Birmingham bin striker Steeven Biset speaking at the Summit of Resistance (Photo: Guy Smallman)
The Summit of Resistance last week was step forward for the whole of the left. Over 2,000 people came together in London to discuss how to take the fight to the Labour government and resist the far right.
People came for many reasons, from Labour’s attacks on disabled people and the cost of living crisis to its support for Israel’s genocide.
But they were united in wanting an alternative to Keir Starmer and the far right Reform UK party that his betrayals fuel.
There was a sense of optimism and unity on the day—but the event marked a starting point. Now we need to spread the spirit and organisation to every town and city.
How can you bring together the fightbacks in your area?
Imagine if there were We Demand Change summits across Britain that brought together everyone who wants resistance.
It could unite the Palestine and anti-racist movements, disability and housing campaigners, striking workers and trade unionists and all those who want an alternative. And it could become a local focal point for working class people who are fed up with Labour’s betrayals.
These summit could organise action. That could mean targeting the offices of MPs who support benefit cuts or arms companies supplying Israel, or lobbying the council for divestment.
Think what a step forward it would be if there was a network that linked together the different movements, campaigns and trade unionists where you are.
Imagine if MPs and councils knew that, if they tried to push through austerity, they would always be faced with angry protests.
Imagine if every group of workers that went on strike had the solidarity of a mass movement behind them. And imagine if there were independent socialist candidates—who championed struggle in the streets and workplaces—to vote for instead of Labour.
The Summit of Resistance opens up important opportunities. If we’re to seize them, we have to move quickly to organise struggles on the streets, picket lines and campuses.
We can respond to the rise of Reform UK in three ways—one is disastrous, the second is wishful thinking, the third has a chance of success.
Firstly, the left can adapt to racist ideas in the hope of neutralising the threat of the far right.
This means giving ground to the idea that immigration is a “problem” that puts “pressure” on working class communities.
In reality, that only legitimises right wing ideas. We saw that this week with the Labour Party’s latest ad campaign. It put out a poster boasting, “Over 24,000 people with no right to be in the UK removed by this Labour government.”
Secondly, the left can try to fight Reform UK by ignoring its racism.
This is the approach of the majority of the trade union leaders. They rightly point out that Farage and the other Reform UK MPs voted against the Employment Rights Bill and that it wants to privatise the NHS. But they shy away from taking on the anti‑migrant arguments.
But the far right wraps racism around every issue it toys with, laying blame at the feet of migrants and refugees.
It’s true that calling Reform UK racist will not alone stop people voting for the party—although it’s vital to do so. But a major reason for this is that, in the heads of many people, opposition to migrants and refugees is divorced from racism.
It’s easy to think or say, “Being against more migrants is not racist,” when every major party agrees on clamping down on them.
So we need a third approach—mass anti-racist campaigning against Reform UK that takes on the myths around immigration.
“Blame bosses, not migrants” is a crucial slogan. We have to argue that scapegoating refugees and migrants weakens the whole working class—and strengthens the rich minority ripping us all off.
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