[Mike Foster]

Thanks very much for taking the time to find links to the programmes and people mentioned in the article. It's a shame that you don't get that kind of thought-provoking drama today. My personal favourites are Survivors, Noah's Castle and Cathy Come Home, but they're not the most cheerful of shows!

[Mike Foster]

There are still places left at Summer School, but if you're interested in coming along, please make a booking or let me know as soon as possible. More details can be found here: http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/event/summer-school-birmingham

[Mike Foster]

As always, Summer School will also include a bookstall, with hundreds of titles about politics, society, economics, history etc. For one weekend, it's the only radical bookshop in the whole West Midlands!

[Mike Foster]

Sorry to hear you've been unwell, and I hope you're feeling better soon.

[Mike Foster]

More Summer School news! Attendees will receive a free, exclusive illustrated publication packed with specially-commissioned articles on the theme of money and a moneyless society.There are still spaces available, so if you're interested in coming along, booking details can be found here: http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/event/summer-school-birmingham

[Mike Foster]

The other confirmed session for Summer School is:Socialists In Spaaace: A Game Of Co-operative Economics run by Bill MartinThis team game will give us a chance to co-operatively run a money-free society!  

[Mike Foster]

The next session which can be confirmed is Colin Skelly giving a talk about Labour-Time Vouchers And Socialism. More updates soon!

[Mike Foster]

Thanks for the suggestion. It's a bit early for me to think about what to do with the display after Summer School, but I'll see what I can do.

[Mike Foster]

At Summer School there will be an exhibition on the SPGB's views on money and a moneyless society over the decades. This will include some rarely-seen articles from the Socialist Standard, leaflets, posters and cartoons. More news soon!

[Mike Foster]

The next confimed session is The Root Of All Evil? How money affects behaviour and attitudes: some short videos selected by Darren Poynton.

[Mike Foster]

The next confirmed Summer School talk is Adam Buick who will present 'An Idiot's Guide To Banking: How To Avoid Being A Currency Crank'. This will explain how banks work by comparing them with individuals lending money, moneylenders, pawnbrokers, building societies, credit unions, peer-to-peer lending etc and showing how nobody can lend what they haven't got.

[Mike Foster]

The first confirmed session for this year's 'Money Talks' Summer School is Janet Surman discussing a moneyless society: 'Profiting From A Moneyless World'. Stay tuned for further details!

[Mike Foster]

The votes have been counted, and the theme will be announced in the next few days!

[Mike Foster]

Oxford council's approach is out of step with how councils and police are handling begging elsewhere. In Birmingham (and to a lesser extent, Coventry and Stratford, and probably other places), the police are working closer with homeless agencies and enforcing the law only as a last resort. This approach is helping some individuals in that it's allowing support to be put in place without being interrupted or hampered by prison stays, fines etc, even though it's come about partly because of streamlining of services necessitated by funding cuts. There are no ambitions to end rough sleeping, though, just an acceptance that it's a part of society.The main piece of legislation used against beggars is the Vagrancy Act, which was first enacted in 1824! Despite the more softly-softly approach in the Midlands, prosecuations under this act are on the increase, especially in London, in line with the increase in rough sleeping. I expect Oxford council's decision to persecute beggars is because of fear that visible homelessness will make the city 'look bad', affecting the tourist trade. 

[Mike Foster]

Thanks for the photos, they've come out really well. I enjoyed the weekend, and I hope everyone else did, too. Thanks again to everyone who came along, and especially to those who gave presentations, contributed to the publication, and who helped behind the scenes, including Ed, Darrell, Dave, Jacqueline, Rob and Vince.There was a poll taken at the event for what kinds of outreach activity we think are most valuable and worthwhile. Here are the results:joint 1st: holding public meetings, and maintaining the SPGB website2nd: using social media (facebook, twitter, blogs etc)3rd: standing in electionsjoint 4th: running literature stalls, appearing on radio / TV, and producing short films5th: producing printed literature6th: engaging with other organisations7th: participating in online discussion forums8th: attending demos

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