Revolution Blues

  STARMER’S ‘We’re back in business” speech to the CBI yesterday couldn’t contrast more with Corbyn’s speech to the same organisation in 2018. While Corbyn’s was full of plans and ways to help people, Starmer’s was all about giving a hand to businesses. And yes, I do understand that should have been his focus while addressing the CBI, but would it be so bad to speak about supporting workers also? You know, Labour – the party of working people. Interesting also to note he finally started to use ‘we’ instead of 'I'. He didn't use it when speaking at Labour conference, yet uses it with business leaders.  “We need increased business investment. A better capital stock and improved infrastructure. We need to embrace new technology. We need to lift our export performance.” He did say we need investment in people “to ensure they have the skills that are right for the modern economy” but while his speech mentioned youth training – always good – he didn’t say a dicky bird about the ...

  THE nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi retired after his last race in Valencia on Sunday, taking a final lap of honour before a standing ovation from the crowd. Winner of the last race of the season, Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia, paid tribute to Rossi by dedicating his win to the 42-year-old Italian, nicknamed ‘The Doctor’. " This race victory is a present to Valentino," Bagnaia, himself a product of Rossi's VR46 riders academy, said. "I want to dedicate this race to him and thank him for what he has done for us at the academy.” Rossi was mobbed by his fellow riders after the race, as congratulatory messages from across the sporting world were broadcast on the giant screen with tennis greats Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal among those paying tribute. Hollywood actors Tom Cruise, Chris Hemsworth and Keanu Reeves also sent messages of support for Rossi, the only rider to win titles in the 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and MotoGP categories. Fans, including myself, will be sa...

A GREAT many of us are often in a ‘fuck Xmas” mindset at this time of the year. It’s not just the constant pushing of items we neither need nor really want or the decorations and foodstuffs in the shops, but more and more of us are fed up with this endless consumption to celebrate a day most of us have no affinity with whatsoever. Then there are those who just cannot celebrate Xmas, often for monetary reasons. For those forced to live on the streets they can, more often than not, go to a homeless shelter or one of the many restaurants which have begun to serve free meals for people in need and I’m sure they’re very grateful for a good meal before returning to the cold pavement. That was in no means meant to be sarcastic, as I’m sure they are grateful; but the point is they shouldn’t have to be. Having a wholesome hot meal once a day should be a basic human right, not an act of bloody charity. Let's not forget either those who save every single penny all year and often go without ne...

ANYONE still holding onto the hope that we can achieve anything through our current voting system really needs to take more notice of what is happening in the world. And calling out for PR in the hope that that will fix it is just as much pie in the sky. Dave Middleton wrote an excellent article on PR for Critical Mass magazine on Friday and another today after the Japanese GE . So I’m not going to talk about PR or what voting system we could possibly have to bring about real change in society, but instead about the only thing that will – other than full-on revolution of course, which I’ve been calling for since the eighties but which too many people have been too apathetic to answer a ‘call to arms’. I’m not advocating we put the ruling classes up against a wall but we can take massive action. Too many are afraid they may lose some part of their cosy lives if they go out on a general strike which will almost undoubtedly help those less fortunate yet we are the people with all the po...