Author Archives: Hugh Barnes

The Climate Election

MIKE DAVIES sets out the principles and issues — ignored by the major parties —on which he is standing for the AGS in Leeds North East This is an odd election. Although ‘odd’ scarcely covers it. The key issue facing the country, indeed all countries, is the environmental crisis. This is set to disrupt andContinue reading “The Climate Election”

Germany in crisis

TOBY ABSE warns of the shadow of the Far Right looming over the country’s forthcoming general election LAST autumn’s elections in three East German Lander had a significance that went far beyond the local, or even the national, causing shock waves all over Western Europe. Not only did they ultimately bring down Germany’s federal coalition,Continue reading “Germany in crisis”

A new cold war in China

Hugh Barnes considers the plight of the Uyghur Muslims of Xinjiang THE rise of China as an economic, political and military superpower is a fact of history. Within the next five years, the Chinese economy will overtake its American counterpart to become the largest in the world. Until a few years ago its rapid growth andContinue reading “A new cold war in China”

Editorial

The current issue of Green Socialist is the 100th since the journal began publication a quarter of a century ago. It is a significant milestone perhaps but also gives us pause for thought because what it signifies in many ways is how little progress has actually been made in the intervening period towards achieving the goals ofContinue reading “Editorial”

Bloody Sunday

Photo: Michael Barnes (seated, left) and family at his mother’s funeral in Dublin in 1988 Today is the centenary of Bloody Sunday, when the British army killed or fatally wounded 14 civilians during a Gaelic football match at Croke Park, Dublin. Here the former Labour MP Michael Barnes describes his parents’ walk-on (or drive-by) roleContinue reading “Bloody Sunday”

Green Socialist 111

The English title of a new film about the legendary singer-guitarist Stelios Kazantzidis, who popularised rebetiko, which is often called ‘the Greek blues’, may beguile some cinemagoers into thinking they are about to watch a biopic of the Cypriot entrepreneur, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the founder of EasyJet. Luckily, Stelios is much more interesting than that.Continue reading “Green Socialist 111”

Hybrid borders

Hugh Barnes casts an eye over the diversionary tactics of right-wingers trying to weaponise immigration ON 24th November, a rubber dinghy capsized off Calais and at least 27 people drowned. It was a human tragedy but also a political wake-up call. Crossing the English Channel in a small boat is the most dangerous way toContinue reading “Hybrid borders”