Daniel Williams, Sheffield North West Socialist Party
My first political campaigning was with the Green Party. I was watching video after video of ICE raids and murders happening in the US, and could foresee the same thing happening in the UK, if Reform got into power.
I felt a responsibility to fight back, knowing my mum, girlfriend, and friends would all be harmed if Reform was elected. I was also (and still am) involved in the anti-racist movement, attending Stand Up to Racism counter-protests and the Together March.
I began seeing interviews with Reform voters. I realised that many of them were just angry, having experienced their living conditions decline year after year. Reform’s simple “stop the boats” slogan was an effective tool to mobilise them.
So I tried to propose at a Stand Up to Racism meeting that we use similar simple messaging, adopting the “tax the rich” slogan. But, at the meeting, the only people to lend any credence to the idea were two Socialist Party members. They gave me a leaflet, and I contacted them that night.
Through attending meetings, I learned that the Socialist Party shared my feelings, recognising that those on the right were angry about their material conditions declining, and wanted someone to blame.
So, while the Green Party has aided a shift, especially amongst youth, to the left, analysing history at Socialist Party meetings shows that any partial advance against the ruling class, be it nationalisation or a wealth tax, is just a concession that could be clawed back.
Similarly, single-issue campaigns, like opposing racism, do vital work, and can win important changes. But issues will persist, as long as capitalism remains intact. Fighting for socialism with the Socialist Party is what is required for permanent change.
