Press Statement: RISE (30 September 2019)
New political group, RISE, launched by former members of Socialist Party
Will place Green New Deal with socialist policies on the agenda
Seek to contribute to building new left movement in Irish society
After a year-long debate within the Socialist Party, we have decided to leave and to establish a new democratic socialist political group, RISE. The four letters of RISE give a picture of the politics we stand for: Radical, Internationalist, Socialist and Environmentalist.
All around the world, radical young people and workers are on the move. Ten days ago we saw millions of school students in over 150 countries, joined by workers and other young people, participate in the Global Climate Strike, the largest environmental protest in history. This past Friday, millions more young people and workers marched again. This environmental movement joins the global feminist wave as a social movement mobilising millions. Socialist ideas are becoming popularised, seen for example in the 55,000 overwhelmingly new members of the Democratic Socialists of America. If the coming global recession brings the usual calls for cutbacks and wage cuts, it will be met by the resistance of workers internationally.
The question for socialists in Ireland and around the world is how to participate to help build these movements while also advocating for the necessary eco-socialist change. We have been involved as activists in the movements to defeat the water charges, for abortion rights and for the right to housing, to halt climate change and environmental destruction, and many other issues. The conclusion we have drawn is that socialists need to participate in these movements in an open, non-sectarian way, willing to work alongside others who don’t share all of our views, while putting forward our own ideas. In our view this is an important part of socialists contributing to the rebuilding of the broader workers’ movement, including active trade union and housing movements and a new broad mass party of the left.
Our members have joined and are helping to build Extinction Rebellion. We will work alongside hundreds of other activists for the most effective ‘Rebellion Week’ of civil disobedience in October as part of building the mass movement necessary to stop climate change.
One of our key priorities as a group will be to prepare and launch a Green New Deal with socialist policies for Ireland. At this moment of ecological, social and economic crises, a transformative plan is needed - for free, green and frequent public transport, for a rapid and just transition to green energy, including a green jobs programme in renewable energy and care work, for a sustainable model of agriculture that supports our small farmers, for quality low carbon de-commodified public housing, a 4 day week, and a planned economy under the democratic control of working class people.
We recognise that division amongst the left can be demoralising for working class people who rightly want to see maximum unity against the right wing parties and their policies. Although no longer a part of the Socialist Party, we are committed to co-operating with the Socialist Party and others on the left on a day-to-day basis and will remain part of the Solidarity - People Before Profit grouping.
We will be building RISE as a radical socialist organisation and producing a regular political magazine and website with analysis and commentary (www.letusrise.ie). We also want to contribute to the building of a broader mass party of the left, with a vibrant democratic culture of debate and discussion. This is desperately needed to challenge and end neo-liberal and capitalist domination, which, with its drive to privatise and cut back, has prioritised the needs of big business and the market over our lives and our future.
Information for Editors:
RISE members include Paul Murphy TD, Dáil Researcher for Solidarity, Diana O’Dwyer, former Press Officer for Solidarity & Socialist Party, Dave Murphy, selected Solidarity general election candidate for Galway, Jessy Ní Ceallaigh, as well as other Socialist Party activists including three former election candidates, trade union activists, abortion rights activists and housing activists.
RISE website is www.letusrise.ie
ENDS