Follow-up meetings are now being held in different trade unions. Here we carry extracts of reports and model motions from some of those meetings.
Meet with activists in your union to discuss: linktr.ee/TU4NewParty
‘Unite for a New Party’ meeting sets union specific campaign plan
The first follow-up meeting to the successful ‘Trade Unionists for a New Party’ campaign launch on July 21st was held last week for members of Unite the Union.
Over 220 Unite activists attended a ‘Unite for a New Party’ call to discuss the details of what needs to be done in this currently Labour-affiliated union to make sure that it can be at the heart of the new anti-austerity and anti-war party that is in the process of being formed.
Chaired by the Unite member and former Labour MP Dave Nellist, the meeting opened with a video message of support from Jeremy Corbyn, stressing the importance of trade unionists in realising his and Zarah Sultana’s recent call (at www.yourparty.uk) for a “new kind of political party”.
The next speakers, present in a personal capacity, were the Unite Executive Council member Suz Muna and the Unite convenor of Birmingham Labour council’s Waste and Environmental Services workers, Matt Reid. Suz explained the historic decision made at the Unite policy conference in July for the union to “discuss our relationship with Labour”, after the council announced the effective fire-and-rehire of refuse workers striking against pay cuts of up to £8,000 a year, with Matt reporting on the latest developments ‘from the frontline’. The meeting pledged its continued solidarity with the bin workers in this defining struggle.
Debating tactics
Discussion then turned to the details of what needs to be argued for in a union that at this point is still affiliated to Labour, centred around a model motion for union branches that had been circulated in the meeting’s calling notice (see below for the text).
There was general agreement with the tactics proposed, with arguments made illustrating some of the different issues involved. For example, Dave Reid from Cardiff Trades Council, and an officer of Cardiff General Unite branch, reported on the trades council’s initiative, now supported by three others in Wales, to convene a conference in October to discuss how unions can ensure there is a workers’ voice in the 2026 Welsh Senedd elections.
But because it has been posed as a discussion, he explained, in line with the Unite conference decision – and with a speaker invited from Labour to debate how workers can be politically represented (let’s see if they turn up!) – there is no constitutional bar to Unite branches sending delegates even under the current rules.
But there was debate too about the tactics proposed. Phil Smart, the branch secretary of Unite WM6070, asked why, with the union’s objects including “to have a strong political voice fighting on behalf of working peoples’ interests… so as to promote a socialist vision” (Rule 2.1.4), the Executive Council couldn’t use its powers under Rule 13.6 “to amend the rules between Rules Conferences” itself as Starmer’s Labour was so obviously not delivering?
Other speakers accepted that such a move was possible. However, given the requirement that 75% of the Executive Council would have to agree, they argued that a membership campaign which gathered such support to compel the EC to take this step could also achieve the convening of special policy and rules conferences, which would result in a more deeply-rooted and long-lasting change in the union’s political strategy.
The main task though, everybody agreed, was to take the arguments to every corner of the union. And in that light, with the next Executive Council being held in October, it was agreed to reconvene the meeting in the autumn to assess progress, with all instances of the model motion being passed in branches and other union committees to be notified to Dave Nellist at dave@nellist.net A short video of Dave, Suz, Matt and Jeremy’s
Click to see a model motion for Unite members
This Unite branch welcomes the emergency motion that was passed at the recent Unite Policy Conference in support of the striking Birmingham bin workers.
We support the demand in the motion that “Unite should discuss our relationship with Labour” in response to the brutal attack on our members on the bins by the Labour Birmingham City Council and backed up by Starmer’s government.
We also note the statement by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana calling for a new political party “rooted in our communities, trade unions and social movements”, with over 700,000 people signing up to be kept informed which will include many Unite members and other trade unionists.
Therefore, this Unite branch calls for the Unite Executive Council to:
- Continue to back those Unite-supported MPs who have so far had the whip removed for opposing New Labour austerity, and others that are similarly disciplined.
- Launch the discussion at all levels of Unite about our relationship with Labour and the need for a political strategy that supports our members taking political action on the basis of agreed Unite policies.
- This discussion should lead to the convening of special policy and rules conferences to draw political and organisational conclusions, potentially including the building of a new workers’ party, standing and supporting workers’ candidates, calling for a conference across unions to build a political alternative for workers on a pro-worker, socialist programme
- Unite should send delegations to meetings and conferences organised by trade unionists on political representation for workers.
NEU
Over 70 National Education Union (NEU) members joined the Zoom call on 18 August as part of the round of individual union meetings to bring together “Trade Unionists for a New Party”. Not only was this a great turnout at a time when education staff are on holiday, the thorough and wide-ranging discussion also reflected the enthusiasm and determination to campaign for the NEU to play a role in building a new party.
One shared aim from all the many contributions was to encourage as many NEU members as possible to take the arguments for a new workers’ party into NEU structures, at school, district and national levels. There was also agreement that a mass trade union base can help make sure the new party has both firm roots in working-class communities and a programme that offers new hope to the millions let down by the existing mainstream parties who might otherwise look to the populist right like Reform.
The kind of policies that educators will want to see from a new workers’ party were also discussed – including the reversal of cuts and privatisation, bringing back education into democratically accountable public control.
But there was also agreement that helping to shape the policy and structures of the new party needed more than just individual educators joining the new party, it should be done through the union at all levels getting involved as a collective organisation. To cement that involvement, federal structures were needed that allow unions to affiliate.
A further meeting was planned for the new term, particularly to look at a motion for NEU Conference 2026 that could allow the union’s existing political fund to start being used to back candidates committed to fighting for the union’s policies.
NEU model motion:
Educators need new political representation: it’s time for the trade unions to take the lead in founding it.
This district/branch notes:
- The ongoing funding crisis across all education sectors; Labour’s delays in implementing its Employment Rights Bill, and ongoing attacks on public services and disability benefits, as well as attacks on trans rights, migrants and ongoing support for the onslaught in Gaza.
- The statement by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana calling for a new political party “rooted in our communities, trade unions and social movements”, with 700,000 people signing up to be kept informed, which will include many NEU members and other trade unionists.
- That other unions are involved in discussions: UNITE are reassessing their relationship with Labour; UCU have agreed to “look for an alternative political voice to Labour” and the bakers’ union have released a statement on the creation of a new political party.
- That NEU policy agreed this year states in the motion: Defending and extending members’ rights at work
Conference further instructs the executive to appeal to all the MPs with whom the union is associated, the 7 Labour MPs who had the whip withdrawn after voting against keeping the 2-child benefit cap and the independent MPs, including Jeremy Corbyn, elected for the first time in 2024 to table amendments to the Employment Rights Bill.
This branch/district believes:
- The battles our members face – over funding, workload, pay, restructuring, academisation etc – will be greatly strengthened if we also have a political voice.
- The number of people signing up to be part of the founding process for ‘your party’ is an indicator of the huge potential support there is for a working-class based alternative to Labour, with the potential to cut across the divisive rhetoric of Reform.
- Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana have already vocally shared views on education policy, child poverty and Palestine that are compatible with our union policy. This would be greatly amplified by having actual education workers as decision-makers in a new party,
- A new party will be stronger and have more political authority if trade unions – collectively representing more than 6 million members – participate in the founding of a new party and are represented in the democratic decision-making process of a new party.
- Our union, along with other trade unions, can and should play a leading role in the founding of a new party.
This branch/district resolves:
- To request our National Executive members invite Jeremy Corbyn, Zarah Sultana and the Independent Alliance MPs to an urgent meeting of the National Executive to discuss how to build a bloc of MPs in parliament that will fight for the policies of the NEU, and the role of the NEU in steps towards a new party
- To request our National Executive members approach the Unite EC, UCU NEC and bakers’ union executive, and other relevant trade unions, to discuss trade union involvement in the founding of a new workers’ party
- To write to our local trades union council to suggest working with other unions locally to discuss what is locally needed for political representation.
- To elect representatives to attend local meetings about a new workers’ party and share the needs of education workers.
Unison
At the successful meeting of Trade Unionists For a New Party on 21 July hosted by Dave Nellist, Chair of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), those present, (over 1,000 people from a range of unions) agreed to organise follow-up meetings for members of the respective unions to discuss concrete steps towards a party based on the unions. Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana both attended and spoke at that meeting and their ‘Your Party’ campaign has attracted over 700,000 sign-ups since its launch.
April Ashley and Jim McFarlane, Unison NEC members acting in a personal capacity, called the first Unison 4 a New Party meeting to discuss the concrete steps we need to take in our union. Around 70 of us attended on 18 August. It was welcome that Jeremy Corbyn sent a video message of support for the meeting at Dave Nellist’s invitation, stating that “workers’ rights are at the core of what we believe in”.
In opening the meeting and moving the motion (see below) April raised that as only 16% of Unison members currently pay into the affiliated political fund (Labour Link) it is clear that most members no longer see Labour as a party that represents their interests.
Andrea Egan, who is standing as general secretary of Unison against the current right-winger Christina McAnea, sent apologies for the meeting, hoping to attend in the future. April and other speakers felt it important that the call for a review of Unison’s relationship with the Labour Party and for the union to use its political fund to only support MPs who follow union policy form a prominent part of Andrea’s election programme. If elected, we would also urge her to work with Jeremy, Zarah and the other suspended MPs so that they can represent Unison’s policies in parliament.
There was discussion about the role of the trade unions in any new party, with concern raised by one attendee that union block votes have been applied undemocratically by union leaders in the past in the Labour Party. However, as others raised, a ‘one member one vote’ system may seem initially more democratic but was always used by the right wing in the Labour Party to defeat the left. It is vital that a new working-class party has not just the active support but democratic collective involvement of the trade unions, and a federal structure is the best way of ensuring this. It is also vital that we challenge the union bureaucracies and fight for our unions to be democratic and accountable to the members.
Speakers raised the importance that a new workers’ party could have in our workplaces, defending public services and advocating for needs-based budgets. It would also be vital to take on Reform UK and undercut the potential growth of the far right, by offering a genuine alternative to austerity.
The meeting agreed that we need a range of model resolutions for the 2026 national delegate conference on the question of reviewing the political funds, ending the Labour Link and supporting candidates who support Unison policies. There is currently a right-wing majority on the NEC and it has previously been difficult to get anything past the standing orders committee at conference. However, we will aim to flood the conference with resolutions, backed up by gathering as many signatories as possible on the petition to show the strength of support for the campaign’s aims in the union.
Although there was some discussion over the name of the campaign, the motion was agreed by the meeting. A further meeting will be held after the end of the general secretary election campaign.
Click here to read the model motion
This meeting welcomes the declaration by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana that they will be founding a new left-wing party. The fact that 700,000 have signed up to the yourparty.uk website to support this initiative shows the potential that a party, once it is formed, could have in fighting for the interests of workers and young people. We also note that the 2025 Unison annual report stated that only 16% of members paid into the Labour Link fund. This clearly shows that affiliation to Labour is no longer a fundamental ‘Aim and Objective’ for Unison members. We therefore support a fundamental review of the union’s political funds, so that all of our members can democratically decide how our money should be spent. We agree to:
- Launch a campaign calling for a full review of Unison’s political funds, with a commitment to ballot all members on a range of options so that our money can be used to back only those political candidates and parties who clearly support our union’s policies.
- To seek clarity from all candidates in the 2025 general secretary election campaign about whether they support such a review.
- To launch a national petition within the union to campaign for these aims.
- To draw up model motions for branches to submit to national delegate conference 2026 on this issue.
UCU members in post-16 education discussion the next steps
On 14 August 40 activists in the University and College Union (UCU), from workplace reps and rank-and-file members through to National Executive Committee (NEC) members, met online to discuss the next steps in the fight for our union to have a voice in a new party of the working class. This was a follow-up to the online ‘Trade unionists for a new party’ meeting called by Dave Nellist on 21 July, addressed by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, which over 1,000 trade unionists attended.
In chairing the meeting and proposing a model motion for UCU members to take into their branches for discussion, National Executive Committee (NEC) members Duncan Moore and Marco Tesei explained that since UCU passed motion 63 at the union’s annual congress in May (see ‘UCU votes for national action in HE and FE’ at socialistparty.org.uk), major developments in the struggle for independent working class politics have come apace. This meeting was for UCU members to discuss how to campaign for UCU to engage in the formation of a new party.
UCU, like many other unions, has never been affiliated to Labour. The union’s current rules state that no part of the fund of the union or of any branch shall be used for affiliation to any political party. For UCU to affiliate with a new party would require a change to our rules, achievable only by a two-thirds majority vote at congress.
But the UCU rule book is clear that the union can spend the political fund in any way that Congress or the NEC deems to be in the interests of UCU members. Currently UCU spends member’s money lobbying parliament and campaigning, and to have a stall at Labour Party conference.
UCU congress motion 63 called for the union to invite Jeremy Corbyn and the other independents (now including Zarah Sultana) to a meeting of our national executive to discuss how they can support our union’s fights in parliament, and for UCU to encourage our own members to stand in elections to campaign for our union’s policies.
Since the announcement of a new party, implementation of motion 63 has become urgent, as the question of the new party’s structure and what role the trade unions can have within it are debated over the next few months.
The ‘UCU for a new party’ meeting resolved to raise the motion in all our branches and also agreed to contact our relevant NEC members (by sector and/or region) to ask about progress on motion 63, to keep the pressure on the leadership.
Contributions to the debate included points about the advantages of a federal structure to enable the collective voice of trade unions, and for left political organisations including the Socialist Party to be able to affiliate, because of the importance of open debate about ideas, programme and tactics to defend policies in the interests of the working class.
Whether or not UCU should affiliate depends ultimately in what say our union could have within the new party’s structures, which is why it is important that these issues are discussed now.
Jen Forbes, a UCU member who stood for Labour under Corbyn’s leadership, when she was a member of the Communication Workers Union, explained about the importance of having the support of her union and union branch when she stood, and how important it would be for UCU to do the same. Another member argued that the process was happening the wrong way round – instead of being bogged down with motions and the slow-turning wheels of the union, it was important to build struggle. But others answered that actually these two processes are not separate – the strikes and campaigns are vital, but how much better if there was a political voice for those battles being built at the same time.
The next meeting to discuss progress on the model motion and the possibility of a rule change will be in late September/early October, where we can discuss next steps.
Click to read the model motion
Post 16- Educators need new political representation: it’s time for the trade unions to take the lead in founding it.
This branch Notes:
- The ongoing funding crisis across all post-16 education sectors, Labour’s delays in implementing its Employment Rights Bill, and ongoing attacks on public services and disability benefits.
- The passing of UCU congress motion 63, which called for new political representation for post-16 educators, and:
- Believes “it is time for UCU and the broader trade union movement to look for an alternative political voice to Labour”.
- Resolved to: “Encourage UCU members to stand in elections, linking up with other trade unionists, to fight for our union’s policies” and “To invite Jeremy Corbyn, the Independent Alliance in parliament and other pro-worker MPs to attend our National Executive for discussion about how they can support our union’s fight for post-16 education funding in parliament”.
- Other developments related to the founding of a new political, trade union-based party, including:
- The decision by the Unite conference to reassess the union’s relationship with Labour in light of Birmingham Labour council’s threat to ‘fire and rehire’ striking refuse workers.
- The statement on the creation of a new political party by the bakers’ union (BFAWU) Executive Council.
- The statement by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana calling for a new political party “rooted in our communities, trade unions and social movements”, with over 600,000 people signing up to be kept informed which will include many UCU members and other trade unionists.
This branch believes:
- These are positive developments toward establishing a political voice for post-16 educators, the working class and the wider communities we live and work in.
- The more than half a million people signing up to be part of the founding process for “your party” is an indicator of the huge potential support there is for a working-class based alternative to labour. Such a party has the potential to cut across the divisive rhetoric of Reform.
- A new party will be stronger and have more political authority if trade unions – collectively representing more than 6 million members – participate in the founding of a new party and are represented in the democratic decision-making process of a new party.
- Our union, along with other trade unions, can and should play a leading role in the founding of a new party.
This branch resolves:
- To urgently write to the chair of NEC, the chair of the Strategy and Finance Committee and Jo Grady to call for the urgent implementation of motion 63 and support calls for a special NEC on the question of political strategy to invite Corbyn, Sultana and the Independent Alliance MPs to.
- To call for a joint meeting between the Unite EC, UCU NEC and bakers’ union executive, and other relevant trade unions to discuss trade union involvement in the founding of a new workers’ party.
- To encourage members of our branch to stand as candidates in next year’s local elections, linking up with other trade unionists, and to campaign for our union’s policies.
CWU members for a new party
Activists from across the Communication Workers Union CWU attended a meeting on Monday 11 August, following on from the 21 July ‘Trade Unionists for a New Party’ campaign launch. Dave Nellist, former ‘workers’ MP on a worker’s wage’, chaired the discussion.
CWU general secretary Dave Ward sent his apologies as he was away, and Jeremy Corbyn sent a video message.
Many of the attendees contributed to the debate on the tactics and strategy needed to get better political representation for our union, all in a personal capacity. The first came from Deji Olayinka, chair of UTAW (tech workers) branch, introducing a model motion (below). The motion isn’t just for branches to discuss, but to call on the union leadership to engage, as Andy Gibb, former national executive member, raised.
Alex Bradley, CWU Bristol AMAL Branch officer, argued that we need to reach out to members and open up discussions at the branch level on what kind of party we want. Alex Shepley, Manchester Branch Women’s officer, highlighted that if the party built on Corbyn’s manifesto promises of nationalising Royal Mail, BT and Openreach it would attract, unite and re-engage union members who had been turned off by the union’s relationship to Starmer’s Labour.
There was a shared understanding that we shouldn’t wait for a new party – the focus was on the concrete steps that we could take now to ensure the union’s political funds can be used to fund the best political representation for members and the wider working class, which could cut across Reform’s rise.
This includes members having the opportunity to evaluate the current CWU-funded MPs to determine whether they are “loyal to the labour movement or the Labour Party?” as Alex posed it. Duncan Davis, UTAW Branch Secretary, called for clear rulebook provisions securing branches’ rights to fund the best candidates including those outside of Labour.
Gary Clark, former Scotland No. 2 Branch Secretary, said that while there are still people who want to stay in Labour, there is a mood for this step among the majority. He explained that branches can ask for motions to be discussed at the National Executive Committee (NEC), and that a policy forum would be held if branches representing over 40% of members asked for one.
Shireen Asaw, UTAW Education Officer, reported on the political representation branch working group that she has organised, which is already drawing together the kinds of policies that members want. Adil Shaikh from the Manchester telecoms branch raised that the TUC conference in September is another opportunity to raise this amongst leading trade unionists.
CWU Model motion
This CWU branch notes:
- The CWU gave over £170,000 to Labour MPs in the 12 months prior to the 2024 election
- The CWU initiated New Deal For Workers has been watered down by Labour to appease bosses with many changes delayed. The Tory 2016 Trade Union Act and the ban on secondary action could have been repealed on day 1 yet unions remain handcuffed.
- The vicious anti-worker attacks carried through with conscious political support by this Labour government and Labour controlled councils including strike breaking as seen in Birmingham
- The cuts to services, as well as attacks on the trans community, migrants, disabled people, and ongoing support for the onslaught in Gaza.
- Developments related to the founding of a new political trade union-based party. Including:
- Unite conference voted to reassess the union’s relationship with Labour
- The statement on the creation of a new political party by the bakers’ union (BFAWU) Executive Council.
- The statement by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana calling for a new political party “rooted in our communities, trade unions and social movements”, with over 700,000 people signing up to be kept informed which includes many CWU members
This branch believes:
- These are potentially positive developments toward establishing a political voice for CWU members, the working class and the wider communities we live and work in.
- A new party will be stronger and have more political authority if trade unions – collectively representing more than 6 million members – participate in the founding of a new party and are represented in the democratic decision-making process of a new party.
- With motions passed at the Unite policy conference and UCU conference opening up discussions in those unions about their political strategy, it is vital that CWU members are not left behind in discussions now taking place across our movement.
Therefore this CWU branch agrees to do the following and urgently write to the chair of the NEC, the regional political committees, and Dave Ward to:
- Push for a discussion at all levels of CWU about our relationship with Labour and the need for a political strategy that supports our members taking action
- Instruct branch political officers, regional official and regional political committees to organise members’ meetings with CWU backed Labour MPs as part of a review of the voting record of those MPs in line with CWU policy.
- To take steps to create a formal CWU parliamentary group of MPs that support our policy including MPs outside of Labour such as Corbyn and the Independent Alliance MPs
- Launch a union wide consultation about the best use of the union’s political fund, including the question of funding candidates outside the Labour Party who support CWU agreed policy.
- To convene a special policy forum and rules conference in 2026 to draw political and organisational conclusions, potentially including the building of a new workers party, standing and supporting workers candidates, calling for a conference across unions to build a political alternative for workers on a pro-worker, socialist programme.
- To encourage members of our branch to stand as candidates in next year’s local elections, linking up with other trade unionists, and to campaign for our union’s policies.
What kind of democratic structure?
If even a quarter of the trade union movement, inevitably sometimes on a local rather than national basis in the first instance, joined with a new party, the absolute numbers, and the social weight because of their collective power, would far outweigh the very impressive 700,000 who have signed up as individuals for updates about Corbyn and Sultana’s ‘Your Party’.
But the structure being proposed by some, One Member One Vote (OMOV), would not allow the collective voice of the trade union movement to have any weight within a new party.
The Labour Party began as a highly federal organisation with representation from trade unions and socialist organisations. This would be the best basis for a new mass workers’ party, especially in its early stages.
A founding conference with delegates from affiliated trade unions, affiliated political and working-class community organisations, plus groups of independent councillors would be a good first step. Local members’ organisations in a council area, could also have representation at national conferences as it develops. They could also operate on a federal basis.
Some may argue that such a federal approach would be an obstacle to building a fighting party that is involved in struggle, but the opposite is true.
For example, in the 1980s the Socialist Party – then Militant – played a leading role in the mass struggle of Liverpool City Council which forced the Thatcher government to concede millions. The District Labour Party was the key body through which the course of the struggle was decided.
It had over 600 representative delegates from unions, ward Labour parties and so on, and was a kind of parliament of the workers’ movement, setting policy for councillors to act on, and organising action ‘on the street’ like rallies and demos to support their stand. The creation of a party able to play that role in the many struggles ahead would be a great step forward.
A democratic structure is not secondary but crucial to this party developing the kind of political programme and fighting determination that the working class needs.
The capitalist media and establishment will try to pressurise a new party’s leadership to become more ‘moderate’ and ‘respectable’. A structure through which the working class can apply strong counter-pressure, holding the leadership accountable, will be essential.
