UK Newswire Archive
It Cuts Both Ways... Alternatives to Cuts (a Video)
25-03-2011 00:41
A film about UK Uncut and alternatives to cuts by Oonagh Cousins.March 26th: Tactical Briefing: Cops, Anarchists, Flashpoints
25-03-2011 00:34
Freedom newspaers useful guide to official preparations for March 26th ant-cuts demoAndroid phone app for x26radio #26march
25-03-2011 00:22
Android phone app, for easy listening to x26radio (with news on the hour every hour)
http://projects.plentyfact.org/wiki/x26radio
or short url:
http://imc.li/03kg5
iphones should just be able to open the stream urls for 3g streaming here:
http://x26radio.ucrony.net/pmwiki.php/Main/FAQ
or short url:
http://imc.li/z9wgk
NOTE: it's not recommended that people on the streets try and listen all the time via their phones as that will quickly drain the batteries - short news updates will be given on the hour every hour.
You may have to enable non marketplace installs for this to install on your phone.
Note
This is free software under the GPL v3 and comes with no warrenty whatsoever
see http://www.opensource.org/licenses/gpl-3.0
Note on installing and running
Due to the short notice and ongoing development, the app is still signed with the android sdk debug key. However, this will run just fine on the phone.
Please note that running a permanent stream via 3G will take a lot of battery! The availability of the stream - despite the fact that it uses a downsampled stream of 32kbit - will also massively depend on the quality of service of your carrier.
Developers
if you do not trust the developers or want to improve the application, you can build the app yourself.
checkout the code from the repository (subversion)
svn co http://svn.plentyfact.org/x26radio
Obama’s imperial twist: “Humanitarian” regime change in Libya
24-03-2011 21:54
100,000+ To Protest Against Cuts, University Staff Strike Over Cuts: Follow The Story On Indymedia!
24-03-2011 21:22
100,000 plus to protest against public spending cuts
This Saturday 100,000 plus union members and campaigners - including many from Bristol - are set to march against the government's cuts in public spending, jobs, services and pensions. From Bristol, the Anti Cuts Alliance, the NUJ, students, as well as other local factions will be strongly represented. The protest is predicted to be the biggest in over 20 years. Almost 650 coaches have been hired from towns and cities across the UK as well as 10 chartered trains from areas including Scotland and the north-west of England.
For protestors, the march wil be a chance to demonstrate unity and opposition against unfair and unneccesary spending cuts, while backing the alternatives of a Robin Hood tax on bankers, closures of tax loopholes, and investment in jobs and green growth. Protestors plan to march from Victoria Embankment to a rally in Hyde Park.
A survey by Unison and the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union showed that a third of public-sector workers had personal debts of £10,000 or more, revealing the "shocking impact" of the Government's cuts and pay freeze. ... Full Article.
Update! Today (Thursday 24th March) Bristol University staff were on strike as part of a national day of industrial action against plans for compulsory redundancies and proposals over pay. While Tuesday's strike was over proposed changes to pensions, today's action was over the looming threat of compulsory redundancies for staff and the offer of a 0.5% pay increase this year, following a 0.4% increase last year and a pay freeze the following two years. With inflation currently running at 5.5% the prospect of a less than 1% pay increase over four years equates to a large scale real terms cut in pay for university staff. Full Article.
Further Links: Bristol University Strikes Over Pensions | Bristol Uncut Demo 19th March 2011 | UCU Strike At University of Bristol 22/03/2011 | Watch this film: The Debt Crisis as Just Another Story - Challenging the Need for Cuts | London Indymedia |
Pics of Today's #UCUstrike Demo to Downing St
24-03-2011 20:22
Several hundred university workers, lecturers and students marched today following a call for a national strike by the Universities and Colleges Union against the cuts and to defend education. The demonstration assembled at the LSE campus at the Strand and marched to Downing Street, where a rally with several speakers took place. The march followed a day of picket lines held in many colleges and universities across London and the UK.
Here there are some photos:
This was the first national strike in higher education for five years, and the first in further education since 2008. It is clear the opposition to Government spending cuts and austerity measures is growing, and this was obvious today as the most common subject people talked about was the 'March for the Alternative' demonstration and day of action called for this Saturday 26th.
Platt Fields Speakers' Corner on 3rd April
24-03-2011 19:23
Speakers' Corner returns to Platt Fields on 3rd April - everyone welcome to speak or listen!
Pics of #UCUstrike Pickets in London Universities
24-03-2011 19:22
Here there are some photos of today's pickets of the strike called by the Universities and Colleges Union (UCU) at different campuses of the University of the Arts London and the London Metropolitan University.
For more info about today's strike see:
http://london.indymedia.org/articles/7942
For ongoing strike coverage see:
http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=5395
BNP shit it out of South Tyneside
24-03-2011 19:16
The odious scumbags of the BNP are not to field a singal coandidate in South Shields due to infighting amid claims Nick Griffin is not fit to lead the partyLast min legal advice for Saturday
24-03-2011 18:44
Last minute legal advice for the demonstrations this SaturdayMET officer brags on facebook
24-03-2011 18:22
"Hope it gets cold down there tonight and we keep them penned in for another 6 hours!"
The words of MacDara Conneely, an officer with the Metropolitan Police. The following transcript was taken from a facebook dialogue involving Conneely back in November 2010, during the student protests. Please spread.
Pics: Big Society HQ occupied and open #26march
24-03-2011 18:22
Big Society HQ now open. 61 Curzon Street.
http://www.twitter.com/BigSocietyHQ ...
House phone 0756369645
NO JOURNOS! X
Map + more infos:
http://london.indymedia.org/articles/7990
FIRST MEETING 8PM
61 CURZON STREET, WESTMINSTER (NR. MAYFAIR) W1J 8PD
THIS SPACE IS NOW BEING SQUATTED AS A CONVERGENCE CENTRE.
THE SPACE IS NON-AFFILIATED AND WELCOMES ALL ACTIVISTS GROUPS (AS LONG AS THEY ADHERE TO THE ‘SAFER SPACES’ POLICY).
3 MINS WALK FROM GREEN PARK TUBE STATION.
There’s loads of space to SLEEP and have MEETINGS – bring your own sleeping stuff.
Leeds University to charge maximum fees
24-03-2011 17:22
The University of Leeds plans to charge the full £9 000 in fees following in the foot-steps of Manchester, Essex, Surrey, Imperial College London, Oxford, Cambridge, Exeter and Durham universities. When the government education minister set the limit of fees to £9 000 he planned that this would only be in "exceptional circumstances", which apparently means that most Universities are in exceptional circumstances.
Big Society HQ Convergence Space Open
24-03-2011 17:22
CONVERGENCE SPACE // PLACE TO CRASH
FIRST MEETING 8PM
61 CURZON STREET, WESTMINSTER (NR. MAYFAIR) W1J 8PD
THIS SPACE IS NOW BEING SQUATTED AS A CONVERGENCE CENTRE.
THE SPACE IS NON-AFFILIATED AND WELCOMES ALL ACTIVISTS GROUPS (AS LONG AS THEY ADHERE TO THE ‘SAFER SPACES’ POLICY).
3 MINS WALK FROM GREEN PARK TUBE STATION.
There’s loads of space to SLEEP and have MEETINGS – bring your own sleeping stuff.
There’s a designated quiet chill out space.
FOOD? Bring some & there might be an activist kitchen.
The Big Society HQ is a space for everyone. This means that it is a space free from negative actions and behaviour where everyone can feel welcomed and respected. Making this space positive is everyone’s responsibility. The BSHQ is also a space to be free of oppressive behaviour. This includes, but is not limited to: aggression (verbal and physical), homophobia, racism, sexism and transphobia and offensive humour. If you don’t feel that you will be able to help create such a space, please do not come in. The BSHQ is a space to be free of drugs at all times, there will be a designated space to consume alcohol. If concerns should arise, then they should be dealt with collectively. If you have experienced negative behaviour, then talk to the others – don’t feel you are on your own. Expect to be challenged on any behaviour contrary to the above, which might mean being asked to leave. If all this happens, together we can help to maintain this as a positive space for all!
#26march update on blocs
24-03-2011 17:22
Political Dynamite update on what's going on...
The TUC ‘March for the Alternative’ on Saturday will make history. That much is clear. What is not yet clear, is how.
Reportedly there more than 850 coaches are coming from around the country and 10 chartered trains. Awareness of the march in London is also very high. Some people on coaches may be dropped off in outer London and be required to catch the tube in to town.
The starting point for the main march is 11am on Victoria Embankment, although the march may still be leaving the Victoria Embankment at 2. It will then pass past Parliament Square; up Whitehall to Trafalgar Sq, over to Regent St; down Piccadilly and enter Hyde Park.through the streets of London to Hyde Park, where it will be addressed by Trade Union leaders.
The only politician on the platform will be Ed Miliband. The decision to include Miliband on the podium has proven somewhat contraversial because of his support for cuts and his role in the Labour Government at the time of the financial crisis.
As there are various alternatives to cuts, different people with different viewpoints will make their points in different ways.
Political Dynamite will have ‘embedded’ bloggers with different parts of the day’s activities and will be tweeting on the day too (follow @poldyn). If you can’t make it you can do your bit by tweeting too.
Here’s a taster of just some of the groupings on the day that have been circulated on social media. There will be many more (note these have mostly been organised autonomously)
Before it starts
Bike Bloc/Hackney meetup point
Meet 10am Hackney Town Hall for a critical mass in to London, reminding people to come on the march. People from Hackney going in by public transport will also be meeting up here, as well as at Homerton Hospital at 9.30am.
South London feeder march
11am, Kennington Park (nearest tube Oval) . Will include Latin American Bloc and Radical Workers’ Bloc.
East London feeder march
10.45am, Altab Ali Park, Whitechapel Rd (bottom of Brick Lane)
Central London
11am, Lincolns Inn Fields, WC2
Education Blocs
ULU, Malet St, from 10am to march off at 11:30am
LSE, Houghton St, 11-11:30am
KCL, The Strand, 11:30am
Westminster Kingsway College, Kings Cross Centre; meet 10am on Grays Inn Road
Haringey
Activists from Haringey Alliance for Public Services are meeting at 10am on 26th March at both Turnpike Lane and Seven Sisters tube stations to travel to the protest.
For the march
Trades Unions
Each trade union has a designated assembly point at the start of the march running along the Victoria Embankment. Walk along until you find yours.
For example the Federation of Entertainment Unions – Equity, Musicians union, BECTU, NUJ, Writers Guild and the PFA – will be marching together, meeting at ‘position 13′ on the Embankment. They say they have a soundsystem.
London and Eastern UNITE also be there, on the Embankment, somewhere between Hungerford Bridge and Waterloo, near to Cleaopatra’s needle where there will be two huge red Unite balloons.
Westminster UNISON will meet at 10:00am on Saturday 26th March outside City Hall before joining the main UNISON meet up. UNISON is likely to have giant purple balloons.
The Royal College of Nurses headquarters is open for members from 9-10 for tea and coffee and to pick up T-shirts.
6 Billion Ways Bloc
Supporters of Jubilee Debt campaign, War on Want, Friends of the Earth and others will meet where Temple Place meets Surrey Street on the Victoria Embankment at 11am.
Green Party Bloc
Green Party supporters will meet at Temple Tube at 10.30
Climate and Cuts
Activists seeking to show the links between Climate Change and Cuts will meet under Waterloo Bridge (South side), outside the BFI, at 11.30am
Quakers March for the Alternative
Meet in front of Westminster Friends Meeting House, 52 St Martins Lane, London, WC2N 4EA at 11 for a 30-minute meeting for worship at 11.30. More info here
Puppets for protest
Meeting Point – 11am – Jubilee Gardens (behind the London Eye), County Hall, London SE1 7PB. Bring a pupper. No strings attached (bum bum). More info here
Woodcraft Folk bloc
11.30 at Lincoln’s Inn Fields
Buggy bloc
For people with children. Meeting point Victoria Embankment Gardens at 11.30am. More info here.
Women’s bloc
10am outside the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand, WC2A 2LL, and departing at 10.30am. Includes Women MPs such as Harriet Harman. Will be followed by direct action. It is unconfirmed whether Harriet Harman will be involved in this part.
Welfare not warfare bloc (CND and Stop the War Coalition)
Meet on Embankment, by the moored ship HMS President, 11 o clock
Black triangle and disabled people’s bloc
Savoy Street (behind the Savoy Hotel & The Strand) W1
Pink and Black Bloc
Soho Square, London W1D, 10am, Called by Queer Resistance
Sound off for justice protest choir
Welcoming anyone who can sing. Setting off from the Royal Courts of Justice at 10.45am. Will be marching with the Justice for All Campaign, highlighting cuts to Legal Aid
Alternative Master of Fine Arts
London’s Alternative MFA group will be texting updates to form part of a piece at an art exhibition in Margate where they will be read out through megaphones
At the same time as the march
UK Uncut: ‘Occupy for the Alternative’
* 2pm – UK Uncut groups from across the country will target banks and shops on Oxford Street
* 3.30pm – UK Uncut will announce and occupy a secret target – and aim to stay for as long as possible
Alternative, autonomous rally
Hyde Park – at the fountain next to Park Lane hosted by IWW, 15:30 – 18:30
After the march
Turn Trafalgar Square into Tahrir Square
A call has gone out for an occupation of Trafalgar Square for 24 hours after the march. More info here. and http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=198808963474182
Occupy Hyde Park
A call out has also been made to occupy Hyde Park after the march. Bring your camping stuff. More info here.
Earth Hour
WWF’s ‘Earth Hour’ will be at 8.30 . More information here
Hackney Social
Hackney Alliance to Defend Public Services will have a fundraiser after the march at 8pm at Victoria Dalston, E8 3AS. More details here.
TSSA Social
There will be a post-march social event for TSSA members at The Square Tavern in Tolmers Square (at the junction of Euston St and North Gower St, near Walkden House). There will be a range of food and light refreshments available from 16:00 hours.
Other things going on
Samba bands including Rhythms of Resistance, people with sock puppets, a book bloc, trade union bands, the bigger society sound system and the Green and Black Cross legal observers (Green and Black Cross Legal Observers will wear orange, as distinct from the Liberty Legal observers who are working with the police and will wear Green).
What’s your plan?
What ever you do, download the bust card and bring it with you from www.ldmg.org.uk
http://politicaldynamite.com/2011/03/26-march-whats-your-plan/
UWE students campaign for a Palestinian student to study at UWE
24-03-2011 17:22
Students at the University of the West of England are campaigning to bring a Palestinian student, currently suffering at the hands of Israels crippling blockade of The Gaza Strip, to come and study at the UWE.In January of 2009 a group of around 30 students staged an occupation in the University of the West of England in protest against Israel’s deadly "operation cast led" attack on the Gaza strip, which claimed over 1400 lives and left many others injured, homeless and malnourished. The students occupied the space for 3 nights and presented the university with a list of demands, the most significant of which was that the university provide fully paid scholarships for Palestinian students in Gaza to study at the University of the West of England. Two years on, the University has agreed to fund one fully paid scholarship at the cost of around £45,000 a year. However this is on the condition that the donors raise the first £5,000 pounds . Once this has been achieved, the university will fund a fully paid scholarship for a Palestinian currently living in the Gaza strip. This will profoundly change the life of someone currently suffering at the hands of Israel’s crippling blockade of Gaza.
Students at UWE are now in the process of raising £5,000. They aim is to raise the money by June this year, this would allow a prospective student from Gaza to start studying as early as September 2011. In order to raise this money the students have decided they need to look outside the university for private donors. So far the students have managed to raise £2,336, with Viva Palestina donating £2,000 towards the cause.
“We aspire to champion the real people behind the politics who are in intolerable situations and experiencing unimaginable suffering. The Conflict Zone Bursary fund has been set up in order to offer these people a way out. We hope the project will run annually to create lasting legacy, offering scholarships to students from war torn countries.” – Yazan Abu-Jbara, UWE student and member of the Conflict Zone Bursary team.
Official Statement from UWE:
The conflict zone bursary fund has been set up in order to offer the real people behind the politics, who are in intolerable situations and experiencing unimaginable suffering, a way out. This charitable project aims to bring the students and the university together in a joint effort to raise money in order to make this wonderful idea become a reality.
As the Bursary Fund was set up in response to student support for the people of the Gaza strip, the first scholarship will be directed toward a student from that area.
The University of the West of England has agreed to provide a comprehensive scholarship for a student to come and study at UWE starting in September 2011. The total cost for this scholarship is estimated to be £45,000 which includes fees, maintenance, flights, orientation, and other expenses. However, we the donors, have to come up with the first £5,000. Therefore, we urge you to donate generously towards this noble humanitarian cause in order to profoundly transform an individual’s life.
To donate, find out more or track progress of the student campaign, visit the campaign website, through the link provided or alternatively, email Joe Odell at odell88@hotmail.com