Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership has brought to the surface a seemingly insoluble contradiction inside the Labour Party: there two wings of the party – Corbyn and his supporters; and the Blairite clique in parliament – which are irreconcilably divided. Mandatory reselection is the only way to genuinely unify the party and defeat the Tories.
We publish here the second part of an analysis of the Corbyn movement by Alan Woods, originally written in early November 2015 for the In Defence of Marxism magazine. In part two, Alan discusses the role of the Blairite right-wing within the Labour Party, and the future prospects of a Corbyn-led Labour government.
Everyone was on the edge of their seats, braced for terrible news from Oldham. The media was full of prophecies of doom for Corbyn, predicting that Labour would suffer at the hands of UKIP in last week’s by-election. In the end, the complete opposite occurred, providing a massive vindication of Corbyn and his leadership of the Labour Party.
We publish here of an analysis of the Corbyn movement by Alan Woods, originally written in early November 2015 for the In Defence of Marxism magazine. In part one, Alan discusses the international context and the astonishing rise of Corbyn to the position of Labour leader – a political earthquake that has transformed Britain and shaken the Establishment.
In February 2015, Young Labour will be hosting its annual national conference and electing a new national committee. Several Socialist Appeal supporters are standing, with the aim of bringing the Corbyn revolution and a socialist programme into Young Labour.
In spite of the relentless attacks from the media, his own MPs and even now some trade union leaders, Corbyn’s support is growing. Two divergent paths open up before us: either the right-wing clique in the Labour Party forces Corbyn out, or Corbyn and his supporters force them out.
Josh Booth, the newly elected Cheshire Young Labour rep, reports on the recent North West Young Labour (NWYL) conference – one of the first tests of the popularity of Corbyn’s ideas within the formal structures of the Labour Party since his election. The victory of the left in the NWYL elections is an indication of things to come.
Yesterday evening, November 11, Labour Young Socialists held a London-wide rally at which around 100 students and young workers assembled to discuss what left-wing youth should do now that Jeremy Corbyn is leader of the Labour Party. The Marxists highlighted the need to defend Andrew Fisher and other Corbyn supporters who have been attacked by the Labour bureaucracy.
On Friday 6th November, Andrew Fisher – a longstanding Labour left-winger, recently appointed as a political advisor to Jeremy Corbyn – was suspended from the Labour Party. These latest actions by the Labour Party bureaucracy are a clear provocation and attack against Corbyn and his supporters.
On Tuesday 27th October, around 200 Labour Party members, trade unionists, and local community activists crammed into the Wood Green Social Club for the founding meeting of Haringey Momentum. The size and variety amongst the crowd in attendance painted a vivid picture of the potential strength of the Corbyn movement.
Emily Cosentino and Joe Attard of the Labour Young Socialists’ steering committee discuss the programme and demands that are needed in order for the Corbyn-led Labour Party organise young people and workers in the fight against the Tories, against austerity, and against capitalism.
We publish below a selection of comments from the Hands Off Corbyn! online petition, by people outraged at the way the media is treating Jeremy Corbyn – a shameless attempt by wealthy media owners to smear a democratically elected Labour leader who is willing to stand up to them. These attacks must cease now! Defend Corbyn! Fight for Socialism!