Louise Nousratpour
Friday January 25, 2008
The Morning Star
PALESTINE solidarity campaigners will demand an end to the brutal siege on Gaza at Downing Street on Saturday as part of an international day of action.
Organised by groups including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the protest will kick off at 4pm to urge the British government to end its collusion with Israel's "murderous" policies.
Israel's enduring crimes against the Palestinians escalated this month when ministers tightened the illegal siege on the Gaza Strip, cutting off all essential supplies including food, electricity, fuel, water and medical provisions.
Since the action, conditions in what campaigners have branded an "open-roofed prison" have seriously deteriorated. Some 80 per cent of the strip's 1.5 million residents are surviving on handouts from international aid organisations.
Even the critically ill are not allowed through. Cancer patient Mahmoud Hussein died last Saturday after Israeli authorities denied the 18-year-old access to medical treatment.
He was the 72nd person to die as a direct result of Israel's embargo on medical supplies.
Organisers are particularly appealing to nurses and doctors to join Saturday's protest in uniform to "visibly express their opposition" to Israel's blockade on life-saving medical supplies to Gaza.
"Collective punishment is being inflicted upon the Palestinians for voting for a government against the wishes of Israel, the US and the EU," the solidarity campaign said.
Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn called on his government to "put the strongest possible pressure on Israel and demand economic sanctions.
"We cannot stand idly by while a large number of wholly innocent civilians in Gaza are condemned to life in a prison because of Israel's illegal actions," he insisted.
Mr Corbyn stressed that "the peace process will not come about by a one-sided process of support being given to Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas."
Israeli peace organisations accused their own government of engaging in "state terrorism."
In a signed letter, they called on "the governments of the world and, in particular, the American government and the European Parliament, to censure Israel's actions.
"We call upon the Jews of the world, in whose name the Israeli government purports to speak, to speak out unequivocally against this offence to the very moral core of Jewish values," said the letter.
European Jews for a Just Peace has urged the World Health Organisation to put pressure on Israel to end its "medical warfare" in Gaza.
Welsh Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans, who is planning a trip to Palestine to see the situation first-hand, called the siege of Gaza "against international law as well as being morally abhorrent."
Malcom Smart of Amnesty International stressed: "The passage of aid, fuel and electricity and other basic necessities must be allowed to resume immediately."
In desperation, tens of thousands of Gazans have poured into neighbouring Egypt to stock up on essential supplies.
But this lifeline was brutally severed on Friday when the Egyptian authorities called in the troops, who used water cannons and batons to beat the crowd back into Gaza.
Palestinian economist Hasan Abu Ramadan warned that the crippling blockade was causing "all-out famine, disease and malnutrition."
Dr Ahmed Abu Tawahineh of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme said that, since last June, only 100 out of more than 1,000 applicants have been allowed out of Gaza to seek treatment.
Saturday's rally follows demonstrations in Birmingham and Leicester last Wednesday and Thursday.
Angry police call for wage justice
Louise Nousratpour in Millbank
Wednesday January 23, 2008
The Morning Star
TENS of thousands of angry police officers marched through London on Wednesday in a historic day of action against Home Secretary Jacqui Smith's stingy below-inflation pay offer.
Nearly 25,000 officers from England, Wales and Northern Ireland took part in the unprecedented event, which was organised by the Police Federation.
The silent sea of protesters, bearing the slogan Fair Pay for Police, set off from Park Lane and snaked their way through Westminster and Whitehall to Millbank.
Unlike other demonstrations, where a heavy-handed police approach is common, there were only 150 Met officers policing the event, with some 50 of them assigned to circle a small group of counter-protesters.
Officers are angry at Ms Smith's decision to backdate their 2.5 per cent pay award to December instead of September, reducing it to just 1.9 per cent.
Protester Martin Renschaw condemned the government's "underhand" approach and warned: "You will pay for this at the next general election."
His message to Ms Smith was "give us what we were promised. Enough is enough."
Fellow protester PC John Hughes, from Stoke Newington Police Station in east London, said: "It's not in our nature to take industrial action. But, if this kind of treatment continues, I'm sure many will consider taking action."
After the march, thousands packed into the Central Hall to hear speeches from Police Federation chairwoman Jan Berry and supporting MPs.
To rapturous applause, she accused Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Ms Smith of breaking their word over police pay and warned that industrial action remained a real option if their demands were not met.
Ms Berry also revealed that the federation has filed for a judicial review against the Home Secretary's decision and called for her power to ignore the decision of the arbitration panel to be removed.
Mr Brown was forced to defend the decision to stage the police pay award in the Commons, repeating his claim that it was necessary to "fight inflation."
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber sent a message of "solidarity and support" to the marchers, accusing the government of making a "disastrous mistake."
And Prison Officers Association national chairman Colin Moses, whose members have faced similar attacks on their pay award, said: "The unwarranted attack on uniform and public servants is a shameful example of a government that is out of touch.
"Fairness in public-sector pay should not end in the doors of the House of Commons. Fairness should be given to all public servants."
Wednesday January 23, 2008
The Morning Star
TENS of thousands of angry police officers marched through London on Wednesday in a historic day of action against Home Secretary Jacqui Smith's stingy below-inflation pay offer.
Nearly 25,000 officers from England, Wales and Northern Ireland took part in the unprecedented event, which was organised by the Police Federation.
The silent sea of protesters, bearing the slogan Fair Pay for Police, set off from Park Lane and snaked their way through Westminster and Whitehall to Millbank.
Unlike other demonstrations, where a heavy-handed police approach is common, there were only 150 Met officers policing the event, with some 50 of them assigned to circle a small group of counter-protesters.
Officers are angry at Ms Smith's decision to backdate their 2.5 per cent pay award to December instead of September, reducing it to just 1.9 per cent.
Protester Martin Renschaw condemned the government's "underhand" approach and warned: "You will pay for this at the next general election."
His message to Ms Smith was "give us what we were promised. Enough is enough."
Fellow protester PC John Hughes, from Stoke Newington Police Station in east London, said: "It's not in our nature to take industrial action. But, if this kind of treatment continues, I'm sure many will consider taking action."
After the march, thousands packed into the Central Hall to hear speeches from Police Federation chairwoman Jan Berry and supporting MPs.
To rapturous applause, she accused Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Ms Smith of breaking their word over police pay and warned that industrial action remained a real option if their demands were not met.
Ms Berry also revealed that the federation has filed for a judicial review against the Home Secretary's decision and called for her power to ignore the decision of the arbitration panel to be removed.
Mr Brown was forced to defend the decision to stage the police pay award in the Commons, repeating his claim that it was necessary to "fight inflation."
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber sent a message of "solidarity and support" to the marchers, accusing the government of making a "disastrous mistake."
And Prison Officers Association national chairman Colin Moses, whose members have faced similar attacks on their pay award, said: "The unwarranted attack on uniform and public servants is a shameful example of a government that is out of touch.
"Fairness in public-sector pay should not end in the doors of the House of Commons. Fairness should be given to all public servants."
Mayor hits back at 'biased' TV attack
Louise Nousratpour at City Hall
Tuesday January 22, 2008
The Morning Star
LONDON Mayor Ken Livingstone hit back at a "grossly biased" Channel 4 documentary on Tuesday, which he said was based on "shoddy" evidence and designed only to damage his re-election campaign.
Monday night's Dispatches programme, presented by New Statesman political editor Martin Bright, accused Mr Livingstone of decadence, cronyism and links to left group Socialist Action, which was conspiring to turn London into a "socialist city state."
Amused by accusations of a shady socialist conspiracy, Mr Livingstone told his weekly press conference: "That socialists are working for me and campaigning to get me re-elected will come as no news to Londoners."
He dismissed Mr Bright's research as a joke, saying that it was "a violation of the most elementary rules of impartiality and objectivity that Channel 4 should have broadcast such a diatribe shortly before an election without any balance at all."
Mr Bright escalated his smear campaign when he labelled the mayor "a disgrace" in an article published in London's right-wing Evening Standard.
He urged Londoners to "kick Ken out" when they go to the polls in May.
During a heated City Hall conference, Mr Livingstone systematically refuted the Dispatches allegations.
Mr Bright, who was present at the weekly conference, again accused the mayor's advisers of having breached electoral regulations by campaigning for his re-election while on the public payroll.
"My advisers work many more hours than they are paid for. This is not a job where you clock in and out between nine and five, so it's difficult to separate work time from play time," the mayor explained.
Mr Livingstone then turned the spotlight on Mr Bright for failing to question the slack performance of the London General Assembly, which is tasked with scrutinising mayoral policies.
"They are not doing their job. Some, in particular the Tory bloc, really only work on a part-time basis and are paid £50,000-plus by the taxpayer," said the mayor.
He added that, if he actually did have "too much" power, as suggested by Mr Bright, he would "kick them out of the assembly."
By this point, Mr Bright's face was red with embarrassment and frustration and he kept interrupting Mr Livingstone, who asked: "Why, when journalists are criticised, do they behave like loud-mouthed buffoons?"
Mr Livingstone added that, although he believed that Channel 4 had breached electoral impartiality rules, it would be a "waste of time and money" to press charges.
Tuesday January 22, 2008
The Morning Star
LONDON Mayor Ken Livingstone hit back at a "grossly biased" Channel 4 documentary on Tuesday, which he said was based on "shoddy" evidence and designed only to damage his re-election campaign.
Monday night's Dispatches programme, presented by New Statesman political editor Martin Bright, accused Mr Livingstone of decadence, cronyism and links to left group Socialist Action, which was conspiring to turn London into a "socialist city state."
Amused by accusations of a shady socialist conspiracy, Mr Livingstone told his weekly press conference: "That socialists are working for me and campaigning to get me re-elected will come as no news to Londoners."
He dismissed Mr Bright's research as a joke, saying that it was "a violation of the most elementary rules of impartiality and objectivity that Channel 4 should have broadcast such a diatribe shortly before an election without any balance at all."
Mr Bright escalated his smear campaign when he labelled the mayor "a disgrace" in an article published in London's right-wing Evening Standard.
He urged Londoners to "kick Ken out" when they go to the polls in May.
During a heated City Hall conference, Mr Livingstone systematically refuted the Dispatches allegations.
Mr Bright, who was present at the weekly conference, again accused the mayor's advisers of having breached electoral regulations by campaigning for his re-election while on the public payroll.
"My advisers work many more hours than they are paid for. This is not a job where you clock in and out between nine and five, so it's difficult to separate work time from play time," the mayor explained.
Mr Livingstone then turned the spotlight on Mr Bright for failing to question the slack performance of the London General Assembly, which is tasked with scrutinising mayoral policies.
"They are not doing their job. Some, in particular the Tory bloc, really only work on a part-time basis and are paid £50,000-plus by the taxpayer," said the mayor.
He added that, if he actually did have "too much" power, as suggested by Mr Bright, he would "kick them out of the assembly."
By this point, Mr Bright's face was red with embarrassment and frustration and he kept interrupting Mr Livingstone, who asked: "Why, when journalists are criticised, do they behave like loud-mouthed buffoons?"
Mr Livingstone added that, although he believed that Channel 4 had breached electoral impartiality rules, it would be a "waste of time and money" to press charges.
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