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Brexit Crisis
Brexit Crisis
Armoured cars and tanks and guns: the real story of the Irish troubles
Chris Bambery looks at the history of the Northern Ireland state - and the violence Britain was prepared to use to maintain it
Keir Starmer's Brexit opportunism
Starmer has confirmed that his manoeuvring on Brexit and a second referendum was always an anti-left operation used to attack Corbyn, argues Kevin Ovenden
Johnson's choice: no good Brexit options
Whichever way the prime minister looks, he is presented with a circle of problems that is becoming increasingly difficult to square, argues Martin Hall
Summer Brexit report: Britain drowns beneath the waves
As the UK reels under the double impact of the pandemic and recession, the Brexit deadline is coming over the horizon, argues Martin Hall
Leaving the EU: this is about what sort of society we want – and it isn’t Johnson’s
As Britain leaves the EU at 11pm tonight, the future is up for grabs, and the fight continues, argues Martin Hall
Jess fails to impress: so what’s next for Labour’s right? – weekly briefing
Lindsey German on post-Corbynism and the realities of Brexit
Johnson’s government is not invincible
Prospects for stopping the Tories can appear bleak following the general election, but Alex Snowdon argues that there are reasons to be hopeful
The Corbyn Project was defeated by the historic strengths of conservatism and liberalism
Mike Wayne takes stock of Labour's election defeat
Who knew: 52% of the population matter? - election briefing 29 November
Lindsey German on Labour’s privileging of Remain, Trump’s arrival, and double-standards
The true colours of the Brexit Party
Faced with the threat of a Corbyn-led government, Farage abandons all anti-establishment pretence, writes Martin Hall
Bolivia: whose side are you on? - election briefing 13 November
Lindsey German on Evo Morales and Farage’s gamble
It's going to be a tough battle, but Labour can win
There is only one way to get a government which wants to improve working people's lives - and that's by voting for Corbyn, argues Lindsey German
Johnson is planning the great escape, Labour mustn’t let him - weekly briefing
Class politics has to be our guiding light as we make ready for battles in Westminster and beyond, asserts Lindsey German
Labour must be anti-Establishment not pro-Remain
The buccaneer politics of Johnson’s deal has to be fought tooth-and-nail, argues Chris Nineham
The devil and the deep blue sea: Labour and Johnson’s deal
Final stage Brexit fatigue cannot be allowed to override fundamental class imperatives, argues Kevin Ovenden
Kick out the crooks - Counterfire freesheet October 2019
Tory crisis, Corbynism, drive to war with Iran, austerity, climate strikes and more in this month's Counterfire freesheet
Conservative Party Conference: don’t be fooled by the confidence trick
Conservative Party Conference revealed the Tories are weak but are relying on the Labour right to help them out, argues Katherine Connelly
A parliamentary crisis with no parliamentary solution - weekly briefing
The quagmire of the mainstream cannot conceal that there's more to politics than Westminster, writes Lindsey German
Steer left to beat Johnson's phoney populism
To get rid of the Tories, Labour must fight the status quo with radical class politics, argues Alex Snowdon
The left after Labour Party conference: don't let the spirit fade
Conference boosted the left but parliamentary pressures and compromises already threaten the Corbyn project, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
Boris Johnson is weak: Labour must not give him a Brexit lifeline
Labour must take full advantage of Johnson's weakness, argues Chris Nineham
What’s been going on in the Supreme Court?
Dragan Plavšić looks at what lies behind the arguments
Stop Boris' Coup - Counterfire Freesheet September 2019
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
Bolton’s gone but an oil war could be about to start - weekly briefing
Trump’s foreign policy shake-up, Tory tensions, Lib Dem fantasies and sexual assault statistics all considered by Lindsey German
Labour and a ‘national government’: how to dash the hopes of millions
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
Tom Watson is undermining Labour – it’s time to cut him loose
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
We need a general election now, whether it’s in the ‘national interest’ or not
There is nothing for Labour to gain from putting the ‘national interest’ first and delaying a general election, argues Shabbir Lakha
Stop Boris Johnson - general election now!
We need the Tories out now to end austerity and transform society: Lindsey German at the People's Assembly Against Austerity demo
The Boris burnout - weekly briefing
Using Brexit as a trojan horse for Trumpism is proving a tougher ride than Johnson and Cummings might have imagined, observes Lindsey German
Johnson’s rottweiler: the toxic tactics of Dominic Cummings
Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s senior advisor, is a fake anti-establishment figure cut in the mould of Steve Bannon, argues Sean Ledwith
Labour can only expose Johnson if they represent a radical opposition
Labour needs to champion democracy to counter Boris Johnson and put forward a class-based approach to overthrow the government, argues Alex Snowdon
Don’t overestimate Boris Johnson…
Working class voters will punish any Labour delay in taking down the Tories, argues John Rees
The Corbyn Project: Dreams and Dangers
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
Resistance to the Tory coup should be about democracy, not Europe
The left cannot fight Boris Johnson’s power grab if it appeals only to Remainers, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
No confidence in anti-democratic Boris Johnson
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
Westminster is broken, it's time for Scotland to quit
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 biggest attack on democracy since before universal suffrage
The hard right have seized government and are now launching an attack on democracy, we have to fight back, argues Chris Nineham
Boris Johnson proroguing Parliament is a Tory coup
Boris Johnson's undemocratic manoeuvres must be stopped by mass opposition on the streets, argues Lindsey German
Corbyn can't win if Labour won't bring down the government
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
Are the liberal middle class on the verge of a nervous breakdown?
Following on from his
previous article
, Mike Wayne analyses the collective breakdown of the liberal middle class as we inch towards Brexit
Border chaos: why Priti Patel's plans can be stopped
Boris Johnson and Priti Patel want to create a new hostile environment, but they can be stopped, argues Eleftheria Kousta
Swinson’s choice: better a no deal Brexit than Corbyn
For the Liberal Democrats, a no deal Brexit seems preferable to a left wing Labour government under Corbyn, argues Alex Snowdon
Despite the media consensus, Corbyn’s position on Brexit is the right one
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
Johnson's Cabinet: a turn right and no resolution in sight
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
The Millbank Militants: the forces behind People's Vote
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
Stop Boris: General Election Now - Counterfire Freesheet July 2019
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
There’s only one solution to Labour’s problems: the right have got to go - weekly briefing
The Labour left needs to start giving as good at it gets from its enemies or it will lose, argues Lindsey German
Labour's lost Leave voters
The left should be the champions of democracy, but Labour backing a second referendum lets the right claim it instead, argues Lindsey German
Socialists should be trying to unite working people, not divide them - a reply to Paul Mason
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
The dog didn’t bark, but it’s not been silenced: Labour’s Brexit policy
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
How the left can take the initiative
In the week of the Trump visit, the left held the initiative, and now must keep it, argues John Rees
Trump and Farage: gruesome twosome of the resurgent right
Trump is feeding a toxic resurgence of the pinstriped populist right, argues Sean Ledwith
‘If Adolf Hitler flew in today, they’d send a limousine anyway’ – weekly briefing
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
No centrist surge, but a fragmenting Europe: European elections explained
European politics is increasingly fragmented, which poses important challenges but also opportunities for the radical left, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
Send in the clowns - weekly briefing
Extra-parliamentary activity is still the key to shifting a Westminster logjam further solidified by the EU elections, argues Lindsey German
European elections: results and prospects
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
Why Theresa May is the most disastrous Tory PM ever
Following Theresa May's resignation, Chris Nineham looks at her record as Prime Minister and what the left should do next
The Brexit delusion: why you should vote Labour
The only sensible option for the left in the EU elections is to vote for Labour, argues Shabbir Lakha
Brexit, Boris and the battle ahead - weekly briefing
Tory collapse is only half the story; Corbyn’s Labour needs to sharply recalibrate around anti-austerity and class politics, argues Lindsey German
There is something happening here but you don’t know what it is, do you Mr Centrist?
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
Dump Trump: Protest the State Visit, June 3/4/5 - Counterfire freesheet May 2019
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
An insurgent right can only be fought by an insurgent left – weekly briefing
The Brexit Party’s theft of Corbyn’s anti-establishment thunder cannot be allowed to stand, argues Lindsey German
Theresa’s Titanic can’t be rescued by Labour - weekly briefing
A general election with a People’s Brexit is our escape route from this Westminster quagmire, argues Lindsey German
Local elections: a clear rejection of the Tories and austerity
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
An election we thought we wouldn’t have, and a vote we shouldn’t have – weekly briefing
Concessions to Labour’s remainers can only damage and disorientate the Corbyn project, argues Lindsey German
It’s badly wrong when whistleblowers rot in jail but war criminals walk free - weekly briefing
Liberals muddying the waters around the WikiLeaks fallout is all about letting the warmongers off the hook, argues Lindsey German
Brexit delayed: now what?
As Brexit drags on into the autumn, both opportunities and problems present themselves, argues Martin Hall
Referendum: first time farce, second time tragedy – weekly briefing
Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour must reorientate on class politics to create a bulwark against the right and the far right, argues Lindsey German
The Brexit crisis and the disintegration of Britain's political system
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
Bungled Brexit beggars belief - weekly briefing
General Election Now has to be the clarion call for all those resisting war, austerity and inequality, argues Lindsey German
Third time unlucky for Theresa May
As Theresa May's disastrous reign draws to a close, Shabbir Lakha assesses the political landscape
Brexit chaos and the far right: the racists must be stopped in their tracks
Broad anti-fascist mobilisation is needed to smash the racists empowered by the government's Brexit mess, writes Chris Nineham
Brexit deadlock: the only way out of this mess is a general election
The Brexit deadlock can only be broken with a general election, writes David McAllister
The Brexit crisis is so deep because it is about much more than Europe
With the establishment ruthlessly weaponising the issue of Europe against Corbyn, we must focus on the need for a general election, argues Chris Nineham
Keep fighting for Corbyn: Stop the attacks - Counterfire freesheet March 2019
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
She’s going down: now is not the time to prop up the Tories – weekly briefing
Our side needs to stand firm in the face of Theresa May’s inversion of strong and stable, argues Lindsey German
Brexit and the left: the crisis is not going away
The left must face up to the scale of the crisis and respond robustly, writes Jonathon Shafi
Brexit crisis continued: Theresa May's inept authoritarianism
Theresa May blaming Parliament for her failures reveals her distaste for democracy and inability to keep her ship afloat, argues Morgan Daniels
Call it by its name: Islamophobia, and it comes from the top – weekly briefing
Capitalism always has a pre-eminent form of racism; it’s our task to identify, locate and defeat it, argues Lindsey German
Brexit delayed: general election now!
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
May's Brexit deal is dead: we need a general election now
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 delusion
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 backing a second referendum is a mistake
Labour announcing it will support efforts to push for a second referendum is a mistake, here's why:
May delays again, and it’s all about holding the Tories together - weekly briefing
Phony brinksmanship cannot conceal a party hopelessly out of step with the class it strives to represent, argues Lindsey German
The strategy and tactics of Labour’s Brexit manoeuvring
Labour must set out its post-Brexit vision firmly, argues Martin Hall
Corbynistas! Up your game, or lose the game
Waiting for the Tories to fail is a losing strategy, argues John Rees
The problems in the automotive industry go deeper than Brexit
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
Marxism and the Brexit crisis
The Brexit crisis is best understood through a strong methodological framework, argues John Rees
There's no limit to nuclear war – weekly briefing
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
Tacking right with a smile. May has her moment.
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
Venezuela: a coup made in Washington: not for the first time – weekly briefing
US imperial adventurism is back with a vengeance and has to be called out clearly for what it is, argues Lindsey German
It’s austerity, stupid
Eyes on the prize that matters most, an end to both the Tory government and austerity, argues John Rees
Tories don’t want May’s deal, but they fear Labour: now’s the time to stand firm – weekly briefing
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
No confidence in May, and no confidence in this failing government: a general election is the only option
This government is sustained by class hatred alone. But they are weak and we must keep up the pressure for a general election
No government should survive this kind of rout. May must go.
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
This zombie Tory government has go to go, we need a general election
Power concedes nothing without demand, and it's time we demand a general election to get the Tories out
They've got to go! General election now - Counterfire freesheet January 2019
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
The travesty that is Theresa May’s government has to end – weekly briefing
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
As the UK economy stalls, it's not Brexit we should blame
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
Yellow Vests against austerity march through London - photos
Thousands of people marched through London wearing yellow vests and demanding a General Election, reports Shabbir Lakha
Brexit: the uncivil war - review
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
Our ten most popular articles of 2018
The most popular articles on Counterfire this year
The Tories want a national government because they want to break Corbyn - weekly briefing
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
The establishment seems to have forgotten we live in a parliamentary democracy: let's remind them
We must demand a general election to resolve this crisis, argues Chris Nineham
Theresa May: more than a lame duck, less than a dead duck
Theresa May clinching the confidence vote solves nothing for her or the country, argues John Rees
Whether Theresa May wins or loses this no confidence vote, her time is up
There is no clear way out for May, and only one solution for the country - she has got to go
The Tories are incapable of delivering Brexit: we must push them out and do it ourselves
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
May's deal is dead: this is what must happen next
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
There's only one way out of this mess, and that’s a general election – weekly briefing
The Tories shan’t topple on their own, we need to build and maintain the pressure against them, argues Lindsey German
Grace Blakeley vs the EU - video
Newly appointed New Statesman economics commentator Grace Blakeley delivers compelling case for leaving the EU
Theresa May fiddles while the country burns
John Rees counts the days left for the Prime Minister
Why we don’t need a second referendum
With growing calls for a second referendum, Martin Hall clarifies why we must not capitulate
5 things a Corbyn government can't do if we stay in the EU
If a Corbyn-led government is bound by the EU's framework, then it will face big obstacles in delivering its socialist policies, argues Richard Pratt
Notes on a dying ideology
John Rees on how Brexit is an expression of a crisis for one set of establishment ideas
Equating fascism with Brexit is disastrous, irresponsible and gives a hand up to Tommy Robinson
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
It’s still not a done deal – whatever May, Tusk and Juncker want to tell you - weekly briefing
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
End Foodbank Britain: General Election Now - Counterfire Freesheet December 2018
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
All hands on deck to save Theresa May’s ship from sinking – but what we need is a change of government - weekly briefing
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
A state of disunion: Europe after Brexit
Liberals lament Britain leaving the European Union, but the politics of the bloc is increasingly right wing and nasty, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
The New Project Fear
The Tories are in crisis and are not fit to govern, argues Katherine Connelly
May's Brexit deal is a dead duck: the only option now is a general election
May and her party are completely incapable of delivering a viable deal, writes Chris Nineham