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Several letters to the editor in response to articles in previous issues including "Yes to Democracy, No to EU," another by John Robinson on the principles of communism, and another by David Walters on the right to carry firearms.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in the previous issues of "Weekly Worker," including "Against rightist populism," "End of SSP dream" by Sarah McDonald, and "Yes, comrades: Time to fight back together," all in the June 4, 2009 issue.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including one about the history of the Bolshevik by Barbara Dorn in the June 11, 2009 issue, "End of SSP Dream," by Sarah McDonald in the June 4, 2009 issue, and "Yes, Comrades: Time to Fight Back Together," also in the June 4, 2009 issue.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "Exploring Agreements and Disagreements," "PCS Opts for Talks" and "Desperate Strategems," all published in the November 13, 2008 issue.

The author comments on the rejection of the bailout plan by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008 and the role of bankers in the economic crises. He points out that the Republicans are responsible for the rejection. He argues that the purpose of right-wing political parties in attacking greed from the right of the bourgeois establishment is to establish a link between weak dominant classes and sections of the subordinate classes. He stresses the need for Marxists to locate the crisis in the capitalist system instead of criticizing bankers.

The author discusses the dilemma of Afghanistan in its August 20, 2009 election. Incumbent Pashtun President Hamid Karzai gets the support of the largest ethnic national group while rival Abdullah Abdullah, a Pashtun-Tajik, is primarily Tajik. The author stresses that Afghanistan is not a natural state and has no clear national majority. He reiterates that since ethnic division is regional in scope, neighboring borders, Iran and Pakistan have influence over Afghan politics of which President Karzai has no control.

The article discusses how lance corporal Joe Glenton's protest and desertion of the war in Afghanistan may encourage other soldiers of the British army to do the same. Even as Glenton faces charges of desertion, he asserts that the war is unjust and illegal and remains firm in his stand. The author also calls for the withdrawal of British soldiers from Afghanistan, but argues that the war should be considered a political issue and not a moral one.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including the nature of Hands Off the People of Iran (HOPI) and organisations in Afghanistan in the July 23, 2009 issue, "Forty years since the first moonwalk," in the July 16, 2009 issue and "How not to stop the British National Party (BNP)" in the July 23, 2009 issue.

The article ponders on the effects of making sex education compulsory for primary schools in Great Britain. It references a report published by the Family Education Trust (FET) entitled "Too Much, Too Soon" which analyzes the plans of Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Edward Balls about sex education. FET suggests that the secular sex education will lead to more sexual activity among the youth. The influence of family values and a nuclear family is also presented.

The author comments on Iran Solidarity, a campaign group launched in London, England in support of the protesting masses against the state of Iran. He provides a background of the recent protests in Iran and why the left outside Iran has taken the side of the protestors. He assesses the threat of military action and sanctions against Iran. He argues that the Worker-Communist Party of Iran (WCPI), the group behind Iran Solidarity, must clearly align itself against imperialism before demanding solidarity against oppression and exploitation.

The author offers his views on the influence of social networking Web sites on the Western media coverage of the Iran election held on June 12, 2009. He describes how the social networks Twitter and Facebook updated resources for the events in the country. He opines that the technical shift has not resulted in an overall social shift, citing the users of the BBC Web site and readers of "The Guardian."

The article discusses the triumph of workers in their struggle about employment in the Lindsey oil refinery (LOR). The dispute began when a news stated that IREM, a construction subcontractor, will ship in the workforce for their job from Italy and Portugal with details of pay agreements undisclosed. It was believed that IREM uses the workers to undercut standing union agreements in Great Britain, while Total, owner of LOR, fired 647 workers which led to a walkout and solidarity actions. At the end, Total reinstated the workers and the 51 redundancies.

The article discusses Communist Party of Great Britain's (CPGB) advice to vote Labour in the elections to the European parliament. The author argues that there is no reason to vote Labour and states that a vote for Labour is a shadow of a vote for the idea of independent political organisation of the wage-earning class. The author describes Labour as bourgeois workers' party and believes that a vote for Labour is a defensive move.

The author presents arguments advocating conditional support to No2EU alliance in the 2009 European elections. He disapproves the Provisional Central Committee's (PCC) direction to vote for the Labour Party and explains the connotations of such vote, which he sees merely as voting for one because the other did not pass the test. He also elucidates his disagreement to the unconditional support to No2EU, claiming that the liquidation of the Labor Party as an organization for the working class is immaterial to this election.

The article focuses on the rise of the British far right-wing parties as a result of the European parliament elections on June 4, 2009. The British Independence Party overtook the Labour Party but not enough to become a larger party in the British contingent to the European Union. The British Nationalist Party managed to get Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons elected as Members of the European Parliaments.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including a letter by Barbara Dorn in the May 28, 2009 issue, "Republican Democracy, Voting Tactics and Communist Strategy," by Jack Conrad in the May 21, 2009 issue and "Self-Determination is Not an Abstract Principle," by Tony Greenstein in the May 28, 2009 issue.

The article reports on the resignation of Michael Martin, Great Britain's Speaker of the House of Commons, on May 19, 2009. The resignation is said to have placed Martin as the scapegoat for the alleged corruption in the House of Parliament. Several changes proposed by the Socialist Party are given which include that all elected officials are directly responsible to their constituents and all members of parliaments should receive an income equal to the national average wage. It cites the Communists' demand for full transparency in all public affairs.

This article discusses the controversy over expenses of members of the British Parliament. It highlights the expenses for homes of some members of the Parliament (MPs). It also identifies the rules regarding expenses of MPs. The opinion of communists on the controversy is discussed. The observation that bourgeois politicians are corrupt is noted.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to topics in previous issues including the nature of bourgeois society, the campaign of the reactionary national socialist organization No2EU and the development of a democratic culture.

The author reflects on the outbreak of swine flu. Swine flu is a contagious variant of common influenza originating from Mexico. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is on type five alert, one level away from a pandemic. It is the author's opinion that metropolitan countries can deal with acute respiratory conditions and the drugs to remedy the problem are readily available.

The article reports that the Stop the War Coalition (STWC) in Great Britain has fudged over an emergency motion calling for an immediate end to Sri Lankan government action against Tamil rebels as of April 2009. During a conference on April 25, chair Andrew Murray had argued successfully for the motion to be remitted to the steering committee. The author mentions that the Sri Lankan government has commenced its final military offensive of the north, which is the last stronghold of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE).

The author reflects on the decision of U.S. President Barack Obama to release four contentious Justice Department memo to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) providing legal justification to "water boarding." Since torture is illegal in the U.S. everyone assumed that the disclosure would lead to prosecution, but Obama reassured CIA agents that there would be none. Amid contrary clamors, Obama reversed his position but his act, according to the author only confirms that he only alters his position if Republicans attack his policies.

The article presents the raids by the police in the universities of Great Britain for students suspected as potential threats to national security. It offers the failure of the visa system where the state was not informed of visa violations by possible dangerous extremists. The communists party's role to defend the migrants and the threatened minorities, referred to as the workers, of their democratic rights is mentioned. It also suggests internationalism as the basic condition for the success of the communist project.

The article focuses on the results of the G20 summit in London, England on April 1 to April 2, 2009. The composition of G20 is presented along with the expectations of different country representatives. Some details of the agreement are provided along with the so-called black list of tax havens to be enforced by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Reasons for summit results to be not exactly favorable to the U.S. are discussed including the summit being an indication of decline in U.S. hegemony.

The author calls for the abolition of Great Britain's secret service Military Intelligence, Section 5 (MI5) for the torture it inflicted on Benyam Mohamed, an Ethiopian-born British resident who was arrested for his alleged involvement in the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington. Several other groups are calling for an investigation into the secret service torture tactics but the author claims that it should be done without political implications since parties usually have deep connections with the British government.

The article discusses the idea that the legacy of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill lies with the British National Party (BNP). BNP leader Nick Griffin said that if we consider the stand of Churchill on issues affecting our times, we would see that Churchill, were he alive today, would be thrown out of the Conservative Party for things he said and his political home would be with the BNP. One problem with the idea that Churchill's legacy link with the BNP, according to the article, has to do with the source of his reactionary politics.

The article reports that the G20, an inter-governmental group comprising 19 economically powerful countries, will have a meeting on April 1, 2009 at London's Excel centre in England. It notes that global economic crisis is the first item on the meeting's agenda. It states that political leaders are hoping meaningful agreements will come out of the conference.

The author offers his opinion on fighting the global recession. He comments on the announcement of a £75 billion quantitative easing package in Great Britain, which involves the Bank of England buying certain assets from private financial institutions as a backhanded way of injecting cash into the banking sector. As for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, international action to combat the crisis is needed. The author also looks at the state of the Chinese economy.

The article discusses the state of affairs for the Socialist Workers Party (SWP). The split within the organization is described along with efforts to get rid of John Rees, de facto leader since the death of founder Tony Cliff. The democracy commission is presented including the ways it intended to improve SWP's internal culture. The sterile method of SWP is compared with the Marxist organization that is based on the most vigorous democracy.

The article discusses self-determination and the prospects of Arab unity. Reasons for self-determination are explored in relation to the rule of the bourgeoisie and the rule of the proletariat. Democracy is defined in the context of both Israeli Jews and Palestinians. The key problem in Jack Conrad's proposition is evaluated along with the two broad approaches to the problem.

The article discusses the downfall of the financial empires of Allen Stanford and Bernard Madoff which succeeded in defrauding large numbers of investors. It asks how these capitalists got away with their fraudulent schemes for so long. According to the article, communists ask why is it that such frauds are exposed only now. The author points to the nature of the business cycle, the years of profitability and the inevitable resulting crisis. Stanford and Madoff are said to be proof of the corruption innate in capitalism.

The article discusses the issue of 13-year-old British male teenager Alfie Patten, who became the youngest father in Great Britain in 2009. He and his girlfriend, 15-year-old Chantelle Steadman, bore a child after their single sexual affair, and they decided not to abort their child. This teenage family has sparked debates concerning the implementation of quality sex education across the country.

The article reports on the walkout by workers at Lindsey oil refinery in North Killingholme, England on January 28, 2009. The strikes were said to have resulted from the creation of a committee from the Lindsey workers who drew up demands that were supportive of a progressive trade union. The imposition of common trade union standards across Europe and a coalition of a working class party with trade unions on a European Union level are suggested.

The author comments on the walkouts or strikes at oil refineries and in the energy and construction industry in Great Britain in January 2009. The protests are against the effects of the economic downturn. The decision of the European Court of Justice in the cases involving construction company Laval and Viking is said to have established the right of private companies to sue trade unions. Workers Power has opposed the strikes and demanded that they be demobilised.

The article reports on the Gaza protest in Exeter, England. The local media said there were 800 marchers during the protest. Participants include students and activists from the Socialist Students, Friends of Palestine and other anti-war movements. There was reportedly a lack of platform speech during the demonstration.

The author discusses the how the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama will deal with Muslims and leftist militants. He deplores the Obama's alleged silence regarding the Israeli attack on the Hamas in Gaza Strip and other issues. The article says that Obama will continue to defend American capitalism and says that Israel's interests are important as ever. The author says that imperialism will continued to be advocated for as it is what keeps capitalism alive.

The article focuses on the split within the Central Committee (CC) of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP). The central issue is the lack of democratic culture within the party which led to the removal of John Rees from the committee leadership. Rees is being asked to account for a number of political errors committed and his underhanded dealings with the Central Committee's majority members. In the coming annual conference in January 2009, the Central Committee will create a "democracy commission" to improve the democratic culture in the party.

The article presents an obituary for anti-war activist and playwright Harold Printer.

The article reports how the economic crisis is affecting the U.S. automobile industry. The Senate failed to pass a $14 billion emergency bail-out fund which would have been used as a bridging loan for U.S. car makers Chrysler, General Motors and Ford. Although the Bush administration is willing to use funds from the Paulson bank bail-out, the $5-7 billion may not be enough to keep the three corporations afloat. It suggests that if the US intervenes to rescue Ford, GM and Chrysler, it would be at the expense of the Japanese, French, and other car makers.

The author alleges that the apprehension of Damian Green proves that a trend towards authoritarianism is present in Great Britain. The politician was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit misconduct with Christopher Galley, a Tory civil servant. The author points out that this act shows the tendency towards increasing the powers of the state at the expense of both the citizen and free groups. The author calls for a more open British government in order for the people to understand its programs and functions.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "Next Revolution," by Chris Night and "Bringing Back Berufsverbot," by James Turley, both in the November 27, 2008 issue and "No Longer the Celtic Tiger," by Anne McShane in the October 30, 2008 issue.

The author reflects on the appearance of a list of names and addresses of every member of the British National Party (BNP). The author states that several party members hold sensitive jobs in the public sector, and for these and for politically softer elements, the security of personal details and obscurity of membership is a serious matter for BNP. According to the author, the leak has revealed that the party's definition of membership is almost as loose as the Socialist Workers Party's.

The article focuses on the impact of the election of Barack Obama as U.S. president on the African American community in the U.S. It notes that the election of Obama was bigger news than the ascent of Margareth Thatcher to British premiership. It recalls the history of such community in the country in which they started out as slaves. It adds that liberals were worried that residual racism can take the balance from them.

The author reflects on the victory of Barack Obama in the U.S. Presidential elections and the support he received from the left wing. The Communist Party of U.S.A. (CPUSA) expressed its eupohoria on the November 8, 2008 issue of CPUSA People's Weekly World on Obama's win. According to the author, Weyman Bennet in an article in the Socialist Worker in November 15, 2008, black workers came to work cheering after the election. It has also affected the Socialist Workers Party (SWP)-run Stop the War Coalition and welcomed Obama's win as well.

The article examines the issues behind the furore over the Russel Brand radio show. It explores the tendency among rightwing papers to spark moral outrage and their tendency to attack the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) in particular. It indicates the reason why some leftwing responses are dispiriting and expounds on the pattern of reporting of the paper "Mail on Sunday." A look into the plan to privatize BBC is provided.

The article discusses the manner in which the left should react to the global financial crisis. The crisis is said to have precisely the opposite effect on the left to what it has expected. In the author's view, one possible consequence of the crisis is a rise in support for the far right. The author argues that a Marxist analysis of the crisis is not an end in itself, as it is supposed to guide effective action.

The author reflects on the role of the Labour Party in the return to the Keynesian economic approach in Great Britain. He notes that the party is the instrument of a hegemony parallel but significantly distinct to that of the Conservative Party. He asserts that the conversion to the virtues of nationalising banks by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown embodies a recognition of the necessity to return to Keynesian strategy. He points out that capitalism as an international system can only change from neoliberalism.

The author reflects on the lessons to be learned by other countries from the financial crisis in Iceland. The BBC website attributes the downfall of the sector in Iceland to the changes in interest rates aimed at controlling the inflation and the rise of banks' foreign assets. He regards the 2001 Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act of Great Britain as diplomatic snub for any aid to Icelandic Prime Minister Geir Haarde. He stresses that the fall of the Icelandic banking system signifies that capitalism is fundamentally international.

The article focuses on the resignation of British Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Ian Blair from his post. It states that Blair was encouraged by London, England Mayor Boris Johnson to resign, arguing that it is time for a change in leadership. It notes that the resignation has led to the call of Johnson for a public inquiry into the recruitment and promotion of ethnic minority officers. The author calls for the replacement of the police force by a people's militia.

The author talks about British Conservative Party leader David Cameron. According to him, Cameron's political practice is about image in which he works, not through positions but positioning, making his policies look to the left or to the right or just nicer than they actually are. He considers Cameron's repeated references to the breakdown of families, of communities and of the need to fix the Broken Society as explicitly patriarchal.