Michael Lavalette

[5][non-primary source needed] Shortly after, along with Iain Ferguson, he wrote a polemical pamphlet called 'Social Work After Baby P' that included contributions from academics, practitioners and senior trade union officers.

[6][non-primary source needed]During the COVID pandemic, Lavalette was instrumental in setting up SWANI (Social Work Action Network International) that brought activist groups together from across the globe.

In terms of academic output he is the author, joint author or editor of 30 books and pamphlets [7] In March 2021 he was awarded Honorary membership of the Palestinian Writers Union in recognition of his writing on, and activism with, Palestinian groups in Britain and the West Bank [8] Lavalette originally joined his local Labour Party in North Ayrshire at the age of 16 in 1979, but by January 1981 he had left to join the SWP.

He organised a solidarity day in Preston for victims of the Asian Tsunami and has led campaigns against hospital privatisation, Islamophobia, the wars in the Middle East and support for local trade unionists on strike.

[citation needed] A common theme in his political work has been solidarity with the Palestinian liberation struggle.

[11][12] In December 2010, Lavalette proposed a motion to Preston City Council calling for opposition to cuts, job losses and privatisations.

Socialist Worker reported that when it came to the full council meeting however, all the Labour councillors voted against this motion, and for an amendment supporting 'fairer' cuts backed by the Liberals and Tories.

[citation needed] Lavalette stood in the Preston City Council Elections: Town Centre Ward 2003 as a Socialist Alliance Against the War candidate.

He stood as a Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition candidate because the SWP had left Respect in 2007 and since joined TUSC.

"[23] Writing in June 2024, Lavalette said he had significant support in the Muslim community, but also among white working class people.