Movement

Our movements need media that inspire mass participation, amplifying analysis to reach new audiences turning to the left, writes Des Freedman

We are launching Counterfire Media. We need your help to do so.

The attacks on Jeremy Corbyn trying to paint him as antisemitic and pushing the Labour Party into limiting criticism of Israel are persisting and intensifying. The assault on his leadership appears to be the most significant yet, and there is a danger that the project could be derailed if the right succeed.

At the same time, we have a Tory government still teetering on the brink of collapse. It’s only been two months since Theresa May tried to move up Parliament’s summer recess for fear of being forced out. The government has been utterly discredited on its austerity policies. The hostile environment that Theresa May has fostered and that came to a head with the revelations of the treatment of the Windrush generation has been met with national outrage.  Further, Brexit continues to be something Theresa May is failing to reach consensus on within her party and nationally.

The Tories have all but abandoned the manifesto they went into the 2017 general election with and they have proved that they are simply unable to govern. But the media assault on Corbyn has meant the Tories have been shielded from completely collapsing so far. Theresa May has been able to deflect the scandal of the rampant racism of her party because the establishment, spearheaded by the Labour right, have made Jeremy Corbyn the racist.

Part of the result from this is that Labour has been unable to surpass the Tories in the polls. We should recognise that the fact Labour hasn’t far fallen in the polls is a sign of the declining purchase the mainstream media have with the public, but that they haven’t increased further than the level they were at in June 2017 shows that the progress made during the election campaign has stalled, if not somewhat been rolled back.

This is in large part because the Labour right have led a truly disgusting smear campaign, but also to a lesser extent because of Labour moving away from being an energetic insurgent current to more traditional politicking, and not being as combative as some of us may have hoped it would be.

Filling in the gap left by a failing Tory government and the left under attack, and bolstered by a growing network of the international alt-right, has been the far right. The large street mobilisations of the far right gravitating around Tommy Robinson have been something unseen in Britain for a while. And the support from Steve Bannon and far-right European politicians is a new dynamic that everyone should be wary of.

For all these reasons, the need for the left to be organised and to respond to the situation in earnest and with urgency cannot be overstated. Counterfire has been producing critical analysis of the situation that has been read by tens of thousands of movement activists, our members were involved with organising the massive rally in London on 21 August in defence of Jeremy Corbyn, and we’re working to build the anti-racist movement.

Counterfire members were central to organising the 250,000 strong demonstration against Donald Trump in July. The demonstration was a testament to the breadth of the left, our ability to mobilise a broad section of the public and proof that we certainly outnumber the far-right when we are organised.

But we can – and need to – be doing so much more. At this time, we need to go on the offensive over Palestine, defend Corbyn, produce the right arguments on what we should be fighting for over Brexit, strategise on how to defeat the far-right, and help amplify the crisis for the Tories to remove them sooner rather than later.

That’s why, in this fast-moving political situation, we’re calling a national meeting on Sunday 9 September for all our members. The discussion will aim to analyse the political situation in some depth, and what role Counterfire can play in shaping how the left responds and in taking the fight to the right. We hope as many of our members as possible can attend, and if you’re a supporter, you’ll consider joining Counterfire and coming.

In the second part of tales from the sticks, Jim Scott explains the birth and growth of a movement in rural Wales over the last 5 years

Opposing Donald Trump can play a role in bringing down our own vicious government

The 'extreme centre' now presents itself as an antidote to 'populism' by taking to the streets – but that is a symptom of its increasing weakness, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

After the big Free Tommy Robinson rally in London, the entire left need to get serious about organising against the far right argues Shabbir Lakha

Solidarity with Muslims and maximum unity are the watchwords for confronting today’s street racists, argues Lindsey German

The demos this summer give us a chance to recapture the spirit of last year's insurgency and take the fight to the Tories. We must take it

Richard Allday reminds us that we need to work together; we can’t be socialists on our own

We have a once in a generation chance for change, and must take it

Amber Rudd resigning because of popular pressure is a victory and a reminder that what the left does can make a decisive difference argues Chris Nineham

Some clips from the speeches made at The Corbyn Moment event in London filmed and edited by Paul Merron

The antisemitism smear campaign against Jeremy Corbyn is cynical political point scoring and the left must tackle the arguments head on argues Shabbir Lakha

The pervasion of identity politics limits our ability to truly liberate ourselves from oppression, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh

Lindsey German looks back at the day in 2003 that millions took to the streets to protest the Iraq war

People have been building socialist organisations for a very long time. Karen Buckley discusses some ways to do it in the 21st century

To achieve a scenario where Theresa May poses the question ‘who rules?’ requires all of us to start moving

Cleaners, porters and security staff striking for better pay staged an enthusiastic and lively protest in East London on Saturday

Politics in this country has 
shifted decisively to the left, but we must make the most of it

Following the political earthquake, building the movement is vital. Now it can really reshape politics

We need a dynamic, combative left, fit for the 21st century

As Jeremy Corbyn visits Southall, Morgan Daniels reports on a campaign that is gaining momentum

Recent anti-racist mobilisations show the movement shifting up a gear, notes Kevin Ovenden  

As safe seats become marginal ones before our very eyes, Lindsey German makes short work of the media voodoo and suggests a plan

Trumpism’s first clash with the North East’s rich anti-racist tradition shall not be the last, reports Dawn Warcup

Recent protests contain the seeds of future victories but nothing is automatic, notes Lindsey German
 

The weekend’s magnificent demonstrations are a cue to reinvigorate left politics as a whole, suggests Ellen Graubart  

The die is cast, but socialists must fight for their outcomes, argues Jack Hazeldine

Once again protest within the movements points to a wider challenge to US power and capital, argues George Mueller Waite

In an extract from The Candidate: Jeremy Corbyn’s Improbable Path to Power, Alex Nunns describes a dramatic day in the attempted coup against Corbyn

Resolutions passed for Counterfire Conference December 2016

Labour activists in Liverpool speak about the election, the Labour right and the future

In anticipation of a Jeremy Corbyn victory, Chris Nineham highlights some strategic goalposts for both the Labour Party and the wider movement

As the media attacks on Corbyn's leadership continue, we publish the text of a speech by Chris Nineham at Media Reform UK's event: The Media, the Movements and Jeremy Corbyn

As protesters take to the streets of Bristol, Tom Whittaker takes a look at the options for building resistance against the cuts

Opposing imperialism through the movement on the streets is imperative, argues Lindsey German

In this major new analysis, Lindsey German looks at resistance to neoliberalism, oppression's relationship to class, and how new forms of organising and the united front are central to a socialist transformation of Britain

The ideas of the great Hungarian Marxist Georg Lukács offer insights into Labour‘s recent quandaries, finds David Moyles

Lindsey German reflects on the Labour right’s latest descent into the depths of opportunist bilge 

As the lines are being drawn, Shabbir Lakha turns the tables on Owen Jones and his soft left assault on Jeremy Corbyn’s social movement

This moment offers an opportunity for radical change, but the path to victory lies in political confrontation, argues Kevin Ovenden

The furore over alleged antisemitism in Labour is a smear on the party’s left and an attempt to delegitimise criticism of Israel, argues Reuben Bard-Rosenberg

With the Tories in turmoil and the political landscape in flux, the movement and the left need to come together to discuss next steps

Support surges for the junior doctors as they strike, in another bad day for Jeremy Hunt

All change at the NUS as its presidency is won by a black female activist. Liam McCafferty reports

As the Tories' trauma continues, Chris Nineham sketches out a strategy for radical change

The tide is turning against austerity. How can we take advantage of the Tories’ crisis?

Jack Hazeldine looks at the focus and purpose of the People’s Assembly national demonstration on 16 April

Activist Mick Wattam takes us through the ins and outs of making a mobilisation happen   

In response to the largest exposé of tax evasion in history, the British public have taken to the streets calling for David Cameron's resignation

As a tumultuous year in British politics comes to an end, Alex Snowdon takes a look at the implications for the year ahead

William Andrews outlines the character of the new protest movements in Japan, as the government attempts to adopt new security legislation

Establishment politics is fracturing, but the General Election outcome won't represent the anger with the elite. Chris Nineham outlines a strategy for popular opposition and generating a new left

Links to movement sites and resources for activists

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