Community • Democracy Transform Newsletter 27th June 2024 29th November 2024 Welcome to issue four of the Transform newsletter, in a week that’s injected some real hope to many of us on the left. Candidate profile: Shanell Johnson “I’m Cllr Shanell Johnson, the Independent candidate for Leyton and Wanstead. Community is at the heart for me, I’ve lived locally for over 30 years, and I cherish our community deeply. I left a major party due to its disappointing stance on the Gaza ceasefire, its neglect of local concerns. We need a real change and we have our first community assemblies on 1st and 2nd July, where our voice will be heard and we can agree on the needs of the community. Join me in reviving local grassroots politics: Peace and Justice: Every life matters. The main parties failed to call for an immediate ceasefire to protect innocent lives. Affordable Housing: Overdevelopment is rampant, but these new flats are unaffordable for many. Community Funding: Section 106 funds from developers should support local community groups to reduce isolation and create communal spaces. Healthcare: The Margaret Centre at Whipps Cross Hospital is essential and must be included in the Whipps Cross Hospital development. Youth Services: Our youth need better facilities. We must save and expand youth centres, which create places young people can feel like they belong. Vote for me, Shanell Johnson, on 4th July for real change and hope.” You can get involved in her campaign or make a donation through her website. Our left list candidates Shanell is one of over 80 candidates around the country who Transform are actively supporting. See here for the names of all our Left List candidates. Transform National Organiser Anwarul Khan says “We are supporting candidates not just by having them on a list but by providing training and advice. The tools that are available to major party candidates but independents won’t have access to. This has been provided without condition. At Transform we recognise the need to build solidarity among like minded candidates and have already built the trust and rapport that will help us build going forward. Historically lack of trust has been a major factor in preventing a united left, with this approach we aim to build trust.” Join our thunderclap TODAY Please join our Thunderclap on X/Twitter on Thursday 27th June at 6.00pm. We’re asking you to tweet out your support for our Transform candidates Brian Agar @BrianAgar11 Sam Gorst @CllrSamGorst Rachel Maughan @RachelMaughanX If you need any inspiration, you might want to share these links to the recent interviews for The Canary with Brian Agar, Sam Gorst and Rachel Maughan. Brian and Rachel are also interviewed in the second Transform Podcast which went live last week. Please link our candidates, and include Transform in your tweet (@tf_politics), and repost any other post you see in the Thunderclap. Skanking for Transform: purveyors of North East ska, The Skapones, this week released a new 8 track EP, and they say “We dedicate this to Skapones supporter Brian Agar, who is standing as a prospective parliamentary candidate for Transform in the North East and every penny raised from this EP will go to Brian’s drive to change lives for the better.” The album costs a fiver, and you can buy it here. The Corbyn Challenge This short article by Linda Wall looks at how the independent campaigns hit new highs last weekend, and warns that the work done in the short space of an election campaign can only take us so far. Whatever the results on July 4th, the pro-Palestinian independents have given a voice to thousands of people who would otherwise have had no voice in these elections, and they’ve shown that a real alternative is possible. Our goal at Transform is to interlink the struggles and unite the left around a socialist agenda. We invite everyone who agrees with us to join the Transform Party today. Transform finance team Transform is looking for members with finance skills to become a part of our Finance team. The work will focus on setting up robust financial procedures to support our work. If you are interested, please contact George, Transform’s Treasurer, at h03geodo@yahoo.co.uk. Campaigning skills training The final campaigning skills Zoom session, on Tuesday 2nd July from 6 to 7pm, will focus on campaigning priorities in the last few days of campaign, including the count itself. Sign up using this registration link STEWARDS needed for our mock wedding on saturday We now need people to steward for our mock wedding between Starmer and Sunak which we are planning to enact on Saturday 29th June at 1.00pm. The location will be at St Giles in the Fields Church in St Pancras, 60 St Giles High Street, London WC2H 8LG (nearest tube Tottenham Court Road). If you are in London that day, please make your way into the centre and help us make history. After the fun, we can help canvass for Andrew Feinstein’s campaign. To volunteer as a steward, contact mandyparrytraining@gmail.com. Transform talksback A correction, and an apology: the event is on Friday 28th June at 6.30pm, not Friday 29th June as stated in last week’s newsletter. Our monthly Talksback meetings are informal Friday night gatherings which offer members a chance to talk and share experiences and views in a safe space. Zoom registration link here. Get the word out about transform There was lots of interest last week in Transform’s new promotional materials. They’ll be on their way this week. Here is what we are offering: Leaflets: 1. Gaza 2. Pride 3. Join Transform If you want leaflets please contact Doug at dougthorpe@btinternet.com T-shirts: Medium, Large, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL (one per member) Pens (one per member), stickers, business cards If you are interested in the above merchandise, please contact Mandy at mandyparrytraining@gmail.com You can also help by following our social media accounts: Transform Party on Facebook, @tf_politics on Twitter/X, @transformpolitics on TikTok, @transformpolitics on Instagram, @transformpolitics on Threads. We want to hear from you What did you think of our newsletter? Send your thoughts to us at info@transformpolitics.uk. We’d especially like to hear from you if you have a question for us, or a story of what you’ve been doing in your local area, that you think we should be reporting on. In solidarity, Transform Newsletter Team