Issue 1571 - 05 February 2026
General strikes and insurrection
Marking the centenary of the 1926 General Strike, Jack Conrad looks at Russia’s 1905 ‘dress rehearsal’. Following Bloody Sunday, the revolution took the form of mass demonstrations, general strikes, peasant uprisings, the formation of soviets and armed barricade fighting
Letters
No convictions; Troubling reports; Scotland debate; YP republicans; Matgamnaites
Rotten to the very core
Peter Mandelson, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson are just the tip of the iceberg. The latest tranche of Jeffrey Epstein material contains more shameful embarrassments for royal houses, governments, tech billionaires and rich and powerful people of all kinds, writes Paul Demarty
While the vultures circle
Even before the election has taken place, Gorton and Denton is being touted as another humiliating blow for Labour and yet another triumph for Reform. Eddie Ford is not convinced. True, Sir Keir is on the ropes in parliament, but expect tactical voting
Our politics needs light
Corbyn’s clique does not recognise branches, refuses to release membership data, holds fake consultations, insists on secret meetings, demands confidentiality and is unable to issue a clear, unambiguous political statement on Gorton and Denton - all reasons why socialists should support the Grassroots Left, says Carla Roberts
More lies, more paranoia
Rightwing media outlets continue to denounce the new Chinese embassy building - clearly they take their cue from Donald Trump and his claim that it is “very dangerous” for the UK do business with China. Mike Macnair explores what lies behind the entirely artificial campaign
We will not be silenced
After Bondi, Zionists are cynically attempting to link the December 14 massacre to the pro-Palestine movement. Labor Tribune editor Marcus Strom reports from Sydney
Factions, nameswitching and unity
Communist Unity is the relaunched Revolutionary Communist Organisation, and as a bonus it has the Spartacist Tendency on board as a recognised faction. Mila Volkova reports on conference discussions, alignments and votes
Talks, threats and bots
War is not inevitable. But it is now a credible option. The US has its tariffs, missiles and armada in place. That is why there are negotiations, argues Yassamine Mather