The Great Hall in Newcastle’s Discovery Museum is a stunning venue and fast becoming home to Majority Movement’s public events. Founded by former North of The Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll, Majority, aside from the trade unions and with pushing 750 members, is probably the best-networked and best-organised left-wing political organisation in the UK.
“Zarah asked us how we got involved and I explained many of us go back a long way organising with Jamie, many of us have been pushed out or expelled from Labour for being on the left. Her response was “fxxx ‘em!” (Cathy Crowther)
Majority’s conference
At room capacity and with standing room only, just short of 330 people attended Majority’s conference hosted by Hugo Fearnley with Steph Langford.
Fearnley, Driscoll’s wingman and former political advisor on the NOTT Combined Authority, opened the conference promising change with a new way of doing politics and quoted from Dan Millman’s 1980 book ‘The Way of the Peaceful Warrior’ in which the protagonist’s mentor, Socrates, advises:
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new”.
Good advice for anyone in a political WhatsApp group.
Better known for hosting ‘Drive’ on digital radio station 100% Retro, North East DJ and co-host Steph Langford confessed to being out of her comfort zone and self-deprecatingly declared she is new to politics and doesn’t know much about it.
Zarah, sitting next to me, turned to face me, clearly agitated. “It makes me angry hearing that, people think they don’t know about politics”.Flexing both biceps she continued “But they do know about politics – they are the ones with the power “.
Explaining her journey, Langford emphasised her reasons for joining Majority – “I want the world that my children grow up in to be better than the one yesterday “.
Langford is warm and lovely, attributes which came across well over the course of the afternoon, but Zarah was right to be agitated. Here was a woman who had every right to be on that platform. Women must not apologise for taking up political space. They must own it.
Creating a People’s Manifesto for the future we want
Combining policy ideas from the 2917/19 Labour manifestos, the policy temperature was taken in the room and opinions echoed with voxpops from ordinary shoppers filmed on Newcastle’s shopping thoroughfare, Northumberland Street:
Taking water into public ownership, a wealth tax, reducing energy bills, affordable food, housing, tuition fees, increasing funds fir SEND – the wants go on but are familiar and known to many.
Citizens Assemblies are the way forward for Majority, and are how manifestos will be created, explained Fearnley. He reminded the audience that Driscoll pioneered them in the North of The Tyne when he introduced them in the region, taking on climate change issues.
With pre-recorded contributions from Christine Lomas and Elizabeth Greener who have both facilitated Citizens Assemblies with Majority, they outlined their benefits, providing: opportunities to invite experts to inform decision-making; opportunities for everyone to listen and to be heard; democratic process; a place of safety to raise opinions; inclusion.
Jamie Driscoll, Majority’s elected leader
“Change is coming. Change is inevitable. Change is a political choice”.
Driscoll outlined common faults with policy and the wider political system, offering alternatives to each fault. He said politicians need to make the decision to change: on climate change there are choices that have not been made; on mainstream media bias there is an accessible alternative media; for every protestor [outside asylum seekers hotels] there are people standing up in defence; on public transport there is technology to reduce pollution, reduce traffic on roads, reduce fares.
When people think they can’t make change on their own, Driscoll reminded us that when an immigration centre in the multicultural heart of Newcastle was under attack last year, 3000 people came out in peaceful support when, he stated, Labour politicians had been told not to attend.
Driscoll talked about the role of the suffragettes in changing conditions for women. He referred to Rosa Parks and the need to say “No” when it matters. Standing up can take courage, but it opens the way forward others to stand up too – and when others follow you, that is to lead.
And thus Jamie Driscoll led the audience to his invitation to accept the call to lead. He wants 500 potential leaders to step up and step forward and lead … in local government.
“All it takes is one council in the UK to change UK politics …And when you are prepared to stand up and say “Enough!” – that is when you become a leader”.
Outlining the declining numbers of Labour councillors on Newcastle City Council, and supported by graphic visuals, illustrating the cumulative opposition outnumber possible Labour votes, he asserted its ripeness for Majority taking.
“We are the snowballs that will start an avalanche. Our culture is inclusive and everyone is welcome”.
Zarah Sultana – Your Party Co-leader
Zarah Sultana is now sitting as an independent MP, having had the Labour whip removed indefinitely for standing up for her community and what she believes in. She admonished the whip system, which necessitates following a given line, removes independent thinking and does not work in the interests of the electorate for whom politicians are voted to serve.
“Politics starts with the people and not the politicians. [Your Party] will be radical in its methods – building from the bottom up.
“Powered by nurses, teachers, delivery drivers – we will win”.
Sultana delivered a resounding speech, punchy, with plenty of soundbites, delivered at volume and speed, carried with passion and a youthful energy. Fresh and energising, the electricity brought to the room crackled in intensity. Young Majority member Jo said they were left “buzzing”.
“Labour is done – Labour is dead” Sultana fired off in staccato as she listed failings from refusing to lift the two child benefit cap to not calling out a genocide.
“Labour is choosing cuts over investment, they are choosing billionaires over the working class.
“We will stand on picket lines, [Your Party] will say trans rights are human rights, support migrant rights.
Policy detail, along with an agreed name, is to be agreed through democratic process at Your Party’s inaugural conference, pencilled in for next summer. However, Sultana’s declarations speak to the underpinning values of equality, integrity and solidarity that Majority members are signing up to.
Echoing what she has posted on social media, Sultana said that “local wins are how we begin to build a movement for national change” and “Majority [and other groups across the UK] are paving the way”.
Q&A with Jamie and Zarah (in precis)
Q How do you envisage the relationship between Your Party and Majority?
ZS– It will be whatever the members of Majority and Your Party want. I believe in a unitary party – every member will have a vote.
JD – It will look like this (arm sweeping the room) – everyone having a voice.
Q How do you convince voters their problems are not caused by immigration?
ZS On the doorstep, millions of conversations with people, talking through the issues – speaking and gearing in empathy – but that doesn’t mean we don’t call out racism. We don’t have money or a big budget but we have our people who can make the difference. People need to see politicians working in their interests and we also need to get the trade unions on board – and they also add to our work through political education.
JD in agreement.
Q Do you want Your Party working with and affiliating to trade unions?
JD Yes and yes to affiliation
ZS I disagree with Jamie and it’s ok to disagree. People are angry. The Right don’t have a monopoly on anger – we are angry too. I came up through the trade union movement. We need to look at the impact of affiliation, of bloc voting and also that there are right wing led trade unions. I’m one voice, but this does need looking into further.
Q What would you say to people to people who either not a member of any political party or thinking if joining the Greens, Majority, Your Party?
JD You can be a member of Majority and Labour, Greens, signed up to Your Party etc Unlike the Labour Party, we don’t grass up our Labour Party members.
ZS The new party has to he accessible- people should be able to engage in whatever way they want. There need to be low barriers to participation. The recent Green Party leadership election was inspiring and a good result for Zac Polanski. We will need to work together to beat Reform – and that will be our most important goal for the next four years.
Q With a broken voting system and no proportional representation, how do we win?
JD We will build alliances and speak to each other [different political groups]. We are already doing this in Newcastle.
ZS In agreement.
Coalition Building – a conversation with former [Labour then] Independent Cllr Holly Waddle and newly-elected Green Cllr Dr Sarah Peters
On introduction:
HW – became a councillor in 2020 aged 25, with little political experience- but had her lived experience as a young adult carer on free school meals.
SP – Trained to be a medical doctor, working in the NHS. Two months ago she became the third Green councillor in Newcastle.
On campaigning:
HW – I did a lot on social media. I held public meetings in person and during lockdown held them on Zoom. As a Labour candidate I felt a lot of pressure, felt that I’d be told off … and then I was. It’s the whip. It was much freer to be Independent, more enjoyable and I was able to represent my community.
SP – It’s about getting out there. Knocking on doors is the most important element – we had 1500 conversations in my campaign.
On advice for would-be candidates:
HW Don’t worry about political experience, you have your own experience. You can have conversations with other councillors, you might not agree with them, but these are important relationships to forge.
“I am outraged. The Green Party never thanked Majority members publicly on social media for their efforts in supporting her [Dr Peters’] campaign,” berated Cathy Crowther. “Majority members gave up significant time to go out and campaign week after week for her.”
Waddle’s contribution was inspirational yet understated. Peters did though miss a significant opportunity to thank Majority members who had voted not to stand a candidate and support her campaign instead. An experienced politician would have ensured thanks was the first point she made and Peters, thoughtful though she is, acknowledges she’s learning. We can all learn from this. Together.
Getting Involved with Majority
- Door-knocking
- Leafleting
- Street stalls
- Flashmobs
- Bannerdrops (held not dropped)
- Political education
- 3 reading groups
- social trips
- Monthly film club
- Newsletters
- Communications team
For more on Majority https://majorityuk.org/
Sign up to Your Party https://www.yourparty.uk/
