Jeremy Corbyn and Building a Social Movement

Registration as a Labour Party supporter in order to vote in the leadership contest ended on August 12, and the ballot of members and supporters began on August 14. The result of the ballot will be announced on September 12, which coincidentally is the day before the TUC Congress is due to begin in Brighton.

One of the chief causes of enthusiasm for the campaign of Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour Party leadership, and one Corbyn himself encourages, is the space opened up for discussion on serious issues facing the polity. It has broken the stranglehold of neo-liberal, pro-austerity assumptions on broad discussion. In itself, this also breaks from the pragmatic outlook that the cartel parties promote that the issue is, and can only be, to be elected.

What Jeremy Corbyn represents is widely perceived as being of the new, as opposed to the so-called “New Labour” of Tony Blair, which is profoundly of the old. Corbyn speaks of building a social movement. “It's been fascinating – and exhilarating – watching this movement mushroom over the last few weeks,” Jeremy Corbyn said. “This campaign is about spreading a message of hope and change based on the central choice – five years or more of continued austerity, or a plan for investment and growth that stands up for the majority.”

Thus the issue of building a social movement is the key. It is consistent with the right of the electorate to participate in political affairs, to elect and be elected, for their will to be transformed into the legal will through a political system that serves their interests.

Thus in this respect Jeremy Corbyn hits the nail on the head, and the voices which speak of a Labour Party under his leadership being “unelectable”, condemning the Labour Party to years “in the wilderness”, are themselves the ones that are out of step with the times. Their philosophy of the end justifying the means is one that the electorate views with disgust and is rejecting. Furthermore, the indications not only from opinion polls but from within the workers' and people's movement, from those that put the needs of human beings in the first place, is to the contrary. Looked at from this point of view, Jeremy Corbyn is giving voice to those who have been denied a voice in Westminster.

What people see in Jeremy Corbyn is someone who is part of and comes out of the movement against war, against the neo-liberal agenda and for progress, the public good and new political arrangements. Just as the SNP in Scotland, standing for national rights and against austerity, swept all before it in the May general election, so Corbyn is capturing the public imagination, galvanising discussion on the problems facing society, and politically inspiring the people.

He has shone in the leadership debates precisely because, as he says, he “doesn't do personal”, and strictly clarifies the issues and straightforwardly takes a stand. In this respect, the issue is not whether one agrees or disagrees with every last thing that Jeremy Corbyn says. It is that Corbyn is having the role of crystallising public opinion around a pro-social agenda, encouraging everyone to raise the level of political culture, and not surrender the initiative to those forces which vie for power for self-serving ends, or that conciliate with policies and programmes which are anti-social or harm the public interest.

Gone are the days when elections were “beauty contests” to sort out the lesser of two evils, or which champion of the ruling elite should come to power. The times demand that the people consciously participate in acts of finding out how problems pose themselves, consciously participate in taking decisions how to resolve these problems, and uniting in action to implement these decisions. This is true not only of political affairs but in the conduct of life as a whole.

Jeremy Corbyn has been around for a long time, and has been consistent in his stands and active in working to further the movements in which he has participated, and deserves great credit for this. But the political arrangements had ensured that in the affairs of state he could do little more than lend some credence to a moribund political system. Should Jeremy Corbyn win the Labour Party leadership election, then the opportunity presents itself to turn things around, consistent with the mood and demands of the times.

The Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign is posing the urgent question: is Lewisham Hospital at risk again? With this in mind it has launched a new petition.

The Campaign (SLHC) says that it has launched this petition as “we are on high alert”. The SLHC fears that plans are being made, once again, that involve closing Lewisham Hospital and selling off its site. It will be remembered that the Campaign won a famous victory in the courts in a judicial review of the government's plans to run down, potentially threatening closure, of the hospital, particularly its A&E and Maternity departments. The courts ruled that the Trust Special Administrator for South London Health Care Trust (of which Lewisham was not a part) acted outside his powers in involving Lewisham Hospital in the plans to overcome that Trust's financial difficulties. The government then, showing contempt for the will of the people and the deliberations of the judges, passed legislation giving Trust Special Administrators worryingly extra powers. Thus the government acted according to the mantra of hospitals competing to provide health care on the one hand, but dragging in “financially sound” hospitals into the affairs of those in “financial crisis” on the other. Of course, the government has had its sights set on favouring private interests benefiting from the provision of health care. This is even more so now that the Conservative have formed a majority government and is escalating the neo-liberal pro-austerity agenda.

Specifically, the Chief Executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens, has given the commitment that the NHS will make so-called “efficiency savings” amounting to £22 billion over the next five years. The government is backing this target. It is being said that the proportion of this to be borne by South East London is of the order of £1 billion.

So it is in this context the SLHC is issuing a warning and calling for signing of a new petition. The strength of the Campaign has been that it has mobilised and relied on the people in the community, and on that basis formed links with other similar campaigns across England and Wales.

A health strategy document has been put out by the six Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) that deal with the six London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham, Greenwich, Bexley and Bromley. This was in line with the requirement of NHS England that all CCGs provide a five-year strategy. This strategy programme is entitled Our Healthier South East London (OHSEL).

SLHC notes that while this document does not explicitly talk in terms of closing Lewisham Hospital, it uses arguments for reconfiguring local NHS services very similar to those used by the government-imposed Trust Special Administrator.

In 2012, the proposal was to close essential acute services at Lewisham Hospital including A&E, maternity, intensive care and children's wards. These proposals were quashed in the High Court just over two years ago on July 31, 2013. The new strategy aims to save over £1 billion by 2020 including a loss of over 400 acute beds. Full public consultation on this has not been guaranteed.

The Campaign stresses: “The message from Lewisham once again is that we need our hospital at the heart of our 300,000-strong community.”

SLHC writes that what is being proposed in the OHSEL strategy is very unclear. It aims to replace hospital care by more care in the community. The Campaign is naturally not against better care in the community, and it is good to keep people out of hospital who do not need to be there. But, the SLHC stresses, there is no evidence that community-based care can replace hospital services to any significant degree. Furthermore, social care faces further government cuts of 30%.

No new or convincing arguments are being made that would justify closing Lewisham Hospital. Indeed, there is considerable population growth in the area which has not been taken into account in the five-year plans. No capacity exists in surrounding hospitals to take on the extra patients. In short, it is unsafe and goes against the right to health care to close a major hospital when people desperately need it.

It is extremely worrying and disconcerting that London Health chiefs have regularly referred to the failure to close Lewisham as “unfinished business”. Now is the time to be wary. This is a warning shot. The Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign is watching developments carefully and is ready to fight again to defend the hospital and maternity services which belong to the people of Lewisham. Despite the victories that the Campaign and the people of Lewisham have won, the SLHC has remained vigilant, being aware that the pro-austerity agenda makes the threat of further closures a real possibility.

The SLHC is calling on everyone concerned to sign its petition, which it has launched to highlight the current situation and show how essential Lewisham Hospital still is for the community. WWIE adds its voice and encourages people to sign and publicise the petition. It can be found on the Save Lewisham Hospital website. Sign the petition [here].

BILLS STARTED IN THE COMMONS

IN INITIAL STAGE

HIGH SPEED RAIL (LONDON - WEST MIDLANDS) BILL 2013-14 TO 2015-16

Hybrid Bill
Mr Patrick McLoughlin
Department for Transport

Last event: Instruction: House of Commons 23 June, 2015 | 23.06.2015

The Bill has been committed to a select committee.

High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill Select Committee (Commons)

MPs agreed a third Instruction to the Select Committee in the House of Commons Chamber on 23 June 2015.

The carry-over motion of 29 April 2014 included procedures relating to the suspension of the Bill at the end of the 2014-15 session, and resuming the Bill in the 2015-16 session.

A second carry-over motion and second instruction to the select committee were agreed by the House of Commons on Tuesday 9 September 2014.

Bills carried over to the following session are given a formal first and second reading without any debate in the new session before proceedings on the bill resume. The Bill was given a formal first and second reading and committed to a select committee on 28 May 2015.

On 25 November 2013 the Government published the High Speed Rail (London-West Midlands) Bill. The Bill confers the powers required to construct phase 1 of the proposed HS2 scheme from London Euston to Birmingham Curzon Street with intermediate stations in West London (Old Oak Common) and at Birmingham Airport. It provides for a connection to the existing rail link to the Channel Tunnel (HS1) but not to Heathrow Airport.

Key areas

* authorisation of necessary works to construct and maintain phase 1 of the HS2 line (powers to carry out these works are conferred on a nominated undertaker (HS2 Ltd.))
* power to acquire land (and limited rights in land) necessary for the works to be carried out
* deeming of planning permission to be granted for the works
* deregulation of works on HS2 (the disapplication of certain powers contained in other legislation)
* railways matters, essentially the application of existing legislation to HS2 and the future regulatory regime for the line
* facilitating works on conventional lines to integrate them with HS2.

This is a Hybrid Bill, meaning that it has elements of both a Public and a Private Bill. If the Bill is given a Second Reading, those directly and specially affected by the construction of the route will be able to petition a specially-convened Select Committee on the Bill. Comments are currently being accepted on the Environmental Statement deposited with the Bill; after Second Reading those affected will be able to petition.

COMMONS SECOND READING

NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS (RATE CEILINGS) BILL 2015-16

Government Bill
George Osborne
HM Treasury

Last event: 1st reading: House of Commons 1st reading: House of Commons 14 July, 2015 | 14.07.2015
Next event: 2nd reading: House of Commons 2nd reading: House of Commons | Date to be announced

A Bill to set a ceiling on the main and additional primary percentages, the secondary percentage and the upper earnings limit in relation to Class 1 national insurance contributions.

TRADE UNION BILL 2015-16

Government Bill
Sajid Javid
Business, Innovation and Skills

Last event: 1st reading: House of Commons 1st reading: House of Commons 15 July, 2015 | 15.07.2015
Next event: 2nd reading: House of Commons 2nd reading: House of Commons | Date to be announced

To make provision about industrial action, trade unions, employers' associations and the functions of the Certification Officer.

COMMONS COMMITTEE STAGE

WELFARE REFORM AND WORK BILL 2015-16

Government Bill
Iain Duncan Smith
Work and Pensions

Last events:
2nd reading: House of Commons 2nd reading: House of Commons 20 July, 2015 | 20.07.2015
Programme motion: House of Commons 20 July, 2015 | 20.07.2015
Money resolution: House of Commons 20 July, 2015 | 20.07.2015

Next event: Committee stage: House of Commons Committee stage: House of Commons | Date to be announced

A Bill to make provision about reports on progress towards full employment and the apprenticeships target; to make provision about reports on the effect of certain support for troubled families; to make provision about social mobility; to make provision about the benefit cap; to make provision about social security and tax credits; to make provision for loans for mortgage interest; and to make provision about social housing rents.

FINANCE BILL 2015-16

Government Bill
David Gauke
HM Treasury

Last events:
2nd reading: House of Commons 2nd reading: House of Commons 21 July, 2015 | 21.07.2015
Programme motion: House of Commons 21 July, 2015 | 21.07.2015

Next event: Committee stage: House of Commons Committee stage: House of Commons | 08.09.2015

MPs agreed a programme motion which schedules parts of the Bill to be considered in a Committee of the whole House, and the remainder in a Public Bill Committee.

A Bill to grant certain duties, to alter other duties, and to amend the law relating to the National Debt and the Public Revenue, and to make further provision in connection with finance.

COMMONS REPORT STAGE

EUROPEAN UNION REFERENDUM BILL 2015-16

Government Bill
Philip Hammond
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Last event: Committee: 2nd sitting: House of Commons Committee: 2nd sitting: House of Commons 18 June, 2015 | 18.06.2015
Next event: Report stage: House of Commons Report stage: House of Commons | 07.09.2015

The Bill was considered in a Committee of the whole House on 16 and 18 June 2015.

The programme motion agreed on 9 June 2015 schedules the report and third reading stages to take place over one day. The report and third reading stages are expected to take place on 7 September 2015.

MPs can table amendments at report stage, but not at third reading. The amendments that are to be considered at report stage are selected by the Speaker.

A Bill To make provision for the holding of a referendum in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar on whether the United Kingdom should remain a member of the European Union.

SCOTLAND BILL 2015-16

Government Bill
David Mundell
Scotland Office

Last event: Committee: 4th sitting: House of Commons Committee: 4th sitting: House of Commons 6 July, 2015 | 06.07.2015
Next event: Report stage: House of Commons Report stage: House of Commons | Date to be announced

The Bill was considered in a Committee of the whole House on 15, 29 and 30 June and 6 July 2015.

Following second reading the House of Commons agreed a programme motion which scheduled the Bill to be considered by a Committee of the whole House over four days. The programme also schedules the report stage and third reading of the bill to take place over one day.

A Bill To amend the Scotland Act 1998 and make provision about the functions of the Scottish Ministers; and for connected purposes.

EDUCATION AND ADOPTION BILL 2015-16

Government Bill
Nicky Morgan
Department for Education

Last events:
Committee Debate: 9th sitting: House of Commons Committee Debate: 9th sitting: House of Commons 14 July, 2015 (1) (2) | 14.07.2015
Committee Debate: 10th sitting: House of Commons Committee Debate: 10th sitting: House of Commons 14 July, 2015 (1) (2) | 14.07.2015

Next event: Report stage: House of Commons Report stage: House of Commons | Date to be announced

A Bill to make provision about schools in England that are causing concern, including provision about their conversion into Academies and about intervention powers; and to make provision about joint arrangements for carrying out local authority adoption functions in England.

ROYAL ASSENT

EUROPEAN UNION (FINANCE) ACT 2015

Government Bill
George Osborne
HM Treasury

Last event: Royal Assent Royal Assent | 21.07.2015

A Bill to approve for the purposes of section 7(1) of the European Union Act 2011 the decision of the Council of 26 May 2014 on the system of own resources of the European Union; and to amend the definition of "the Treaties" and "the EU Treaties" in section 1(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 so as to include that decision.

SUPPLY AND APPROPRIATION (MAIN ESTIMATES) ACT 2015

Government Bill
David Gauke
HM Treasury

Last event: Royal Assent Royal Assent | 21.07.2015

This Bill provides Parliamentary authority for funds requested by the Government. It is part of what is called 'supply procedure'. This is how Parliament grants the Government’s requests for resources.

There are usually two of this type of Bill each year, in March and July. Proceedings on the Bill are formal – there is no debate.

Key areas

* Authorises provision sought in the Supplementary Estimates and the Vote on Account
* Authorises the release of money from the Consolidated Fund, which is the Government’s bank account.

BILLS STARTED IN THE LORDS

LORDS COMMITTEE STAGE

ENERGY BILL [HL] 2015-16

Government Bill
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
Department of Energy and Climate Change

Last event: 2nd reading (Hansard): House of Lords 2nd reading (Hansard): House of Lords 22 July, 2015 | 22.07.2015
Next event: Committee stage: House of Lords | 07.09.2015

A Bill to make provision about the Oil and Gas Authority and its functions; to make provision about fees in respect of activities relating to oil, gas, carbon dioxide and pipelines; to make provision about wind power; and for connected purposes.

LORDS REPORT STAGE

CHILDCARE BILL [HL] 2015-16

Government Bill
Lord Nash
Department for Education

Last event: Committee: 2nd sitting (Hansard): House of Lords 6 July, 2015 | 06.07.2015

A Bill to make provision about free childcare for young children of working parents and about the publication of information about childcare and related matters by local authorities in England.

LORDS THIRD READING

CHARITIES (PROTECTION AND SOCIAL INVESTMENT) BILL [HL] 2015-16

Government Bill
Lord Bridges of Headley
Cabinet Office

Last event: Report stage (Hansard): House of Lords Report stage (Hansard): House of Lords 20 July, 2015 | 20.07.2015
Next event: 3rd reading: House of Lords | 14.09.2015

A Bill to amend the Charities Act 2011.

EUROPEAN UNION (APPROVALS) BILL [HL] 2015-16

Government Bill
Lord Freud
Department for Work and Pensions

Last event: Order of Commitment discharged (Hansard): House of Lords 22 July, 2015 | 22.07.2015
Order of Commitment discharged (Minutes of Proceedings): House of Lords 22 July, 2015 | 22.07.2015

On 22 July, the Bill reached committee stage in the Lords, however no changes were suggested to the Bill so the Bill goes directly to third reading. This procedure is known as "order of commitment discharged".

A Bill to make provision approving for the purposes of section 8 of the European Union Act 2011 certain draft decisions under Article 352 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

PASSED IN LORDS

CITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEVOLUTION BILL [HL] 2015-16

Government Bill
Baroness Williams of Trafford
Department for Communities and Local Government

Last event: 3rd reading (Hansard): House of Lords 3rd reading (Hansard): House of Lords 21 July, 2015 | 21.07.2015

The Bill now goes to the Commons for its consideration.

A Bill to make provision for the election of mayors for the areas of, and for conferring additional functions on, combined authorities established under Part 6 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009; to make other provision in relation to bodies established under that Part; to make provision about local authority governance; and for connected purposes.

PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES BILL [HL] 2015-16

Government Bill
Lord Bates
Home Office

Last event: 3rd reading (Hansard): House of Lords 3rd reading (Hansard): House of Lords 20 July, 2015 | 20.07.2015

The Bill now goes to the Commons for its consideration.

A Bill to make provision about psychoactive substances; and for connected purposes.

COMMONS REPORT STAGE

TRANSPORT FOR LONDON BILL [HL] 2010-12 TO 2015-16

Private Bill
Parliamentary agents: Eversheds LLP

Last event: Report stage: House of Commons (no debate) | 05.03.2015

The Bill is currently the subject of motions to revive it in the current session.

A Commons Opposed Bill Committee on the Bill sat on 13 January 2014 and amended the Bill by directing that conditions be imposed on the clause 5 powers.

A Commons debate on Consideration (or report stage) took place on Monday 16 March. Amendments were tabled.

The time limit for debate expired before these had all been considered. Consideration without debate was opposed on 24 March and therefore the Bill did not proceed. For it to be revived, the Promoters will have to apply for revival and have a motion approved in both Houses.

The Bill (as originally introduced) would provide Transport for London (TfL) with further powers in respect of the arrangements for stewardship of its financial affairs and the management of its operational undertaking.

Key areas

* enables TfL subsidiaries to mortgage or charge any of its property as security for money which it has borrowed or otherwise owes
* changes the rules relating to TfL’s ability to carry out activities through a company limited by shares, or enter into limited partnerships (whether to promote or assist)
* extends the powers of TfL’s subsidiaries in respect of risk mitigation investments.

His Excellency Hyon Hak Bong addressing
the Friends of Korea meeting at Marx HouseAugust 15, 2015, marked the 70th anniversary of VJ Day and the Liberation Day of Korea from Japan. The Korean people, who had won victory over the Japanese imperialists by their own efforts, had by September 6, 1945, declared a Korean People’s Republic. The Korean people affirmed their will to never again be a subject people.

However, August 15, 1945, also marked the day on which the US unilaterally divided Korea at the 38th parallel. On September 8, the US military arrived in Korea and declared the Korean People’s Republic illegal, outlawing the people’s committees. With one Korean nation but a divided country, the Korean people in the north set out to build a new society. On September 9, 1948, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the DPRK, was founded. Here was a society which affirmed the rights of human beings and put their needs at the centre of considerations.

Detail of the Mansudae Grand Monument in
Pyongyang, commemorating the heroism of
the Korean patriots in the anti-Japanese warThe continued existence of the DPRK today, as an increasingly industrialised and thriving country, is a miracle worked by the people and their leadership in the face of the criminality of the US imperialists and others who have continually conspired to destroy it. The most infamous of these attempts was the Korean War of 1950-1953. The US imperialists and their allies sought to destroy and subjugate the DPRK through their aggression and brutality. However, the DPRK fought these aggressors to a standstill and forced them to sign an Armistice Agreement. Despite the fact that a peace treaty has never been signed, the DPRK has persevered and strengthened its socialist nation-building project and continued to defend its independence and sovereignty.

The DPRK continues to take the initiative, as it has done since 1953, in de-escalating the tensions between north and south despite the hostility of the US and the provocations of south Korea. It continues to put forward proposals to bring about peace and a just reunification of the Korean Peninsula. It is really high time that the US signed a peace treaty with the DPRK as
Kim Il Sung addressing the Korean people
in Pyongyang on the liberation of Koreamandated by the Armistice Agreement of 1953. A peace treaty would reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula and pave the way for the people of Korea to advance on the road to the peaceful reunification of their country, free from outside interference.

The DPRK’s role today is very important in geo-politics. Its consistent stand in opposing the US military presence in the south of Korea and countering the US imperialists’ threats and hostility is a crucial and outstanding factor for peace in East Asia and globally. The goal of the reunification of Korea “by our nation itself” would enable the 75 million Korean people to take their rightful place as a fully independent nation that stands for peace and friendly relations between nations and peoples.

Kim Il Sung signing the Armistice Agreement
at Panmunjom on July 27, 1953With this in mind, the Co-ordinating Committee of Friends of Korea in Britain organised a public meeting on Saturday, August 8, at the historic Marx Memorial Library in Clerkenwell, London. The meeting was chaired by Andy Brooks (Chair of Friends of Korea), and a presentation was given by Dermot Hudson, Vice-Chair, on the background to the Korean people's liberation and the immediate sabotage of this momentous historical event by the US imperialists. Secretary of Friends of Korea, Michael Chant, gave a keynote speech which called on all progressive and democratic forces to support the goal of the movement for the peaceful reunification of Korea and to acquaint themselves with the actual situation in the DPRK in opposition to the disinformation promoted by its enemies. John McLeod, who represents the Socialist Labour Party on the Co-ordinating Committee, also gave a heartfelt presentation.

The spyship USS Pueblo, now permanently moored
on the Taedong River in PyongyangThe guest of honour was His Excellency Hyon Hak Bong, Ambassador of the DPR Korea to the UK. Ambassador Hyon not only gave an excellent and penetrating speech, but captivated the audience during the question and answer session with his analysis, information and good humour.

The meeting concluded with refreshments, informal discussion and a cultural programme, in which comrades from the DPRK Embassy in London demonstrated their vocal prowess, and explained the origin and background to a number of the Korean patriotic songs which were performed.

The United States Must Sign a Peace Treaty with the DPRK (North Korea) and Bring to an End the Korean War Once and For All!