After years hidden away, Oldham’s memorial to six local volunteers who died fighting fascism in the Spanish civil war has been restored to public view, marking both a victory for campaigners and a renewed tribute to the town’s proud International Brigade heritage, says ROB HARGREAVES
OVER many years numerous authors have written about the role of disasters in creating conditions to implement huge attacks on living standards. These disasters are not necessarily naturally occurring. They can be the result of policy.
A week ago the new Tory government that no-one elected deliberately created a crisis which they hope to use to lower living standards for the vast majority of people in this country.
First they provided huge giveaways for big business and the rich. They will then go on to use this crisis of their own making to make enormous cuts in public-sector services, public-sector pay and benefits for the poor. Of course, Labour should commit to reversing every single one of these attacks.
Under current policy, welfare cuts are just a small downpayment on future austerity, argues MICHAEL BURKE
Exempting military expenditure from austerity while slashing welfare represents a fundamental misallocation of resources that guarantees continued decline, argues MICHAEL BURKE



