Feminist protesters clash in Mexico City
Women marching on International Women’s Day (8 March 2021) clashed with police at barricades surrounding the National Palace in Mexico City, where officers fired pepper spray after the protesters attempted to tear down a metal wall. The three meter high metal wall was erected to protect the National Palace but the protesters have turned it into a memorial for women killed simply because of their gender. The government said that the wall was put up there to protect the palace from “vandalism”.
Weekend Premier League recap
The Premier League title could be virtually wrapped up by the end of this weekend’s fixtures as first played second in a crucial six pointer for the league leaders
#AbolishTheMonarchy trends on Twitter after Sussex’s interview with Oprah
Following revelations in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with American Oprah Winfrey, that an unnamed member of the Royal Family had expressed concern of the colour of Meghan’s child prior to his birth, thousands took to Twitter demanding Britain became a Republic. Markle, who starred in American legal drama Suits, expressed concern about the racial bigotries held in the Royal Family. Saying that the harassment from them and the right wing tabloids made her “suicidal”.
Deliveroo’s ‘Thank You Fund’ PR stunt
Deliveroo riders are set to receive up to £10,000 from a £16m ‘thank you fund’ this year, however, it’s unknown when exactly pay outs are set to occur. Only a quarter of riders will receive any money. Only riders that have worked with Deliveroo for at least a year and have completed 2,000 orders will receive money from the rider fund.
Midweek Premier League recap
Over half of the Premier League played across the midweek ahead of a full weekend programme.
Nurses in England prepared to strike over ‘pitiful’ 1% pay rise
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) announced yesterday (4 March 2021) that it’s members would be preparing for potential strike action over the pay rise announced in the UK budget, which they describe as ‘pitiful’. The RCN announced it was preparing a £35 million strike fund in advance of potential industrial action in England. Healthcare pay is devolved, hence the inclusion of England only. Although, workers in Scotland and Wales are preparing similar actions related to equally dismal pay rises.
Loyalist community groups withdraw support for Good Friday Agreement
On Wednesday morning, The Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) said it was temporarily withdrawing support for the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) due to concerns around the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Poetry Corner: My Last Will by Joe Hill
My Last Will by Joe Hill, 1915
“The labour troubadour Joe Hill was executed by the state of Utah on November 19, 1915, accused of murdering two shopkeepers. Five years earlier, while working on the docks in California, Hill met members of the IWW and became an active Wobbly. Soon his humorous and biting political songs, like “The Preacher and the Slave,”1 were being sung on picket lines across the country. From his jail cell in Utah, Hill wrote to “Big Bill” Haywood in a telegram, “Don’t waste time mourning. Organize!”—a line that became a slogan of the U.S. labour movement. On the eve of his execution, Hill penned these words.” – From Voices of a People’s History
Unequal Exchange
Theories of unequal exchange argue that trade between poor and rich countries involve the transfer of value from the former to the latter, as more labour is traded for less labour.
LGBT+ liberation – making the links
Communists from Britain and internationally came together last weekend (27 February 2021) in a special webinar paying tribute to the life of Mark Ashton former general secretary of the Young Communist League and founder of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners. Organised as part of our centenary celebrations the YCL LGBT+ Commission had arranged the webinar to look at the current issues affecting LGBT+ working people and Socialism’s answer to LGBT + liberation.
