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Current News
Respect, the Unity Coalition
This conference welcomes the establishment of Respect, the Unity Coalition. The Socialist Alliance calls on all its members to support Respect, the Unity Coalition by activity and finance and to join it. (Extract from resolution passed at the Special Conference of the Socialist Alliance held on Saturday 13 March 2004.)
'Respect, the Unity Coalition, is a new political party which stands for peace, social justice, and for the principle that everyone should be protected by compassionate public provision from the cradle to the grave.
'It has emerged from the greatest political demonstrations in modern history, against the illegal invasion of Iraq. Respect stands for an end to the occupation of Iraq, a stop to privatisations and a return to democratic public ownership of our essential services, a decent minimum wage, an education system that is not dependent on the ability to pay and which gives an equal chance in life to every child, as well as the preservation and enhancement of our environment.' (from Respect, the Unity Coalition website)
website: http://www.respectcoalition.org/ - Iraqi civilian Body Count:
- New section added (campaign against Council Housing sell-off in Swansea). Please note that the next public meeting is on 10th December
- Swansea Council Housing sell-off Meeting
Thirty three, mainly local residents attended a public meeting organised by Swansea WSA last night in Townhill, Swansea.
The meeting was called to highlight the serious possibility of the council selling off its council houses.
Swansea WSA had brought the issue to the attention of Swansea people after a tip off from someone working for the council.
The local paper (the Swansea Evening Post) gave over a full half page to the issue and made reference to it in its editorial. The issue was then discussed in the letters page.
The original venue for the meeting was pulled after the management at this semi council funded building 'discovered' rules forbidding Public Meetings.
However the local Catholic Church community hall stepped in to offer their space and the meeting went ahead as planned.
The meeting was addressed by Welsh Socialist Alliance member Alan Thomson with further contributions made from the floor by a local UCATT (building union) official.
Only one speaker from the floor spoke (tenuously) in favour of the councils plans the rest were clear that the sell off was not only wrong but clearly on the cards.
A local man who had previously stood in the local elections and received a substantial vote ended the meeting by thanking the WSA for taking the initiative and calling the meeting.
The meeting agreed that those present including the UCATT official would now set out to build a broad 'Defend Council Housing Campaign' open to all people from any political party or none.
It was agreed that prominent people from the Defend Council Housing Campaign such as Labour MP Austin Mitchell would be invited to speak with local people at a Swansea wide Public Meeting.
The UCATT representatives believed that this side of the election only Wrexham would actually see an attempt at a sell off but they added that this shouldn't stop us moving on it now. He pointed out that the election was not really that far away and that we should use this time to nip in the bud moves towards a sell off.
- Pentywn By-Election,Cardiff, Thursday 11th September.
**John Marek,AM for Wrexham backs Clive-Read about it on the campaign website**
A pic of the team. Clive is in the middle:
- Pentwyn Campaign
Liberals 66%
Labour 24%
Conservatives 6%
WSA 3% (81 votes)
Turnout 26%
Terry James (agent) says "This is a good start for us , the result is about what we expected ,we have put a marker down for next years council elections when we will definitely stand again. Clive and myself thank everyone who helped in the campaign"
Terry will be providing a full report for us later today.
- Public Meeting in Skewen.
Dr Richard Van Steenus , an expert on industrial pollution, will be speaking at a public meeting in Skewen rugby club,on tuesday 16th September beginning at 7pm.
He will be speaking to the title of" Industrial pollution,the asphalt plant whats store for us?"
Aggregate Industries Ltd have applied to build a concrete batching and asphalt plant on the Neath Abbey Wharf near Skewen and the opposition to the plant is being led by the Skewen Action Forum For The Environment which is also organising the Dr Van Steenus meeting.
Residents are concerned that dust pollution from the plant will damage health and the plant will degrade an alreadypolluted riverbank area.We are also concerned that large amounts of PFA (pulverised fuel ash) could be trucked from the Crymlyn Burrows incinerator to the proposed asphalt plant adding to the pollution and health problems faced by residents in Skewen.
Please let everyone know about this meeting. All welcome!
- New Pamphlet - Building A Socialist Alternative
- **Defend Council Housing in Swansea!!**
It appears that swansea's labour council may be about to try and follow bridgend's lead by transferring it's housing stock into private hands. The ballot was lost in bridgend - we are determined the same wont happen in swansea!
Swansea WSA is already mounting a campaign against any possible sell off. We are beginning with a meeting at the phoenix centre, townhill on wednesday 17th september 7.30pm. We envisage similar type meetings taking place across swansea over the next few months as we seek to build a city wide "Defend council housing" campaign in the city.
- New Play by Patrick Jones - War is Over-Long live War
Previews at Blackwood Miners Institute - 8,9,10,11 September
- Calling all Socialist Alliances, national day of action for Brent by-election. August 31st 2003 Click Here to visit site and find out what you can do to help!
Mass leafleting Aug 31 - contact welshsocialistalliance@ntlworld.com if you want to help
- The newly formed Blackwood Socialist Alliance branch was out campaigning against a proposed blackwood by-pass road. This is a PFI project and will cost ?34 million of taxpayers money to a fat cat construction company. At the same time the cuts in education means that 12 teachers are being laid off in Oakdale comprehensive school.Blackwood WSA held a street ballot on the by-pass and met with a good response. We plan to build the anti-war demo in London on September 17th. Blackwood coalition against the war has a public meeting on October 15th
at 7:30pm in the Blackwood Miners Institute with Geroge Galloway MP- there is an open invitation to any coalition groups to come along. Blackwood WSA are planning to stand in three council seats in the
Blackwood area at the council elections next year. A first leaflet has nearly been produced and we hope to start putting them through the doors next weekend.
Huw Williams
- The second European Social Forum
Paris, Saint Denis, Bobigny, Ivry
12-15th November 2003
- Merthyr Festival on Sunday 03st August. Visit the site for details.
- The Welsh Socialist Alliance branch in Neath is involved in organising community resistance to a plan to build a polluting asphalt plant on the Neath Abbey wharf site at nearby Skewen.
Only 14 months ago a WSA initiated campaign managed to fight off a giant waste plant destined for the same site.
Residents living close to the site are concerned about pollution problems and the threat to the quality of life posed by the plant.
Already the local press is covering the campaign and leaflets are being distributed.A public meeting is also being arranged.
The planning application has been submitted at the very end of July when many local people are away on holiday and there are only three weeks before the closing date for objections.
If we are to win this latest environment battle the campaign will have to involve loads of people and will have to be lively ,determined and political!
Huw Pudner
- Second Peoples Assembly for Peace
Saturday August 30th, London, Friends Meeting House, Euston Rd WC1 (opposite Euston Station) 10:00AM.
Our First Assembly raised the banner of Peace as Blair's Parliament preached
War. The Stop the War Coalition is convening a second People's Assembly,
with delegates elected from every community, to challenge Blair's War Lies,
call for an end to the occupation and to bring UK troops home. More
information will be placed on the website as it is available.
Organised by Stop the War Coalition.
- 30 people attended a meeting organised by Swansea WSA.
The topic of the meeting was GM foods. Swansea WSA will be participating in joint campaigning against GM and will be including the demand for no GM in future election material.
- Swansea WSA's Leigh Richards slams Plaid Cymrus Adam Price for supporting Foxhunting. Read it Here
- John Marek discussion on Welsh Left Alternative to New Labour.
Saturday August 9th,Miners' Institute, Grosvenor Road, Wrexham 10:30am
Click Here to read a report from the event.
- Pride marches in London and Cardiff:
Saturday 26th July - National Pride Parade 2003, London.
12:00pm, Victoria Embankment (Cleopatra's Needle), Parliament Square, Whitehall, Regent Street, Piccadilly, Park Lane, Serpentine road, Hyde Park (tube:embankment)
Saturday 30th August
Pride March, Cardiff.
Get leaflet Here
- Michael Lavalette has been elected as Socialist Alliance councillor
on
Preston City Council, by 546 votes. Labour came second with 440,
Tories with
228, and Lib Dems with 220.
Michael is coordinator of Preston Stop the
War coalition.
"We have decided to stand in the Town Centre ward because
it is the largest in the town. This will allow us to engage with more people and allow them to vote against New Labour's horrible record - their war on Iraq, their war on refugees and asylum seekers and their war on our
services. The need for a socialist, internationalist opposition to New
Labour has never been greater."
- WSA Welsh Assembly Election Candidates results:
- Swansea takes action against war in Iraq:
- Huw Pudner of Neath WSA writes on anti-war demo More...
- Anti War protesters march in North and South Wales. More...
- Firefighters' dispute links:
- Newport Stop the War Coalition has a weekly vigil at the Cenotaph 5:30-6:30 evey Monday. More...
- More Anti-War Meetings. See the No to War! page for details. More...
- Photos from 31/10 Day of Action.
- No to War!...Bringing it back home. Huw Pudner writes about the 31/10 Day of Action and the WSA. More...
- Articles added to site 18/10/02:
- Spectacular Result for SA in Hackney. Paul Foot beats Lib Dems and Greens - with 12.7% of the vote! More...
- Socialist Alliance Conference on Europe votes to campaign in the Euro referendum on the demands 'For a workers' Europe, not a bosses' Europe', 'No to the Euro', and 'No to Fortress Europe'. More...
- WSA National Conferance details. More...
- Report from 28/9 Anti War Demo. More...
- Swansea Firefighters Fight against low pay (pictures) More...
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