CROWDS gathered in Liverpool for the Socialist Feminist Fightback panel with left Labour MPs at TWT festival on Tuesday evening. 

Before the panel kicked off, the crowd clapped in solidarity with Labour MP Apsana Begum, who was due to be one of the speakers.

Ms Begum left Liverpool after she faced a torrent of abuse after the Tories’ spread misinformation about her support for Palestine.

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy said that socialist feminism has to be “completely inclusive, internationalist and intersectional.” 

She added that challenging imperialism and racism must be at its core.

Labour MP Zarah Sultana said that “lean-in” liberal feminism is seeking equality for “women on exec boards” and is okay with the structures we have in society. 

“A socialist version is saying we need to dismantle those structures because capitalism inherently exploits women and the working class,” she said.

Labour MP Nadia Whittome said: “We can’t be talking about women CEOs and the gender pay gap at the top. 

“We need to be talking about about the struggles that the majority of people face, like low pay, the extortionate cost of childcare, the epidemic of male violence and this culture we have on protecting abusers.”

She added that austerity should be taken into account, as it has a greater burden on disabled women and women of colour as they are more likely to work in the public sector and rely on the welfare state.