Beyond Westminster
Politics beyond Parliament - focusing on efforts to organise, educate and campaign in communities and workplaces, and asking how we build a broad-based labour movement equipped for the 21st century.
Photo: Kreuzschnabel
Photo: Kreuzschnabel
The Corbyn-led Labour Party, with a membership of around 600,000, is now the largest social-democratic party in Europe and dramatically bettered expectations in the June 2017 general election. But with the British labour movement having endured decades of sustained decline – and with trade union membership now half of what it was at its peak – the challenge of reviving it, repurposing it and building a new ‘world of labour’ for the 21st century remains a colossal one.
With most British political journalism apparently oblivious to the world beyond Westminster, New Socialist aims to answer some of the key questions the labour and trade union movement must now turn its attention to. How should the Labour Party organise and campaign in communities and workplaces? How can it engage with other social movements outside the labourist tradition? What would a radical left strategy for local government look like in the modern era? What can Labour Party and trade union activists do to help empower working-class people to exert real collective control over their own lives and the places in which they live and work?
With that in mind, New Socialist invites contributions on topics including – but not limited to – the following:
- How Labour activists are organising to transform and democratise local parties
- Community work carried out by Labour and trade union members to rebuild from the grassroots
- Political education – how do we make it relevant to the needs of the people we aspire to win to our cause?
- How can Labour once again earn the trust of people in post-industrial towns and cities?
- Issues relating to broader strategy, and how we build a movement capable of bringing about a radical shift in both wealth and power towards working people
We welcome contributions from Labour and trade union activists throughout Britain, and we are very keen to hear from activists outside London and south-east England. We aim to ensure a broad and representative spectrum of contributors, with the perspectives of women, people of colour, disabled people and LGBT+ writers particularly welcome and valued.
Send pitches to [email protected]
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articles
Waking Up the Giant: Political Education and the Labour Movement
The object of socialist political education has to be to continually foster the development, sharpening and intensification of popular demands.
by
Tom Blackburn
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June 17, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
Mandatory Reselection: A View From the Outside
Every party should let its members pick their candidates at every election; Labour doing so would lead to a better-functioning democracy for everyone.
by
James Mackenzie
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June 7, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
Mandatory Reselection: Democratising the Party
A statement from Young Labour's National Committee on why it is proposing drastic changes to parliamentary candidate selection.
by
Young Labour National Committee
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June 6, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
Further Education: Fighting for a Future
Many staff at colleges across Britain - as well as feeling demoralised and undervalued - are finding it increasingly difficult simply to make ends meet.
by anonymous
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May 18, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
It’s Time for Labour to Disassociate from the SDLP
Labour's link to the SDLP should leave a sour taste in the mouth of any progressive or socialist.
by
Odrán Waldron
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May 17, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
Mandatory Reselection: A Necessity, Not an Indulgence
A PLP that's in step with the Labour Party as a whole is imperative, and mandatory reselection the only method to realising that goal in the time we are likely to have available to us.
by
NormCoresky
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May 16, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
A Revolution of Souls: Culture Wars vs. Cultural Renewal
With its vastly expanded membership, Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party has the potential to help lead a grassroots cultural renewal.
Detoxifying Welsh Labour
Despite the leftward shift of the British Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn, in Wales it’s hard to be filled with much enthusiasm.
Corbynism and The Youth Wing
An interview with Lara McNeill, Momentum activist and newly-elected Youth Rep on the NEC
The Candidate: Jeremy Corbyn's Improbable Path to Power
In an exclusive extract from the new edition of "The Candidate: Jeremy Corbyn's Improbable Path to Power", Alex Nunns explains how the movement behind Corbyn came about.
by
Alex Nunns
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March 16, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
Labour’s Next General Secretary: Building a Transformative Party
The Labour left shed few tears for Iain McNicol last month when, after nearly seven years in the job, he finally announced his intention to take his leave as general secretary of the Labour Party.
by
The Editors
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March 4, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
Gentrification in a Post-Conflict City: The Case of Belfast
Capital taking advantage of post-conflict opportunities is transforming Belfast, but not in the interests of working class residents
by
Conor McFall
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Feb. 9, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
Resisting the Neoliberal University?
In 2014, I moved to Bath to study for a PhD at a university that was confident, growing and acclaimed.
by
Ben Ralph
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Feb. 7, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
The Challenges of Solidarity: IWGB and The Struggle Against Outsourcing
The Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) union has been organising, in its words, ‘some of the most vulnerable and under-represented workers in the UK’ since August 2012.
by
Joe Hayns
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Feb. 1, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
ACORN Manchester and the Fight for Housing Justice
Over the past decade, north-west England has seen a dramatic rise in the number of people renting privately, and the costs they have to manage.
by
Will Todd
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Jan. 28, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
The Elephant in the Room
As we begin 2018, the housing crisis which is blighting the lives of Londoners, threatening communities and changing the face of our city is rolling on with relentless pressure.
by
Jack Buck
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Jan. 16, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
Council Tax: Punishing the Poorest?
It is quite obvious that local government is, along with public sector unions, in the front line in the struggle against the Tory government.
by anonymous
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Jan. 9, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
London Young Labour: Artin Giles for Chair
On Saturday February 3rd, London Young Labour will be holding their Annual General Meeting to elect the next chair and committee.
by
The Editors
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Jan. 2, 2018
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Beyond Westminster
BAME Labour: Time for Reform
The Labour Party has long seen itself as the unequivocal champion of values of equality and diversity, and relies heavily on the ‘Ethnic Minority vote’ in elections.
by
Rebecca Boumelha
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Dec. 19, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
From South Lanarkshire to Santiago: Nae Pasaran
In 2015, three retired Scottish workers from the Rolls-Royce factory of East Kilbride, Scotland received the highest honour given to foreign civilians from the Government of Chile to the rank of Commander.
by
Felipe Bustos Sierra
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Dec. 19, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Seizing Back the Initiative: Chris Williamson MP on Differential Progressive Council Tax
At Labour’s local government conference in February this year, Jeremy Corbyn said that ‘local authorities have always been – and continue to be – in the vanguard of innovation’.
by
Joe Hayns
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Dec. 11, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
"We Took the Last Option": The Fight for Democracy in Haringey
In the predictable rush by the right-wing media to label recent developments in the Labour Party a “hard-left purge”, the details of local circumstances are conveniently overlooked.
by anonymous
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Dec. 6, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Labour NEC Elections: Support the Left Slate
New Socialist is calling on all socialists in the Labour Party to vote for all three candidates from the left slate - Jon Lansman, Yasmine Dar and Rachel Garnham.
by
The Editors
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Nov. 30, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Overthrowing the Big Society: The Third Sector’s Neoliberal Embrace
The Silicon Valley transport app Lyft recently launched a new service, calling it 'Shuttle'.
by
NormCoresky
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Nov. 20, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
BiFab: The Threat of a Good Example
Thursday morning tourists filing through Edinburgh’s Medieval old town on the way to view its castle were this week bemused to find themselves amid a far more modern conflict.
by
Ewan Gibbs
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Nov. 17, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Class Power and Red Robbo
The death of car worker, trade union activist and Communist Derek “Red Robbo” Robinson last month at the age of 90 did not make an especially huge splash in the national media.
by
Jack Saunders
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Nov. 11, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Chorlton Socialist Club: Building On a Movement
Let’s face it, local politics can be pretty humdrum at the best of times. Mired in stultifyingly dull procedural detail, it will always struggle - in its formal configuration - to appeal to those of a radical bent.
by
Sean Cummins
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Nov. 10, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
A Taxing Problem
The Paradise Papers are the latest confirmation that when it comes to tax there is one rule for the super-rich and one for everybody else.
by
Ewan Gibbs
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Nov. 8, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Richard Leonard: Working to Build a Sustainable Scotland
At the start of Richard Leonard’s 'Plan for Real Change in Scotland' he states: “We need to win again for all those people in all those communities who need a Labour government in Scotland."
by
Claudia Beamish MSP
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Nov. 3, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
The Right and the Market Versus Free Speech on Campus
Three years ago, my university took me to court. I was the first named defendant in an injunction case cracking down on a peaceful protest.
by
Shelly Asquith
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Oct. 24, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Report on National Youth Policy Conference
Last weekend, young members of the Labour Party descended upon the University of Warwick to take part in the National Youth Policy Conference, which I attended as a delegate.
by
Daniel Frost
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Oct. 19, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Fighting for Democracy in Young Labour
On October 14th and 15th, Young Labour will meet for its 2017 National Policy Conference where 303 delegates will debate submissions to the Labour Party’s National Policy Forum.
by
Lara McNeill
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Oct. 3, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Reflecting on Labour Conference and The World Transformed – Part One
Part one of a series with New Socialist editors reflecting on their experience of Labour Party Conference and The World Transformed 2017.
Healthcare is a Human Right: Migrant Solidarity in the NHS
The success of the Socialist Health Association (SHA) motion to Labour’s 2017 conference marks significant progress.
by
Peter Pannier
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Sept. 29, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Beyond mere Policy Making: A Response to the IPPR's "Time for Change" Report.
The IPPR, which describes itself as The Progressive Policy Think Tank, has launched the interim report of its Commission on Economic Justice, titled Time for Change: A New Vision for the British Economy.
by
Sahil Dutta
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Sept. 28, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Labour’s NEC ‘Deal’: Paving the Way for Change?
Last week, it was announced that the party’s ruling National Executive Committee had agreed a deal relating to the so-called ‘McDonnell amendment’.
Austerity is not Gender Neutral
The Labour Party’s analysis indicates that 86% of the burden of austerity since 2010 has fallen on women.
Labour’s ‘Contentious Alliance’ at Conference
The Labour Party Conference occupies a central role in the party’s culture.
'A Bold and Radical Shift': Richard Leonard and Scottish Labour
In choosing Richard Leonard, Scottish Labour would move towards the idea that workers can be active agents of change.
by
Lauren Gilmour
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Sept. 20, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
The NPF and Party Policy at Conference
One of the promises made during Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership campaigns was for greater membership involvement in policy formation.
For a Socialist Young Labour: Back the Momentum Slate
Voting is now open, until this Wednesday (13th September), for the upcoming Young Labour policy conference.
by
The Editors
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Sept. 11, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
‘Better a Dented Shield’? The Left and Labour Councils
It’s become something of a cliché to say that Momentum and the Left within the Labour Party have not done enough to think about local government and, in particular, about Labour councils and councillors.
by
Daniel Frost
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Sept. 4, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
The Labour Party: A Socialist Reading List
Since Jeremy Corbyn’s initial election as leader of the Labour Party in July 2015, the hundreds of thousands of people who have flocked into the party have been treated to something of a crash course on it.
The Labour Left’s Scottish Success
It is a truth universally acknowledged by all factions of the Labour Party that we could have done better in Scotland.
by
Alex Harris-MacDuff
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Aug. 12, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Forging New Solidarities: Trade Unions and Migrant Workers
The question of trade union decline is one that’s central to understanding labour relations and political discourse within Britain today.
by
Jack Taylor
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Aug. 8, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Labour Party Conference: Call for Contributions
This September, thousands of Labour Party members - including constituency and trade union delegates from across Britain - will descend upon Brighton for this year’s Labour conference.
by
The Editors
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Aug. 4, 2017
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Conference 2017,
Westminster,
Beyond Westminster,
Culture,
Theory and Strategy
Corbynism: What Next?
On Saturday 8 July, 200,000 people marched through the narrow streets of Durham city centre to the Racecourse to celebrate the 133rd Gala - the Big Meeting - of the Durham Miners’ Association (DMA).
by
Steve Davies
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July 29, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Young People and Trade Union Membership
This piece is a response to Nadine Houghton's article in New Socialist, 'Re-Newing Trade Unionism: What the Unions can learn from Labour's Election Campaign'.
by
Frankie Leach
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July 20, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
In Defence of Party Democracy
It seems that whenever the Labour left has the temerity to organise to bring about whatever changes it wishes to see, this is almost without fail treated as an unconscionable outrage.
by
Tom Blackburn
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July 11, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Momentum Beyond the Moment
Momentum ran a stellar campaign during the general election. Aside from a formidable ground game, they dominated the social media scene.
by
Tom Munday
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July 10, 2017
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Beyond Westminster
Community Solidarity after Grenfell
On the 14th of June early morning, I couldn't sleep due to the heat and my ongoing battle with insomnia. I was scrolling through twitter trying to pass time and boredom when I found out about the Grenfell fire.
Transforming Labour: Rule Changes for 2018
With this year’s Labour Party conference looming on the horizon, it may seem premature to some to start thinking ahead to the party’s 2018 gathering in Liverpool.
Organising for Conference
Labour Party members, supporters and activists - particularly those on the left - are still on something of a high after the party’s far better than expected performance in the recent general election.
Northern Ireland, The DUP and Colonialism
The province of Northern Ireland has been continually raised as a spectre during the election campaign and is now once more on the forefront of the political agenda.
Reflections from Wales
I’ve always had a deeply ingrained sense that, rather than Wales abandoning the Labour Party, the Labour party had abandoned Wales.
Re-Newing Trade Unionism: What the Unions can learn from Labour's Election Campaign
Union membership is in decline and yet the unions remain the most relevant and necessary organisations in the fight for a better, more equal society.
Hope, Slammed Doors and "Ronnie Corbett": Tales from the Campaign Trail
We caught up with four activists all of whom went out on the campaign trail for the Labour Party this spring.
A Missing Link: British Attitudes towards Abortion in Ireland and Northern Ireland
It may come as a surprise that people from Protestant backgrounds can just be as anti-choice as their Catholic brethren.
The Red Tide Hits Chingford
There were many exciting outcomes; support for a left wing manifesto, increase in youth voter turnout, and strong performances in unexpected seats.
Independence is not the Same as Isolation: Political Experiences of People with Learning Disabilities/Difficulties
The Conservative government have seen a marked decrease in the support and services available to people with learning disabilities/difficulties.
Corbynism from Below?
The Labour leadership must urgently turn its attention to how it harnesses the capacities of the party membership, buoyed up by their recent successes.
On the Croydon Central Campaign
We have learnt just how much more we are capable of. Everyone will feel able to do more than they did before.
Northern Ireland: Past and Present, Real and Imaginary
