After more than 30 years, the printing presses have finally halted for the left-wing magazine. KATE HUDSON pays tribute to the always thought-provoking publication and explains how the editorial team are inviting feedback and comment on their continued online operations
Burnishing the Star’s links around the world
Morning Star circulation manager BERNADETTE KEAVENEY reports back from the Unsere Zeit Press Festival in Berlin, and explains how you can help the people’s paper to grow
REACHING OUT: Bernadette and Keith greet readers at the Unsere Zeit Press Festival
Why is the Labour government so addicted to giving government jobs to Tories when it spent so long trying to oust them? In the hope the favour is returned the next time the Tories return to power, writes SOLOMON HUGHES
MARC WADSWORTH reports from the meeting to commemorate the Sharpeville Massacre 65 years ago
Despite the US withdrawal from Ukraine and economic self-harm from sanctions, European centrists maintain their bellicosity to justify military spending and distract from neoliberalism's failures, writes PRABHAT PATNAIK
Netanyahu’s failed attempt to replace Shin Bet’s chief violates longstanding Israeli political taboos, as the apartheid state’s internal power struggle spirals to a new level of crisis while Gaza burns, writes RAMZY BAROUD
Following the historic ban on companies profiting from children’s care, Unison Cymru calls for transparency in implementing the changes and extending the reform to create a truly national, profit-free care service, says MARK TURNER
The left must confront both far-right bigotry and the undeniable problems the exploitation of migrant workers by the ruling class creates — but there are few lessons from the global left on how to strike this balance, laments NICK WRIGHT
IT IS heartening to realise that the reach of the Morning Star is not restricted to this fair isle, with the ever-popular digital edition seeing our readership going international.
A few weeks ago, we attended the Unsere Zeit Press Festival which for the first time took place in Berlin.
Keith Barlow, our man on the ground in Germany, arranges for the paper to have a stall at the festival.
Following an early-morning collection from the local warehouse, the papers were taken to the airport along with the previous two days’ editions.
Keith knows his market well, having represented the paper for many a year in Germany both at this festival and the Rosa Luxemburg event in January.
His sales strategy is to offer the most recent edition for €2 or three editions for €3. This tactic is not something that I would have considered doing at home but it really does go down well and we sold around 200 papers.
Everyone we spoke to was encouraged to sign up to the daily newsletter, check out the website and consider purchasing a digital subscription.
It is true that there is a legacy of the Morning Star having been available in the German Democratic Republic, which helps the sales and there are many conversations with people who remember reading the paper at that time.
However, sales are not limited to this — many young people visited the stall and were particularly interested in our connection with the trade union movement and those unions that are shareholders in the People’s Press Printing Society.
Our coverage of the cost-of-living crisis the fightback by the movement and the war in Ukraine were all hot topics which encouraged a purchase of the paper.
Trade talk has led me to understand that other papers are doing their best to increase international sales and have started printing in countries where English is the main language.
We cannot print abroad, the cost being prohibitive — otherwise we would already be in Ireland, it was a real blow when we had to stop selling the print edition there several years ago.
There is nothing to stop us searching for new markets internationally and you can help with this.
Encourage friends and family to keep in touch with events by subscribing to the paper. Do you have connections with the movement abroad?
Can you make introductions for us to follow up? If you can or have any thoughts on who to approach drop me a line by writing to circulation@peoples-press.com.
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Star circulation manager BERNADETTE KEAVENEY thanks those who are out and about supporting the Morning Star today – including one reader who’s trekking across the Pennine Way. Do donate if you can!
A dauntless reader is walking 268 miles across the glorious landscape of the Pennine Way to fundraise for the people’s paper. Why not help him on his way with a donation, says circulation manager BERNADETTE KEAVENEY
Circulation manager BERNADETTE KEAVENEY reports back on the work of the readers and supporters’ groups holding events in their communities and the push for premium digital subscriptions for unions
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