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Published by Salma Yaqoob, Respect, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU .
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01/07/2009
The government emergency nationalisation of the East Coast line shows what a shambles the private ownership of the railways is, and always was. National Express who ran the rail line won the franchise from GNER in 2007, but were not making a profit, so they indicated that would simply walk away from the loss-making route, and not put further money in, after failing to blackmail the government into letting them alter the terms of their franchise agreement. As transport Secretary Lord Adonis told the BBC: “The government is not prepared to renegotiate rail franchises, because I'm simply not prepared to bail out companies that are unable to meet their commitments. It is simply unacceptable to reap the benefits of contracts when times are good, only to walk away from them when times become more challenging.” 01/07/2009
The BBC2 programme ‘The Conspiracy Files', broadcast on 30 June, examined the spread of conspiracy theories about the 7/7 bombings, and the arguments contained in the DVD “The Ripple Effect”. The programme included scenes of a meeting held at Birmingham Central Mosque in which Dr Mohammed Naseem argued that the “Ripple Effect is more convincing than the government statement”. Salma Yaqoob rejects these conspiracy theories. |
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By YVONNE RIDLEY
THE arrogance of Israel is nothing short of breath-taking.
On the eve of one of the most damning reports ever to be published on human rights abuses and suspected war crimes, Israel committed an act of piracy. While western naval fleets are patrolling the waters off the coast of Africa, acts of piracy are being carried out routinely in the Mediterranean.
But the international community leaders couldn't care less because most of those who are kidnapped, shot at and hijacked at sea are Palestinian fishermen from Gaza.
24th June 2009
George Galloway's speech to Parliament on Iraq enquiry
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Mr. George Galloway (Bethnal Green and Bow) (Respect): With respect, Mr. Deputy Speaker, 10 minutes of most Back Benchers is more than enough, but there are odd occasions when it is not enough. The speeches of the right hon. Member for East Hampshire (Mr. Mates) who has vast experience and of the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short) should have been extended. They were extremely important to this debate and this 10-minute rule should give you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the flexibility to allow a moment or two for important, decisive speeches in a debate. I have now given away 30 seconds of my time, but I thought that that was worth saying.
The Government just do not get it. That is evident again this evening from the languid complacency with which the Foreign Secretary spoke, which led the hon. Member for Cannock Chase (Dr. Wright) to say that he felt that the Foreign Secretary's heart was not in it. It is evident from the period of time when there was not a single Government Member on the Front Bench and from the body language of the two Ministers who now are on it when the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood was speaking. They were sneering and nudging, utterly oblivious to the fact that her speech will be listened to and read by millions tomorrow and given real weight, while what they have to say will be treated, if they are lucky, with derision.
22/06/2009
Lindsey strike - workers deserve 100% support
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The sacking of hundreds of construction workers at the Lindsey oil refinery in Lincolnshire is a challenge to the whole trade union movement. Oil giant Total showed utter contempt for its workforce as it rushed to dismiss workers using Margaret Thatcher's anti-trade union laws.
Thankfully construction workers, up and own the country, have risen to the challenge with hundreds involved in walkouts at sites from Sellafield to Teeside, and from Cheshire to south Wales. Defiant workers at the Lindsey refinery burnt their dismissal papers and vowed to fight for every job.
22/06/2009
9.6 million reasons why Brown still doesn't get it.
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The decision by RBS to pay its new Chief Executive £9.6million is nothing short of a disgrace. This is a company that is in the process of sacking 9000 members of staff and it is a bank owned 70% by the taxpayer.
It appears that Gordon Brown and his cabinet are still be-dazzled by the so-called shining lights of industry and finance. Yet these people are the ones who brought us the credit crunch in the first place and have been responsible for billions in tax-payers money being thrown away clearing up the mess they made.
20/06/2009
Westminster in crisis - It's time for change
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by George Galloway MP and Salma Yaqoob
Many who once voted Labour in the hope of a fairer society now feel betrayed. The European elections saw Labour's vote collapse to just 15%. And there was a shocking breakthrough made by the BNP in the North of England.
Labour is to blame for its own crisis. And it has to take a large share of the responsibility for creating the conditions in which the far right is growing.
18/06/2009
Hazel Blears - still clinging to the gravy train
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The venal and loathsome Hazel Blears survived a vote of no-confidence tonight at her Labour party meeting in Salford tonight held in Swinton Town hall, by a margin of 31 votes to 13. Anger her about expense abuses has been moving between simmering and boiling over during the last few weeks.
There was a healthy and vocal protest set up to greet her outside the town hall. But Hazel in a desperate urge to re-connect with the voters, snuck in through some backdoor, avoiding the entire nation's national TV news crews and a large posse of local and national reporters.
18/06/2009
IRAQ INQUIRY IS A DISGRACE
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The announcement that Gordon Brown intends to hold the enquiry into the run-up to the invasion of Iraq in private is a disgrace.
Just a few days before he was promising a new spirit of openness and public accountability in politics. Brown promised cross-party consultation on electoral and parliamentary reform, yet then he announced an inquiry that will satisfy no one, except perhaps those whose decision took us to war and cost so many innocent lives.
It appears that when it comes to lies and killing it is business as usual at Westminster.
Respect MP George Galloway expressed the outrage of many when he commented, “This was a war that has killed a million people, including 179 British service men, it was conceived in secrecy and justified with lies. This enquiry will not have the right to apportion blame and it will only report after the next election. This is an utterly cynical manoeuvre that will convince no one.”
17/06/2009
Unemployment reaches 2.26 million - Act now on jobs crisis
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by Salma Yaqoob, Respect Party leader
The jobs crisis is hitting millions of families. Every week brings more bad news.
Economists forecast that unemployment will continue to rise by as much as 100,000 a month, reaching more than 3 million by next year. Behind these statistics are real people, and real communities, feeling the worst effects of the recession.
The threat of unemployment is also driving down wages and conditions for everyone. A recent survey showed that more than half the working population have seen a cut in pay, reductions in hours or a loss of employment benefits since the recession began.
15/06/2009
Westminster in crisis: We need a fair voting system.
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Our political system is stagnant. The establishment parties fight among themselves, but only a handful of MPs are willing to speak out for a radical change of direction.
Most people were against the illegal war on Iraq. But parliament voted it through. Most people were revolted at the unfairness of handing billions to greedy bankers while leaving them in control of our economy. But who was speaking out for us?
Millions of people want to end the obsession with free market fundamentalism and the inequality and division it causes. But our voting system squeezes out radical voices and rewards the useless but loyal MP.
Those arguing for radical change can come second or third in seat after seat, and represent a significant voice in society. But under our unfair voting system this means no MPs, no voice in parliament, and no change to failed policies.
11/06/2009
SECRET EVIDENCE FORCED MAN TO UNWILLING “VOLUNTARY” REPATRIATION
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Tariq Ur Rehman, one of the North West 10 returned to Pakistan yesterday, the 11th of June. He was forced to do so by his family circumstances – he is a widower with three young children - to accept what is in effect a voluntary deportation. This is not a victory for him or his legal representatives.
Tariq had to choose between 18 months in a Category A prison or going back to Pakistan giving up his postgraduate studies and hopes for the future and losing the savings he had invested in his education.
10/06/2009
Will building more homes beat the BNP?
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By Salma Yaqoob - first published on The Guardian's Comment is Free
Tony Woodley gets straight to the point when he argues that the rise of the BNP is "a direct consequence of Labour 's failure to represent the interests of our core voters".
We are reaching the bottom of the pit dug by the New Labour practitioners of the dark art of triangulation: the attempt to be more "pro-business" than the Tories, and "tougher" on immigration than the Daily Mail. The results have been disastrous.
08/06/2009
Salma Yaqoob: - BNP victory shows that left must work together
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The historic scale of Labour's defeat at the ballot box is evidence of the deep betrayal felt by those who once voted Labour in the hope of a fairer society. The depth of disillusionment with the mainstream parties is underlined by the shocking breakthrough made by the BNP.
Labour is wholly to blame for its own crisis and has to take a large share of the responsibility for creating the conditions in which the far right is growing.
Labour loosened the rules that gave licence to greedy bankers to gamble away our jobs and homes. Labour failed to protect our public services from wasteful and costly privatisation. Labour has overseen growing inequality and a chronic shortage of affordable housing. And Labour failed to tackle the scandal of MP's expenses.
08/06/2009
BNP election - disaster for ethnic minorities in North West
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PRESS RELEASE: GREATER MANCHESTER RESPECT
The Respect Party deplores Nick Griffin worming a seat for the fascist British National Party in the European Elections in the North West constituency. Both Griffin and his hardcore Nazi mate, Andrew Brons, who was elected in Yorkshire and Humber constituency, pretend to be democratic politicians in exactly the manner that Hitler did in 1929 and 1932.
They will now seek to inflame racism and violence against minorities across Britain. Griffin's election will be a disaster for ethnic minorities across the North West
27/05/2009
Crisis at Westminster: Respect to broaden challenge at General Election
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by Clive Searle, Respect national secretary
There is a political earthquake shaking Westminster politics. MPs of all the main parties have been found with the snouts in the trough – claiming fat expenses on everything from sink plugs to duck islands, ‘flipping' second homes and renovating flats at the taxpayers' expense. Some of the figures involved are eye watering. The revelations in the Telegraph have thrown the political establishment onto the back foot – creating a wave of righteous anger at the sheer naked greed of our supposed representatives.
No wonder the demand for a General Election is growing daily with over two-thirds wanting an election by the end of the year. David Cameron has thrown his weight behind the call despite his Tory MPs being up to their necks in the same old sleaze that brought down John Major's government. Cameron's only saving grace is that Gordon Brown has had an even worse few weeks, as Cabinet Minister after Cabinet Minister has been exposed with fingers in the expenses till. And while many expect this kind of behaviour from Tory grandees they rightly remember that New Labour came to power on a promise to clean up Westminster politics. We didn't expect them to 'clean up' on their expenses!
25/05/2009
"Your Firefighters Need You! "
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More Fire Cuts in Greater Manchester
Fire cover in Manchester is to be cut yet again from the 1July 2009 across the whole of Greater Manchester.
Fire Authority members have rubber stamped another cut in services which will seriously affect your local firefighters ability to respond to incidents endangering the public and themselves.
Firefighters are dedicated to the saving of lives and property in your community but they need your help to try and stop these cuts in July.
All they are asking is to visit their website at www.saveourfireservice.co.uk and click on your area to find out how you will be directly affected.