Weekly Update #18

Hello everyone :) This week's brief update is:

SWP Branch Meetings

A reminder that our guest speaker for this week's meeting tomorrow will be introducing a no doubt lively discussion with Nelson Mandela, 1918-2013. Anti-Apartheid Hero: The Struggle Continues.

Thursday 20th February 7 pm West End Community Centre, Derby

Next week, we have An Introduction to Marxist Economics, which should be a refreshing change from what we're fed by the Beeb!

Thursday 27th February, 7 pm, West End Community Centre.

Anti-Racism, Anti-Fascism National Demonstration

A reminder that on Saturday 22nd March there will be a national demonstration in London against the fascism of groups like the BNP and EDL and the racism of parties like UKIP to mark the UN's Anti-Racism Day. Unite Against Fascism supporters want to get a coachload of anti-racists from Derby - further details as we have them.

This is an event that all socialists should support, as the ruling class, the racists and the fascists once again try to divide working people from each other.

Weekly Update #17

Hello everyone, welcome to your latest update from Derby SWP!

 

Branch Meetings

 

This week's meeting is the slightly postponed The People Betrayed: the Romans and Populism. We will discuss the Gracchi brothers and how populism can not be in the interests of working people.

 

Thursday 13th February, 7 pm, West End Community Centre, Mackworth Road, Derby. All welcome!

 

 

The following week, our meeting will be Nelson Mandela: Anti-apartheid hero - the struggle continues, with a guest speaker. Thursday 20th February, 7 pm, West End Community Centre.

 

Come along for a lively discussion and debate!

 

National Anti-Racism Demonstration

With racist UKIP and fascist BNP and EDL all hoping to have successes this year, electorally in the case of UKIP and the BNP and on the streets with the EDL bootboys, it is more important than ever for anti-racists to make their voices heard. Join the demonstration in London on the UN's International Anti-Racism Day, March 22nd. More details at the UAF website here.

 

UCU strike action

UCU will be out on strike again over continuing attacks on further and higher education, on Monday morning from 9-11. Pickets are expected at the Kedleston Road university site - pop along to show your support!

 

NUT strike action

The NUT will be taking strike action over continuing attacks on primary and secondary education on March 26th. There are sure to be activities to support striking teachers in Derby - further details as we get them.

Weekly Update #16

Welcome to your weekly update from the Derby Socialist Workers' Party!

Branch Meetings

This week's branch meeting will be on the execution of Charles I: revolution or coup? a timely topic as the 10th January was the 365th anniversary of the execution! Come along for a lively discussion on this and upcoming events and struggles we will need to be involved in!
Thursday 23rd January, 7 pm, West End Community Centre (map below).The following week (30th January) there will be no branch meeting as there will be a Unite Against Fascism planning meeting instead (see below for more details).
The next branch meeting will examine whether the roots of populist politics lie in the Roman world, with the people betrayed: a history of populism. Thursday 6th February, 7 pm West End Community Centre.

The People's Assembly - campaign against council cuts

The People's Assembly, of which the SWP is a supporter, is continuing to campaign around the outrageous cuts that continue to be demanded by the Tories and their Lib-Dem allies in Westminster. This year the Labour council is required to cut £81m from vital council services.

The People's Assembly has been campaigning to get as broad support as possible for the Labour  group to refuse to implement these cuts. There is a petition to sign and a protest is being organised for the night of the budget-setting.

Show your support for dropping the cuts - come to the Council House, 5 pm, Wednesday 29th January.

Unite Against Fascism

The last year has been a challenging one for anti-racists, but we can claim some significant victories against an attempted EDL revival, and recent news of Nick Griffin's bankruptcy has been very cheering. However, the fascists are down but not out, and the racist rhetoric of UKIP is being vociferously repeated by the mainstream parties and much of the press.

If you want to be part of the fightback, join us and our partners in the UAF organisation on Thursday 30th January, 7 pm at the West End Community Centre.

March against racism and fascism

On March 22nd, the UN's Anti-Racism day, anti-racist groups and trades unions are organising a national demonstration against the racist attitudes being pumped out by the far-right and elements of the media and major political parties. Keep March 22nd clear in your diaries!

Merry Christmas and a New Year of Fighting Back!

Hello everyone,

Hope that the mince pies are being consumed and the lights are up - this is your festive update from the Derby Socialist Workers' Party!

 

2013 has been a tumultuous political year, with setbacks for workers like Grangemouth, but also fantastic successes such as the Hovis workers and the ongoing action by the teachers unions and university lecturers - and the SWP has been at the heart of everything, helping to support and organise the fightback wherever we can, celebrating our successes and offering a way forward after defeats.

 

Our next meeting will not be until the 9th of January, when we will be discussing Prospects for socialists in 2014. Come and join us at 7pm at the West End Community Centre!

 

In the meantime a few comrades have been doing the rounds of Derby's fire stations as the fire fighters have been out on strike from 7 pm this evening, taking messages of solidarity and copies of the paper to workers under attack by the coalition who once again want our class to pay for the crisis by cutting essential services.

 

They will be out again on New Years' Eve from 6.30 pm, and as anyone who has been on strike will know, support will be warmly received!

 

In the meantime, here is a picture of Christmas cheer to tide us over until the fightback resumes in 2014!

 

Weekly Update #14

Hello everyone,
Welcome to your weekly update from the Socialist Workers' Party!

Branch Meetings

This week's branch meeting is on the question of revolution in Britain, after Russell Brand's recent set-to with Jeremy Paxman on the subject. Come along and let us know your thoughts!

West End Community Centre, 7 pm Thursday December 5th.

Next week's meeting is on the topic of the state's espionage against its own people. Come along to find out about Secrets and Lies!

Thursday December 12th, West End Community Centre, 7 pm

Industrial Action Tuesday 3rd December

Workers across higher and further education are out on strike over changes to their pay and conditions - a hot topic for any worker in private and public sectors at the moment! There should be pickets at Derby University and Derby College tomorrow morning - get down and show solidarity if you can!


If there are any events that socialists should be involved in, but we have not included in this update, please leave a comment or email us at derbyswp@gmail.com.

Weekly Update #13

Branch Meetings

 

This Thursday's meeting is a must for anyone interested in industrial action: After Grangemouth.

 

 

 

Anyone who has heard of Grangemouth will know about the terrible deal that workers were sold by their union recently. What does this mean for the confidence of workers elsewhere, and the wider struggles against austerity? What should the response of socialists be? Come along for a talk and what is sure to be a lively discussion!

 

Thursday 28th November 2013, 7 pm, West End Community Centre

 

Staying topical, next week's meeting will be on the prospects for revolution in Britain, after Russell Brand's recent spat with Paxo (see video here).

 

That's Thursday 5th December, 7 pm, West End Community Centre.

 

 

 

Hands Off Our Unions

 

The People's Assembly have a statement in response to Tory attacks on trades unions. Sign it here: http://thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/handsoffunions/

 

 

SOS NHS

 

There is an organising meeting of the SOS NHS campaign on Thursday 28th November.

Weekly Update #12

Morning comrades!

A couple of updates for you this week from the SWP!

Branch Meeting

This week's branch meeting will be on Verdi and Italian Nationalism. Last month was the 200^th anniversary of the composer Verdi, whose music had an enormous impact on Italian unification. Find out more on Thursday 14^th November, 7pm at the West End Community Centre!

Next week we have a classically-themed talk with Can Socialists Learn from the Ancient World? One of our comrades will talk us through some important events from the ancient world and ask what lessons we can learn to help us today. Come along for a lively talk and discussion on Thursday 21^st November, 7 pm at the West End Community Centre!

Firefighters Take Action over Pensions

At this week's stall we had a petition to support the firefighters in their current dispute over the government's decision to keep firefighters climbing ladders and putting out fires until they are 60. We had a lot of support from the public for the firefighters. Show your support by signing the petition online here:

https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-uk-scottish-and-welsh-governments-stop-attacks-on-firefighter-pensions