http://www.therespectparty.net/rss.php The latest news and information from the Respect website en-gb http://www.therespectparty.net/images/banner_144.jpg http://www.therespectparty.net/rss.php 144 25 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:18:18 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=894 Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:59:07 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=894 The Viva Palestina Lifeline 5 aid convoy to Gaza will leave London on Saturday 18th September. This is the fifth aid convoy involving Viva Palestina. This one will have three separate convoys leaving from London, Casablanca and Doha and all of them joining together in El Arich in Egypt. The London convoy will travel across Europe, down through Turkey and Syria where they will then be joined by the convoy from Doha and be shipped from Latakia to El Arish. At El Arish they will be joined by the convoy from Casablanca. They will then enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing, http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=893 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:24:25 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=893 "All changed, changed utterly." So wrote the great poet William Butler Yeats in the wake of the execution by Britain of Irish freedom fighters following the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin. Those words resonate today following the massacre aboard the Mavi Marmara on bloody Monday - 31 May 2010. And we may add that "a new phase of struggle is born" in the movement to bring justice and freedom in Palestine. But it has come at a terrible price. Nine volunteers aboard the aid ship shot dead by Israeli Special Forces, dozens more wounded. The desperate attempts by the Israeli government and its supporters to blame the victims of terror for what is an act of state terrorism are sickening and depraved. But they show little sign of success. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=892 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:36:12 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=892 Andrew Lansley, the Conservative Health Minister, has blown the trumpet call for the privatization of the National Health Service. Using the fear that has been well-stoked by the ConDem government, a major attack on the principles of free health care in the UK has been announced. Without an ounce of shame, Lansley declared a complete dismissal of the promises made by both Conservatives and Liberal Democrats during the general election campaign. In other words, no-one voted for this but the government wishes to do it anyway. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=891 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 17:51:43 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=891 Gideon Osborne, our aristocratic Tory Chancellor, insists that the level of 'public debt' means we all have to tighten our belts and make hard choices. He fails to mention that a very small group of British society created this huge debt with banking speculation. He also ignores the twenty year period of continuous tax cuts and evasion for the richest that explains so much of the debt. While the majority has faced wage freezes and job losses since 2008, there is one group of wage militants who have seen their income rise dramatically. UK top executives receive an average of £3.1 million per year as a salary, according to figures released today. This represents a 5% wage rise since 2008. This seems obscene enough in a period of mass unemployment created by the very executives paying themselves such huge amounts. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=890 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:31:30 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=890 3rd July: Saturday 3rd July 1- 4 pm Bennetts Bar Bennetts Hill Birmingham City Centre Respect members and supporters who are members of the National Union of Teachers are invited to attend a meeting in Birmingham on Saturday 3rd July to discuss a range of issues. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=889 Fri, 25 Jun 2010 18:40:26 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=889 The government's description of the budget as 'progressive' is an example of doublespeak that is truly Orwellian. Yesterday's edition of the Sun, that renowned flag bearer for progressive causes, trumpeted what they saw as its high points. These included freezing child benefits for the next three years, ending the Health in Pregnancy benefit given to all mums-to-be at 25 weeks pregnant, restricting housing benefit and introducing a new medical test for those claiming disability living allowance. In total the welfare benefit bill is to be slashed by £11bn over the next four years. And that is just for starters. While government ministers were saying that subsidies for bus travel, winter fuel and television licences for older people were going to be protected their minions were briefing the press that such cuts were inevitable. Throw into the mix VAT increasing to 20% plus freezing public sector pay, and plans to increase the retirement age to 70 and the regressive nature of the budget is clear. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=888 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:54:43 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=888 The ConDem government claims to be 'progressive'. It is nothing of the kind. Led by no less than three public school boys in Cameron, Clegg and Osborne, this is rule by bankers and the rich in the interests of bankers and the rich. Gideon Osborne, the 18th baronet of Ballentaylor (old Anglo-Irish aristocracy), has unveiled an 'emergency budget' that strangles the poor while delivering handouts to the rich. Sympathetic This budget is sprinkled with minor measures that seem to help the poorest. State pensions are to be linked to earnings or rise by 2.5%. This is welcome but goes nowhere near addressing the poverty that pensioners are in after more than 20 years of pensions getting smaller. Those earning under £7,475 per year will now be exempt from income tax. The only way that these can be considered 'progressive' is by reference to the appalling record of New Labour in tackling poverty while in government. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=887 Mon, 21 Jun 2010 08:14:21 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=887 Over a hundred people from all sections of the community packed out the theatre at Oxford House yesterday afternoon to hear Salma Yaqoob, George Galloway, Abjol Miah and others leading a discussion on the way forward for Respect. Respect Party leader Salma Yaqoob declared the meeting "a terrific success". Abjol Miah, Councillor Harun Miah and Sabby Dhalu, joint secretary of Unite Against Fascism, led discussion about the threat from the English Defence League, the council leadership's disastrous attempts to undermine the march and the role of the media in stimulating ignorance, prejudice and bigotry against the Muslim community. The importance of the march today was emphasised by all. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=886 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:47:36 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=886 Salma Yaqoob and George Galloway will address Respect public meeting this Saturday Salma Yaqoob, the leader of the Respect Party, is coming to Tower Hamlets on Saturday 19th June to speak alongside former MP George Galloway. The occasion is a public meeting of Tower Hamlets Respect entitled "The Way Forward for Respect". The meeting is open to all members and supporters of Respect - and not just from Tower Hamlets. Members and supporters from London and across the Home Counties are invited and encouraged to attend. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=885 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 07:43:48 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=885 Up to 20 EDL thugs came to Whitechapel this afternoon and attacked a Pakistani stallholder. They yelled racist insults and threatened to attack the East London Mosque. Eye witness Dilwara Ali was getting off a bus to do some shopping in the Whitechapel market when she saw a group of white men shouting insults about "Pakis" and "We are the EDL". Then she saw them attack the stallholder before being chased back into Whitechapel station. A number of police vans arrived and police drew batons, allowing the EDL thugs to proceed through the station and back on to a tube train. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=884 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 23:18:42 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=884 The new Office for Budget Responsibility presented its growth forecasts today. You don't need to be an economist to understand the bottom line; the economy is in a worse position than the previous Labour chancellor expected it to be, and future growth will be slower and weaker. We already know what the Tory-Lib Dem response to this will be. The figures will be used to justify even deeper cuts in public spending. But even without the madness of more cuts, critical sectors of the economy are facing disaster. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=883 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:00:30 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=883 Britain's largest and most influential Trade Union gears up for the election of its General Secretary. Given the size and make up of Unite, which represents over 1.5 million members in all sectors of the economy, it makes the election for the union's General Secretary the most significant union election for decades. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=882 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 23:22:45 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=882 Respect in Tower Hamlets have written to the local MPs about a proposed demonstration by the English Defence League: Dear Mr Fitzpatrick and Ms Ali, We now understand that the English Defence League plan to demonstrate in Tower Hamlets on Sunday 20th June. We note the report in the Guardian on 28th May and the subsequent article in the Guardian by former senior police officer Robert Lambert. The proposals for a demonstration by the English Defence League in Tower Hamlets has provoked widespread fear and anger, especially amongst the minority communities in Tower Hamlets. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=881 Sun, 06 Jun 2010 09:49:09 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=881 Speaking at a demonstration in London which organisers estimated to be more than 20,000 strong, George Galloway announced new land and sea convoys to break the siege of Gaza. "After extensive discussion in Istanbul," said Galloway, "I can announce that a land convoy will leave Britain shortly after the end of Ramadan in September and travel through Europe, down through Turkey and Syria into Jordan. We will ask the Egyptian government then to ensure passage from the port of Aqaba to Rafah and into Gaza. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=880 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:06:07 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=880 The Israeli massacre of unarmed campaigners aboard a ship carrying aid to Gaza is the "Sharpeville and Soweto of the Movement for Palestinian Solidarity," one of those who survived the bloodthirsty assault has said. Speaking to the Star from Istanbul shortly after his release from an Israeli jail British campaigner Kevin Ovenden, who was aboard the Mavi Marmara - the boat that bore the brunt of a terrifying raid by gun-toting Israeli commandos - described the attack as a "murderous assault" and "an act of political terrorism." http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=879 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:02:00 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=879 The Respect Party is calling on the British government to act urgently to secure the release of 28 British nationals who are confirmed missing after the Israeli assault on the Gaza aid flotilla. These were members and supporters of Viva Palestina, the Free Gaza movement and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. So far, the Foreign Office has failed to reply to urgent requests for information regarding the fate of these heroic volunteers. All were aboard ships taking 10,000 tonnes of construction materials and human assistance to Gaza in defiance of the illegal and inhumane Israeli blockade. The flotilla was attacked in international waters and so far 19 aid volunteers are known to have died. This was an act of piracy and murder. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=878 Tue, 01 Jun 2010 23:57:05 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=878 5th June: Saturday 5th June Assemble Trafalgar Square 1.30pm, then march to Downing Street and on to the Israeli Embassy. Organised by Stop the War Coalition, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Viva Palestina, British Muslim Initiative and CND. Supported by The Respect Party and others. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=877 Tue, 01 Jun 2010 23:52:27 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=877 Saturday 5th June Assemble Trafalgar Square 1.30pm then march to Downing Street and on to the Israeli Embassy Organised by Stop the War Coalition, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Viva Palestina, British Muslim Initiative and CND Supported by The Respect Party and others http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=876 Mon, 31 May 2010 23:50:47 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=876 Israeli forces have attacked the international aid convoy Freedom Flotilla en route to the besieged Gaza Strip, killing at least 19 people and leaving more than 50 injured. The attack came on Monday morning, 31st May, after one of the six ships in the convoy was hit by Israeli navy forces before being stormed by commandos descending from helicopters. The boat attacked was the Mavi Mar Mara. British citizens were on board this vessel which belongs to the Turkish-based charity the IHH, including Viva Palestina's Kevin Ovenden and chair of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign Sarah Colborne. http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=875 Tue, 25 May 2010 23:15:36 GMT http://www.therespectparty.net/breakingnews.php?id=875 The battle for our public services has begun. The new ConDem government has pledged to impose devastating cuts on public spending. The plans to reduce the deficit will be accelerated, with the burden falling on public spending rather than increased taxes for the better off. Already, more than £6 billion of cuts have been announced with more to follow in the next four months as the coalition government builds its confidence. The economic crisis in the Eurozone and its effect on the British banking system is fuelling the increased pace of public service cutbacks.