DIANE ABBOTT MP argues we shouldn’t see last week’s march as an inarticulate outpouring of confused class consciousness, arguing that the agenda was set by the stars of the international far right, whose speeches were explicit, extreme and unopposed
How do we define consent and why does it matter?
The relevance that rape law places on ‘a rapist’s state of mind’ makes a mockery of women’s autonomy, argues legal scholar WENDY MURPHY
[Joelle Hatem/Creative Commons] 
ANDREW MURRAY breaks down this week’s rift in the new left party that was at one point polling at 15 per cent of the vote without even having formed — whether it will form now has been thrown into a pit of doubt
ROGER McKENZIE argues that the BRI represents a choice between treating humans as commodities or as equals — an essential project when, aside from China’s efforts, hundreds of millions worldwide are trapped in poverty
Our annual memorial event and lecture honouring a legend of English working-class history, who ‘organised the unorganisable’ in the countryside, will hear from today’s organisers of the unorganisable fighting the bosses of Amazon, writes NICK MATTHEWS
BERNADETTE KEAVENEY announces a simplified and streamlined way to get your paper delivered daily, and a big push for new readers that we can all help make into a success
Morning Star editor BEN CHACKO reports from the start of Kunming’s Belt and Road media forum, where 200 journalists from 71 countries celebrated a new openness and optimism, forged by China’s enormous contribution to global development
PERSONAL autonomy is among the most precious of human values.
John Locke described it as a natural law that recognises the basic human right to self-determination. We shouldn’t even call it a right, because some things are so important we ought not codify them, lest they become subject to exceptions and legislative whims that can’t be reversed. Like the old camel’s nose in the tent problem — once the nose is in, the tent will surely fall.
We express our commitment to the profound nature of autonomy when we forbid things like slavery and torture, and when we say things like “my right to swing my fist ends before it hits you in the nose.”
Similar stories
The failure of international institutions, from the UN to the ICC, to hold the Taliban accountable for the brutal repression of women creates a climate of tolerance for daily crimes by the patriarchal regime, writes SHUKRIA RAHIMI
LYNNE WALSH attempts to unravel the latest advice from local authorities on tackling violence against women and girls
The Sandie Peggie v NHS Fife tribunal shows unions need to get up to speed with where the law stands on the requirement for workplaces to provide single-sex spaces, writes JANE McLENACHAN
An independent review has condemned the rape crisis centre for failing to protect women or put survivors first. SUSAN GALLOWAY asks how it came to this