Welcome to issue nine of the Transform newsletter.

Keir Starmer’s latest promise is that things will get worse before they get better. Let’s make sure that they do get worse – for Starmer and his allies.

Could you be a Transform candidate?

There are elections for the English County Councils in May next year (2025) and we need candidates.

If you’re willing to stand for your local council, then please email our Elections Officer John Morgan at johnmorgan101@btinternet.com.

We need people who will put in the hours to mount a strong campaign, and who’d be happy to sit on the local council if elected.

We’re also looking for members who may not be able to commit much time and may have little interest in getting on the council, but who would be willing to put their name forward and fly the flag for Transform. There are no deposits in local elections. So it doesn’t cost you.

If you want to be a candidate, but don’t live in an area with local elections next year, please start thinking about it now. It’s never too early.

John is also looking for volunteers to be part of an Election Strategy Team. This working group currently meets online every two weeks. Please email johnmorgan101@btinternet.com if you’re interested in becoming involved.

Still marching for Gaza

The next national march for Palestine is on Saturday 7 September. Please contact Mandy Parry on mandyparrytraining@gmail.com if you’re planning to attend.

Later in the month, a protest is planned outside Labour Conference in Liverpool on 21 September.

We have been marching for 11 months. We’re willing to carry on, because this is about justice and humanity. A genocide is taking place before our eyes.

We hope that we won’t need to carry on, but it’s not looking good. There’s still a real risk that Iran will be dragged into the conflict. Our politicians politely reason with Israel when they should be bringing pressure to bear. They won’t even commit to an embargo on arms sales, despite the overwhelming weight of reasons to do this. British diplomat Mark Smith condemned these arms sales in his resignation letter, writing about Israel’s war crimes and breaches of humanitarian law.

Kamala Harris speaks about Palestine in a slightly different tone from Joe Biden, but there’s no sign of any change in American policy. A week before the start of the Democrat Convention in Chicago, the Biden administration approved the sale of $20 billion in fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel, removing at a stroke a vital lever of pressure for a ceasefire. At the Convention itself, demands to have a Palestinian speaker on the main stage were refused, and anti-war protests were treated as an unwelcome distraction.

Harris supporters may argue that defeating Trump comes before everything. But their inaction on Gaza carries a political risk. The swing state of Michigan holds the largest concentration of Arab-Americans in the country with more than 310,000 residents of Middle Eastern or North African ancestry. In the Democratic primary back in February, 100,000 Michigan voters cast ballots for “uncommitted” in a protest against Biden’s policy on Gaza.

Women’s Caucus

Transform’s Equality Officer Dawn Sanders has an announcement:

“C’mon ladies, lets do it!

Following feedback, I’m setting up a women’s caucus within Transform with the aim of creating a cross-sectional group of women and providing them with a safe, confidential space.

To join the caucus, please email me at fieryred.dawn@gmail.com and answer the following questions:

1) What do you feel you could contribute to a women’s caucus?

2) What would you like to see addressed within a women’s caucus?

3) Even if you can’t directly contribute, how do you feel a women’s caucus would help you?

4) Please confirm your agreement to keep all our discussions confidential.

More information can be found here, and you can email me if you have any questions.

This is open to all our women members. Applications are especially welcome from trans and non-binary women, women with additional needs/disabilities, women of colour, women living with mental health conditions, women coping with/recovering from addiction, women who have been abused, women who consider themselves working class, women who are homeless, women who live off-grid or who are Roma.

To become a founder member, your email should reach me by Wednesday 4 September.”

LGBTQ+ Caucus

Dawn sends her thanks to all those who responded to the survey in the last newsletter. If you missed the deadline, don’t worry: LGBTQ+ members can still write to Dawn at fieryred.dawn@gmail.com by Wednesday 4 September with answers to the following questions:

1. Would you like to see a caucus set up for and run by Transform members identifying as LGBTQ+?

2. Briefly highlight which concerns you would like to see addressed within the caucus.

3. Do you feel that an LGBTQ+ caucus could help create and shape policy within the party, as well as educate the wider membership?

Commemorating Peterloo

Transform’s Marianne Cramp-Jukes writes:

“On Saturday 17 August, I attended the event “Peterloo, Palestine and Starting Our New Media” organised by The Word Newspaper, The NUJ, Rochdale Trades Council, and Oldham Trades Council. The purpose of this event as advertised was to honour the memory of those who died in the Peterloo massacre of 1819 by continuing the fight for democracy.

After speeches in St Peter’s Square, we joined the weekly march in support of Palestine, before going to the Friends Meeting House to take part in the launch of The Word’s new media: TV, radio station and nationwide newspaper. We witnessed and participated in the putting together of a real printed newspaper in real time during the gathering, and were treated to a musical interlude as the work was completed.”

Diary of events

Friday 30 August 6.30pm: Transform Talksback

Our next informal Friday night Zoom gathering is happening tomorrow. Register here to get the Zoom link (if you want to order pizza you’ll have to arrange that yourself).

Sunday 1 September: Burston Strike School Rally

This tiny Norfolk village is home to a Labour movement event commemorating the longest strike in British history. A Transform contingent will be there, convened by Nicola Gladwell.

Saturday 7 September 12 noon in Central London: National March for Palestine

Organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and others. Please contact Mandy Parry on mandyparrytraining@gmail.com if you’d be willing to organise a Transform presence on the march.

Saturday 7 September: Wigan Diggers Festival, Gerrard Winstanley Gardens

Please contact Linda Wall at linda62@gmx.co.uk if you’re planning to be there.

Saturday 14 September 2024: 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. Mandy is convening the Transform group attending: mandyparrytraining@gmail.com.

Saturday 14 September 2024: Big Green Event, Nottingham

John Morgan will be organising Transform’s presence: johnmorgan101@btinternet.com

Saturday 19 October 10.30am-5pm in central London: Transform Conference

Tickets will be available shortly.

Campaigns Working Group

Putting this schedule together and getting Event Organisers assigned has been the work of our Campaigns Working Group. Transform can’t be everywhere – but we want to use every opportunity to get our message across.

The Working Group meets monthly, and is in regular communication through WhatsApp. If you’re interested in joining, please contact Mandy at mandyparrytraining@gmail.com.

We want to hear from you

Do you have any reports or photos from activities that you’ve been involved in? Do you have any questions about Transform?

You can contact us at info@transformpolitics.uk. Please mark your email for the attention of the Newsletter Team.

In solidarity,

Transform Newsletter Team