Over 400 artists and labels have removed their music from streaming platforms in Israel as part of a new cultural boycott, No Music For Genocide.

Launched today, the boycott draws inspiration from activism against South Africa's apartheid regime in the 1980s. It calls on artists and rights-holders to "remove their music from streaming platforms in Israel in response to the genocide in Gaza; ethnic cleansing of the Occupied West Bank; apartheid within Israel; and political repression of pro-Palestine efforts wherever we live." The new boycott is operating with support from BDS/PACBI.

Among the artists supporting the boycott are Arca, Massive Attack, Kneecap, Kelela, Erika de Casier, Nick León, Oklou, Mechatok, Eartheater, Nourished by Time, AceMo, Yaeji, horsegiirL, Oli XL, keiyaA and many more. Labels involved include PAN, Bayonet Records, Escho, Arbutus Records, NTS, Leaving Records and TraTraTrax.

HOPE not hate can reveal that Reform’s councillors in Kent are “all wankers” who “hate” and “fight with each other” – according to the party’s own South East organiser.

“All we’ve got to do is show that we can competently run councils,” explained Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice following this May’s local elections, in which the party took control of ten local authorities, including Kent County Council. So, how’s it all going?

Alas, not so well. At Reform’s conference earlier this month one of the party’s own employees, Adam Wordsworth, its South East organiser, spilled the beans.

In comments overheard by our undercover reporter, Wordsworth told a group of members: “I cover Kent and that is the bane of my existence at the moment.”

“It turns out they’re all wankers and it turns out they all hate each other and it turns out all they do is fight with each other rather than reforming the council or attacking the opposition or making savings,” Wordsworth said.

Wordsworth’s assessment of Reform’s Kent councillors not being fans of one another seemed to be confirmed two days after the conference concluded, when one of its councillors, Amelia Randall, defected to UKIP.

Not only is this bad news for the people of Kent, it’s also bad news for Reform.

Back in June, Linden Kemkaran – the council’s Reform leader – told the Daily Telegraph’s podcast that Kent is “the shop window now for Reform, through which the electorate are looking to judge whether they think they can put their trust in a Reform government at the next election to take the reins of power for the entire country”.

For his part, Tice said he’s “very confident we will do an outstanding job” in local government.

If they’re attacking each other rather than doing their jobs, the signs certainly aren’t great.

Last week, HOPE not hate detailed how Reform’s conference displayed a party entranced by conspiracy theories. It also revealed internal division and incompetence.

HOPE not hate contacted Wordsworth for comment, but did not receive a response.

Millions of people across Britain are seeing the NHS left in tatters, benefits slashed and energy bills skyrocketing. They face a cost of living crisis while the billionaires keep getting richer.

That’s why a coalition of groups are marching through London this Saturday under the banner “Make Them Pay”.

The Labour government is set to impose even harsher austerity policies in this autumn’s budget. Instead, the coalition is calling for a tax on the super-rich, investment in well-paid, unionised jobs and action to tackle climate breakdown.

Far right groups like Reform UK want to blame environmental policies for high energy bills and job cuts in steel and manufacturing. At the same time the likes of BP laugh all the way to the bank as they report profits in the billions and pour money into oil and gas to please their shareholders.

Izzie McIntosh, Campaigns and Policy Manager at Global Justice Now and Make Them Pay organiser told Socialist Worker, “Saturday’s demonstrations will unite people from across climate, workers’ rights and social justice movements in a demonstration of our shared struggles.

“With far-right protesters taking over our capital last weekend, it’s more important than ever that we stand united as communities, and highlight that the only minority destroying our country is the super-rich.

“As our government fails to take action to improve people’s lives or persuade people not to turn to the far right, we will make ourselves heard and demand a society that protects the people who keep it running, not the rich and powerful.”

Saturday’s march is supported by dozens of organisations including the PCS, FBU and NEU unions, the Green Party, the Peace and Justice Project, environmental groups and many other charities and campaigns.

The Campaign Against Climate Change (CACC) is one of the groups supporting the march.

Claire from CACC told Socialist Worker, “There is a backlash against climate action from the right. Ordinary working people are described as oppressed by ‘net zero’ policies.

“This misleading narrative helps the fossil fuel companies twice over. It distracts attention from their own vast profits, pocketed from high energy bills as prices rose. It also delays climate action and the inevitable competition they face from cheap renewable energy and a clean energy system.

“The ‘Make Them Pay’ demo aims to put the focus back on the billionaires and polluting corporations who are destroying our planet, and also to present a positive vision for a fairer future, which is essential if we are to successfully confront the far right.”

At the TUC union federation congress earlier this month, unions reaffirmed their support for a concerted year of climate action among workers. The motion demands a just transition away from fossil fuels.

It called for days of action on 14 November 2025 and global day of solidarity on 15 November 2025, during the Cop30 international climate talks in Brazil.

An amendment said that “a future fossil fuel production can only be ended when and where a fully funded workers’ plan for jobs has been agreed and delivered in full”.

Sarah Woolley from the BFAWU union, moving the original motion, criticised this for giving “too much wriggle room to the fossil fuel lobby and to governments that have already dragged their feet for too long”. She argued we can’t delay taking action while we wait for a plan to be delivered. However, the motion was carried including the amendment.

Claire added, “In this mobilisation and in the year of trade union climate action coming up we need to see trade unionists alongside climate activists, making it clear that the climate crisis is a working class issue that affects us all, and demanding action.”

Join the demo on Saturday 20 September, 12 noon, Portland Place, London

London already boasts a formidable art and gallery scene – and soon it's getting three more arty institutions. Even more intriguingly, they’ll be inside one of the most aesthetically controversial buildings in the city (and City): No 1 Poultry.

The new galleries have been launched by art charity Hypha Studios, and they’ll open next week (on September 24). The venues will then be open to the public for 12 months and totally free to access.

The far right has clung to the narrative that anti-migrant protests and mass flag operations are being run by everyday Brits, consisting of ‘concerned parents’ and mild-mannered patriots. Protesters claim they oppose immigration due to the supposed increase in crime which comes from allowing people seeking asylum into the community; they are not racist, they are simply concerned about local people.

However, HOPE not hate can reveal that many of the individuals leading anti-migrant movements possess their own criminal records and are perfectly comfortable with threatening or enacting violence on locals who disagree with their views. Organisers of Operation Raise the Colours have quickly shown their true intentions in a flurry of racist abuse and property damage. Clearly, criminality only worries these ‘local residents’ when the perpetrator is not white.

The three people, including two in their 70s, were arrested following a protest in Parliament Square, Westminster, on 5 July.

Jeremy Shippam, 72, of Yapton, West Sussex, Judit Murray, 71, of West Ewell, Surrey, and Fiona Maclean, 53, of Hackney, north east London, are charged with displaying an article in a public place, arousing reasonable suspicion that they are a supporter of a proscribed organisation, under section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Today they entered not guilty pleas at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

The court heard they held placards that read: "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action."

Maclean, wearing earrings decorated with watermelons, and other defendants, spoke to confirm their names, ages and addresses.

Supporters of the defendants gathered outside court before the hearing, with some carrying Palestine flags and holding placards. A ban on Palestine Action has been met with protests

The plea hearing was delayed briefly to search for a hearing loop for some of the defendants.

The group have been released on unconditional bail by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring, and will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on March 16 for a trial listed for three days.

Mr Goldspring told the defendants: "This will take place on March 16, 17, and 18 so I'm going to release each of you on bail until March 16 when you have an obligation to attend this court.

"Between now and then you are on unconditional bail."

It comes after Palestine Action was banned as a terror organisation in July, after the group claimed responsibility for an action in which two Voyager planes were damaged at RAF Brize Norton on 20 June.

It comes as the Home Office plans to appeal a High Court ruling that allows Palestine Action's co-founder, Huda Ammori, to proceed with a legal challenge against the Government over the ban.

Ms Ammori took the action against the department over then-home secretary Yvette Cooper's decision to proscribe the group under anti-terror laws.

The decision by Ms Cooper made membership of or support for the group a criminal offence by up to 14 years in prison.

It has sparked anger and protests since.