Keir Starmer was the final straw

Christopher Mahon, Swindon Socialist Party

I became politically motivated after Keir Starmer became Labour leader, reading about his purges of the left from the party.

Labour under Starmer no longer felt like home. I began to feel politically homeless.

During that time, I had a social worker helping me. They directed me to the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) website.

What I read, I liked. I eventually met the local Socialist Party branch in Swindon, through its work in TUSC.

Ever since joining, I have felt more energised and confident that things can be done, things can be changed. After attending Socialist Party national congress this year, I was fully convinced that we have the correct ideas, and must fight to win over the working class.

Right-wing populism is a con, one that centrists like Keir ‘kid-starver’ Starmer are happy to sign up to for the sake of keeping his capitalist bosses happy. He will eat it up and tell us its good for us in the face of war, genocide, and the growing far right.

There is a well-founded belief that politicians are all in it for themselves. We need to show though that we are different, that we are looking to free the working class, not subjugate them for the purpose of profit.

I believe in the humanity of socialism. We must see the humanity in people.

The announcement of the intention for a new party formation under Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana is a step in the right direction. But we must have a voice in this party to keep it oriented towards the working class and openly socialist in nature.

In these turbulent times of darkness, confusion, war, and poverty, we must shine like a beacon of hope.