Daily Archives: 2 December 2024

At least 150,000 protesters rally in London to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to arms sales to Israel

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People take part in a Palestine Solidarity Campaign rally in central London, November 30, 2024

‘We gather at the gravest of times’

AT LEAST 150,000 Palestine solidarity protesters took to the streets of central London on Saturday to repeat their call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to arms sales to Israel.

This was the 22nd national protest organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), CND, the Stop the War Coalition, the Muslim Association of Britain, Friends of Al Aqsa and the Palestine Forum in Britain.

Israel invaded Gaza after Hamas staged an attack on October 7 2023, during which 1,139 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage.

Israel’s invasion has now killed over 44,000 people, more than half of them women and children, with aid groups warning that the death toll is likely to be far higher.

The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90 per cent of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times.

Opening the rally outside Downing Street, PSC chair Louise Regan reminded protesters that “we gather at the gravest of times,” as the death toll in Gaza continued to rise with women and children making up the majority of those killed.

“British complicity and its refusal to end all arms sales to the Israelis is a disgrace.”

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Ambassador Zomlot welcomed the International Criminal Court arrest warrants issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief Yoav Gallant.

“These war criminals must be arrested. Their place is behind bars. Arrest them!”

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/we-gather-at-the-gravest-of-times Many articles from the Morning Star today

Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
UK Labour Party Shadow Foreign Secretary repeatedly heckled at a speech to the Fabian Society over his and the Labour Party's support for and complicity in Israel's genocide of Gaza.
UK Labour Party Shadow Foreign Secretary repeatedly heckled at a speech to the Fabian Society over his and the Labour Party’s support for and complicity in Israel’s genocide of Gaza.
Continue ReadingAt least 150,000 protesters rally in London to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to arms sales to Israel

Climate activists serving combined 41 years of jail time granted mass appeal hearing

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The Whole Truth Five (from left to right) Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, Cressida Gethin, Louise Lancaster, Daniel Shaw and Roger Hallam Photo: Just Stop Oil

SIXTEEN non-violent Just Stop Oil protesters handed draconian sentences since July have been granted an extraordinary mass hearing before the Court of Appeal next year, it was announced on Saturday.

The hearing on January 29 and 30 at the Royal Courts of Justice in London will examine four separate cases involving activists from the group. Key points of contention will include whether conscientious motivation should be considered a mitigating factor.

The outcome is anticipated to be a defining moment for protest rights in Britain.

The 16 include the “Whole Truth Five,” who organised a protest on the M25 calling for a halt to new oil and gas licences. Roger Hallam, Cressida Gethin, Louise Lancaster, Daniel Shaw, and Lucia Whittaker De Abreu received a combined total of 21 years for their action.

At the time, UN special rapporteur Michel Forst said the verdict marked a dark day for “anyone concerned with the exercise of their fundamental freedoms” in Britain.

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Spokesman for the Free Political Prisoners campaign Lex Korte said: “A subset of judges have responded all too eagerly to the call from the disgraced Lord Walney, the arms and oil industry lobbyist, to jail peaceful climate campaigners for longer than if they’d committed serious crimes of sexual violence.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/climate-activists-serving-combined-41-years-jail-time-granted-mass-appeal-hearing Many articles from the Morning Star today

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Labour welfare ‘reforms’ are a cruel, destructive move

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WELFARE AUSTERITY: (L to R) Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall; Keir Starmer

DIANE ABBOTT MP condemns the government’s vicious attack on benefits that callously denies the pandemic’s impact on the working class while pushing vulnerable people into unsuitable work through punitive measures

THERE is now overwhelming evidence that the government is reimposing austerity measures. This is true in relation to income tax, public spending after next year, higher energy bills, bus fares and other prices determined by government.

But perhaps one of the most misunderstood aspects of austerity has been the planned cuts to the welfare bill.

Yet Keir Starmer, Liz Kendall and a host of other ministers have done their best to dispel any complacency on this issue. People who are on welfare, for whatever reason, are in the government’s firing line.

Their attack has two prongs. The first is that there is a blanket assertion that the welfare bill is “too high” and the second is that they will crack down on benefit fraud. Deliberately or otherwise, it is clear that these two issues are closely connected.

Promising “radical reforms to get Britain working,” in a recent article, Starmer went on to say, “In the coming months, Mail on Sunday readers will see even more sweeping changes. Because make no mistake, we will get to grips with the bulging benefits bill blighting our society.”

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Continue ReadingLabour welfare ‘reforms’ are a cruel, destructive move

Welsh Communists chart a path through crisis

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SPECIAL GUEST: Former Labour MP Beth Winter

DIC PENDERYN reports on the Communist Party’s Wales congress, where delegates debated plans for a radical manifesto and broad alliance to challenge Reform UK at the polls and make a clear break with Starmer and Westminster

LAURA PICAND, in her chairwoman’s address to the Communist Party’s Wales congress, acknowledged the hardships suffered in Pontypridd after the town flooded during Storm Bert a week ago.

“This is a perfect example of why utilities should be owned by us with public ownership and accountability.

“The Welsh government is failing the Welsh working class, and yes, we know that the Tories in Westminster woefully underfunded Wales.

“But the Welsh government need to fight and campaign for better resources, and a different, socialist approach.

“They need to remember they are the government of Wales, not apologists for Westminster. We need to see clear red water between Wales and Starmer’s Labour,” Picand said.

The congress debated the key congress resolution, Wales for the People Not the Profiteers, which was introduced by Welsh executive committee member David Nicholson.

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Bee-killing pesticide widespread in England’s rivers, analysis finds

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A bee collecting pollen in the city of Bristol

CHEMICALS highly harmful to wildlife and human health are widespread in England’s rivers, research published today has found.

Neonicotinoid pesticides, which are lethal for bees, have been found in 85 per cent of tested rivers, according to analysis by the Rivers Trust and Wildlife & Countryside Link.

The groups looked at Environment Agency data on rivers tested between 2023 to 2024.

All five of the neonicotinoids analysed for were detected at sites on the River Waveney and River Wensum in the east Midlands, but only 27 sites were tested, compared with 43 in 2020-22, signalling strained resources at the environmental regulator.

According to experts at the University of Sussex, a single teaspoon of the pesticide is enough to kill 1.25 billion bees.

Neonicotinoid pesticides have already been restricted in Britain, but have been granted “emergency” authorisations every year since 2021.

During its election campaign, Labour pledged to fully ban the chemicals, which have already been prohibited in the EU.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/bee-killing-pesticide-widespread-englands-rivers-analysis-finds Many articles from the Morning Star today

Continue ReadingBee-killing pesticide widespread in England’s rivers, analysis finds