Economics, Westminster
The end of opposition
Posted on January 15, 2012 by Matthew Butcher | 12 Comments
Yesterday the official opposition gave up. In a packed room at The Insititute for Education Ed Balls finally confirmed what many of us have been thinking for a while: The Labour Party aren’t the alternative. As the cuts continue to bite, the wages of workers remain stagnant and the economic outlook for the UK remains [...]
Being debt campaigners in a world preoccupied with debt
Posted on January 13, 2012 by Admin | 2 Comments
By Alys Mumford DISCLAIMER: I work for Jubilee Scotland but am writing in my own capacity. The world is changing: debt and deficit are front page news, the general public is becoming educated in the language of financiers, and the relative virtues of IMF policies are being discussed down the pub. Well..maybe that’s just the [...]
Greens who oppose HS2 are being short sighted
Posted on January 11, 2012 by Sam Coates | 11 Comments
I must say I’m quite surprised by the enthusiasm for greens opposing HS2, announced to get ahead today. People say the business model doesn’t imply it will cut CO2 and merely increases demand for travel, and that the money would be better spent on improving local services that communities rely on. I can certainly think [...]
Why it’s kicking off everywhere by Paul Mason – review
Posted on January 11, 2012 by Adam Ramsay | 2 Comments
This is a review of Paul Mason’s new book ‘Why it’s kicking off everywhere’ – which will be available soon in all good bookshops. Paul Mason’s new book, out this month, made me laugh and made me cry. It gave me hope and helped me understand. “Why it’s kicking off everywhere” essentially does what it [...]
Don’t give up the pensions fight
Posted on December 19, 2011 by Alasdair Thompson | No Comments
Today Unison signed a heads of agreement with the government over changes to NHS pensions. The agreement still needs approval from Unison’s health committee (and potentially the membership directly) and the full details aren’t yet public, but the guardian report: Unison’s head of health, Christine McAnea, said the offer contained some concessions from the government, [...]
Sparks occupy BBC Scotland
Posted on December 17, 2011 by Adam Ramsay | No Comments
A group of electricians have occupied the BBC Scotland building to protest against the corporation’s failure to cover their long running fight against large building contractors who are attempting to cut their pay nationwide by 35%. As reported on the site jibelectrician.blogspot.com: THIS morning, Saturday 17th, Scotland M&E workers are currently occupying the Glasgow [...]
The party hasn’t started
Posted on December 12, 2011 by Adam Ramsay | 11 Comments
As the economic system built by the rich for the rich collapses, pessimism abounds. The argument seems to go like this: if the rich couldn’t build a better nation, a better Europe, a better world, then no one can. It is perhaps best summed up in the title of Robert Peston’s series: “The Party’s Over”. [...]
Bingo! Osborne’s Autumn statement: fun for all the family
Posted on November 29, 2011 by Adam Ramsay | 1 Comment
Thought the pre-budget report was going to be enraging? Worried that watching it will set you on a trajectory which will inevitably lead to the need for a new TV, replacing that with a shoe sized hole in it? Never fear! The good folks at nef (the new economics foundation) have cordially invited readers of [...]
5 things about pensions
Posted on November 28, 2011 by Adam Ramsay | 1 Comment
Wednesday’s strike isn’t just about pensions. Unions like the PCS have been clear from the outset – anti-worker laws mean we can’t go on strike against government policies. So unions couldn’t ballot for action against cuts in general. Instead they chose the one direct issue between employers and workers – one cut – which applies [...]
This is what democracy looks like – learning from Latin America
Posted on November 24, 2011 by Adam Ramsay | No Comments
This piece first appeared in this week’s issue of the Occupied Times Stretched across the tent town by the London Stock Exchange is a banner spelling out the slogan of 2011: “Real Democracy Now”. Go to the camp and many participants will tell you that it is not their demands which are key – it [...]
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