A successful Holyrood 2026 conference took place on Saturday October 4th in Glasgow on the theme of building a trade union, socialist and working class election challenge for the Scottish Parliament election next year.

Despite Storm Amy causing major transport problems, and with Glasgow’s main train station closed entirely, 80 people turned up the conference from all eight Scottish parliamentary electoral regions. 

The conference had been prepared over the last five months by a Conference Organising Committee. Decisions around speakers and the democratic organisation of the conference were reached by consensus at the COC.

The committee was made up of representatives from the Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (Scottish TUSC), Socialist Party Scotland, the Scottish Left Alternative (SLA), the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP), Collective Scotland (set up by activists around Jeremy Corbyn) and vitally, trade union reps in a personal capacity from Dundee City Unison, Glasgow City Unison, and the Unite Housing Association branch as observers. The Communist Party of Britain declined participation. 

A motion was discussed, debated and mostly agreed by the organising committee to put to the conference (see the final agreed version at the end), bar the final bullet point on where to stand on the demand of an independent socialist Scotland. This was further discussed in a lively and democratic debate at the conference which, at its end, agreed overwhelmingly to “help prepare a united socialist, trade union and working-class election challenge in as many parts of Scotland as possible for next May”. 

Brian Smith from the Scottish TUSC steering committee and the former branch secretary of Glasgow City Unison chaired the first session, explaining how the conference had been organised, it’s importance and its aims. 

Brian outlined there has never been a more important time for trade unionists and working class people to take the lead on fighting for our own political representation. He explained this conference was not about forming a new party and welcomed the tremendous excitement around the ‘Your Party’ development but was about beginning to coordinate and organise the election challenge with May 2026 fast approaching.

Tragically, days before the conference Carol Wilson, a rep from Collective Scotland who had participated in the COC and was to co-chair the event, passed away. A minute’s silence was observed on the day and all comrades who attended sent our sincere condolences to Carol’s family.

Workers resist austerity

Conference first heard from Gus Sproul, Regional Chair of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). Gus spoke on the unions important ‘Cuts Leave Scars’ campaign against the Scottish government’s cuts to the service including to local fire stations. Scottish National Party (SNP) Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) who are defending the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service cuts plan narrowly won a vote at Holyrood days before the conference but are under pressure from the union’s public campaign.

After Gus, Jim McFarlane from the Unison trade union NEC and branch secretary of Dundee City Unison spoke in a personal capacity. Jim stated “Labour were elected to power at Westminster just 15 months ago with a sizeable majority. Yet we now have the most unpopular prime minister in history. Given that some of us endured Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher that is some achievement in such a short space of time. Labour replacing the Tories has seen little change for working class communities or trade unionists”. 

“In Scotland, the SNP and Greens have failed to lead a campaign against chronic austerity, meekly passing on cuts at a local level claiming they have no alternative. There is a clear alternative, to take the road of the heroic socialist council in Liverpool in the 1980s. Refuse to make the cuts, build coalitions of public sector workers and local communities to fight for the services we need not the ones capitalism says we can afford”. 

Jim went on, “over 1,000 trade unionists attended the online meeting for Trade Unionists for a New Party at end of July which included Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana making contributions to the debate. Further meetings have taken place with significant number of activists from across nine different trade unions”.

“In my opinion the trade unions and trade union activists need to be at the core of building any new socialist force and for building an electoral challenge next year for the Scottish Parliament elections. Next year’s elections gives us an opportunity to work together and put forward a fighting socialist challenge”. 

Phil Taylor, the interim Convenor of Scottish Left Alternative, was the next speaker to address the conference. Phil, welcoming the conference, explaining the SLA saw the rise of the far right and the record of Labour and the SNP creating a huge space for the left. He referenced the powerful potential of the Palestine and anti-racist movements and argued that the creation of ‘Your Party’ changed everything. He urged the conflicts between leading figures in the formation to end because in the end it’s ‘our party’. 

Phil explained the SLA’s perspective that if Your Party is registered and sorts out a credible challenge in time for the elections then there will be no need for SLA, but as this is uncertain they will be registering with the electoral commission. 

PCS

The next speaker was Fiona Brittle from the PCS trade union NEC who is also the Scottish Government Group organiser, speaking in a personal capacity. Fiona highlighted the recent Ofgem strikes organised by PCS and other industrial action by the union, but lamented the lack of progress and urgency on the national campaign for pay, pensions and jobs from the PCS leadership. She explained that the Broad Left Network and other activists are opposing the latest pay offer from the Scottish government, which is still not enough and was only improved after a high 78% turnout in a consultative ballot.

The Scottish Government are also planning to reduce headcount, which puts staff workloads under pressure and threatens delivery of vital public services. They are also retreating from protections for trans staff after the divisive supreme court ruling.

Fiona reported on the well-attended PCS ‘trade unionists for a new party’ meeting, and the wider cross union meetings. She also pointed out the need to raise a working class programme fighting for jobs and services for all, against all forms of oppression, to win back working class people away from false solutions to widespread poverty peddled by Reform, like racism and transphobia.

The socialists’ input

Brian then introduced Richie Venton on behalf of the SSP. Richie gave an outline of the 27-year-long record of the SSP and stated that the SSP’s democratic structures had decided the party would contest all eight Holyrood regions next May. 

He pointed out there were 73 constituencies where others on the left could stand. Richie stated the SSP was willing to engage with Your Party and others on the left as they have with Scottish TUSC for a more than a decade, and had participated in the COC.

Richie ended by stating what were however “red lines” for the SSP. This included support for an independent socialist Scotland. Option one of the final bullet point which allowed for candidates to not advocate socialist independence was already enough of a compromise but option two went too far. He said the principle of candidates standing on the average wage of a skilled worker was also a fundamental one for the SSP.

The COC had invited Jeremy Corbyn to address the conference but unfortunately he was abroad. Collective Scotland rep Owen Wright (Collective Scotland changed their name in September to Your Party Scotland) nominated Emma Jayne Park as a grassroots organiser in Glasgow to address the conference at the COC. 

Emma Jayne first of all gave solidarity to the conference. However, they then raised criticisms of the entire basis on which the conference had been organised and the motion drawn up. They asked why models like sortition and also more ‘grassroots’ methods had not been used and questioned the legitimacy of ‘delegates’ and whether the speakers so far really represented the dispossessed and marginalised. 

They didn’t mention any clear views on an electoral challenge, but asserted that the motion was full of old ideas. Emma Jayne contrasted this with the recent Your Party supporters meeting in Glasgow. This meeting had discussion circles in small groups. They agreed with the importance of the trade unions but also of concepts like mutual aid. Emma-Jayne argued that the entire process excluded activists and that the motion had only gone out 24 hours before the conference.

Lynda McEwan spoke as the final platform speaker from Socialist Party Scotland. Lynda said: “Working class people cannot afford more of the same. We demand fundamental socialist change. And that means we need a political voice that can represent us, a mass party of the working class, rooted in the trade unions, rooted in communities, and fighting for a socialist alternative. That’s what I and Socialist Party Scotland fight for ‘Your Party’ to be”.

“I’ve joined ‘Your Party’ as have the Socialist Party Scotland comrades. We are campaigning for the right to affiliate and raise our ideas. We think ‘Your Party’, in order to go beyond the hundreds of thousands already enthused and into the workplaces, into the housing schemes to organise millions of working class people and gain their support, should have a determined socialist programme and a democratic federal structure, with the right of working class, community and activist organisations to affiliate, with a key central voice for the trade unions”. 

Moving the conference motion

Philip Stott, speaking for Scottish TUSC, moved the motion to conference from the COC and outlined Scottish TUSC’s preference of supporting option one on Scottish independence. Philip refuted the allegations made by Emma Jayne Park that activists who had spoken do not have a record of struggle of fighting for the poorest, and pointed out that the trade union reps represent thousands of workers on a daily basis. Philip stressed that comrades have a right to raise criticisms but Emma-Jayne clearly did not have a knowledge of how the COC had operated or how the conference had actually been organised. 

Philip asked for clarification on whether Emma Jayne and the other ‘Your Party’ proto branch activists had any plans to stand in the elections. He pointed out that rather than excluding people, the COC and any future committee created by the conference would seek to involve all left activists and groups who want to stand. 

Philip then explained the COC discussion on the final bullet point on self-determination. The original position of the SLA amendment first raised with the COC was to remove the point on “fight for an independent Socialist Scotland”, which was not agreed by the majority. SLA then improved their amendment to that in option two before the conference today but Scottish TUSC preferred option one. Philip warned that being too broad on what we stand for can be unprincipled and cut us off from the most militant workers and youth, many of whom support Scottish independence which currently stands at 55% in opinion polling. 

Jim Monaghan from SLA moved option two. He said he welcomed the comments by Emma Jayne even if he didn’t agree with them all. He felt option two spoke to that better. He referenced a “recent ‘Your Party’ gathering in Ibrox where independence hadn’t even been discussed”. 

A full debate and a decision

A debate and discussion then took place which involved 17 speakers with the co-chairs, which included Sinead Daly as well as Brian Smith, allocating priority on the basis of regional and political balance. Activists involved in the formation of ‘Your Party’ branches in Edinburgh and Glasgow spoke. These included activists who had recently left the Scottish Greens, those who had never been in a party, and one from the RS21 grouping. These comrades had a variety of views on whether a credible election challenge could be mounted, whether it would not be better to wait for the council elections in 2027, and also whether unity could come between this conference and the approach so far of the ‘Your Party’ proto branches. 

There was also another Unison NEC member, Stuart Graham, and a PCS rep who spoke in the discussion. Leah Ganley, a GMB member based in the Highlands and a Socialist Party Scotland member, spoke in favour of option one, recalling the mood in the working class in 2014. She also raised she had joined Your Party and much discussion needed to be had about its democratic structures. 

Socialist Workers Party (SWP) members Angela McCormack and Hector Sierra spoke as supporters of SLA. Angela explained that the emergence of Your Party had “broken a dam”. The left needed to move beyond all the existing groupings and the divisions of the past and seize the potential. “Your Party is bigger than us all. The priority is to build the Palestine movement and anti-racist movement”. 

Hector said he welcomed Emma Jayne’s points and “new ideas”. He argued strongly for option two, stating it was the only way to broaden our appeal. If the left does not adopt new ideas it will become “irrelevant”. 

SSP reps Bill Bonnar and Liam McLaughlin spoke in the debate. They both underlined the red lines of the SSP and appealed for support for option one. They also defended the approach of the conference organising committee. 

Chris Sermanni, secretary of the 12,000-strong Glasgow City UNISON branch, argued that: “No wonder there has been such an overwhelming response to the launch of Your Party – and I welcome the emergence of this as a huge positive – when such a stark political vacuum exists in the country when the capitalist parties that have been in power have all offered slightly different versions of the same thing, continued misery for the working class”.

“Reform are exploiting this vacuum not only with racist and divisive language, but by using phrases like ‘the elite’ when talking about Labour and Tory politicians. They are the elite. Nigel Farage, Richard Tice et al are all millionaires and millionaires will protect their own class interests when in power”. 

Oisin Duncan, a young GMB shop steward and Socialist Party Scotland member, disagreed with the allegation that the approach of the COC and TUSC and the conference didn’t appeal to youth. 

He raised that the Your Party sign-ups including himself had been even proportionally higher in Scotland precisely because of the failures of the SNP on austerity but also their failure to lead a struggle for self-determination. Youth were looking for a lead on that question from Your Party as well as economic and other social issues. Workers and youth were looking for a principled socialist stance not compromises. 

Gary Clark, a longstanding Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) activist and Socialist Party Scotland member based in Falkirk, importantly explained the example of a recent demonstration influenced by the far-right and neo-Nazis that had outnumbered a counter demonstration in Falkirk. Gary urged the Scottish Trade Union Congress and the trade unions to show a lead in fighting for jobs and homes not racism. 

The discussion on the final bullet point debated the following wording options: 

Option One: “For the right of self-determination for Scotland, including the right of the Scottish parliament to organise a second independence referendum. Fight for an independent socialist Scotland (We understand that some candidates may choose to not campaign for an independent socialist Scotland)”.

Option Two: “For the right to self-determination for Scotland, including the right of the Scottish Parliament to organise a second independence referendum. We equally support the right of candidates to campaign for an independent socialist Scotland”. 

Option One was passed and the full motion, overwhelmingly agreed at conference, is published below.

The next steps are to implement the motion by setting up the “coordinating committee with representatives from each organisation that support this initiative, as well as leading trade unionists” to prepare for the Scottish Parliament election. ■

Motion agreed at the October 4 conference 

“The need for a working-class, socialist and trade union election challenge for Holyrood 2026 is undeniable. As the reaction to Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana’s decision to create a “new kind of political party… rooted in trade unions, communities and social movements” – which has had tens of thousands of responses from Scotland – has shown, there is a huge potential to build an alternative to the political establishment that can offer a united working-class platform to communities across Scotland”.

“This conference of trade unionists, socialists, left activists and organisations agree to work together to achieve a united election challenge for Holyrood 2026. This could take the form of existing socialist organisations with a long history of standing in elections – for example Scottish TUSC, the SSP and others – meeting with other newly created groups, including the Scottish Left Alternative electoral coalition, who are considering standing to negotiate and agree where to stand candidates”. 

“It would also take account of further concrete developments around the Your Party initiative in the run up to October 4 and also in the run up to next May, as well as for the local council elections in 2027 and for by elections as and when they arise”. 

“Either way, this conference agrees to help prepare a united socialist, trade union and working-class election challenge in as many parts of Scotland as possible for next May”. 

“The gravity of the situation facing the working class means that we need to engage with as many workplace and community activists as possible and to engage with Your Party as it develops in Scotland to put forward the most credible and effective left challenge”.

“We agree to elect a coordinating committee with representatives from each organisation that support this initiative, as well as leading trade unionists, to act as a forum to advance those discussions. We at all times seek to come to decisions based on consensus where at all possible”. 

“Core policies that we agree on include: (Candidates and organisations standing in elections will of course add to these policies and nor are they an exhaustive list of our views on all of the issues facing the working class in Scotland and internationally. We would also ask all candidates to stand on the pledge, if elected, of only taking the average wage of a skilled worker as an MSP)“.

• End all cuts and austerity – elected politicians in councils, Holyrood and Westminster must refuse to make cuts and fight for fully funded public services. 
• No coalitions or electoral agreements with parties or independents who have a record of implementing cuts and who refuse to sign up to a no cuts platform.
• For a massive programme of council house building to tackle the housing crisis.
• Scrap the council tax and for its replacement with a progressive tax on wealth that makes the rich pay.
• Increase the minimum wage to an immediate £15 an hour with no age exemptions – wages must rise automatically with inflation.
• Abolish all anti-trade union laws.
• Stop benefit cuts – benefits must match the cost of living.
• Take the wealth off the billionaires – tax the rich and big business. For public ownership and democratic control of the multinationals that dominate the economy.
• End the genocide. End the occupation of Gaza. Build mass struggle for Palestinian rights and an independent Palestinian state.
• Oppose all forms of racism. Fight for jobs, homes and public services for all. Defend the right to asylum and fight against the onslaught against refugees.
• Defend and extend LGBTQ+ and women’s rights.
• For socialist change, public ownership and democratic planning to tackle the environmental crisis.
• For the right of self-determination for Scotland, including the right of the Scottish Parliament to organise a second independence referendum. Fight for an independent socialist Scotland. (We understand that some candidates may choose to not campaign for an independent socialist Scotland)