Socialists need to throw off the cold corpse of Marx, give it a decent - but permanent - burial and recover the vitality of ethical radicalism, with all its humour and rootedness. In place of the poisonous legacy of Marxism with its sterile and false scientism, ludicrous infighting, nonsensical sectarianism and deadly fascination with tyrannical centralism, we should be telling the tales of Winstanley and the Diggers, of Thomas Spence, and of all our heroes who envisioned a better world, a true common wealth.

Every piece of legislation to improve the working conditions of those they employ has been denounced by the bosses and their lackeys as a hindrance to enterprise and trade. Every attempt to ensure those in work have more leisure time has been denounced as a reduction in competitiveness. Every social improvement to better the lot of those without work has been denounced as an inducement to idleness.

Nothing to improve our lot has been achieved without defeating the prolonged and bitter opposition of the boss class and their political lackeys.

Two stories from today's Times newspaper

Some right wing think tank proposes to slash school spending. Apparently larger classes and fewer teachers won't make a difference. I doubt they think like that at Eton but, of course, that's not the point.

And the Russell Group of self-defined 'elite' universities are pressing for a reduction in the money given to support poorer students to get to university. They want more of it for themselves, so they can 'compete'.

There really is a class war going on out there, and we're losing.