Socialism

The Tory party - and whole Westminster system - is in historic crisis. How can the labour and trade union movement navigate the Brexit impasse, oust the government, and end austerity?

Millions of people have exploded onto the streets of Hong Kong. The state has responded with outrageous violence. Where did this movement come from? Could this be the beginning of a revolution? And how can the workers and youth of Hong Kong and China overcome dictatorship and win real improvements to their lives?

50 years ago, workers' action could have stopped the Troubles. Then the British state sent the troops into Northern Ireland. What are the lessons for today?

Friday the 16th of August 2019 is the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo massacre. Armed forces charged a peaceful mass protest demanding political representation in the fight for bread, jobs and living pay. This bloody response to workers’ political organisation in 1819 laid bare the truth that the state is not a neutral body representing the best interests of all classes. It has many lessons for...

Unpredictable, volatile and unstable: three words which sum up the situation facing new Tory prime minister Boris Johnson. This right-wing populist is quick to make promises. But he’s presiding over the same slow-motion car crash of British capitalism and the Conservative Party that destroyed Theresa May. With a snap election ever more inevitable, this episode we ask: what are the prospects for th...

Figures associated with the youth climate strikes have raised the idea of students and workers taking part in an "Earth strike" in September. The fact that young people are looking towards the organised working class is a very positive development. But what would this entail? This episode, we ask Paula Mitchell of the Socialist Party's executive committee how we can build workers’ action in suppor...

Bosses at the Ford Motor Company are trying to close the engine factory at Bridgend in South Wales. Hundreds of workers could lose their well-paid, skilled jobs, and thousands more workers in the supply chain could be affected. The closure threat follows a series of high-profile crises in industry and retail, and Ford’s own record of whittling down its workforce in Britain. What kind of action is...

Two years after the preventable disaster at Grenfell Tower, justice and safety are still not secure. A fire in flats in Barking, east London, underlines the ongoing threat caused by the profit drive in the housing sector. How can woking-class residents fight back? We speak to Paul Kershaw, chair of the Unite union housing workers' branch, and Pete Mason, chair of the Barking Reach Residents' Assoc...

Across the continent of Europe, the 2019 EU elections showed growing polarisation and turmoil. Why is that? We speak to Bob Labi of the Committee for a Workers' International.

What do Britain's highly polarised 2019 EU election results really represent? And what is the way forward for working-class and young people to oust the Tories and end austerity? We speak to Socialist Party deputy general secretary Hannah Sell.

Isai Priya, from Tamil Solidarity, joins us in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka to discuss the outrages and the social and political situation in the country. Useful further reading: • Statement in response to the attacks: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/29014/22-04-2019/sri-lanka-no-to-terrorist-bombing-united-workers-struggle-can-cut-off-growth-of-racism-and-div...

Niall Mulholland, from the Committee for a Workers’ International, discusses a socialist approach to the national question and how that applies to Northern Ireland today. Useful further reading: • ‘Ireland North - Brexit crisis and the role of the workers’ movement’: http://socialistworld.net/index.php/international/europe/ireland-north/10157-ireland-north-brexit-crisis-and-the-role-of-the-workers...

Judy Beishon from the Socialist Party’s executive committee joins us to discuss the causes of terrorism, how it manifests today and why a socialist programme is the only way to stop it. Useful further reading: • Marxism opposes terrorism: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/Trotsky/againstterrorframe.htm • Following the Christchurch mosque attacks: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28861/20...

Paula Mitchell from the Socialist Party’s executive committee examines the latest Brexit news and puts forward what Corbyn should be doing and saying to lead a way out of the deadlock in the interests of the working class. Useful further reading: • Corbyn and workers' movement must lead fight for general election and socialist alternative to EU bosses' club: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/artic...

We’re joined by Philip Stott from our Scottish sister party to explain the lessons from the victory of workers in Glasgow City Council following their strike action in October. Useful further reading: • Report of the strike: http://socialistpartyscotland.org.uk/2018/10/24/glasgows-equal-pay-uprising-shows-the-power-of-the-working-class/ • On the victory: http://socialistpartyscotland.org.uk/2019/0...

Socialist Students national organiser Theo Sharieff joins us to discuss ideas on the way forward for the climate strikes movement, including the possibility of establishing school students unions. Useful further reading: • Reports from 15 March: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28872/20-03-2019/massive-protests-over-catastrophic-climate-change • Report from the recent student strike in S...

Interview with Sue Atkins, Socialist Party member who is standing in the Coxford ward byelection in Southampton on 14 March.

Rob Williams, the Socialist Party’s industrial organiser, discusses the threat to the Honda car plant in Swindon and the Socialist Party’s demand for nationalisation. Useful further reading: • ‘Honda closure threatened – Corbyn must pledge nationalisation to save jobs’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28752/27-02-2019/honda-closure-threatened • ‘From anger to action to sae Honda plant’:...

We talk to Hannah Sell, Socialist Party deputy general secretary, about the latest developments in the Labour Party, including the Independent Group split and the suspension of Chris Williamson. Useful further reading: • ‘No retreats – Corbyn must stand firm against the Blairites’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28792/06-03-2019/no-retreats-corbyn-must-stand-firm-against-the-blairites...

Chris Baugh, Socialist Party member and assistant general secretary of the PCS civil servants’ union (personal capacity), speaks to us about what type of change is necessary to truly combat climate change. Useful further reading: • "There's no planet B": Thousands of youth strike against climate change - we need socialist change! - https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28716/20-02-2019/theres...

Socialist Students national organiser Theo Sharieff and London Socialist Party youth and student organiser Helen Pattison join us to discuss the recent student climate strikes. Useful further reading: • Reports from 15 February: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28699/15-02-2019/youth-strike-for-the-climate-theres-no-planet-b • Socialist Students response to 15 February: https://www.socia...

Ben Robinson from Socialist Books discusses the latest publication of this Frederick Engels’ classic and why it’s so relevant today. Useful further reading: • ‘Socialism: Utopian and Scientific’ by Frederick Engels, available at socialistbooks.co.uk – where you can also find the discussion questions Ben mentions • ‘The renewed relevance of Socialism: Utopian and Scientific’ by Tony Saunois: https:...

CWI secretary Tony Saunois gives analysis of the attempt to remove Maduro from power in Venezuela, and the lessons for left governments and parties internationally. Useful further reading: • ‘Venezuela – resist the imperialist coup’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28590/30-01-2019/venezuela-resist-the-pro-imperialist-coup • Statement from CWI Venezuela: http://socialistworld.net/index....

We speak to Clive Heemskerk from the Socialist Party executive committee about a strategy for struggle against local government cuts. Useful further reading: • ‘Passing the council cuts test’: http://www.socialismtoday.org/217/editorial.html • Response to the Corbyn and McDonnell letter Clive references: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/21923/18-12-2015/labour-councils-dont-have-to-pass-...

Socialist Party member Dave Nellist, former Labour MP, gives a radio interview on Brexit, Corbyn’s position and a socialist approach to the EU.