Latest SWP Party Notes

Tuesday June 14, 2005 20:49

by Masters Voice

Inside the tent

It can be most interesting to look into how the various parties on the left are dictated to from above. In the first of a series of reports Masters Voice gives you the reader an opportunity to examine at first hand the dictates of the SWP leadership in London. As these dictates are not readily available to those outside the SWP inner circle here or those as Harman would describe footsoldiers I give you the first installment.

PARTY NOTES 13 JUNE

MAKE POVERTY HISTORY
The deal announced by Brown over the weekend is pitiful. It involves the G8 'cancelling' only $1.2bn of debt per year. That is less than a quarter of what Britain alone has spent on the Iraq war. According to today's FT this money may all come from existing aid budgets and it only affects 18 countries - the ones that have pushed through privatisation.
The deal is designed to demobilise the protests. We should be saying we need to demand much more than this. But the crucial thing is that we need to make the war central and have a massive Stop the War coalition presence over the weekend and on the Wednesday.
The G8 protests will be huge. In many parts of the country the atmosphere is like the build up to February 15th. Activists at the Stop the War National Council reported that two trains from Leeds are already full, on top of this there are 5 coaches going from nearby town of Otley and some people are going by canal boat! Newcastle activists say 1,000 tickets have already been sold for their coaches. Visit the MPH and GR websites and you will see there are hundreds of coaches going from across the country.
Following Bob's call we can whip up a storm about the G8 in every school, college and workplace as well as getting everywhere anti war activists up to Scotland. This week council workers in Brent, Cambridge, Oxford, Camden and London Fire Brigade are organising film showings of the G8 film we advertised in Socialist Worker.
One teacher in North London sold 500 wristbands at her school. Rochdale NUT is paying for all members who want to go on their coach. In Devon one teacher has organised a coach jointly with the local UNISON branch to take teachers, pupils and parents to the Saturday demo. Many schools are now having 1, 2 or 3-day Make Poverty History events. One school in Oldham has an art project designing a new banner for the NUT on the theme of Fight Poverty Not War.

What is happening in Scotland:
1. Stop the War will be marching on the 2 July demo. It will have placards and green on white T-shirts saying FIGHT POVERTY NOT WAR. We want to make that the slogan that everyone remembers from the demo.
At the end of the demo StW has its own stage on the Meadows and will be putting on the best rally in town.
Groups are being asked to order the T-shirts in advance so that we have big numbers wearing them on the demo. They cost Â£7.00 or Â£5.00 for pre paid orders of 10 or more. Phone StW on 020 72786694.

2. On Sunday the alternative summit is bringing together leading activists from across the world including Fausto Bertinotti, Dita Sari, George Galloway, a member of Chavez's government, Lindsey German and many many more go to www.g8alternatives.org to book up.

3. On Sunday night Stop the War is organising a march through Edinburgh ending in a naming of the dead on Calton Hill. March assembles 6pm corner of Princes Street and the Mound. Stop the war will have a leaflet on the website in the next two days.

4. On Monday there is a protest to Faslane nuclear submarine base and on Tuesday a protest at Dungavel refugee camp.

5. Wednesday 6th is the first day of the G8 itself. The movement is uniting to march on Gleneagles. At present the Council is trying to stop the march. An open letter protesting this attack on the right to protest is available on GR and Stop the War's website. Use it to build your delegation.

How we respond to Geldof's call depends on what is happening and what is possible in your area. Wherever possible we need to be putting on extra transport and organising delegations from schools, colleges and workplaces for mass protests in Scotland on the 6 July. Tower Hamlets youth clubs are putting on coaches so we can build on that.
People who can't go up on the Wednesday should organise city centre protests where they are. School students against the war have called walkouts for the 6th (download their leaflet from Stop the War website). We should widen this call to colleges and union branches and try and have lunchtime protests every where which can build city centre protests. Make sure everything planned is reported in.

RESPECT
The Respect tour is now on the road and it has got off to a magnificent start. On Sunday over 750 people attended the Respect Rally in Birmingham. Helen from Birmingham reports:
All the speakers got a very enthusiastic reception, especially Salma, who got a standing ovation before she even spoke, and massive cheers when she called on people to demonstrate in Scotland. The audience was very mixed and just over 40 people joined Respect on the night and over £600 was collected at the meeting.
We also sold 60 copies of Socialist Worker at the meeting and one person signed up for Marxism
The Birmingham rally shows what is possible. Over the coming few weeks there are going to be a number of rallies all over the country. It is vital that we put every effort into building them as big as possible.
But the rallies are not a panacea for Respect. One off events are very important but we must make sure that every Respect group has a series of events lined up over the coming months. We have to make sure that these events are varied and imaginative.
80 people attended the first branch meeting of Bow Respect.
At very short notice around 65 people attended a local meeting in Walthamstow to discuss standing in a local council election. George Galloway addressed the meeting and got the campaign off to a flying start. The whole ward has now been leafleted. As Jo reports in Walthamstow, "There is a feeling that Respect can be a real party which it wasn't before."
It is also important that Respect plays a leading part in local campaigns, housing, protests against city academies and strikes.
Last Tuesday over 150 people came to a Respect picket of Bethnal Green fire station after the London Fire Department announced the removal of one fire engine in the heart of Galloway's constituency.
Recruitment: Wherever we are, be it at work, school, college or in our community organisations we need to be recruiting to Respect on a mass scale.
At last week's PCS conference around 200 delegates attended the Respect fringe meeting. This was by far the biggest fringe meeting at conference. George Galloway and Mark Serwotka both made brilliant contributions about the need to build a political alternative to New Labour. 17 delegates joined Respect
Four members of Stratford RMT branch signed up to Respect this week.
40 Joined Respect at the Birmingham George Galloway Rally.

SELLING SOCIALIST WORKER IN THE MOVEMENT
Sometimes it ain't what you do it's the way that you do it! We've talked a lot about the role that Socialist Worker can play inside the movement. The papers coverage of Respect and the anti war movement is second to none and we should be proud of the impact Socialist Worker has made. But we also have to think about how we
use the paper. In the old days it was simple. If there was a big event we'd stand outside a meeting or rally and sell. That was OK then but what happens now when in Stop the War, Respect etc we're helping to run the meeting?
Of course if there are big rallies we should still run stalls
outside (better that people see Socialist Worker than some loony tune rag)...but the key here isn't standing outside with the paper, the key is what we do inside a meeting. No trade unionist would ever finish a union meeting and go off and stand by the door waving a Socialist Worker around. As you chat to friends, finish off union business etc you'd sell Socialist Worker...one to one. That's exactly how we should use the paper inside movement events. We don't have to wonder round the room with Socialist Worker strapped to our chests, we wouldn't in a union meeting so why do it in the rest of the movement?
Just as Socialist Worker has changed to relate to the new
movement how we use Socialist Worker has to evolve too...we're inside the tent now not outside it and how we use Socialist Worker should reflect this. To get this right we have to break the separation between comrades who "sell" and comrades who are "in the movement". This method of selling only works if we really are all doing it. Just as we are all out to build Respect, not just a section of the party, we all need to have 4-5 papers on us to sell to activists we are working with.
And by the way...this works. At event after event we sell more copies of Socialist Worker to activists during the event than we do outside the front door.
£3 sub: Another way to make sure that every Respect activist is getting Socialist Worker (without worrying about whether you catch them at meetings or events) is getting them on the Â£3 subscription.
These subscriptions are coming into the centre at a rate of
knots...but we want to make sure that every SWP member and as many activists as possible "Never miss an issue".

save preference

Comments (29 of 29)

Jump To Comment:

autonomy?

by rodney sparkles

Tue Jun 14, 2005 21:01

...not a chance.

tis stuff like this that makes me glad to be part of the "looney tune" movement.

Dissent! might not be happening for all they say...

Yawn!!!

by simple simon

Tue Jun 14, 2005 21:06

wow, ure doing whats been happening on urban75 for ages, thats quite the insught

respect and the swp

by wondering

Wed Jun 15, 2005 00:56

Do the swp no longer recruit members. I remember the days when recruiting was the driving force. Have they lost all respect now.

more from inside the tent

Wed Jun 15, 2005 14:50

Please remember comrades Marxism is the only place to be this summer, infiltrate MPH and have some respect.

31 May 2005
LIKE BOBBY MOORE SAID “MAKE POVERTY HISTORY”

Bob Geldof is trying to throw a spanner in the works of the G8 protests. Not only is he organising a massive Live 8 concert in London on the same day as the MPH demonstration, he is also organising a rally/gig on the Wednesday in Edinburgh. This is the same day as the protest at Gleneagles. Although the final details of the Geldof rally have not been finalised it looks like the Pope is going to make a live broadcast and Travis and Paul McCartney are going to play!
On the front page of the TES – Geldof calls on school students and teachers to take the day off school – we should use this and call on school students to strike for the day against world poverty.
Saturday’s MPH demonstration is going to be absolutely massive. But it is clear that Brown is trying to use Edinburgh as a stepping-stone to becoming the next prime minister.
We want to be a central part of the demonstration, but we also have to be prepared to raise Labour’s real record on Africa, poverty and war. Our slogan has to be Make Poverty History, Make War History.
This is not a sectarian point, a growing number of NGO’s and anti-capitalist activists are critical of Brown’s agenda and tens of thousands of young people going to Edinburgh will draw the same conclusion about poverty and war.
* Transport - It is important that as many comrades as possible get booked onto the MPH travel. It is vital that we cover the transport on the way up and on the way back from the demonstration. We are asking all members from Birmingham northwards to book transport so that they can go on the Wednesday protest.
* MPH are organising meetings and rallies all over the country. We should be intervening in these meetings and organising our own MPH meetings in workplaces, colleges and schools.

MARXISM – ANOTHER IRON IN THE FIRE

Marxism is the only (???) place to be this summer.
If you are a Respect member where else can you hear George Galloway, The Portuguese Left bloc and the WASG (The Left Alternative in Germany) debate the way forward for the European left?
If you are a trade union activist where else can you hear Bob Crow, Mark Serwotka and Billy Hayes discuss the way forward for the union movement?
Where else can you find meetings on culture, Marxist theory and what other event brings together major figures of the international left to discuss the creation of a new left.
Marxism is the place to be and there are just five weeks to go. We have to go all out to build the event and it has to start now:
* Networks: We have worked with thousands of people in the StWC, Respect etc in the last few months. As we work with people building the Respect rallies and building MPH we have to have an operation (MV suggests Brain Surgery) to sign people up to Marxism.
* Flyposting: Every town centre and college should be plastered with Marxism posters. As soon as posters go up we get inquiries into the office.
* Phone rounds: There are still lots of members who have not signed up yet. We should be organising district / branch phone rounds to sign people up.
* Uni Students: Most university campuses have just a few weeks until the end of term. But even in the middle of exams there are students on campus…try a stall outside the library! We need brainstorm with students and get a target list for Marxism.
* Schools and FE’s: At every demo we come across mobs of FE and school students. We need to get down to the FE colleges and 6th forms in the run up to Marxism and dig out the lists of SWP members, Stop the War campaigners etc from the schools and colleges.

23 May 2005
THE SWP AND RESPECT

On Sunday comrades raised the question of how the party organises when the main priority is building Respect. We have to repeat the starting point has to be Respect. If we start with the internal question of the organisation of the SWP we will just be gazing at our navels and miss the best opportunity we will ever have to create a new left. The SWP has to fit around Respect not the other way round. For the time being we will have to be flexible about the form the SWP takes. But for the time being we need to continue to hold monthly SWP meetings (However over the next 3 or 4 weeks we need to be holding Respect meetings / Rallies). Secondly we need to continue with our sales, and then in weeks where Respect is not meeting we should hold branch meetings / caucuses to tackle key questions that arise inside Respect.
The essential role of the SWP branch is to organise the sales of Socialist Worker, recruitment to the SWP and build Marxism.
In election week we sold over 500 copies of Socialist Worker in East London, as you can imagine this was not a week when we were organising tube sales etc. At Respect's London rally we sold 319 copies of the paper! If you take out SWP members and those on subscription that means around half of the audience got the paper. There is a huge audience for Socialist Worker inside Respect. With a mass Respect we can build a mass audience for Socialist Worker without worrying about the weather on Saturday mornings! That means we now need to organise to get Socialist Worker to every Respect event. And we need to run a systematic campaign to win activists to take out a £3 subscription to the paper.
As far as recruitment goes we have already seen a layer of Respect activists joining the SWP. If the SWP is a driving force in building Respect then we can expect to pull many more of the best activists into our ranks in Newham we are already doing this, building Respect and building the SWP.

more insught (sic)

Wed Jun 15, 2005 15:20

Will John Rees liquidate the SWP for the sake of Respect?
Respect’s minor breakthrough in east London and Birmingham has strengthened the hand of the Rees-German faction of the SWP leadership against those they have dubbed the “conservative elements”, writes Mark Fischer. We can expect the battle the heat up, as the leadership demands everything must be subordinated to Respect’s “big time” project
http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/579/swp.htm

Appraising the SW Platform in the Scottish Socialist Party
This article was written in early 2004 for circulation in the Socialist Worker Platform, the organisation of SWP supporters within the Scottish Socialist Party. Gregor Gall left the SW Platform in January 2005 after 15 years of membership in it and the SWP.

http://www.whatnextjournal.co.uk/Pages/Next/SWPlatform.html

Let a thousand flowers bloom

by kevin mitnick - Justifed Ancients

Thu Jun 16, 2005 09:53

Internal SWP notes, fair enough. But as a commentator above says, they've been widely available at Urban75 for years. Parties such as the CBGB are on the grapevine, so this is hardly devilish skullduggery but a cut and paste.

The Irish notes are published once a week, and are available to every SWP member. Digital security being what it is, internal notes are usually designed to highlight examples successful fight backs to inspire local branches and campaigns. Other parties would, I imagine, follow suit.

Wonders aloud, are their electronic bulletins from the SP, WSM or Sinn Fein available?

We don't have one

by Joe - WSM per cap

Thu Jun 16, 2005 12:52

These sort of documents only make sense if you have a central leadership which tells the membership what to do. As we don't have such a structure we couldn't have this type of bulletin.

What we do have are internal email lists that any member can post to and a regular printed internal bulletin that any member can contribute to and which is distributed to all members. These and face to face meetings allow all members to decide the collective goals and tactics of the WSM. These are available in the 'Position papers' section of our website.

There was a 'leak' from what might well have been an old WSM on indymedia a couple of weeks back. It's about half way down the thread on Red Ink at http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=69884 if your curious

Individual branches also have considerable autonomy when it comes down to the implementation of policy - so your not likely to see the equivalent of a directive telling members how to hold the paper when selling it! That is an extraordinary attempt at micro management.

erecting the tent

Thu Jun 16, 2005 13:55

In answer to Sumple Sumon and Kevin.

Firstly I believe that posting the Party Notes is newsworthy, not for news wire but for other press as I agree it is not original composition.

Where possible I will link in future when I can.

Party Notes have appeared on U75, just for the last of couple weeks not for years ( with your extravagant claims Suman you wouldnt perchance be a SWP member?)

I do not directly link to there as:

(a) People need to register to read the link

(b) Direct links to their site are frowned upon by their management as then any head banger could visit??

(c) Indymedia Ireland Editorial Guidelines :
Cut and pastes. Posts that are publicly available elsewhere on the internet, or in the mainstream media. We do realise, however, that there can sometimes by a strong case for articles published elsewhere to be brought to the attention of IMC readers. In these cases, we ask contributors to write an original introduction to the article, highlighting its relevance to Irish indymedia readers and include a link to the article. Users can also choose post a short note and a link in the Media Updates link at the top of the newswire. In particular, articles that consist of an original introduction and contain several links to articles containing background information stand a good chance of being made into front-page features

If so called democratic organisations are hypocritical enough to issue dictates from above. I believe it is important to raise this with IMC readers. One only has to witness the plethora of Make Poverty and War History meetings(http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=70141)
For all your desire for originality, where did that slogan come from?

Sad bystanders

by Sergio

What a pathetic bunch you are. What on earth is wrong with having internal party notes? And in addition to the principle of the thing, I can't see anything wrong and/or scandalous about what's actually said in the notes you printed.
I can however see a problem with your editorializng - you claim that the notes aren't available outside the inner circles of the SWP. Anyone reading the notes can plainly see that they are obviously aimed at the entire membership of that organization. Of course because of the mealy-mouthed way you chose implication rather than direct statement, you can (and no doubt will) deny that you meant they were only intended for the leadership circles of the SWP.
I don't always agree with the SWP (but then again, nor do members of the SWP), but you are actually attacking the right of a political party to organize effectively.It sems to me you are encouraging people to be sad, cynical by-standers to any real movement.

sp email lists

by observer

Thu Jun 16, 2005 14:51

the ony one i'm aware of is the cwi one, but it does have two way traffic, kind of similar to the imc one, although obviously less traffic

fot the hard of thinking

by xswp

Thu Jun 16, 2005 15:35

I can't see anything wrong and/or scandalous about what's actually said in the notes you printed.
Marxism is the only (???) place to be this summer.
Marxism is the place to be and there are just five weeks to go.
(better that people see Socialist Worker than some loony tune rag)
MPH are organising meetings and rallies all over the country. We should be intervening in these meetings and organising our own MPH meetings in workplaces, colleges and schools.
With a mass Respect we can build a mass audience for Socialist Worker without worrying about the weather on Saturday mornings
We have to repeat the starting point has to be Respect

you claim that the notes aren't available outside the inner circles of the SWP. Anyone reading the notes can plainly see that they are obviously aimed at the entire membership of that organization. Of course because of the mealy-mouthed way you chose implication rather than direct statement, you can (and no doubt will) deny that you meant they were only intended for the leadership circles of the SWP.

Wrong. Prove otherwise

I don't always agree with the SWP (but then again, nor do members of the SWP), but you are actually attacking the right of a political party to organize effectively.It sems to me you are encouraging people to be sad, cynical by-standers to any real movement.

leave them then and join us the biggest party on the left xswp

The tone

by Mark P

Thu Jun 16, 2005 17:36

The thing that always cracks me up about these British SWP email circulars is the incredibly patronising tone. Each one seems to consist of two parts pep talk to one part scolding parent. That said, I suppose a news circular would have some uses.

By the way an article in the latest issue of the SWP paper makes it clear that they have been barred from involvement in the campaign for a new party initiative. The article says:

"Currently the Healy initiative does not include the SWP and whilst we are disappointed at this decision we hope that it is one that will be reconsidered in the near future."

Other than that the article welcomes the new initiative. It argues that in current conditions a left alliance launched now could gain a huge audience and goes on to talk about aiming for 20% of the vote.

Alliance or party

by Kit Kat

Thu Jun 16, 2005 18:27

The SWP want to set up a Respect style left alliance but the 'Healy initiative' is aimed at setting up a new party of the working class. Their 'alliance' is a very different class of an animal to a party! Anyway just like most people who know them for what they are, I read between the lines that those involved in this initiative would'nt touch the SWP with a barge poll.

kit kat is correct

by meeting attender

Thu Jun 16, 2005 23:30

For quite a few involved keeping the swp away was a prerequisite of any work on a new party. This has been comical at times - 'don't mention the war' type stuff when there are swp members about.

But the pace has been slow, there has been an effort to learn from each other and to talk mainly to other independent left groups and individuals rather than launch any pulicity or public drive. One of the more interesting aspects has been the very non-hierarchical approach that is being taken by people who admit that most of their experience is within hierarchical groups.

Clarification

by Curious

Fri Jun 17, 2005 15:18

Is it true then the SP too weren't invitied into this discussion? Just for the record?

An answer to curious

by Smilex

Fri Jun 17, 2005 16:22

"Is it true then the SP too weren't invitied into this discussion? Just for the record?"

The obective conditions weren't right to invite them. Just for the record.

other way round i think

Fri Jun 17, 2005 16:39

the objective conditions weren't right for them to say yes

Hold on

by anne

Fri Jun 17, 2005 17:09

Hold on, hold on, my partner Serg may not not have English as his first language, but the responses posted don't seem to address the points he made:
1 Whats so wrong with a political organisation having an internal newsletter?
2 Whats so wrong with the example from the SWP (Irish?)
Other, that is, than you may not like their politics
And no, I am not, and, to quote a phrase, never have been a membe3r of the SWP (nor has Serg.)

Partners

Fri Jun 17, 2005 17:49

Anne I think two objections can be made - neither of them are to the idea of a newletter as such but rather to the particular form of the SWP party notes.

1. They are orders coming from a leadership to a membership rather than a dialogue of the membership aimed at reaching a collective position. This only matters because the SWP pretends to stand for 'Socialism from below' while this newsletter is clearly an example of 'Socialism from above' right down to being told the right way to hold newspapers when you are selling them!

2. Some people are objecting to the instruction in infiltrate Make Poverty History. I don't have so much of an issue of this myself beyond it being an instruction from the leadership to the membership. Lefties getting involved in protests is as old as protests and lefties - quite why MPH should be ring fenced I don't know.

I do think that the SWP has been dishonest in its use of MPH slogans but that is really a pretty minor thing and pretty typical of its operating methods which have always centred on pretending to be the movement.

BTW I don't get the need to deny being a member in order to defend the SWP - if anything a defence would be much more credible openly coming from a SWP members - its not like you don't read indymedia.

there's not anything particulary..

by hs - sp (per cap)

Fri Jun 17, 2005 18:16

..wrong with party note, most large scale parties and unions would have this sort of thing. Or pages in their newspapers. It can be a way of informing members far and wide of what's happening in different parts of the country. And in any big organisation there is always different levels of involvement for family or work reasons. We can't all do the lifestyle thing, (or want to for that matter).
Can read a little condesending but i'm sure swp members don't take the thing litterally, at least I hope so. On the politics side my problem was always the swp having to be absolutely everything at the same time. And severe flip flopping with political positions.
But thery're going through so much transition now, who knows whats in store for the future. When I joined the Sp not so long ago (6 yearsish)swpers told me I was a reformist with illusions in capitalist parliments and all that stuff. Taking part in elections was not revolutionary, joe higgins iwasn't a real socialist just a centre left reformist cause he is a TD. Now look at them... practically begging us to join them. But again nothing particulary wrong with party notes, just depends what they say.

SWP

by Anna

Sat Jun 18, 2005 09:53

First, a mistake I made in typing - my name is Anna, not Ann
Second, I'm sorry - I really am not a member of the SWP or any of their parties. I don't even live in Ireland, and didn't actually realise I was in the Irish site of Indymedia.
You say I read Indymedia. No, not normally. Sergio drew the article to my attention, and he himself doesn't usually read Indymedia either - he says h just followed a link when he spotted the article we commented
As I say, I'm not a member of the SWP or their other parties. I live in an area where so far as I know they don't exist. Nor do any other left organizations. Whether I would join them if I could, I don't know. Many years ago I was a communist party member for a few months, even though I didn't think much of them they were the only show around
I do know however that I still see nothing at all to get upset about in theSWP Party Bulletin. Of course it's the leadership addressing the membership. So what? I'm not privy to their internal processes, but I wouldn't mind betting that the rank and file also address the leadership. It's out of that sort of dialogue that a leadership crystalizes, and is given the right by the members to guide the organisation's activity.
I can't imagine that membership of the SWP is compulsory, so that means it's a voluntary organization, and anyone who doesn't like it doesn't have to join.
I must say I've been disappointed - even shocked - by having a good look at Indymedia. It reminds me of naughty schoolboys and girls.
I don't mean people aren't sincere, but so many of your contributors seem to be silly, and obsessed with fighting amongst each other. Surely there are better (meaning worse) things to fight. In my case it's the apalling and continuing racism against the indigenous population.
I've never understood or liked the smart-ass comment "get a life", but now I feel like using it myself.
This will be my last comment. I've got a life.

Anna

by hs - sp

Sun Jun 19, 2005 01:45

it's the cut and trust of debate anna, it may suprise you to know just because we disagree and have problems with each other, we actually can and do work together in campaigns and generally turn up at each others protests. (outside internetland that is) We're not smashing each others heads in here, just debating on an internet site. And because of the nature of the site with anon contributors there can be nastier comments by some of the more immature commenters. some come on the site, to debate (or more immature commenters, score points) But it's just verbal, or written comment. I've never heard of a physical fight between anarchists or any of the left parties. Lots of verbals, but again it's debate and healthy.

Obviously you never visited the site before but in Ireland because of the lack of a left press, or any space for leftists to meet and debate, or any mass party that the left surrounds. Indymedia has become that space. And a good job it's doing too if you ask me.
.
And honestly I don't think either myself or joe were quite that rude to you. well anyway enjoy your life and good luck with your anti racism work,
yours comradely hs

The American experience

by Teamster

Sun Jun 19, 2005 11:18

Good to see the inner workings of the london cc being exposed here. In America (International Socialist Organization) we have learned the hard way.The SWP conducted an ever shifting campaign against us for a simple reason: we did not accept everything that emanated from Britain as gospel.The SWP’s ‘case’ against the ISO, such as it was, has been constructed on a mountain of lies. We have been accused of everything from “failing the test” of the 1999 Kosovo War, to “failing the test of Seattle,” to engaging in thuggery against ISO members, to authoring splits in other IST organisations. In fact, it has been hard to keep up with the changing stories as they have flown out of Callinicos’ e-mail box. In reality, the SWP is afraid of an open debate

The GR experience

by Trotwatch

Sun Jun 19, 2005 12:04

Dear steering committee

With regret we announce our immediate resignation from the GR steering committee. We are sure that many of you will have suspected our deep dissatisfaction with the organisation for some time, so we would like to clearly lay out our reasons for resignation.

It is no secret that GR is dominated and controlled by the SWP. Nor is it a reason, we believe, not to appreciate that it has been a vibrant organisation, which has carried out many inspired national and international actions and forged many new working relationships. This, of course, is why we became involved in the first place.

More recently, however, GR has taken on a rather more specific persona. It has become the mechanism through which the SWP engages with the European Social Forum process. Far from being an active, grassroots group incorporating different perspectives, as it claims to be, with some natural tensions cropping up from time to time, GR has come to represent a very specific agenda. The agenda has not been endorsed by the steering committee and it seems to us one which is primarily aimed at increasing the profile of the SWP within the movement.

While of course we have had concerns about this for some time, last year we sat through many meetings where we not only disagreed with GR but actively opposed its line, as iterated through leading members of the SWP being increasingly the only public representatives of GR. Within the ESF and more widely, we believe, the SWP has followed a course which endangers the process as a whole and is proving detrimental to the building of a pluralistic movement capable of radical action in the UK. As the ESF process gathers momentum in London, the situation is simply untenable for us, and we no longer feel able to lend our support, by being on the steering committee, to GR’s position.......

Best wishes
Naima Bouteldja, Nick Dearden, Asad Rehman, Omar Waraich

http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/516/gr.html

Concerned...

by Concerned communist

Sun Jun 19, 2005 12:10

Surprised, the CPGB have always (sic) been so supportive of swp in Britian and their publications are never full of articels on the workings of the british swp. Sometimes it would be nice to read about the cpgb in thier own publications. thanks concerned communist

The Birmingham experience

Sun Jun 19, 2005 13:34

It couldnt happen here, shurely not?

NEWS RELEASE UPDATE: 30th March 2004
CONTACT: Tony Nutting West Mids FBU Brigade Secretary
Mobile: 07958 ********or **********

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss: How the SWP-dominated Socialist Alliance leadership fed a fellow socialist to the wolves

Firefighter defies 'Respect' coalition and stands as SA candidate in Birmingham

Steve Godward, a firefighter of 24 years and an FBU divisional representative, was wooed by and stood for the Socialist Alliance as their candidate in Birmingham Erdington during the 2001 general election. Well-known in the area as an anti-racist, he is regularly harassed by the local far-right. He has consistently built good relations with local secular Muslims whom he was gradually winning over to the socialist politics of the SA.

A leading striking firefighter who was sacked during the 2002/3 national industrial action, Steve is currently challenging the West Midlands Fire Service's refusal to reinstate him following Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's February 2004 ruling that his dismissal and loss of livelihood was wrong.

The stress of losing his job on trumped-up charges took its toll on his family. Steve and his wife suffered clinical depression, his daughter was taunted at school, and his three-year-old son was removed from his fire service nursery by the same fire chiefs who sacked his dad.

But in a horrendous twist, not only has Steve received no support at any stage from his own political organisation - the SWP dominated Socialist Alliance for whom the firefighters should have been a cause celebre - he found himself fighting a rearguard action when he was victimised by the SWP and their associates.

i) He was purged by the Salma Yaqoub/Socialist Action/SWP faction in Birmingham along with a raft of other proven socialists from the highly successful and growing Birmingham Stop the War Coalition. In a notorious episode of electoral chicanery, described by Steve at the time as "a bureaucratic coup", democratic procedure was willfully destroyed and solid socialists found themselves under attack. The BSTWC is now all but dead except for the ruling cabal, with most Birmingham direct action anti-war activity emanating from the Birmingham STW Network which was set up by the purged activists.

ii) In a surreal bit of obedience training, the SWP District Organiser announced, "You'll be politically finished in Birmingham," when Steve was booked to speak at a Birmingham Trades Union Council teach-in on Palestine without their permission. Ms Yaqoub, BSTWC chair and now 'Respect' coalition leader, then wrote to the BTUC, hounding Steve into even this far corner of the movement, telling them they were supposed to work only through the BSTWC and use speakers approved by the BSTWC. The Birmingham Trades Union Council deny they ever agreed to this. Steve Godward is Birmingham Trades Union Council vice-chair and has toured Palestine as a trade union delegate sponsored by the FBU and BTUC for the purpose of twinning Birmingham with Ramallah.

iii) Justifying throwing Steve to the wolves at the 2003 SWP Marxism conference, John Rees, leading SWP Central Committee member and editor of the party's theoretical journal, publicly declared that Steve Godward - a victimised striking firefighter, a trade unionist and a socialist fighting for his livelihood - "represents very little".

Despite several email requests for solidarity, there has been no response from campaigning journalist Paul Foot, a fellow SA candidate. Similarly, prominent SA supporter Ken Loach has issued no response to the plight of this working class socialist.

And even though he kept his fellow members on the SA executive committee up to date on his case, Steve has received only a few replies from individuals, none from SWP SA executive committee members Hoveman and Rees, and has seen no SA campaign for his reinstatement to the fire service.

Yet the local media and even MPs from throughout the region are backing his fight, including West Midland Labour MPs Ken Purchase and Sion Simon, and Euro MEP Simon Murphy. Support has come from as far as Northern Ireland and the US.

Says Steve: "The irony is that I looked to the left to support me and my only help has come from the state. What does this say to working class people about the left?"

In an insight into the SWP's modus operandi, he observes, "They 'love-bomb' you and encourage you to get politically active so you think you're in a safe left environment and that we're all working together. Then they step back as soon you stick your neck out. With friends like these .... They're playing with people's lives. I don't believe this is what socialism is about."

The question remains: how to restore the left as a progressive force when up against personal ambition, abuse and lack of democracy.

As part of the SWP's apparent bid to scuttle the SA, John Rees, nominal SA press officer and now 'Respect' Unity Coalition national secretary, pressured out the two acting press officers so that by late 2002 there was no functioning press operation to publicise either the firefighters' strike or the 2003 local elections in which the BNP made alarming advances.

Steve Godward and the SA branches were left with no centralised media back-up during either campaign - as opposed to ample support during both the London mayoral and general elections.

"Without the press operation I felt we were all stripped naked and hung out to dry," says Steve. "All that earlier momentum was lost as everything came crashing to a halt.

"It's been an awful experience for all of us. My daughter has been taunted at school, Connor lost his place at the nursery, and both Bev and I have suffered clinical depression, so Prescott's ruling has been a blessed relief. Good news at last.

"In retrospect, it's clear that the SWP were intent on scuppering the Socialist Alliance in favour of their new 'Respect' coalition and never had the 'respect' to even discuss it with us. 'Respect' has attempted to liquidate the
SA, which is a proper socialist alternative to new Labour, and tried to force it not to stand candidates in the June elections.

"I'm forging ahead with the Democratic Platform of the Socialist Alliance (SADP) to bring democracy back to the left. Some SA activists have walked out of the SWP because they insisted on their democratic right to stand their own locall candidate, not one foisted on them by a tiny, self-selecting cabal of power-junkies, the new Labour of the far left. And, yes, I will be standing again in Birmingham Erdington as the democratically selected candidate for the SA whether the SWP and 'Respect' like it or not."

BTW: A friend of a friend was drinking with some leading SWP members in a Dublin City Centre Bar, nothing new there! It seems there is quite a bit of interest in this thread. I wonder will they actually contribute some thoughts.

teamster

Sun Jun 19, 2005 15:49

, the chances of a teamster and member of the iso coming on here is pretty slim. And somehow uses's the same type of alias as regular commenters. "teamster" is just too obvious mate.

The "In America (International Socialist Organization) we have learned the hard way." line sounds just too suspisious, go on tell us what party you're really in!

tooot toot

by Masters Voice - anything but

Tue Jun 21, 2005 23:31

Dear Everyone,

With less than two weeks to go, it's time to get yourselves sorted for Edinburgh!
There is still space on the Globalise Resistance train, the best way of getting there.

Speakers featuring on our train include:

George Monbiot, Guardian columnist
Barzini Tanoh, National Coalition Against Privatisation, Ghana
Trevor Ngwane, Anti-Privatisation Forum, South Africa
John Vidal, Envirionment Editor, Guardian
Alex Callinicos, Globalise Resistance
Sami Ramadani, Guardian Columnist

For a bonus point can you tell me who is a member of the SWPcc who is too embaressed to declare there allegiance a certain Party?

You just cant make it up!

Thu Jun 23, 2005 05:03

Party notes were a bit boring this week to be honest.

So especially for Simple Simon I present a choice cut from U75 of a report from the David Shayler/ Larry O'Hare public meeting that was held last night in London.
Interestingly Shayler(ex M15) will be speaking at the only place to be this summer

'Shayler was typically evasive on matters such as Class War (the new story is that there were two assets connected with CW - Andy Bryant being one but the other a Met Police spy in the anarchist milieu generally as well as CW Shayler wouldn't name) and professed not to know much about MI5 penetration of the SWP although Anne Machon worked on the desk monitoring them and writing reports on them. After questioning, Shayler stated that there were definitely 14 agents inside the SWP (the Hollingsworth/Fielding book suggests 25 in total but this might have included Militant too) and that these were whittled down to a 'handful' - the implication being that the SWP is still heavily penetrated, and, as Larry said at the meeting, key personnel in the SWP are now liquidating the organisation into Galloway's Respect - MI5 interest in the monitoring of young Muslims particularly is already well known. There must still be agents run in the SWP and other groups. Shayler suggested that Stop the War would be monitored now. Larry read from new SB guidelines showing that anti-globalisation activists are amongst other groups being monitored (AR, anti-EU, anarchists, anti-G8, left generally, MAB).'

The meeting was filmed and an MP3 of it shall be put on the net for those unable to attend.

I will post details as soon as I get them.

Number of comments per page

Upcoming Events

New Events

Other Press

User Preferences

Feeds

Blog Feeds

Anti-Empire

The Saker

Public Inquiry

Human Rights in Ireland

Latest SWP Party Notes

Comments (29 of 29)