New Premises Fund (1936)

Party News from the July 1936 issue of the Socialist Standard

The fund being raised to enable us to obtain larger and more convenient premises has now been open for more than a year and out of the sum aimed at, £300, we have so far received £182. We now urgently appeal for further donations to complete the fund at latest before the end of this year.

A list of donations up to 23rd June appears below.

Help! (1962)

Party News from the January 1962 issue of the Socialist Standard

The work for Socialism can never stand still.

There are meetings to be arranged, pamphlets and leaflets to be produced, the Socialist Standard to be got out each month. This is enjoyable work for the members who are engaged in it.

But it is also sometimes difficult work.

And the biggest difficulty is caused by lack of money.

We are planning more big indoor meetings.

We are in process of turning out two new pamphlets.

We are aiming at doubling the circulation of the Socialist Standard in the next twelve months.

All these activities are going to cost a lot of money.

So we are asking all our readers to help us by sending to our treasurer at Head Office as much as they can spare.

Day by day, capitalism itself is proving the urgency of propaganda for Socialism.

So this appeal is urgent, too.

Please help.

Blogger's Note:

"We are in process of turning out two new pamphlets."

According to the SPGB website, three pamphlets were published by the Party in 1962:

• Art, Labour and Socialism by Willam Morris (with a modern assessment) (February 1962)
• * The Capitalist * The Worker * The Class Struggle * Wages * Depression * Politics* (April 1962)
• The Case for Socialism (October 1962)

Help ! (1962)

From the March 1962 issue of the Socialist Standard

The work for Socialism can never stand still.

There are meetings to be arranged, pamphlets and leaflets to be produced, the SOCIALIST STANDARD to be got out each month. This is enjoyable work for the members who are engaged in it.

But it is also sometimes difficult work.

And the biggest difficulty is caused by lack of money.

We are planning more big indoor meetings.

We are in process of turning out two new pamphlets.

We are aiming at doubling the circulation of the SOCIALIST STANDARD in the next twelve months.

All these activities are going to cost a lot of money.

So we are asking all our readers to help us by sending to our treasurer at Head Office as much as they can spare.

Day by day, capitalism itself is proving the urgency of propaganda for Socialism.

So this appeal is urgent, too.

Please help.

Go For A Million (1993)

Party News from the November 1993 issue of the Socialist Standard

Do you want to support us in our biggest campaign yet?

Our plans for the June 1994 Euro-election are now well underway. We will be putting up genuine Socialist candidates in four seats: Birmingham East, Glasgow, London Central and Lothians. These constituencies are nearly ten times the size of the Westminster ones, so in our campaign we will effectively be contesting the equivalent of 37 parliamentary seats.

This will mean that over two million electors will have a first time ever chance to vote for the case for Socialism.

In return for the £4,000 deposit which we will pay, the Post Office will distribute our Socialist Manifesto to one million households. This will be the widest single circulation of socialist ideas in our history. 

So if ever there was a good time to make a donation it is now. Please send your contributions to Election Fund, The Socialist Party, (52 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UN) and please make cheques payable to The Socialist Party of Great Britain. To contribute through a standing order, write to us for a form.

More about funds (1947)

From the November 1947 issue of the Socialist Standard

In the September Socialist Standard we had a few words to say about funds. As. a result there has been some increase in donations to the Party. The position is, however, still far from satisfactory and it is necessary to amplify what we have already said.

Our current month to month spending on administering the business affairs of the Party Is very heavy. It is heavy because we are much more active than we were in the days before the war and costs of admintstration today are very much higher. Our higher income does not keep pace with today’s cost of running the Party. One important source of income is relatively lower than before the war. That source is the weekly dues from members. These remain at pre-war level. Next year’s Conference is to consider the question of increasing them. If the Party membership decide on an increase it will be with reluctance, and in any case a year or more would pass before such increase would be shown in the Party’s finances. Before such an increase could be felt and be useful the Party could he in debt or seriously hindered in its work. The Executive Committee has, therefore, decided to set up a publishing fund with an immediate target of £500. This fund will be used for publishing our new pamphlets and thus relieve the drain on current expenditure. This is absolutely necessary to meet the cost of publishing literature which it is direly urgent to publish. Confident, that the Party and its friends will respond generously to this appeal the E.C. has instructed our printers to go ahead with the first of our new pamphlets.

Please, therefore, send us your contributions now for the new publications, fund. Do not delay, our need is urgent.

Funds Organiser.

Blogger's Note:

The same issue of the Socialist Standard carried the following short notice.

URGENT

We must have 100 by the early part of December in order to get out one of two new pamphlets. Will members and sympathisers search their pockets right away.

North Paddington bye-election (1946)

Party News from the November 1946 issue of the Socialist Standard

In view of the forthcoming bye-election in North Paddington and the decision of the Party to contest it, we make an urgent appeal for funds. Elections need not only active work, but money for posters, literature, etc. What we can do is largely dependent on your support.

Please send Donations to:—

E. LAKE, S.P.G.B., Rugby Chambers, Rugby St., Great James St., W.C.1.

Election Committee Rooms are not yet available. Will members and sympathisers willing to assist in election work please communicate with Parliamentary Committee at the above address.

Parliamentary Committee

Blogger's Note:

The December 1946 issue of the Socialist Standard carried a report by Gilbert McClatchie ('Gilmac') about the Party contesting the North Paddington bye-election.

Funds appeal (1988)

From the October 1988 issue of the Socialist Standard

It is a long time since we made an appeal for funds in these columns and we do so only when the work of the Party shows signs of outstripping its finances.

To sell the Socialist Standard at 40p and to try to keep the price-range of our literature as low as possible involves a subsidy from the General Fund which slowly erodes it. Add to this the routine things like electricity, telephone and rates, and it is not long before we have to look round to see what we can cut back on, when we should be expanding our activities for socialism and going forward.

We are well aware that our fellow workers to whom we address this appeal have their own financial worries. If, however, you think it is worth getting rid of the system which produces them, please send as much or as little as you can. Cheques should be crossed, made payable to the Socialist Party of Great Britain and sent to theTreasurer at 52 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UN.

Go For A Million (1993)

Party News from the October 1993 issue of the Socialist Standard

Do you want to support us in our biggest campaign yet?

Our plans for the June 1994 Euro-election are now well underway. We will be putting up genuine Socialist candidates in four seats: Birmingham East, Glasgow, London Central and Lothians. These constituencies are nearly ten times the size of the Westminster ones, so in our campaign we will effectively be contesting the equivalent of 37 parliamentary seats.

This will mean that over two million electors will have a first time ever chance to vote for the case for Socialism.

In return for the £4,000 deposit which we will pay, the Post Office will distribute our Socialist Manifesto to one million households. This will be the widest single circulation of socialist ideas in our history. Our aim will not be to win votes from people who do not agree with us, but to encourage the largest number of recipients of the manifesto to contact us, support us consciously and then join us.

We have already raised £9,000 of the £20,000 we estimate the campaign will cost. So we still need more money so that we can print the manifestoes and carry out all of the exciting preparatory and follow-up work for the campaign. If ever there was a good time to make a donation to our funds it is now. Please send your contributions to Election Fund, The Socialist Party, 52 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UN (and please make cheques payable to "The Socialist Party of Great Britain"). If you would like to contribute a regular payment by standing order from your bank till June next year, write to us for a form.

Donations to Party Funds (1933)

Pary News from the October 1933 issue of the Socialist Standard

Your help needed (1956)

Party News from the October 1956 issue of the Socialist Standard

The purpose for which the S.P.G.B. publishes the Socialist Standard and pamphlets is to bring the Socialist case to the attention of workers who so far do not know it. The cheaper the price the easier it is to sell and the aim has always been to keep prices as low as possible. But keeping the price of the Socialist Standard at 4d. necessarily results in a heavy loss. Readers will have noticed that in order to save costs we recently reduced the quality of the paper. Even so the loss is running at well over £20 a month.

The best sort of help you can give us is to push up the circulation. If we sold more copies each copy would cost a little less than it does and the loss would be smaller.

The other help you can give is financial. You can give us donations to help cover the monthly deficit, and thus free our ordinary income to meet other propaganda expenditure.

At present we also need over £200 to reprint our pamphlet “The Socialist Party: its Principles and Policy,” and to publish a collection of articles from the Socialist Standard under the title “Socialist Comments.” Other pamphlets are contemplated. If you want to help, send your donations to the Treasurer, E. Lake, S.P.G.B.. 52, Clapham High Street, Clapham, S.W.4. Postal orders, cheques, etc., should be crossed and made payable to the S.P.G.B.

Blogger's Note:

According to this link on the Libcom website a new edition of “The Socialist Party: its Principles and Policy” pamphlet was published by the SPGB in 1956, and a pamphlet under the title of "Socialist Comment" was also published by the Party in 1956. (It should be noted that "Socialist Comment" wasn't advertised in the Standard until 1957.)

Donations to general account (1938)

Party News from the October 1938 issue of the Socialist Standard

Three Hundred Pounds (1935)

Party News from the August 1935 issue of the Socialist Standard

These words are addressed to those workers who want Socialism. Most of those who want Socialism and who agree that the method advocated by the Socialist Party of Great Britain for its adoption is the correct one, are already inside the ranks of the Party. There are others, however, who, whilst sympathising with our position, have not yet found their way to join with us in the organised work for Socialism. Whether inside or outside the Party, however, it will be obvious that, carrying on our work under capitalism, we need, if our work is to be effective, plenty of that exchange medium—Money.

Those who perused our last issue will have seen that our need is, at the moment, particularly urgent. We have to vacate our present, somewhat cramped, premises very shortly. The Party is growing, and in order to carry on efficiently the increased amount of work and the various new forms of activity, larger and more commodious premises are necessary. It is estimated that the minimum amount required to enable us to effect the removal and obtain a tenancy of the type of premises deemed most suitable is Three Hundred Pounds.

Now, fellow workers, it is up to you. If you want Socialism, then let us have the wherewithal. Those who have a banking account can send us a nice little cheque, or even a fat one, if your balance is well on the credit side. If you do not possess a banking account, there is a Post Office not so far away, who will kindly oblige with a postal order of anything from 6d. to 21s. in exchange for the necessary cash. If you cannot afford a postal order, even stamps will be welcome. If you are not in the Party, but know one of the comrades, he will gladly give you a receipt for your subscription, however small—but we would like it large, if possible! All donations sent to Headquarters will be acknowledged in the Socialist Standard. 

Now, fellow-workers—step on it!

Donations to General Funds and the New Premises Fund (1935)

Party News from the August 1935 issue of the Socialist Standard

Party Funds (1937)

Party News from the August 1937 issue of the Socialist Standard

Parliamentary Fund (1937)

Party News from the July 1937 issue of the Socialist Standard

Donations to Party Funds. (1938)

Party News from the July 1938 issue of the Socialist Standard

Answers to Correspondents: Why not a weekly “Socialist Standard” ?

Letter to the Editors from the July 1938 issue of the Socialist Standard

Why not a weekly “Socialist Standard” ?

Mr, F. Smith (Finsbury Park) asks why we do not publish The Socialist Standard weekly. We would like to, but it is impossible with our present resources. Having no paid writers and speakers, the S.P.G.B. has to carry on all its propaganda activities through the voluntary work of members in their spare time. It is quite out of the question to publish a weekly journal in that way. When we have the resources, only to be got through more members, we shall not be content with a weekly, but shall want a daily, the first Socialist daily to be published in Great Britain.

Ed. Comm.

New Companion Party to be formed in India (1995)

Party News from the February 1995 issue of the Socialist Standard

We have been in contact with a group of Socialists in India who will be holding a Conference in March at which they plan to form a companion Party of the World Socialist Movement.

We will be sending a delegation of two Socialist Party of Great Britain members to attend this Conference. Naturally, this will cost a sum of money. This is why we would like to make an appeal to any socialists who want to help spread socialist ideas in this part of the world to make a contribution towards the travel costs of this delegation. 

Please send any contributions (made payable to "The Socialist Party of Great Britain") indicating it is for this purpose, to:

The Socialist Party, 52 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UN.

Blogger's Note:

There was a report of that SPGB delegation to India in the May 1995 issue of the Socialist Standard.

Donations to Party Funds (1946)

Party News from the January 1946 issue of the Socialist Standard

Thousand Shilling Fund (1933)

Party News from the December 1933 issue of the Socialist Standard