The fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool

FROZEN out left-wingers have vowed to stay in the Labour Party and fight to be heard.

Members of the remaining socialist caucus were at a conference fringe meeting discussing the future of the party as it prepares to form the next government.

Liverpool MP Kim Johnson told the crowded room: “We need to stick together and fight together. And while the party says that this is the most successful conference – it might be in terms of the corporate sponsors – but our membership has dropped significantly.

“We have to fight from within. People leaving the party is not great for us… people need to stand and be resolute in terms of fighting for a socialist Labour government.”

Coventry South MP Zahra Sultana told the meeting: “To put it lightly, it’s a challenging time for those of us in the Labour Party who describe ourselves as on the left, as socialists.”

She added it was important to stand with union members as they go out on strike, and warned parts of the Conservative Party were “mainstreaming” conspiracy theories, adding: “It’s far easier to cling on to power by turning people against each other.”

Ms Sultana argued the left needs to confront fossil fuel companies and focus on bringing “key industries” into public ownership.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said: “The reason we’re getting the Labour government is… Starmer’s a lucky general. To be honest, we haven’t done an awful lot to gain power, but the Tories have done enough to fall apart – and the SNP – to enable us to get into government. So it’s almost like winning an election by default.”

He added: “The problem with that is we’ve got to recognise what in-tray an incoming Labour government would have, and we’ve got to prepare for that.”

Mr McDonnell said a new government would need to raise “about £70billion” a year to recover following years of austerity and underinvestment in public services.

Mick Lynch, general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMTS), said: “There must be space for socialist values and socialist people right across our movement – in the unions and in the political part of our movement.”

He added: “Fairness, equality and social justice. That’s what the Labour Party … should stand for in this election that’s coming our way… When we’ve got the power, Keir Starmer needs to be advised: this movement will go on.”