Getting ready for ESF 2004 — Socialist Resistance newspaper

Wednesday June 30th 6pm - 9pm Parliament Square, London Let the Iraqis Choose! Picket to mark supposed transfer of authority in occupied Iraq Thursday July. "Selling London down the Thames: neoliberal development plans and community-based alternatives." 7pm, Rm H216, LSE, Houghton St, WC2. Organised by London Social Forum Saturday July 3 Labour Representation Committee Founding conference, Saturday July 3, 9am to 4pm, TUC Congress House. LRC, PO Box 44178, London SW6 4DX; 020 7736 6297. Sunday 4 July 'RAF' Lakenheath: Peace Makers Ball:004 (Part of the Independence from American Bases Day) http://www.motherearth.org/lakenheathaction/ Saturday 10 July Durham Miners' Gala Parade from 9am Red Hill. Speakers 12 noon at Durham racecourse. Friday 06 - Monday 09 August 'RAF' Lakenheath: PEACE CAMP To commemorate Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombings Organised by: Lakenheath Action Group

the person nearest you. LONDON: 020 8800 7460 BIRMINGHAM: Stuart 0777 5942841 BRIGHTON: Stephen 0778 6930285 [email protected] HASTINGS: Sam 07944 296698 [email protected] HULL: Keith 020 800 7460 NEWCASTLE: Louise 07733 418661 OXFORD: Andy - [email protected] world.com world.com

Karen O'Toole European Forum (ES) was the driving force behind the mobilisation of global oppostiion to war on the 15th February last year. The challenge for the ESF when it is held in London this autumn will be to unify the opposition wal neoliberalism racism within a movement which is both politically diverse and uneven. The largest and most resilient anti-war movements, in Britain, Italy and Spain have reflected opposition to Blair, Berlusconi and Aznar's support for the bombing and occupation Iraq, and in the case of Spain has seen the end of one Bush poo die. In France and Germany huge struggles have taken against the creeping neoliberalism which we in Britain are all too familiar with; privatisation of public services, 'reform' and the restructuring of higher education. This resistance to capitalism was the starting point for the discussions on the political content of the London ESF. The question of European Union illustrates the diversity of expentence Contact Socialist If you like what you've read or you want to find out more about Socialist Resistance get in touch with SCOTLAND: Gordon 07733 260337 jgmorgan@btopenSHEFFIELD: Phil 020 800 7460 ballandward@btopenSocial RESIST SPEAKAY HAVE SPOKENI and

activists within the ESF process. In Britain, not part of the Eurozone, many people may ask why Europe matters. Blair's main ally is the US, not Europe, and he was prepared to break relations with both Chirac and Schroeder over the question of the war. place In France and Germany (the

main political axis in Europe which have seen large strikes and demonstrations against the pension EU) both leaders have been

prepared to use the EU to argue that workers must accept a neoliberal agenda on the basis that it would be better for Europe as a whole, especially with EU enlargement into the Eastern Europe.

Blair is different to Chirac of and Shroeder; for one thing he

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has had little use in invoking the EU clause to impose neoliberalism here because the unions, many of them Labour Party affiliates, have accepted the logic of privatisation and refused to allow a fightback, making it easier for Blair to push the neo-con agenda through without any need to blame the amorphous EU for it. So the question of Europe is a difficult one which needs to be tackled within the context of global politics, of inter-imperialist rivalry and the carve-up of the world in the interests of big capital, in which Europe as a block plays a part. The Greens are in favour of the EU as a deterrent to the USA, and some unions in Britain are also pro-EU. ••• Standing Order! Membership Standing Order form

day of 2003 And on the same date every month thereafter, unless cancelled or amended by me in writing

We must have a proper debate at the ESF about what kind of world we live in, however frank it ends up. We don't all agree on everything - but the ESF should not be a place where only things which are agreed by consensus are discussed, it should be controversial.

There was a proposal to have a youth space within the ESF

Most activists acknowledge that even though the previous two EFs have attracted thousands of young people, the debates have been dominated mainly by middle aged intellectual men whose experience does not reflect that of the younger generation.

In both Florence and Paris young people held parallel forums or activities outside of the process.

The answer is obvious. The ESF should allow space and political forums which are run by young people for young people from across Europe and further.

The process of agreeing the politics of the London ESF goes on, with the establishment of a European working group

Future mass mobilisations against capitalism can come out of the ESF - as they have before. Send us a donation every month - by

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Socialist

EDITORS:, Terry Conway, John Lister,

Liam MacUaid.

EDITORIAL BOARD: Mandy Baker,

Julia Brandreth, Paul Brown, John

Bulaitis, Andrew Burgin, Kathy Lowe

Pauline Roland, Piers Moystn, Karen

O'Toole,

DESIGN: Pete McGreal and John

Lister