, some of them badly damaged, thus the real value of a house in the world and the repay of the corresponding investment is often greater.”
Nature dealt us a heavy blow but it is encouraging to know that our struggle will continue steadily and restlessly.
There is no final answer to the economic crisis hitting the United States, and consequently every other country in the world. But, there certainly is an answer in our country to natural disasters and to every attempt at putting a price on our dignity.

Fidel Castro Ruz
September 16, 2008
7:54 p.m.

Two fingers to New Labour

great news. The biggest 2 fingers to the Neo-labour rabble in Unison- well done one and all to all in Unison Health who helped get her in. I can hear the cringeing from Unison HQ from here! said my comrade Phelim.


To: unisonunitedleft
Subject: [uul] Karen elected to NEC



Brilliant news - Karen Reissmann has been elected to the NEC, for one of
the four national Health seats.



We'll be celebrating in the branch!!



Caroline Bedale

Karen a victimsed unison worker, long time socialist worker and all round higly active and wonderful leftist has won a big victory...

some background...


Reissmann Sacked For Speaking Out

On Monday November 5th Karen Reissmann, CPN and UNISON branch chair was sacked on 4 counts. Firstly that, when she was interviewed in December 2006 criticising the transfer of NHS work to the voluntary sector, she brought the Trust into disrepute. Secondly, for telling people that she was suspended and what for. Thirdly, for protesting her innocence. Fourthly, for allowing the press to print information, some misleading about her case. The fifth charge of misusing time was dropped. All the charges were gross misconduct and all sackable offences.

UNISON believes this is an absolute disgrace. Union reps must have the right to campaign against cuts and victimisation of our trade union reps. The Human Rights Act brought in by the Labour government allows for freedom of expression. Karen works in the NHS, in 2007, in Britain not Burma – she must have the right to speak out without fear of persecution. If she remains sacked it will make all NHS staff and all trade union reps feel much more cautious about saying anything.

Karen Reissmann was told on Monday 10th December that her appeal had been turned down.
UNISON members voted on the 14th December to suspend their indefinite strike of community mental health teams and to return to work. But this is not the end. Their campaign to reinstate Karen Reissmann will now become a national UNISON campaign. Further strike action by the branch is planned for the New Year as part of this national campaign.

Dave Prentis, UNISON general secretary, who is arranging a meeting with Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health, has sent a personal message to all the strikers. He says “UNISON will not be silenced and we shall continue to campaign through all available channels to obtain Karen’s reinstatement.”

UNISON is supporting a claim for unfair dismissal at an Employment Tribunal, early day motion by UNISON sponsored MPs and looking to a national lobby of parliament in the New Year.

“I would like to thank all those colleagues who have supported my case so far and know we are all committed to an on-going national campaign to obtain my reinstatement. Neither me, nor my colleagues nor our supporters are going away” said Karen.

lets keep active in our unions.

Bush's last act may be war in the Andes!

The Bolivia Solidarity Campaign and Hands Off Venezuela have called a picket of the US embassy in Grosvenor Square, London, today from 4pm to 6pm. At 7pm, Bolivian ambassador Maria Beatriz Souviron, Venezuelan deputy ambassador Felix Plasencia, John McDonnell MP and NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear will be speaking at a public meeting in the NUJ headquarters, 308 Gray's Inn Road, King's Cross. All welcome.


Preparing for US invasion
(Tuesday 16 September 2008)Morning Star
CHARLEY ALLAN

AS George Bush's presidency draws to a close, progressive governments in Latin America are facing ever-greater danger, writes CHARLEY ALLAN.

Exactly 35 years after a CIA-orchestrated coup brought down Salvador Allende's socialist government in Chile, the political climate in Latin America is boiling over and now threatens to explode.

On last Thursday's anniversary of Allende's murder, between 30 and 70 peasants in the Bolivian jungle province of Pando were machine-gunned to death on their way to a protest against regional governor Leopoldo Fernandez, a fierce critic of President Evo Morales.

Right-wing rioters have burned down countless government and media buildings across the country, temporarily taken over an airport, blockaded highways and sabotaged gas pipelines, just weeks after Morales won a recall referendum on his presidency with over two-thirds of the vote. It seems that the so-called "democratic opposition" isn't taking no for an answer.

Morales has denounced the brewing "civic-business coup" and expelled United States ambassador Philip Goldberg, who was previously head of mission in Serbia's breakaway Kosovo region from 2004 to 2006, after he was caught secretly meeting opposition separatist leaders. Washington responded by kicking out Bolivia's top diplomat, tit-for-tat.

In solidarity, live on television, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez gave US ambassador Patrick Duddy 72 hours notice to leave Caracas with the timeless phrase: "Yankee, go home!"

He also withdrew his own ambassador, insisting that, "until there is a government in the United States that respects the people of Latin America, there will be no Venezuelan ambassador in that country."

Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, an ally of Morales and Chavez, has joined in by refusing to accredit the new US ambassador there, while Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, himself no stranger to US-backed terror, has refused to attend a forthcoming central American summit because of Bush's presence.

South American presidents pledged support for Morales on Monday at a emergency summit in Santiago, Chile. The meeting was convened by Argentinean President Christina Fernandez de Kirchner, who warned that, "if we don't act now, in 30 years we may be watching documentaries (about Morales) like those that we see today about Allende."

Back in Venezuela, journalist Mario Silva broadcasted a recording a week ago on his programme The Razorblade of active and retired military personnel plotting the assassination of Chavez by blowing up either his plane or presidential palace. Since then, five suspected coup plotters, including a vice-admiral, have been arrested.

On the tape, former national guard general Wilfredo Barroso Herrera spells out the plan: "We're going to take Miraflores Palace, we're going to take the TV installations. All effort is towards where the man (Chavez) is. If he's in Miraflores, the effort goes towards there."

Washington responded to Duddy's expulsion by freezing the assets of three of Chavez's aides, citing Venezuela's alleged support for Colombian "narco-guerillas." Because the US is heavily reliant on Venezuelan oil, economic relations have been relatively stable, but this development raises the stakes significantly. Although Chavez has warned that oil prices would double immediately if he cut off supplies to the US, he's also insisted that he currently has no plans to do this.

Meanwhile, the mainstream media are screaming about a new cold war, as Russian bombers and warships perform joint military operations with Venezuela. The same news outlets are less vocal about the background to this show of strength, which was Bush's decision to revive the US navy's Fourth Fleet in June, almost 60 years since it was disbanded.

With the US military now all over the Caribbean, you can't blame Chavez for wanting a bit of protection. And the US can hardly complain, what with its own troops on Russia's border causing trouble. Venezuela was one of the few countries to publicly back Russia over the South Ossetia crisis and has bought military hardware from the former super-power since the US imposed an arms embargo two years ago.

Chavez has also repeated his vow to defend Bolivia militarily if Morales is overthrown, the kind of support that he could've done with himself on April 11 2002 when a US-backed coup toppled him for two days before he was restored to power by angry masses and the loyal military.

The parallels between then and now are chilling and the opposition media in Venezuela are again playing a key role, not least by their deafening silence on the new coup attempt.

"They are doing the same as they did on April 11th, covering up a bloody coup," insists Jorge Rodriguez, who is the national co-ordinator of Venezuela's governing party and a former vice-president. "The silence of the private media is the expression of its participation in the coup d'etat attempt."

The opposition mocks the latest coup threat as a fraudulent illusion constructed to shore up support for Chavez before local and regional elections on November 23, but this is a standard tactic that it employs when its plans are exposed, most memorably around the time of the coup and the bosses' lock-out later that year.

Silva, who is a candidate for state governor, argued on his programme that the coup plot proves that the opposition is afraid that it will do badly at the polls and is preparing a Plan B. But, while the lead-up to the elections will bring more danger for Venezuela, it's Bolivia that is bearing the brunt of US aggression right now.

Morales has declared a state of emergency in Pando and has accused Fernandez of being behind the massacre, calling for his arrest. He's sent in the army to restore order, but Chavez publicly accused the commander in chief of Bolivia's armed forces General Luis Trigo on Sunday of dragging his heels by ordering soldiers to remain in their barracks instead of protecting the people.

"General Trigo is like those who hid themselves when I called on the radio (in 2002) to tell them to put Plan Avila into action, which is a defence plan. The coup plotters of April, it's a very similar attitude, facilitate fascism and the destruction of the fatherland."

He went on to urge Bolivian soldiers under Trigo's command: "Don't betray the fatherland. History will hold you accountable if it happens again, as has happened on other occasions with soldiers who put themselves at imperialism's disposition."

On the subject of defending Morales, he added: "I'm not suggesting invading Bolivia, but we will not accept a coup. Bolivian oligarchy, just so you know. Gringo empire, just so you know. Bolivian soldiers who may be facilitating a coup, just so you know - we're not going to tolerate it, we're not going to accept it."

Bush may well have made it his top priority to overthrow Chavez, Morales and the other Latin American "pinkos" before he leaves office in a few months, but it looks like the "axis of hope" and its supporters around the world are better prepared than ever before. As Chavez says, "if there's a coup, the countercoup would be overwhelming."

ON THE INTERNET
www.handsoffvenezuela.org

Carbon trading kills the forests and enriches the bankers

The Corner House are very good, very thoughtful, very politically sophisticated and take it from the perspective of the grassroots....they have no rival as a serious green think tank.

Get a load of all this...ecosocialism require serious thought, its not enough to go with on the left now love the environment and reject our former productivist ways. Ecology is however being kicked out by shallow environmentalism, likewise what we derive from socialism is an analysis of power, politics, economics, society and change. The Corner House seems to be to be the one part of the green movement that thinks politically...see what you think.



NEW CLIMATE CHANGE articles on The Corner House website

The recent devastating storms and floods in India and the Caribbean
provide another chilling foretaste of the hazards of a warmed world. A
dozen new items just posted in the climate section of The Corner House's
website (http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/subject/climate) -- books,
videos, articles and presentations -- continue our series aimed at
encouraging dialogue on what's needed for effective action on the issue.


ARTICLES FOR ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

1. 'Climate Crisis: Social Science Crisis'
by Larry Lohmann

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/SocSci.pdf

It's sometimes said that governments are failing to address climate change
because they aren't taking the warnings of natural scientists seriously
enough. In fact, this draft chapter suggests, the failures may have more
to do with lack of social science understanding -- in particular, of how
the kind of social change required actually takes place.


2. 'Privatization of the Air Turns Lethal:
Pay-to-Pollute Principle Kills South African Activist Sajida Khan' by
Patrick Bond

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/BondCNS.pdf

The death of Durban environmentalist Sajida Khan in July 2007 calls
attention to the consequences of the climate justice struggle. If South
Africans are to be at the cutting edge of progressive climate activism,
not partners in the privatization of the atmosphere, three citizens'
networks -- environmentalists, community groups and trade unions -- must
join forces to identify the contradictions within both South African and
global energy sector policies and practices and help synthesize modes of
resistance.


OTHER ARTICLES AND PRESENTATIONS

3. 'Six Soundbites on Climate Markets'

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/Soundbites.pdf

Will current plans to expand carbon trading in the US and elsewhere work?
No. Because carbon trading:
- is aimed at the wrong objective;
- squanders resources on the wrong things;
- requires knowledge and institutions that do not exist;
- is antidemocratic;
- interferes with positive solutions; and
- puts ideology above experience.


4. 'Climate Change and Social Justice: An Interview with Re-Public' by
Arlen Dilsizian and Larry Lohmann

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/Dilsizian.pdf

Climate change is not a new kind of social issue. It requires a
re-examination of classic questions of power relations.


5. 'Mausam'
by Soumitra Ghosh and Subrat Kumar Sahu

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/Mausam_July-Sept2008.pdf

The inaugural issue of this new Indian magazine, 'Mausam', is aimed at
helping to return the dialogue about climate change solutions to the
''public space'', instead of allowing it to remain the ''exclusive
property of governments, profiteers and 'experts' of various shades and
hues''.


6. 'Offset Standard Is off Target'
by Kevin Smith

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/OffTarget.pdf

Widely-publicized frauds in the carbon 'offset' market have led to
governmental and corporate proposals for standards. But no standards are
working. And the more onerous any attempted regulation becomes, the more
the market comes to be dominated by big corporate polluters with the money
to work the system.


7. 'A Death in Durban:
Capitalist Patriarchy, Global Warming Gimmickry and our Responsibility for
Rubbish'
by Patrick Bond and Rehana Dada

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/BondDada.pdf

Sajida Khan, an environmental activist based in Durban, South Africa, who
died in July 2007, dedicated her life to fighting international
corporations and local municipalities over the pollution and environmental
degradation of her community. An interview with Khan about environmental
justice and possible ways forward to create healthier livelihoods is
included.


8. 'Chronicle of a Disaster Foretold? REDD with Carbon Trading'
by Larry Lohmann

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/Chronicle.pdf

Many new schemes are afoot to allow the North to pay the South for
conserving its forests in return for permission to continue using fossil
fuels. But how would a market in pollution rights generated by Reducing
Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) play out in reality?
This powerpoint presentation aruges that the answers are far more complex
and disturbing than might appear at first glance.


9. 'Trading away the Future? Climate Politics and the Gulf'
by Larry Lohmann

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/TheGulf.pdf

The Kyoto Protocol and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme tend to substitute
empty play with numbers for the hard thinking about historical pathways
needed for planetary survival. This is dangerous for fossil fuel exporters
and importers alike.


VIDEOS

10. 'The CO2 Alibi' (video)
by Zembla (The Netherlands)

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/item.shtml?x=562320

Exploring both ends of the carbon market through research and interviews
in Uganda and The Netherlands, this video (available in Portuguese and
English versions) brings new clarity to the debate over climate change
solutions.


11. 'A Vermont Meeting on Carbon Trading' (video)

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/summary.shtml?x=562060

A two-hour discussion on climate politics and carbon trading at the
Unitarian Church, Montpelier, Vermont, in January 2008, videoed by Orca
Productions.


FREE BOOKS

12. 'The Struggle of Villagers in Chana District, Southern Thailand in
Defence of Community Land and Religion against the Trans Thai-Malaysian
Pipeline and Industrial Project (TTM) 2002-2008'
by Chana activists and others

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/TTM2002-2007.pdf

Southern Thai Muslim communities have been trying for a decade to halt
destructive local fossil fuel developments backed by foreign banks. In
words and pictures, this book (in an updated and revised second edition)
recounts their struggle.


13. 'Cooling It! No Hair Shirt Solutions to Global Warming'
by Gar Lipow

http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/coolingit.pdf

The obstacles to tackling the climate crisis are political, not
technological, argues this book, which focuses on the most
carbon-profligate country, the USA.

Peter Camejo is dead

Peter Camejo a powerhouse of the left in the US Green Party has died, I am very shocked to hear.

He stood as vice president with Nader in last elections and a Governor of California.

He was also a big name in the US Socialist Workers Party....Venezuelan born.

Never met him, I am sad to say, Walt Sheasby, Murray Bookchin both of whom I did know, have also died in the last couple of years.

I suppose there is some comfort in the fact that there are plenty of militant and organised ecosocialist in their 20s who I bump into.

Sad loss, sad loss

Peter died of leukemia I believe.

Broadstairs to be enclosed in concrete unless you object.

Had this from Steve Dawe, who along with yours truly, Caroline Lucas and Keith Taylor is part of the Green Party slate for South East Constituency of the European Parliament.

Will Thanet become part of China? Well put like that it sounds rather fun, however concreating over large parts of the countryside around Broadstairs is not something that is attractive to local residents. Its all part of neo-liberal corporate globalisation

I go on holiday to Broadstairs by the way....

>PRESS RELEASE
>
>
>
>
>SEPTEMBER 2008
>
>
>CHINA GATE: THE MEETING
>
>
>
>
>An emergency public meeting has been called in Broadstairs to discuss the
>biggest controversy to hit Thanet in years.
>
>The meeting will discuss the China Gateway project which, it’s been
>claimed, is designed to turn Thanet into the home of Chinese globalisation.
>
>The proposals involve turning 175 acres of Thanet’s countryside into a
>huge warehousing development for Chinese electronic goods.
>
>Campaigners against the project claim the project threatens Thanet’s
>drinking water, will deface the landscape and destroy valuable farming
>land. Supporters argue it will bring thousands of jobs.
>
>Thanet Council, it’s believed, will decide whether to give go-ahead to the
>project on October 9th.
>
>The meeting has been called by film-maker Christine Tongue, producer of
>the much-praised “Thanet Under Threat” documentary, which was shown across
>the isle last year.
>
>Christine said: “This is a huge project which has far-reaching
>implications for the environment and economy of Thanet. It is absolutely
>critical that everyone understands the issues involved and what’s at stake.
>
>“At the meeting we will explain what the proposals for China Gateway
>involve and discuss what they may mean to the area.”
>
>“The plan involves building a vast industrial development on one of
>Thanet’s aquifers – one of the main sources of our drinking water. It has
>huge implications for traffic. And it will change the landscape of the
>island irreparably.
>
>“All these issues must be discussed. We can’t sleep-walk into this.”
>
>She added: “It would be insane if this plan was to go through without
>people understanding the impact it will have on Thanet.”
>
>The film-maker is making a new film called “Thanet The Future” and will
>show some excerpts from the film at the meeting.
>
>The meeting will be at 7.30 on Tuesday September 9th at the Red Hall, 11
>Grosvenor Road, Broadstairs. For more details telephone Christine on 01843
>604253 or email inmeds@yahoo.co.uk. Picture
>attached.
>
>ENDS
PEOPLE WILL DEMONSTRATE AGAINST CHINA GATE

A packed public meeting in Broadstairs voted unanimously to demonstrate against the controversial China Gateway project.

Campaigners claim that the plan, a huge warehousing development to store Chinese electronic goods, will destroy 175 acres of Thanet’s countryside, threaten Thanet’s drinking water, and bring traffic chaos.

Meeting organiser Christine Tongue was amazed by the turnout for the meeting.

She said “Large numbers of people couldn’t get into the building. It just shows the strength of feeling against the China Gateway plan.

“Speaker after speaker attacked the project, and not one person spoke in its favour.”

Thanet Council will decide whether to give go-ahead to the project on October 9th. Before then campaigners plan to “bombard” their councillors with protests and to organise demonstrations against the plan.

Christine, producer of the much-praised “Thanet Under Threat” documentary film, which was shown across the isle last year, said that people seemed angry about the proposal, which has been covered in the investigative magazine “Private Eye”.

“China Gateway is being promoted as a source of jobs for local people but the only example of a similar scheme, in Dubai, has resulted in no employment for local people whatsoever,” Christine said.

“The developers and Chinese businesses may make money out of this – but it will be the people of Thanet who will be the losers.

“It’s our countryside they’re planning to concrete over, our landscape they’re going to scar. We can’t let them get away with this.”

Another meeting has been called to organise action against the new development. “Anyone who has any ideas about what we can do or simply wants to help should come along,” Christine said. “Time is short and there’s much to be done.”

The meeting will be held at 7.30pm on Tuesday September 16that the Red Hall, 11 Grosvenor Road, Broadstairs. For more details telephone Christine on 01843 604253 or email inmeds@yahoo.co.uk

Convention of the Left: just days to go

An invitation to join the Convention of The Left

The programme for this event has now been finalised(link below) and I hope some of you will be able to attend at least some of it.

http://www.conventionoftheleft.org/

This bold venture comes as a result of people from different left and radical traditions – or none – getting together in Greater Manchester to say that there IS an alternative to Labour’s policies of war and privatisation.

We are from green, left, internationalist, communist, socialist, radical and anarchist backgrounds. We are involved in civil liberties, anti-deportation, trade union, climate change, peace and public service campaigns. What we have in common is that we believe the wealth exists in society to pay for our essential needs – but we do not believe that an unbridled free market is sustainable.

We cannot have socialism if the planet has been destroyed, but we [probably?] can’t save the planet unless we have socialism.

So when New Labour comes to Manchester for its so-called “Conference” (an event generally believed to be without debate or decisions), we have decided that we want to host a “Convention of The Left” – just a stone’s throw (or a balloon’s flight) away from the security-surrounded official event, we will be holding a day of action, a full day conference, and three days of themed debates and discussions (Saturday September 20th - Wednesday September 24th 2008).

Our Convention will be both a protest at Labour’s war and privatisation, racism and pollution, authoritarianism and inequality, and a practical demonstration that there is an alternative.

Our Convention will be about an entirely different world – one that can be built by working people for working people.

Our Convention will be united in our determination to combine our strengths and develop through open and participatory debates the rebuilding of The Left today.

The agenda is evolving, because we have been seeking the comments, suggestions and involvements of many more people – and we are going on doing so, between now and then. We don’t just want a one-off conference (good though we hope the debates in September will be). We want to encourage everyone to start debating the topics and the possibilities across the pages of the left press and the websites and blogs, all the way from now till then.

So our blog (www.conventionoftheleft.org.uk) has started with a few contributions for debate – on Planet, Peace, People not Profits, Politics: Power and Participation – and hopes to encourage both responses to these and suggestions on many more (including Prejudice and Oppression for example). The topics don’t all have to start with “P” – but, for the meanwhile, Give “P”s a Chance… and we look forward to the comments that come in.

Then, as we get closer to the event itself, we hope we will have a body of material already debated widely across the left that can start the Convention off on a sound footing – and encourage yet more participation and debate in the sessions that follow – all of which may lead to the development of “charters” or even a “manifesto” of The Left, on which we can all agree to mobilise our forces in unity so as to campaign more effectively.

The Convention is currently organised by an Organising Group, meeting in Manchester. All meetings have been open to others to come and make suggestions. As a practical result of this, we have agreed that we must take some action already – anti-fascist work for example is not going to wait until September, but is starting now.

Similarly we have been looking for ways to involve the left around the rest of the country, who cannot necessarily make meetings in Manchester (and from our neighbours north and west of the borders – in Scotland and Wales – and hopefully from the European Left and beyond). Debate in hyperspace is encouraged, but maybe people can also organise their own meetings in their own localities; to which those of us in Manchester would be pleased to come along and give some information on the progress so far.

Confirmed participants include Tony Benn, John McDonnell, Jeremy Corbyn, Mark Serwotka, Colin Fox, Pam Currie, Frances Curran, Sue Bond, Jeremy Dear, Matt Wrack, Maria Exall, Jane Loftus, Carolyn Jones, Rahila Gupta, Tariq Ali, John Lister, Jonathan Neale, Kate Hudson, Andrew Murray, Lindsey German, Bill Greenshields, George Galloway, Abjol Miah , Ken Loach, Rob Griffiths, and Derek Wall. Sponsoring organisations include the Labour Representation Committee – and the Left Women’s Network and Left Economics Advisory Panel; Scottish Socialist Party; Communist Party of Britain; Green Left; Respect; Morning Star, Socialist Workers Party, Greater Manchester Association of Trades Union Councils, Manchester Trades Council, Liverpool Trades Council and many others.

So if you want to support actions ranging from stopping the war(s), supporting the anti-nuclear blockades, fighting racist deportations, stopping housing sell-offs, defending the NHS – do feel free to get involved. If you want to hear (or even to organise) debates and discussions on Palestine, Iraq, Pakistan, or the break-up of the UK, climate change, human rights (including the rights of migrants and refugees), reclaiming health and (secular) education, and the struggle for a fairer economic system – do make suggestions and put your own contributions onto the blog.

We want to start defining a new way of working (even to reclaim that word “new”) so that we can work together in practical campaigns, regardless of the organisations we may belong to, and so that we can stop the war and nuclear proliferation, the cuts and privatisation. Much more than elections and individual campaigns, we want to develop a critique of capitalism as we now know it and an alternative strategy that is environmentally and socially just, inclusive and peaceful, pluralist, tolerant, and doesn’t rely on “top-table” speakers but on discussion from us all – in pursuit of a bigger common objective that benefits the many and not the few.

Diverse but not divisive, we want participation in debate and unity in action.

What do you think?