Over the last two years of strikes the working class in Britain has begun to feel its collective power. It is about to face a Starmer-led government that will defend the interests of the capitalist class. Further development of trade union militancy is going to be vital, but our class will also desperately need its own party. Any steps that can be taken in that direction in the pre-election period will put the workers’ movement in a much stronger position for the battles ahead. That’s why the Socialist party is standing in the local elections on 2 May as part of the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), which aims to bring together the strongest possible workers electoral challenge possible. 

Check out the TUSC website at www.tusc.org.uk

This Special Episode of the Podcast, recorded on the 20th March 2024, is a recording of Hannah Sell, the general secretary of the Socialist Party, speaking at a Socialist Party public meeting in South London.
To contact the Socialist Party about this podcast or to find out about becoming a member visit: www.socialistparty.org.uk
Check out the CWI, for analysis of world events, and for those listening in other parts of the world, get in touch to join the fight for socialism in your country, that’s www.socialistworld.net

Further reading
The fight for workers’ politics now
There is not so far any sign of a national political expression of the anti-war movement, never mind one based on the workers’ movement. However, a workers’ list – including suspended, expelled and deselected Labour MPs – could get a bloc of MPs elected. The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), in which the Socialist Party participates, is campaigning to bring together the strongest possible working-class challenge at both the local and general elections.
https://socialismtoday.org/the-fight-for-workers-politics-now
Building on Rochdale – the fight for a new workers’ party
“Beyond alarming” is how Tory prime minister Rishi Sunak declared George Galloway’s victory in the Rochdale by-election, at a specially convened press conference on the steps of Downing Street. Labour leader Keir Starmer appeared equally alarmed as he apologised for having to withdraw support for the Labour candidate in the by-election, giving Galloway an easier path to victory.
Rochdale  “raised the confidence of all those looking for a working-class socialist alternative to Labour”. Even in the limited time left before the general election there is the potential to take important steps towards creating such an alternative.
https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/122735/25-03-2024/editorial-building-on-rochdale-the-fight-for-a-new-workers-party/

130. The fight for workers' politics now

The Status of the Scholars in Islam

Reducers - Airways (Rochdale - 1980)

Usool-Us-Sunnah of Al-Imaam Al-Humaydi - Part 1

Usool-Us-Sunnah of Al-Imaam Al-Humaydi - Part 2

Audio Description describing the work, The New Sublime, which is situated at Greenbooth Reservoir in Rochdale as part of Immersive Greenbooth. 

The New Sublime:

This image shows a dark brown and beige swirly background overlaid with translucent gauzy and sparkly white ripples.  In the centre is the silhouette of an androgynous figure bent double and holding their knees, filling the space from top to bottom, their face looking down towards their feet.

When you open it up in Artivive, a green fractal kaleidoscopic cave effect is created with swirling rich clouds of deep green pulsing from each corner ending with frilly blue edges in the centre.  The delicate edges change shape, but keep a long diamond shape aperture through the figure bent double is visible, now with the white ripples flashing across.

In the soundtrack, we hear Supriya Nagarajan singing a Sufi ghazal which is a type of poem by a Sufi poet, about love and nature, sung in Hindi.

Audio Description: The New Sublime

Audio description describing the piece, Luminous Veil, which is situated at Greenbooth Reservoir as part of Immersive Greenbooth. 

Luminous Veil:

This abstract image is a dark grey-blue colour with white smudges and busy lines over the top creating a watery but jagged surface.

When opened in Artivive, bright white clouds flash across the picture, pulsing from each corner like a kaleidoscope, sometimes turning deep purples and yellows, sometimes lighting flashes of neon blue.  And multiple white horizontal lines seem to tumble out of the frame towards you, reaching off to the right and left.

A piano interprets a graphic score created from images of the water rushing down the concrete channel, along with hydrophone recordings from the waterfall further round the reservoir.  And you can hear the voice of one of the local community group leaders, Daisy, that they worked with when creating the piece.

Audio Description: Luminous Veil

Audio description describing the piece Cygnus, positioned at Greenbooth Reservoir in Rochdale. 

Cygnus:

This black and white image has a small circle just below the centre on the left, surrounded by swirls of light radiating out from it on a black background, and a v- shape up to top right of what looks like water ripples leading down into the hole.  

When opened in the app, we’re in a dark blue-grey swirly watery cave - raindrops are falling down and making small white circle patterns on the lower part of the frame.  As it progresses, the water turns a brighter blue and we’re looking up at the blue sky, before turning down and heading down a blue-green swirling hole faster and faster.  It gets darker and darker until it fades to black.
In the soundtrack we can hear a cello playing short notes, that get longer – they’re stretched just like a black hole stretches time.

Audio Description: Cygnus

Track describing some of the artistic ideas behind the work at Greenbooth Reservoir. 

Electric Tapestry: 

This image shows two huge dark purple-black boulders almost touching, with a paler grey one in the foreground, and in the gap between them, some green fields leading to purple mountains in the distance, and a pale purple sky.
In the app, a large three-dimensional rock circle like a firepit comes out of the picture frame in front of you, and larger stones fill the background.  Flying up and from left and right are patches of scratchy patterns of burnt orange, purple, pale pink and cream – these are the stone frottage patterns created from rubbing the stones.  Dark and pale grey rock shapes seem to crack and swirl across the screen, sometimes pools of bright orange filling the gaps between them.

You can hear the sounds of stones being hit which is in fact a home-made Lythophone which is four stones of different sizes placed on a glockenspiel structure.  And it also contains sounds recorded from a pan submerged in water.

Audio Description: Electric Tapestry

Video georgia harrison and bear rochdale georgia louise harrison video new

🔴 ➤► HERE = 
https://bit.ly/4n1s83g

Video georgia harrison and bear rochdale georgia louise harrison video new

Audio Descriptions for our collaborative work, Immersive Greenbooth. Available to view on site at Greenbooth Reservoir between May - November, 2025.

Audio descriptions by Alice Gilmour

Socialism the Podcast offers a Marxist approach to the big issues we face in a world of capitalist crisis. Fighting for jobs, homes and public services for all. From strikes and mass movements through to community campaigns, history and theory. We shine a light on the struggles of workers and young people, and discuss the strategy for a socialist fightback.

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New tracks tagged #rochdale