Lancashire County Councillor Michael Lavalette speaks to Jamal Elaheebocus about why the International Anti-War Conference is a crucial moment in the fight against militarism

Can you tell us who you are and why you’re attending the International Conference Against War? 

My name is Michael Lavalette, I’m an elected Lancashire County Councillor, where I sit as part of the main opposition group ‘Progressive Lancashire’ made up of ‘pro-Gaza’ Independents (like me) and Green party members.

Our group is one of the supporting organisations for the conference and I’ll be travelling with another councillor (Almas Razakazi).

We are attending because the questions of war and militarism are central questions for the present moment. The world is becoming less safe. Arms races take huge resources – that we could use for human betterment – and waste them on the military machine. We need to win the argument for welfare not warfare – the conference is a great place to start to get ourselves organised.

What does the increasing militarism look like in your country/area and what has the response been?

The British government is spending huge amounts on arms, in supporting the hot war in Ukraine and pushing a narrative that we need to arm to confront our (supposed) enemies. At the same time, they tell us we have no money to support people out of work, our pensioners and people with disabilities. We desperately need investment into our health and education systems – yet they tell us they can’t, whilst all the time they find the money for war, killing and militarism.

Why do you think having an international anti-war movement is important?

Last year’s conference in Paris showed that there was a demand for a cross European anti-war network. This year’s conference in London offers us the opportunity to deepen our links and networks and start to organise for cross-national action against war and militarism. 

I think the number and range of British trade unions supporting the conference shows this is a class issue. These unions need to throw themselves into the conference and the international networks to make sure we are all prioritising ‘wages not weapons’ and ‘welfare not warfare’.

What are you hoping the conference will do for the anti-war movement?

I hope it deepens the links between the anti-war movement and our union movement. I hope it establishes a cross-national anti-war movement that can coordinate action for peace and Palestinian rights and against war and militarism.