Time is running out to stop the Tories’ Brexit agenda – but at the eleventh hour, the left is waking up. The first few events of Another Europe’s Left Against Brexit tour have been massive, and the atmosphere determined.
The tour launched on July 5th in Manchester, where we were joined by a capacity crowd at the fantastic People’s History Museum in Spinningfields. Our national organiser Michael Chessum chaired a panel which included Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion; Julie Ward, Labour MEP for North West England; Marina Prentoulis, a spokesperson for Another Europe and a Syriza activist; and Joan Pons Laplana, a nurse, NHS campaigner and migrant activist.
The Left Against Brexit London leg
The following week on July 11th three hundred people turned out for the London event, despite this being on the same night as England’s dramatic World Cup semi-final. The crowd heard speeches from Ann Pettifor, an economist who advises John McDonnell; Labour MP Catherine West; Caroline Lucas; and Billy Hayes, the former CWU General Secretary.
Full house in Bristol for #LeftAgainstBrexit – let's stop Tory #Brexit! pic.twitter.com/ilLZeYsy9v
— Manuel Cortes (@Manuel_LaPalma) July 26, 2018
In Liverpool on July 25th, we filled a community centre at short notice, with some fantastic speeches and discussion. The following evening, July 26th a huge crowd packed out our venue in Bristol, with people turned away and queues going round the block. In Nottingham on July 30th, well over a hundred showed up to hear TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes, Zoe Williams and a host of inspiring local speakers.
The turnout has been surprisingly big – even for those of us who have been organizing the events – but so has the willingness and enthusiasm to do meaningful activism. Across the country, people are coming forward with plans for community campaigning, getting motions through Labour parties ahead of its September conference, engaging in workplaces and unions, and pressuring local representatives. We are bringing these efforts together under a united left wing banner.
It's another massive #LeftAgainstBrexit meeting tonight in Nottingham tonight as @prentoulis opens the meeting with a rallying cry against the idea that one vote means we have to shut up forever. pic.twitter.com/f1igwxGZ98
— Another Europe is Possible 🧡 (@Another_Europe) July 30, 2018
The tour continues in Birmingham and North London this evening. You can get your ticket Birmingham here, and for North London here.
We will now be in Scotland in late August, and in September head to Cardiff, Leeds, Sheffield, York, Norwich, Northampton, Newcastle, and many others. If you want to host an event in your local area, get in touch – email info@anothereurope.org.
For all the details on the tour, and to sign up to hear more about the campaign, visit: https://www.anothereurope.org/tour/
30th July 2018