Funding the socialist fightback

S ocialist Party branches raised £23,763 fighting fund during the April-June 2010 quarter. This was a tremendous effort, as at the same time over £50,000 was raised to finance the standing of candidates for the Socialist Party and the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) in the general and local elections.

Ken Douglas Socialist Party national treasurer

Well done to Socialist Party members in the South West region, Wales, the East Midlands and the West Midlands, who all reached their targets. Members in every region worked tirelessly throughout the local and general election campaigns.

In Coventry we got a great response to our campaign to end hospital car parking charges. In Cardiff the main campaign was our call to end the war in Afghanistan and bring the troops back home.

Campaigning

Congratulations to the two new branches in Yorkshire, York and Rotherham, who both smashed their targets and to Southampton branch, where a new fighting fund organiser and some young members have had a big effect. Stoke branch has rejoined the branches that raise the most fighting fund, campaigning against the public sector cuts. Nottingham East branch and Mansfield and North Derbyshire branch have both kept up consistent records of smashing their fighting fund target.

Fighting fund is vital to enable the Socialist Party to finance the production of posters and leaflets and other campaigning material - this is particularly important now at the time of savage cuts and job losses and when the Con-Dem government has announced the wholesale privatisation of the NHS.

Branches will now be planning their fund-raising activities over the next three months - every member and supporter should be thinking how they can help and raise some money themselves to ensure that we reach the target by the end of September.

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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.