There have been penalties for those who looked the other way when Epstein was convicted of child sex offences and decided to maintain relationships with the financier — but not for the British ambassador to Washington, reveals SOLOMON HUGHES
Train drivers stand united for nationalised railways and socialism
Aslef’s annual assembly of delegates begins today in Leeds, where the train drivers’ union was formed back in 1880. MICK WHELAN looks back — and forward
Labour’s new Treasury unit will ‘challenge unnecessary regulation’ by forcing nominally independent bodies like Ofwat to bend to business demands — exactly what Iain Anderson’s corporate clients wanted, writes SOLOMON HUGHES
DR DYLAN MURPHY looks at a Big Brother Watch report which exposes the government as an enabler of DWP secret spying on benefit claimants
The EU faces a critical choice: will it remain in the shadow of an increasingly unreliable US ally, or will it forge its own path in a multilateral world where co-operation with China is essential, asks MARC VANDEPITTE as leaders meet for the EU-China Summit
A lot of discussion about how the left should currently organise – including debate on whether the Green Party is a useful vehicle for advance – runs the risk of refusing to engage with or learn from the reasons the left was defeated previously, argues KEVIN OVENDEN
For Egypt trade trumps the Israeli genocide of the Palestinians, but how long can the country’s ‘misleaders’ – and others in the region – continue their indifference against the popular will of their own people, asks ROGER McKENZIE
IT’S been a busy 12 months for our trade union. Although, if we could speak to our predecessors, up there in the top link in the sky, they would probably say that every year has been a busy year since our union was formed.
“Aslef — established 1880.” That’s what it says on our badge. And it was here, in Leeds. We are proud of our history and proud of what those who came before us have achieved for rail workers in England, Scotland and Wales, where we organise – and the aims, aspirations and ideals of Aslef are, essentially, the same today as they were back in 1880.
They are enshrined in our rule book: “Aslef exists to secure the best terms and conditions for train drivers; to negotiate on behalf of our members with the train and freight operating companies; to promote a pride in the job we do; to champion equality in our industry; to provide education services for our members; and to work for a fairer, more just, and more equitable society. A socialist society.”
More from this author
As the labour movement meets to remember the Tolpuddle Martyrs, MICK WHELAN, general secretary of train drivers’ union Aslef, says it’s an appropriate moment to remind the Labour government to listen to the trade unions a little more
Aslef general secretary MICK WHELAN writes for the Morning Star on the eve of the TUC in Brighton, about the pay offer from the DfT, relations with the Labour government, and the union’s motion at Congress calling for the renationalisation of rail freight
MICK WHELAN, general secretary of Aslef, the train drivers’ trade union, writes for the Morning Star as union activists prepare to march through Durham today in a display of working-class solidarity at the 138th Durham Miners’ Gala
MICK WHELAN, general secretary of train drivers’ trade union Aslef, writes for the Morning Star as voters prepare to go to the polls in the general election today
