‘WE WERE marching with our banner “100 years of the Russian Revolution, for the World October”,’ WRP candidate for Hackney South Jonty Leff told the Workers Revolutionary Party and Young Socialists May Day meeting on Monday.
Before introducing the other speakers, Leff said: ‘It’s a tremendous situation. Trump dropped 59 missiles on Syria and now he threatens nuclear war on North Korea and he’s serious.
‘1,600 Palestinian prisoners are on hunger strike against their conditions. There was a general strike in Palestine on Thursday and a Day of Rage on Friday. France is breaking up, Romanians are rising up against government corruption.
‘The EU is breaking apart. EU leaders told May to get lost. The whole situation is seething. The Tories have declared war on the unemployed, war on youth, on students. This situation requires revolutionary leadership. The only way there is any future is by getting rid of capitalism. We are standing in the election to build our party.
‘Jeremy Corbyn’s promises are liked but big business and the banks are not going to accept being taxed more. We want a workers’ government and socialism. It means nationalising the land and the banks. All over the world people are marching on May Day.’
Amanata Sellu, Peckham WRP candidate, told the meeting: ‘We really need to fight against what the government is doing to people. They want to move me out of my house with my children. Over 50 police and bailiffs surrounded us. I was taken out of the house with my kids. I was taken to the police station. It’s not only me, they want to take other tenants out.
‘They want to knock down the estate and build private housing. I went to court and I won the case against the police. There is no way we can keep this government. They are not for the people. Everywhere you look these days there is war. Children are not getting fed the right food at school. You have to fight. I have to stand for me as a woman and for students against fees. We have to kick the Tories out, for our kids, for our future.’
Sheffield Brightside WRP candidate Mike Driver said: ‘South Yorkshire was at the centre of the miners strike. The government still hold onto the files for Orgreave when police were unleashed on the miners in 1985. Miners were picketing the coke depot. It was a massive confrontation. The state was against the miners. They did not want a general strike and the TUC did deals.
‘That’s why they cover it up. The crisis is worse today. It’s such a great crisis, nothing can resolve it but revolution. We’re standing for a workers state and socialism. We are standing 100 years since the Russian Revolution which was a huge step forward for the world working class. We have to do it here – zero hours contracts, cuts for the disabled, it’s a crisis. Labour has betrayed the working class because it won’t get socialism. We are standing to build our party – only a revolution can take us forward.’
Arjinder Thiara, Southall WRP candidate, said: ‘All my life I’ve lived in Southall. There’s been a lot of changes. One of the main changes is at Ealing Hospital. My children were born in Ealing Hospital. That maternity unit is closed down now. People have to go to Northwick Park Hospital. It takes 45 minutes to one and a half hours to get there. It’s too far to go.
Also, the Charlie Chaplin ward for children has closed down. That’s been taken away. They don’t care about people. They are using the maternity unit to make films. They’re building flats on the hospital land. And the JobCentre is closing – that’s being taken away as well. We need to get together to call for a general strike to bring down this government.’
WRP general secretary Frank Sweeney told the meeting: ‘We marched today in unison with the working class and poor people all over the world. This is the day when millions stand up for their rights and against capitalism. A year ago, we were the only party that said the working class was going to vote to get out of Europe – not because they are racist or against immigrants but because of the cuts in their jobs, pay and rights.
‘The EU is a bankers club set up to increase profits. The News Line was the only paper that said workers would vote to get out of the EU and get rid of the Tories. On 23 June last year, the working class dealt a blow, not just to the bourgeoisie here but across Europe. Cameron has gone. Hammond has gone – it blew up in their faces.
‘May is repeating the same mistake. The Tories believe they can win by saying that Corbyn is incompetent. Last June workers voted to get rid of the Tories – that movement is still here. All the political parties and media told workers to vote to stay in Europe. But workers saw what that means. Greece has been bled dry, Italy’s banks are on the brink.
‘Germany is now on the brink of a huge explosion. In France last week you had one of the effects of the Brexit vote. If Macron wins, there will be upheaval. If Le Pen wins, the working class and youth will rise up. In Palestine, 1,600 prisoners are on hunger strike. People are put away whose only crime is being a Palestinian. Administrative detention, with no charge or trial is used to take you out of the struggle. Fatah leader Marwan Barghouthi is leading the hunger strike. We call for these prisoners to be released.
‘It’s 100 years since the Russian Revolution. When Lenin arrived back in Russia, the Bolsheviks were supporting the Provisional Government. Lenin turned the party round and led a successful revolution. This year is also 100 years since the Balfour Declaration. The British Lord Balfour gave Zionists land that did not belong to Britain. But Palestinians are not bitter, they don’t hate Jews but they do want a state. Imperialism threatens war but it is weak and being challenged.
‘We are standing in this election for a revolutionary socialist programme. We call for a vote for our candidates wherever we are standing. In other constituencies we say vote Labour to kick the Tories out. But you can’t implement the policies Corbyn is calling for because they mean you’ve got to get rid of capitalism. There would be a military coup if he carried them out. But he won’t do that, he believes bankers won’t be bankers and capitalists won’t be capitalists! 1917 broke capitalism at the weakest link in its chain. Capitalism today is a phantom of what it was, but it’s ruthless. We are going to have to battle. The working class rose up last year, our party has to rise up.’
A tremendous collection raised £570 for the WRP election fund.