Left Unity: the third meeting

Left Unity will hold its third meeting this Thursday [Feb 28th] evening at 6.30pm.

The meeting will focus on the two related themes of ‘Why is there no party to the left of Labour? and What sort of organisation do we want to see?’ Three comrades will lead off the discussion: Joana Ramiro from the Anti-Capitalist Initiative, Gioia Coppola a communist from Italy and Nick Wrack from the Independent Socialist Network.

Other agenda items will include Fred Leplat’s report on preparing for the People’s Assembly in June and Kate Hudson’s proposed new Left Unity statement – see below. There are ideas for future events which Luke Cooper will introduce. Should you wish to attend please contact us – content@leftunity.org

Europe is plunging deeper and deeper into crisis. Its governments are continuing with their failed austerity policies which are destroying the social and economic gains working people have made over many decades. The economic crisis has increasingly become a social and political crisis as people face poverty, hunger and even death, as a result of the catastrophic and government-imposed failure of health systems and social services. A further manifestation of this crisis is the rapid development of fascism in Greece, in the shape of Golden Dawn.

However the people of Europe are fighting back. There is a continual mobilisation on the streets to oppose these policies, together with strikes and diverse forms of direct action and resistance. European-wide cooperation is increasing as the movement opts for greater political coordination in solidarity and action. In Greece, France, Germany and elsewhere, new political formations have emerged, drawing together a range of left forces, posing political, social and economic alternatives, and challenging the capitulation of social democracy to neo-liberalism. Here in Britain, a successful response to the rightwards move of Labour has not yet taken place, yet we have equal need of a new political formation which rejects austerity and war, advocates a greater democratisation of our society and institutions, and poses a new way of organising everyday life.

Such a new left formation would present an alternative set of values of equality and justice; socialist, feminist and green, informed by Marxism but not defined by it. Its politics and policies would stand against capitalism, imperialism, war, racism and fascism. Its urgent tasks would be to oppose austerity, defend the welfare state, fight to restore workers’ rights and advance alternative social and economic policies, redistributing wealth to the working class.

Its political practice would be democratic, diverse and inclusive, committed to open dialogue and new ways of working; the mutual respect and tolerance of differences of analysis; the rejection of brutality and distortion of traditional left structures and their frequent reproduction of the gender domination of capitalist society.

International solidarity is fundamental to the success of any resistance and the achievement of any political progress; such a new political formation will work with other left organisations and movements in Europe and internationally, to build coordination, strategic links and common actions.

The need for cooperation amongst those forces in Britain which seek to bring change to our society is vital. The need for unity is paramount as attacks on the living and working conditions of ordinary people intensify, and the very fabric of our welfare state is being destroyed. A dialogue of the left is being opened, to ensure that this political perspective receives adequate expression and that we do not remain outside of the political developments in Europe and beyond. The situation is now so urgent that sectarian attitudes and interests must be abandoned.

A coalition for change is necessary. We call on all those willing to tread this path to support this Appeal, so that this essential discussion can make progress.