Daniel Gilmore, Tyne and Wear Socialist Party
200,000 people travelled to celebrate the 139th Durham Miners’ Gala, a huge celebration of working-class history and international solidarity. The field was packed with people discussing alternatives to the current pro-capitalist parties.
Unite the Union general secretary Sharon Graham spoke about the need for workers to oppose the genocide in Gaza, emphasising that Unite would support any workers that refused to handle Israeli-made goods.
She also spoke about opposing ‘fire and rehire’, backing the Birmingham bin strike, and the recent motion at Unite conference. This was initiated by Socialist Party members and supporters, passed by Unite conference almost unanimously, led to the suspension of Labour deputy prime minister Angela Rayner as a Unite member, and called for the union to rethink its connection to the Labour Party.
Husam Zomlot, Palestinian ambassador to the UK, received a massive amount of support from the crowd, indicating the strength of feeling on the issue within the working class as a whole, with Palestinian banners and chants throughout the day.
Jeremy Corbyn emphasised his support for care workers and the overstretched NHS, as well as raising taxes on the wealthy, and rescinding the two-child benefit cap – both policies were hugely popular.
He did not, however, mention his new political party, which raised comments and concerns from some that were looking for more political direction.
Overall, the day was another successful demonstration of working class power that continued even despite the high heat, and our comrades intervened brilliantly.
New workers’ party
Socialist Party members from all over the country were there, including Durham and the north east. We called for a new mass workers’ party, using the petition launched by leading trade unionists to speak to people, and hosted a meeting of our own. There we discussed the way forward, and the need for trade unionists to raise this demand within their own unions.
