Articles and Editorial

“If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always got”. The launch of Left Unity started a process that has needed to happen for a long time, say Rachel Archer and Josh Davies. The left is weak and lacks influence to challenge austerity, much less pose a meaningful […] Read more »

In a discussion about the merits of the Platforms that have been submitted within Left Unity, I was asked why I call the Left Party Platform ‘left reformist’ as opposed to ‘a different kind of socialist?’, says Ian Donovan from Southwark Left Unity. I think the differences between these platforms are more important than simply […] Read more »

The decision of Left Unity’s National Coordinating Group to allow political platforms to submit resolutions to the its policy commissions and national conference could prove to be one to regret if these platforms are allowed to exist on a permanent basis, argues Phil Waincliffe from Leeds Left Unity. Phil is also a supporter of the […] Read more »

Mike Wayne is a founding member of Left Unity and a member of the Southwark group. This is his contribution to thinking about the principles that might guide Left Unity policy making and practice. The document comes in two parts. An opening explanatory preamble and then a list of 21 principles which identify some of […] Read more »

Greece’s Coalition of the Radical Left, known as SYRIZA, held its first congress on July 10-14, reports Panos Petrou. SYRIZA shocked Greece and all of Europe in the spring of last year, when it nearly won two national elections – it fell just short of the centre-right New Democracy party and pushed the main centre-left […] Read more »

The first Irish Left Forum took place on the 18th of May 2013. The aim was to create a space for discussion on left wing politics in Ireland and to facilitate more unified work and discussion between left wing activists and those interested in left politics. The day was broken up into a deliberative session, […] Read more »

Stathis Kouvelakis reflects on the founding congress of Syriza 1. The congress of Syriza took place in a context of growing political instability following the closure of the public radio and television broadcaster (ERT) by the government of Antonis Samaras and the departure from the government of one of its three components (the party of […] Read more »

Andy Smith from Leeds Left Unity gives a report of their latest public meeting Kate Hudson spoke at the second Leeds Left Unity public meeting last Wednesaday. Again there were many new faces with around 28 people in attendance. The discussion section was started off with an appeal from the Leeds Pathology labs strike, where […] Read more »

Mark Boothroyd of Southwark Left Unity examines the case for mutual aid The wholesale destruction of the welfare state is leaving the socialist movement in Britain facing a situation it has not faced for 50 or 60 years. How do you struggle when the means of sustaining life are completely stripped away, and how do […] Read more »

John Penney form Crewe Left Unity explores the need to develop a coherent National Economic Development Plan. Large scale national economic planning was a key feature of  European social democratic party manifestos, and political practice when in office, for much of the post WWII period. The first  Harold Wilson Labour government of 1964 to 1970 […] Read more »