Still on “local independent” line

As efforts to create an umbrella for candidates in the May 2026 council elections continue, “community independent” councillors in Merseyside held a rally on 14 June, with Jeremy Corbyn and Len McCluskey among the speakers.

Maybe 400 people came. There had been talk of the rally adopting a political platform, but it didn’t. (Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project and the SWP have proposed platforms, similar but different, both saying almost nothing about council policy, to delimit the umbrella). People were asked for standing orders to finance Liverpool Community Independents and Southport Community Independents, but not for immediate campaigning.

We think that electoral activity should be based on socialist politics and working-class political representation, and continuing active democratic organisation, not just getting “local champions” into office.