Remarks by Jerry White of the SEP (US) at Grenfell Tower fire public meeting in London
24 August 2017
Jerry White, a leading member of the Socialist Equality Party in the United States, brought greetings to the August 19 public meeting of the Socialist Equality Party (UK) in London on the Grenfell Tower fire. Published below are White’s remarks, which found a strong response.
I’m from the Socialist Equality Party in the United States, the sister party of the SEP in the UK. I want first of all to bring my sympathy—and, above all, solidarity to the survivors of Grenfell and the entire British working class.
When we saw this in the United States, images of the burning tower, we discussed the issue and workers in Flint, Michigan and in other parts of the US immediately recognised the same process. This was a crime. The lives of workers and their families were sacrificed as a result of financial and political decisions which benefited the tiny minority at the top.
Whether you’re in the US or Pakistan, or whether you’re in Grenfell Tower, the capitalist system subordinates every aspect of life, including life itself, to private profit.
This is a unique gathering. This meeting is about discussing strategy for the working class. Our energy and our determination must not be diverted into some bogus inquiry or an appeal to Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party. We must base ourselves on an understanding of the lessons of history and a class analysis.
As the reports made absolutely clear, Grenfell isn’t the product of something that just happened yesterday. It was decades in the making. And it was carried out by Tories and Labourites in Britain.
If I can just for a moment review the situation in Flint that comrade Chris Marsden referred…