Get involved in building a united, campaigning, democratic and socialist party
A surge of support for a new left party such as we haven’t seen for generations. That’s the meaning of the huge numbers – already more than 6000 by Easter – flocking to sign Ken Loach’s Appeal.
With 70 local groups already, after just a couple of weeks, there is no doubt this could be the start of something big.
WHY NOW?
The reason this is happening now is obvious, as people’s comments on the Left Unity website and Facebook page say it all.
People hate the Tories and their brutal attacks on the NHS, welfare, and benefits.
Ellen Nierop of Norwich says she backs Left Unity because “Every day I hear things that scare me, in three years there will be no recognisable Britain as we have known it. I have watched with horror as the country has been torn apart by the Coalition government.”
People are sick of Labour, its weak opposition and cuddling up to big business.
Martha Kenyon of East London, says: “I don’t know what Labour stands for any more. I hope that Left Unity can fight for a society that values equality and gives more power to ordinary people.”
People want a party of the working class
“I am a socialist and very much in favour of the working class”, says Kate Henry of Birkenhead. “I feel there needs to be a stronger voice to represent the true working class now Labour has deserted us and moved toward the middle ground.”
People want unity
Paul Mansfield of Southend-on-Sea says “We as the left need to unite and stop fighting with each other and become a force that will stand up for working people!!’
A NEW MASS PARTY IS POSSIBLE
The current 7000 signatories could be just the tip of the iceberg. With efforts to found groups across the country there is every possibility that a new, nationwide, mass party of the working class could be built. And that is something we have needed for years.
Workers Power supporters have signed Ken Loach’s appeal and we encourage all socialists and everyone who wants to fight the Tories and their system to do the same. Our group exists to campaign for the formation of a new working class party, in Britain and internationally, and to promote a socialist programme. So we encourage people to join their local Left Unity group, or set one up, and work in a spirit of unity to recruit to it in their area, reaching out to working class people in your local workplaces, estates, colleges and streets.
That way we can lay the foundations for setting up a new working class party.
WHAT THE NEW PARTY COULD BE
It could be a party of struggle.
Unlike the mainstream pro-corporate parties, we could help promote every struggle, from protests against the Bedroom Tax to occupations of colleges and libraries threatened with closure or privatisation, from strikes in the post office and schools to marches against racism, sexism, environmental destruction and war.
It could be a democratic party
Labour has stripped away the rights of ordinary members to make policy. But a new left party could involve all its members equally in deciding policy, allowing real space and rights for differing viewpoints to be heard and voted on, and holding leaders to account. Branches and conferences would be able to debate the strategic questions facing the working class, like how can we save the welfare state? How can we bring down the Tories? And what can we replace them with?
It could be a socialist party
Labour governments – even in 1945 – never removed ownership and control of the decisive sectors of the economy from the billionaires and the bankers. Our new party could do if it set as its goal a socialist revolution and a democratically planned economy, to meet the needs of millions not the greed of millionaires.
It could be an internationalist party
Instead of blaming immigrants and foreigners for the poverty caused by the banks, the rich and their system, new left party could reach out to workers and socialists in other countries, fighting austerity in Greece and dictatorship in Egypt and Syria. We could back the Palestinians and give a voice to the millions of people in Britain who want to get the troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan.
JOIN THE LEFT UNITY PROJECT
Workers Power supporters are joining this new initiative in a spirit of open debate and collaboration, without concealing our dropping our revolutionary socialist opinions. We pledge ourselves to work constructively with others to make a success of this project. We encourage all our readers to do the same.