On the 3rd June 2025 the Campaign for a Mass Workers Party held an online public meeting.

There was an urgent call for the numerous democratic socialist groups and individuals across the UK to come together – with unity of purpose –  to create a new democratic socialist party – that is now so urgently required.

The time we are living in now is reminiscent of what happened in the late 1800s –  when socialists were trying to create a new political party that would serve the interests of ordinary people.

One of the obstacles that those pioneers of socialism had to overcome was convincing people that at the end of the day the Liberals (that back then many trade unionists supported) were not that different to the Tories – and a new party was required.

When members of the Independent Labour Party (ILP)  contested the Barnsley by-election in 1897, they came into sharp conflict with the Liberal Party and the Yorkshire miner’s association –  whose president back then was a Liberal MP. 

So angry were the mineworkers in one pit village that they welcomed Kier Hardie and the ILP candidate with a hail of stones! 

Due to the actions of Mr Starmer and his government,  our job of convincing people that the Labour Party no longer have the answers will not be as difficult. 

Thousands (possibly millions) of people have now seen Starmer’s government for the ‘Tory-lite’ sham that it is. 

People are realising that the Labour Party is not going to create a society that puts their needs before profit or protect our environment. 

We are now facing the growing danger that lots of ordinary people are giving their votes to the billionaire backed Reform Party.

We need a party that will offer a socialist alternative to Reform’s scapegoating and racism.

We all know that we will be will be facing some very well funded opponents and a hostile media. 

There is a lot for us to consider and it is important that we try and learn from the past.

What do we want our new party to look like?

How do we want our new party to operate?

What do we want our new party to achieve?

At its birth in 1900 the Labour Representation Committee (that became the Labour Party) was a compromise. Calls for this new organisation to be committed to socialism were rejected in favour of an emphasis on getting a “distinct Labour Group in parliament”.

Do we want our new party to be committed to socialism from the outset? Do we need some founding principles that we can all agree on  – such as the twelve put forward by the ‘For the Many Network’? 

Which, for example,  includes a call for the public ownership of all public services and infrastructure, including utilities and transport’

How should we decide policy? How would we resolve our differences and find common ground?

Would we want a party that is purely focused on ‘winning elections’ or would we acknowledge the importance of supporting trade unions when they take action and urge our members to stand with them on the picket lines?  

Would we operate on a traditional branch basis? 

How would we select people that want to stand as councillors or MPs on behalf of our party? 

Would we want mandatory reselection of all of our MPs and all other elected officials?

Would we allow our MPs to receive ‘private sponsorship’? 

Would we want our MPs to keep all of the £94,000 per year salary? Or would a condition of them standing on behalf of our party be that they are committed to giving a % of that wage back to the party?

Would it be acceptable for our MPs to go on the TV and criticise party policy after it was agreed at conference or constantly make statements that undermine elected party leaders? 

Or would we want a party that facilitated full democratic internal debate and then agreed that, during an election period for example,  we would stick together and all ‘sing from the same song sheet’?

Would we aim for an all member conference  with one member one vote ? Or would we aim for a voting system where a person can cast a vote on behalf of a larger group of people? 

Would we want representatives from trade unions or other large groups to have a ‘block vote’ or would people that are members of affiliated unions etc be expected to join the party and vote and participate like everyone else?

How would we use modern technology? We we ever do an online poll of members about an issue without a discussion first? 

Would we elect a national co-ordinating committee and give them defined responsibilities?  How big would such a committee be? What formula would we use to determine how many delegates can sit on this group and how do we elect them.

How, as a party,  could we engage with our communities?

How would we make sure everyone feels welcome and equally valued at our meetings and events.

How would we run and organise meetings and events to keep them democratic, lively, engaging and interesting?

As Tony Benn would often ask:

“What power have you got? 

Where did you get it from? 

In whose interests do you exercise it? 

To whom are you accountable? 

And how can we get rid of you ?”

These are important questions that we need to consider when we build our new party.