Monday 29 September 2014

New flash fiction for you

I recently posted a new flash fiction on my main writing site. Follow the link below to read the flash fiction and a few words about my process and reasons for writing the story.

Poor Little Rebel Girl.

I hope you enjoy the story. Please feel free to comment either here or at the bottom of the story to let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy.

Thursday 25 September 2014

Ian Bone Arrested

Ian Bone - anarchist and former most dangerous man in Britain - was arrested last night at the latest "poor doors" protest outside One Commercial Place after the police decided that the growing campaign needed to be checked.

At the event Class War anarchists were joined by the Womens Death Brigage, unionists, the E15 mums and others sick and tired of the social apartheid taking part in London and across the globe.

Given the growing numbers at the weekly event (every Wedneday at 5.30pm) the police obviously decided to try to deter the protestors by arresting one old man with a walking stick - using a full riot van full of TSG officers to do so. They obviously don't bother reading their files, otherwise they would know that this kind of behaviour will only act as encouragement to Ian and his Class War supporters. We are obviously doing something right!!!

Friday 1 August 2014

Apartheid In The UK

It seems strange to be talking about apartheid occurring in modern Britain but the growing trend to segregate the rich and poor is exactly that.

Apartheid was first used to highlight the rather disgusting practices of racial segregation in South Africa in the period after World War 2, but the usage of the term has grown to include "Segregation on grounds other than race" (quote taken from the oxford dictionary). While the formal practice of apartheid has now ended in South Africa (although the social effects are still being felt and will be for many years to come) Britain has started to use apartheid tactics to separate the rich and poor.

Developments such as One Commercial Street in London (the address itself is an advert of what the British elite see as important) where the wealthy tenants get to enter by the front door and the poorer residents in the apartment block have to enter by a back door and use different bicycle racks etc... are nothing more than an attempt to separate the rich and the poor, people who for the most part are only different due to the fortunes of birth, and treat the poor as a subclass.


Similar apartment blocks have recently caused uproar across the pond in New York and it seems that the rich have finally found a symbol of their wealth which causes outrage amongst the 99% - the people who have to use the poor door.

To show their disgust at this practice and to display solidarity with the majority of people who are not rich enough to use the front door, the Class War Party will be holding a weekly protest at 5.30pm every Wednesday outside One Commercial Street. Anybody in London is welcome to show their disgust at this example of modern apartheid.

Thursday 24 July 2014

MP's Admit What We All Knew Anyway- "Fit For Work" Tests Unfit for Purpose

A parliamentary select committee has declared that the "Fit for Work" tests introduced by Labour in 2008 and bought into infamy by the current governments attacks on the working class are unfit for purpose and the way incapacity and disability benefits are handled should be overhauled with the introduction of a new system from 2018 when the current system is due to be overhauled.

ATOS, the private sector company who handles the scheme, have already had their contract ended after concerns where raised about the quality of their work but the select committee have now admitted that the system as it stands is largely at fault and they do not believe it can be fixed.

Here is hoping that a sense of decency can prevail over the chance to make money and the obscene fit for work tests can be ended once and for all.

http://welfarenewsservice.com/disabled-fit-work-assessments-flawed-scrapped-mps/

Friday 18 July 2014

New Class War Candidate to Take on scumbag Iain Duncan Smith



Class War are pleased to have long time activist Marina Pepper on board for the 2015 general elections where she is going to be taking the fight to the Tories lead scumbag in the naked attack on the working class, Iain Duncan Smith.

IDS has been a long time incumbent of one of the Tories safest seats in Chingford, a seat that family moocher Smith has held since 1992. In 2010 over half those who voted supported IDS and his majority of 12,963 would be intimidating for most, but not for Marina Pepper.

The former model and actress has been politically active for a number of years and has appeared on television for shows about environmental activism. In 2013 she became a poster girl for the anti-fracking movement after she was pictured being manhandled from an anti-fracking protest by hired heavies.

Now she wants to stand for Class War for a chance to make a difference for the people of Chingford and the UK.

Talking to the Londoner Marina said: “Iain is the architect of all this misery and I think I’m possibly the one to give him a good spanking at the polls. What he’s done is attack the most vulnerable people in society. Most of us have been affected by illness or disability in our family life, and I happen to believe we should be looking after these people. Labour got so few votes in the constituency last time that there’s no way they’re going to pull it off, and the Liberal Democrats won’t even get out of bed for the area. But it deserves a good MP: somebody to represent everyone. That’s what anarchists do.”

Class war are representing the working class of Britain in an attempt to get raise class consciousness and to ensure that policies represent the working class and not just the ruling elite. We aim to be a genuine alternative to the stale political parties who currently dominate the landscape in the UK.

Welcome, Marina, to the revolution.

Tuesday 15 July 2014

UKIP Support Predictably Waning

The popular support received by the xenophobic UK Independence Party in the recent European Elections is, as predicted by all but the most rabid, starting to disappear.

The most recent polls show that support for UKIP is down to just 9%, down from 16% just one month ago. Of course, nobody expects the media to cover the decline of the quasi-fascists that Nigel Farage leads.

But for the rest of us it is time to raise our glasses that the people of the UK have decided not to carry on being blinded by the buffoons of UKIP.

More good news today, Michael Gove has been ousted from his position as Education Secretary.

Monday 14 July 2014

Owen Jones Missing the Point

Owen Jones has wrote an article which derides some parts of the left for their dislike of the middle-class, Oxbridge educated socialists, using the example of an SWP article mocking the death of an Eton educated teenager and focusing on Class Wars banner which featured a picture of Jones himself with the caption "Fuck of back to Oxford".

The full article can be read here.

I am not going to discuss the SWP article here other than to say it is clearly in bad taste.

But the article itself, and Jones' criticism of Ian Bone, both reveal that Jones totally misses the point of why their is so much distrust of middle-class socialists in class struggle. Jones article focuses on the death of one rich boy and how that is used, but he ignores the thousands of deaths being caused by governments around the globe. He could have focused and drew attention to the deaths being caused by the austerity measures here in the UK, a thinly disguised attack on the working class, are pushing millions into poverty and resulting in the deaths of thousands.

Instead he draws attention to a small article that was maybe read by 5,000 people, and talks about the tragedy of one teenage privileged death. Nobody doubts his family and friends are upset by his death, but it barely compares to the tragedies and injustices being played out every day as a result of the policies of the privileged classes. He has a platform to talk about genuine tragedy and try to promote social change, and instead he diverts the debate in a manner that deflects from the real issues and seeks to prevent criticism of the middle classes.

It is this naked self-protection that causes hatred of "champagne socialists".

Thursday 10 July 2014

Class War Solidarity With Public Sector Strikes

The Class War political party has pledged solidarity and support with the members of the public sector who have gone on strike today in an attempt to combat the appalling attacks to their working conditions, pay and pension schemes that the current coalition are imposing (and which Labour have already confirmed they will not reverse).

The attacks on wages and pensions for the majority of public sector is nothing short of ideologically motivated class war as the ruling class are protected from these attacks - the MP's themselves recently enjoyed an inflation busting 11% pay rise.

If you see a picket line do not cross it. And while it is inconvenient for your children to be at home, or for some services to be delayed, remember it is vital to ensure better working conditions for everybody, not just the public sector.

For more read this post by Class War parliamentary candidate Jon Biggar.

http://tradeonion.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/class-war-pledges-solidarity-with-public-sector-strikers-j10/

Monday 7 July 2014

Donate to Class War



http://www.classwarparty.org.uk

Politics in the UK is getting increasingly detached from working class reality and only one group is prepared to dirty their hands and try to change things for the better.

Class War have a long history of being at the heart of direct action against the worst excesses of the UK government, in addition to producing hard hitting political satire.

Now Class War are preparing to field candidates in the 2014 general election, swallowing back the bile that electoral politics causes to rise, to give a voice to the working class and start hitting back in the class war which those at the top have been raging for decades. Austerity is just the latest in a long series of attacks designed at increasing the power and wealth of the ruling classes.

Like all political parties Class War need funding. Not a lot, the candidates are actually going to do plenty of leg work to get the message across, but there are unavoidable costs associated with the party political system in the UK. If you want to make a donation, however small, please go to the link above.

You can also follow class war party on facebook/ rock against the rich on facebook
if you actually want to do something and get involved there is also a class war candidates support group on facebook which you can ask to join and which is driving the campaign forward across many fronts.

Monday 23 June 2014

Cameron Backs Badger Genocide

One again the ruling class have displayed that killing things takes precedent over any science or hard evidence after David Cameron insisted, agreeing with badger-killer-in-chief Owen Patterson, that the badger cull was an effective way of controlling TB in cattle, despite the abject failure of the policy in two trial area's. While stopping short of extending the trial he has committed the government to a further three years of killing badgers, despite their being no evidence that it is working and there being plenty of evidence that it is failing to kill the badgers humanely.

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Defiant-Cameron-convinced-badger-cull-right-beat/story-21275828-detail/story.html#szs4qkuoYi9iffZa.01

In neither of the area's where the cull has been trialled were the required number of badgers killed, indeed even after extending the time period by three weeks both area's still only killed an estimated 65% of the badger population against a target of 70% that experts believed were needed for the cull to make a difference. Additionally tests on the killed badgers revealed that between 6.6% and 22% of the killed badgers had taken over five minutes too die. Controversially not a single badger was tested to see if it was actually a carrier of bovine TB.

In addition to these concerns, which should be enough to put a stop to the plan, many experts believe that the cull will actually increase bovine TB in areas adjacent to the culls as badgers move away from the danger zones; further to that it is questionable whether the cull can have any effect as there are multiple other animals that carry bovine TB, including deer, sheep and cats (both domestic and wild).

Given all the evidence and reasons against the badgers cull, and the lack of effectiveness of the existing trials, there would seem to any moral being no reason at all to continue with the inhumane, ineffective and totally impotent badger cull.
Unless, of course, you just like killing things.

Sunday 22 June 2014

Labour Are Just Tory Lite - Demand the REAL Alternative




A pretty accurate assessment of the People's Assembly, "Demand the Alternative" march through London on Saturday.

Demanding the Tory-lite Labour Party as an alternative to the Tories, and expecting them to end austerity when they have already admitted that not only will they not roll back the changes made during the current parliament but they also intend to make further attacks against benefits received by the under 25's, is a waste of a good march. When getting a big-haired comedian to call for a "peaceful, effortless, joyful revolution" is your big play it is hardly radical or revolutionary. Rather it panders to the ruling class, who are quite happy for us to have all the free love we want provided we keep working hard to keep them rich and powerful.

http://freedompress.org.uk/news/2014/06/22/newsflash-labour-doesnt-care-about-you/

Voting Labour is not an alternative to a continuation of neo-liberal, capitalist policies which vilify the working class. Class War is the only alternative.

http://www.classwarparty.org.uk/the-candidates/

Or find them on facebook

Tuesday 17 June 2014

The People's Assembly Against Austerity - June 21st


The people's assembly are marching through London on June 21st to demand an alternative to the mainstream politics, three parties (four if you count the Dark Tories of UKIP) who share the neo-liberal economic ideas which are strangling the world.
Class War, the long standing anarchist group, are standing up for the people in the next general election and they will be there at the head of the March and prominent in Parliament Square. Lets all show solidarity.

No gods. No masters.

Sunday 1 June 2014

Class War Tax Policy Backed By Leading Economics

http://ianbone.wordpress.com/2014/05/31/thomas-picketty-backs-class-war-tax-plans/

Leading French economist Thomas Piketty has declared that the only way to combat growing inequality is to tax the rich at a rate of at least 80%. At Class War we have long been suggesting a tax rate of 95% for the super-rich, and it is great news that this policy is being endorsed by one of the worlds foremost economists, suggesting that out polices of increasing income for the poorest can indeed be paid for by progressive taxing of the rich.

Thursday 6 March 2014

Hodgson's England...Likely Squad For Brazil

Roy Hodgson is a forward thinking manager who has recognised how the game is changing and is working hard to change the mentality of the England team to fit into the new world of football. With high pressing and a real focus on the transition of play between defensive and attacking it is not surprising that the two teams in the Premier League which have most embraced modern continental football are supplying the most players too his squads (Liverpool and the unfashionable Southampton).

With this in mind what will Roy Hodgson's likely squad be for the world cup of 2014? I have taken into account Hodgson's past selection strategies and put together the squad which I believe will be picked by the England manager for Rio.

Please feel free to comment on other players that could be in the mix.

http://marklees.hubpages.com/hub/A-Preview-Of-The-Probable-England-Squad-For-Brazil-2014

Tuesday 4 March 2014

Paul McDonald: Book Review

If you are a fan of comic novels then you will love Surviving Sting by Paul McDonald.

Set in the authors home town of Walsall in the early days of Thatcher it is a fast paced and sometimes painfully funny story of self discovery. Through the fogs of nostalgia McDonald paints a delightful picture of a dystopian estate in the home of UK leather working. The tale has love, sex, fights, a car crash and even a scorpian - what more can you ask for?

Here is my full review of the novel and an introduction to the writer.

http://marklees.hubpages.com/hub/Book-Review-Surviving-Sting-by-Paul-McDonald

Monday 3 March 2014

Class War Candidate

I am glad to announce on my blog (rather belatedly) that I will be standing as a candidate for Class Wars in the 2015 general election in the West Bromwich West ward.

While I have no illusions that I can achieve victory my decision, as an anarchist, to stand in an organised election stems from the fact that I think we need to gain an official platform to get our voice heard. While we stay outside of the system, and we do with good reason, we are denying ourselves a legitimate platform to get our arguments across and it makes it too easy for the established authorities to silence us and get mainstream media to dismiss us as cranks and hooligans.

By getting ourselves registered as a political party is gives us a platform to stir the debate. I am also hoping to raise class consciousness in an area which is predominantly working class to make people aware of how that are being exploited by a system which promotes inequality, poverty and wage slavery.

My other aim is to stand against the repugnant and offensive fascist parties in the area who managed to secure over 9% of the vote in the last general election.

Saturday 1 March 2014

We all need a little help writing.

Too much going on?


There is almost nothing worse for a writer than finishing a piece of work, reading it back and then finding it is totally flat.

Luckily for me I recently wrote an article about a number of techniques which can help you improve your writing.

http://marklees.hubpages.com/hub/10-Writing-Techniques-That-Bring-Your-Words-To-Life