taking it on the chin

 

 

“We should just take it on the chin.” Boris Johnson

 

As of October 4, 2021, the number of confirmed UK deaths due to coronavirus is 136,986.

Britain’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic is one of the worst public health failures in UK history, with the government’s “fatalistic” approach resulting in the huge death toll. According to a report titled “Coronavirus: lessons learned to date” that was headed by two former Conservative ministers, the UK’s “slow and gradualist” approach meant the the country fared “significantly worse” than other nations. 

 

Impaired by lack of transparency, the crisis exposed “major deficiencies in the machinery of government”, with public bodies unable to share vital information and scientific advice. 

 

Despite being one of the first countries to develop a test for Covid, the UK “squandered” its lead and “converted it into one of permanent crisis ... For a country with a world-class expertise in data analysis, to face the biggest health crisis in 100 years with virtually no data to analyse was an almost unimaginable setback.”

 

It’s not all bad news. Ministers have handed out billions of pounds in Covid mateocracy contracts and right now, the man in charge is lying beside the Marbella pool of a Tory donor who bought himself a lordly title. And hey, it would have been so much worse if Jeremy Corbyn had been PM.

Cable Street 85th anniversary

 

 

It was great to meet up with Carole Vincent at the 85th anniversary Cable Street march. She told me that, as a delegate to the recent Labour Party conference, she was interviewed by the police so they could find out whether she was a 'suitable' delegate! As I suspected no sign of Margaret Hodge or Keir Starmer in Cable Street. Jeremy Corbyn there of course and a wonderful speech from Rabbi Herschel Gluck, who made clear that the battle of Cable Street is ongoing.

 

 

No Pasaran

 

 

I hope you will join me on Sunday 3 October 2021 in Cable Street for this ‘No Pasaran’ memorial march. Assemble 1pm Junction of Cable Street, Leman Street and Dock Street. Marching to the Cable Street Mural/St George’s Gardens.

Speakers include: Apsana Begum MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP (Project for Peace and Justice), Rabbi Herschel Gluck, Mick Lynch Gen Sec RMT, Amina Patel (Unison), Abdul Chowdhury (NEU), Noorahmed Uddin (Altab Ali Foundation) Joginder Bains (Indian Workers Association-GB) Julia Bard (Jewish Socialists’ Group), Rob Griffiths, (Communist Party), Weyman Bennet (Stand Up To Racism) Marlene Sidaway (International Brigades Memorial Trust), and relatives of the activists of 1936: Michael Rosen, Ruth Levitas, June Legg and JVL member Tony Booth. Co-chairs: Julie Begum (Swadhinata Trust), David Rosenberg (JSG)

Margaret Hodge’s “Fucking antisemite and racist” Jeremy Corbyn will be speaking alongside rabbis, the Bengali and Indian communities, Stand Up to Racism and members from the Jewish Socialists and Jewish Voice for Labour. Their co-chair Leah Levane, was recently thrown out of the Labour Party conference. We will be remembering those who stopped fascism all those years ago and reminding ourselves that the struggle continues. I don’t think Hodge or Starmer will join us.

 

more info here