THERE has never been a more pressing time to discuss war and peace. The Stop the War Coalition’s Anti-War Convention, taking place in London this Sunday, is exactly the place to do so.
We have built a mass movement over Palestine over the past year and now are at a point when we should discuss what next: how do we advance the movement, what more should we be doing, and how do we shift our government?
We have witnessed over a year of genocidal attacks on Gaza by Israel, with no sign of them letting up as northern Gaza is ethnically cleansed. The Middle East war has spread with the bombing and invasion of Lebanon by Netanyahu, Yemen bombed by both Israel and the US, and the recent escalation with Iran.
In Ukraine, Nato’s proxy war with Russia continues with huge loss of life, and it is widely acknowledged that, despite the bluster and rhetoric from Keir Starmer and other Western leaders, talks to make some sort of peace cannot be far off.
But peace at what price in Ukraine and the Middle East? The election of Donald Trump will mark absolutely no break with US imperialism’s policy on Israel and the Middle East, given Trump’s support for settlements and his threat to attack Iran.
Both he and outgoing President Biden may feel they have an interest in producing some sort of ceasefire over Gaza, although we can be certain that this will not be in terms that bring any lasting benefit to the Palestinians.
While Trump claims that he will bring a settlement to the Ukraine war, this too will not result in an end to war: eastern Europe will be full of Nato troops, European defence spending is being hiked to even greater levels, and conflict with China looms. Trump’s likely appointment of China hawks to key foreign policy positions makes this clear.
All these issues will be discussed at the convention, with speakers including writer Michael Rosen, Palestinian Ghada Kharmi, TSSA general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust, campaigner against the arms trade Andrew Feinstein, Stop the War’s Andrew Murray and John Rees.
The war’s impact on many other areas of society, including civil liberties and the growing Islamophobia. We have sessions looking at racism and the far right and at state repression of protest, with speakers including Taj Ali, Mohammed Kozbar, lawyer Michael Mansfield and suspended Soas student Haya Adam.
The wars in Africa, linked to both historical and current imperialism, will be discussed by Fathi el-Fadi and Tokumbo Oke, while journalists Peter Oborne and Matt Kennard will lead a discussion on the collusion of the Western press over Gaza.
Finally, PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote will chair the session on Trump, Starmer and what comes next for the movement, with myself, Jeremy Corbyn, Ben Jamal from PSC, Palestinian campaigner Ghassan Abu-Sittah, and holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos.
This is a day for the movement to come together, to discuss all these issues, and to gain support for building our strength and taking the campaigns forward. There will be time for discussion and debate, plus campaign stalls and information on the next trade union day of action.
One of the aims of the convention is to take stock of where we are at a crucial and very dangerous point in history. We face a renewed militarism and arms race worldwide.
The far right is growing in many countries, including here in Britain, where Reform UK is making inroads into Labour support. One factor in the growth of the right in Germany and in Trump’s electoral success in the US, has been opposition to the war in Ukraine and to the vast amounts of money and arms being sent there.
We have a Labour government which has rushed desperately to imitate and emulate its Tory predecessor, with Keir Starmer and David Lammy pledging to support Ukraine “as long as it takes” and completely complicit with Netanyahu’s war on the Palestinians.
They are sickeningly obsequious to Trump, given their past comments about his right-wing politics, and repeatedly stress their “special relationship” with the US, which, of course, Trump is not that interested in as long as the British government keeps acting in lockstep with US interests.
Starmer is also rumoured to be planning to announce his hike in defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP immediately after Trump’s inauguration.
A key aim must be to break this so-called “special relationship” which encourages militarism here and gives US imperialism a permanent ally whatever it does.
The convention will also be an opportunity to strengthen the anti-war movement. We need more activities, more members, more trade union affiliates, and more groups in order to meet the major tasks ahead. All those who want a more peaceful world should get there this Sunday.
Stop the War Coalition’s Anti-War Convention, Sunday November 17, from noon to 5pm, the Atrium, 124-126 Cheshire Street, E2 6EJ.