Iain Dalton, Leeds Socialist Party
120 people attended the We Demand Change summit in Leeds. Some attended the summit looking for a new workers’ party.
I spoke from the platform, on behalf of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), at a workshop discussing the left and elections. But, some of the groups leading We Demand Change in Leeds opposed a new party.
The Green Party were represented by Leeds councillor Mothin Ali. He is standing to be the deputy leader of the Green Party.
Mothin pitched the Greens as the already-existing ‘new party’ – backed up by several Green Party members speaking from the floor. However, they were incapable of responding to points from the floor about their role in passing huge cuts in the council they lead in Bristol.
Mothin denounced their critics as demanding ‘purity’ tests. As if council workers’ jobs, and services many depend on, are somehow secondary.
Independent?
A number of speakers from the Socialist Workers Party, also opposed the idea of a working-class party – instead counterposing the idea of a coalition of independents. One of their members summed up: “It’s the time to stand in elections, but not for a new party”.
In contrast, the two independent councillors on the platform did come out for a new party. Michael Lavallette, elected as an independent in Preston, is part of a ‘Progressive Lancashire’ bloc with the Greens. He detailed how he had been elected as a socialist councillor in the past.
Jake Williamson is a Wakefield councillor, who was suspended from the Labour Party for voting against cuts. He also supported the idea of a new party. But he emphasised the need to not just to wait for that to be set up, but to fight for local communities now, and encourage working-class people to put themselves forward in elections.
When I spoke, I emphasised how TUSC is seeking to bring those together who want to stand as openly anti-austerity, anti-war, socialist candidates – on a common core platform.
It’s important that working-class organisations stand in elections, and that elected representatives see themselves as a vehicle for working-class movements. Left-wing councillors should organise with local trade unions and community campaigns to discuss what could be put forward as an alternative to austerity in council budget debates.
Labour attacks workers
We need to take the campaign for a new party into the trade unions. For example, demanding that Labour-affiliated unions stop funding political representatives in Labour that attack their members – such as Birmingham Labour council attacking bin workers in Unite.
Trade unions could stand their own candidates, as an alternative. Fringe meetings should be organised in union conferences to discuss the issue, and motions put to union conferences to push this debate forward.
I raised the petition launched by leading trade unionists, demanding a conference to discuss establishing a working-class political voice. During the conference, a further 18 people added their names to it.
