More join the Socialist Party in Yorkshire

The Socialist Party in Yorkshire started 2010 with a bang. The region saw a massive growth in party membership and activities during the first half of the year. The Socialist Party grew by one quarter in the Yorkshire region, with mainly young workers and college/sixth form students joining.

The fastest growing branch has been the re-invigorated Leeds branch, with 15 new members. Every person interested in joining the party has been contacted swiftly, usually by telephone and invited to the next meeting or to a one-to-one discussion if they prefer. There has been a meeting of 21 people discussing 'the socialist alternative to the budget', and 15 people were at the branch summer barbeque, with collections raising over £75 at both events.

The party has also launched new branches in Halifax, Rotherham and York, as well as initiating successful Youth Fight for Jobs marches in Leeds and Hull. A series of International Women's Day meetings took place around the region in March.

Many of the new members first met the party when the Socialist Party was campaigning outside their college against cuts, tuition fees and the far-right racist BNP.

A plan of action is being discussed to develop the party's work in the region, including a series of Marxist discussion groups. The first two topics are 'the case for socialism' and Leon Trotsky's ideas about the 'transitional programme'. There are also plans to develop the region's Socialist Party trade union, student, youth, LGBT and finance organisers' groups.

Meetings of new Socialist Party groups have taken place recently in Grimsby and Guiseley, near Leeds. We're also starting the ball rolling on trying to get the biggest ever Socialism weekend turnout from Yorkshire this year. The ideas of Marxism are on the march in Yorkshire!

Iain Dalton

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.