About 20 people attended South West London AWL's first-ever forum in Croydon on 18 June about “Who represents the working class in politics?”. Those present came from a variety of different political backgrounds, including the former Socialist Alliance and the Labour left; pretty much all of them were trade unionists, with contingents from local branches of Unison and the PCS.
After a lead off from Charlie McDonald — an AWL member and PCS activist who stood in Hackney as a Socialist Unity candidate in the May local elections — there was a lengthy discussion from the floor. Much of this focused on how socialists should see initiatives like Respect and the Campaign for a New Workers' Party, as well as how a left-wing challenge for the Labour leadership could help to reinvigorate the broader left and labour movement. Surprisingly, there was enthusiasm for a McDonnell candidacy even among those who had never been a member of the Labour Party.
We hope to organise a follow up meeting to provide a chance for further discussion, and to discuss how activists in the local area can organise to take the fight for workers' representation forward.
SW London AWL
