Why I joined the Socialist Party


Brian Blackburn

I grew up in the 1980s under the Thatcher government. I lived on an estate in Rochdale. My parents were unemployed and we were living on benefits so I know first hand what effect the cuts that the present government is making will have. I saw all the unemployment, the factories closing and what it does to families.

I moved to London over 20 years ago but now it’s happening again. Families are on the breadline.

I met some Socialist Party members about four years ago in Uxbridge. I bought a Socialist paper and I signed up to get emails.

For a long time I didn’t do anything. My daughter was born and I was busy. But I’ve always been to the left in my way of thinking. I’ve always been angry about injustice. I voted for Labour when I was younger. So I voted for the Blair government. And I feel that government sold us down the river.

I was reading Tony Benn’s diaries and I thought that was exactly the way I’m thinking and feeling and I should do something about it. I get buses to work and you can see in people’s faces that everyone is struggling. People on benefits are getting hit the hardest, as they always do, and you think about the big companies that get away with not paying their fair share.

When I used to go on about the injustices and things, not just here but all over the world, my wife would say: “Why don’t you do something about it then?” So when I got another email about a meeting I thought I’d go along.

I didn’t know what to expect and I was a bit nervous. I didn’t know what I’d be able to do or contribute.

But I found that the Socialist Party speaks to me on many levels because of my experiences growing up. The Socialist Party’s policies show the way forward.

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