Daniel Waldron
Water Charges: We Won’t Pay!
80 years after his assassination: The life & ideas of Leon Trotsky
This year, 21st August marks the 80th anniversary of the death of Leon Trotsky in Mexico following an assault at the hands of a Stalinist agent. Alongside Lenin, Trotsky was the central Bolshevik leader of the October revolution in Russia which created the world’s first workers’ state. He would wage a lifelong struggle against both capitalism and Stalinist dictatorship.
Community pharmacists to take industrial action over funding crisis
In an unprecedented move, 98% of members at a consultative meeting of Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland (CPNI) - representing pharmacy contractors - voted to take industrial action over a funding crisis which they described as leaving “crucial frontline services” at “breaking point”.
New Decade, Same Approach
Almost exactly three years after its collapse in the wake of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scandal, the Northern Ireland Assembly reconvened on Saturday 11th January and elected a new Executive. This followed an agreement between the DUP, Sinn Féin and the British and Irish governments, entitled ‘New Decade, New Approach’.
Chernobyl: A warning from history
With growing calls, including from some on the left, for nuclear fission to be widely harnessed as a means to shift away from fossil fuels and cut carbon emissions, HBO's mini-series Chernobyl comes as a timely reminder of the colossal dangers associated with this technology.
Support civil servants’ strike against poverty pay
This is a crucial battle which deserves the support of all working-class people. A victory for the civil servants would act to boost the confidence of workers across both the public and private sectors and show that it is possible to fight back against poverty pay and austerity.
Labour defectors launch ‘Independent Group’
In late February, the long predicted Blairite split from the Labour Party – or at least its first wave – finally emerged, with the resignation of seven MPs to launch the so-called Independent Group. They were soon joined by one other from the Labour benches and three pro-EU Tories, including Anna Soubry.
60 years on: Cuban revolution remains an inspiration
New Year's Day this year marked the 60th anniversary of the Cuban revolution, the overthrow of corrupt, US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista by the July 26th Movement, a guerrilla army led by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. This began a process which would see capitalism and landlordism abolished on the island.