LRC Press Releases

Read the Socialist Campaign Group press releases.

Labour Left condemns New Labour's “reactionary flailings” on welfare
02-12-08
LRC reacts to the Government's latest reactionary attacks on the welfare state . . .

Labour MP calls on Government to avoid electoral suicide on housing
10-11-08
LRC responds to Chartered Institute of Housing's attack on council tenancies ahead of Housing Green Paper . . .

No Post Office Privatisation without the fight of your life, Labour supporters warn Mandelson
20-10-08
John McDonnell reacts to statements by Peter Mandelson in support of the part-privatisation of Royal Mail . . .

Let the voices of millions of women be heard
17-10-08
The LRC calls on the Government to allow a full debate on measures to extend abortion rights . . .

Labour MPs call for freeze on student fees
10-10-08
Left-wing MPs attempt to force vote on fees uprating . . .

The Test of whether the Left will stand
27-07-08
John McDonnell responds to renewed speculation over the Labour Party leadership . . .

Welfare Green Paper labelled a disgrace by Labour MPs
21-07-08
Attacks on welfare condemned by John McDonnell . . .

Parliamentary support grows for public sector strikes
15-07-08
LRC sends solidarity to public sector strikers . . .

Labour MPs call for an end to poverty pay on London Underground
25-06-08
John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn call for an end to poverty pay for RMT cleaners . . .

High-speed rail the viable alternative to Heathrow expansion
24-06-08
The RMT and John McDonnell put the high speed rail alternative to Heathrow expansion . . .

Labour MP calls for Government to listen to low paid
19-06-08
John McDonnell calls on the Government to give Unison local government workers a fair deal . . .

Government mustn't punish workers for inflation incompetence
17-06-08
LEAP responds to the highest rate of inflation in sixteen years . . .

Labour movement unites against Government attack on right to strike
12-06-08
John McDonnell MP and FBU Gen Sec Matt Wrack on the Government's abuse of the Civil Contingencies Act . . .

Government loses Labour majority in hollow victory
11-06-08
37 Labour rebels defy the Government on 42 days . . .

McDonnell calls for end to 'conspiracy swamp'
25-05-08
John McDonnell MP on the leadership speculation that's degenerating into farce . . .

Labour MP appalled at attacks on Benefit claimants
07-05-08
John McDonnell takes issue with another attack on benefit claimants . . .

LRC welcomes report criticising postal liberalisation
06-05-08
LRC asks Government ‘which side are you on?’ . . .

No Stalking Horse Challenge
04-05-08
John McDonnell responds to rumours of a ‘stalking horse’ challenge . . .

McDonnell welcomes inquiry into Northern Rock fiasco
21-02-08
LEAP calls for swift legislation to stop more Northern Rocks . . .

Labour MP exposes gaping hole in Rock nationalisation
20-02-08
John McDonnell MP exposes Northern Rock's missing Granite . . .

Blocking agency worker legislation risks trade union link to Labour
18-02-08
John McDonnell MP calls on the Government to honour Warwick and support the Temporary and Agency Workers Bill . . .

Labour MP appalled by ‘Poor Law’ attacks on the poor
05-02-08
John McDonnell MP responds to attacks on council housing tenants and benefit claimants . . .

Labour MP seeks to redistribute wealth by raising NI for the rich
30-01-08
John McDonnell MP makes the case for redistribution by lifting the ceiling on NI . . .

McDonnell calls for Government subsidies to students too
23-01-08
John McDonnell MP calls for justice for students ahead of the Sale of Student Loans Bill . . .

Nuclear go-ahead undermines government's so-called green credentials
10-01-08
As the Government gives the go-ahead to a new generation of nuclear power stations, the LRC responds . . .

McDonnell Calls for Donations Cap to Solve Donor Row
29-11-07
As Chair of the Labour Representation Committee, John McDonnell MP wrote to the Prime Minister and the National Executive Committee urging an immediate cap of £1000 per annum on donations from individual donors . . .

LEAP alternative budget launched as “10 Years On: Whatever happened to equality?”
20-03-07
As Chancellor Gordon Brown prepares his Budget, ten years on from New Labour's election, LEAP assesses the Government's economic strategy and asks “Whatever happened to equality?”.

LEAP calls for Chancellor to address economics of the Real World
05-12-06
The Left Economics Advisory Panel (LEAP) has published its alternative report in advance of the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Report.

John McDonnell's Alternative Queen's Speech
15-11-06
John sets out a radically different legislative programme, illustrating how Britain might look under a McDonnell Labour Government

New Labour gags Party Conference
21-09-06
The LRC has learned that the majority of resolutions from constituency Labour parties (CLPs) across the country have been blocked from debate at Party conference.

LRC backs McDonnell 4 Leader
23-07-06
At the LRC's annual conference at the TUC in Congress House on Saturday 22nd July over 450 activists from Constituency Labour Parties, trade unions, and labour movement campaigning organisations unanimously passed a motion from CWU Central London Branch calling on the LRC to support John McDonnell MP.

PM's statement to CBI Dinner causes dismay among Labour MPs
16-05-06
The Prime Minister's pledge at a recent CBI dinner has highlighted the need for the left to oppose the ongoing plans for privatisation.

Blair goes nuclear
16-05-06
Blair pre-empts the energy review, saying that nuclear power is ‘back on the agenda with a vengeance’.

Timetable fixed for Blair's departure . . .Brown to be judged on policy positions
13-05-06
On every issue in the forthcoming period the movement will be making its judgement on the candidates for the leadership of our party. Issue after issue over the next year will define Gordon Brown in contrast to the polices supported and demanded by the party and the movement.

LRC to challenge for Labour's Future
05-05-06
With the local election results showing a disintegrated Labour vote, the LRC seeks a decision at their AGM and Conference in July to mount a challenge to rebuild the Labour Party.

May Day Demo to call for restoration of TU rights
27-04-06
The Campaign for a Trade Union Freedom Bill is the key theme of this years May Day demos.

Taxing corporate greed to tackle public need
17-03-06
The LRC has today set out its alternative budget, which proposes launching an assault on corporate greed.

Government relies on coalition with Tories to force through Education Bill
15-03-06
Huge rebellion stuns Government whips as 52 Labour MPs vote against Bill. John McDonnell, Chair of the LRC, said: “This is a defining moment in the history of the Labour Party and this New Labour Government.”

Labour Party members amazed at Prime Minister's ignoring of Dunfermline By-Election Defeat
10-02-06
On the Centenary of the foundation of the Parliamentary Labour Party, Keir Hardie and Clem Attlee must be turning in their graves at the Prime Minister's vision of privatisation, dismantling of the welfare state and globalisation

10 years after Rail Privatisation - Time for Labour Party policy
03-02-06
To mark the 10th anniversary of rail privatisation in the UK on 4th February 2006, 11 Labour MPs have tabled an EDM to urge the Government to implement Labour Party policy

Labour MPs Demand Reform of Trade Union Laws
01-12-05
Over 50 Labour MPs signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) demanding major Government reform of Trade Union laws following the Gate Gourmet dispute

Pensions crisis...a crisis of redistribution not of demography
30-11-05
Restoring the link between pensions and earnings and increases in the basic state pension are steps in the right direction, but an increasing the retirement age is unacceptable

New Labour Threat to Civil Liberties
11-10-05
Labour Left appeals to PM not to split the Party by pushing forward draconian attacks on civil liberties and “unremitting New Labour agenda”

New Labour's ‘Walter-gate’
29-09-05
Labour Party members appalled by the brutal treatment of Walter Wolfgang are today demanding a full and independent enquiry into way the party conference is currently being run...

LRC Statement in Response to Blair's Pre-Conference Speech to Cabinet
20-09-05
This year's party conference will be looking to develop the post-Blair programme for a Real Labour Government, not a warmed-up Blairite programme of privatisation, public sector job cuts, cuts in benefits and attacks on civil liberties...

Unions to use MPs to force through Trade Union rights
13-09-05
Labour MP calls upon Trade Unions to use MPs to force through Trade Union Freedom Bill if Government refuses to act...

IRA Peace Statement
28-07-05
John McDonnell MP, LRC Chair, welcomes the IRA statement as a ‘major step forwards’...

Major Labour Left Conference
14-07-05
At the TUC on Saturday delegates from the Labour Representation Committee (LRC), a grassroots membership organisation of over 500 Labour Party members, affiliates and supporters will be meeting in London to consider the response of the Labour Left to the recent bombings in London and the effect upon the political agenda.

New Election Analysis proves electorate back left MPs
08-05-2005
The Socialist Campaign Group MPs have been returned to the House of Commons with a mandate to end the Blairite era...

LRC welcomes Catalyst report on public ownership of Rail
24-03-2005
The Labour Representation Committee (LRC) today welcomed the publication of the Catalyst report ‘The Railways in a Third Term’, which states the overwhelming case for public ownership of the railways, as voted for at Labour Party conference 2004...

Labour Left calls for Real Labour Budget
15-03-2005
Labour is facing an election with the prospect of lowest turnout in the political history of the country. Traditional Labour supporters comprise the largest section of the ‘stay at home’ vote, disillusioned and demotivated. What is needed to mobilise these latent Labour supporters before the election is a Real Labour Budget...

Trade Union Rights for a Labour Third Term
25-02-2005
Trade Unions, lawyers and Labour MPs are calling for Labour Manifesto commitments on trade union rights...

Scottish Labour Left promotes a Radical Third Term
11-02-2005
The Scottish Labour Left, the Campaign for Socialism (CfS), supports the call by the Labour Representation Committee for a manifesto that will win the support of Scottish working people...

Labour Left Presses for Manifesto Commitments
10-02-2005
The LRC and trade unions will be fighting for the inclusion of Labour Party policy in the manifesto...

CWU Broad Left endorses LRC
25-01-2005
On Saturday 15th January in London, the CWU Broad Left (CW BL) passed a motion welcoming the creation of the Labour Representation Committee...

Chancellor Signals New Neo-Con Economy
09-11-2004
Foreshadowing his pre-budget statement, the Chancellor has called for a new neo-con transatlantic alliance based on ‘entrepreneurial flair’ and the free market...

Good Morning Vietnam
21-10-2004
The LRC condemns the redeployment of British troops into the US controlled sector of Iraq...

Labour Left Pensions Policy
12-10-2004
The Labour left has today set out its position on Pensions as clearly distinct from that of New Labour...

Labour Left Launch Manifesto Bid to Box in Blair
24-09-2004
In a coordinated campaign between Trade Unions, local Constituency Labour Parties, Socialist MPs and grassroots activists, the Labour Left will be moving to box Blair into a corner over Labour's General Election Manifesto at next week's Labour Party Conference...

LRC letter of solidarity to the PCS
29-07-2004
The LRC and SCG have written to the PCS to pledge their support and solidarity following the announcement of over 100,000 civil service job cuts...

LRC asks Labour MPs to sign Anti-War Declaration
28-07-2004
The Labour Representation Committee is today writing to a group of Labour MPs to ask them to sign an anti-war declaration in advance of the General Election so that the public can easily differentiate them from those MPs who supported and continue to support the war in Iraq...

New Left organisation founded at conference
02-07-2004
On Saturday a conference convened by the left of the Labour Party, including the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs, is launching a new challenge to New Labour and Tony Blair...