Once the bustling heart of Christian pilgrimage, Bethlehem now faces shuttered hotels, empty streets and a shrinking Christian community, while Israel’s assault on Gaza and the tightening grip of occupation destroy hopes of peace at the birthplace of Christ, writes Father GEOFF BOTTOMS
Latest editorial
The fighting spirit of ambulance workers inspires hope for our movement
Dedicated staff at Epsom and St Helier NHS are taking strike action over unjust pay practices – they deserve our full solidarity as they stand up for their rights, says HELEN O’CONNOR
After years hidden away, Oldham’s memorial to six local volunteers who died fighting fascism in the Spanish civil war has been restored to public view, marking both a victory for campaigners and a renewed tribute to the town’s proud International Brigade heritage, says ROB HARGREAVES
The June 2025 attacks on Iran have heightened the risk of a wider war, exposed the fiction of a rules-based international order and left ordinary Iranians trapped between external aggression and internal repression, says the Committee for Defence of Iranian People’s Rights
While pretending to seek peace, Europe is heading toward a collision course with Russia – using security guarantees, troop deployments, expropriation and censorship as tools, writes SEVIM DAGDELEN
A WWI hero, renowned ornithologist, medical doctor, trade union organiser and founder member of the Communist Party of Great Britain all rolled in one. MAT COWARD tells the story of a life so improbable it was once dismissed as fiction
The long-term effects of chemical weapons such as Agent Orange mean that the impact of war lasts well beyond a ceasefire
AS AMBULANCE care assistants organised into the GMB union embark on an escalating programme of strike action against Epsom and St Helier NHS, it is timely to highlight the history and the very poor treatment of these workers.
Back in 2018 these ambulance staff had no union strength as the union had very few members. Visits to the ambulance base led to aggressive confrontations with some bullying, petty-minded managers who were supported by the senior managers.
In spite of the challenges, a persistent and consistent GMB union organising drive over a number of years alongside the bravery and determination of newly appointed GMB representatives has led to a high union density amongst this workforce. The workforce has come a long way, so this strike is about more than pay, it’s about the right to keep hard-won trade union density in this workplace.
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