Chris Newby, Socialist Party fighting fund organiser
The pages of the Socialist are full of what is happening to workers and working-class communities. It’s what makes the Socialist different.
What also makes us different, is that we put forward a clear socialist alternative and strategy to challenge what is happening to working-class people. For example, we’re campaigning for a trade union-led mass movement to oppose racist attacks, and to build a mass campaign to win jobs, homes, and services for all.
You may have seen Socialist Party members campaigning across England and Wales against racism and austerity, as well as many local issues, such as our members in Caerphilly campaigning against local council cuts (see page 11). We will also be alongside Socialist Students groups during freshers fairs providing a fighting strategy to take up the issues that students are facing.
We do not have any super-rich backers, unlike all the establishment parties. When you stop at one of our campaign stalls, you will see a petition sheet with a column for donations where we ask all the people who support us campaigning to donate to our fighting fund.
On our most recent campaign stall in Cardiff, our members raised £38 this way, campaigning for nationalisation to save steel jobs at Tata.
When you attend one of our meetings, we ask for donations. In our recent London public meeting, discussing how we can build an effective campaign to fight racist attacks, we raised £330.
We do this because we rely on donations from people like you to fund our party. Every three months, we have a target to raise £25,000 for our fighting fund.
So far this quarter we have raised £15,061. It is vital that we smash our target by the end of the quarter on 30 September.
Could you donate an amount yourself? Could you help out on one of our campaign stalls?
Could you organise a social event, such as a meal or a film night? Or could you sell items at a car boot sale?
Everything you raise will help make sure that we reach our target. It will ensure that we can continue to produce our leaflets, posters, and placards that give a clear socialist programme to develop the struggle against racism, austerity, and capitalism.
Give us resources to fight back
At the London public meeting about smashing the far right, Tower Hamlets Socialist Party member Emily Lyndon had this to say:
The Socialist Party is involved in campaigns, demonstrations, and trade union action. From the national demonstrations for Palestine taking place in central London, to the general election campaign, where the Socialist Party stood candidates across the country under the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC). We have attended London Pride, Trans Pride, and Black Pride.
In the recent weeks, The Socialist Party has participated in many of the protests that have countered the far right across the country. Our members have spoken on platforms, discussed our programme with the public, and given out material to support our strategy to fight back. The quick mobilisation of our party was made possible by the finances raised by members and supporters, and has allowed us to have an impact at each event we attended.
An important part of what we do is the material that we distribute. This aids us in discussions, but allows the public to see our presence and engage with what we say.
At every event, it is essential for us to have the resources we need – ranging from gazebos, flags, placards, and leaflets specific to the campaign, putting forward a socialist programme for change.
As we continue to build our party, and oppose far-right activity in all of our communities, we ask for fighting fund donations to support us being able to do so.
