Workers Party

Gemma Weir: We Need A Socialist Alternative

Soapbox on February 6, 2017, 10:34 am | Readers 1332

Gemma Weir is the Workers Party candidate for North Belfast This election is unnecessary and will solve absolutely nothing unless people use it to pass judgement on all the parties in Stormont. The two Executive parties in particular – the DUP and Sinn Fein – have been irresponsible, arrogant and contemptuous. Returning them to power to do the same thing again makes no sense at all. People point to the RHI scandal and say that it sums up the problems with the …

Austerity – is there a credible left-wing alternative? (Answer = not yet, but Sinn Féin are up for civic protest) #feile15

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on August 6, 2015, 6:08 pm | Readers 1382

Against a backdrop of “working people facing an onslaught of right wing policies in Ireland and across Britain”, the panel chair explained that this Féile an Phobail event was the “first time we’ve had these progressive organisations come together and share a stage”. Twenty five plus years on since the community festival’s inception – and I understand some of the history and purpose of its creation – it’s remarkable that the organisers have allowed the programming to remain so tightly …

LGBT issues: Northern Ireland party views – UPDATED

The Firemen on April 22, 2015, 8:23 pm | Readers 2854

(Updated to include responses from the Ulster Unionist Party and People Before Profit) Research conducted by Ruth McCarthy highlights some stark differences between the parties contesting this years Westminster elections in Northern Ireland on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues. A series of questions were asked: 1a Does your party visibly support LGBTQ equality issues in your party manifesto, on your website and in election campaigning materials? If YES, please give examples. If NO, please state why. 1b Please give …

Workers Party NI Conference – The Left Response #wp13

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on November 26, 2013, 9:39 pm | Readers 208

Workers Party SECT ARIA NISM election poster

The smaller party conferences are often more unpredictable and less stage managed. Contributions from the platform and the floor tend to be much more forthright. The social scene at many of the party conferences – particularly the SDLP – trumps the business in the hall. With the smaller groups, the social and political are combined, with banter and the odd heckle accompanying the serious business of the day. On Saturday afternoon the Workers Party held their Northern Ireland conference in …

“The ideological compass in Northern Ireland is pointing towards Narnia and the media are writing the script”

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on October 20, 2012, 8:39 pm | Readers 192

My personal highlight from a morning spent at the Workers Party NI conference was Brian McDermott’s barnstorming speech asking What exactly does our media do? [MP3, PDF copy] While I disagree with some of his logic and thinking, he did express a view that is shared by many in Northern Ireland. I wonder whether any of the local media will dare to respond next week by inviting Brian on to discuss his views on air? listen to ‘Workers Party’s Brian …

Northern Ireland Deserves Better – Workers Party NI conference #wpniconf

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on October 20, 2012, 5:12 pm | Readers 375

Workers Party NI conference table sweets and agenda

Bang on time – if Belfast was using Central European Time – the Workers Party Northern Ireland started an hour late, a tardiness shared with all other left-leaning party conferences I’ve attended. Held in Methodist church’s Grosvenor Hall on Belfast’s Glengall Street, the party have about 50 delegates present this morning. The conference theme’s theme “Northern Ireland Deserves Better” was explored across a range of issues including housing, education, tax avoidance, the media, outdoor advertising and was supported in the …

Look back at Workers Party NI conference (including audio)

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on October 30, 2011, 8:30 am | Readers 220

Table at Workers Party northern conference 2011

John Lowry welcomed around 100 delegates and union representatives to the Grosvenor Hall in Belfast. The northern conference of the Workers Party isn’t a policy-setting body. Lowry said that the party is making preparations for the next local government and Assembly elections to ensure “there is a vibrant socialist alternative”. About two thirds of attendees are older men. But there are pockets of young/middle aged and a handful of women. The past twelve months … Comrades, friends and guests … …

Workers Party conference on Saturday

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on October 28, 2011, 11:30 am | Readers 23

Update – new post now published looking at the content of the morning session at the Workers Party conference on Saturday. They haven’t gone away you know! The Workers Party Northern Ireland conference takes place in Belfast on Saturday while counters in other parts of the island will be transferring presidential votes. (The Green Party conference is also running on Saturday.) With a wide variety of socialist/left-leaning parties competing with each other for scarce votes in May’s elections, the Workers …

Catching up with John Lowry (Workers Party) #lg11 #belw11

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on May 3, 2011, 9:05 am | Readers 196

In the last of this pre-election series of interviews with representatives from smaller parties contesting Assembly and/or council seats, I spoke to John Lowry, General Secretary of the Workers Party. (Update – adding link to their Election 2011 site.) John Lowry is standing for the Assembly in West Belfast and Lower Falls for Belfast City Council. The party is contesting all four Belfast Assembly constituencies. My earliest election memory as a child was pouring over the broadsheet 1983 general election …