News

The socialist challenge in Lewisham’s mayoral election began by challenging Lewisham Council’s stringent conditions on our electoral statement.

It is with great sadness that we learnt of the death of Tara Blackman. Tara was a very dear friend and comrade of those in the PCS Socialist Party caucus and staff at PCS union.

Following a 90% yes vote, members of the University and College Union (UCU) at London Metropolitan University in north London plan to take eight days of strike action over three weeks, starting on 15 April.

Lewisham Labour council is closing the local shopping centre, replacing it with unaffordable housing. It is also planning £33 million of cuts, including: £9 million from children’s services and£850,000 cuts to adult social care.

Hundreds of thousands of people took part in the anti-far right Together demonstration on 28 March. The driving force behind the mass turnout was a desire to show that far-right ideas and politics are not welcome in our streets, communities, and workplaces.

Croydon Council has issued Section 114 notices three times since 2020, prohibiting anything other than essential expenditure. Like many other councils, it is in financial crisis.

Newham’s former Labour mayor, Sir Robin Wales, has been appointed London Director of Local Government for Reform UK.

Transport for London (TfL)’s 2026 business plan raised the prospect of setting up a “publicly owned bus company”. TfL is under the control of Labour mayor Sadiq Khan, and is responsible for the capital’s public transport network.

50 people, packed with energy, protested the night before the Lewisham Labour council set the borough’s budget. Four Green council election candidates attended, along with their mayoral candidate Liam Shrivastava.

Labour has set what could be its last budget as the governing party in the London Borough of Haringey. It was no surprise that they took the decision, once again, to pass on further cuts.