Dear friend,

We invite you to join Counterfire. We feel that building an effective extra-parliamentary left is now a matter of urgency. Jeremy Corbyn’s rise has helped to put socialist ideas on the agenda, deepened the crisis for the establishment, and shown that there is a massive desire for change in Britain. 

But the Corbyn leadership faces problems. The right in Labour, backed by the media, is relentlessly attacking him. In fact, a good deal of the energy of the ruling class is being used to try and undermine him and the left.

The response to these attacks needs to be principled and uncompromising. It cannot be limited to parliament and it needs to be accompanied by an offensive against what is one of the weakest and most vicious governments in memory.

At meetings, on social media, and in our paper, Counterfire has taken on the right wing’s claims about Labour’s anti-Semitism and denounced the racism behind the Tories’ treatment of the Windrush generation. We have argued against the bombing of Syria and called for a break with Trump’s crazed foreign policy. 

Just in the last few months too, we have been central to organising mass protests in defence of the NHS, against bombing in Syria, and in support of the Palestinians.  

We have also organised solidarity for the university strikers and helped build mass protest over Grenfell. 

Throughout we have argued that far from waiting until the next general election, we need to do everything we can to bring this government down now.

Popular campaigns and protest are going to be essential if the left is to keep moving forward. And only they can provide the basis for fundamental change. Socialist organisation is crucial to making them happen and socialist theory is necessary to develop a strategy for change. 

Counterfire is growing, but we need groups in every town, city and university. We urge you to think seriously about joining us. We have a once in a generation chance for change. We must take it.