Following the first meeting last Tuesday, which attracted 83 people, South Shields and Jarrow constituents have been contacting the Harton and Westoe Miners Banner Group, calling on them to continue and expand the campaign to defend democracy inside the Labour Party and Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
The next meeting will be held at the Ocean Road Community Centre in South Shields town centre on Tuesday, August 16, at 6.45pm.
John Watson, secretary of the Harton and Westoe Miners Banner Group, explained: “The response since Tuesday has been phenomenal. We seem to have tapped into a very strong current of discontent not only with the Tories and their continued austerity but with Labour Party representatives on the council who are happy to go along with Tory cuts against the most vulnerable in our borough in order to preserve their own positions.
“There is also big discontent that the South Shields MP has joined the undemocratic coup against Jeremy Corbyn who, remember, received 60 per cent of the vote in the leadership elections not even a year ago! The word “traitor” arises often.”
The former miner continued: “Our call for South Tynesiders to defend socialism and democracy in the Labour Party had had a fantastic echo. Within a three days of setting up the South Tyneside Defend Corbyn Facebook page we had 100 members. Our aim is to take that to 250 as soon as possible. We believe we can hit 500 supporters by the time of the election in September.
“We are delighted the Jarrow CLP voted to support Corbyn on Saturday. That is a massive step forward in our campaign and many people from that part of South Tyneside have joined our Facebook group.”
Mr Watson added: “When we turn these Facebook supporters into Labour Party members there will be serious change in the borough and people will once again be proud to be associated with the Labour Party, its leader and democratic socialist ideas.”
Places for the meeting on Tuesday are limited to 100, so people are urged to get there early to ensure admittance.