Rae Cox, Oxford Socialist Party
Trump has just re-entered office, the New Labour government is being buffeted by the bond markets, and we had shown down Ukip in Southampton the day before. With all this, the energy in the room at our Southern and South East Socialist Party conference was focused.
Much of the conference was spent grappling with what we think will happen for the upcoming year. A theme was apparent – we are in a new era.
And as raised in the opening session, ‘Britain’s deepening crisis’, this is not only Britain, but across the globe. Poor economic growth, global debts far higher than at the time of the last major economic crash in 2007-08, etc.
Only one in seven capitalist incumbent governments maintained their position in 2024 elections globally. Whichever way you look, the era of relative stability has ended, and the class battles that lie ahead for us are unseen in scale for decades.
But this was not a nihilistic discussion. Despite the looming challenges, the question was always – how can our class grasp the moment with socialist ideas.
Many Socialist Party members spoke about the campaigning in their areas, their trade unions, and in upcoming county council elections (see ‘Labour’s council merger plans’). All this was discussed further in the workshops on fighting against war, the struggle against discrimination, and the potential of socialist economic planning.
New beginnings
As highlighted in the workshops on building the Socialist Party and organising in the trade unions, the Socialist Party is on the move. The coming year will present many opportunities to expand our presence in the region. The many brand new Socialist Party members in the room was a clear sign of this.
The determination to carry this forward was underscored by the £853 donated to the Socialist Party fighting fund by those in attendance. This new era will present challenges. But the Southern and South East Socialist Party is ready to fight on university campuses, in trade unions, and in the elections for a new mass workers’ party – all for a socialist future.
