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UK: John McDonnell

John McDonnell, Labour Party:
I have been a member of the Labour Party and involved in politics for over 45 years. I have spent these years as a campaigner in my local community and nationally for what I consider to be basic rights- the right to a decent roof over your head in a safe, secure, clean, green environment, a good quality truly creative education, a job and income you can live on, trade union rights at work and an NHS fully funded in public hands so that we receive the treatment we need when sick. Throughout the New Labour years, Jeremy and I stayed in the Labour Party and fought for socialism. That meant in 2015 we were there when our chance came.
We suffered a defeat in December. But not because of our policies. Public ownership, ending tuition fees and reversing NHS privatisation are all hugely popular. They're all still Labour Party Policy, as is the Green New Deal, and we need to organise to keep it that way.
Party members can be forgiven for feeling demoralised after a very difficult six months.
We’re living through a turbulent time. An economic crisis is overlapping a climate crisis.
The leaked Labour report revealed that senior staff were actively working against the party and highlighted some disgraceful racism that was being targeted at black and minority ethnic MPs.
Now, the sacking of Rebecca Long-Bailey has completely undermined Keir Starmer’s promise to unite our party.
But despite the setbacks, we must remember that the Labour left is so much stronger now than we were in 2015. Jeremy barely made it onto the ballot then. Now the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs is much larger than before.
Labour is still the home of hundreds of thousands of dedicated socialists and we must keep it that way. Together we have incredible power, but only if we get organised.
Over the last few years Momentum grew to be the biggest socialist organisation in my lifetime and it can play a vital role in the years ahead. But Momentum needs to change.
We need a united left, leading by example on democracy, building power in our workplaces and communities, campaigning for socialist policies in the party and in society.
The Forward Momentum candidates really understand this.
They are some amazing activists, with a wealth of experience and diversity in the campaigns they've fought and won. I'm convinced they'll transform Momentum into the organisation it always should have been.
Please, vote Forward Momentum, and contact 3 of your friends and ask them to do the same.
We need to rebuild and re-energise the left so we can protect our communities, and keep Labour committed to socialist policies.
 29 June 2020
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