130

The photographic series 130 draws together past and present struggles for economic and social change, capturing a moment of resistance to the pervasive ideology that "there is no alternative." This phrase popularised by Margaret Thatcher encapsulates the belief in neoliberal capitalism as the only viable economic system and underlines the rejection of alternatives such as anarchism, communism and socialism.

While neoliberalism dominated global economics since the end of the Cold War, its fragility became evident during the 2008 financial crisis. With no credible alternative model ready to replace it, the burden of recessions and austerity measures fell disproportionately on those already facing hardship. Since then, alternative approaches have been put forward by figures on the left in Britain and America, albeit not without shortcomings. However, these efforts have been decisively rejected, leaving the Western world entrenched in its current systems and largely incapable of envisioning alternatives beyond continuing those systems under the populist right.

Yet the 130 series offers a counter-narrative to this malaise. It documents the Indie Labour Fest conference held on January 14 2023 at Manningham Mills in Bradford, England. The portraits represent the diverse and eclectic group of grassroots activists—ordinary people in communities who refuse to accept the inevitability of the status quo. Despite rising inequality and division, these individuals represent hope, resistance and a shared commitment to envisioning better futures.

The location and timing of this event were deeply symbolic. Held on the 130th anniversary of the founding of the Independent Labour Party (ILP), the conference evoked Bradford's radical legacy. The ILP emerged from the 19-week Great Manningham Mills Strike of 1890-91, when textile workers fought back against wage cuts and exploitation. This grassroots movement, built on union solidarity, laid the foundation for modern democratic socialism in Britain, championing public ownership, free education, votes for women and universal healthcare.

The photographs in 130 celebrate this enduring spirit of nonconformist thought and connect Bradford's historic struggles to contemporary efforts to envision and enact alternatives. Together, they counter "there is no alternative" with Keir Hardie’s invocation of George Eliot’s Armgart: "better to rebel and die... than bear the yoke of a thwarted life.”

The people who kindly sat for the following photographs (and also those who did not) on the day should be immensely proud of their continued drive, determination and belief in their vision of a better world.

Marisa Aiken, Anis Akhtar, Fazila Aswat, Sue Balcomb, John Baruch, Nicki-jo Baxter, Lee Boakes, Nick Booth, Allan Brack, John Brazendale, Paul Coates, Isabel Cooke, David Craig, Tim Curtis, Tina Downes, Mary Dowson, Kerry Evans, Saffron Farr-Hoey, Mandy Farrar, Angela Fell, Lizzie Fletcher, Neil Gibb, Steve Gower, Helen Halloum, Neal Heard, Ian Hodson, Maxine Hoey, Reinhard Huss, Ruth Ibegbuna, Charles Jepson, James Lock, Bridget Maguire, Jimmy Manning, Alex Mays, Paul McHugh, Ben McKenna, Nagbea NagbeaRod Nicholls, Frances Northrop, Martyn Oliver, George Pope, Dusty Rhodes, Neil Rhodes, Sara Robinson, Paul Russell, Miriam Schulten, Christine Selsby, Catherine Simes, Peter Spillane, Ursula Sutcliffe, Kirsty Taylor, Doug Thorpe, Richard Town, Thelma Walker, Anna Watson, Bobby Weaver, Jude White, Rodney Victor Williams.

Representing (in no order);

Mek Summat Creative, Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU), Bradford Community Broadcasting, Bradford Immigration & Asylum Support Network, Breakthrough Party, Equality Together, Green Party, Independent Labour Publications, Independent Media Association, Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB), Insulate Britain, Labour Party, Left Unity, National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), National Clarion Cycling Club 1895, Neighbourhood Democracy Movement, New Economics Foundation, Opus Independents, People's Alliance of the Left, Rekindle School, Solidaritech, UBI Lab Network, Unite Community Bradford, Unite the Union, United Peoples Movement, University and College Union (UCU)

Special thanks to the organising team for trusting and believeing in my idea, and also to my friend and assistant Nicki-joe Baxter on the day.

Link to Independant Labour Publications Report by Mary Stratford.