‘Positive about building our party over the next year’

Ash Ritchie, Northampton Socialist Party

Opening with a session on ‘Capitalism in crisis – the turmoil to come’, Isai Marijerla, from the Socialist Party Executive Committee, opened the East Midlands regional conference on 31 May with members from branches across the region in attendance. In the afternoon, East Midlands Socialist Party organiser Seamus Smyth led a session on building our party in the region.

A major focus of the conference was the local elections and how we build our party – locally, regionally and nationally. From the recent election results, it is clear that the working class is searching for a political alternative.

While Reform gained council seats, its support is broad but shallow. This reflects a mood for change – and the urgent need for us to get boots on the ground, speak to working-class people, and put forward a real political alternative: the trade unions taking the lead in building a mass working-class party.

Only by challenging the capitalist system can we lay the foundations for the struggles the working class will face in the period ahead.

After hearing reports from all the branches, we left feeling very positive about our prospects for building the party over the next year.