What you can do
DLO’s meeting on Tuesday Nov 3 was a call to action for every member of our movement.
Here are concrete suggestions from speakers and attendees.
Matt Wrack – General Secretary Fire Brigades Union, Chair of the Labour Representation Committee and member of DLO Steering Group
- Get active and organise through your trade union – think about becoming a rep and convincing people you know to join/get more involved https://www.tuc.org.uk/joinunion
- Support campaigns including
#FullSickPayNow https://www.dontleaveorganise.org/2020/11/02/full-sick-pay-now/
#FundTheFrontline https://www.fbu.org.uk/fund-the-frontline
Matt Nathan – Socialist Campaign Group of Labour Councillors & member of DLO Steering Group
- Stand as a councillor
- Help left candidates win selections
- Support left councillors in their campaigning and run up to May 2021 local elections
- If you’re already a councillor, join the socialist campaign group of councillors https://www.socialistcouncillors.com/
Sophie Wilson – Sheffield City Councillor, Parliamentary candidate 2019GE for Rother Valley, grassroots activist
- Join ACORN https://acorntheunion.org.uk/
Sonali Bhattacharya – Momentum National Secretary
- Vote #GV6 in the NEC elections if you haven’t already https://www.dontleaveorganise.org/blog/
- Recommended voting lists based on your postcode: https://futureweneed.com/preference/
- Join the eviction resistance campaign https://peoplesmomentum.com/evictionresistance/
Jo Bird – NEC councillor candidate
- Demand fair and just disciplinary processes through all available channels https://www.dontleaveorganise.org/2020/10/17/fighting-for-a-fair-and-transparent-disciplinary-process-speaking-up-for-members-rights-yasmine-dar/
- If you are a councillor, vote for socialist councillor voices on the NEC – and lobby your local councillors to do so
https://labourrep.com/blog/2020/10/18/why-i-am-standing-for-socialism-in-local-government
Tosh McDonald – socialist councillor, former ASLEF President
- Become a trade union activist https://www.tuc.org.uk/joinunion
- Don’t be silenced – use every method to speak truth to power – petitions, media, demos, courts, motions, open letter all party members can sign: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf6bugW_BcRmfPPGIIVTwPAO-rG5GUbhG-ONGla8llwEdhMlQ/viewform
- Be part of a united anti-racist movement, stand up to racist attacks. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/feb/25/uk.race
Salma Yaqoob – shortlisted as Labour candidate for West Midlands Mayor, one of the founders of anti-war movement, anti-racist social justice campaigner & former councillor
- Speak up against censorship being imposed across all progressive movements
- Don’t wait for others – take a lead!
Paula Peters – National steering group member of Disabled People against Cuts (DPAC), founding chair of Bromley and Croydon Unite Community branch.
- Join DPAC – national organisation with local groups and campaigns to support locally and nationally
- Join the fight against universal credit. Join Scrap Universal Credit Alliance (SUCA)
http://www.suca.org.uk/join-the-campaign-to-stop-scrap-universal-credit/
- If you are not employed, you can join Unite Community https://unitetheunion.org/why-join/membership-types/community-membership/
- Vote Ellen Morrison for Labour disability NEC rep
A selection of ideas from attendees
Defend Jeremy Corbyn and Labour Party democracy
Argue for motions challenging Jeremy’s suspension
Campaign for unions and left MPs to act
Get active in media – phone ins / write letters
Demand action on Labour Leaks document
Oppose all witch-hunts
Resist demoralisation, organise action
Give members reason to stay – Don’t Leave, Organise!
Rebuild the left
Unite inside and outside the Labour Party
Commit to transparent & democratic process for left slates in elections
Build and connect local and regional Labour Left groups.
Build class consciousness through political education and action
Learn lessons of defeat
Defend policy gains of Corbyn leadership
Make climate change campaign central
Be at the forefront of Covid struggle, defending teachers and other workers on the front line.