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Counterfire (group)

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Counterfire
PredecessorSocialist Workers Party
FormationMarch 8, 2010; 16 years ago (2010-03-08)
FounderJohn Rees (among others)
HeadquartersLondon
Region served
Britain
Key people
Chris Nineham, Lindsey German, Michael Lavalette
AffiliationsYour Party (until April 2026)

Counterfire is a Marxist and revolutionary socialist organisation in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2010, it runs a website and has published pamphlets under the Counterfire imprint.[1] It has its origins in the Trotskyist political tradition.

History

[edit]

Counterfire was launched on International Women's Day in 2010, following a split from the Socialist Workers Party.[2] Counterfire has been involved in social movements,[3] having created the Coalition of Resistance in 2010 (now called the People's Assembly Against Austerity).[4] The group was also involved in the Stop the War Coalition.

A number of Counterfire members, including Lindsey German, John Rees and Chris Nineham, have played prominent roles in the Stop the War Coalition, both before and after the formation of Counterfire.[5] In 2010, Counterfire was instrumental in establishing a new campaigning organisation, Coalition of Resistance, to oppose the Conservative-led government’s austerity programme, following a call by Tony Benn.[6] This group involved individuals including Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, Bob Crow of the RMT, Mark Serwotka of the PCS and other organisations which included Socialist Resistance, the Communist Party of Britain and the Green Party. The first convention for the movement was held in November 2010, and was attended by 1000 people partly due to the efforts of Counterfire.[7]

In 2013, this was supplanted by the People's Assembly Against Austerity, which Counterfire has continued to actively promote.[8][9] The activities by the people's assembly have helped increase Counterfire's membership by 210 members between 2010-2015.[10]

On 15 February 2023, the steering committee of rs21 called for the removal of an article published by Counterfire on 13 February for the article being: "which can only at present be described as transphobic and reactionary." Rs21's article was made in the context of the murder of Brianna Ghey, and their article also criticised Counterfire's positions on transphobia.[11] Counterfire's article argued that liberalism has affected left wing groups, that this is the result of liberalism's cultural hegemony, and that the left needs to "free itself from the dominance of radical-seeming liberal ideas". The article identifies these ideas as being critical race theory, the Decriminalization of sex work and gender identity (specifically conflating pronouns with biological sex).[12] An opinion piece published by Counterfire on 17 February acknowledged Ghey's murder and the vigils that had occurred in response, noted the need for support for transgender people, and mentioned the vigils that were occurring on 18 February. The article did not make mention of the article criticised by rs21.[13]

Counterfire and Michael Lavalette were majorly involved in the launch of Your Party's Manchester branch launch, and were criticised by Workers Power for a lack of transparency and being undemocratic.[14]

Counterfire members were banned from attending the Your Party conference in November 2025, with Michael Lavalette being told Counterfire was considered a disruptive organisation.[15] Lavalette was initially banned but then allowed to attend the conference.[16] John Rees alleged that the expulsions were done by people affiliated with Jeremy Corbyn to split Zarah Sultana's supporters.[17]

On 11 April 2026, in response to a leaked Your Party motion to ban dual membership for specific organisations, Counterfire spoke out against the ban and threatened to leave if the motion passed.[18] The motion passed on 12 April, leading to all members of Counterfire leaving Your Party.[19]

Political views and activity

[edit]

Counterfire believes in creating a revolutionary vanguard party via participation in a united front to campaign on issues. Counterfire's policies are the same as some held by the SWP, including the lack of transitional demands and internationalism through anti-imperialism.[20]

Counterfire was supportive of the Arab spring uprisings in 2011.[21] As part of the Stop the War Coalition, it opposed subsequent military interventions involving the UK in Libya[22][better source needed] and Syria.[23]

Between 2012 and 2013, Counterfire ran a left-wing café in London called Firebox, where it hosted political events aimed at building socialist ideas.[24][25] It also organised political theory and organising events including citizen activism day schools.[26]

Counterfire was strongly supportive of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party (2015–2019) but maintained an independent organisation and publications, rather than joining the Labour Party.[27] The organisation defended Corbyn against accusations of antisemitism and in 2018 opposed the Labour Party national executive's adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, arguing that it was weaponising antisemitism for political ends.[28]

In 2014, Counterfire advocated voting Yes in the referendum on Scottish independence[29][30] and supported the left-wing Radical Independence Campaign.[31]

In 2016, the organisation supported the Leave campaign in the referendum on UK membership of the European Union, opposing the EU as "an aggressive, free market, neoliberal project".[32]

At the People's Assembly Against Austerity protest outside the Conservative Party Conference in 2017,[33] Counterfire activist Shabbir Lakha confronted Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, who was then being touted as a potential next leader of the party, over his support for austerity.[34][35]

Counterfire members in the Stop the War Coalition and People's Assembly Against Austerity played prominent roles in organising the demonstration against Donald Trump's state visit to the UK in 2019 where an estimated 250,000 people marched through London against the US president.[36][37][38]

Counterfire supported the Clapham Common vigil for Sarah Everard in March 2021, where they interviewed Patsy Stevenson after she was aggressively arrested by the Metropolitan Police.[39][40][41]

Publications

[edit]

Counterfire publishes a free monthly newspaper as well as two weekly email bulletins: Lindsey German's Weekly Briefing and News from the Frontline. Through its publishing imprint, Counterfire has produced several books:

  • Rees, John (2010). Strategy and Tactics: How the Left Can Organise to Transform Society. Counterfire. ISBN 978-1907899003.
  • Nineham, Chris (2010). Capitalism and Class Consciousness: The Ideas of Georg Lukacs. Counterfire. ISBN 978-1907899010.
  • Rees, John (2014). The ABC of Socialism. Counterfire. ISBN 978-1907899034.
  • German, Lindsey (2016). Class: Wealth and power in neoliberal Britain. Counterfire. ISBN 978-1907899058.
  • German, Lindsey; Nineham, Chris; Meadway, James; Connelly, Katherine (2015). Marx for Today. Counterfire. ISBN 978-1907899041.
  • Connelly, Katherine; Graham-Leigh, Elaine; Ismail, Feyzi; German, Lindsey (2016). Marxism and Women's Liberation. Counterfire. ISBN 978-1907899065.
  • Alexander, Dominic (2018). The Limits of Keynesianism. Counterfire. ISBN 978-1907899089.
  • Rees, John (2019). The Corbyn Project: Dreams and Dangers. Counterfire. ISBN 978-1907899096.
  • German, Lindsey (2020). As It Happened: Briefings from two years of turmoil 2017-2019. Counterfire. ISBN 978-1907899102.
  • Graham-Leigh, Elaine (2020). Marx and the Climate Crisis. Counterfire. ISBN 978-1907899119.
  • Alexander, Dominic (2020). Trotsky in the Bronze Age: Why technology alone does not change society. Counterfire. ISBN 978-1907899126.
  • Graham-Leigh, Elaine, ed. (2021). Socialist Explainers: Short answers to big questions. Counterfire. ISBN 978-1907899133.
[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Counterfire Home Page - Counterfire". www.counterfire.org. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  2. ↑ Unknown (2010-02-16). "Solomon's Mindfield: Why we are resigning from SWP: an open letter". Solomon's Mindfield. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  3. ↑ "United front and trade union work". Counterfire. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  4. ↑ Kelly, John (2018-03-14). Contemporary Trotskyism: Parties, Sects and Social Movements in Britain. London: Routledge. p. 68. ISBN 9781315671048.
  5. ↑ "Stop the War Patrons, Officers and Steering Committee". Stop the War. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  6. ↑ "The time to organise resistance is now | Tony Benn and 73 others". the Guardian. 2010-08-04. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  7. ↑ Kelly, John (2018-03-14). Contemporary Trotskyism: Parties, Sects and Social Movements in Britain. London: Routledge. pp. 184–185. ISBN 9781315671048.
  8. ↑ Guardian Staff (2013-02-05). "Letters: People's Assembly Against Austerity". the Guardian. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  9. ↑ "People's Assembly hears union leaders promise anti-cuts action". BBC News. 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  10. ↑ Kelly, John (2018-03-14). Contemporary Trotskyism: Parties, Sects and Social Movements in Britain. London: Routledge. pp. 212–213. ISBN 9781315671048.
  11. ↑ rs21 (2023-02-15). "On Counterfire and trans oppression". Retrieved 16 July 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ Wayne, Mike (2023-02-13). "Liberalism's hegemony over the left". Counterfire. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
  13. ↑ Dunscombe, Maddalena (2023-02-17). "Vigils for Brianna: Mourn our dead and fight for the living". Counterfire. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
  14. ↑ Workers Power (2025-09-04). "'Your Party' supporters get organised". Retrieved 16 July 2026.
  15. ↑ Brown, Faye (2025-11-29). "Your Party co-founder Zarah Sultana refuses to enter group's conference hall". Sky News. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
  16. ↑ Croft, Ethan; Kenyon, Megan (2025-11-29). "The "witch hunt" at Your Party conference". The New Statesman. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
  17. ↑ Rees, John (2025-12-05). "Your Party's moment is now or never". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
  18. ↑ Moore, Willem (2026-04-11). "Socialists speak out against leaked Your Party 'purge' motion". The Canary. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
  19. ↑ Lavalette, Michael (2026-04-12). "Your Party: a squandered opportunity". Counterfire. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
  20. ↑ Kelly, John (2018-03-14). Contemporary Trotskyism: Parties, Sects and Social Movements in Britain. London: Routledge. p. 88. ISBN 9781315671048.
  21. ↑ "How the Egyptian Revolution unfolded: an eyewitness account". Counterfire. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  22. ↑ Jeremy Corbyn - Emergency Protest - Stop the Bombing of Libya Now! - Stop the War Coalition 20.03.11, archived from the original on 2021-12-13, retrieved 2021-10-27
  23. ↑ Blundy, Rachel (2015-12-01). "Stop the War demonstrators protest against Syria air strikes". www.standard.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  24. ↑ "The return of leftwing cafe culture". The Guardian. 2012-10-21. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  25. ↑ Landin, Conrad (2013-03-21). "Baristas of the world unite". Prospect Magazine. Archived from the original on 2017-08-11. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  26. ↑ "The class teaching young people to find their inner activist". The Guardian. 2012-11-07. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  27. ↑ "Corbyn is in the leadership race – don't just celebrate, organise!". Counterfire. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  28. ↑ "Defend Jeremy Corbyn: time to fight back - Counterfire statement". Counterfire. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  29. ↑ "No excuse for no". Counterfire. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  30. ↑ "The English left should stay out of the Scottish independence debate". Politics.co.uk. 2017-03-22. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  31. ↑ "Radical Independence Campaign launches 'People's Vow'". BBC News. 2014-11-22. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  32. ↑ Mohdin, Aamna (21 June 2016). "The loudest supporters of Brexit are on the right, but plenty on the left want to leave, too". Quartz. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  33. ↑ Lister, Sam; Bloom, Dan (2017-10-01). "30,000 furious protesters just parked their tanks on Theresa May's lawn". Mirror. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  34. ↑ "Rees-Mogg takes on protesters at Tory event". BBC News. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  35. ↑ Shabbir Lakha (2017-10-12). "Why I had to confront Jacob Rees-Mogg, and speak the truth about austerity". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  36. ↑ Williams, Chloe Chaplain, Sophie (2018-07-13). "Nearly 250,000 activists take to London streets to protest Trump visit". www.standard.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  37. ↑ Lakha, Shabbir (2019-06-03). "I'm organising the anti-Trump protests as the UK is no place for his hate". Metro. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  38. ↑ Freytas-Tamura, Kimiko de (2018-07-09). "Where Trump Goes in Britain, Protesters Will Follow". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  39. ↑ O'Reilly, Luke (2021-03-14). "Woman arrested at Sarah Everard vigil hits out at 'disgraceful' police". www.standard.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  40. ↑ Karim, Fariha. "Sarah Everard vigil: I was arrested for standing there, says Patsy Stevenson". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  41. ↑ "Woman pinned to ground at Clapham vigil says policing was 'disgraceful'". The Guardian. 2021-03-14. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
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