Updated 2.44 pm
THE ANTI-AUSTERITY Alliance will be no more as of today.
The party formerly known as the Socialist Party will rebrand as Solidarity, it has announced.
The party says that the AAA moniker, which started life in 2014, was too narrowly focused and didn’t give a real sense of the scope of the party activity.
The AAA side of the alliance with People Before Profit currently has six TDs but it is not envisaged that this agreement will change. Instead, the alliance will become Solidarity-PBP.
A spokesperson told TheJournal.ie that the move was brought about to expand the focus of the party.
“The AAA was a very economically-focused name but we do a lot in terms of legislation and campaigning. During the marriage equality referendum people said they didn’t know we had positions on these things.
“The new name carries a sentiment that’s in society at the minute with strikes and movements across the board.
“It’s more about becoming an activist base.”
TD Paul Murphy told TheJournal.ie that now was the time to broaden the party’s outlook.
“You have to look at it as a process. The AAA was specifically set up to protest against the LPT and Property tax.
“Then it was about broadening the profile nationally, so it’s a logical step as part of building a broad left party in this country. It’s going to fight for the key economic issues and for the issues that affect regular people.
“But also it will fight against oppression.”
Murphy said the name “encapsulates the method of struggle needed to fight for better conditions”.
“It also offers a vision for the future. It’s a word that connects with a lot of people.”
The Solidarity-PBP grouping will be registered in the Dail, Murphy says, and he is in favour of a stronger coalition between the two going forward. However, he doesn’t agree that the fact that the two haven’t joined forces is an indictment of the left.
“If you’re going to build a clear left alternative, it has to be broader.
“Solidarity is open to all those who share an anti-capitalist, anti-oppression platform. The AAA-PBP project has been very successful so there’s a really positive example taking place of the left coming together.”
At a press conference this afternoon, Solidarity members also stressed that the new name comes at the time when the party is focusing on a range of other issues including climate change, abortion and migrant rights.
The party says name change is currently being processed by the Dail registrar and will shortly come into effect.
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