Net zero: an irrational target
Looking for someone to explain precisely what’s wrong with the government’s net zero targets? A new book could help…
1984: GCHQ trade union ban
Forty years ago workers at a government intelligence centre stood out against a ban on union membership…
European farmers demand a future
9 February 2024
Farmers’ protests are spreading across the EU. They are taking to the roads to demand that the EU supports food production.
Measles epidemic follows cuts in health visitors
8 February 2024
Measles was eradicated from Britain in 2017, but it has come back. That’s due to a cut in health visitors, which needs to be reversed.
On the march for the right to strike
8 February 2024
Workers gathered in Cheltenham on 27 January to remind government that they will resist anti-union laws.
Britain’s population set to increase sharply
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.
Devolution not a priority for Welsh workers
2 February 2024
The Welsh government can’t persuade Welsh workers that more devolution is good for them. A recent report by its own commission provides further evidence of that – and of its misguided ambition.
Fighting for the English National Opera’s future
31 January 2024
ENO artists have suspended strike action in their pay and jobs dispute, pending further talks. But that’s only one step in their fight for the future of the company, which is being forced to move out of London in the name of “levelling up”.
Maintain the integrity of Royal Mail and Britain
31 January 2024
A recent Ofcom report sets out the poor state of privatised Royal Mail and spells trouble for the future of an integrated postal network. The post workers’ union has strongly criticised this, but industry and the wider public need to take up the cause.
Tube workers’ pay victory
31 January 2024
London Tube workers have won a pay victory after the threat of strike action in early January. This came after the Mayor for London announced extra funding at the last minute.
Train drivers fight on for pay
25 January 2024
Train drivers continue their fight for pay and conditions with a round of strikes. Train operating companies, backed by the government, are not even negotiating. One company trying to use new minimum service level laws quickly climbed down.
A more dangerous world
25 January 2024
The British and US governments are stoking conflict across the world, supporting Israel to continue its war on Gaza. They oppose a ceasefire in Gaza and egg Ukraine on against Russia, ignoring Britain’s needs.
Steel jobs and industry threatened by net zero
24 January 2024
Tata Steel is cutting jobs at Port Talbot steelworks, driven by net zero. That will damage the steel industry and the wider economy.
Flooding – protection works
23 January 2024
Floods this winter again highlight the government’s failure to deliver better flood protection. The Fire Brigades Union continues to campaign for the resources they know can make a difference.
Student loans: a cost to us all
22 January 2024
Student loans aren’t a good deal for students or taxpayers. A new report highlights the increasing costs for government.
Rough sleeping on the rise
22 January 2024
Record numbers of people are now sleeping rough. The Conservative Party pledge to end rough sleeping in England by 2024 looks an empty promise despite action during the pandemic.
No to war in the Red Sea
13 January 2024
The British government, hand in glove with the US government, is attacking Yemen. This act of war dangerously widens the war in the Middle East. We should condemn it.
Time to take up the challenge
A short twelve months ago NHS workers and their unions were deep in preparation for what everyone knew was going to be a major battle on that most central of issues, pay and conditions.
Ofsted under fire
The Association of School and College Leaders and the National Association of Head Teachers have called for Ofsted inspections to be paused immediately.
Engineering - Alstom Derby at risk
Britain’s only train factory able to design, engineer, build and test new trains, the Alstom plant at Litchurch Lane, Derby, is once again at risk, with no confirmed workload beyond next March.
Free speech and discussion - crucial to Britain
Free speech is under threat – and in fighting for it workers can’t allow themselves to be sidelined by divisive laws and policies…
Flooding shouldn't have to be a disaster
Floods are an ever-present risk in Britain. While they’re never good news, their impact can be managed and lessened. But not if government continues to fail to act…
Capital, not computing, is the enemy of progress
After decades of developments in computing laboratories, artificial intelligence has broken through into the mainstream. Is this good news or bad?
Copper. The metal we can't do without
With the transition from traditional sources of energy to all-electric, Britain’s security of supply is in question as never before. And with it, the issue of national self-reliance…
Respect FE - deal with skill shortages
Turn on the news or read the newspaper and you hear “skills shortage”, and “shortage occupation list” for legal migration. But why is there a skills shortage and what is the national plan for addressing it?
Parasitic capitalism - who needs it?
Asset management companies live off the wealth created by others. They buy not to produce things of use, but to profit from squeezing the assets or selling them on…
The future has to be nuclear
Electricity is vital for modern life, whatever contribution from other renewable energy sources, nuclear power will continue to be an effective way to provide it for the foreseeable future…
Materials matter
We live in a material world in more senses than one. In fact, our modern world depends as much on sand and rock as it does on technology…
US bases in Britain
Once again, the US is seeking to make even greater use of its bases in Britain. And once again, opposition is building…
Skills qualifications confusion
27 December 2023
Constant changes to skills qualifications have added to the pressure on further education. Political interference creates nothing but confusion.