London Socialist Party regional conference

Fighting for the 99% in the city with most millionaires

Michael Wrack, Tower Hamlets Socialist Party

Seventy Socialist Party members attended the London regional conference on 19 May.

The conference opened with an international flavour with a report from South Africa. The Committee for a Workers' International's recent work in South Africa has resulted in a huge growth, both in numbers and influence, of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM, CWI South Africa) and in the recently successful launch of Workers and Socialist Party (WASP), which DSM comrades are playing a key role in building (see page 9).

The next session, "London: political developments and tasks", was introduced by London Socialist Party regional secretary Paula Mitchell. Paula spoke of the huge inequality in London, where there are more millionaires than in any other city in the world, yet unemployment (and youth unemployment) is at a higher rate than the UK average.

The session heard from Socialist Party members playing a leading role regionally and nationally in the RMT, NUT, Unison, and Unite unions; from young people involved in the Sick Of Your Boss campaign; and in-depth contributions about local government cuts, attacks on benefits, and developments in the economy.

There was agreement on the potential for campaigns opposing the bedroom tax. This session was followed by a fighting fund appeal that raised £1,025.

The session on building the Socialist Party was introduced by Chris Newby, including promoting socialist ideas in the trade unions and campaigning among different communities in London. The discussion also went into detail on attracting new members to the party and the role they can play in building a socialist alternative.

The conference then split into three commissions on the Socialist newspaper, party finance, and being a branch secretary. Conference reconvened to unanimously agree the conference document, with amendments on NUT work and election campaigning, and elect a new regional committee.

The conference was not all serious work though - to end the day we enjoyed some political stand-up comedy from 'Anti-Duhring Battalion'.

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
We must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.