Dave Ward, Tim Roache, Carolyn Jones, Lauren Townsend, Navendu Mishra

After a decade of wage stagnation, it’s clear that workers need a new deal. With the growth of insecure work, declining union membership, and the rapid transformation being spurred on by the fourth industrial revolution, it has never been more important for workers to get organised. It’s time for unions to come together and develop a bold new strategy to address the imbalance of power in today’s economy. Join trade union General Secretaries and activists to discuss strategies for strengthening workers’ power.

Joni Cohen, Toby Sinbad Walker, Dr Chamindra Weerawardhana, Evren BH

This session will raise consciousness about transgender liberation, situating issues affecting trans people today within the changing historical relationships between gender and capitalism. What should be the role of trans liberation within the broader movement for socialism? What opportunities would a radical Labour government offer for trans liberation, and what would be its limitations? How can we address issues affecting trans people now - in work, housing, healthcare, sex work, prisons, and migrant detention centres?

Jonathan Ashworth MP, Lynne Segal, Rebecca Winson, Keir Milburn, Rick Burgess

There’s a 30% chance you will suffer from severe mental distress at some point in your lifetime. We are in the midst of a mental health crisis, exacerbated by cuts to health and social services. The causes of mental distress are varied: relationships, poverty, trauma, to name a few. Yet we rarely discuss the impact of the system we live in: neoliberal capitalism. Have changes in the way we work and live caused an epidemic of anxiety and depression? What role can Labour play in alleviating mental distress? And could socialism be the best antidepressant of all?

Since narrowly missing out in last year’s presidential election, Jean-Luc Mélenchon and his France Insoumise party have established themselves as the leading left-wing opponents of Emmanuel Macron. In a session introduced by Jon Trickett MP, Mélenchon explains his political vision, the tasks facing the left in Europe today and why we need a citizen revolution against our political elites, before taking questions from the audience.

Thanks to Jacobin Magazine for organising this event.

https://www.jacobinmag.com/

Raquel Rolnik, Ben Beach, James Murray, St Ann’s Redevelopment Trust, Sean Farmelo

Across our cities, for many people it’s a constant struggle to get by. Inequality is rife, housing is unaffordable and development under the guise of “regeneration” is tearing communities apart. Yet we rarely discuss the city in political terms. So what could we discover through looking into urban political struggles? Join a range of thinkers to explore how exciting and dynamic urban projects - both nationally and internationally - are demonstrating real alternatives to neoliberalism.

Clara Paillard, Stephen Pritchard, Rhiannon White, Peter Stark, Nick Mahony, Moussa Amine Sylla, Sophie Hope, Frances Northrop

Cultural democracy entails a struggle for the expansion of culture, politics and democracy beyond its current limits – its aim is to overcome damaging cultural hierarchies to help realise culture for all, by all. This session will provide a forum for participation to elaborate the draft ‘manifesto for cultural democracy’ to realise cultural democracy in our time.

Session by the Movement for Cultural Democracy

http://culturaldemocracy.uk/

@culturaldemo

Miro Griffiths, Dr Paul Darke, Julie Ward MEP, Simon McKeown, Dr Janet Price, Marsha de Cordova MP

The Conservative Government has created a hostile environment for disabled people and their families. What action is required to challenge the discriminatory practices that disabled people face? Join activists and parliamentarians to explore the ways disabled people are portrayed as a problem in society, how this contributes to their marginilisation and what the left can do about it.

Dave Randall, Eliane Correa, Lowkey, Lois Browne, Shingai Shoniwa

How can we use the power of culture against the culture of power? Throughout history and across the world, music has been used as a political weapon. Looking at examples from Love Music Hate Racism to Justice4Grenfell, this session asks how we can use music to promote justice, solidarity and socialism.

Organised by Left Book Club.

https://www.leftbookclub.com/

Saikat Chakrabarti, Julia Salazar, Lee Carter, Bhaskar Sunkara

The 2016 breakthrough of Bernie Sanders – and the more recent success of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – has put the American left in its strongest position for decades. Join a panel of American socialists to discuss the potential of this growing movement, what demands it should be making, and the obstacles it faces in making socialism mainstream in America.

Paul Mason, Dimitris Tzanakopoulos, Christine Berry, Joe Guinan, Laura Parker

*Apologies for the slightly dodgy audio quality here. Due to technical issues we had to rely on a back up recording. It does improve somewhat as the talk goes on.*

What will it take to bring about a fundamental re-ordering of our economy ‘for the many not the few’? What challenges will a Corbyn government face, from financial markets to the British state? How do we move from broad visions to clear-eyed strategy, sharpening our plans and mobilising the necessary social forces? What historical lessons can we draw upon, and how might we deploy our greatest asset - our growing movement - to deliver radical change? Come and discuss.