What Next? - Guest Post

I am lucky enough to live with the man who wrote this.



Here is where we go next.

Going to get a lot of sniping from some about how it's impossible to change things from within the Labour Party in the coming days.

Apart from the fact that the Labour Party has shifted hugely leftwards in the past five years from under Blair and Brown to Miliband (and while it's not been as leftwards as a shift as I and many other people would have liked) the process itself has shown such pessimism to be based on a myth, there is this point: change doesn't happen without action, and if you'd rather sit on the sidelines and duck a very important fight, then that's your shout, though I hope it feels nice and breezy on that high horse of yours.

I spent about 13 years trying to build socialist alternatives to Labour, and each time, history has repeated itself; TUSC is dead in the water; Left Unity, stillborn. I tried. I tried damned hard to, and it just didn't work. All of this clamour that people are crying out for a left alternative to Labour is just hot air and deserved to be consigned to the dustbin of naff history along with the Rabbit mobile network and ice cream flavoured Monster Munch.

Roll up your sleeves and join with me to build the Labour Party we need to see. Sure, it's going to be hard, and there will be setbacks along the way, but I promise that we will motivate each other, I'll try to crack a smile and a joke or two along the way, but it will be worth it.

This is long game town now. No more shortcuts. No more trying to bypass the hard struggle. Game time now.

Also, to those who are going to moan about the Labour Party not being good enough for them:

If it's broken, then fix it.

Enough with the sideshows. Time to turn lemons into lemonade. And not the Tesco Value crap that's mostly artificial sweeteners and water; the good stuff, like you had on holiday, when you sat down by the beach, and took that first sip, and it made you go, "Damn, that's some good lemonade!"

It's not going to be easy, it's going to be a long hard road, with many traffic works and caravans in it. But we'll put on some good tunes, crack some (respectful, friendly, non-discriminatory) banter, but most of all, get somewhere.

The truth is, things like TUSC, Respect etc are very fun in the thick of it. You're moving around, there are lots of noises and people seem to be having fun. It's only when you get off when you realise that you've been on a merry-go-round all of this time. And while you're moving around on a merry-go-round, ultimately you're still in the same place you were before, just a bit dizzier maybe.

On the other hand, I have a coach. It's not full at the moment, and we need more people to get on board with it, because only when it's full can it move. (It's a nice coach, really. I got us one of those posh executive coaches that footballers use, with tables, a toilet, and decent AC - oh, and I've stocked the on-board fridge with that lemonade we made.)

So, come on the coach. The sat-nav might fuck us up a bit, but we'll figure out a map as we go, and have fun getting there.

Click here to join the coach: https://join.labour.org.uk/

OK, so now that I've pretty much alienated many of my followers on here with some harsh thoughts, this is one for everyone.

The Tories are coming. They are coming for our jobs. They are coming for our pay packets. They are coming for our social security. They are coming for our pensions, our maternity and paternity pay and leave, they are coming for all of the meagre concessions we have been able to squeeze out of them over the past few years. And they will not rest until they stand aloft the mountain of broken people, closed workplaces and P45s, gorged and bloated on their own selfish greed.

If you're not in a trade union, join.

Join right now. Stop reading this status update and join one now. Click here to find the right union for you: www.tuc.org.uk/join-union

It's OK, I'll wait.

...

Joined? Super. But here's the thing; that was the easy bit, you probably had your bank details nearby. Here's the hard - but necessary bit.

Recruit your work mates. Recruit your uni mates, drinking mates, 5 a side mates, bowling mates, your neighbours, everyone. But especially your workmates. Because that's going to be the critical bit. Unions are built in workplaces because that's where our true power really is.

Once you've done that, get involved. Become a shop steward. Go down to branch meetings. Speak up in the debates. Write and submit motions. Have your say. Go to conferences. Go to seminars. Get involved in equality groups if you can. Stand for NEC. You'll win some, you'll lose some, but the union will be stronger for doing so.

Think you're in a well paid, decent job with a nice boss? Work for an NGO or for someone like Google where you think you don't need unions? Join a union, because that's the only way you'll still have a well paid decent jobs. Unions are not for 'other people who have it harder'. They are for you too.

Are you an unemployed worker? There's a place in the union family for you too. Join Unite Community, join a union (many will accept unemployed members) and get involved in their community and campaigning work.

But most of all - don't run to the union when there is a problem. Be the union. Wear your union badge with pride, and get others to be a part of the change Britain's workplaces need to see.

Ave Maria - December 2014 Round Up

Listening to the Stevie Wonder version of Ave Maria in bed and have decided that it is time.

Regular readers will know I always do a december post on here. I usually do it much earlier in the month than this but I was struggling to find a unifying theme. I have it now so here we go.

Been a hell of a year 2014. I started it hopeful that I would get out of my depression, that things would magically get better at work and that  wouldn't feel the soul crushing dragging feeling of anxiety and loss.

In February my beloved Uncle Brian died unexpectedly. Because of the appalling way bio mum was treated I ended up falling out with 2 of my cousins at a time when we should have been leaning on each other.  Amazing how they didn't really want to know him the whole time I was caring for him but as soon as they thought there was some money they were suddenly the doting bereaved children. I will never forgive them for not letting me go to his flat one last time so I could say goodbye to the man who called me the daughter he should have had, nor will I forgive them for treating his sister so callously at her time of deep loss.

I miss you every day Uncle Brian. I miss your laugh and your silly sayings and your support and passion. But you know what? When you died I had no doubt about how you felt about me and I know you knew how much I loved you and that is a gift. Also, I am back speaking to Mum. We're taking it slowly but we are getting there. And I am even closer to Ian and Kelly now. I think you would be proud of me. I love you.

In March I accepted voluntary redundancy. My health was suffering due to bullying by management and by certain members of PCS. I had truly had enough. I had low energy, I was anxious and tired all the time, I couldn't stop crying and could barely leave the flat.

It was a massive decision to make but by then the bullying in PCS had got so bad that I was actively looking forward to leaving. It saps your energy when you are being bullied. So much so that you get paranoid about where the next attack is coming from. You stop trusting people. You feel really isolated. All because I refused to be anyone's puppet and tried to make things better for my members.

In May I attended my last PCS conference. I was on the Group SOC and we were told more than once that it was the best conference for years. We worked hard to give the branches the conference they wanted and we withstood the battering and bullying from certain factions of the GEC and stuck to our guns because dammit, it was IMPORTANT to us to make sure that PCS was actually member led. My health was still quite bad but at NDC I argued and won for a policy supporting sex workers, argued and won a policy supporting abortion rights in Northern Ireland and argued and won reaffirmation of affiliation to Abortion Rights.

Then I went off sick.

And that was when it started to get better. I took my wife and daughter person to Glastonbury. I had a couple of wobbles while I was there but I got to see Dolly Parton mutha truckas! Watching the daughter person start to come out of themselves was amazing and so was seeing Skrillex, Massive Attack and my new faves Dub Pistols. I missed Metallica as I was sobbing in my tent having a panic attack but you can't win them all.

Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival was awesome. I got Owen Jones drunk, had a picture of me, him, MJ and a polar bear nicked by the dick splash Guido Fawkes and got to have a walkie talkie. Also did the martyrs walk for the first time. I love Tolpuddle, it is really hard work but it recharges the old trade union batteries like nothing else does. And I bumped into the main bully from my branch who tried to talk to me.

I told him to fuck off.

Which was nice.

I also left my job of 11 years.

I thought there would be a magical ending of the depression when I finally left. Took me months to recover properly.

Going to Reading where I finally saw the World's Sexiest Ginger (Josh Homme) helped somewhat.

September I started my new job. I love it. I am doing trade union organising full time now and I am doing it with full support of a manager and colleagues. Amazing what I can get done when I am not being bullied!

What else have I been up to?  I went zombie walking, reclaiming the night, to a feminist comedy night and to the Dum Tee Dum Awards where I won caller of the year! People like to take the piss out of me for my love of The Archers but sod them, I love it and when (if) I grow up I want to be Lillian. I am already there with the love of gin and ciggies and a dirty cackle, but I do manage to do my own knitting.

December is now. And how am I coping? Much better. I am still not completely right. I still have my wobbles and I have a hole in my heart where my two sons should be (long story, another time perhaps) but for once I am really really enjoying it. I am far more comfortable in my own skin and far more confident in my abilities. And I got a fuck tonne of really great tattoos.

So what is the unifying theme?

Love and family.

There have been some truly dreadful happenings this year. Reeva Steenkamp not really getting anything that felt like justice. Boko Haram stealing women with seeming impunity. Palestinian children being murdered by Israel. Dude bros going on killing sprees because they didn't get their dicks wet.

We have more people using food banks than ever before. We have disabled people dying and the Tories not giving a shit. Peshawar.

So much darkness in the world. It threatens to drown me and then...

I have The Lovely. I have The Wife Lady. I have the daughter person. I have my cousin and his fiancee. I have me Mam. I have The Bear. I have Ada and the Mahanga.The Clangers, Lovely Tina, Comrade, Torty, Abbi. I have friends and colleagues who care about me. I have love. I have support.

As previously mentioned I have a fuck tonne of really cool tattoos!

This year has been getting better and better. I may not ever be out of the depression woods but I am learning to live with it because I have people who love me not in spite of it but because of it.

Do I miss my old job? No. I am sad that the public have nowhere to get face to face advice on tax but I don't miss being a civil servant. Those people deserve any payrise they get as they are trampled on, undervalued and discarded without a thought by an uncaring government who wants to try to convince you that they are the ones that should pay for the economy being in the shit.

Do I miss PCS? No. It is imploding and is not the union I joined all those years ago. I implore those who are left to fight hard to keep it going and to stop the fucking infighting and hubris that means it is on the brink of destruction.

You are better than this. You can be better than this.

Stop it now.

Do I hate my depression? No.

It's a part of me. I have learned to accept that.

I love you all. I am not even exaggerating when I say I could not do any of this without you. You are my strength, my heart, my passion and my all.

Thank you for my life.

Have a great rest of december and may 2015 be better for all of us.

Deeva xxx

On PCS Sex Worker Policy UPDATED

Are you a PCS member?

Remember Resolution A27 from Conference? The one that asked us to consult about a sex worker policy?

You know, the one where I thundered that a worker was a worker was a worker?

Well, here is my Branch response to the 5 questions the consultation paper asked. Massive thanks to Dr Ana Lopes from UWE Bristol for her help with this.

Now that I have the full consultation paper here I am reproducing the whole repsonse document, INCLUDING all that we thought wrong with the paper in the first place.

I would be very grateful if you could get your Branches to respond too. The response needs to go to equality@pcs.org.uk by 18th October

1. Branch Response to SW policy paper.
   
   Consultation Document on A27, a response
   
   The document has been obviously had a good amount of work invested in it.  Unfortunately in an effort to not offend anyone from either side of the argument on this it patently fails to address and confront the deeper issues.  There are time and again an implied gender bias across the document that this is only a women’s issue, it applies only to those who were born a woman and not those who have transitioned from one gender to another and that any woman who chooses to be a SW can only be doing so under duress from an influencing male.  This is seen in information presented in support and opposition of the view of whether or not there should be a policy.  (capital P below means page)
   
   P5 implied gender bias, it implies with some of the language used (particularly in para 2) that it is only women (and women who are of an age to consent) that this impacts.  It also implies by omission that this is only a heterosexual issue (although later does address that sexual orientation identity and practise may not be the same, but does not expand on this or explain why men may have sex with men but identify as heterosexual etc).  It would be beneficial that in future work like this that because of an unconscious bias of many readers, that they should specifically state that SW are not limited to women, who were women at birth but that it is an issue for women, men, this who are or have transitioned gender, who are heterosexual, homosexual and any SO in between.
   Paragraph 3 on P5 coyly avoid any strong language in regard to illegal trafficking of people and that this is effectively slavery and could/should/must be viewed differently from and not confused with those who have freely consented to participate as a SW
   
   P8 you should define LGBT and not assume that everyone understands what is meant by it, even amongst PCS branches.  It is important to not confuse sexual orientation (LGB) with gender transition, change or non-binary status that may be considered by the individual to place them within the Trans community (T).  This paragraph garbles the situation.
   
   P9 ‘men enter sex work for different reasons’ from who?  ‘Come from different backgrounds’ from who?  ‘Have different life experiences’ from who?  ‘Not all male sex workers have support needs’ but all women do?  Why is there such an explicit gender bias?  Is this evidenced??
   
   P10 information presented seems to seek to confuse not inform any decision, is this actually relevant at this point?  Is there information missing to lead into and clarify this information?
   
   P11 4th question, seems to be very one sided in presentation.  What is the GMB experience of organising SW?  What are GMB Sisters experience of organising with SW?  Why is it not here?
   
   P12-14 Seems to be situation and fact and an absence of consideration that SW are people and this section feels like SW are objects not people, I’m sure that this is an unintended consequence in presenting the evidence without any emotional bias.
   
   P15 second bullet point;- ‘yet women, trans, male…’ Trans what?  Trans it vans???  Those who have undergone or are undergoing gender transition are people not objects.  This and every other use of ‘trans’ must be in future modified to acknowledge that they are people by simply saying ‘trans people’ (or in specific cases ‘trans woman’ or ‘trans man’).  It implies an unconscious bias against LGBT people that Trans and LGB SW are to be objectified and dehumanised (same at 6th bullet point).  There may be an implied unconscious bias here to demonstrate the argument against SW and that they are exploited people, but if your argument is thus, please be explicit.
   
   Now to the questions 
   
   Is sex work a trade union issue?
   
   Yes. Sex work has been hotly debated within feminism of the 1st and 2nd waves – therefore, it became seen as largely a feminist, gender issue. However, sex worker voices have changed the picture and reclaimed the labour character of their activity.
   
   Sex workers themselves have demanded union representation and membership as a basic labour right. 
   
   Sex work isn’t unique in the way that they face exploitation, violence and or abuse. There are plenty of industries that face these but already have trade union representation and protection. 
   
   There are many similarities between sex work and other work. It is work and therefore a trade union issue. This is also about equality and equality should be the cornerstone of every trade union.
   
   Health and safety being one of the other cornerstones must be relevant to sex work, especially regarding HIV/AIDS. Trade unions have an important role to play here.
   
   Should sex workers be considered as workers and have employment rights?
   
   If we accept as above that sex work is a trade union issue then yes, sex workers should be considered workers. Dismissing the whole industry as abuse is patronising and denies the lived experience of sex workers who chose to be in the industry. Situations where people are forced into commercial sexual activities should be dealt with as abuses and are already covered by law. Not making a distinction between forced and consensual sex work means that resources that should be channelled to prevent and deal with real abuses are being wasted. 
   
   Abuses faced by sex workers are the same abuses that are faced by other vulnerable workers in low status jobs in the informal economy and yet we wouldn’t question whether cleaners, bar staff etc are actually workers and ‘deserve’ employment rights. 
   
   The title is in the name. Sex workers. And workers should have employment rights.
   
   Should trade unions organise sex workers?
   
   
   Yes. In fact there are already unions that do organise these workers. GMB and Unite have sex worker branches. There is also the International Sex Workers Union (ISWU). Also unions organise already in Argentina, Germany, the Netherlands and Greece.
   
   There is a temptation to make judgement calls on the type of sex work. It isn’t all about prostitution, it includes chat lines, sauna, pornography, massage parlours, the list is endless. It could even include being an Ann Summers representative. 
   
   The temptation is to decide that certain sex work is more acceptable than other types. I have heard that we can support people working on chat lines but not those working in rape porn. This is naivety at work and a lack of understanding about separating the work from the worker. No one would say that we shouldn’t organise traffic wardens or tax officers as they recognise that while they may loathe the work they do that there are workers attached to the work and these workers need the unions. 
   
   A worker is a worker is a worker. And workers need to be unionised.
   
   
   Should PCS support the criminalisation of purchasers and/or providers of sexual services?
   
   In short, no. Criminalising purchasers (clients) would only move the problems to other areas and push sex workers to more isolated areas making them even more vulnerable. The Swedish model where they criminalised everything shows that this would be the case. Sex workers would be even harder to reach by support services. As the demand went up and the supply became less prices would rise. Sex workers would lose time to negotiate safe sex and assess the client. The police get tip offs about abuse and bad practice from purchasers and they would be far less likely to come forward with information about trafficking etc if they were further criminalised. 
   
   Criminalisation will only deter the ‘nice’ clients, not the nasty ones. This becomes a health and safety in the workplace issue as the nasty ones are less likely to use condoms and are more likely to be abusive and put sex workers in physical danger.
   The same kind of danger that seeing sex work as ‘wrong’, ‘bad’ or dirty puts sex workers in. There is a feeling that sex workers need ‘rescuing’ from their lives. Where this will be the case when sex workers are being abused, as already mentioned, those cases should be dealt with under the law on abuse (Offenses Against a Person Act 1981) and should not be informing the debate on whether or not a person who willingly undertakes sex work should be persuaded because of moral judgements not to do so. 
   
   Nor is it just austerity that ‘forces’ people into sex work. Anecdotally there are plenty who don’t go into sex work to pay the bills but to go on holiday, festivals etc. We must get away from the moral judgements and see this as work. Criminalisation will not end sex work. It is called the oldest profession for a reason and is a growing industry. 
   
   We have to protect and not demonise the workers.
   
   Should PCS develop a policy regarding the treatment by the employer of members with secondary or prior work in the sex industry?
   
   Yes. This is trade unionism 101. It should always be that we protect and support workers. Unsure as we are about whether it needs a separate policy, sex work should not be seen as bringing the department into disrepute and all other conduct and discipline policies should cover this aspect of other work.
   
   We already have policy that says that members have to get permission to do other work outside the department. Members engaged in sex work may well fall foul of this. Hence it is vital that PCS has policy on sex work and sex workers so that we may properly protect and support our members that take part in it.
   
   

On Being Furious At People Missing The Fucking Point

I was a bit hot and bothered last night and it made me grumpy. The Lovely was sleeping but I was too restless. Then I saw something on Twitter that pissed me the fuck off so I went on a bit of a rant using the hashtag #missingthefuckingpoint.

I thought I'd reproduce and add to it here. Explaining the things that made me so angry. It wasn't all on the one day, this had been coming a while and it felt good to get that rage out.

Buckle up, this is going to be a bumpy ride. Here we go...

'Not all men are sexist assholes. Some of us are trying to do the right thing and get you the equality you want'

No. Equality is mine by right, not because I want it. You want to be a good feminist ally? Listen and understand that by choice or not you are part of the patriarchy that damages us all. I'm sure you are a nice guy but being all defensive about your gender is not forwarding making that gender unimportant.

If you try to tell me that not all men are sexist assholes you are #missingthefuckingpoint

The campaign to keep women on banknotes. Yes, I know there are other fish to fry but actually this is important to people. We are capable of campaigning on more than one issue at a time you know.  Try actually taking five minutes to sign the bloody petition rather than snarking from the fucking sidelines and coming up with bullshit reasons why this isn't important. Besides,

Yes, I do understand that the queen is a woman and on every banknote #missingthefuckingpoint

Bloody rape culture and victim blaming gets everywhere. Despite the fact that a woman is more likely to be raped by a partner in her own home or by someone else she knows than being snatched off a dark street. I have written about this at length and I suppose I will keep doing so till it stops.

If you think that women are more in danger of rape while wearing revealing clothes #missingthefuckingpoint

Tell you who isn't though, the amazing End Victim Blaming campaign. They are making the point over and over again. Click on the link anyone who thinks any blame at all should rest with the abused. Go on, educate yourself. And keep that victim blaming shit the fuck out of my face.

Oh yes, while I'm at it, EVERY woman, regardless of gender assignment at birth is my sister. That is it. Not difficult. If you identify as a woman you are a woman. I don't fucking CARE what you have between your legs. I will defend your right to equality.

Claim to be a feminist and yet exclude trans* women? #missingthefuckingpoint

This one should be self explanatory really. Can't believe I have to say it. My body, my choice.

If you think abortion should only be available in cases of incest or rape #missingthefuckingpoint

Don't even think about telling me that women have equality. Don't even think that. Don't say that. Don't even allude to it. I will kick your fucking deluded ass while I explain how we don't.

I see my sisters all over the world being denied autonomy and being treated like chattel. Think I won't be angry? #missingthefuckingpoint

I'm also sick and tired of the division that means the Tories and Lib Dems are able to decimate a society I was once proud of. We will never defeat them if we spend our time being the People's Front of Judea or the Judean People's Front. It's pathetic and it turns people off. The very people who we need to be our army are waiting in the wings to fight while we argue about which strategy is the right one while excluding all the others. Here's an idea, how about we actually fucking unite and realise we have a common cause and merge the strategies where possible for maximum effect?

If you are a left winger spending time provoking and berating other left wingers then guess what... #missingthefuckingpoint

This one took a few to get across. Being a feminist to me is about choice. Not being part of an army with a uniform. It is about the individuals coming together for a common cause. I can't stand the idea that if I don't dress a certain way, look a certain way, have a body hair then I can't be a 'proper' feminist.

If you grow your leg/armpit hair because that's what feminists do #missingthefuckingpoint

Be hairy or smooth. Makes no odds to me but if you do either to conform to an ideal then you are #missingthefuckingpoint

One of my followers put it better than me. She has a protected account so I won't publish her name but she was bang on!

doing shit to fit an ideal is absurd to me. Doing what makes you happy is the way forward.

This last section was about my utter fucking contempt for those against Equal Marriage. What business is it of yours what people do? How the fuck does it impact on your marriage if I wed a woman? Keep the fuck out of my business and I will stay out of yours.

Think that what consenting adults do in the bedroom is any of your damn business then you are definitely #missingthefuckingpoint

This, from the amazing @midweshtener.

If you berate or disdain other folk for life choices that have absolutely no impact on you, you may well be #missingthefuckingpoint

And this from me.

If your god is more important to you than the people around you then you are #missingthefuckingpoint

Rage expelled for a while I went to sleep.

Then.

I woke up to the news that George Zimmerman has been acquitted for the murder of Trayvon Martin. Not exactly a shock to be honest to wake up to the news that Black American's sons can now be hunted down and killed with impunity.

However.

If you think that the potential for a riot after this verdict is the biggest threat then you are royally missing the fucking point.

The biggest threat is that the verdict will create more George Zimmermans.

*sigh* I lost Twitter followers after my rant last night but I refuse to apologise. When the world stops making me angry I will stop ranting. I will live in a world where race, sexuality, gender, disability, none of that shit will make a difference.

But that isn't today, and I can't see it being any time soon so I will continue to speak my truth.

If you think I won't or that I give a flying fuck of what you think of me for doing so then you are MISSING THE FUCKING POINT.

On Mourning Thatcher Or Not

This post was written by my twin @calmconfusion She is bloody awesome and I am proud to have her guest on my blog.

To those that know me, you know I am not heartless or unsympathetic by nature, but you also know, I will tell it as I see it, and as I see status's having a go at people who are not saying lovely things about Thatcher, then I am going to join in and make my position known.

To those who tell me I shouldn't speak out against Thatcher because she is dead, I say this... I am no hypocrite, I loathed her while alive, so why would you expect me to now think otherwise?

To those who tell me it's a matter of respect for her family. I say this... Where were you with your talk of respect for family when she destroyed the lives and families of so, so many people, it's is these families I think of now, these families that my heart goes out to.

For those of you who tell me she's dead now, it's over, move on. I say this... The people cannot and will not forget the pain and suffering she rejoiced in causing.

The truth is dead or alive her legacy lives on, division and inequality... Where is our industry? She was homophobic, she privatised everything she could (subsequent governments have followed because she made it possible). She destroyed trade unions because they gave voice to the people she wanted to destroy, the working class.

And so, I have no objection to you updating your statuses mourning her death, but I am still mourning her life.

We must learn from history, to do that we cannot, must not forget.

Freedom of speech, this is how I feel, if you feel otherwise that's your right.

I have seen some fantastic debates take place on social media today, and for the most part I have observed that those speaking out against Thatcher have a lot of facts to back up their opinions, those speaking in favour are mainly just arguing the point that she has a family, so we should be nice, and she was a woman PM.

WhoopeeDooo... She had a fanny... She was still a nasty piece of work!

*** 

Just in case you forgot:

Thatchers record....

1. She supported the retention of capital punishment

2. She destroyed the country's manufacturing industry

3. She voted against the relaxation of divorce laws

4. She abolished free milk for schoolchildren ("Margaret Thatcher, Milk Snatcher")

5. She supported more freedom for business (and look how that turned out)

6. She gained support from the National Front in the 1979 election by pandering to the fears of immigration

7. She gerrymandered local authorities by forcing through council house sales, at the same time preventing councils from spending the money they got for selling houses on building new houses (spending on social housing dropped by 67% in her premiership)

8. She was responsible for 3.6 million unemployed - the highest figure and the highest proportion of the workforce in history and three times the previous government. Massaging of the figures means that the figure was closer to 5 million

9. She ignored intelligence about Argentinian preparations for the invasion of the Falkland Islands and scrapped the only Royal Navy presence in the islands

10. The poll tax

11. She presided over the closure of 150 coal mines; we are now crippled by the cost of energy, having to import expensive coal from abroad

12. She compared her "fight" against the miners to the Falklands War

13. She privatised state monopolies and created the corporate greed culture that we've been railing against for the last 5 years

14. She introduced the gradual privatisation of the NHS

15. She introduced financial deregulation in a way that turned city institutions into avaricious money pits

16. She pioneered the unfailing adoration and unquestioning support of the USA

17. She allowed the US to place nuclear missiles on UK soil, under US control

18. Section 28

19. She opposed anti-apartheid sanctions against South Africa and described Nelson Mandela as "that grubby little terrorist"

20. She support the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and sent the SAS to train their soldiers

21. She allowed the US to bomb Libya in 1986, against the wishes of more than 2/3 of the population

22. She opposed the reunification of Germany

23. She invented Quangos 24. She increased VAT from 8% to 17.5%

25. She had the lowest approval rating of any post-war Prime Minister

26. Her post-PM job? Consultant to Philip Morris tobacco at $250,000 a year, plus $50,000 per speech

27. The Al Yamamah contract

28. She opposed the indictment of Chile's General Pinochet

29. Social unrest under her leadership was higher than at any time since the General Strike

30. She presided over interest rates increasing to 15%

31. BSE 

32. She presided over 2 million manufacturing job losses in the 79-81 recession

33. She opposed the inclusion of Eire in the Northern Ireland peace process

34. She supported sanctions-busting arms deals with South Africa 

35. Cecil Parkinson, Alan Clark, David Mellor, Jeffrey Archer, Jonathan Aitkin

36. Crime rates doubled under Thatcher

37. Black Wednesday – Britain withdraws from the ERM and the pound is devalued. Cost to Britain - £3.5 billion; profit for George Soros - £1 billion

38. Poverty doubled while she opposed a minimum wage

39. She privatised public services, claiming at the time it would increase public ownership. Most are now owned either by foreign governments (EDF) or major investment houses. The profits don’t now accrue to the taxpayer, but to foreign or institutional shareholders.

40. She cut 75% of funding to museums, galleries and other sources of education

41. In the Thatcher years the top 10% of earners received almost 50% of the tax remissions

42. 21.9% inflation.

So no. I don't think either of us will weep for Thatcher. We will fight to end Thatcherism together. Till our dying breaths. 

You can either join us or wail.

You choose

On Coming Out - Three Little Words

Finally did it. Finally joined PCS Proud. Been meaning to do it for a while but I wasn't ready.

I needed to be sure of myself, I needed to be sure of my family, I needed to be sure that I was doing it for the right reasons.

And I wasn't fully out yet.

That this was the case might surprise some of you who are used to me being REALLY open about most aspects of my life. I've talked on here about rape, violence, low self esteem, my eating disorder, my mental health, damn, there wasn't much left to talk about except my sexuality!

So why didn't I?

Because it was a secret. And had been kept secret for a very long time. Those who knew me very well knew of course but my bisexuality had been held back by a series of three little words...

CAN I WATCH?

No, as it happens you fucking can't. You don't want to watch me have sex with men I suppose? Didn't think so. You fetishise my sexuality and expect me to be there for your gratification. Fuck you. Actually, I'd rather not. (See also, Man, that's hot)

YOU'RE JUST GREEDY

No, as it happens, I'm not. I just happen to be attracted to both sexes.

YOU'RE JUST CONFUSED

No, as it happens, I'm not. There is nothing confused about my being sexually attracted to both women and men. I was only ever confused when I was trying to deny my sexuality to myself. Pointless exercise, but hey there was a reason. And that was...

DON'T TELL ANYONE

The Big Ex this was. He knew when we met, but was embarrassed about it. If I told anyone he would jump on his grumpy trike and take a couple of laps around the block. Then he would sulk. For weeks sometimes, so even though my nearest and dearest knew, it wasn't something that got mentioned in 'polite company'. Fucking asshole.

So, what made me finally come out?

Three more little words.

I LOVE YOU

Finally I have that without question. It isn't a way of controlling me, not supressing me, it just is. And about bloody time too.

I ACCEPT YOU

Oh by the seven this has been heady stuff! To be accepted for exactly who I am? Wow! I know I shouldn't rely on others' acceptance to accept myself but hey, goddesses are human too and it has helped.

I TRUST YOU

Finally!!!!! Someone who understands that just because I am attracted to women and men that this does not mean that I am going to cheat on them. It isn't an addiction. It isn't something I can't control. I am not constantly on the prowl. It's just a thing about me.

And finally. The other three words that meant I could come out.

YEAH, ME TOO...

There are a lot of us about. And we are just people. And some of us are in long term relationships with men. And some of us are single. And some of us are just bumbling along.

Tell you what we're not though.

Confused. Greedy. Indecisive.

Just bisexual.

Something Rotten In The State of the SWP?

Nick Cohen has written an article on why the left are not good feminists.

What a shame it doesn't actually say an awful lot about feminism.

What is does, purposefully or not, is tar all far left organisations as rapists.

When I saw Cohen's article, it had been tweeted with the accompanying statement 'why the far left rape'. And I couldn't let that go unanswered.

And this is why.

Apart from the fact that the SWP isn't the entirety of the far left, the far left do not rape, it is individuals who rape.

Tarring everyone with the same brush is in itself anti feminist. All it does is enable those who would rape by hiding them in plain sight. If all far left wingers are expected to rape then this is not going to be a problem is it? It is actually, in its own strange way rape apology.

Yes, there has and continues to be something very wrong in the hierarchy of the SWP when a woman who has been brave enough to speak out about rape is not supported, Yes, there is something very wrong when rather than support her through the extremely dicey waters of the British Justice System, a system that we know is anti women and prone to the same rape apology and slut shaming misogyny as the rest of society, they decide to do the 'justice' in house. Yes, there is something very wrong when any subsequent court case would now be tarnished precisely because of this kangaroo court that saw the accused walk free. (aside: what the fuck could they have done but expel him had they found him guilty for fucks sake?)

But you know what?

Not all far left organisations are like that. Cohen tarring them all with the same something is rotten in the state of the SWP brush is wrong headed lazy journalism at best. At worst it is, or at least appears to be a personal axe to grind.

I am not a member of the SWP, nor would I ever condone what has occurred here, but I am a member of a left wing faction in my union. It isn't perfect, not in any way, shape or form but it does take rape very seriously. And is trying to educate itself into being a better feminist ally.

And what of those who hold far left political views who are not in any organisation? Are they just waiting for their chance to rape unsuspecting women? No. Not all of them. And to suggest, even tacitly, that being a far left winger means that you are is offensive, insulting and just plain wrong. Worse, it feeds into the rape culture it is fighting against.

And what of those SWP members who are trying to do the right thing? In an organisation that is as shady as Cohen is trying to paint it we would never have known anything had happened at all. But we have. It has been shouted from the rooftops by those who are defending their female comrades and railing against the very misogynist rape culture that enabled this to happen.

I find myself wondering, is this actually a political issue? (I mean, apart from the fact that feminism, rape, rape culture and misogyny is always political) Is this a left v right thing?

I was asked what I would be saying if it were a right wing organisation. I examined my own bias, as a left winger and came up with this.

I would say that there are some rapists in the far right. I would say that those individuals are responsible for their own behaviour. I would say that rape culture and misogyny had something to do with it. I would point out that misogyny and rape culture are embedded in the policies of the far right in a way that it isn't in the far left. I would also say that though I abhor far right politics with every fibre of my being, see my post on 28,000 votes the BNP got in the London Mayoral Election, that I would applaud anyone who brought this to light.

I would say that this is a right v wrong issue.

And I would applaud anyone who brings misogyny, rape culture, victim blaming or slut shaming to light.

The far left doesn't rape. People rape.

Cohen would do well to remember that.

If Not Now Then When?

I finished work early today with the intention of coming home and working on my speech for the TUC on monday, but found myself uninspired.

So I farted about on You Tube for a bit. I listened to a bit of Tevin Campbell and some vintage Al B Sure. It made me nostalgic for the 80's and 90's.

I thought back to what I was doing then. I was living under a Conservative government. I was a single mother on benefits. I lived in a council flat with my rent paid and looked after my baby. I wanted to work, but seriously couldn't afford it. I lived on bugger all money. I walked every where, I went without a social life. I never went on holiday. You know, the things that we are supposed to take for granted as everyday.

But you know what? With all of that I felt richer then than I do now 24 years on.

My baby is all grown up and planning a family of his own. I am again living under a Conservative government. Now I work. Full time. I pay my own rent. I live on bugger all money. I walk everywhere. I go without a social life. I can't remember the last time I went on holiday.

So nothing has changed it would seem. The poor are still scum. Immigration is still the cause of all ills. I am still  disgusted by what I see and I still feel the need to fight injustices.

I would say that some things are worse. I am a trade unionist and proud to be so. On monday starts the TUC Conference and I will be there and will be proud to be there. The first motion up is on Trade Union rights and how they don't actually conform to the Human Rights Act.

We have had our power and strength eroded by successive governments for years. Now is the time to take the power back. Who could have seen the communal stroll last saturday and not have felt that this was the time? Who could have seen the March For The Alternative and not have felt that this was the time? Who could have witnessed the mass strike action on June 30th and not felt that this was the time?

This is why I am proud to be part of the trade union movement and why I will be proud to be representing PCS next week at Congress.

But I'm even more proud of what I will be doing on sunday. There is a lobby of the TUC https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=222515987782045 . Now I know that there are those who think it a pointless exercise, there are those that see it as a waste of time and campaigning resources. But if we get a good turnout it will show that there is a will for further action, for the General Strike that was alluded to at Congress last year. And maybe it will change nothing. But maybe it will.

I don't want to read my grandchildren's blogs in 25 years time and wonder why we didn't do enough.

If now is not the time to really fight for change then when?