Socialist Party North West Conference - "Shake the foundations of society!"

Forty-four Socialist Party members packed into our north-west regional conference on 27th February, to discuss British Perspectives and Building the Socialist Party.

Hugh Caffrey, north-west regional secretary

"This shows how the organisation has developed”, said former Militant Labour councillor Tony Mulhearn in opening the conference. “A whole new period of British politics has opened up nationally, and internationally too, and this is a very opportune time for us.”

Guest speaker Judy Beishon for the Party national executive committee introduced the discussion on British perspectives. Judy pointed to the struggles taking place in Europe, especially southern Europe, which will come to Britain. Ludicrous utility bills and corrupt MPs are not the only scandals. Judy slammed “the massive theft of pension funds… the rich getting richer by stealing and gambling it on the stock exchange.” From the unwinnable war in Afghanistan, to the economy “bumping along the bottom” in danger of a second recession, to the hysterical calls from top politicians for huge cuts to public spending, the future offered by the main parties is grim for working-class people. Young people face an especially severe situation, with 20% youth unemployment soaring to 50% for Black youth, and colossal cuts planned to higher education. “What an indictment it is of British capitalism today”, said Judy, “that health bosses are considering sending people to India for knee operations because they can be done there more cheaply than here!” The NHS will not be protected from cuts, nor will local authority services where protests are inevitable. Our Party will build these protests and seek to help co-ordinate them nationally. Yet the majority of union leaders are “weak, floundering and unable to cope with the changed conditions”.

Whatever the outcome of the general election, Judy reminded us that the Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition is “a very important development, a very important challenge, the start of the way forward for the Left and trade unionists, and workers organising against cuts on the political level”.

Contributions from the floor dealt with the scope for workers’ action to “shake the foundations of society” despite blatantly anti-strike court judgements, the strikes and political fund debate by PCS members, the ideological crisis of the main parties, the “myth” there is no money for pensions when the National Insurance fund has a predicted surplus of £115bn, the cuts to courses and staff at universities, the lessons of the Greek struggles and our Greek sister organisation for battles in Britain, and finally contrasting the miserable role of most union leaders with our fighting approach and explaining that “socialism means jobs, housing, social services and the NHS”.

Judy summed up the discussion, pointed to the PCS strikes as the first and winnable fight against government-driven job losses. We need a leadership with the courage born of Marxist ideas. Given the crisis of capitalism and impending struggles by workers and youth, said Judy, “in the longer term, the future belongs to us!”

Optimism and determination drove a great discussion on Building the Socialist Party. Regional secretary Hugh Caffrey recapped our main campaigns last year. Success in 2009 means bigger opportunities this year, at the elections, among Tamil people, among students, on the picket lines and in Youth Fight for Jobs. Our strong turnout for Socialism2009 contributed to a thousand-strong event which impacted on both Left and Right in the wider movement. The north-west was the fastest-growing region of our Party last year with numerous potential new branches. The task of our comrades is to drive forwards to 2000 members, and consolidate that as a platform for 3000 members and beyond.

Contributions covered all aspects of Party-building, with many younger and newer members taking part in the discussion. Comrades reported on success in building branches or sub-branches throughout the region; plans for youth campaigns; opposing the far-right EDL on 20th March in Bolton; discussion groups to develop more all-rounded members who have the experience and political understanding to give a lead; our role in workers’ struggles; and how our publications can draw these together and raise the understanding of comrades.

Members demonstrated their commitment by donating over £200 in the financial appeal, a further £150 to cover the costs of the conference, and elected our first north-west regional committee.

The fighting spirit of our conference was summed up by Dave Walsh, who hammered the bosses for profiteering while demanding cuts for working-class people and said, “What we want is austerity for the super-rich and wealth for the rest of us!”