Stop the War Coalition’s annual conference on Saturday (14 March) was informative and inspiring. The hall was packed and activists left the event motivated to build StW and campaign like never before.
Speaker after speaker referred to the current moment as the most dangerous since the founding of StW, indeed since the cuban missile crisis. The threat of war is both nuclear and global, and wars are spreading at pace.
During the opening session Mustafa Barghouti, the renowned Palestinian figure, thanked StW for its solidarity with the Palestinian and Iranian people and drew attention to the devastating attacks Israel is currently conducting against Lebanon.
Speakers drew links between the genocide in Gaza and the spread of war in the Middle East. It was noted that the attacks on Iran would not have happened had Israel, the US and complicit European states, including Britain, not been granted impunity for the genocide.
Jeremy Corbyn MP spoke of StW as a voice for peace, and of UK complicity in the destruction of Gaza. How, despite the ICJ rulings, the UK continues to send weapons to Israel.
Maryam Eslamdoust, TSSA general secretary, who has family in Iran, reminded conference of the human tragedy of war. Maryam said Trump’s attacks were designed to strike fear and terror into civilians to achieve an uprising, fast victory and regime change. However, she believed Iran would not crumble as the imperialists hoped, and that the US would face a Vietnam-style defeat.
Lindsey German, Convenor of StW, drew attention to the speed at which war has spread globally, how incredible it is that since January the US has turned its aggression from Venezuela, to Cuba, to Iran. Lindsey noted that the US is failing Iran – failing to achieve regime change and has been taken by surprised by Iran’s response to its attacks. Iran’s targeting of Gulf states and closing the Straits of Hormuz will have political and economic ramifications that will likely prove unsustainable for Trump.
In a particularly fiery contribution, Andrew Murray, StW deputy president, pointed out how Keir Starmer has learned nothing from Labour’s mistakes over Iraq. The government line that current UK involvement in the Iran war is purely defensive is not remotely credible. Andrew highlighted how war in the Middle East leads to dangerous rises in racism and Islamophobia, and fuels the far-right and militarism. It is time to end our alliance with the US.
The three breakout sessions covered arms sales and military spending, the rise of conscription and Iran, Palestine and Islamophobia. The groups were all full to capacity and provided opportunity for discussion.
The afternoon plenary sessions focussed on the need to develop links internationally and build within trade unions. French MP Jérôme Legavre and StW’s John Rees emphasised the importance of the peace conference being organised by StW and others in London on 20 June. They stressed the need for a continent-wide mass movement to oppose Trump’s gangster imperialism, European militarism, conscription and far-right extremism.
The session on trade unions highlighted the value of StW’s trade union network. It was reported that a number of TU branches, with no history of affiliation to StW, had recently proved eager to support both StW and the international conference. The importance of the slogans wages not weapons, welfare not warfare was stressed. It was felt the growing mood among workers against war and militarisation could and should be harnessed to strengthen the organisation.
Conference passed resolutions which can be found here, and voted for the StW steering committee. Resolutions covered issues raised during the day, including defending the right to protest, welfare not warfare, opposing British foreign policy, the war on Iran, militarisation in the Pacific and building StW.
Enthusiasm for StW was apparent throughout the day as was appreciation for the central role our organisation plays in the anti-war and anti-imperialist struggle. It was noted that over the last month five new local groups had been established. In the current climate StW should have a presence in every town across the country.
Watch the keynote speeches here.
