Joe Fathallah, Cardiff West Socialist Party
On Sunday 23 April, around 40 members of Socialist Party Wales gathered in Cardiff for our annual conference. This came against the backdrop of the ongoing strike movement.
Hannah Sell, General Secretary of Socialist Party England and Wales, introduced the discussion on perspectives for Britain and Wales in the coming period. With the Tories discredited and the likely coming to power of a Starmer-led government in the near future, members discussed the prospects for building a new party to represent the interests of the working class. The question of perspectives for the strike wave also came up. In Wales, we have a so-called ‘Labour’ government, and this has provided justification for the leadership of the Wales TUC to push a policy of ‘social partnership’, letting Welsh Labour in power off the hook for cuts or attacks they try to implement! As a result, some disputes, such as the NHS nurses, have been settled in Wales with below-inflation increases. Nevertheless, the anger of these workers will inevitably return to the surface, and a new round of struggles is on the horizon.
Alec Thraves, from Swansea Socialist Party and the National Committee introduced the session on party organisation. His message: ‘We’ve got to be ready to rise to the challenges that this period is going to bring!’ That includes having the necessary financial resources, and the fighting fund collection raised over £1,300. A new Wales Committee was elected by the conference for the coming year, including young and newer members who are playing important roles in their party branches and trade unions.
We went away afterwards enthused and galvanised for the coming challenges.
