ON Friday evening, 30-or-so people were ushered into an overspill area outside the Renfield Centre.
Why? It was the Glasgow launch of Jeremy Corbyn’s Your Party and it was a sell out. 180 had signed up to attend, and were making their way into the soon-to-be packed conference room – 200 more were apparently on a waiting list.
One of the fledgling group’s organisers and a former Labour Party member, David Lees, told me beforehand that he expected a fair few of them would try their luck on the night. He was correct.
Among them, at the front of the line, was 18-year-old Martin McDonald.
He decided to turn up because he feels, as a socialist, that no other party in Scotland represents that viewpoint. Although, he is skeptical – as a Yes supporter – given the party’s stance on independence is not yet fully established.
Why not the SNP or Scottish Greens? “I feel like they're not left wing enough and also that they don't have a real path to independence,” he responds.
19-year-old James, next to him, chips in.
“We're living in very unprecedented times and I think that what Jeremy Corbyn and Zara Sultana are offering is something that's hoping to bring change to the whole of the UK,” he said.
Also in the queue is 60-year-old Colin McGhie (below), who voted Labour for 40 years until the last General Election.
“I stopped voting princely because of their stances on the Middle East, with Gaza,” he said.
32-year-old Christina Donnelly, a few people back, said it’s the first time she has been excited by politics in a while.
“Seeing the values that have been put forward by Jeremy Corbyn and others, I was like: this is something I need to be a part of, especially with the rise of Reform UK. I can't have them speaking for me.”
Meanwhile, 42-year-old Stevie Docherty (Right with Christina on left) said Scotland needs a “really strong left alternative”.
“I don't know what that's gonna look like, but I just want to find out basically. And I think there are some existing parties that have aspects of that, but no one's putting it forward in a cohesive form and certainly not the Labour Party in its current incarnation.”
It was certainly a mixed group in attendance by all appearances. Former Labour supporters, young activists searching for something new, trade unionists.
All I spoke with were worried about the rise of Reform UK or disenchanted with the status quo, though. They felt a return to a real and raw form of grassroots left politics was the solution.
And so, with the help of 20-or-so so-called “facilitators”, they all packed into the Renfield Centre auditorium where chairs were arranged in circles of 10 people complete with marker pens and A3 paper.
The event was a little chaotic at first but not disorganised. It was unlike party events I’d been to before. There were no grand speeches from party leaders – for there isn’t, technically, one yet – or guest speakers.
Instead, one of the facilitators read out messages from the group’s already 450-strong WhatsApp group.
“I am an academic. I have stood as a Labour candidate in the past, but now I want to support others to succeed. I will do all I can to help out behind the scenes and in the background,” one said.
“We need a new political party to unite and represent the left. For me, Labour continues to track right in its aim to appease Reform voters and has left many people without a political home.”
Another added: “I want a community of people on the left to work together. I want to play a part in taking control away from big corporations and multi-millionaires to build a better, fairer, more liveable Scotland and the UK for all of us.
“I would regret it forever if I did not do everything I can to stand up against the rise of fascism and racism in the UK.
This led to loud applause from those in attendance.
After this main welcome speech, the two sole journalists – of which I was one – were asked to leave to facilitate open discussion.
But I was told by one of the organisers afterwards that the 20-or-so groups of 10 discussed a range of ideas – from party structure and the crucial importance of Your Party centring international solidarity on issues like Gaza to housing and wealth redistribution.
“I'm really invested in grassroots organising. I'm quite an active trade unionist. I'm the daughter of a trade unionist and I'm fairly disappointed with the current state of politics, It's a stronger word than disappointed. I'm really angry, to be honest.”
She added: “I think that people are being actively disempowered. And so the idea of building something from the bottom up is really exciting. The idea of starting to talk about what something could be before a party is established is really exciting.”
But there is also an inherent tension in the room – is time and patience the name of the game in order to build a truly bottom-up grassroots party? Or does there need to be a sense of urgency, a need to move at pace to tackle the rise of the likes of Reform UK?
The National understands that many in attendance discussed the importance of Your Party – or whatever it comes to be named – fielding candidates at the Holyrood elections next year.
It would be an ambitious goal with just 8 months to go.
One organiser told The National that they privately worry that the Westminster arm of Your Party is being too slow and risks not taking full advantage of the bubble of excitement that is developing.
The numbers are there, they argue – this event, for example, was proof.
“I fully appreciate why it's taking time, because they desperately want to get it right and not waste the opportunity. But at the same time, I think the message is: Scotland is ready to go.”
