“Socialism and solidarity are not dirty words, but values we should be proud of.”
Dawn Butler MP
By Matthew Willgress, Labour Outlook
Hundreds packed out the Labour for Labour rally hosted by Momentum at The World Transformed on Saturday, with speakers including Labour MPs John McDonnell, Jon Trickett, Dawn Butler and Zarah Sultana, in addition to speakers from numerous trade unions and Labour left groups, and chaired by Hilary Schan of Momentum.
Amongst the trade union speakers was Dan, a CWU rep from Brighton, who outlined the reasons behind the BT and Royal Mail disputes, which have overwhelming support from CWU members “who will not back down.”
He urged attendees to join CWU plus rail union picket lines on October 1, and back the Enough is Enough day of action on the same date.
Dawn Butler MP opened her speech by saying “socialism and solidarity ” are not dirty words, but values we should be proud of, emphasising that backing workers taking industrial action was one of the core reasons why she is a Labour MP.
Recently re-elected Labour NEC member and CLPD co-chair Gemma Bolton used her speech to warn of how far the current party leadership is moving away from Labour’s roots as a party founded by trade unions, and that is why the Labour for Labour campaign is so important.
Closing the event, Zarah Sultana MP explained she was a proud trade unionist, saying that it was “quite clear whose side” we should be on when workers took industrial action against profiteers, and adding that “when they win, we all win.”
She also warned the crowd of the importance of upcoming anti-trade union legislation from the Truss administration, aimed at shacking working peoples’ rights and resistance.
Attendees left in their “Labour for Labour” stickers, and determined to put forward the case for backing workers taking action in Labour Party. As Andrea Egan, UNISON President, said now is the time for people- including Labour’s leader – to choose what side they were on, that of workers taking action or the bosses.
- For more information on #TWT22 see here.
- For more information on Momentum’s ‘Labour for Labour’ campaign see here.
