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From The Socialist, No. 448, 13 July 2006.
Transcribed by Iain Dalton.
Marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for the Encyclopaedia of Trotskyism On-Line (ETOL).
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A WELL-attended meeting, mainly of trade union activists and largely drawn from South Wales, met in Cardiff on 29 June to launch the Campaign for a New Workers Party (CNWP) in Wales. |
From the platform Rob Williams (T&GWU), convenor of the Visteon Car plant in Swansea,described the current struggle to protect jobs in the works given New Labour’s total failure to stem the loss of jobs in manufacturing throughout the country.
Alex Gounelas (USDAW) explained how very few youth in Britain had any political memories before the rise of New Labour, and how they’d suffered as a result of the government’s policy in spheres such as low pay and education. Young people could be enthused by the prospect of a new workers’ party in the same way that they were enthused by the struggle against the war with Iraq.
John McInally (PCS NEC) condemned the huge Civil Service job losses caused by this government’s policies, and the massive privatisation brought about by New Labour in the same area. The call for a new workers’ party is in tune with the aspirations of many public sector trade unionists today.
On the same day that Blaenau Gwent voters delivered a damning verdict on New Labour, this meeting showed what the campaign can and will do throughout Wales in the next period.
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Last updated: 6 November 2016