In many ways 2024 has been a grim year. I suspect anyone reading this is mostly aware of what they were.
Some of them such as the genocide in Gaza, the killing fields in Ukraine and Russia and the rise of a far right across Europe including the UK will feature large in 2025.
We could explore the Gramsci pessimism/optimism dichotomy but perhaps just to note the focus on what can really be done.
2024 did provide some pointers.
Firstly there were 22 central London demonstrations in support of the Palestinians. Most involved hundreds of thousands and there were innumerable other protests and actions around the UK. These were organised not by the main parties in Westminster but by the left broadly conceived. At the centre the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War, CND, Muslim organisations and trade unions.
This is still a movement in progress. There is, as there often is, particularly when a Labour Government is in Office falling short of expectations, much discussion about new organisations on the left. The Palestinian protests have already had an electoral impact on July 4th, combined with an anti-austerity politics. Again work in progress
Secondly the ejection of the Tories from Office after 14 years. The replacement Government is struggling with a very modest agenda in a situation that requires a robust one (think nationalisation of water companies). The broader picture is one of political turmoil on the right and centrist left. The movement around Palestine has the potential to make an impact.
Thirdly the presence of an active and organised anti-racist movement. There will be much work to do in 2025 but the grassroots reaction to the August ‘Farage Riots’ shows the potential
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