Socialist Appeal

Events, Reviews, and Letters

Capitalism kills

Details: Tuesday, 21 May 2013; Written by Matt Wood and Ben Gliniecki

Policies of austerity - the response to the crisis of capitalism - are inflicting pain on millions and leading to real human suffering. We publish here two letters from Socialist Appeal supporters, who outline recent scientific research that show the devastating human cost of capitalism.

Review: New C4 show “Skint” attempts to demonise the working class

Details: Wednesday, 15 May 2013; Written by Callum Stanland, Unite Community, Grimsby

Channel 4 aired a new TV show this Monday, “Skint”. Rather than giving a balanced account of life in austerity Britain, the show’s real aim and message was very clear. It was another attempt to paint benefit recipients in a wholly negative light, as part of the campaign to justify the vicious Tory attacks on living standards. Callum Stanland from Grimsby - a neighbouring town to Scunthorpe, where filming took place - reviews the show.

Hands Off Venezuela conference – defend the Bolivarian revolution; respect democracy!

Details: Thursday, 09 May 2013; Written by Hands Off Venezuela

Over 50 activists, trade unionists, youth and Latin American activists, met in London on 4th May to discuss about the legacy of Hugo Chávez and the challenges facing the Bolivarian revolution. The meeting reaffirmed our rejection of the opposition claims of electoral fraud and renewed our commitment to defend the democratically expressed will of the Venezuelan people to elect Nicolás Maduro as president.

Letters on Thatcher's death

Details: Friday, 26 April 2013; Written by Bob Stothard

Over two weeks after the death of Thatcher, and over one week since her funeral, letters are still coming in describing the celebrations that took place in former mining areas in response to the death of the "Iron Lady". We publish here two letters from Bob Stothard regarding the mood and feeling amongst working families in Easington, an ex-mining town in Co Durham.

Book launch: Ted Grant - the Permanent Revolutionary

Details: Tuesday, 16 April 2013; Written by Socialist Appeal

We are proud to announce the launch of the new biography of Ted Grant, entitled "Ted Grant: the Permanent Revolutionary". Alan Woods, the author of the book, will be publically launching the book at a meeting on May Day - Wednesday 1st May - hosted by the UCLU Marxist Society in London.

Over 50 turnout to hear from those who fought against Thatcher

Details: Friday, 12 April 2013; Written by Socialist Appeal

On Thursday 11th April, a packed Socialist Appeal meeting at University College London saw miners’ leaders and trade unionists recall the brutality of Thatcher and the bitter lessons etched into their consciousness. The speeches from John Dunn, of the Justice for Minerworkers campaign, and Chris Herriot - an ex-miner from Scotland - demonstrated the anger that exists across the country towards Thatcherism and the passion to fight for a socialist alternative.

Record attendance at annual Socialist Appeal sellers' conference

Details: Monday, 08 April 2013; Written by Socialist Appeal

There was a record participation of 110 attendees at Socialist Appeal sellers’ annual conference over the weekend of 6th and 7th April. The increased quantity was also expressed in a higher quality than ever before. Never has Marxism been as relevant and potentially powerfully as today, and never before have the ranks of the Marxists been as confident and optimistic.