Starmer resigns: debate what next at Marxism 2026  

Keir Starmer is going. Good riddance. He will be remembered as a supporter of genocide, far right enabler and driver of attacks on working class people. Burnham is no left wing saviour. This analysis in Socialist WorkerThis analysis in Socialist Worker  is crucial in understanding why 7 Prime Ministers in 10 years reflects the scale of the crisis facing the British ruling class - and why Burnham won't be able to buck the trend. 
 
 Starmer's resignation sets the scene perfectly for Marxism Festival 2026 - which starts in just 9 days time! There are huge debates about how we build a bigger, stronger left to respond to the deep crisis in society. Marxism Festival is the place to discuss them.  See full timetable below.

Taking on the far right   

Reform's defeat in the Makerfield by election should be celebrated - but the combined far right vote with Restore Britain is a threat to us all. Labour under Burnham is set to continue the war on migrants that is paving the way for the far right (see Stand Up to Racism statement here). In Edinburgh an Islamophobic attack  involved a man wielding a knife claimining to "protect our country" from Muslims. All this points to the need to urgently strengthen the movement against racism and the far right. 
 
SWP members in Stand Up To Racism ran a brilliant campaign in Makerfield, helping to organise the distribution of 30,000 anti-Reform leaflets. A comrade reported, "local Labour Party secretary said if Burnham wins a lot of it due to work SUTR has done... The green candidate said all the Greens supported SUTR and thanked us for work we did."   

In Oxford SWP members worked in Stand Up To Racism to mobilise a thousand people in opposition to Tommy Robinson speaking at the Oxford Union, including outnumbering local fascists who came out to support Robinson.

Next Oxford and Thames Valley meeting

OPEN MEETING - ALL WELCOME

Racist Riots To Farage: the changing dynamics of the far right

7PM Wednesday 24th June

New Road Baptist Church, Bonn Square Oxford OX1 1LQ

or join via zoom https://oxfordswp.org.uk/zoom

Racist riots in Southampton followed by pogroms in Belfast. Hard right Reform UK's Nigel Farage has been fanning the flames and fascist Tommy Robinson and his henchmen have been in the thick of it whipping up the hate.  

The huge anti-racist protests in Belfast, Glasgow and other places show the mood to resist the racist offensive.

But what kind of strategy does the anti-racist movement need to combat the newer threats posed by the far right and fascists?

Come and join the discussion.
  

Less than 2 weeks to go until Britain's biggest left wing festival!

Marxism 2026 will be held in London on 2-5 July. We are gearing up for the biggest and most exciting festival yet.  

An incredible line up of speakers:

Lowkey • Bob Vylan • Louisa Munch•   Yanis Varoufakis • Jeremy Corbyn • Mothin Ali • Gary Younge • Jodi Dean • Zarah Sultana • Richard Boyd Barrett • Andrew Feinstein • James Meadway • Alyssa Battistoni • John Bellamy Foster • Ilan Pappe • Michael Roberts • MV Ramana • Samira Ali • Rebecca Jane Morgan • Matt Huber • Joseph Choonara • Liz Fekete • Judy Cox • Shahed Ezaydi • Tariq Ali • Yasamin Acar • Gerry Carrol and many more

Trump's war on Iran has plunged the region into chaos and increasingly threatens to tip the global economy into crisis. Mainstream politics is increasingly unable to provide answers or gain support in this period. We are witnessing the increasingly likely demise of the two biggest political parties in Westminster, with a resurgent Greens and the rapid rise of far right Reform. Debating left strategy has never been more urgent.

Join thousands of people from across the world to make sense of this time of shock, awe and instability. Across the weekend take part in mass rallies, alongside hundreds of meetings and workshops digging into history, theory and strategy. Expect sharp debates, meetings on key Marxist theory, film screenings, live music and cultural events. 

Full timetable below.