Ian Spencer

Latest articles by Ian Spencer

White coats, red blood

Mass killing in Gaza is but a prelude to ethnic cleansing. And, aided and abetted by the US and UK, Israeli forces are committing war crimes against Palestinian medical personnel with complete impunity, writes Ian Spencer

Demise of NHS England

The decision to scrap NHS England might look like a bureaucratic reorganisation, writes Ian Spencer, but public provision is about to be butchered by yet more privatisation

Great expectations

One of the greatest achievements of capitalism is rising average life expectancy in developed countries. This has begun to stall, not because we have reached an upper limit - well, not yet, suggests Ian Spencer

Weaponising Covid

CIA claims that Covid-19 emerged from a Chinese government-run lab have nothing to do with public health and everything to do with an attack on the poorest in the world, maintains Ian Spencer

Arithmetic of genocide

While the official numbers killed in Gaza is certainly an underestimate, the state, aided by the BBC, tries to muddy the waters, writes Ian Spencer

Online Communist Forum, Sunday December 1 5pm

Your health, comrade

Physical and mental health is central to the communist project. Not only would people be healthier in a communist society, writes Ian Spencer, but such health would help deliver the full realisation of human potential

More than just complicity

With thousands of protestors once again taking to the streets, the escalation of Israeli warmongering now looks to be a certainty, as does British government backing, warns Ian Spencer

Danger of World War III: the communist response

Supported by: Ian Spencer, Bob Paul, Andy Hannah, Paul Cooper, Carla Roberts, Anne McShane

Don’t mention fake anti-Semitism

Thousands marched in Liverpool to protest against Labour’s complicity with Israel, but, writes Ian Spencer, Lindsey German did not come out of things with flying colours

Political organisation is key

Against the background of the escalation of the war in Ukraine, genocide in Gaza and a US election which may influence both, this month’s CPGB aggregate examined the drive to wider international conflict and the left’s political problems. Ian Spencer reports

By bomb, bullet, hunger and disease

Israel is trying to drive the Palestinian population to misery, despair and surrender with the overriding aim of ethnic cleansing and, failing that, genocide, writes Ian Spencer

A grand get-together

Durham Miners Gala has always been a celebration of the labour and trade union movement. But this year, reports Ian Spencer, it had a special poignancy

Counting the dead

As the genocidal assault on the Palestinian population of Gaza continues, Israel is doing its damnedest to downplay the death toll. But, says, Ian Spencer, if anything, the figures issued by the Gaza health ministry are an underestimate

Focusing our commitment

As the Tories stumble and tumble, and the country prepares to go to the polls, we discussed both who to support and the prospects for after July 4. If there is going to be a ‘crisis of expectations’, it is likely to be on the left. Ian Spencer reports

Blood of the innocents

Sir Brian Langstaff’s Infected Blood Inquiry reveals a disgraceful litany of deceit, delay, neglect and corporate greed, writes Ian Spencer

Openly Jewish opposition

Around the world people are demonstrating against Israel’s war on Gaza. At the same time, Zionist provocateurs and the rightwing media step up their campaign to brand the whole solidarity movement anti-Semitic and give the state the excuse it needs to clamp down. Ian Spencer reports

Threshold for genocide met

Death toll will climb and climb. Israel’s war on Gaza has reached new depths of depravity - but it won’t stop there, warns Ian Spencer

Thoughtful end rulers

As we head towards a general election, the Murdoch press is busy promoting big pharma’s ‘vision’ of future healthcare, writes Ian Spencer. But it is not ours

We are all Palestinians

Despite the smears, hundreds of thousands are determined to continue showing their solidarity. Ian Spencer reports on last Saturday’s demonstration in London - the 10th since the war on Gaza began

Decay fast and furious

At great human cost NHS dentistry has been driven almost to the point of extinction. A similar outcome threatens health services in general, writes Ian Spencer

Best of times, worst of times

Saving the NHS will undoubtedly be a key issue in the coming general election. Ian Spencer analyses the recommendations of the Times Health Commission

Cruel and inefficient

Equality means good health outcomes, inequality bad health outcomes. Ian Spencer savages Labour’s Singapore plans

Class war by other means

Heather Hallett’s enquiry gives no grounds for optimism that the next pandemic will be handled better, but its exposure of the failings of the system and its hired servants is a lesson to be learned, writes Ian Spencer

March of time

There were peaceful multitudes from front to end. Ian Spencer reports on London’s giant demonstration

Anatomy of genocide

Targeting of health infrastructure is definite policy. Ian Spencer assesses the terrible human cost of the Israeli assault since October 7

Genocide in Gaza

Electricity cut off, no petrol, an absence of drinkable water, together with grotesquely reduced healthcare, all point in one direction, warns Ian Spencer

Blood on their hands

Ian Spencer examines the infected blood scandal. A tale of political incompetence, corporate greed, imperialism and extreme poverty

Road leading nowhere

After 75 years the NHS has been driven into permanent crisis. The government’s ‘comprehensive workforce plan’ is no solution, it is mere electioneering, writes Ian Spencer

Not all in the mind

There is likely to be an acute crisis when the Met police stop responding to mental health calls. Ian Spencer takes us from Bethlem to Huntercombe via Enoch Powell

Defending the right to oppress

Ian Spencer gives his take on the trial of the Shenstone Six after their militant protest against Elbit Systems