New PM Starmer pledges to rebuild Britain after years of chaos

Britain's new Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged on Friday to use his massive electoral majority to rebuild the country, saying he wanted to take the heat out of politics after years of upheaval and strife.

Standing outside his new office and residence at Number 10 Downing Street, Starmer acknowledged the scale of the challenge after his party's landslide victory in a parliamentary election ended 14 years of often tumultuous Conservative government. read more

Kylian Mbappe has called on people to vote against the far-right in France. The French captain and biggest cultural icon in the country has spoken out against Le Pen for the second time now during the Euros.

Le Pen came in first place at the recent EU parliamentary elections and then again during the first round of voting that took place at the end of June. Le Pen’s closest rival is the “New Popular Front,” a new alliance consisting of the Socialist Party, Communist Party, Melenchon’s “France Insoumise” and other leftist parties.

Macron’s centrist party is insisting that both “extremes” are as bad as the other, nevertheless, many local candidates from both his party and others are withdrawing to ensure that the anti-Le Pen vote is not split.

French police have mobilized 30,000 officers for Sunday due to fears that clashes could arise between the far-right and anti-fascist groups.

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On this day, 5 July 1852, abolitionist and women's rights advocate Frederick Douglass delivered his famous speech "The meaning of July 4th for the Negro" in Rochester, New York. In it, he declared: "The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth [of] July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony."More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10524/frederick-douglass-%22fourth-of-july%22-speech * If you enjoy our social media posts be sure to check out our podcasts. In our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History, we speak with participants in social movements about their experiences, and our daily mini podcast, On This Day in Working Class History, has one of our anniversaries each day. We also have a website and map containing thousands of our stories with full sources. All of our work is funded by you, our readers and listeners, on Patreon. To learn more and support us check out our links in our bio.

Happy birthday, Frida Kahlo! While Kahlo is renowned worldwide for her art, style, and persona, many forget that she was a political activist whose artwork reflected her communist, anti-fascist, and anti-imperialist views. She joined the Mexican Communist Party in 1927 and her political convictions stayed with her even after her death when a hammer and sickle flag covered her coffin. Watch this video on her revolutionary legacy.

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Good Idea: Do not hope for mars as backup plan

https://www.asimov.press/p/grow-mars

Transforming Mars into a habitable planet faces insurmountable challenges, including extreme radiation, toxic soil, freezing temperatures, and a severe lack of accessible water. Despite advancements in synthetic biology, creating life that can survive on Mars is unlikely.
Given these obstacles, it makes more sense to focus on restoring Earth, where life already thrives and where our efforts can yield more immediate, impactful results. Prioritizing the healing of our own planet is both a practical and scientifically sound strategy for ensuring a sustainable future for humanity.

God has the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/05/us/politics/biden-interview-stephanopoulos-abc.html

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On this day, 6 July 1907, Frida Kahlo (born Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo Calderón), disabled painter, communist, and one of Mexico's greatest artists, was born in Coyoacán, Mexico City. Her father was European, while her mother was of Spanish and Tehuana descent. Major themes in Kahlo's work include feminism, colonialism and Indigenous resistance, and imperialism. While living in the US, Kahlo played an active part in the socialist movement, and wrote to friends stating: “I’ve learnt so much here and I’m more and more convinced it’s only through communism that we can become human.” More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10625/frida-kahlo-bornPictured: Photograph of Kahlo by Florence Arquin, 1951Our work is only possible because of support from readers like you. If you can, please consider supporting us on our patreon. Link in bio.

Good Idea: Prepare for Unplugust

https://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Digital-Detox

The ministry will also go unplugged this august for #Unplugust
In order to prepare yourself, go outside this sunday, shut off your phone (after telling your importants), read a book, meet friends, make music etc.

Edit: 🙏Thanks to our ministers for discovering AI content on the previous link!

Trotz Zugeständnissen der Regierung will die Jugend Kenias weiter auf die Strasse gehen. Eine Aktivistin über die Ziele der Bewegung – und die Wut auf ein ausbeuterisches System. https://www.woz.ch/!9N4K4KRNWVS0

Good Idea: Solar Power

Paywalled: https://www.economist.com/interactive/essay/2024/06/20/solar-power-is-going-to-be-huge

Free: https://archive.is/yStc7

Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly into electricity and are central to solar energy systems. In 2023, around 70 billion of these silicon-based cells were produced globally. Solar energy is gaining traction due to its low operational costs, lack of emissions, and minimal maintenance. The rapid growth is driven by falling costs, economies of scale, and technological advances, allowing for quicker installations. Despite challenges like nighttime power availability and grid integration, advancements in battery technology are making solar power more viable. Solar capacity reached 1,419 gigawatts by 2023, far exceeding earlier forecasts, and is expected to become the largest energy source by the 2040s, significantly reducing reliance on fossil fuels.