John Vasey, Wakefield Socialist Party
Nearly 100 marched from Batley to Dewsbury in West Yorkshire to protest against the Israeli state’s occupation of and attacks on Gaza. Such is the feeling in the area that in both the general and local authority elections, independent candidates were elected to oust sitting Labour representatives that refused to oppose the war on Gaza.
At the end of the march, two of these independents councillors spoke at the rally. They recounted how their campaign had helped lose Labour its majority in Kirklees, making an impact in opposing the killing of Palestinians in Gaza.
Reference was made to the 76,000 killed Palestinians in a region that, in the past, had seen Christians, Jews, and Muslims living side by side peacefully. We need a new mass political party for the working class that fights for justice, in defence of Palestinians, and against the war.
