Socialist Worker - United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The Socialist Worker published by the SWP, claims to be the most widely read socialist newspaper in the United Kingdom, although this claim is also made by the Morning Star, which has a daily circulation of 14,000. Although Socialist Worker sales/circulation data is not publicly available, John Molyneux estimates the circulation of the paper is currently under 8,000.

Originally Industrial Worker, and then Labour Worker, it was founded by the Socialist Review Group (which became the International Socialists, then the SWP) in 1961 in London (Cliff 78).

The newspaper was renamed Socialist Worker in 1968 and moved to weekly production; its first editor was Roger Protz (Higgins 90). Its language and general approach was modelled on The Daily Mirror but aimed to provide a very different set of ideas (Harman 40). Writers included Paul Foot, Duncan Hallas and Eamonn McCann plus reports of strikes and other struggles from across the country sent in by readers. The editor from 1974 to 1978, Paul Foot (Foot xii) later went to work for the Mirror, though he continued to contribute to Socialist Worker until his death in 2004. It was edited for many years by Chris Harman. Working for the newspaper has proved to be an effective apprenticeship for many prominent journalists at the onset of their careers, including Gary Bushell the brothers Christopher and Peter Hitchens.

After 2004 it was edited by Chris Bambery, who was succeeded by Charlie Kimber in 2009, and Judith Orr late in 2010.

The paper is printed early on Wednesday morning, then delivered to key parts of the country, where people in the region collect the paper and sell it. It also has a subscription service by which the paper is delivered on the Thursday by mail. It is also distributed to some shops through the WHSmith News distribution network. It is sent free to any UK prisoners that request it.

It is freely available online. The paper is often sold by street campaigners and picketers as well as in newsagents.