LABOUR PARTY LAUNCH INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL FORUM TO TRANSFORM UK Written by Dauda Awwal (UK)

DAL INTERNATIONAL NEWS Thursday 18th July, 2019

Facts are the lifeblood of Journalism

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LABOUR PARTY LAUNCH INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL FORUM TO TRANSFORM UK Written by Dauda Awwal (UK) Our Campaign is to unite people together from all background to defend living standard-Jeremy Corbyn Labour Party, UK launch a new dialogue on the reform of the International institution tagged ‘International Social Forum’ at University of London where global issues on economics, economic policy, labour market, taxes, immigration,

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, UK 1

climate change, Democracy Collaboration, ecology sustainability were discussed in a way to promote community life, the role and impact of World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, Role of Labour Party Government play in relation to the global financial institution, Green Industrial Strategy, shortcoming of international framework for trade, UK Economic Policy in the global economy and how economic reform can promote solidarity across the globe to economic justice globally and domestically.

The spirit of Labour Party, UK took over the University of London on the 13th & 14th July 2019 for International Social Forum conference organized by the Labour Party, UK. The event attracted an enthusiastic audience of about 3000 people-British and non-British. Gathered in the BGLT (Lower ground floor), Brunel Gallery SALT (First floor). Paul Webley Senate House to discuss ‘‘Climate Crisis, International economic policy, The Democracy Collaborative, Global Finance, and Accountability, Fundamental reset of Immigration policy based on evidence, respect for human rights and justice, Trade/Protectionism and other global crisis and solutions''.

The discussion also based on globalization, International Finance, employment patterns in developing countries, macroeconomic policy, and issues related to gender and development.

John McDonnell 2

John McDonnell MP who is Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer opened the event with a wonderful speech after the introduction of the Guest Speakers. ‘’Labour has convened this International Social Forum bringing together politicians, economists and social movement leaders from across the world to launch a new dialogue on the reform of the international institutional architecture to rise to these critical challenges and prepare a program of reform’’.

Over recent months we have witnessed startling scenes across the globe that has prompted many to question how we can address the issues facing the planet. Tens of thousands of children in the country after country walked out of their schools and thousands of young people mobilized in demonstrations under the banner of Extinction Rebellion to demand action to tackle the existential threat of climate change.

Desperate people in their masses continue to cram onto dinghies and small vessels or climb border fences, migrating to seek safety or a life out of poverty. Economists and politicians have also increasingly been exposing the growing power of multinationals, especially the new data corporations, whose influence and financial clout exceed individual nation-states, and which enable them to avoid their tax responsibilities.

The challenges the world is now facing require transnational actions and global solutions. The existing global institutions, designed and established in the twentieth century, are proving to be incapable of responding effectively to these threats.

A new international architecture is needed if we are to face the global challenge of the twenty-first century. ‘’We worked hard to put this historical event together’’-John McDonnell MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer concluded.

The guests arrived early morning for the registration and collection of the pass which opened from 8.30am till 9.30 on Saturday 13 th & Sunday 14th July 2019 Paul Webley Wing Senate House.

The spirit of the Labour Party took over the University of London to discuss the global issues on economics. The room where the event took place is at the capacity of 2000 people. All rooms at SOAS are based on a key system.

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The guests have more experience in the workshop on the global issues discussed at the conference immediately after lunch on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the Labour Party attended the conference.

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF THE INVITED SPEAKERS

Dilma Rousseff, former President of Brazil DILMA ROUSSEFF She’s a Brazilian economist and politician who served as the 36 th President of Brazil holding the position from 2011 to 2016. She was the first woman to hold the Brazilian Presidency. She became a socialist in her youth and after the 1964 coup d’eé tat joined left-wing and Marxist urban guerrilla groups that fought against the military dictatorship Rousseff was captured, tortured, jailed from 1970 to 1972.

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Jayati Ghosh

JAYANTI GHOSH Jayati Ghosh is a development economist and Professor of Economics at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, School of Social Sciences, at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, in New Delhi, India. Her specialties include globalization, International Finance, employment patterns in developing countries, macroeconomic policy, and issues related to gender and development.

Naledi Chirwa 5

NALEDI CHIRWA Naledi Nokukhanya Chirwa is the Economic Freedom Fighters’ youngest representative in the South African National Assembly. She grew up in a politically active home with her mother active in workers ‘rights and her grandmother active in women’s rights. She joined the EFF as a member in 2015 and served as media and communication officer before being sworn in as a member of parliament in June 2019.a

Asad Rehman ASAD REHMAN Asad Rehman has been War on Wants’ Executive Director since 2017.Previously Head of International Climate at Friends of the Earth,with more than 25 years’ experience in the non-governmental and charity sector.

Asad has served on the boards of Amnesty International UK,Friends of the Earth International, Global Justice Now and Newham Monitoring Project.

OPENING PLENARY (BGLT) Brunel Gallery (SALT) Fist Floor) Paul Webley Wing Senate House 10.30AM: CLIMATE CRISIS PLENARY: The speakers looked at whether current international agreements for coordinated international emissions 6

reductions are working and if not, why not and how could they be improved? How can progressive countries like the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, France, Germany, China help on climate change to work?

11.30 AM: The guests went for Climate workshops to discuss possible solutions on climate change.

International Economic Policy was discussed at the event.UK Domestic policy only affect inequalities, places, and communities in the UK. How we shape our economy and the rules that govern it and the impact on people around the world. The informal workshop considered the role of UK Economic policy in the global economy, and how economic reform can promote solidarity across countries, and contribute to economic justice globally as well as domestically. Using the domestic policy recommendation of the IPPR Commission on Economic Justice as a starting point, including green industrial strategy, labour markets, and supply chains, taxes and the race to the bottom, and financial regulation. Many guests submitted their ideas and insights to the coordinators of the workshops. This was facilitated by IPPR Centre for Economic Justice: Carys Roberts: Grace Blackeley: Shreya Nada and Lesley Rankin.

The Democracy Collaborative was also discussed. The democracy collaborative works to carry out a vision of a new economic system where shared ownership and control creates more equitable and inclusive outcomes fosters ecological sustainability and promotes flourishing democratic and community life. This session led by the Co-founder and President of the Democracy Collaborative, Ted Howard.

14.30 GLOBAL FINANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY PLENARY WAS DISCUSSED Speakers discussed the global finance since the collapse of the post-war Bretton Woods settlement institutions such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have sought to redefine their roles. This session looked at what roles Labour Party, UK Governments play concerning these global financial institutions and whether they are capable of tackling the economic problems the world faces.

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Among the Speakers on this issue include Daniela Gabor, the University of the West of England. John Christiansen, Tax Justice Network and Ann Pttfor, Policy Research in Microeconomics (PRIME).

Daniela Gabor DANIELA GABOR Daniela Gabor is a Professor of Economics and Macro-Finance at the University of the West of England, Bristol. She holds a Ph.D. in banking and finance from the University of Stirling (2009). Since then, she has published on central banking in crisis, on the governance of global banks and international financial institutions, and shadow banking and repo markets.

She has recently been appointed to the Labour Party‘s External Review Group for Finance and Environment.

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Ann Pettifor ANN PETIFOR Ann Petifor is a UK-Based analyst of the global finance system: director of Policy Research in Macroeconomics (PRIME), a network of economists concerned with Keynesian monetary theory and policies: an honorary research fellow at the Political Economy Research Centre at City University, London (CITYPERC) and a fellow of the New Economics Foundation, London. As executive director of the consultancy Advocacy International, Ann has advised governments and organizations on sovereign debt restructuring international finance and sustainable development. She is a trustee of the PREP Foundation for Pluralist Economics.

Sunday 14th July 2019 The programme starts at 10,00am the first speakers include Maya Goodfellow, writer and researcher on politics, immigration, gender and race, Rafeef Ziadah, SOAS University of London, Cllr Sue Lukes, Islington councillor who is Migrants’ Champion for the borough, Dalia Gabriel, LSE Student and writer on race and class from an international perspective, decolonisation and migrants’ rights. The invitees went for workshops and took their lunch at 12.20pm.Trade/Protectionism Plenary 9

started. This session looked at some of the shortcomings of the international institutional framework for trade, such as the World Trade Organisation, discussed whether their rules are fit for purpose particularly concerning tackling global inequality and the climate emergency.

Fiona Tregenna, University of Johannesburg and Gykye Tanah, Third World Network Africa from Ghana were among the speakers.

Fiona Tregenna FIONA TREGENNA Fiona Tregenna holds the South African Research Chair (SARChi Chair) in Industrial Development and is a Professor in the Department of Economics

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Geyekye Tanoh GEYEKYE TANOH Geyekye Tanoh is Head of the Political Economy Unit at Third World Network-Africa, where he conducts research and advocacy on globalization, trade, and development. He is a regular contributor to African Trade Agenda and several other publications on a wide range of subjects considering the impact of globalization issues in Africa. He is also Deputy National Coordinator of the Ghana Coalition against Privatization. The guests went for other workshops on trade/protectionism at exactly 14.45pm and returned to their seat for closing Plenary by 16.15.

Jeremy Corbyn MP, The Leader of the Labour Party, UK was the first speaker on Sunday, in his official brief wonderful emotional speech, he said, ’’Our campaign is to unite people together from all background to defend a living standard. We have to send a condolence message to Dilma Rousseff, the former President of Brazil who just loses her mother yesterday. I thank John McDonnel and his team for bringing people together here from different background to discuss a very difficult issue in a global setting. We have to use Social Media for all our activities for all our programs because social media is very powerful and useful to bring our people together. Corbyn laments.

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Jayati Ghosh and Yanis Varoufakis, Co-founder,DIEM25, and leader of MeRA25 were among the last speakers. John McDonnell MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer delivered the closing speech and the program closed by 17.05.

Some of the people I spoke to at the event told me that people living in Britain should please help the Labour Party to fight Brexit, Labour for a Socialist Europe states in their leaflet they distributed that ‘’We want to shift the party to a clear position of ‘Remain and Transform’ fighting to stop Brexit as part of fighting to radically transform both Britain and Europe . In the European elections we built the Labour campaign while building a parallel campaign with alternative, clearly left an anti-Brexit materials-providing tens of thousands of leaflet and broadsheets to local Labour Parties and activists across the country. Now we are focused on winning the debate at Labour Party conference in September, working with our allies to put forward a strong anti-Brexit policy there and to shift the debate in local parties too. Meanwhile, we are also out on the streets organizing stalls and other activities. Get involved to help us win Labour in stopping Brexit and creating the radical government we need. As labor members and trade unionists, we urge the party to embrace the European elections in May as an opportunity to promote socialist politics in Britain and across Europe.

We need a debate in our movement about the policies we need. this could include campaigning for: An end to austerity, leveling up and expansion of health, education, and other social provision across the EU, extending universal rights and promoting redistribution.

An EU-Wide ‘Green New Deal based on democratic public ownership of energy, transport, aviation, and other vital industries, allowing an emergency transition plan to meet climate targets that is also economically justice.

Replacement of tariff, agricultural and trade policies which impoverish people in developing countries with ones that promote workers’ right, redistribution and sustainability.

No EU army, a ban on nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.

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The democratization of EU institutions, including making the Council and Commission accountable to an empowered European Parliament.

Dauda Awwal and Ye Shiging were among the delegates appointed by the Labour Party who attended this historic event.

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Dal International News is published by Awwal Production International free online.Email:dawwal@yahoo.com Telephone: 07466767942 (UK)

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