Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
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Rail industrial action is part of a bigger picture
How much longer does the government expect the workers to accept the rich getting richer while we get poorer, asks SARAH-JANE McDONOUGH, of TSSA
TRAGEDY: Rail workers attend the scene of the rain crash at Grayrigg, Cumbria, in 2007.
The derailment was caused by and undetected faulty set of points. Maintenance cuts today raise the risk of another similar disaster occurring.
ANGUS REID explains the significance of Cuba’s egalitarian in letter and spirit Family Code and the pertinent lessons it holds for democracies anywhere in the world
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NICK WRIGHT considers how the isolation of Israel and a new film on the controversial Italian communist leader are creating new reference points for Italy’s left
CARLOS MARTINEZ says Cuba’s achievements in the face of a criminal blockade are startling, but the island’s future if the United States succeeds in crushing it looks bleak
AMNON BROWNFIELD STEIN reports that far-right MPs who mobbed the event organised by Hadash may have helped raise awareness of the brutality of the Israeli right
ON FEBRUARY 23 2007, train 1S83, the 17:15 service from London Euston to Glasgow derailed near Grayrigg in Cumbria.
It was carrying four crew and 105 passengers and was travelling at 95mph when it came off the tracks.
The derailment was caused by a faulty set of points. The coroner, Ian Smith, found that a scheduled inspection had not taken place and that Network Rail had been warned of concerns about the availability of the right tools and problems related to understaffing.
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A just transition to Great British Railways and a clean and safe railway for all is not only desirable but also necessary. MARYAM ESLAMDOUST explains
Our members face daily abuse, being spat at, sometimes even deadly assaults, and employers fail to take the issue seriously despite the increasing danger, writes RMT general secretary EDDIE DEMPSEY