TUC Congress 2025: In a moving gesture, all delegates stood in silent acclamation with TUC posters declaring their support for a Free Palestine.

The 158th annual TUC Congress will be held on September 13-16, 2026, Brighton [1]. Congress comes at a time when workers in Britain and around the world continue to assert that their voice must be heard, recognised and respected. In July this year, the Big Meeting at the Durham Miners Gala had demonstrated once again that the workers and trade union movement in their tens of thousands are still here, and the future is in their hands [2].

This, with the ongoing strike struggles and other actions of workers, vividly demonstrates that the workers are continuing to fight for their rights and interests against the onslaught of the rich to destroy their living standards, their conditions at work, their conditions at home, their environment, their welfare and public services and their right to live in a world at peace with other nations and peoples.

Whole direction of the economy and society must be changed

As some motions at this year's TUC mention, at this time, when the oligarchs are trying to impose their will and their venal and warmongering interests everywhere, it is so crucial that the TUC take a stand that the whole direction of the economy and of society must be changed, and changed fundamentally. This is the only way out of the crisis. In other words, the organised workers movement as represented by the TUC and all the trade unions and collectives of workers must consider how to move forward and be effective in keeping the oligarchs in check as a first principle. One way of expressing this is that there is a necessity to stop paying the rich, ending the seemingly endless cycle of siphoning off the social wealth that working people give rise to and that finds its way into all the coffers of the rich, particularly the super-rich. The corollary is that this social wealth must be invested in social programmes, in health, education, meeting working people's claims on society. Especially when the doubters and purveyors of "fiscal rules" maintain that funding for social programmes "must be paid for", this must be the retort of the working class. This is the one programme that they can and must unite around, a front of the organised working class against the oligarchs and for the interests of society as a whole.

Within this demand that the whole direction of the economy and society be changed so that the interests of working people themselves are put in the first place, there are the specific demands: that an anti-war government empowering the people be fought for, and that the proud internationalist tradition of the working class be underlined and strengthened. This is reflected in some of the motions. Motion 75 builds on the motion last year against the militarisation of the economy, giving the call that "lasting security is advanced through social justice, diplomacy, peace building, human rights and respect for international law". It is reflected in the Motion 77 supporting boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel's genocide against the Palestinians, as well as Motion 76 to "End the siege of Cuba". Yet to fulfill its obligations to peace, the organised working class must place itself at the centre of the people's anti-war front, a front that resists the further escalation and arming for war in Europe with the US, NATO and other European powers in Ukraine and in West Asia, a front that opposes Britain's support to the US and Israel with their bombing and attacks on Iran, Lebanon and Yemen. The front of the organised working class must block the militarisation of the economy that is not only making war inevitable but is wrecking the economy, its social programmes and the welfare of the people.

A new Prime Minister, while behind everything the oligarchs call the shots

The putting in place of a new Prime Minister has raised some optimism in the class. But with the dysfunctional Westminster institutions and processes of governance as they are, which can be called a cartel party system which disempowers the people, can the qualitative change be achieved, can it be more than incremental processes on some fronts while behind everything the oligarchs call the shots? This raises the issue that the working class, the organised workers' movement, must itself be empowered to exercise the authority to make such changes and ensure that it is the people who are sovereign. The dignity of labour demands it. All power to the working people who are fighting to defend their interests and making sacrifices for the good of all, domestically and internationally!

The voice of the working people must be heard and must prevail. This is the call of history for all the delegates at the TUC 2026. Challenge the positions of power and privilege of those who stand in the way of progress at this time, put a spoke in their wheel, say No to their pay-the-rich agendas and pro-war agenda, take a stand for the rights of all!

Notes
1. TUC Congress 2026
https://www.tuc.org.uk/congress2026
2. 140th Durham Miners Gala and Big Meeting: The Working Class Is Still Here, and the Future Is in Our Hands!, Workers' Weekly July 11, 2026
https://www.rcpbml.org.uk/wwie-26/ww26-22/ww26-22-01.htm

The Soviet War Memorial in Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park in South East London

In Ukraine on August 24, agreeing to supply weaponry to the Zelenskyy regime and thereby ensure no peace in a conflict in which, as the saying goes, US/Britain and other NATO powers are cynically fighting Russia "to the last Ukrainian", new Prime Minister Andy Burnham claimed, "My nation kept the flame of European freedom alive in the 20th century, you hold that flame in the 21st", comparing the conflict in Ukraine to Britain's fight against Nazi Germany. He fails to mention that it was the Soviet forces, with Russia at its core, along with the communist partisans across Europe, who played the main role in the defeat of the Nazis, the turning point being Stalingrad and the great tank battles at Kursk. British forces, of course, made a contribution throughout, especially on such battlefields as in North Africa and, following the Normandy landings, in the final defeat of the Nazi forces. But there is no doubt the Soviet forces played the main role, and, for large parts of the war, faced the Nazis virtually alone.

Burnham fails to mention too that, while Ukrainian partisans fought heroically alongside Soviet forces, other Ukrainian forces supported the Nazis, committing appalling atrocities, and that their descendants, loyal to their wartime leader Stepan Bandera, with swastikas on their arms, played a leading role in the coup of 2014, and the subsequent assaults on the Russian-speaking population of East Ukraine, which provoked Russia's response, and that these forces were later incorporated into the present Ukrainian Army.

The same Andy Burnham, it must be said, refuses to openly condemn Israeli genocide and maintains the British government's complicity, along with other NATO members, in US/Israeli war crimes against the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. This is shameful.

Burnham, it must be remembered, supported Bush and Blair's criminal invasion of Iraq. His claim of being a working class man of the people bringing a change of direction simply will not wash! Our response must be to build a people's front working for an Anti-War Government.

On Tuesday, September 1, some 40 people took part in the Newcastle Conference Against War at the Tyneside Irish Centre. Following one of the most significant events in recent times, the Westminster International Anti-War Conference on June 20, the Newcastle conference raised its voice against war and genocide, the growing nuclear threat, and for peace. This was part of the growing surge of meetings and actions across the country, actions that are being organised on common dates - from the international March for Palestine on October 10 to the worldwide weekend of mobilisation against militarisation and conscription on November 21-22 - forming a developing calendar of resistance that unites workers, youth, peace organisations and anti-war movements in every country.

The keynote speakers were Fran Heathcote, General Secretary of the PCS union; Malek Mohammed, Newcastle Palestinian Forum in Britain; Marika Asgari, Newcastle University UCU; and Alex Snowdon, Sunderland NEU. The meeting was chaired by Roger Nettleship of Newcastle Stop the War.

The conference discussion raised some very important questions on building Stop the War and bringing everyone together in the anti-war movement into a united front against war and for peoples' rights. This is a vital question with the many meetings and actions taking place as part of the international movement against war. Questions around the merging movements in support of Palestine and for welfare and against warfare converging into such a front, combating militarism embedded in the universities and schools - not a youth for war or conscription! - how to get wider opposition in the trade unions and workers' movement, as well as opposition at the TUC Congress, to militarism of the British state and its war industries - all this was discussed. The meeting raised questions of the damage done by militarisation, damage to the environment, and by the promotion of all the lies that justify increasing weapons production to "create jobs". In opposition to these lies the call must be for an alternative economy that meets the needs and welfare of all.

Throughout the conference, actions supporting the Palestinian people were maintained as a first priority of the anti-war movement. At the same time, participants took up actions supporting Iran, Cuba and other countries under attack by the US, Britain and other Western powers, including opposing NATO's dangerous interventions and escalations against Russia and its support for the war in Ukraine. Questions were also raised about upholding the rights of all, especially the most vulnerable under attack - such as the blaming of immigrants for the problems in society - used to divide people's resistance to war and the ruling elite's attacks on the rights of all.

Work in progress...

(Newcastle Stop the War)

Protesters glued themselves to the road outside the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales' most famous hotel, on Thursday, September 3, to block an arms fair. The protest and subsequent blockade on the Celtic Manor bridge were co-ordinated by a broad coalition of prominent anti-war, human rights, and Welsh activist groups. Protesters were pictured on the bridge confronted by a number of police officers.

Around 60 peace activists, anti-war groups, and local residents arrived outside the venue early in the morning with the aim of stopping the "Welsh Government arms fair" from taking place. With them they brought signs, banners and Welsh flags.

People used their bodies to block traffic entering the Celtic Manor Resort and International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales), where the "Defence Security Resilience Cymru" summit was being held. The event had attracted arms industries exhibitors from across the "defence" industry.

The blockade caused major traffic delays near the venue and the M4 motorway. It was reported that several people were arrested at the scene, including a 72-year-old woman from Caerphilly, "on suspicion of breaching the peace". Seven people were charged with public order offences.

The summit was co-organised by the Welsh Government, Business in Focus, and the aerospace and defence trade body ADS Group. Plaid Cymru has been criticised by the anti-war movement for being part of organising the event alongside a subsidiary of General Dynamics Land Systems, one of the world's largest arms companies and a supplier of weapons to the Israeli military. Other exhibitors were BAE Systems, Chronos Technology, and FinTech Wales.

It is reported that participating in organising the protest, a protest firmly in the tradition of the Welsh people of opposing militarisation and destruction of the environment, were Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) / CND Cymru, Newport Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Mid Wales Against Arms & Cardiff Stop the War, Black Lives Matter Cardiff & Vale & Cardiff4Sudan, and Christians for Palestine.

Note
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/protestors-glue-themselves-road-outside-34561103

Workers' Weekly reported in May [1] on the just "No Palantir in the NHS" people's campaign. Many local organisations in cities and towns across the country are organising opposition and opt-out campaigns. This is continuing to gain momentum throughout 2026 with a day of action planned for Thursday, October 1, across Britain [2]. This people's campaign is against the government's plan to embed Palantir and other data companies who are part of the war industries into the British state and with them control all of the NHS data of patients. This goes directly against the people's response that is No Palantir in the NHS! and opposing Palantir and the joint abuse by the government and Palantir of people's data where people are demanding the right to privacy of patient and other data so only they can decide on its use.

According to new research by Foxglove [3] "almost a third (30%) of English hospital trusts using US spy tech firm Palantir's Federated Data Platform (FDP) tool are carrying out fewer patient operations than before they started using it, according to data obtained from the National Health Service (NHS)." This new research further exposes the case for keeping Palantir in our NHS with a third of hospitals using Palantir's scheduling tool are reportedly doing fewer operations than before they started, while some trusts classed as "live" users are barely using the platform at all saying their own systems are more reliable.

Foxglove's research says: "The UK government and Palantir have repeatedly credited the tool with increasing the overall number of procedures carried out in hospitals, but have until now refused to publish any data beyond a single 'FDP uptakes and benefits' page. This page claims various performance metric improvements, but does not provide any of the data behind the claims, such as a breakdown of the performance of individual trusts which have adopted Palantir's tools.

"New NHS data, obtained by Foxglove via Freedom of Information requests, says 41 NHS trusts are using Inpatient CCS, Palantir's FDP module for helping hospitals to manage scheduling patient operations. Out of those 41, 13 (about 30%) report they have carried out fewer operations overall than they did before they started using the FDP tool.

"Between them, those 13 trusts counted 9,073 fewer operations taking place after adopting Inpatient CCS, compared to the same period before adoption."

In addition, the government's new Health Bill 2026, at present being debated in Parliament, includes new legislation on the FDP and "Single Patient Record" (SPR) contracted to Palantir for £330 million. The legislation, which had reached the Committee stage before the Parliamentary recess, was amended on July 16 by the government. In the information clause on the FDP and SPR, Section 47 gave the Secretary of State mandatory powers to force NHS Trusts, Foundation Trusts, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), and GP practices to share any patient data the Secretary of State specifies. In spite of the opposition amongst the people and in Parliament, this has been strengthened in the amendment, now Section 51, to widen the scope of the information collected in "patient information" from care, health services and from patients data for "operational purposes". It expands the lists of bodies who receive NHS funding as being compelled to share data and strengthens the Secretary of State enforcement powers with no opt-out rights, or oversight.

THE MAKING OF SECTION 51 (2026) How the Government Consolidated Control over NHS Patient Data

1. FEBRUARY–MARCH 2026 — BILL INTRODUCED • Clause 47 appears in the Health Bill as introduced. • Establishes compulsory duty for NHS bodies to share patient data. • No patient opt-out; broad Secretary of State powers. • Immediate objections from BMA, health workers and health campaigns.

2. APRIL 2026 — EARLY SCRUTINY • Committee witnesses warn of “centralised extraction of patient data”. • Government insists clause is “technical modernisation”. • No amendments proposed to limit powers.

3. MAY 2026 — PRESSURE MOUNTS • MPs raise concerns about safeguards and oversight. • Government signals intention to “clarify” the clause. • No opt-out considered.

4. JUNE 2026 — DRAFT AMENDMENTS CIRCULATE • Drafts show expanded regulation-making powers. • Broader definitions of “patient information”. • New enforcement mechanisms. • Still no opt-out.

5. EARLY JULY 2026 — NEW CLAUSES INSERTED • Government inserts new clauses (e.g., NHS manager regulation). • Clause numbering shifts downward. • Clause 47 becomes Clause 51 in the amended Bill.

6. 16 JULY 2026 — BILL AS AMENDED IN COMMITTEE • Clause 47 officially becomes Section 51. • Expanded list of bodies compelled to share data. • Broader definition of “patient information”. • Mandatory compliance with technical specifications. • Audit and reporting duties added. • Strengthened Secretary of State enforcement powers. • No patient opt-out.

SECTION 51: WHAT IT NOW MEANS • Compulsory data sharing by all NHS bodies. • Centralised authority vested in Secretary of State. • Expanded powers to define, demand, and extract information. • Enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance. • No patient opt-out; no democratic oversight. Source AI

Through these undemocratic measures in the Bill, the government is trying to force GPs, hospitals and other providers to share patient data for the SPR contract with Palantir and other data companies. This is part of the government's plan to embed Palantir and other IT corporations, like Oracle and Infosys who are part of the war industries into the British state and with it control all of the NHS data of patients.

This is a profound lesson for all those in the NHS, patients and people alike, as to what the government and the whole cartel party system in Westminster has in store for the NHS and society on their data. The government's plan to hand control of the NHS data - "one of the largest databases in the world" - to Palantir must be opposed. It is unconscionable that people's data be put under the control of narrow vested interests and utilised to strengthen the police powers of the state. The rights of all to security and privacy of their patient and other personal data must be upheld by a modern society. No to Palantir in the NHS and the abuse of people's personal data! End the contracts with Palantir and other private data consortiums!

Notes
1. No Palantir in the NHS: Oppose Palantir and the Government's Joint Abuse of People's Data, Workers' Weekly, May 16, 2026
https://www.rcpbml.org.uk/wwie-26/ww26-15/ww26-15-02.htm
2. No Palantir in our NHS: Day of action
https://www.globaljustice.org.uk/event/no-palantir-in-our-nhs-day-of-action/
3. Foxglove research, June 16, 2026
https://www.foxglove.org.uk/2026/06/16/nhs-trusts-palantir-fdp-tools-fewer-operations/

Countering increased instability and warmongering Stop the War is building its campaigning.

Three international days of action are taking place this autumn and Stop the War is in the process of organising an international anti-war tour focusing on the issues of European militarism and welfare not warfare. The tour will take place in October and will visit at least six cities around the country, with a panel of international speakers, trade union general secretaries, StW officers and other key activists on the platform.

The international demonstration for Palestine is taking place on October 10. The demonstration (assembling on Victoria Embankment, London at midday) marks the three year anniversary of the Israeli genocide in Gaza.

Workplace solidarity actions on taking place on October 30 as part of the international day of dockworkers' action.

The international weekend against militarism and conscription, starting with the global Youth Strike on Friday, November 20, 2026, 11:00 am

Fight for our futures. Not their wars.

We, students and young people, refuse to be cogs in the war machine. On Friday, November 20, we will join students and young people from across Europe and beyond in striking, protesting, holding assemblies and rallies to say no to war and militarism.

For nearly three years, our government has facilitated Israel's genocide in Gaza. It has supported Trump's war on Iran. It has fuelled the war in Ukraine. And it has launched a drive to mass rearmament. The new Defence Universities Alliance (UK) is turning cash-strapped universities and colleges into hubs for the military-industrial complex.

We demand:

• An end to the Defence Universities Alliance
• An end to conscription by stealth
• An end to complicity with Israel's genocide and repression against students

Battle of Cable Street - 90th Anniversary

The 90th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street will be marked by a major march and rally in East London on Sunday, October 4, 2026, organised with support from Unite the Union.

Schedule of Events
Saturday, October 3 (8:00 PM - late): Warm-up gig and party featuring Sportsbanger and King Alpha Soundsystem at Kachette in Shoreditch.
Sunday, October 4 (12:00 PM): Assemble outside Tower Hamlets Town Hall (160 Whitechapel Rd, London E1 1BJ; nearest tube: Whitechapel).
Sunday, October 4 (1:00 PM): March begins from the Town Hall toward Cable Street.
Sunday, October 4 (2:00 PM): Rally at St George's Gardens with guest speakers, live music, and poetry.