We put the case for voting for Michael Lavalette in the Your Party elections
Your Party elections for the Central Executive Committee (the leadership body of YP) start today, Monday 9 February.
Michael Lavalette, a Counterfire member, is standing in the ‘public office holders’ section – which means anyone in the country can vote for him.
When YP launched it met with huge excitement. But factionalism has debilitated YP and these elections will be crucial to determine its future direction.
Michael has argued that YP should focus on 9 key campaign points that can unite the party:
- End the cost of living crisis, tackle obscene levels of inequality.
- Welfare not warfare, invest in public services, no to privatisation, kick the market out of service delivery.
- Initiate an urgent council house building programme.
- Renationalise public utilities without compensation.
- For peace and against war. For the liberation of Palestine, against imperial adventures in Venezuela, Greenland and the Middle East.
- Against all forms of oppression.
- For the abolition of anti-trade union legislation.
- For a green new deal, to invest in jobs and protect our environment.
- Defend civil liberties, against Starmer’s authoritarianism
Michael is not part of either Jeremy’s or Zarah’s slates. He is arguing against the factional atmosphere within YP and instead arguing that YP can grow and become influential if it is united, outwardly focussed, branch based, radical and insurgent! A vision that sees YP actively involved in building resistance in working-class communities, trade unions and social movements – a vision of hope that speaks to millions of working-class people across the country.
We are asking all members and supporters to make Michael your number 1 vote. We are then asking people to vote for Zarah and Jeremy (2 and 3 in whatever order they want). This reinforces our argument for unity – YP needs to move forward together and both Jeremy and Zarah need to be on the leadership body. Although you can list more votes beyond this, we think the 1, 2, 3, in this way, best emphasises our commitment to unity. So it’s 1, 2, 3 … Lavalette for me!
When talking to other members of Your Party, we are arguing for people to vote Lavalette#1, or if they can’t, for unity give Michael 1 of your top 4 votes.
Before you go
The ongoing genocide in Gaza, Starmer’s austerity and the danger of a resurgent far right demonstrate the urgent need for socialist organisation and ideas. Counterfire has been central to the Palestine revolt and we are committed to building mass, united movements of resistance. Become a member today and join the fightback.
