Brexit Crisis

Labour must take full advantage of Johnson's weakness, argues Chris Nineham

Dragan Plavšić looks at what lies behind the arguments

All out for 29 September: Protest the Tory Party Conference, Central Manchester. Plus social care crisis, William Blake: artist and radical, how we won democracy, India's crackdown on Kashmir and more in this month's Counterfire freesheet

Trump’s foreign policy shake-up, Tory tensions, Lib Dem fantasies and sexual assault statistics all considered by Lindsey German 

Looking back at the last time Labour joined a national government, John Westmoreland argues it would be a mistake for Labour to consider it now

With his call for Labour to prioritise another referendum over a general election, the party’s deputy leader is undermining Jeremy Corbyn, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

There is nothing for Labour to gain from putting the ‘national interest’ first and delaying a general election, argues Shabbir Lakha

We need the Tories out now to end austerity and transform society: Lindsey German at the People's Assembly Against Austerity demo

Using Brexit as a trojan horse for Trumpism is proving a tougher ride than Johnson and Cummings might have imagined, observes Lindsey German 

Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s senior advisor, is a fake anti-establishment figure cut in the mould of Steve Bannon, argues Sean Ledwith

Labour needs to champion democracy to counter Boris Johnson and put forward a class-based approach to overthrow the government, argues Alex Snowdon

Working class voters will punish any Labour delay in taking down the Tories, argues John Rees

In this new timely book, John Rees analyses the Corbyn project from the moment Corbyn became Leader of the Labour Party in 2015 till today

The Corbyn Project: Dreams and Dangers, John Rees, Counterfire 2019

The Corbyn project stands in peril, inspiring the socialist dream in many but threatened on all sides by powerful enemies. John Rees has tracked the twists and turns of the story ever since Jeremy Corbyn was elected leader of the Labour Party. From the 'chicken coup' to Brexit, he analyses the prospects for socialist change and the dangers of defeat.

The left cannot fight Boris Johnson’s power grab if it appeals only to Remainers, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

Labour must get back to the priority of toppling Boris Johnson with a no confidence vote and reconnect with the movement on the streets, argues David McAllister

The latest attack on democracy by Boris Johnson highlights that the UK is not a union of equals, it's time for Scottish independence, argues Chris Bambery

The hard right have seized government and are now launching an attack on democracy, we have to fight back, argues Chris Nineham

Boris Johnson's undemocratic manoeuvres must be stopped by mass opposition on the streets, argues Lindsey German

Labour's decision to make a vote of no confidence the last resort is a retreat that keeps the Tories in power, argues Kevin Ovenden

Following on from his previous article, Mike Wayne analyses the collective breakdown of the liberal middle class as we inch towards Brexit

Boris Johnson and Priti Patel want to create a new hostile environment, but they can be stopped, argues Eleftheria Kousta

For the Liberal Democrats, a no deal Brexit seems preferable to a left wing Labour government under Corbyn, argues Alex Snowdon

Labour's Brexit strategy is not the 'fudge' the media describe it to be and is the most sensible approach given the circumstances, argues Mike Wayne

Boris Johnson is setting up a war cabinet, but at the same time has exposed just how crisis-ridden his government is from day one, argues Martin Hall

From Mandelson to millionaires with vested interests, the People's Vote campaign is run and funded by those who want to destroy the left, argues Martin Hall

No new Tory Prime Minister, protest the Tory party conference, revolt in Sudan, does modern monetary theory work, stop the drive to war with Iran, the British state and what Engels said about revolution in this month's Counterfire freesheet

The Labour left needs to start giving as good at it gets from its enemies or it will lose, argues Lindsey German  

The left should be the champions of democracy, but Labour backing a second referendum lets the right claim it instead, argues Lindsey German

Responding to Paul Mason's latest article, Shabbir Lakha argues that the left needs to be trying to unite working people against austerity, not divide them over Brexit

Brexit is not the most important issue facing working people, but in order to make that argument, Labour must stay the course, argues Martin Hall

In the week of the Trump visit, the left held the initiative, and now must keep it, argues John Rees

Trump is feeding a toxic resurgence of the pinstriped populist right, argues Sean Ledwith

The Trump protests will demonstrate the best elements of our movement, but these have to be broadened and developed to ensure real advances, argues Lindsey German      

European politics is increasingly fragmented, which poses important challenges but also opportunities for the radical left, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

Extra-parliamentary activity is still the key to shifting a Westminster logjam further solidified by the EU elections, argues Lindsey German 

The European election results show a catastrophe for the Tories, a bad night for Labour and the main beneficiary was Farage's Brexit Party, writes Alex Snowdon

Following Theresa May's resignation, Chris Nineham looks at her record as Prime Minister and what the left should do next

The only sensible option for the left in the EU elections is to vote for Labour, argues Shabbir Lakha

Tory collapse is only half the story; Corbyn’s Labour needs to sharply recalibrate around anti-austerity and class politics, argues Lindsey German

It’s the failure of centrist politics that fuels the rise of the populist right, but the centrists just don’t get it, argues John Rees

Protest against Trump's state visit, austerity and record levels of inequality, Algeria in revolt, Marxism made easy, Palestine, eco-demands and more in this month's Counterfire Freesheet

The Brexit Party’s theft of Corbyn’s anti-establishment thunder cannot be allowed to stand, argues Lindsey German

A general election with a People’s Brexit is our escape route from this Westminster quagmire, argues Lindsey German 

The local election results have been devastating for the Tories, and the lesson for Labour is that it must be bolder and more radical, argues Shabbir Lakha

Concessions to Labour’s remainers can only damage and disorientate the Corbyn project, argues Lindsey German  

Liberals muddying the waters around the WikiLeaks fallout is all about letting the warmongers off the hook, argues Lindsey German   

As Brexit drags on into the autumn, both opportunities and problems present themselves, argues Martin Hall

Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour must reorientate on class politics to create a bulwark against the right and the far right, argues Lindsey German

Brexit is a crisis that cuts deep into the ruling class and Theresa May's failures have brought to the fore the cracks in Britain's political system, argues Sean Ledwith

General Election Now has to be the clarion call for all those resisting war, austerity and inequality, argues Lindsey German

As Theresa May's disastrous reign draws to a close, Shabbir Lakha assesses the political landscape

Broad anti-fascist mobilisation is needed to smash the racists empowered by the government's Brexit mess, writes Chris Nineham

The Brexit deadlock can only be broken with a general election, writes David McAllister

With the establishment ruthlessly weaponising the issue of Europe against Corbyn, we must focus on the need for a general election, argues Chris Nineham

The soft coup against Corbyn and the weaponisation of antisemitism, Tory Brexit crisis, Winston Churchill, Venezuela, climate change, Palestine and more in this month's Counterfire Freesheet

Our side needs to stand firm in the face of Theresa May’s inversion of strong and stable, argues Lindsey German

The left must face up to the scale of the crisis and respond robustly, writes Jonathon Shafi

Theresa May blaming Parliament for her failures reveals her distaste for democracy and inability to keep her ship afloat, argues Morgan Daniels

Capitalism always has a pre-eminent form of racism; it’s our task to identify, locate and defeat it, argues Lindsey German

This week’s parliamentary back-and-forth shows the Tories cannot deliver Brexit and a general election is the only sensible outcome, argues Martin Hall

Theresa May's second catastrophic defeat in Parliament is a masterclass in Tory failure. The only way out is a general election, argues Shabbir Lakha

The second referendum announcement on Monday is exactly the kind of concession to the right that Jeremy Corbyn should not make, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

Labour announcing it will support efforts to push for a second referendum is a mistake, here's why:

Phony brinksmanship cannot conceal a party hopelessly out of step with the class it strives to represent, argues Lindsey German 

Labour must set out its post-Brexit vision firmly, argues Martin Hall

Waiting for the Tories to fail is a losing strategy, argues John Rees

The announcement of lay-offs in the automotive industry demands an effective response from Britain’s labour movement, writes Richard Allday in the first of his monthly series on industrial and trade union issues

The Brexit crisis is best understood through a strong methodological framework, argues John Rees

The resurgence of genocidal weaponry in a time of Trump is another indicator of a world in crisis that has to be changed, argues Lindsey German

Theresa May temporarily unites her party by appeasing the hard right Tories and DUP. Whether or not it lasts, we need an alternative plan for Brexit, argues Chris Nineham

US imperial adventurism is back with a vengeance and has to be called out clearly for what it is, argues Lindsey German  

Eyes on the prize that matters most, an end to both the Tory government and austerity, argues John Rees

The logjam shan’t be broken without a fight and the front line for our side is the urgent demand for a general election, argues Lindsey German

This government is sustained by class hatred alone.  But they are weak and we must keep up the pressure for a general election

After the catastrophic loss in Parliament, it's clear the Tories are unable to govern and Theresa May should already have resigned, argues Chris Nineham

Power concedes nothing without demand, and it's time we demand a general election to get the Tories out

Tory Brexit crisis, the fightback against austerity, Eurovision boycott campaign, Trump and Syria, remembering Rosa Luxemburg, Yellow Vests and protests across Europe in this month's Counterfire Freesheet

As Tory rule hits an unprecedented crisis, the left must keep its eyes on the prize: the boldest and strongest of Corbyn victories, argues Lindsey German

Slowing productivity and neoliberal attacks on the public sector are prime causes for industrial slump and a debt crunch - not Brexit uncertainty, writes Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

Thousands of people marched through London wearing yellow vests and demanding a General Election, reports Shabbir Lakha

Channel 4's feature-length drama on the EU referendum presents voters as dupes but also shows the cluelessness of the establishment, argues Martin Hall

The most popular articles on Counterfire this year

The only way forward for our side is an emboldened working class and a radical set of politics stage centre in the mainstream, argues Lindsey German  

We must demand a general election to resolve this crisis, argues Chris Nineham

Theresa May clinching the confidence vote solves nothing for her or the country, argues John Rees

There is no clear way out for May, and only one solution for the country - she has got to go

A number of contradictions are causing the Tories to lose grip; Reuben Bard-Rosenberg looks at why they have no clear way of holding on

Only a general election can break the impasse, and to make it happen we need to get out on the streets and pile the pressure on, argues Martin Hall

The Tories shan’t topple on their own, we need to build and maintain the pressure against them, argues Lindsey German

Newly appointed New Statesman economics commentator Grace Blakeley delivers compelling case for leaving the EU 

John Rees counts the days left for the Prime Minister

With growing calls for a second referendum, Martin Hall clarifies why we must not capitulate

If a Corbyn-led government is bound by the EU's framework, then it will face big obstacles in delivering its socialist policies, argues Tom Gibbs

John Rees on how Brexit is an expression of a crisis for one set of establishment ideas

Arguments tying opposition to fascism with opposition to Brexit makes out half the country as Tommy Robinson supporters. This is idiotic in the extreme, argues Kevin Ovenden

Theresa May and the EU are the beneficiaries of the idea that this deal is the only option - it's not. We need to oppose it and fight for a general election, argues Lindsey German

Brexit crisis, arms sales to Yemen, the devastation caused by austerity, tackling the far right, Palestine, books of the year and more in this month's Counterfire freesheet

The establishment's operation to save May's Brexit deal is in full swing. We have to make sure they can't find a way out of this crisis, argues Lindsey German

Liberals lament Britain leaving the European Union, but the politics of the bloc is increasingly right wing and nasty, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

The Tories are in crisis and are not fit to govern, argues Katherine Connelly 

May and her party are completely incapable of delivering a viable deal, writes Chris Nineham