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Herefordshire families are faced with ‘unrealistic and unaffordable’ rent costs, a new report has revealed. The report, recently conducted by housing charity Shelter, names the county as the most expensive area to privately rent in the whole West Midlands region. Private tenants spend an average of 40% of their earnings on rent, with the area’s low wages and high transport costs exacerbating the problem. Local housing charities have said they have been inundated with requests for help, with many families and young people struggling with housing and rent issues. Shelter has made calls to the government to stabilise the rental market and to develop policies to bring rents more in line with average earnings. As the government pushes ahead with cuts that will affect local housing services, and squatting rights are crushed, we don’t have very much confidence in them dealing with the situation. We have to act for ourselves and fight for change.
Police have called for a popular Hereford restaurant to lose its license for employing ‘illegal’ workers. The Jalsagor on St. Owens Street has been raided by West Mercia Police and UK Border Agency officials twice this year, once in April, and again in July. They were fined £30,000 and 6 Bangladeshi men were arrested. Two of the men have applied for asylum status and four are currently detained, awaiting deportation. On Tuesday, Herefordshire Council’s regulatory subcommittee held a review into Jalsagor’s premises license. Police representative, Jim Mooney, asked for the alcohol and latenight refreshment license to be revoked. Revoking the license is sure to be an unpopular move in this very popular city restaurant. Four men who were working locally are now incarcerated and awaiting deportation, along with two others who face possible deportation. We believe nobody is illegal.
Big changes are coming for Hereford Heckler. The Heckler is changing to a mainly web-based format, with a new website and online shop coming very soon. We’ll be broadening our content, with more regular updates and more contributions from others. If you have anything you would like us to consider for inclusion, email it over to kay.bulstreet@hotmail.co.uk.
This year marks 75 years since the Spanish Civil War began. Up to 35,000 people from around the world volunteered to fight against Franco and his fascist forces, with many joining the ‘International Brigades.’ Alongside Spanish anarchists, communists, socialists, trade unionists and freedom-loving people, the International Brigades played an important role in the war. Amongst them were 2,000 British people, 500 of whom gave their lives.
Lewis Clive was a volunteer associated with Hereford. Born on 8thSeptember 1910, he was the son of Herefordian, Percy Clive, a Conservative MP and Lieutenant-Colonel killed in the First World War. Lewis was a keen rower, winning a gold medal at the LA Summer Olympics in 1932. He was also a socialist, a member of the Labour Party and the Fabian Society.
He volunteered for the International Brigades early on in the war, and became a Company Commander in the British Battalion. He was killed in action on August 2nd 1938 at Hill 481, Gandesa, during the Battle of Ebro, the longest and bloodiest battle of the war. Speaking of Lewis after his death, his comrades said this; “This big, cheerful, and sincere man had performed his duties as Company Commander with distinction. Well liked and respected in the battalion, this was a great loss to us all.”
There is a plaque commemorating Lewis Clive at Wormbridge Church, Herefordshire. It reads “In memory of Lewis Clive. Born September 8th 1910. Killed at Battle of Ebro, August 4th 1938, Fighting with The Spanish Republican Forces.”
Originally posted with full article : http://3cafa.wordpress.com/2011/09/25/local_international_brigades/
On Friday 16th, three anti-cuts activists were arrested in Birmingham after doing a banner drop in protest against the cuts, at the Lib Dem conference. The banner read “Traitors Not Welcome, Hate Clegg, Love NCAFC,” referring to the Lib Dems breaking election pledges to oppose the hike in student fees, and their part in the governments programme of cuts. Two of the activists were released, after answering bail on Monday 19th. But one campaigner, Ed Bauer, was remanded, and spent 10 days imprisonment without trial for simply unfurling a banner. A defence and support campaign was quickly set up, ‘Banner Drops Are Not A Crime.’
Today Ed had a bail hearing, and a couple of us joined up to 70-80 people who gathered outside Birmingham Magistrates Court, sending an uncompromising message to those inside and showing solidarity with Ed. Chants included, “Use your head, Free Ed!” “Banner drops are not a crime, Ed should not be doing time,” and “Defend our right to protest.” After a very noisy couple of hours, it was great to hear that Ed had been bailed and no longer had to spend time in custody before his trial.
Picture courtesy of Jonathan Melhuish
This case, like the action of the police, CPS and the courts across the country, shows a trend of political policing and repression of the protest movement. On Friday 23rd, 9 UK Uncut activists were in court for criminal damage in Brighton after a peaceful protest in a Topshop store in December. All of them were found not guilty, and the local paper branded the trial a waste of money, costing £100,000. Protesters are still being charged and imprisoned over their parts in the March 26th protests, especially the peaceful occupation of the Fortnum & Mason store. Over 150 people were arrested there, but the charges of 115 activists were dropped after it was decided that it was “not in the public interest.” The case against 30 of them continues. As well as this, the high-profile use of agent provocateurs, undercover police officers and anti-Terror surveillance against protesters shows what lengths the state and its agents are prepared to go to to stifle opposition and those who they deem ‘radical.’
It’s things like this that strengthen our resolve and make us more determined to resist both the repression of the state, and the ConDem cuts. We are not for turning.
The coming few weeks will see two major protests against the cuts; one at the Lib Dem conference this weekend in Birmingham, and the other at the Tory Party conference in Manchester between the 2nd-5th October.
On Sunday 18th September (this weekend coming), the trade union demonstration will assemble at 11am on Granville Street.
On Sunday 2nd October there will be a march and rally in Manchester. The TUC-backed rally will assemble at 12 noon on Liverpool Street. There have been calls from other groups for more diverse tactics. The ‘Occupy Manchester’ blog, which brings together a coalition of local groups, is calling for an occupation of Albert Square and the creation of a ‘assembly of protest on the doorstep of the Tory Conference.’
Join us in protest against the Tories & Lib Dems. Oppose the cuts to our pensions, jobs and services. We won’t pay for their crisis.
~Taken from http://www.freedompress.org.uk/news/ ~
Freedom newspaper, the UK’s longest running anarchist paper, is changing from a fortnightly to a monthly publication. From October we will be producing a 24 page (8 full colour pages) monthly edition with new sections, features, and an improved format. The price will be £2 a copy.
The aim is to become an essential voice of the anarchist movement, promoting UK anarchism, broadening out the range of topics to connect with a growing readership (additional sections will include sport, art, interviews, lifestyle) and reporting on the important issues of the day from a radical perspective.
Given the unprecedented social and political conflict of the past year (where people are openly defying government and the state) there hasn’t been a better time to engage with people about anarchist ideas, offering up alternative viewpoints and spreading a more revolutionary political agenda. Today being an anarchist resonates with positive recognition and we see Freedom as part of that tradition.
To go with the new format we are looking for new writers, fresh ideas and people to get involved in the production of the paper and to help increase distribution and sales.
Writing for the paper
Freedom is always looking for people to write for the paper. Not only is it an excellent opportunity to get your ideas, thoughts and opinions into print and out into the real world, it also offers a chance to develop and refine your writing skills, report on the activities you are involved in, or promote the group you are a member of. We accept any original articles as long as they are politically relevant and informative, interesting or entertaining.
- Deadline for articles the first monthly issue: Sept 15th. Contact the editor at Email:
copy@freedompress.org.uk for more details, or to submit articles.
Making Freedom a movement paper
The more people have access to, read about, or are made aware of, anarchist ideas, the more those ideas begin to seep into people’s consciousnesses and the more ‘normalised’ they become.
The role of Freedom is to be a voice for the anarchist movement – a vehicle for disseminating anarchist ideas/information to a wider audience along with documenting social issues from a radical perspective. There are several excellent anarchist group propaganda papers, but there is no general nationwide anarchist news outlet other than Freedom. This puts us in a unique position and gives us a distinct advantage and selling point. The purpose of the paper is to promote and advertise the activities of UK anarchist groups and to act as an entry point for people new to or curious about anarchism/and anarchists.
Reaching new audiences
With the politicisation of a new generation – the student movement, anti-cuts movement, inner city unrest, there is an upsurge in questioning how society works, the politics that drives it and different ways to explain it. Freedom is ideally placed to be part of the commentary within the current political discourse. And with the extended format and extra pages we can expand the range of topics – cultural, social and political, to engage a wider range of people.
Active involvement
As well asking people to contribute creatively to the paper we also need to be able to promote, sell and distribute Freedom. This could be done in a variety of ways from the very simple things – linking to, and forwarding on, articles from the website, or suggesting places that would stock the paper, to actively selling the paper in your area, on demonstrations, at events or in your workplace.
- Contact Freedom to find out the ways you can help Email: copy@freedompress.org.uk
Financial support
It’s no secret that part of the motivation for the change was for financial reasons. The current economic climate while politically rich for revolutionary fervor is financially draining for Freedom Press. The paper has always lost money on its production but we are determined that Freedom continues as a credible anarchist voice out on the streets. We ask people to consider making donations in support of the paper.
- Donations can be made by contacting Email: subs@freedompress.org.uk
What’s in it for me?
Why should anarchists, radicals and interested parties spend their time and energy contributing either creatively, physically or financially, to the paper? What’s in it for you?
Well, beyond what has already been said there is:
- knowing you have the potential to reach thousands of people on a regular basis
- the kudos of writing for a unique anarchist institution – the paper Kropotkin started
- free expression to comment on, address issues about or report back from activities or events you are involved in or passionate about
- a format to flex your creative muscle – writing something worth reading, creating debate and adding to the rich history of anarchist discourse
- free advertising for your group or activity
- strengthening the propaganda tools of the anarchist movement
- contributing to the greater visibility of anarchists and the anarchist movement
To get involved, or to submit articles contact the editor at Email: copy@freedompress.org.uk or write to:
Freedom newspaper
Angel Alley
84b Whitechapel High Street
London E1 7QX
- We will be having a Freedom double launch special on Saturday 1st October at Housmans bookshop to promote the new edition of the paper as well as a brand new Freedom Press publication Wildcat Keeps Going by Donald Rooum.
