Politics of radical hope and the Labour Party – discussion 19 September

A politics of radical hope and the Labour Party

A discussion day, Leeds, Saturday 19 September

Compass and the ILP are delighted to invite you to a one-day discussion to examine the future of the Labour Party and the politics of radical hope. The meeting will be held in Leeds on Saturday 19 September, just one week after Labour elects a new leader and deputy leader, and four months on from the party’s disastrous defeat at the general election. The discussion will focus on the implications of the election results for Labour’s future, and that of radical politics more widely.

Neal Lawson from Compass will lead the morning’s discussion around his pamphlet, Downfall: Is Labour dead and how can radical hope be rebuilt? The afternoon session will focus on how we might rebuild the Labour Party with particular emphasis on its relationship to radical social and protest movements with contributions from Sue Goss, author of Open Tribe and others. There will be lots of opportunities for discussion, debate and contributions from conference participants.

10.30: Arrival and tea/coffee

11.00: Neal Lawson: ‘A politics of radical hope and the Labour Party’ followed by panel discussion with Sarah Perrigo and Barry Winter.

1.00: Lunch

2.00: Sue Goss plus another speaker tbc: ‘Building a progressive coalition for change’ followed by group and plenary discussion

4.00: Close

Sarah Perrigo is a retired academic who taught at the Peace Studies Department at the University of Bradford. She is a political theorist and member of the Labour Party. Barry Winter is a member of the ILP and an organiser for Leeds Taking Soundings.

The event is free but you do need to register in advance, deadline 12th September. Please contact info@independentlabour.org.uk or 07799 502 937;

or book online at http://www.independentlabour.org.uk/main/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Radical-hope-ILP-flyer.pdf

ILP is Independent Labour Publications. Will Brown discusses issues in the current Labour leadership contest at http://www.independentlabour.org.uk/main/2015/08/10/labour%E2%80%99s-leadership-election-a-problem-foretold

and David Connolly discuss why he’s backing Jeremy Corbyn at http://www.independentlabour.org.uk/main/2015/08/03/the-revolt-no-one-saw-coming/

My contribution to this pamphlet is now out of print. However, my pieces in 2001 and 2002 issues of ILP’s Democratic Socialist are still available.

‘Collective action and the sustainable renewal of Britain’ http://www.independentlabour.org.uk/main/2009/01/22/collective-action-and-the-sustainable-renewal-of-britain

‘Mutuality and Radical Politics’ http://www.independentlabour.org.uk/main/2009/01/22/mutuality-and-radical-politics