A ‘new phase’ for Starmerism is fairly similar to the old phase – only worse. ANDREW MURRAY takes a look

IRELAND’S general election has finished with the two main parties of the Irish capitalist Establishment just two seats short of a majority big enough to form a coalition government.
In an election where near on half the electorate stayed away from the polls, Fianna Fail won 48 seats and Fine Gael 38. Sinn Fein won 39 seats, the Labour Party 11, the Social Democrats 11, and the Green Party lost all but one of its outgoing TDs. The number of independents elected was 23, while People Before Profit returned with three TDs.
To varying extent, all the parties likely to be included in a coalition government bear responsibility for the problems working people in Ireland face.

When the latest round of hysteria reached our town, we successfully organised and stopped it reaching the asylum centre gates as the far right had planned — but we need to have answers for the local residents who joined their demonstration, writes NICK WRIGHT

US tariffs have had Von der Leyen bowing in submission, while comments from the former European Central Bank leader call for more European political integration and less individual state sovereignty. All this adds up to more pain and austerity ahead, argues NICK WRIGHT

Starmer sabotaged Labour with his second referendum campaign, mobilising a liberal backlash that sincerely felt progressive ideals were at stake — but the EU was then and is now an entity Britain should have nothing to do with, explains NICK WRIGHT

Deep disillusionment with the Westminster cross-party consensus means rupture with the status quo is on the cards – bringing not only opportunities but also dangers, says NICK WRIGHT