Kirsty Denman, Mansfield Socialist Party
I moved back to Mansfield after finishing my degree, and struggled to find employment opportunities. I was having difficulties with social interactions, which negatively affected my performance in interviews.
So, I decided to seek a diagnosis for autism, to help get support for my social difficulties. But the NHS waiting list in Nottinghamshire was two years! I could have had an assessment in weeks, if I could afford to ‘go private’.
I went back to uni to get a master’s degree. My engineering management studies were enlightening.
I learned about all the different ways that businesses can exploit their suppliers, customers, employees, and the environment. And I learned that it is all done in the name of profit.
It upset me when my dissertation concluded that: while yes, blockchain technology could have profound impact in letting consumers know their food’s exact origins, and all of the emissions associated with transportation and production, no company would ever invest in this kind of technology, because the financial cost would massively outweigh any potential increase in sales.
At uni, ‘right-wing’ and ‘liberal’ friends were all from wealthy backgrounds. They would get annoyed when I pointed out inconsistencies in their beliefs, and the implications for poor people. Typically, working-class friends disliked ‘talking politics’, but had ‘left-leaning’ views.
I joined the Socialist Party shortly before finishing my masters. Since becoming a member: I have spoken at Socialist Party meetings, sold the Socialist newspapers at rallies, and represented my local branch at the Socialist Party national congress.
I ran for district councillor, under the banner of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), in the local elections. And I attended the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI) summer event in Berlin.
I will continue to put all of my efforts into understanding and banishing the capitalist machine.
