Corbyn: United we stand, divided we fall.

The right-wing of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) are currently conducting an exercise in blackmail and sabotage against Corbyn. From triggering a vote of no-confidence in the Party Leadership, to mass resignations expected throughout the next few days, the PLP is currently incredibly polarised, and, as a result, public confidence in the Labour Party is dwindling. The right-wing section of the PLP are the substantial reason why Corbyn can't do his job right - they're basically saying "we will continue to wreck the labour movement and betray the people we exist to serve until you elect a leader more acceptable to us".

I do think that a Corbyn-led party can win. I do think that Corbyn is the best person to lead the Labour Party.

EU Referendum Results: My Thoughts

In case it's not clear enough, I voted to REMAIN in the EU. So naturally I am *incredibly* upset at the outcome. I feel hopeless, desperate, speechless (but not so much as to prevent this post), and disappointed. And I have EVERY RIGHT to be upset. The personal is the political. Just like the poll tax was the pressing issue for my mother and people in her generation, the EU referendum is the pressing issue of my generation. Look at the data: (generally) those who voted remain have to live with the consequences for longer than the ones who voted leave. And this is so sad.

Welcome back State-Centrism - you were not missed at all.

Unfree. Yet Powerful. Exploited. Not Forgotten.

The demonstrations and resistance inside Yarl's Wood have been the most important fight in Britain for women's rights and for immigrants’ rights, because they have been inspiring - because the people in this struggle are fighting to win the most basic of demands as human beings.

March 12^th signified the National Demonstration at Yarl’s Wood, for all the men and women held like cattle inside detention-deportation centres.   For all looking to break out from under the shadow of detention.  It was for all those at the borders of Europe challenging the cynical leaders a demanding in real life the promise of democracy and freedom, of which sanctuary is fundamental.  Nearly 2000 turned up in support of this demonstration, making it the largest event against indefinite detention.

Freedom of Passage

Something struck me the other night, as I stood waiting to pass through border controls in London upon my return to the country: ignorance. Behind me in the queue stood a couple complaining about the wait time to scan their passports and continue their journey. (Admittedly, the length of the queue was exceptionally long for 1am, but that's besides the point). Their complaints were centred around refugees, and their argument was something to this effect:

The Body Project

“In the affluent West, there is a tendency for the body to be seen as an entity which is in the process of becoming; a project which should be worked at and accomplished as part of an individual’s self-identity… [yet] Body projects still vary along social lines, especially in the case of gender.” [Shilling 1996: p.5]

The Importance of Foreign Languages

http://www.savagechickens.com/ 

In schools you will find that the Head of Modern Foreign Languages is always blathering on about the importance of studying languages.  And quite frankly, they are right to do so.

However, for many in compulsory education, the opportunity to study either French, German or Spanish is challenging and often daunting.  I must agree.  Having studied French from Year 7 to AS Level, and German from Year 8 to A2, I can say with absolute certainty that learning a foreign language certainly presents its difficulties.  It is not helped by the fact that many students have a negative view of the department as a whole and deem language learning unnecessary and a deeply dissatisfactory experience.