Wednesday 29 July 2020

FINSTERFORST - Zerfall | Napalm Records


























This album from German pagan metal band Finsterforst was released last year but has only just come to my attention with this video randomly selected by You Tube. After listening to this excellent piece of music (and a couple of other tracks from previous releases) I've ordered a copy.

Finsterfrost (which translates as "Dark Forest") have been going since 2004 and this is their fourth studio album. 

Further info: finsterforst.de

Stop BDS! Close the Legal Loophole!














On 29 April 2020 the Supreme Court ruled that government guidance issued to local government pension schemes was unlawful.

The investment strategy advice said it was inappropriate to pursue boycotts, divestments and sanctions against foreign nations and UK defence industries, other than where formal UK government sanctions were in place.

The legal action was raised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) to advance its racist agenda of boycotts, divestments and sanctions (BDS) against Israel.

The ruling means that UK government policy has been hijacked by the PSC.

The UK Government must now implement primary legislation to close this legal loophole.

Every mainstream UK political party has publicly announced that they are against BDS, let’s test that commitment.

Please ask your MP to write to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and request confirmation that the government will legislate to close the loophole?

Monday 27 July 2020

Racism is unacceptable: Remove Wiley's MBE

No photo description available.


The Jewish Community has begun a 48 hour boycott of Twitter in protest against "Wiley" (real name Richard Kylea Cowie Junior) whose racist rant against Jews for hours on social media was a disgrace and could stir racial prejudice within those who follow this so-called "celebrity". His agent has dumped him. 

The Campaign Against AntiSemitism is now calling on the Honours Forfeiture Committee to remove Wiley's MBE as he is not fit to be honoured in this way. 

Image may contain: text

Boycott Twitter today and tomorrow 27/28 July!

Say No to Antisemitism! Say No to Racism!

Friday 24 July 2020

International Coalition to end forced labour in the Uyghur Region launched








The following statement was issued by Freedom United

Today, we’re excited to announce that Freedom United is joining an international coalition of over 180 organisations from 36 different countries, including 70 Uyghur groups, calling on apparel brands and retailers to stop using cotton from the Uyghur Region in their business. Our collective voice is helping to power this new call for change.

As part of the Coalition, Freedom United will bring your crucial public support and engagement to this international effort. We need your action because a well-supported petition makes the Coalition’s call harder to ignore.

Add your name today and call on the Chinese government to end its system of forced labour and free detained Uyghurs and other Turkic and Muslim people.

Join the campaign

Over one million Uyghurs and other members of persecuted ethnic groups in northwestern China have been detained since 2017.[1] Among the many human rights abuses they face—which include forced sterilisation, torture, and family separation—many detainees enter a vast system of forced labor that encompasses camps and factories both in the Uyghur Region and across China.[2]

Despite the ongoing atrocities, most major brands continue to source cotton and yarn from the region. In fact, roughly 1 in 5 cotton garments sold in Europe and North America contain cotton grown in the Uyghur Region.[3] Among the many brands that are reported to be linked, either directly or indirectly, are H&M, Marks & Spencer, Uniqlo, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Gap.[4]

Whilst brands may claim to prohibit forced labour in their supply chains, many offer no credible explanation of how they ensure their products are not tainted by forced labour. Brands therefore face a real risk of being complicit in what is widely recognised as crimes against humanity.[5]


The new Coalition to End Forced Labour in the Uyghur Region is calling on apparel brands to “make a formal commitment to exit the XUAR, at every level of their supply chains, and to complete this exit within twelve months.”[6] The coalition will work with governments, multilateral organizations, brand leaders, and other stakeholders in order to build the economic and political pressure necessary to push the Chinese government to end its system of forced labor.

It can be hard to grasp the enormity of the atrocities taking place in the Uyghur Region from thousands of miles away, so take it from Rahima, who hasn’t heard from her family since 2017. Rahima’s organisation and Freedom United partner, World Uyghur Congress, is one of over 70 different Uyghur groups in the Coalition. Uyghur people like Rahima have been ignored for far too long, and now the pressure is finally building on brands and governments to take a stand.

Take action today and call for an end to forced labour in the Uyghur Region.



---------------------------------------------------
Notes:

Thursday 23 July 2020

Neil Young - Homegrown, a new old album

Homegrown.jpg

Some forty-five years after being recorded Neil Young's 1974/75 album Homegrown was finally released in time for "Record Store Day" back in June. It becomes his 40th Studio album and whilst "new" is certainly a reflection of the period it was recorded in. 

Homegrown contains 11 songs and(one narrated piece (which felt a wee bit self indulgent to this listener) which together Young felt were a bit of a downer at the time. Nevertheless this remains a highly listenable album for fans of the man.

I particularly like the last three tracks on the album including Star of Bethlehem which features Emmylou Harris. I've chosen No Vacancy to give you a taste of the album which whilst not one of his greatest makes pleasant listening though skip Florida if the control is in reach!


Wednesday 22 July 2020

Pretenders - Hate for Sale (New Album)


























Released last Friday the new pretenders album, their first since for four years is a great reminder of times past. The band first came to prominence in 1979 with two memorable but low charting singles Stop Your Sobbing & Kid but then went to number one with Brass In Pocket. 

Their first self titled album released at the very end of 79 hit the number one spot in the charts. Since then The Pretenders have been a solid part of the British music scene. 

The new album is both refreshing and nostalgic at the same time. Recognisable and with new anthems but also a sign of the maturing outlook of the the band who like their followers me included have shall we say "grown". These are no longer the late seventies or confrontational eighties but a good tune is always appreciated and this album hits the mark

This track with a rather nifty retro-photo story strip style (which were all the rage in girl's comics at the time though boys didn't take to them so readily in The Eagle when it was relaunched but I digress) is featured for your entertainment.


Official website: thepretenders.com

Labour Against Antisemitism Statement on Labour Party's apology to whistleblowers
















After a lengthy battle and court case the Labour Party has finally reached an agreement to apologise and pay reparations for the harm done to them.

The Guardian reported:

Labour conceded it had made defamatory and false allegations against the litigants in the light of their interview with the Panorama programme Is Labour Antisemitic?, broadcast last July.

It agreed to retract and withdraw accusations that the whistleblowers were motivated by their opposition to the party’s former leader Jeremy Corbyn and had “political axes to grind” and its accusation that Ware had conducted a “deliberate and malicious misrepresentations designed to mislead the public”.

In a four-page agreement statement made in relation to the former staff’s libel action read out in court 37 of the high court, it said: “The Labour party is here today to publicly set the record straight, and to apologise to the claimants for the distress and embarrassment that it has caused them.”

Fiona Sharpe, spokesman for Labour Against Antisemitism, said:

“The Labour Party’s campaign to undermine the BBC Panorama documentary ‘Is Labour Anti-Semitic?’ was, in our view, an attempt to dismiss evidence of institutional anti-Jewish racism in the party.


It is only right that Labour has finally apologised to those involved in the programme, and especially to the seven whistleblowers who have reportedly faced months of abuse leading to emotional and mental distress.
.
We hope that this indicates that the Labour Party is now willing to admit the scale of harm done in recent years and months and will quickly settle all other outstanding cases satisfactorily.”

Monday 20 July 2020

Protest: Stop the genocide & free the Uyghur people!



















6pm Wednesday 5 August

Embassy of China, 49 Portland Place, London W1B 1JL


Socially-distanced protest at the Chinese embassy, for the rights of the Uyghur people in 
East Turkestan (Xinjiang, north-west China). 

This is a monthly protest on the 5th – we’re back after a pause due to COVID-19.

Join us to demand of the Chinese state:
  • Stop the genocide: end forced sterilisation and forced contraception
  • Close the concentration camps and free the prisoners
  • Stop the forced labour enslavement of Uyghur workers
  • Stop the violent abuse, the surveillance, the harassment and the political, cultural and religious repression
  • Return Uyghur children taken from their families
  • Recognise the Uyghur people’s democratic right to determine their own future

Please help us protect everyone from the coronavirus:
  • WEAR A MASK
  • BRING YOUR HAND SANITISER
  • HOUSEHOLDS KEEP APART
  • DO NOT ATTEND IF SOMEONE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD IS VULNERABLE OR HAS HAD CORONAVIRUS SYMPTOMS IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS

The Uyghur Solidarity Campaign UK brings together solidarity in the UK workers’ movement in support of the Uyghur people’s struggle for freedom.

Further info: uyghursolidarityuk.org





Sunday 19 July 2020

When "Trotskyists" go full National Socialist.








































One of the  legacies of the Corbyn era has been the rise of antisemitism on the left which has not even always just been hidden as so-called "anti-Zionism".  While a large number of these individuals are not in organised groups and restrict themselves to tweeting hateful and conspiratorial comments about Jewish control of the banks or media, sometimes even the BBC there are sections of the organised left which crossed the Rubicon a long time ago.

Most obvious of these is the Communist Party of Great Britain (Weekly Worker) which defends every antisemite or seriously deranged individual inside the Labour Party through it's Labour Against the Witch Hunt front organisation. They once had a problem with a member called Ian Donovan who developed a theory that there is an "International Jewish Bourgeoisie". 

Now for reasons that will be obvious to anyone with a modicum of intelligence that is nothing more than a Marxist version of the international Zionist conspiracy theories pursued by the far right for decades and is used by Islamists as part of their ideological heritage. The target is never "Zionists". It's Jews no matter how they twist and turn their banal outlooks.

The CPGB (WW) expelled Donovan accusing him of antisemitism however he quickly found a new home with Gerry Downing in a small group called Socialist Fight. This group was one of the fragments of Gerry Healy's Workers Revolutionary Party which fell apart after their leader was found to be a sexual abuser.

Downing ended up in one of the smallest fragments and carried with him the ideological heritage of antisemitism (dressed in anti-Zionist clothing) that had existed in the WRP who received money from various despotic Arab regimes led by Qaddafi or Saddam Hussein.

Readers will recall that not only was Downing expelled from the Labour Party but had a car crash of an interview with Andrew Neil which has become legend on the left. Downing found an ally with Ina Donovan and the pair peddled their errant nonsense until as is quite usual for these groups they fell out and there are now two "Socialist Fights", one sub-titled "the Communist Faction".

Photo: By Source

It seems Donovan's obsession with Zionism continues and his Facebook Page seems to have in alignment with the paranoid Islamist Asghar "Mossad pinched my shoe" Bukhari. The obsession with Jews  Zionists is obvious to any reader. The latest edition of their newspaper has headlines I would expect to see in a modern day Völkischer Beobachter rather than any kind of left paper though admittedly the Corbyn era has eroded the barriers between the far-left and far right perhaps forever.

Small this group may be but it represents a growing tendency amongst a whole layer of leftist elements that are drifting towards a new fascism.

Saturday 18 July 2020

Doctor Who: Scorched Earth (Big Finish Audio)




Following the relaxing of the lock-down Big Finish are now fulfilling their physical orders (download purchases were available immediately) and Doctor Who: Scorched Earth arrived several days ago. It's taken me a while to finish this adventure having been distracted by binge watching DVD box sets of Doom Patrol, The Boys and watching late night reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

Sadly that was only part of the reason. I also kept putting off listening to the final two parts because I wasn't enjoying this story set in occupied France as the Second World War was entering it's final phases.

Having been impressed by Colin Bakers previous outing in Cry of the Vultriss which was pure classic Doctor Who this story just wasn't up to the standard. The appearance of an alien burning Nazi's at the whim of a resistance fighter just didn't work especially as things get out of hand and as for the ending (no spoilers) absolute rubbish.

Like it's parent programme there are sometimes naff stories. This was one but don't let it put you off picking up others. Big Finish do produce some excellent stuff! Just skip this one...

Other Big Finish audios are available from: www.bigfinish.com

Wednesday 15 July 2020

New singles from The Pretty Reckless (USA) & Scandal (Japan)

Two of my favourite current bands have released new singles. Both on download, no physical copies except The pretty Reckless who offer a 7" vinyl for $12 but the postage from the states is prohibitive. I'll just wait for the inevitable album.

The one thing I miss with the modern music scene is rushing out on a Saturday to pick up a single or two. There's nothing like owning the thing rather than just having an electric signal buried on the PC.

At least we still have albums. I'll never be into downloads and neither will most of my generation of ageing rockers!

Meanwhile of course here's the first of this weeks new releases from the ever excellent Pretty Reckless enjoy!


Official Website here: deathbyrockandroll.com

Next up is one the most iconic all-girl rock bands from Japan, Scandal. They have been taking a more commercial route for a while but I remain a fan. There new single is also out and there's an excellent anime  video to accompany it! 

Scandal are: Haranua (Vocals & guitar), Mami (Vocals & Guitar), Tomomi (Bass & Vocals) and Rina (Drums & vocals).


Scandal are distributed in the UK by: jpurecords.com

Tuesday 14 July 2020

Women workers dismissed for union organising





Four women workers have been dismissed from SF Trade in Izmir, Turkey, for organising a union at the leather and textile company.

Last year, workers at SF Trade, which supplies global brands with textile and leather goods, started a campaign to organise a union. They wanted overtime pay, to work without excessive production pressure and to be respected. They chose IndustriALL Global Union affiliate Deriteks to represent them and began recruiting members.

The company’s management was quick to start anti-union tactics. Ayşe and Pınar - two women who led the organising campaign - were dismissed on 25 October 2019, allegedly for poor performance. They were taken to separate rooms without their mobile phones, and told to sign resignation letters, or lose their severance payments. They began a picket in front of the factory at the Aegean Free Trade Zone near Izmir.

The management continues to threaten workers with dismissal if they join the union. In December 2019, Nurcan was forced to resign from the union, and Sevcan in January 2020. Both were dismissed.

The company continues to breach international core labour standards as well as Turkish constitutional rights. The company again sued for damages, accusing workers of undermining competitiveness due to their social media posts.

SF Trade has a history of union busting. In 2015, union workers fought and won justice at the company after a long struggle. The company is attacking the union again – and meeting the same resistance.

In 2015 the company, at the time called SF Leather, dismissed 14 workers for joining Deriteks. SF Leather tried to end the organizing campaign by forcing union members to resign from Deriteks. The company sued the workers and the union, accusing them of damaging the company’s commercial interests.

After a global campaign (including a LabourStart online campaign) and 198 days of struggle, Deriteks and SF Leather reached an agreement. SF Leather paid compensation to the workers, and withdrew lawsuits against Deriteks.

Five years ago, we forced the company to back down. Now, we have to do it again.

Please take a moment to show your support for these brave women workers:

https://www.labourstart.org/go/deriteks

Monday 13 July 2020

Mapping the English left through film Ian Parker

















Mapping the English left through film: Twenty-five uneasy pieces - Ian Parker (Folrose/£9.45)

Every so often someone tries to produce a guide to the far-left's various organisations , splits and personalities. The most famous of course was As Soon As This Pub Closes by John Sullivan back in the seventies which covers the "golden age" of the left at the time I was active in the milieu.  (You can find the text here: www.marxists.org/history) I even produced one myself back in the noughties albeit orientated to the far-left inside the PCS union.

It is time for a new one since there's been so many changes on the far left in recent years and the variety of choices may bewilder the casual observer. When I heard of this particular project i eagerly ordered a copy though amazon with high expectations. What I got however.....

This is a very small paperback which at least has larger print for us older inveterate sectarians but the content is another matter. Written by an activist from the Fourth International In Manchester group which even he admits is a small organisation (not kidding one man and a dog come to mind) that I admit was new to me but then I've only just discovered a group called Mutiny (don't ask).

The author attempts to illustrate a selection of the left through film analogy which frankly didn't work for me and seems in retrospect rather pretentious but then unlike most of the comrades I'm actually a down to earth working class fellow, well mostly certainly demographically.

Half the book is wasted with descriptions of the films more than half of which I have not seen, heard of or have any intention of watching.  This leaves little time to actually give any detailed information about the various organisations. 

Leaving aside his entry on the Labour Party the descriptions of the left begin with Momentum in a short chapter that has nothing new to offer as does his in insufficient look at the Socialist Workers Party.  Of amusement to the reader will be a reminder of the futility of Ken Loache's Left Unity party which once had a discussion on whether people had the right to masturbate at work. One word obviously comes to mind here.

There is very little that was new here except in the section about the Communist League (a tiny breakaway from the now defunct IMG that doesn't even have it's own newspaper) Parker mentions that when the US SWP (no relation to the British one) sold it's HQ in New York they received a whopping $20 Million! 

There are chapters on the remaining fragments of the old Workers Revolutionary Party and a disturbing note that during the lock-down their members were trying to sell their daily newspaper The News Line door to door. Irresponsible.

It is time to write a new guide to the far-left and one that perhaps includes George Galloway's Workers Party built in alliance with the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist Leninist) an odd amalgam of Maoists and the followers of the gorgeous one himself.

Andy Brookes will be disappointed that his New Communist Party wasn't included either nor was the remnants of Arthur Scargill's Socialist Labour Party which unlike the rest of the swamp actually has elected councillors in Hartlepool.

Sadly I cannot recommend this book. As teachers used to say (at least in my day) "could do better". Avoid.

Sunday 12 July 2020

Zero Tolerance Means Lloyd Russell-Moyle Must be Sacked From Labour’s Frontbench




Fiona Sharpe, spokesman for Labour Against Antisemitism, said:

“The further evidence of Lloyd Russell-Moyle’s problematic views, described in the Sunday Times, presents Labour leader Keir Starmer with no other option than to sack the Brighton Kemptown MP from his frontbench.

While the two seemingly antisemitic social media posts reported today are grounds for dismissal, the revelation that Mr Russell-Moyle also personally intervened to help the now-expelled Labour activist Becky Massey evade punishment for her own promotion of antisemitic views makes his position even more untenable. The support of Ms Massey follows Mr Russell-Moyle’s reported defences of the disgraced former Labour MP Chris Williamson and another local Brighton activist, Mel Melvin, who was expelled from Labour after claiming the BBC had faked footage of a Syrian gas attack at the behest of the “Israeli lobby”.

Despite the apology offered by Mr Russell-Moyle today, the recurrence of these incidents (along with others) suggests both an apparently concerning pattern of behaviour and a seeming lack of contrition that is simply unacceptable. Having shown leadership in sacking Rebecca Long-Bailey last month, Keir Starmer must once again prove that he is committed to a consistent and effective zero tolerance policy on antisemitism.”


Doctor Who: Shadow of the Sun (Big Finish Audio)




It's always worth picking up the audio adventures of the Doctor when Tom Baker reprises his role. And when he's joined by Louise Jameson as  Leela and John Leeson as K-9. Shadow of the Sun is no exception.

Landing on one of the most luxurious interstellar liners in the galaxy you would think the Doctor and his companions could relax have a few entrees and a glass of their favourite beverage but of course that is never to be. There's something strange going on here and the Doctor is determined to get to the bottom of it.

Meanwhile one of the passengers who was trying to get off the ship has gone missing but he hasn't gone the way he hoped as the computer threw him out of the airlock. Of course there are strangers on board. Everyone here is a member of a society except our intrepid heroes who inevitably are blamed for the disappearance. 

The ship is on it's way to the nearby Sun and the temperature is about to rise. What are these people up to and why has the computer seemingly gone all Hal 9000 on everybody? Time is running out.

This two part adventure was actually quite exiting and a welcome distraction on a Sunday morning. Highly recommended.

Available from: www.bigfinish.com

Friday 10 July 2020

Nurses jailed for demanding better pay and improved working conditions in Zimbabwe





















On 6 July, the Zimbabwean government arrested 13 nurses at the Harare hospital. They were protesting their deteriorating pay and working conditions.


Those nurses have since been released on bail -- but have been dismissed from their jobs. With the inflation rate hovering around 1000%, the cost of living has risen so rapidly that public sector salaries are now almost worthless.

The Zimbabwean Nurses Association (ZINA) is calling for an upward salary review and outstanding COVID-19 allowances, as well as adequate provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). But the government announced that it would not be engaging in any form of collective bargaining for the next three months.

Please support the nurses of Zimbabwe in demanding that the government cease intimidating and harassing health care workers and instead listen to their legitimate demands and concerns.

Send your message here:

https://www.labourstart.org/go/zimnurses

Eric Lee

Tuesday 7 July 2020

Labour threaten to expel woman for defending women's rights and fighting antisemitism

















Caroline Watson a member of Hexham Constituency Labour Party and a trade union rep in PCS Union has received a letter threatening expulsion for daring to speak out for women's sex-based rights and standing against antisemitism.
------------------------------------

The Labour Party is attempting to expel me for my opposition to anti semitism and ‘gender’ ideology. This is my response.

Don’t bother to argue with me. If you don’t like my views, and can’t cope with them differing from yours, please just go away.

‘I do not intend to complete your form, or to justify my beliefs to you.

I shall continue to hold them and to express them as I choose.

The ridiculous obsession with Palestine goes hand in hand with the antisemitism for which the Labour Party has been investigated by the EHCR. I look forward to the report. ‘Palestine’ is not a constituted state, so my statement is factually correct.

I am a gender critical feminist and do not recognise ‘gender identity’ or ‘transgenderism’ as concepts. Mammals cannot change sex and humans are mammals. A female human has more in common with a female bovine (ie a cow) than she does with a male human. Having worked with livestock for most of my life, I am not going to pretend that is not the case.

‘Transgenderism’ and, in particular, the desire to reform the GRA, and the Equality Act so that biological sex is not recognised, and has no status in law, is literally and absolutely a threat to womanhood and to the right of women (ie human females) to organise as a sex class and defend their rights to female-only spaces. I consider that the GRA, and the legal fiction that ‘gender’ is anything other than a linguistic concept and an oppressive social construct, should be abolished in its entirety. No one has to conform to stereotypes, but no one can change sex. I shall continue to believe that and to make my views known. I shall not be intimidated.

Do as you will but, be assured, your attempts to intimidate me will also be publicised widely and have already been referred to Women’s Place UK.
















I left the Labour Party, after many years, including six as a councillor, because I did not support Jeremy Corbyn and was appalled at the antisemitism (my grandmother was of Jewish origin) and the misogyny infecting the party. I rejoined solely to vote for Keir Starmer as leader. I would like to continue to support him and those around him who, I believe, are the best people to restore public faith in the Labour Party and enable it to do the job for which it was created; to represent working people in Britain, to be elected, and to form a government which would put working people in Britain first.

Most working people in Britain have no interest whatsoever in ‘Palestine’, nor do they believe that human beings can change sex. A Labour Party which expects the electorate to prioritise those things over the economic well-being of people in Britain has no chance of being elected and does not deserve to be. That is also a view that I shall continue to publicly express. I believe that attempts to expel people who hold pro Israel, or gender critical views are part of the Left’s attempts to undermine Keir and to rid the party of people who support him. That is also a view that I intend to share widely.

Copies of this correspondence will be sent to both the Leader and the General Secretary of the Labour Party.’

Friday 3 July 2020

Free Tibet & Tibet Society merge organisations


The following Press release was issued by Free Tibet and the Tibet Society today. The merger of the two organisations will strengthen the fight for Tibetan freedom and comes at at a time when the people of Hong Kong continue their resistance against the Communist regime and China's continued oppression of the Uighurs continues to be both exposed. 


Free Tibet and the world’s oldest pro-Tibet group, the Tibet Society have completed a merger in a move which will see both organisations combine their strengths in support of the Tibetan cause.

The merger has been welcomed by the Tibetan community, activists and supporters from across the Tibet movement.

Free Tibet is globally known for its public campaigns, advocacy and research, becoming one of the biggest and most influential Tibet organisations in the world. As the secretariat to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Tibet, a group of MPs committed to supporting Tibet, Tibet Society has strong links with decision makers and politicians to keep Tibet on the agenda of the British Government.

The merged organisations will pool their resources to ensure they are an effective advocate for Tibet – in parliament, at the UN and in the streets.

Free Tibet Chair, Daniel Russell said, “We all stand with the Tibetan people in their desire for freedom and the exercise of their right to determine their own future. By combining the Tibet Society with Free Tibet, and our partner organisation Tibet Watch, we create a strong platform to keep Tibet on the public's agenda.”

Fredrick Hyde-Chambers, Honorary President of the Tibet Society said, “I believe this partnership will strengthen both organisations in their advocacy for Tibet, providing new approaches to counter the power of Chinese influence, and support for the younger generation of Tibetan advocates.”



Free Tibet and the Tibet Society have been working increasingly closely in recent years. The pair collaborated to win several major campaigning victories including persuading Liverpool Football Club to scrap its sponsorship deal with Tibet Water, a Chinese company exploiting Tibet’s water resources, in 2018.

A year later, the two groups worked together again on a successful campaign against plans by Google to launch a censored search engine in China.

Sam Walton, Free Tibet’s Chief Executive added, “Uniting our supporters and resources means powerful new campaigning opportunities can happen. I’m genuinely excited about what we can achieve together.”

More information:  freetibet.org


Wednesday 1 July 2020

Labour to Win NEC Slate Challenges Momentum











Via Luke Akehurst

Labour to Win
, the new umbrella group for progressive, mainstream Labour members, has announced the candidates it is recommending for the election of nine CLP (Constituency Labour Party) representatives on Labour’s National Executive Committee.

The election is scheduled to be held between 19 October and 13 November, with every party member being able to vote by the single transferable vote system (STV). Nominations by CLPs open on 11 July and close on 27 September. The nine members elected will hold office for two years, starting at this year’s Annual Conference. The nine incumbents are seven people supported by Momentum, elected in 2018, and the two mainstream winners of this year’s byelections, Johanna Baxter and Gurinder Singh Josan.

Labour to Win’s nine recommendations are politically, geographically and demographically diverse, and go far beyond supporters of Labour to Win’s founding partners, Progress and Labour First, to include people with a background firmly on the left of the party.

All the candidates are well-known grassroots activists and dedicated campaigners for the Labour Party.



There are six official Labour to Win candidates that we recommend you use your first six preferences for:
  • Luke Akehurst - NEC member 2010-2012, former Chief Whip of Hackney Council and parliamentary candidate in Essex and Hampshire
  • Johanna Baxter- NEC member, Cunninghame North CLP Chair, Scottish Executive Committee member
  • Gurinder Singh Josan - NEC member, antiracism campaigner, Vice Chair of Sikhs for Labour, Sandwell Unite branch secretary
  • Terry Paul - Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services on Newham Council and former PLP Campaigns Officer
  • Michael Payne - Deputy Leader of Gedling Borough Council & Notts County Councillor; Deputy Leader of the LGA Labour Group
  • Shama Tatler - Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Property & Planning, Brent Council
  • Note - this is not necessarily the order you should preference the candidates, we'll send more detailed voting instructions closer to when the ballot drops.
In the interests of ensuring a politically pluralistic NEC, and to ensure gender and regional balance, Labour to Win is only standing six candidates itself, and also urging its supporters to vote for three other candidates, from the left of the party:
  • Ann Black – Independent Left - NEC member 2000-2018 as part of the Centre-Left Grassroots Alliance, South East Regional Board Member, Secretary of Oxford & District Labour Party
  • Theresa Griffin – Tribune Group - MEP for the North West Region, 2014-2020
  • Paula Sheriff – Tribune Group – MP for Dewsbury, 2015-2019

Doctor Who: Cry of the Vultriss (Big Finish Audio)




Now that the lock-down is easing up a bit Big Finish have finally started issuing physical copies of their CD's and well worth the wait the latest Doctor Who adventure was! Number 263 in the main series (not counting spin-offs, specials and more) features Colin Baker reprising the role of the Sixth Doctor.

The Tardis gets caught in a space-time vortex and crashes on the planet Cygia-Rema. This is a world ruled by sentient birds called the Vultriss who no longer fly but yearn for the opportunity to return to the skies. It is also a time of rebellion and first contact as aliens have made contact and are on their way.

It comes as no surprise that the Doctor and his human companions Flip and Constance are mistaken for the Ambassadors. Welcome to a world of mountains and giant carnivorous birds, not that Voltriss are not amiss in eating birds lower down the food chain. No different to us humans eating other mammals as the Doctor points out to a confused Flip musing about cannibalism.

Of course this being Doctor Who things get confused as the Ice Warriors arrive and open fire.....

It seems the Queen of the Voltriss is not what she seems and as plots thicken and terrorist attacks take place the Doctor finds himself in a cell once again. There is a secret on this planet one which may destroy half a universe.

A rather enjoyable four part adventure that shows once again that potential of the Sixth Doctor was both underestimated and underused by the BBC at the the time Colin Baker was at the helm. Big Finish have once again given us a cracking old school story for the nights in.

And there's plenty more to come!

Available from: www.bigfinish.com