Mid-year report - looking back and forward

The first six months of the year has seen increasing dissatisfaction with Gordon Brown and his New Labour government, the resurgence of the Tories, increasing union militancy and the continuing of the neo-liberal assault on public services and the authoritarian stripping away of our civil liberties. Troops remain in Iraq, and to a much greater extent, Afghanistan. Inflation is rising well above pay rises while tax has been hiked for the lowest earners. But don't worry, Tesco's and British Gas' profits are unharmed, in fact they're in fine shape.

For the Socialist Party in Devon, we have continued to support workers in struggle and build campaigns to defend public services such as the Fire Service and the Post Office. Our student members have been leading campaigns to stop the Exeter University Family Centre being privatised and to defenfd abortion rights. We continue to press the case for a new workers' party, a political voice for workers, unions, young people, campaigners and socialists and for continued united public sector strike action in the defence of public services, jobs, pensions, living standards and conditions.

Many new members have joined the Socialist Party over the past months. This allows us to meet more regularly in Exeter to plan and organise, and to campaign across Devon. The next six months will be critical for workers. As prices rise and wages stagnate, people's quality of life will decline. There will be increasing unemployment and cuts and privatisation of public services. The unions (public and private sector) must lead a fightback, but critically the organised working class needs a political voice. New Labour's defeat in the Henley by-election was notable for a number of reasons. One was that their candidate got less votes than the BNP. In times of increasing hardship, and with the remoteness and corruption of the mainstream parties, organisations like the BNP will grow in strength without a real alternative.

The main campaigning priorities are continuing defence of workers and public services, while building the strength of fighting and militant unionists throughout the trade union movement, while garnering increasing support for a left, worker voice on the political stage. The National Shop Stewards Network, which was an initiative of the RMT Union, seeks to do the former. The Campaign For A New Workers' Party campaigns for the latter. The Socialist Party is heavily involved in both organisations. Nationally and in Devon we seek to build these organisations and discuss the ideas behind them over the next six months.

If you would like to get involved in the fightback, and struggle for a better, democratic socialist world, email us at socialistpartydevon@gmail.com