“I love the Socialist Party” exclaimed one young woman who saw our stall in Harrogate on March 23rd campaigning in support of the junior doctors. In the normally quiet, spa town, with a Tory MP and not even one labour councillor, our campaigning in defence of the NHS was a breath of fresh air.
Many NHS staff, including some junior doctors themselves stopped by the stall, glad to see that someone was building support for them. One or two even recognised us from the picket line at the local hospital, which we have visited in support of them and encouraged other local trade unionists to join them, including the from the FBU who we helped campaign against fire cuts last year.
With bold posters on each side of the stall, and plenty of literature about our strategy to build support for the junior doctors, many people were happy to give donations to help with our campaigning efforts, and a record breaking 29 copies of the Socialist were sold to those who wanted to find out more about the dispute and other workers struggles, with two of those leaving their details to be contacted about our next meeting.
Iain Dalton, West/North Yorkshire Socialist Party Organiser
Harrogate Socialist Party 