The worst criminals from the last 13 years of brutal cuts and austerity got together in Manchester from 1 October.
Shouting for tax cuts for the rich, cheering for more privatisation of our public services, and hollering support for attacks on disabled people claiming benefits.
The headline act, that had people queueing around the block to get in, was Liz Truss, who less than a year ago resigned as prime minister in disgrace after just 49 days in office.
While delegates inside Tory Party conference argued about how to possibly avoid electoral disaster in the next general election, and jostled for position for who will replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader, thousands of striking doctors and radiographers protested outside.
Never before have doctors taken strike action on this scale. And never have our NHS and other public services been in such a mess – devastated by cuts and privatisation.
We’ve got to get the Tories out!
Just a short trip down the M62, Labour will meet for its conference in Liverpool a week later.
An indication that a Keir Starmer-led government is by far the most likely after the general election is that the money has followed him. Labour conference corporate sponsors outnumber the Tories 43-28. And he fully intends to govern in their interests, looking after their profits.
For that reason, a government led by him won’t provide the fully funded pay rise the doctors are demanding. Labour frontbenchers have also ruled out giving enough money to fix crumbling public buildings, or promising to save thousands of rail ticket offices facing closure.
We need a new party that is a real alternative to pro-rich Tories, one that is prepared to take on the bosses and their profit system. That means a mass workers’ party armed with a socialist programme. Join the Socialist Party to help us fight for it.
