OCTOBER 2018

association with communism
in eastern Europe ... the
UKSCS annual conference ...
Black Lives Matter ... Brexit
ISSN 0009-9821
01
9 770009 982010
THIS ISSUE
CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT
Claire McCarthy, general secretary of the Co-op
Party, looks ahead to its annual conference
(p42-43); the month’s news includes a strong
half-year for the Co-op Group (p6); we speak
to veteran co-operator Lord Graham (p26-27);
and the late Chokwe Lumumba, a leading light
of African-American co-operation (p40-41)
news Issue #7300 OCTOBER 2018
Connecting, championing, challenging
OCTOBER 2018
POLITICS
Can co-ops steer
a course through
troubled times?
Plus ... Breaking the
£4.20
www.thenews.coop
COVER: There’s a wave
of reactionary populism
dominating world politics
– but can co-ops work with
people in a more
meaningful way?
Read more: p32-47
25 CO-OPERATIVE HERITAGE TRUST
A final update on the Working Together
project to build an archive of UK worker
co-op history
26-27 MEET ... LORD GRAHAM
OF EDMONTON
The stalwart of the Co-op Party and
movement, now 93, looks back on his
career and the state of co-operation
28-31 THE UK SOCIETY FOR
CO-OPERATIVE STUDIES
Full reports from the UKSCS annual
conference in Sheffield, including the
society’s annual report
32-47 POLITICS SPECIAL
32-33 POPULISM AND THE
NEW ECONOMY
The financial crisis has broken the
neoliberal consensus – but which ideas
will fill the gap it has left?
34-35 EASTERN EUROPE
After the fall of communism, co-ops
suffered from their association with the
old regimes – but now there are signs of a
revival for the movement
36-37 MALAWI
The co-op movement has close ties to
the government as efforts are made to
drive development. And the Co-operative
College is working with co-ops there, too
38-39 Q&A: A CO-OP RESPONSE
Ariel Guarco from the International
Co-operative Alliance and US activist John
Duda discuss the ways co-ops can offer a
way forward through difficult times
40-41 CIVIL RIGHTS
The African American community has a
proud co-operative heritage. It is now
building a path to economic selfdetermination
amid renewed activism
42-43 CO-OP PARTY CONFERENCE
Preview of this year’s event, where the
Party will discuss Brexit and its plans to
reshape the economy and double the size
of the co-op sector. We speak to Party chair
Gareth Thomas MP and general secretary
Claire McCarthy
44-45 THINKTANK REPORT
The Institute for Public Policy Research has
issued a report on the UK economy, which
calls for more worker representation.
46-47 BREXIT
As the UK’s departure from the EU
continues to dominate the landscape, just
how well prepared are co-op businesses?
REGULARS
6-14 UK updates
15-22 Global updates
24 Letters
48-49 Books
OCTOBER 2018 | 5