Conference 2024

Transform Annual Conference

Saturday 19^th October 2024 

The Mahatma Gandhi Hall in London’s Indian YMCA was the scene for Transform’s second annual conference. To minimise risk of airborne infection, HEPA air filters had been hired for the occasion. Transform members were joined by allies and supporters, including Khalid Sadur, a parliamentary candidate in Edmonton earlier this year who is currently standing
in the upcoming Jubilee Ward by-election; Fiona Lali who stood in Stratford and Bow; and Andrew Burgin, a national officer of Left Unity.

Alan Gibbons laid out the political context. He’d predicted that Starmer’s government would find itself in crisis within 18 months. No one was expecting that the government would become engulfed in crisis within two weeks of winning office. This has created a political void, and we should take the threat from the far right very seriously.

In the Future of the Left session, the platform speakers were in agreement that a new mass party of the Left was an urgent necessity. Solma Ahmed was emphatic: Doing nothing is not an option. We can’t afford to be timid, to “wait and see”. Audrey White argued that “whatever new party or movement we’re building in this country should be the genuine party of Free Speech in the UK”. Pamela Fitzpatrick confirmed that the talks within Collective were aimed at setting up a new party early next year (which wouldn’t necessarily be called Collective). Anwarul Khan pointed out that the programmatic differences between many left groups weren’t that great: the main barriers to unity are barriers of attitude. Transform members still have many questions about Collective, but forums like this are very valuable.

The journalist Matt Kennard opened the afternoon’s proceedings with a blistering attack on British politicians. They’re not just complicit, in the Gaza genocide, he argued, they’re participants – and he has the receipts to show it. “The key role they play is an intelligence and logistics role, and none of it is covered by our media.”

We then broke up into workshops for discussion on issues ranging from the Renters Rights Bill to Women in Politics. The conversations were free-ranging and full of insights, with most people chipping in.

Policy sessions rounded the day off. It was a varied and interesting programme, and the feedback that we’ve had has been positive. It was a day for connecting with people face to face after months of Zoom calls; also a day to remind us that we’re part of a wider movement, and that we all have to find ways of working together, because we are living in dangerous times.

AGENDA

10am Registration

10.30 Chair’s introduction

10.40 Alan Gibbons, Transform Principal Speaker

10.50 – 12.20 FORUM: The Future of the Left with Pamela Fitzpatrick, Audrey White, Solma Ahmed and Anwarul Khan. Questions and Discussion.

12.20 Yiannis Bournos, Vice President of the European Left

12.30 – 1.30 Lunch

1.30 Matt Kennard, Head of Investigations at Declassified UK

1.40 – 2.50 WORKSHOPS

·        No Pasaran! How we fight Fascism

·        A roof over your head. How do we address the housing crisis?

·        Women in Politics

·        How can we achieve peace in the Middle East?

2.50 – 4.00 POLICY SESSION: Climate Crisis and Green Transition

4.00 – 4.10 Tea Break

4.10 – 5.20 POLICY SESSION: Inequality & Poverty

5.20 Dawn Sanders, Transform Principal Speaker

5.30 Close of Conference