Finance - a crucial component of socialist campaigns

Fighting the bosses costs money, photo TaxRebate.org.uk (Creative Commons) (Click to enlarge)

Ken Douglas, Socialist Party national treasurer

Socialist Party members and supporters raised Ł27,483 in the July to September fighting fund quarter.

A magnificent Ł6,000 was collected in the final week alone, as members held fund-raisers, extra street stalls, donated tax rebates and lottery wins to try and get us over the target.

Theresa May might feel like dancing but our members are out every day, fighting the brutal cuts carried out by her government of millionaires.

The fighting fund is critical to our ability to produce all the materials - the many leaflets, posters, pamphlets, etc - that underpin our campaigns.

We rely on the support of ordinary people and the self-sacrifice of our members; like Aaron Bailey, Huddersfield branch, who has donated Ł190 from a tax rebate; Steve Cawley Ł180 from a lottery scratch card win; a member from Teesside who donated Ł100 back pay and Kate Jones from Swansea who donated her first week's pension.

Our members also raised big amounts from parties, social events and festivals.

Salford branch raised over Ł100 with a quiz night, Liverpool branch raised Ł100 with a soul night, Southampton branch raised Ł93 with a curry evening and Ł60 was raised at a North London BBQ.

Sheffield South branch raised over Ł200 at their local festival, Exeter branch over Ł100 at the Tolpuddle Festival, Nick Chaffey over Ł365 for the Southern region with a sponsored triathlon and the Leicester branches over Ł100 selling cakes, tote bags and t-shirts.

Let's smash the target in the final quarter of the year to match the record amounts raised over the last two years and maintain our finances. We can assure that by building for a big finance appeal at Socialism 2018.

You can help us to build support for socialist ideas by making a donation to the fighting fund - socialistparty.org.uk/donate and by taking out a subscription to the Socialist - socialistparty.org.uk/subscribe

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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.