Selling the Socialist

Selling the Socialist in Ilford, east London, photo Isai Priya, photo Isai Priya (Click to enlarge)

Just a few of the events where the Socialist newspaper has been sold in the past few days...

Seizing chances in Leicester

In the last few days, we've stood outside McDonald's with the BFAWU union in solidarity with the McStrikers, fighting low pay and bullying bosses. School students and workers were stopping and talking to us, enthused by the strike.

We also held our regular bus station sale before our Socialist Party branch meeting, where one person gave us £10 for a copy of the Socialist! The anger at the Tories is palpable and people are glad to see us fighting back.

We were then up at the Royal Mail depot showing solidarity with the posties over the High Court's political decision to stop the Communication Workers Union (CWU) strike. All our leaflets were snapped up, union members thankful for the support.

One worker said the judiciary always sides with the establishment. Another said that although it was a blow, the will to fight is still there.

We were then down at a rally against the downgrading of Leicester General Hospital, which we helped organise as part of the Save Our NHS Leicestershire campaign.

We said the next step in saving the health service should be to kick the Tories out in the election. We sold 17 copies of the Socialist.

That evening we did a sale outside a showing of Ken Loach's new film 'Sorry We Missed You' about the savagery of the gig economy. Another six people bought our newspaper in just 20 minutes.

By going out and seizing every chance to share our ideas, our small local actions are adding up. We are using the Socialist at every moment to reach workers with our socialist programme to change the world!

Tessa Warrington

Cleethorpes election action

We sold 16 copies of the Socialist in Cleethorpes on 15 November. The election is polarising the mood.

There's hatred of Boris - he's a "muppet," should be "dead in a ditch," and much worse - but hostility towards and mistrust of Corbyn as well.

It's a 70% Leave-voting constituency but Brexit was hardly mentioned. Makes for interesting conversations - you can turn people round - and good sales here on St Peters Avenue.

One Tory got both barrels from Grimsby Socialist Party branch secretary Dave Mitchell after he told Dave to "get a job" - Dave had been in work at 5.30 that morning on his day off!

Alistair Tice

York CWU solidarity

We sold six copies of the Socialist in an hour in York, campaigning with the slogans "support the postal workers, defend the right to strike, renationalise Royal Mail," on 15 November.

Many of those stopping were outraged that an unelected judge had blocked such a decisive strike vote. They told us they were desperate to see Johnson and the Tories kicked out.

One who couldn't stop long signed our petition in support of the CWU and bought a paper for the £2 solidarity price, telling us "it's what Jeremy would do."

Iain Dalton

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
We must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.