The call by Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn for a new left party in Britain under the working title of “Your Party” has sparked a wave of enthusiasm across the country and many are already organising, despite little guidance or central leadership. The IBT is participating in this process because we believe there is potential for political movement within the left—an opportunity to debate socialist strategy and link it to current fights for the interests of the working class.
It is far too early to tell what kind of party will be formed. The central groupings are clearly not unified, and the hundreds of thousands responding to the Corbyn/Sultana call come from a range of political backgrounds with many different political views and interests. We believe that for a party to truly serve the interests of the working class and other oppressed in society, we need to strike at the root of capitalism, not tinker with the system.
As a starting point for discussion within the party, we offer the following key principles that we believe are urgent and necessary for revolutionary social change:
Build in the Trade Unions
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- No waiting for elected politicians—fight for what we need ourselves—the organised workers’ movement is our greatest strength
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- Organise the whole class—unionise the gig economy
- Strikes and demonstrations for economic needs, to stop racist/fascist threats and to defend the oppressed
Class Struggle against all Oppression
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- Defend asylum hotels, fight detention and deportation—full citizenship rights for all immigrants
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- Occupy empty buildings—house the homeless—rent controls now
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- Overturn the Supreme Court ruling—roll back all anti-trans measures—bodily autonomy for all
- Fight the ban on Palestine Action and all the anti-protest laws
Oppose British Imperialism
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- Blockades and strikes to stop arms going to Israel and Ukraine
- Britain out of Ireland—troops out of all current and former colonies
Working-Class Independence
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- No cops/screws in the party or the trade unions
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- Clean break from Labour—no dithering
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- No electoral alliance with the Greens or any other capitalist party
- Abolish the monarchy—for a workers’ republic