2016: A record-breaking fighting fund year!

Placards like these cost money - the record-breaking fighting fund raised in 2016 helped pay for them, photo by Paul Mattsson (Click to enlarge)

Ken Douglas, Socialist Party national treasurer

Socialist Party members and branches raised a record-breaking Ł140,535 in 2016. This is Ł17,000 more than we raised in 2015 (which was itself a record year) and the most we have raised in a year since the early 1990s.

The Socialist Party relies entirely on the financial support of ordinary working class people and our fundraising success shows the backing for our implacable opposition to austerity.

Often our members are the only ones out in town centres putting forward a concrete strategy for fighting back against the cuts in the NHS and council services. We have shown in practice, for example with the success of the Butterfields housing campaign, that together, workers are strong enough to defeat the bosses' agenda.

The fighting fund is vital to help maintain our profile and ensure our ideas reach as wide an audience as possible. More and more people are also visiting our website, possibly following a discussion with one of our members, and making a donation.

Determination

12 branches raised over 200% of their target and six branches raised over Ł1,000, with Liverpool once again topping the charts on Ł2,756. In total 57 branches - from Cornwall to Caerphilly and from Chesterfield to Carlisle - hit their target, their determination to do so contributing to our record success.

Alongside fundraising on campaign stalls, many Christmas parties and fundraisers helped us reach the total. Kate Jones reports on a successful initiative in Swansea branch selling second-hand books: "Lots of our members have Marxist and radical books they don't need any more, or duplicate copies - our literature organiser Roger sells these to new members, students and others who are interested in joining. Since September he's raised around Ł100 for the fighting fund, as well as raising people's political level!"

So we have a big task in 2017 to make sure that it is as successful as 2016! James Hinchcliffe in Manchester reports that their branch has already got off to a good start: "First Manchester town centre Saturday stall of the year. Excellent response - Ł20 fighting fund raised."

You can help by raising funds for us or making a one-off or regular donation to the fighting fund
Do you want to become a seller of the Socialist? You don't have to be a member - contact us to arrange a supply of papers on a sale or return basis

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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 government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

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.
When the health crisis subsides, 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.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to click here to donate to our Fighting Fund.