Dear Workers Power
When I moved to Stockport in 2023, I struggled to find any political group in the area. Eventually, I connected with ‘Stockport Your Party’ and met with new comrades to discuss socialism, structure, ecology, communication with the working class, and anti-fascism. The name Stockport Socialists For Your Party (SSFYP) was agreed, along with the first meeting and action points.
After initial challenges, we pushed for more structure in branch meetings. Two members took the lead in developing a basic structure—Steering Committee, Treasurer, Working Groups—and meeting agendas. The Steering Committee and Treasurer were established, working groups formed, and the branch gained purpose.
As meetings continued, our group became a broad cross-section of the left, progressives, and some centrists, united around a common goal and structure. Confidence replaced reticence, and our meetings and working groups grew, delivering value and recruiting more people.
This structure allowed us to reach beyond Stockport, issuing opinions shared by other branches, establishing Greater Manchester Branches, and helping others get started. We documented our branch’s methods and published them, inspiring other branches to implement similar structures.
We see ourselves as capable people who have built a structure that works, is democratic, and enables meaningful action. Our experience has shown that working together with clear structure allows everyone to be heard and act as one. Branches are now able to recruit locally and help others form, confident in our effective structure.
In contrast, some branches remain hesitant to be self-reliant and lack formal decision-making processes, leaving grassroots energy untapped. These branches have dedicated people but need structure and determination to become effective.
Those in the party leadership have allowed internal disputes to damage the cause. The legitimacy of the grassroots must be recognized as central to the party’s future. The grassroots must become undeniable and indispensable so that the party is defined by its members.
We must act boldly, as revolutionaries and leaders, to build a party that is democratic and effective.
Solidarity,
Jay McCrae
