Tag Archives: Vol 71 No 01
Coping with Copenhagen
Possibly the most offensive thing about the discussion over Copenhagen is this raging desire for more discussion – there seemed to be little ecological concern for the trees present in the mountain of literature being flung about at the convergence centres and kitchens during the summit. It is offensive because it’s all so straightforward: people [...]
Harsh Penalties For Russian Roadblocks
Activist groups operating in Russia are set to have the screws turned on them after Russia’s parliament began debating new proposals to fine people thousands of pounds and offer lengthy jail terms simply for blocking traffic. Each individual caught blocking vital roads or railways could face fines worth up to £2,500 and up to two [...]
Les Celebs Join Migrants’ Battle
Famous faces back up picket lines French celebrities have joined the picket lines of over 6,000 migrant workers who have been downing tools and occupying workplaces for the last three months against their lack of working rights and victimisation as sans papiers. Football legend Lilian Thuram, actress Josiane Balasko, star of Chocolat Juliet Binoche, comedian [...]
Green Scientists Show Red Fire
Environmental researchers at state-owned group ISPRA were due to finish a rooftop occupation of their labs, as Freedom went to press, after negotiations were agreed over the firing of nearly one third of company staff. Last year saw 200 people sacked, while another 250 on temporary contracts have been put on notice that they could [...]
Disability: A Claimant’s View
According to a recent OECD report, the UK already has one of the most stringent tests for assessing disability in the world. However, that has not stopped Labour introducing the ‘Employment and Support Allowance’, yet another ‘get-tough’ initiative aimed at reducing the 2.6 million claimants currently receiving Incapacity Benefit (IB). Labour have blamed the Tories [...]
Visteon Workers Fight On
Workers at the car part manufacturers who won a momentous battle for redundancy payment from Ford motor giants last year are still locked in a bitter dispute with their ex-employers over money owed through the pension fund after the collapse of Visteon UK. Visteon UK, formerly the main car parts supplier to Ford, went into [...]
Bad News For Students and Workers
There has been growing opposition to Peter Mandelson’s plans to slash funding for universities. In a letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) late in December, Mandelson, himself a beneficiary of a free Oxford education, announced cuts totalling £398 million. Earlier in the year Mandelson told universities that they would have to [...]
2010 International Stay Out Of Jail Year
As many comrades know 2010 is International Stay Out Of Jail Year. Here at Freedom we are proud to do our part by publishing this short guide to avoiding incarceration. Globally over nine million people are in prison and not one of them likes it. We can’t guarantee anything but following these simple points will [...]
Terror legislation in turmoil
European court rules UK stop and search terrorism law is illegal Two activists have won a landmark victory in the European courts over the UK police’s use of the controversial anti-terrorism laws to stop and search political activists. On Tuesday 12th January Pennie Quinton and Kevin Gillan won their case against the Metropolitan Police in [...]
Royal Mail Honours Anarchist Artist
Paul Cannell, the artist responsible for the artwork of Primal Scream’s classic 1990s album Screamadelica, has had the image commemorated on a new set of Royal Mail stamps. The Post Office has chosen ten album covers as part of a ‘design classics’ series acknowledging the artistic merit of record sleeves that are as culturally significant [...]
