Month: October 2010
France: Biggest turnout in the streets for decades
France is increasingly becoming the centre of attention, not only for the European ruling classes, but also for many workers and youth around Europe. The battle around the pension reforms increasingly represents a crystallisation of the conflict between the forces of capitalism with their reactionary agenda of austerity, and the rising fight back of the working class.
Shut Anglo down – Kick out the government
Exactly which corner have we turned Mr Lenihan? During last December's budget speech Brian Lenihan said that the worst was over.
Worst banking crisis in history Insolvency & recession… Will Ireland go bankrupt?
With interest rates on Irish bonds hovering around 7%, it is clear that financial markets are increasingly pricing in a high chance of Ireland "going bust". In this article, socialistparty.net traces the prospects for Irish state insolvency, the deepening economic crisis and the consequences for the workers' movement.
Warnings of a “currency war” – IMF summit fiasco
Warnings of a currency war dominated the summit of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington this weekend. The cooperation between global politicians, like when the economy plummeted in 2008, is dissolving. Many governments are devaluing their currencies in order to increase exports, thereby increasing contradictions and risking new economic downturns. The meeting, however, ended in a fiasco, with a statement void of content the only result. Below are two articles, on the world economy and on the currency wars.
“Why I joined the Socialist Party”
When I had finished college in 2008, I had hoped to get into a job but because of the disastrous state of the Irish economy at that time, this was never going to happen. So like many others I ended up joining the dole queue for a while.
Suffering of world’s poorest to rise – UN admit ‘Millennium Goal’ failure
Amid an orgy of hypocrisy and photo-opportunities, the world’s political and business elite gathered in New York in September this year for a summit on the Millennium Development Goals.
What the bank bailout money could buy
“The cheapest bank bail-out in the world”, Brian Lenihan arrogantly announced two years ago when the banks were guaranteed. The government have announced that the final figure for the bailout of Anglo and Irish Nationwide bail-out could reach €34.7 billion.
Government twists the knife into community sector
The reality of what the bank bailouts mean for working class communities is very real. Billions are already being sucked out of public services and publicly funded programmes - and worse is to come.
British Labour Party Leadership Election: How Red is Ed?
Ed Miliband has beaten his brother David by a margin of only 1.3% to become the new leader of the British Labour Party. After four rounds of voting under Labour’s electoral college - which is divided into three equally weighted sections comprising the MP and MEPs, constituency Labour Party (CLP) members and those belonging to affiliated organisations such as the trade unions - Ed Miliband won with 175,519 votes to David Miliband’s 147,220.
Workplace death – Parents’ fight for justice
A recent Coroner’s Inquest into the circumstances leading to the death of 24 year old Stephen O’Brien from Drogheda in October 2007 when a boiler exploded at the Haribo confectionary factory in Finglas (since closed) might lead to prosecutions for criminal negligence.
