To create a party that can defend the political interests of working people

The Workers’ International welcomes the Left Unity website

The establishment of the Left Unity website is a great step forward. Working people urgently need a voice that asserts their needs and is neither a narrow sect nor  kowtows to the establishment. Let’s hope it will become a real resource for everybody who wants to strengthen and unite every struggle to defend state education, the NHS, council housing and the rights of tenants, sickness and disability benefits, pensions, unemployments benefits, council services and all the rights of working people.

Ten things to do:

1. Help working people to unite and organise their opposition to cuts and austerity into a powerful mass movement
2. Explain how the crisis is a result of capitalism
3. Explain the centrality of class struggle and exploitation
4. Bring political and anti-cuts activists together nationally and in every locality
5. Organise with others a united campaign against austerity in Europe
6. Publicise the struggle day by day on the website
7. Publicise and popularise socialist ideas: public ownership, public provision of education, health and housing. Preserve the lessons and experiences of the past in the struggle for the future
8. Provide a real democratic voice for working people
9. Oppose the powerful capitalist interests which really rule this country
10. Stand candidates in local and national elections to give working people a voice

Six things not to do:

1. Put your “own” party’s interests before the interests of the working class
2. Assume that your party by definition represents the interests of working people
3. Gag political discussion within your party
4. Stop political differences within the party from being discussed in public
5. Stand outside of the struggles of working people for their interests
6. Provoke premature or unnecessary splits over differences