Dates For The Big Red Diary

Hello comrades!

2016 isn't yet over, but lots is going to be happening in 2017 for everyone who opposes oppression and exploitation and wants to drive back the right in and out of parliament!

There are going to be plenty more events going on, but here are some you'll want to be sure you don't miss!

January

3rd - Action For Rail have called a national day of action, as on the 1st January new rises in rail fares will be announced. This comes against a backdrop of strikes as the RMT act to defend the safety of the railways in Liverpool and the South East.

12th - SWP Meeting: Prospects for Socialist in 2017, including report back from national conference. This is likely to be a members-only meeting, please email branchsec@derbyswp.org.uk for more information.

26th - SWP Meeting:

How can we beat Trump?

After the solidarity protest against the inauguration of Trump on 20th January in London, this meeting is essential to help us navigate an increasingly polarised capitalist world.

Join us on Thursday 26th January at 7 pm, at the West End Community Centre, Mackworth Road, Derby.

February

4th - Stand Up To Racism Trades Union Conference
It's vitally important that active trades unionists are also active anti-racists as our rulers attempt to whip up hatred between groups of workers. Get yourself down to the national Stand Up To Racism Trades Union Conference at Hamilton House in London!

March

4th - Save Our NHS National Demonstration, London
18th - National Stand Up To Racism demonstration - celebrate UN Anti-Racism Day!

Derby Stand Up To Racism Fundraiser this Friday

The Stand Up To Racism campaign in Derby has been active throughout the year. Now one of its members has organised a fundraising event for this Friday, which is fantastic.

If you support Stand Up To Racism and like Grease, this could be the fundraiser you have been looking for!

Update #60

Hello everyone,
Welcome to this week's update on the political happenings in Derby from the Socialist Workers Party!

Branch Meetings

The SWP is a party of activists who know that we need to understand the world to be effective in our actions. Our meetings have a discussion about key issues: economic, political, historical and cultural; as well as planning for events and activities.

Due to the election there will be no meeting this Thursday (7th May 2015).

Last Thursday's discussion on the matchwomen's strike of 1888 was brilliant, and raised some areas of history where comrades felt we could do with some more education, so watch this space for future meetings on related topics!

On Thursday May 14th we will discuss the recent tragedy in the Mediterranean and put it in the context of EU-wide racist anti-migrant policies. Migrant lives matter: stop the slaughter in the Mediterranean. Come on down to the West End Community Centre and join in the debate!

The following week we will have a guest speaker from the SWP Central Committee, to discuss strategy for the left as the dust settles from the general election. Join us to hear our perspectives and discuss your own views on the way forward! Fighting racism and austerity - where next after the elections? Thursday May 21st 7 pm, West End Community Centre.

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Derby Stand Up To UKIP activities

Last Saturday we joined the last pre-election Derby Against UKIP activities, leafleting in the town centre where we got a very positive reception, and followed with a successful leafleting campaign around Alvaston. Comrades have also been busy leafleting Mackworth. When you cast your vote tomorrow, help put UKIP in the electoral dustbin where they belong!

Chesterfield May Day Rally

Monday is International Workers' Day, and the Chesterfield May Day rally is an excellent day out for workers and their families.

Here's the program:

And here's a video of last year's gala!

Can't make our meetings?

If you want to find out more about us, meet some of our comrades, sign up to any of our petitions, find out about campaigns we are involved in, buy our paper or get hold of some of our other literature, why not come along to the campaign stall on Saturdays?

Find us on St Peter's St from 12 pm!

(NB this Saturday there will be no stall due to commitments with Derby Against UKIP. Normal stall place and time next week!)

Weekly Update #44

SWP Weekly Update

Hello comrades,

Welcome to this week's update from the Derby Socialist Workers' Party!

Branch Meetings

This Thursday we have trained to fail: the Tory plan for our kids. Our speaker will argue that the Tory party's educational policies are destined to fail a whole generation of children - and that much of this is not accidental.

7 pm at the West End Community Centre, Thursday September 25th.

Next Thursday our guest speaker will be looking at the recent hugely successful book by Piketty, Capital in the 21st Century. What should socialists think about a book which identifies serious problems within capitalism - but is lapped up by sections of the ruling class?

7 pm at the West End Community Centre, Thursday October 2nd.


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Stand up to UKIP

THIS SATURDAY!
LAST CHANCE TO BOOK YOUR PLACE! 

UKIP is becoming an increasingly-heard presence in the UK political scene. Whilst not an openly fascist organisation like the BNP or EDL, they are an opportunist party with racist policies who only care about the rich, and try to make hay out of the anti-immigrant rhetoric which all the leading parties and much of the press have indulged in for years now.

UKIP represent a real danger, not least in 'normalising' racist anti-immigration ideas, but also in the way in which the media indulge in their posing as some kind of alternative to establishment politics whilst they pursue a virulently ruling-class agenda.

Stand Up To UKIP are organising a national demonstration against this toxic party on September 27th in Doncaster. All anti-racists should support this event - more information is on the Stand Up to UKIP site here.

A coach will be going from Derby, 9.45 am from Full Street.

Book your place now!

Email derbyswp@gmail.com or phone 07742 532 677.

Upcoming Events

We are involved in organising or supporting the following events in the near future, please help out if you can!

• September 28th - Demonstrate outside the Tory Party conference in Birmingham, organised by the TUC. Details here. 
• October 4th - Derby's fledgling Palestine support group has organised a leafleting stall to raise awareness of and support for the Palestinian people on St Peter's St. Volunteers welcome! 
• October 13th - Health workers across England are likely to be on strike. The wider these strikes the more effective they will be, so argue for your colleagues to vote for action and your union to be part of it!
• October 18^th – London TUC: Britain Needs a Pay Rise. National demonstration called to demand pay rises for Britain's workers. Coaches will be organised, we will give you more details as they become available. 
• November 11^th – Derby Quad: (Still) The Enemy Within, powerful film featuring several comrades that gives the miners' view of the 1984-5 strike. 
• November 15^th Unite the Resistance national conference in London.

Also on during September at the Quad is a film which presents a story well-known within the socialist movement but virtually unheard outside: Pride, the story of the Miners' Gay and Lesbian Support Group. Well worth a viewing for all socialists!

Weekly Update #42

SWP Weekly Update

Hello comrades,

Welcome to this week's update from the Derby Socialist Workers' Party!

Branch Meetings

This Thursday we have the socialist case for Scottish independence.

The Scottish referendum has been a subject of intense debate on the left. Some sections of the left believe that it is in the interests of the working class to support the union, while we and some other sections of the left have argued that the referendum opens up a space for a radical alternative.

With the poll only days away, come and join the debate!

7 pm at the West End Community Centre, Thursday September 11th.

Next week we will be discussing the legacy of Western imperialism over the last decade and how we should respond to the unfolding disasters in the MIddle East, with Iraq in chaos - the bitter fruits of Bush and Blair's war.

7 pm at the West End Community Centre, Thursday September 18th.

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Stand up to UKIP

UKIP is becoming an increasingly-heard presence in the UK political scene. Whilst not an openly fascist organisation like the BNP or EDL, they are an opportunist party with racist policies who only care about the rich, and try to make hay out of the anti-immigrant rhetoric which all the leading parties and much of the press have indulged in for years now.

UKIP represent a real danger, not least in 'normalising' racist anti-immigration ideas, but also in the way in which the media indulge in their posing as some kind of alternative to establishment politics whilst they pursue a virulently ruling-class agenda.

Stand Up To UKIP are organising a national demonstration against this toxic party on September 27th in Doncaster. All anti-racists should support this event - more information is on the Stand Up to UKIP site here.

A coach will be going from Derby. Book your place now!
Email derbyswp@gmail.com or phone 07742 532 677.

Upcoming Events

We are involved in organising or supporting the following events in the near future, please help out if you can!

• September 28th - Demonstrate outside the Tory Party conference in Birmingham, organised by the TUC. Details here. 
• October 4th - Derby's fledgling Palestine support group has organised a leafleting stall to raise awareness of and support for the Palestinian people on St Peter's St. Volunteers welcome! 
• October 13th - Health workers across England are likely to be on strike. The wider these strikes the more effective they will be, so argue for your colleagues to vote for action and your union to be part of it!
• October 18^th – London TUC: Britain Needs a Pay Rise. National demonstration called to demand pay rises for Britain's workers. Coaches will be organised, we will give you more details as they become available. 
• November 11^th – Derby Quad: (Still) The Enemy Within, powerful film featuring several comrades that gives the miners' view of the 1984-5 strike. 
• November 15^th Unite the Resistance national conference in London.

Weekly Update #41

SWP Weekly Update

Hello comrades,

Welcome to this week's update from the Derby Socialist Workers' Party!

Branch Meetings

This Thursday we have How did the Bolsheviks organise the unemployed?



Under capitalism a significant section of the working class are not in the workplace. How did the party that led the only successful socialist revolution in history organise workers who had no work to go to?

7 pm at the West End Community Centre, Thursday September 4th.

Next week we will be discussing one of the big political questions of the moment: The socialist case for Scottish independence.

7 pm at the West End Community Centre, Thursday September 11th.

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People's March for the NHS

Several comrades from the Derby and Chesterfield branches of the SWP were involved in walking the Chesterfield to Mansfield stretches of the People's March for the NHS. We have a report here - enjoy!

Upcoming Events

We are involved in organising or supporting the following events in the near future, please help out if you can!

• September 27^th – Stand Up to UKIP, Doncaster. Coaches are in the process of being organised for this. For more details, email derbyswp@gmail.com or phone 07742 532 677.
• October 4th - Derby's fledgling Palestine support group has organised a leafleting stall to raise awareness of and support for the Palestinian people on St Peter's St. Volunteers welcome!
  October 18^th – London TUC: Britain Needs a Pay Rise. National demonstration called to demand pay rises for Britain's workers. Coaches will be organised, we will give you more details as they become available.
• November 11^th – Derby Quad: (Still) The Enemy Within, powerful film featuring several comrades that gives the miners' view of the 1984-5 strike.
• November 15^th Unite the Resistance national conference

People's March for the NHS

This week the People's March for the NHS were passing through the area, on their way to what will be a fantastic reception, demonstration and rally in London.

A core of the group, the '300-milers', are doing the whole journey, and having done only one day's section this comrade is in awe of their determination, sacrifice and pain thresholds. This campaign deserves your full support as it attempts to raise awareness everywhere it goes as to the extent to which the Tories are trying to butcher the NHS.

There was huge support from the public for the march, with honks of support from drivers all the way along the route, and as we passed through populated areas many people would stand at their doors or along the streets to cheer, applaud or just say 'thank you' to the marchers.

Here are a couple of photos from the day we joined, Wednesday's Chesterfield to Mansfield section. Today (Friday) they'll already be leaving Notthingham and heading for Loughborough!

Setting up next door to Chesterfield Hospital

Short rally in Bolsover

Arriving in Mansfield

Weekly Update #40

SWP Weekly Update

Hello comrades,

Welcome to this week's update from the Derby Socialist Workers' Party!

Branch Meetings

This Thursday we have what is intersectionality?

What are the different ways in which we are oppressed by capitalist society? What is unique about working class exploitation that makes it different from other forms of oppression?

7 pm at the West End Community Centre, Thursday August 28th.

Next week our guest speaker will be addressing another crucial issue for socialists - when part of the working class is not in a workplace, how can it be organised? An example from our history: How did the Bolsheviks organise the unemployed?

7 pm at the West End Community Centre, Thursday September 4th.

We like to put up previous talks where we can - here is last week's on can trades unions change society? Enjoy!

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Free Palestine - Derby March and Rally

For a more full report on Saturday's fantastic demonstration, see our blog post here. There was also good coverage in the local paper here. 

People's March for the NHS

 The People's March for the NHS is replicating the route of the Jarrow Crusade. The idea is to call attention to the Tories' plans to privatise and destroy the NHS. Trades unionists will join the marchers at various stages of their route, anyone who wishes to join them or support them be aware that they will be passing through:

• Chesterfield 27th August
• Mansfield 28th August
• Nottingham 29th August
  

Upcoming Events

• September 27^th – Stand Up to UKIP, Doncaster
• October 18^th – London TUC: Britain Needs a Pay Rise
• November 11^th – Derby Quad: (Still) The Enemy Within, powerful film featuring several comrades giving the miners' view of the 1984-5 strike.
• November 15^th Unite the Resistance national conference

Derby Says: Free Palestine!

Saturday saw a brilliant march and rally in aid of the Palestinian cause, organised by a fledgling group who want to begin a local campaign to help end the suffering and oppression of the Palestinian people.

The event involved people from a range of faiths, community groups and organisations in an impassioned, noisy and optimistic procession through the city.

Around 150 people marched from the Jamia mosque in Normanton to the steps of the Council House, where marchers heard a range of speeches from local political figures including the Council leader and a local MP, people from Christian and Islamic faith groups and a moving speech by a holocaust survivor. In addition, trades unionists made important contributions, and were able to bring the issue of class into the rally.

The group plans to hold regular open meetings and discuss and organise events to take the campaign forward, broadly around the three issues of:

• ending the occupation
• ending the blockade
• stopping the arming of Israel

Hopefully we will be able to update our readers more as the campaign progresses.

Weekly Update #37

SWP Weekly Update!

Your political week in Derby

This week's update is a brief one.
Unfortunately, there is no branch meeting this week.

The next branch meeting will be on Thursday 7th August, 7 pm at the West End Community Centre, where we will discuss How can Palestine be free?

West End Community Centre, Mackworth Road, Derby (click here to go to location on Google Maps)
  In other news:

• Demonstrations against the Israeli attacks on Gaza have been ongoing. All the latest news here.
• FORY YOUR DIARIES - a reminder about the People's March for the NHS. The People's March for the NHS is replicating the route of the Jarrow Crusade. The idea is to call attention to the Tories' plans to privatise and destroy the NHS. Trades unionists will join the marchers at various stages of their route, anyone who wishes to join them or support them be aware that they will be passing through:
   
• Chesterfield 27th August
• Mansfield 28th August
• Nottingham 29th August

24 Hours is a long time in politics ...

Heads seem to have rolled all over the place since the strikes last week, and so far the Tories have lost confidence ministers all over the shop. Those in education have been celebrating as the secretary of state with special responsibility for abolishing education has joined the former secretary of state for abolishing healthcare Andrew Lansley in obscurity.

There are rumours now that their minister in charge of abolishing local government may also be out.

The current spin from the Tories is that they're trying to present a more female-friendly cabinet, by replacing Gove with an equalities minister who opposed gay marriage and wants to restrict a woman's right to choose.

Other reports suggest that it's polling data that has Cameron worried. But the reshuffle comes four days after strikes which involved more than a million workers - and which all their propaganda couldn't persuade the public to abandon support for.

Today is a great day and everyone who values public services and opposes the sickly venality of this government should rightly be happy.

But let's not pretend that they have given up. We shouldn't either. If they can, they will continue with their agenda to attack the services that our class needs and narrow the opportunities for our kids further. But we have an opportunity here, to press forward and overturn the damage they have done. We mustn't let our union leaders back down.

Support for action isn't even and it isn't everywhere, but it is significant and we can persuade our colleagues where we're prepared to argue for it. The weakness in our class is subjective, not objective. Push for more action - we have a world to win.

#J10 in Derby

Yesterday's strike felt very positive. Although picket lines were smaller many schools in the city were closed, council services were severely affected and the FBU were out in force.

The march by NUT and Unison members was lively and the rally in the marketplace attracted hundreds of people.

Reports from pickets indicate a high level of support from the general public, with lots of honks and thumbs-up from passers-by.

There is no doubt that the Tories are worried by the continuing opposition to their policies, or a party elected on 37% of a 64% turnout and forced into coalition with another party would not be even attempting to harp on about 50% turnouts for union ballots.

In the Derby Telegraph yesterday a Tory councillor complained "It's causing a huge amount of disruption" and he's right. Workers should be proud of exercising their power yesterday. What the Tories hate to be reminded of is that under capitalism where there are no workers nothing happens. They will try to browbeat us and tell us that we are weak or 'resented' by 'the public' and that we cannot win. But they have to tell us this, because they know that strike action is effective - it is the single most powerful tool that workers in the capitalist system can have.

The saddest part of the article was a woman who was against the strike because "I work in a supermarket and don't get paid well but we don't go on strike."

Yesterday public sector workers struck to defend public services, but we also need to win to show this worker that she has enormous power to improve her life, if she is prepared to work with her colleagues. One of the most powerful indictments of capitalism is that it manages to convince the people who generate the massive profits of capitalist enterprises like supermarkets that they don't deserve a decent share of the wealth they help to create.

We must carry on the fight, and we must win, and not only preserve the public services which we won through the struggle of our class, but give confidence to workers who don't believe in the power that they objectively have - the power to change the world!

Weekly Update #26

Hello everyone!

Apologies for the lateness of this week's update, I simply haven't been near a computer for several days I'm afraid! However, here's your guide for the very near future!

Branch Meetings

A reminder that this week (i.e. tomorrow!) we have a guest speaker coming to address the branch on the topic of Marxism, Ecology and Fracking. This will be:

 

Thursday 24th April 7 pm, West End Community Centre, Mackworth Road, Derby (near Britannia Mill).

Our meeting on 1st May may be affected by the UKIP visit - see below.

Public Meeting

We are building for a larger public meeting on Thursday 15th May - our previously delayed Socialism and the Fight for Women's Liberation.

We want this meeting to be as successful (and large!) as possible. Please publicise this meeting as widely as possible!

Silk Mill march and rally

The 1834 Silk Mill lockout was a milestone in industrial history, and every year the trades union movement and the left remember the sacrifices made by workers during this landmark dispute. We'll be out on Saturday 26th April - join the march too!

UKIP - 'Nigel on Tour'

 

 Many thanks to the comrade who alerted us about the imminent arrival in Derby of Nigel Farage, leader of the racist and elitist UKIP.

On 1st May they are holding an untitled 'public meeting' in Derby. The SWP will be part of whatever protest can be organised, hopefully by UAF as part of the 'Stand Up to UKIP' campaign - more details here. We have been in contact with the People's Assembly as well and I am sure that they will also be part of any protest.

We will update you as soon as we can with more details!

Marxism 2014

 

 

Marxism is the largest festival of its kind in Europe. From 10-14th July in central London there will be more than 160 meetings and events going on. It's a great place to discuss and learn about all areas of politics and Marxist thought and activity.

New - Timetable now out!

The timetable is now up on the website here! You don't need to be a member of the party to come, but if you're interested in any of the topics, why not come down and see for yourself? It is a unique and amazing event, as any of our comrades who have been can attest!

Why not join us there? Find out more and book tickets here: http://www.marxismfestival.org.uk/index.htm

Weekly Update #25

Hello everyone,
Welcome to your brief guide to the next few days in Derby!

Fraternally

Derby Socialist Workers' Party

Branch Meetings

Unfortunately there will be no branch meeting this week. The next branch meeting will be the following Thursday.

So our next meeting has an environmental theme - Marxism, Ecology and Fracking. This will be

Thursday 24th April 7 pm, West End Community Centre, Mackworth Road, Derby (near Britannia Mill).

Please publicise this as widely as possible.

Public Meeting

We are building for a larger public meeting on Thursday 15th May - our previously delayed Socialism and the Fight for Women's Liberation.

Please publicise this meeting as widely as possible - feel free to use the attached flyer.

Silk Mill march and rally

The 1834 Silk Mill lockout was a milestone in industrial history, and every year the trades union movement and the left remember the sacrifices made by workers during this landmark dispute. We'll be out on Saturday 26th April - join the march too!

 

Marxism 2014

 

 

Marxism is the largest festival of its kind in Europe. From 10-14th July in central London there will be more than 160 meetings and events going on. It's a great place to discuss and learn about all areas of politics and Marxist thought and activity.

Why not join us there? Find out more and book tickets here: http://www.marxismfestival.org.uk/index.htm

Stand Up to Racism and Fascism - March 22nd

In recent years we have seen the far right, in particular fascist groups such as the BNP and the EDL, attempt to present themselves as acceptable political parties.

We have also seen racism become increasingly acceptable in both the media and mainstream parties, with constant presentation of immigrants as a threat, fear-mongering about Roma people and of course Islamophobia.

Yesterday in London thousands of people joined together to oppose racism and fascism as part of a day of action called by Unite Against Fascism and the TUC.

Comrades from Derby were out and about, and played an important role in organising the coach that took a big group of us down to London - as you can see, it was a great celebration of those of us who refuse to let the ruling class tell us that our fellow human beings are to be mistrusted and feared!