Facing economic turmoil, Jim Callaghan’s government rejected Tony Benn’s alternative economic strategy in favour of cuts that paved the way for Thatcherism — and the cuts-loving Labour of the present era, writes KEITH FLETT
Racism is the cause of the far-right riots, not deprivation
DIANE ABBOTT takes issue with the way politicians and the media are portraying the recent wave of violence which lets racists off the hook

IT IS important to correctly characterise the recent racist riots.
As is usually the case after a major upheaval in politics, all sorts of explanations are offered. Many of them will be from people or forces with a political agenda, not an objective assessment.
We should not be surprised now when politicians and others who want to downplay the issue of racism as the driving force behind
the riots who themselves have been unwilling to challenge racism over several years or have even fostered it.
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