UK Newswire Archive
Dale Farm Residents return as Inquiry opens
17-11-2011 12:55
Undeterred by last month’s brutal clearance, many families are returning to Dale Farm for Christmas.
In response Tory council leader Tony Ball is threatening to have them committed to prison for contempt of court if they breach an injunction preventing re-occupation. “They have nowhere to go,” says Patrick Egan, owner of Dale Farm House, who is presently giving refuge to l5 caravans on his property.“If forced off here they’ll have to move onto car parks. We’re not leaving Basildon.”
Next week, however, Travellers are meeting head on Ball’s challenge to seek planning permission before occupying another location. A public inquiry opens on Tuesday (22 Nov) into Dale Farm Housing Association’s bid to open a mobile-home park on nearby land for all those made homeless The land at Church Road, Laindon, was originally offered by the HCA, a government quango, to Basildon council to help it meet its duty to provide 62 new plots for homeless Travellers in ther district. It refused the offer.
Under the new plan, Basildon could be required to facilitate the release of funds by the HCA for the development. This envisages 12 permanent and 60 temporary plots, which would be made ready as soon as possible for those left without homes at Dale Farm since the eviction. Meanwhile, costs arising out of the direct action operation continue to multipy.
Residents are mounting numerous claims for injuries and damage to property, which may add further millions to the original £18m bill for the police-led assault and clearance, which now appears to have been entirely futile.
Residents are urging supporters to attend the Inquiry which opens at 10 am on Tuesday (22 Nov) at the Basildon Centre, St Martins Square, Basildon SS14 1DL.
Another Eviction in Hackney this Friday
17-11-2011 12:55
Two weeks after the successful resistance against two evictions in Mare Street, Hackney, another eviction is upcoming this Friday 18 Nov at 197 Mare Street at 10am.
Come along this Friday 10am, bring banners, sound system and people.
Fortnum and Mason UK Uncut protesters found guilty
17-11-2011 12:44
A group of protesters who occupied Fortnum and Mason during a demonstration in March have been found guilty of aggravated trespass.St. Andrews in Third Occupation
17-11-2011 12:37
St. Andrews keeps up the tactic of rolling occupations to oppose the fees and cuts in education. Under the banner of '36 Hours Against 36 Thousand' St. Andrews students are focusing discontent on the recent fee hike for Rest of UK students.P.S. - thanks to NCAFC for promoting us and Birmingham! Well done on recent demo too!
EDL finally admit that their agenda is racially-motivated
17-11-2011 12:05
The English Defence League issued a public statement yesterday on the EDL’s official Facebook page where they admitted that their agenda is actually racially-motivated. If the terminology in the EDL’s statement sounds familiar, that’s because it’s identical to the explicitly racist propaganda of the BNP, Neo-Nazis, and white supremacist websites such as Stormfront, complete with references to “race”, “dilution”, “genocide”, “indigenous” and “wiping us out as a race”.This article is published in conjunction with Pickled Politics (
http://www.pickledpolitics.com).
The overlooked Rupert Murdoch scandals
17-11-2011 11:49
The article is about Murdoch media scandals in this country, the US, and Australia which the British media has not covered, or has barely covered.A Month of Festive Action Against Atos and the Benefit Cuts
17-11-2011 11:40
Everywhere!
Join us in December for a month of protests, actions and demonstrations against poverty pimps Atos and the condem government’s Welfare Reform Bill.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122853381158514
It was the EDL wot won it (not)
17-11-2011 11:36
It seems that the EDL think that it was their pathetic efforts - flying to Zurich (so that's what happens to all those donations) with a tablecloth that somebody's mum had embroidered for a 'banner drop' - that changed FIFA's mind about 'poppygate'. Talk about an inflated sense of their own importance.
Census Refuser in Court in Birmingham: 5 January
17-11-2011 08:04
Roger Grenville, 66, a former Local Government Officer and local Councillor from Leamington, Warwickshire, is being prosecuted for refusing to complete the 2011 Census on grounds of conscience because of Lockheed Martin's involvement. Solidarity and support needed at the court hearing in Birmingham on 5 January.Kuwaiti protesters storm parliament - video link
17-11-2011 07:34
IN DRAMATIC scenes captured on video (see blog), protesters in Kuwait have stormed the country's parliament as anger rises over the corrupt regime.
Some Critical Notes on the General Strike in Oakland, California USA
17-11-2011 03:25
Remember, remember, the second of November -- and what needs to be done a lot better the next time around...Comrades, beware of irresponsible web sites
17-11-2011 01:32
A statement concerning the irresponsible practice of Libcom.orgAnother message to the Metropolitan Police
16-11-2011 22:51
Occupy The Library
16-11-2011 22:32
America’s majority who supported the Occupy Wall Street movement (OWS), within the 99% of all Americans, are being smeared by agent propagandists within the punditry of mainstream media (MSM). For example, Michael Gerson’s black demagoguery, of the closet-right-wing Washington Post, is a good example. In one of his recent columns he declared the OWS movement seems little more than a “…confused set of grievances…” and paints the movement to have little ideological coherence save Marxist socialism and anarchy. Equally he attempts to blame the Democratic Party (that he claims is their “desperate” political calculation) for this phenomenon of the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement.a documentary about the egyptian revolution
16-11-2011 20:58
"Egypt, Insights Into a Revolution"
A documentary about the Egyptian revolution
http://vimeo.com/31425854
Claim of responsibility - Bristol Arsons
16-11-2011 19:07
Claim of responsibilityNotttingham's 'Atos Two' Charged
16-11-2011 18:55
Two Nottingham residents, a pensioner and a wheelchair user, have been charged with aggravated trespass. The pair, dubbed the “Atos Two” by supporters, were arrested following a peaceful protest the offices of the Atos “Healthcare” on Stoney Street on September 30th. Campaigners accuse Atos of participating in a government-led attack on people with disabilities under the guise of “austerity.”
Upcoming event: Protest outside Bridewell Magistrates Court, Friday 25th November, 9.30am
On the newswire: ‘Atos Two’ Charged With Aggravated Trespass | Atos 2 Rebailed | Critical Mass Welcomes Release of Atos Arrestee | ATOS National Day of Action: Notts contribution 2 | ATOS National Day of Action: Notts contribution 1
Previous features: Nottingham protest rattles Atos
Atos Healthcare, is part of IT giant Atos Origin and has been selected by the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) to administer the Work Capability Assessment, testing sick and disabled people who apply for benefit.
In November 2010, Harrington Report and the Work and Pensions Select Committee, found the Work Capability Assessment implemented by Atos Healthcare to be mechanistic and Atos’ “medical reports” far too often did not reflect circumstances and discussions that had taken place during the assessments (The Harrington Report, pp. 40-41).
A large number of those tested are told they are able to work, but more than a third have the decision overturned on appeal. Yet even those who win their appeals are dragged back within a few months for another test. Small wonder that some have decided to commit suicide rather than continually go through this cat and mouse process. Seriously ill and even dying people have been called for assessment, and the recommendations of family doctors and specialists are apparently ignored.
In addition, twelve doctors working for Atos face being struck off for improper conduct, and other members of Atos’ staff are under investigation over allegations of obscene criticism of benefit claimants.
Over time sick and disabled people and their supporters have grown more militant and more vocal in their condemnations of Atos. In return Atos threatened legal action against the Internet hosting companies of three websites – Carerwatch, After Atos and Atos Register of Shame, attempting to silence claimants and their small organisations who have had the courage to speak up.