Sussex University
AROUND 80 people came to a meeting organised by the New Left Initiative at Sussex university in early March to discuss he threat of war with Iran. Kamran Matin a lecturer in Middle Eastern studies spoke about how any threat of war or an actual conflict would only strengthen the regime and help the government to crush the newly emerging grassroots pro-democracy movements. Synne Laaspad Dyvik talked about the problems of using the war on terror as a justification for ‘liberating women’. Jessica, a speaker from Smash EDO campaign, explained how arms companies benefit from the war mongering and the work of activists to try and shut these war profiteers down.
After a lively discussion activists met to discuss the next steps for the project – there was support for setting up a website and to ask Owen Hatherley, author of Militant Modernism to speak.
South London
Members of South London Anticapitalists organised a protests on the Boycott Workfare day of action on 3 March. 25 people toured through Brixton high street naming and shaming companies that use workfare labour. They got an excellent response from the public – an excellent start for the new organisation.
