Sarah Sachs-Eldridge, Socialism 2024 organising team
We all worry about the world becoming more dangerous. How can we trust Rishi Sunak to find solutions to the global problems of war and conflict?
The Tory approach to foreign policy is no different to any other issue – big-business profits before all else.
At home, that means fat cat profiteers in our public services. Hospitals spent equivalent to the salaries of around 65,000 newly qualified nurses paying for legacy PFI privatisation projects in one year of the pandemic!
So when Sunak announces an increase in defence spending, we know the only thing guaranteed to be defended is arms manufacturers’ profits.
BAE Systems made record profits of over 10% on record sales of £25.3 billion in 2023.
To pay billions of pounds for more military and arms spending, Sunak plans public sector job cuts and a further slashing of spending on public services. More misery at home to pay for more misery abroad.
Instead, we need a mass movement to fight to reverse all the cuts and privatisation, and for an end to war.
Instead of more weapons of mass misery being produced, the skills and technique involved in the arms industry should be used to benefit society, with no loss of jobs, pay and conditions for the workers involved.
This is not the offer from Starmer’s Labour Party. They’ve promised that big business will ‘be in government’ with Labour. That means more austerity, privatisation war and military spending.
Nonetheless Labour will be seen by many as the best tool to get rid of the Tories – and will form the next government.
The fights against cuts, against war, to defend jobs will need to continue.
That means the working class getting organised – transforming the unions, building a political voice, fighting for an alternative to capitalism and its wars.
And that means ideas around which to organise. That’s why Socialism 2024 is worth putting in your diary now.
Taking place on the weekend of 9-10 November, this socialist weekend event will be the main national event where you can discuss and debate the ideas needed to fight the cuts, war and capitalism to which the new Starmer government will be committed.
- Book now and take advantage of the 20% discount: socialism.org.uk
