Fond hearts

This column has often extolled the virtues of supporting your paper through regular standing order contributions, and underlined their importance for the continued smooth running of the Weekly Worker.

Pleasingly, more and more comrades are deciding to help us in this way. Take comrade BP, for instance. Though not a “100% endorser” of our ‘What we fight for’ column, he views the Weekly Worker as “one of the most important publications available today”. It is hard to disagree. As new developments present new challenges - eg, the formation of the European Social Forum - where else will you find a comprehensive coverage alongside a partisan commitment to deepening left unity and advancing the cause of human liberation?

Of course, while SO donations are welcome, that does not devalue the contribution of our more infrequent, but no less generous, donors who send cheques in week after week. Amongst the latest are comrades PD (£30), LS (£20) and RE (£10). This week’s £60 means that we have ended July with only £225 - exactly half of our £450 monthly target. A serious shortfall by any standards.

Given that, comrades must resist the temptation to rest on their laurels during our absence for the next two weeks. Rather they should intensify their efforts. Absence, it is said, makes the heart grow fonder. Let’s hope that this is true. We simply cannot afford for comrades to forget their paper.

So remind me of your fondness for the Weekly Worker by helping us make up for July’s deficit with a bumper August postbag.

Robbie Rix

Ask for a bankers order form, or send cheques, payable to Weekly Worker, BCM Box 928, London WC1N 3XX

Weekly Worker 443 is available in pdf format as zipped (1.62MB) or unzipped (2.15MB) files

Number 443

Thursday August 1 2002

The Weekly Worker is available from bookshops across the United Kingdom or can be delivered direct to your door by completing our online subscription form.

SACP rebellion
Latent tensions within the South African Communist Party have come to the surface. Peter Manson assesses the possibilities

Letters
Mud-slinging; Gaza massacre; Natives restless; Enduring Paine; Historical materialism

Foot challenge to New Labour
Anne Mc Shane reports on campaigning journalist Paul Foot's electoral challenge in Hackney

Mobilise, criticise
Marcus Strom reports on London Socialist Alliance's 'Anti-capitalism and the struggle for socialism' public meeting

Simplistic anti-imperialism and two states
Ray Gaston attended the Leeds Socialist Alliance debate on Israel/Palestine

Injury to one is injury to all
Blair has mounted a witch-hunt against those involved in anti-racist 'riots' last year. Ian Donovan calls for their defence

Scottish mists and Polish echoes
Jack Conrad dissects the national socialism of the Scottish Socialist Party

Our own bin Ladens
While Al Qa’eda and Hamas have featured prominently in the western media, not much is written about western fundamentalists. Liz Hoskings seeks to redress the balance

What next for the Conservatives?
Maurice Bernal casts an eye over recent David Davis furore in the Tory Party

Centralism and the SA
The Socialist Alliance discussion e-list has been debating democtraic centralism. Mark Fischer accusing the protagonists of semi-anarchist distrust

Whose double standards?
The Alliance for Workers’ Liberty equates the refusal to recognise the Israeli nation’s right to exist with anti-semitism. Ian Donovan argues that this plays into the hands of the economistic left

Serwotka victory
Socialist Alliance supporter Serwotka wins his court case against Reamsbottom. Peter Manson reports

Crow calls for cross-union solidarity
Divisions between Aslef and the RMT are weakening railworkers. Michael Farmer supports Bob Crow's call for unity