In late May, the Guardian reported that Chancellor Rachel Reeves had told ministers to buy British “wherever possible” when awarding government contracts for steel, shipbuilding, energy and artificial intelligence.
23 June 2026
According to the latest official figures, government debt currently stands at around 95 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. And the trend is relentlessly upwards.
28 January 2026
A coroner has called for government action after the death of a baby boy. Non-therapeutic male circumcision is unregulated in Britain – and earlier deaths produced no changes.
January is the month of Janus, the two-faced god looking backwards and forwards. It’s also time to reflect on coming anniversaries; their importance lies in learning lessons for the future...
31 October 2025
The government plans to “crack down on fraud” by introducing new legislation which includes powers to access private bank accounts. This authoritarian move is being criticised.
31 October 2025
Labour government promises of transforming the civil service may be going the same way as many earlier attempts. But this time in addition they seem to have fallen for the charms of big tech companies.
Government plans to “crack down on fraud” are revealed in a new fraud bill making its way through Parliament.
23 April 2025
In March the government began a major shake-up of the NHS. Medical professionals and trade unions have warned against repeating the mistakes of the past.
In March the government began a shake-up of the NHS, abolishing NHS England (NHSE). Although that was welcomed, medical professionals and trade unions warned against repeating mistakes of the past.
A government with no idea about tackling Britain’s financial problems has latched on to the expansion of the country’s airports as the transport answer to promoting growth. The outcome might not be as positive as promised.
25 February 2025
Rachel Reeves is trying to shield banks from paying compensation for mis-selling car finance. She talks about “growth”, but what we see is disregard for the needs of British people.
In mid-December the government announced that the review bodies for public sector workers are awarding rises of 2.8 per cent for 2025.
17 December 2024
The government has announced a public sector pay rise of 2.8 per cent for 2025. Unions have denounced this as a cut in real pay. They are gearing up for a fight on pay again.
The new government has shown that all parliamentary parties are essentially the same in their attitude to British workers. This is underlined by the government’s cowardly attack on the living standards of the more vulnerable section of our class.
The departure from the political stage of many leading separatists, be it through illness, death, scandal or retreat, marks the end of an era for Scotland and a new opportunity in the quest for a united British nation…
11 October 2024
Pensioners held rallies in London and Belfast on Monday 7 October for the restoration of the winter fuel payment. As well as the direct financial effect those in fuel poverty will suffer worse health, increasing demand on the NHS
11 October 2024
A letter from a reader in Scotland reflects on gifts of clothing to Keir Starmer and others in the Labour leadership and the theme of clothing in Macbeth.
We look at some of the proposals from the Labour government. There’s little to benefit workers, and a great deal to cause real concern…
26 August 2024
A proposed development in Warwickshire has provoked a challenge to the government’s ideas on planning and development. Villagers in Ansty are opposing a massive warehousing scheme proposed on adjacent green belt land.
Examining the glaring limitations of present-day political arrangements forces us to fathom the best way of confronting the myriad problems surrounding us…
Why are our public services getting worse?
Wednesday 10 July 2024, 7.30 pm
Bertrand Russell Room, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL
Capitalism can’t sustain the health service, education, housing, utilities, policing, and more that a 21st century civilisation needs. How can we ensure our services serve the people?
Come and discuss. All welcome. Free entry.
8 February 2024
Workers gathered in Cheltenham on 27 January to remind government that they will resist anti-union laws.
Who should govern Britain? And how?
Wednesday 6 March 2024, 7.30 pm
Bertrand Russell Room, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL
There is a contest underway for the soul of Britain. The ruling class manage stagnation and decay; the working class are challenging for a society that meets their needs.
Come and discuss. All welcome. Free entry.
2 February 2024
The Office of National Statistics predicts that the UK population will rise to over 73 million by 2036, an increase of 10 per cent over 2021. This will be overwhelmingly due to immigration.
22 January 2024
Student loans aren’t a good deal for students or taxpayers. A new report highlights the increasing costs for government.
20 December 2023
The first special Congress of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) for over forty years took place in early December. It considered how trade unions should respond to legal attempts to restrict their activity.
The first special Congress of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) for over 40 years took place in early December. It considered how trade unions should respond to legal attempts to restrict their activity.
Assert the right to strike
Capitalism’s response to the successful workers’ action in health and rail is to make such action illegal. The right to strike can only be asserted in practice, not won in argument, or legislated for in parliament.
Come and discuss. Email info@cpbml.org.uk for an invitation
Protect the right to strike
Cheltenham 27 January 2024
12 noon Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham GL50 1UL
TUC march and rally against new restrictions on the right to strike, the next stage of the continuing campaign against new anti-stike laws.
This takes place at the home of GCHQ, where 40 years ago Margaret Thatcher banned workers from union membership.
https://www.tuc.org.uk/protectrighttostrike
17 November 2023
The government is trying to stop workers fighting for pay and conditions. A TUC special conference will discuss the trade union response.
