Welcome to issue ten of the Transform newsletter.

In France, centrist politicians have chosen to make peace with the far right to stop the left from forming the government, even though the left won the election. That’s centrism for you.

Transform Conference

All Transform members are invited to our Annual Conference  on Saturday 19th October. The venue is the Indian YMCA, 41 Fitzroy Square, London W1T 6AQ. Registration is free, and all those who register will also be given the option of logging in online.

Register for Conference here (full link provided so you copy and paste it into your browser if it’s not clickable on your device) – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/transform-conference-tickets-1006617047687.

Become a Transform member today

Tell us what policy areas you would most like to see discussed in our quick Policy Poll

The Future of the Left

Transform National Organiser Anwarul Khan:

“When I first joined Transform I recognized the need for allyship.  No one left group or party outside the mainstream was ever going to have real impact without it. So even before I became a member of the Executive Committee I asked to create an Allies liaison team.  We have been building relationships with allies whether that be small parties like the Social Justice Party, or left wing candidates, including Jamie Driscoll, Claudia Webbe and Shockat Adam who famously defeated Jonathan Ashworth to become an MP.

Instead of issuing demands for people to join us, Transform has gone out there and genuinely asked, “how can we help?”.  We have linked up independent candidates via WhatsApp, helped them to get publicity, and offered training sessions. Through the group we were able to coordinate responses to the outrageous claim of political intimidation.

It may seem like a painstakingly slow process. I believe though that it’s only through solidarity in practice, working together, and canvassing together, that we can establish trust as well as greater understanding and build a new left together.

While the Allies team were working, another even quieter project was already underway. Collective, whom most have heard of in whispers and seen at most as a website, has been a project for some time and our members have been a key part of it from its very beginning.  Here more influential figures on the left have also been working to build relationships with key figures in the established left scene.  Ultimately the objective has always been about creating a mass party of the left.  

The project has taken on a new urgency as the honeymoon period of the new Labour Government barely lasted a couple of weeks before its popularity began to tumble and the far right began to mobilise. We have arrived at a crucial point where decisions must be made very soon. This could be a significant moment for the Left in Britain. Change is afoot and Transform is a leader in this process, so watch this space.  When the call comes, be ready to answer.”

“We did not vote for this”

“We did not vote for this. We were promised change” said Pam Flynn, Chair of the North West Pensioners Association, in a statement following the vote by parliament to cut winter fuel payments.  

“Instead, we’ve got:

Pensioners’ winter fuel allowance – cut.

Cap on social care costs – scrapped.

Energy bills this winter – rising again.”

The claim that means testing will target help at those who need it most doesn’t hold water. This was Martin Lewis on Tuesday – “There are up to 800,000 of the poorest pensioners who get less than the full state pension (£11,400 a year) who aren’t claiming pension  credit and will miss out on the winter fuel payment even though they should get it. They are very hard to reach and will be under huge financial pressure.”

Labour MPs know all these arguments backwards, yet such was their fear of losing the Labour whip that hardly any of them could bring themselves to vote against the Government. That’s simply not good enough from people who claim to represent us.

This is a Government with an austerity agenda. The labour movement needs to be united in opposition. Transform applauds the pensioner groups who are planning a collective protest at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. At TUC Congress this week, union leaders were still talking as though Starmer is a friend who just needs a little gentle persuasion. This has to stop. Trade unionists should put pressure on their leaders to give no more cover to Starmer’s Labour Party, and to move quickly toward disaffiliation.

Stop arming Israel

David Lammy’s decision to suspend 30 arms export licences to Israel – a tiny proportion of the total, and which doesn’t include components for F35 fighter jets – is a supreme example of gesture politics, a gesture that the UK government knew full well will be ignored by Israel.

Even this would never have happened were it not for the magnificent Palestinian protest movement, a movement that has no intention of stopping now. On Saturday’s rally in London, Leanne Mohamad had words for Keir Starmer and David Lammy: “You provide logistical support, you provide spy planes, you arm them and give them diplomatic cover. You are Israel and Israel is you.”

Now let’s make the Liverpool March for Palestine on September 21st just as large.

Diary of events

Saturday 14 September: Peace & Justice Project International Conference, Queen Mary University, London

Building global momentum for progressive politics against the backdrop of the rising threat of nationalism, hate and division. Event organiser: Mandy Parry mandyparrytraining@gmail.com.

Saturday 14 September: Big Green Event, Nottingham

Event organiser: John Morgan johnmorgan101@btinternet.com

Saturday 21 September: National March for Palestine: Assemble 12 noon St George’s Plateau, marching to Pier Head

Event organiser: Linda Wall  linda62@gmx.co.uk

Sunday 22 September: Mass Lobby of Labour Conference, 12 noon, King’s Dock, Liverpool L3 4FP

Called by the People’s Assembly under the slogan ‘Austerity is a political choice: Tax the Rich. Event organiser: Linda Wall linda62@gmx.co.uk

To meet up with other Transform members and socialists who are planning to go to these and other upcoming conferences and demos, please contact the Event Organiser or join our WhatsApp groups:

Demonstrations: https://chat.whatsapp.com/ExskvMNRoZQAOmHVQGhUqC

Conferences: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LLefHDMpZJ1C4w0d1uByJe

Are you a student ?

If you’re a student who’s interested in Transform, then get connected ! However thinly we’re dispersed, if we’re all talking to one another, we can make things happen. Please drop an email to Zohaib Javid, who’s our new Youth Officer: youth@transformpolitics.uk.

Transform Shop

Get the word out about Transform.

We have three leaflets: 1. Join Transform 2. Gaza 3. Pride

To order a batch, please contact Doug at  dougthorpe@btinternet.com, and he’ll need your postal address.

Merchandise:

T-shirts: Medium, Large, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL (one per member)

Pens (one per member)

Business Cards (for conferences and other events)

Stickers

Enamel badge (NEW)

Tote bags (NEW)

If you are want merchandise, please contact Mandy at mandyparrytraining@gmail.com with your postal address

We want to hear from you

Do you have any questions about Transform ? Is there anything that we could be doing better ? Please send your questions, comments and feedback to info@transformpolitics.uk, marking your email for the attention of the Newsletter Team.

And don’t forget to register for Conference.

In solidarity,

Transform Newsletter Team