Homes, Jobs and Peace - Manifesto for a Hung Parliament
Monday 26th April 2010
"It now looks inevitable that there will be a hung parliament after the general election. Respect will never support a Tory government whose policy of immediate and massive cuts combined with tax breaks for big business and the very wealthy would be a disaster for the economy and most peoples' lives.
"With a real chance of winning three MPs; George Galloway, Poplar and Limehouse, Abjol Miah, Bethnal Green and Bow, and myself in Birmingham Hall Green; Respect will have three minimum conditions on which we would consider supporting a government:
A massive council house building programme to address the housing scandal across the country
The rapid withdrawal of British troops from all illegal and pointless wars
The radical democratisation of our constitution with a fair proportional voting system, abolition of the appointed House of Lords and cleaning up parliament - no more second homes fiddles.
This manifesto outlines some of the other policies we will fight for in any negotiations."
"Britain is on the verge of a political crisis and is already mired in an economic crisis, which we are a long way from coming out of.
"The outcome of the election could well see the third placed party having most seats. Such an outcome can only deepen the sense of public outrage at Britain's political class. Pages of turgid manifestos will go up in smoke as parties and MPs try to adjust to a reconfigured political reality. In any case, more unites the old establishment parties than divides them.
"Respect's manifesto in this election is geared to addressing this economic and political malaise. We have a raft of policies, developed and fought for over the last six years. What we are fighting for in this election, with the prospect of at least three Respect MPs, is a focused, radical, progressive programme which we believe is both more in tune with public sentiment than the parties of cuts, and crucial to getting us out of the mess our country is in."
George Galloway
A fairer, more equal, greener and more prosperous society
"Respect stands for a positive, progressive way forward in British politics. Whilst the mainstream parties fight over who would implement the most cuts to the vital public services on which we all rely, Respect would invest and defend those services. Our policies aim to build a future of peace, justice and equality. We give voice to the millions who want a fairer, more equal, greener and more prosperous society. Here are some of the simple changes in policy that we believe the British people need to turn our country around."
Salma Yaqoob Leader, the Respect Party
Investment, not cuts - defend public services
Labour, Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are all agreed on the most drastic programme of public sector cuts in British history. Their major point of difference is when the axe should start to fall. Respect rejects this damaging consensus. Cuts will choke off economic recovery and send unemployment spiralling for years to come. There is no reason why ordinary people should pay for a bankers' crisis we did nothing to create. It is wrong and not necessary.
The recession has been led by a decline in investment. This accounts for well over half the entire decline in the economy. We need a programme of public investment aimed at getting people back to work. Over 650,000 jobs have been lost in Britain in the last 2 years. In the West Midlands, the downturn started earlier and 104,000 jobs have been lost over 3 years. We need to get people working again, and we should start by focussing on three areas: transport infrastructure, housing and education.
As the public sector is usually the most efficient way to provide excellent public services, we oppose market fundamentalism. There should be no further deregulation or privatisation.
Trade unions must be able to defend their members' interests through lawful industrial action without threat of victimisation - we would restore trade union rights.
No cuts to our public services
For major government investment in schools, hospitals, home building, transport and green industries to create the jobs we need and stimulate growth
For an overhaul of the finance sector and introduction of tighter regulation
For a windfall tax on bank profits
For the establishment of a peoples bank at the post office
For progressive taxation: raise corporation tax; for 50% income tax on those earning over £100,000; eliminate income tax for those earning less than £15,000; no increase in VAT; restore the ability of local authorities to set their own business rates
Capital Gains Tax should be paid at the same marginal rate as Income Tax
For a Robin Hood tax on bank trading and a permanent tax on bankers' bonuses
Clampdown on tax avoidance and close tax loop holes
For raising the minimum wage in line with earnings and ending the lower rate for young workers.
An immediate increase in the state pension and an immediate restoration of the pension link with earnings
Royal Mail should be kept entirely in the public sector
As part of a programme to establish equal pay for women Respect supports compulsory equal pay audits
End the housing crisis and improve transport
Housing in Britain is in crisis. Hundreds of thousands, particularly young people and families, are priced out of a home. In the borough of Tower Hamlets alone there are 23,000 applicants on the housing waiting list and over 15,500 families living in overcrowded accommodation. Construction and transport infrastructure are among the areas worst hit by the recession. Respect stands for a huge programme of quality, affordable, low-energy council home building to create employment and provide everyone with the home they need.
For an urgent programme of council house building to end overcrowding and reduce the waiting list.
Give local government the power and funds to build and renovate millions of affordable quality homes
Increased energy efficiency - an emergency national programme of insulation and double-glazing.
Extend free transport for pensioners to local rail services
Renationalise the railways
A voice for international peace and justice
Respect was born out of the movement against the illegal war in Iraq. That movement has been proven right. We stand in solidarity with people throughout the world whose lives are blighted by war and exploitation. More deaths in Afghanistan will not make us safer. That conflict is as un-winnable as it is wrong and Respect calls for the complete withdrawal of all British troops. Respect also supports the rights of the Palestinian people and opposes Israel's illegal settlements and its brutal siege of Gaza. On Trident, Britain's nuclear weapons system, Respect's view is that the plans for its replacement should be abandoned. We welcome social progress and the expansion of democracy in Venezuela, Bolivia and across Latin America.
Bring the troops home from Afghanistan
Work in the international community to ensure that there is an end to the blockade of Gaza
Abandon the replacement of Trident.
One society, many cultures Ensuring justice and equality
Britain's diversity is its strength. The economic, social and cultural contribution of all communities is fundamental to ensuring Britain is internationally competitive and society is cohesive and successful. We all have the right to live free from harassment or intimidation without barriers to our full and active participation in society. The scapegoating of Muslims by sections of the media and politicians threatens hard fought for civil rights and liberties that all communities enjoy. Migrants contribute billions to the economy annually and are an essential part of many of our public services.
We would defend the religious and cultural expression of all faiths and oppose all efforts to restrict such expression.
Strengthen legislation to tackle racism, sexism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry.
Challenge the Hate-propaganda of fascist groups such as the British National Party and ban the violent "demonstrations" organised by the English Defence League
Work with the police for zero tolerance of hate crimes
Respect would build a fair and transparent immigration system and accepts the compelling case that Strangers Into Citizens has made for a one-off regularisation for irregular migrants.
Respect would overcome the decision by the Mayor of London to end London's anti-racist music festival by launching a number of such festivals in major cities across Britain, including in the capital.
Encourage the full participation of all communities in the political process.
For a fair and equitable visa system - reverse the recent trebling of visa application charges
Abandon the introduction of ID Cards
Maintain Police Community Support Officer numbers
A green recovery People and Planet together
Everyone should have the right to live in an environment that is free from pollution, with parks and open places for our children to play in, and safe in the knowledge that we are playing our part to prevent runaway climate change from destroying humanity's future. The next government should create thousands of sustainable skilled jobs in new green industries. Respect is committed to a low carbon future where Britain leads on clean energy, upgrades its creaking public transport system and helps every household and business to reduce energy costs and waste through efficiency measures.
Investing in new green jobs
Generating at least 40% of energy from renewable sources by 2020
An active industrial strategy to drive investment into our world leading offshore wind, wave and tidal power sectors.
Reducing fuel poverty and supporting home energy savings through free home insulation
Creating green jobs in every town through new recycling facilities, and modern plants that generate clean energy from waste.
Revive the British rail system with new high-speed rail lines across the country - More buses, with better services, and low fares in every town
Health and Education
Respect would continue with improvements to the health service and cut out the waste of using private finance, because it is more costly for the taxpayer. We would ensure that services remain within the NHS and are delivered by NHS staff. There would be a moratorium on any further use of private companies in healthcare delivery.
Investing in improved education at all levels lifts economic performance and will help generate prospects that all communities can benefit from. The government's recently announced cuts to funding for colleges and universities are mistaken and would damage the economy.
Instead of wasting money by boosting the unemployment total, Respect calls for investment in education to boost jobs, exports and attract investment.
Introduce free personal care for the elderly
Abolish charges for dental and optometric examination
End PFI in health and education
Abolish all fees in further and higher education
Raise grants to cover living costs
Increased funding for schools to cut class sizes
Introduce free school meals for all school children
Expand free nursery places and Sure Start
Bradford celebrates a multicultural city
Tuesday 7th September 2010
United Against Fascism/ We are Bradford hold a Rally in the centre of Bradford to counter a racist organisation the EDL marching through their town.
The EDL claims to be opposed to radical Islam, but anyone who looks into the EDL will find football hooligans, Islamophobics, Nazis, and BNP supporters. The police this time round seem to be fairly peaceful with the UAF and EDL had many arrested as they broke police lines.
We need a Mayor who will stand up for Tower Hamlets
Abjol Miah
Wednesday 25th August 2010
In the next few weeks, all the major parties of Tower Hamlets will select and announce their candidate for the Borough's first directly elected mayor.
For those of us in Respect, it's a proud moment. We obviously didn't perform as well as we'd have liked in the May elections, but we were overjoyed that the referendum to change the way the council worked and introduce an accountable mayor won the backing of more than 60% of voters. We had played a central and active role in the campaign to secure a 'yes vote'. Whilst the three other parties made excuses for why they could not support the proposal, we showed we had our ear to the ground and understood the widespread desire amongst Tower Hamlets residents for a change at the very top. A new way of doing things.
That is one of the principles on which Respect will ask for your vote in October. Labour's selection process has been a humilating farce, revealing the disunity and incompetence at the heart of that party. How can Labour's candidate be trusted to get the best out the mayoralty for local families? Every move they make will in fact have to be done with the approval of Labour Head Office - and the sad truth is that by Autumn that will most likely mean warmonger David Miliband.
This brings us to what Respect believes the Mayor of Tower Hamlets should do. The Tory and Lib Dem government have now made it clear that they consider places such as Tower Hamlets prime targets in their attempts to devastate living conditions for millions of people. The cuts in public spending that they are introducing will be felt very sharply here. Local government jobs are under serious threat and the housing budget has evaporated. Not only is London the guinea-pig for destroying NHS funding, it has emerged this week that we are also on the frontline of David Cameron's Big Society plans. Be in no doubt that the Big Society is in fact the Big Con: taking huge chunks out of the welfare state and demanding that already overworked charities and voluntary organisations pick up the pieces.
This climate calls for clear and determined political leadership in our Borough. The Town Hall should become a centre of opposition to the government's cuts, and the newly elected Mayor should do everything in her or his power to defend local residents from the Coalition government's damaging policies. At the same time, where priorities can be shifted to improve the situation this should be done. A pro-active strategy that sought to attract trade with India, China and Bangladesh would generate wealth and opportunities that could shield us from the worst of the 'Age of Austerity' and generate investment that would help us grow, not cut, our way into recovery. Scrapping Labour vanity projects like Council free-sheet East End Lives would mean more money where it was really needed - frontline public services. The Mayor would be a high-profile focus point, demanding better housing and services for Tower Hamlets residents and exposing the damage of David Cameron and Nick Clegg's policies.
And of course, as last month's visit to Tower Hamlets by the English Defence League makes clear, we need a Mayor that will take an uncompromising stand against anti-Muslim racism, and all discrimination and bigotry. In the tough years ahead of us, there will be some who want to scapegoat Muslims and others and blame those communities for society's problems. A Respect Mayor will not concede a single inch to racism. Instead, we will all stand united in defence of our Borough and fight together to win a better deal for everyone.
Over the next few months we will be putting forward Respect's policies for a fairer, better Tower Hamlets.
This is not deportation. It is murder
Monday 23rd August 2010
Mohammed Amin Khawaja is about to be forcibly deported on 24 August from the detention centre in Dungavel, Lanarkshire through Edinburgh Airport. Why should we care?
Mohammed Amin Khawaja is 18 years old and was seized by UK Border Agency officials immediately after his birthday. He spent over a year trying to reach Britain from his home in Ishkamish in the Takhar province in North Eastern Afghanistan. He was trained from the age of 11 by the Taliban for whom his father and uncle were commanders. His father and sister were killed by NATO forces and he was betrayed by his uncle, who seeks his inheritance. At 15, Khawaja was arrested by Afghan police and NATO forces and tortured, suffering loss of vision, hearing, seizures, psychiatric distress and loss of mobility. He was to be sent to Bagram air base, the notorious prison complex near Kabul. Khawaja escaped and discovered that the Taliban had placed a price on his head while in a refugee camp in Pakistan.
He came to Britain after harrowing hardship and has prospered. He spent weeks in the Turkish mountains eating grass to survive. Upon reaching Manchester, he studied at Manchester College for two years, winning the Principals Merit classification for his studies. He has lived with a Christian woman who he calls 'mum' and has recently been harboured at the Farghana Institute in Whalley Range, Manchester, where he has learned much of the peaceful nature of Islam.
It is evident that Khawaja is at serious risk from both sides in the Afghan war and should be granted asylum. The Afghanistan war is a product of US and British adventures and we have a responsibility to help its victims.
He is an example of how those brought up in violent conflict can turn away from violent doctrines. It is a scandal that politically motivated deportations and cuts in funding for immigrants to make their case in court are increasing under the Con Dem government.
Khawaja's life and case are the very meaning of the term 'political asylum'.
What can you do?
1. Contact Immigration Minister, Damian Green, MP
House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA Tel: 020 7219 3518 Fax: 020 7219 0904 greend@parliament.uk
If you live in GORTON CONSTITUENCY, contact GERALD KAUFMAN at his office on 0161 652 6326 to leave a message. House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA Tel: 020 7219 5145 Fax: 020 7219 6825 kaufmang@parliament.uk
Could an ordinary member win the election for General Secretary of the Country's biggest union?
Unite, Britain's largest and most influential Trade Union, gears up for the election of its General Secretary. This election comes at a time when the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition is about to announce its plans for massive cuts to be set out in their Autumn Budget in October. All eyes will be on where any possible fightback may emanate. Given the size and make up of Unite, which represents over 1.5 million members in all sectors of the economy, this makes the election for the union's General Secretary the most significant union election for decades.
Jerry Hicks, with over a quarter of the nominating period to go, has already secured more than the required nominations to be able to declare that he will be a candidate in the coming election, gaining support from every region and sector of the union.
He argues that there is no need for any cuts to public services, pay and pensions but that the collection of the £100bn worth of tax evasion by the very wealthy and big business should pay for the crisis that is not of 'our' making.
He is in the unique position of being an ordinary member of the Union whereas the other three candidates are all appointed senior officials - Assistant General Secretaries.
The contrasts don't end there. He (Jerry Hicks) believes in elections of all union officials where none of the others do. He, if elected, would only take an average member's wage where the others all would claim the six-figure salary.
He is the one candidate who argues that fundamental change is needed in the union's relationship with New Labour which he describes as being - too close, too cosy, paying too much for far too little. He argues for a restriction of support to only those MPs or councillors who vote for and actively campaign for Unite's policies, of which a priority would be the repeal of all anti-trade union laws.
This means the election will be especially significant, as it will run concurrently with the election for the leader of the Labour Party. Indeed on that basis it would be very questionable if any of the Labour leadership contenders other than Diane Abbott would be supported by Unite under Hicks.
Complain to the BBC - Death in the Med
Tuesday 17th August 2010
Last night (16 August) the BBC broadcast a Panorama programme entitled 'Death on the Med'. It claimed to reveal 'what really happened' when Israeli commandos boarded the Mavi Marmara on 31 May 2010.
The programme was extremely biased, portraying the activists on board as violent terrorists who set out to kill Israeli soldiers.
Please write to the BBC asking the following questions:
Why was Israel's 'right' to board the ship presumed throughout the programme?
Why did the programme completely fail to mention that Israel's siege of Gaza has been declared illegal by the UN? The assumption was made that Israel has the right to blockade Gaza, while the motives of those attempting to break an illegal blockade were questioned.
Why did Jane Corbin not mention the bombs, rockets and white phosphorus dropped on Gaza by Israel during Operation Cast Lead over a three week period in 2008/9, killing 1,400 people? She did, however, mention the 'thousands of rockets' fired from Gaza into Israel, but did not say over what time period.
Why was the Israeli evidence of how and when they killed the activists unquestioned? Activists who were on the top deck of the ship say the first person was killed - shot from a helicopter - before any Israeli had even landed on the deck. However, none of these activists were interviewed.
Activists shot footage of the Israeli attack, but their cameras, laptops and other recording equipment was taken by the Israelis and has not been returned. Why was this point not raised during the programme, or put to the Israeli spokespeople?
Why were the autopsy reports - which reveal that each victim was shot several times at close range, in a way that can't constitute self-defence - not used, or even mentioned?
Why was there no footage of the Israeli assaults on the activists - which led to nine deaths?
Jane Corbin never questions the use of the word 'terrorists' to describe the activists, or their alleged willingness to attack the commandos. Why does she then fail to examine why there were no fatalities or serious injuries among the Israeli commandos, when these 'terrorists' were so willing to attack?
Why were there no interviews with any of the British activists on board the ship, or with any of the journalists who were on board?
Why was it not pointed out that the IDF has admitted doctoring the audio footage used in the programme, that the BBC claims was broadcast from the captain's deck?
You can find more points to make on the PSC website
Write: BBC Panorama, MC4A1, Media Centre, Media Village, 201 Wood Lane, London, W12 7TQ
Viva Palestina - Global Lifeline to Gaza
Thursday 12th August 2010
Across the world, several teams are preparing to set off on a 4,000km drive to the besieged region of Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid. From New Zealand to Canada, and from Ireland to South Africa, volunteers are collecting medical aid and fundraising for vehicles.
They will set off from their respective homelands in mid September and travel to London. There, they will meet up with the "Viva Palestina, Global Lifeline For Gaza Convoy". Over 250 people in 100 vehicles will set off and undertake a journey that will see them drive through France and Italy. Teams from across Europe will join en route, swelling the numbers of vehicles and volunteers. By ferry they will cross to Greece and then overland to Turkey.
Once they reach Turkey, they will be joined by a large delegation from IHH, the organisation who organised the recent Flotilla that was attacked by Israel leaving 9 people dead. IHH were partners on the last Viva Palestina convoy, and their involvement once more will be a major boost to this convoy.
From Turkey, the convoy will travel to Syria, where they will be joined by a large Middle East convoy that will include people and vehicles from all over the Middle East. Over 350 vehicles and 700 people should reach the port city of Latakia in Syria in early October. From there, they will sail to Al Arish in Egypt. The sailing route will take them past the scene of the recent Flotilla attacks, and no doubt will prove to be an emotional journey.
Following inspection in Al Arish, they will meet up with another convoy of aid that will have set off from Casablanca in Morocco. Once they have met up, they will make the short drive towards the Rafah border, and hopefully, over 500 vehicles and 1,200 people will cross into Gaza on October 10th.
This will be the largest convoy of aid to reach Gaza in the past 4 years, and the largest anywhere since the 2nd world war. People from all over the world are joining the convoy, including teams from New Zealand, Canada, Pakistan, Jordan, USA, Argentina, and practically every European country.
Viva Palestina is a registered British charity, started by George Galloway following the attacks on Gaza 18 months ago. Viva Palestina have successfully delivered three land convoys of aid to Gaza in the past 18 months. Over 1,000 people in over 500 vehicles loaded with millions of pounds worth of humanitarian aid have entered Gaza, breaking the inhumane siege imposed on the region by Israel and Egypt.
