Britain: the struggles to come

A Tory majority government has been elected in Britain for the first time since 1992. That this follows five years of savage cut-backs to the public sector – by the Con-Dem coalition – is the greatest indictment of New Labour. It also raises profound issues for the trade unions and for the inevitable mass struggles to come. PETER TAAFFE writes.

Scotland’s electoral earthquake

The election result in Scotland shook the political establishment to the core, with the Scottish Nationalists winning all but three of the 59 Westminster seats. For the Labour Party it was catastrophic, crashing from 41 MPs to just one. PHILIP STOTT reports on this seismic shift.

Tower Hamlets: establishment moves to crush opposition

In November last year, Tory local government minister, Eric Pickles – fully backed by his Lib Dem coalition partners and New Labour – called commissioners into the east London council of Tower Hamlets. An election court had earlier been set up to look into allegations against mayor Lutfur Rahman, who was removed from office this April. As HUGO PIERRE explains, this shows the lengths to which the capitalist class will go to defend its interests.