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
LAST year hunt saboteurs attempted to bring a legal case against Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt huntsman Mark Doggrell.
The sabs allege that during a “cubbing” meet Doggrell seriously injured a female hunt saboteur by running her over with his horse.
Nid, as she is known in the sabbing community, was left with seven broken ribs, a collapsed lung and an injured shoulder.
Peter Murrell’s weakness for the allure of prestige goods is symptomatic of modern consumer culture, says MATT KERR
After battling hills, rain and injury in a three-day cycle ride ending at the CWU conference, MATT KERR reflects on why class unity remains the answer to injustice
Forty years on, TONY DUBBINS revisits the Wapping dispute to argue that Murdoch’s real aim was union-busting – enabled by Thatcherite laws, police violence, compliant unions and a complicit media
After being silenced and ejected from council meetings over Palestine, MARY MASON joined 3,000 activists from 50 countries in an ambitious attempt to break through to besieged Rafah — only to face police beatings and detention in the Egyptian desert


