Oxford Socialist Party statement
Pride is political – it always has been, and more than ever continues to be so.
In the UK today, LGBTQ+ issues are being weaponised in attempts to divide our class, and weaken our ability to fight for our rights. The recent Supreme Court ruling against trans rights – that does nothing to end the oppression women face in society – is one example of this. It once again proves that minority rights are not secure in a society which relies on scapegoating to preserve the rule of the privileged elite.
It is correct that parties which don’t support LGBTQ+ rights should be challenged. But blanket bans on all parties cut off discussion about how we fight for LGBTQ+ rights and identities, and the public services we need. And banning Labour and the Tories means they have an excuse to avoid the anger they would rightly face at Pride events.
Unite to fight
The Oxford branch of the Socialist Party was at Oxford Pride to raise the need for unity between the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and the fight for workers’ rights. Now is the time LGBTQ+ workers and young people need to deepen ties with other workers’ struggles. Pride events are an opportunity to discuss how we can fight back, especially as Keir Starmer’s Labour cuts public services – cuts which will affect the LGBTQ+ community at least as much as everybody else.
It is disappointing that the organisers of Oxford Pride do not support this, while at the same time allowing a presence on the march from the police – who have a well-documented history of violently supressing protests from the LGBTQ+ community – and from companies that are continuing to profit from low pay of their workers, misogynist advertising, and Israeli state terror in Gaza.
The extremely positive response to our presence, and the solidarity shown by those attending the event towards the Birmingham bin workers, shows that attempting to keep politics out of Pride does not represent the views of most of the LGBTQ+ community.
Birmingham bins
Birmingham bin workers are facing up to an £8,000 pay cut. Their battle against a Labour council – and the Labour government which supports the cut – has taken on national significance in the eyes of many workers, who see the success of that dispute as vital in the national struggle against austerity.
The Socialist Party has a long and proud tradition of supporting the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights – participating in Pride events at the inception of the Pride movement, mobilising community defence of early Mardi Gras events in Leicester from the far right, for example. And organising and supporting protests against all attempts to reverse gains won by the LGBTQ+ community.
Today we champion the struggle in the trade unions for LGBTQ+ rights, and for the need to oppose all forms of austerity, that for 15 years have decimated public services that LGBTQ+ people rely on. Key to challenging the austerity and attacks on LGBTQ+ rights is the building of a new mass party of the working class to provide a genuine alternative to Labour, the Tories, Reform, and all those who seek to divide us. We stand for a socialist alternative to the austerity, war, and division of capitalism, and against LGBTQ+phobia and all forms of oppression – and for unity of the working class in struggle to fight for it.
Democratic decision?
We would question how the decision to ban all parties was made – who was consulted, who voted for it? What strategy is put forward by those who want to limit the ability of our Pride to be political?
It is disappointing to see Oxford Pride stray into division at a time when the LGBTQ+ community, and workers more broadly, should be standing together. We believe the discussion on the way forwards politically must continue to be held among LGBTQ+ workers and young people.
We would welcome Oxford Pride organising a public debate, with representatives from different political organisations, trade unions, campaigns, and youth organisations in the city, on what strategy and programme are needed to fight for LGBTQ+ rights, with the genuine involvement of members of that community and the working class.
