Labour Hub Editors

The Leo Panitch Leadership Programme 

 October 15, 2024

The Leo Panitch Leadership Programme is an annual programme dedicated to training up the next generation of socialist organisers and leaders.

Named after one of the most incisive, creative, and committed Canadian socialist thinkers of his generation, Leo Panitch developed an extensive analysis of global capitalism and the challenges faced by socialists. He argued that any successful political strategy for the left must be rooted in developing the skills of working class people.

Across two weekends over the summer and a final graduation day the following year, participants gain the skills to develop their organising and political education knowledge whilst working on a number of exciting campaigns and projects. They learn from some of the best organisers and thinkers across our movement and network with like-minded activists who are ready to take the next steps. This year there were thirty participants and the average age was 25 years old.

Applications for each year’s programme open in the spring. Not sure whether to apply? If you’re a committed activist and want to step up and take on more responsibility in the movement – then this programme is for you. 

Who Runs the Leo Panitch Leadership Programme?
Momentum in collaboration with experts from across the movement have come together to develop a syllabus of educational materials that draw from the experience and knowledge of a wide variety of thinkers, including academics, trade unionists and community organisers, from across the left both within the UK and internationally.

For the past four years, the Programme has welcomed facilitators such as Professor David Wearing who leads the Programme’s exploration of Imperialism and UK foreign policy, Steve North an experienced stage and TV performer and public speaking coach, and Councillor Santiago Bell-Bradford who developed the Programme’s material on class politics with comrades from Socialist Youth Austria. In 2024, with thanks to the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust, the Programme expanded to include sessions on State Violence and Racism, facilitated by Suresh Grover (founder of The Monitoring Group) and Climate Justice, facilitated by Asad Rehman (head of War on Want).

Interested in finding out more? Check out our FAQs here, and watch the round-up video of the Leo Panitch Leadership Programme here.