Sharp increase in modern slavery during the pandemic
Amid the pandemic, reports of sexual and criminal exploitation have severely increased, as stated in new figures calculating the extent of modern slavery and trafficking in the UK. Compared with the preceding year, cases of sexual exploitation, which includes people held captive in brothels and those strong-armed into prostitution, increased by a quarter in 2020. Almost a quarter of cases concerned children.
Labour Party shadow equalities minister apologises over anti-Traveller leaflet
In the same week as a botched Governmental report found the UK was not institutionally racist, there have been a number of incidents proving the contrary.
Communists urge action on Electoral Commission bias
A number of MPs have already responded to the Communist Party letter (below), some more positively than others. But what most of them say is that they would be more likely to take up this issue if the complaint comes from a constituent. This is the cue for Communist Party members, allies and friends. Email your MP, MSP or MS and urge them to protest against the Electoral Commission’s anti-democratic discrimination against a party that has contested elections in Britain at every level for the past 100 years. Communist Party general secretary Robert Griffiths wrote the following letters to all MPs, MSPs and MSs.
YCL to Stand as Young Catholic League
Effective immediately. Free Bibles sent to all members!
Batley teacher suspended after showing students cartoon of the Prophet Muhammed
A teacher in Batley was suspended last week after showing pupils an “inappropriate” cartoon of the Prophet Muhammed in class.
Hypocritical clothing companies buy into US propaganda over Xinjiang
The trade and propaganda war of the US and its allies against China has recently caused some friendly fire after the Chinese Youth Communist League publicly denounced a group of mainly clothing corporations that have cut supply links with Xinjiang. Many of the corporations have a long history of enthusiastically utilising global sweatshops. Yet, as Xinjiang residents have been lifted out of poverty in recent years, these long-term exploiters have decided to claim the moral high ground on a hill built of US State department lies that are repeatedly denied and disproven by people who live in China.
Communist Party issues call for non-racist immigration and nationality laws
The Communist Party has issued a statement calling for new immigration laws to end decades of racist legislation and the Tories’ ‘hostile environment’, and, setting out the Party’s principles on immigration.
Home Office scheme to deport non-UK rough sleepers relaunched
A contentious program that employs councils and homelessness charities to glean personal data has been quietly reinstituted by the Home Office, potentially causing the deportation of non-UK rough sleepers. Since the relaunch six months ago, two charities and six councils have enrolled in the scheme, as reported by Liberty Investigates, a journalism group of the human rights organisation Liberty.
Container ship blocks Suez Canal hitting world trade
A massive container ship is currently blocking the Suez Canal, one of the busiest global shipping routes. Marine and salvage engineers tried and failed to dislodge the enormous ship on Thursday (25 March 2021) but the company, Evergreen Marine who operates the ship have said that it could take weeks before the ship is dislodged. It became stuck on Tuesday after a sudden gust of wind and a dust storm. The blockage is causing a tailback of ships to form, all waiting to get through. Around 12% of global trade passes through Suez Canal as it provides a short sea link between Europe and Asia.
Georgia Republicans threaten US state’s democracy with new voting law
A controversial new election law was passed in the US state of Georgia this Thursday (March 25), aiming to suppress the Democratic vote. Measures include a ban on handing water to queuing voters.
