Unite, Young Labour and the Socialist Campaign Group back TWT festival

Unite the Union, Young Labour and the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs are for the first time formally supporting this year’s The World Transformed annual festival, billed by organisers as a “rallying point for a new left within the Labour Party”.

The groups will join longer-standing official sponsors Momentum and CWU to support the annual gathering, run alongside the official party conference, that organisers said will “act as space for the UK left to plan its next moves”.

Commenting on the festival, which will meet for the sixth time in September and has opened applications for tickets today, Richard Burgon declared that “only bold, socialist ideas can meaningfully tackle the deepening crisis facing our communities and our world – from Covid to the climate and so much else”.

The Socialist Campaign Group secretary added: “TWT is a space where the left in all its diversity can come together to discuss and develop these ideas, and to get equipped with the knowledge and skills to organise for a more just society.

“That’s why the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs is delighted to be an official partner of this year’s festival.”

The TWT festival was held online last year, as was the Labour Party conference, due to Covid. Organisers have said it will include an increased online programme to ensure that those who are unable to come to Brighton can still participate.

“Right now we have a Tory government intent on widening inequalities, cracking down on our rights and sowing divisions in our communities,” TWT organiser Zara Sehr Ashraf said.

“Meanwhile we have a Labour Party leadership trailing in the polls which is not providing effective opposition and seems openly intent on alienating the hundreds of thousands of activists who helped bring the party close to power in 2017.

“At The World Transformed we’ll be developing radical solutions to the huge political, economic and environmental challenges we face, and making plans to build grassroots power in communities and workplaces across the UK.”

TWT has said the annual gathering this September will hold discussions on: “How should socialists relate to the Labour Party? How can activists organise across workplaces and build working class power after Covid? And what next for building a movement big enough to effectively confront the climate crisis?”

Tweeting this afternoon, Young Labour chair Jess Barnard wrote: “Very excited to announce that Young Labour are partnering with TWT for the very first time, and tickets are now on sale. Look out for our range of events and panels at TWT and at Labour conference! See you there.”

Labour’s annual conference and the TWT will take place in Brighton this year. TWT is offering standard tickets for £50, a “pay it forward” option for £100 (to subsidise the cost of another person’s ticket) and low-wage tickets for £35. The organisation is accepting donations for online content passes.