Advance apologies to those activists who don't follow the interminable squabbles of the ultra-left. If you're interested in the left's debates though, you might be interested in a new row that has broken out over the Marxist treatment of gay people - the first for many years. The Economic,Philosophic and Science Review (EPSR), a tiny ultra-Stalinist grouping and newspaper have been accused of having a history of hatred of homosexuals, women and 'single-issue' campaigns over the years. This week their paper (EPSR issue dated 20 July 2004) launched an attack on most of the rest of what they term 'the fake left'. Feminists, anarchists, Trotskyists anti-racists and even other state communists are all dismissed as reformist diversionaries and the leftist groups as 'PC liberals'. Most of all though, the article attacks gay rights campaigners, stating that an international homosexual network is trying to run the world. Whilst the group claims not to support homophobic abuse, they proceed to claim that gays are 'disordered' and a risk to children.

Such arguments are not uncommon - indeed, Indymedia readers will recognise common themes here from various right wing trolls - but the EPSR is the last bastion of naked homo-hatred on the ultraleft. As society has become more tolerant, even the political right has had to tone down its previous rhetoric against gay people. Supreme in its isolation though, and at war with almost every other leftist political current, the EPSR sticks to a Stalinist interpretation of human sexuality that most other groups have either long since abandoned, or else never adhered to in the first place.

The EPSR has previously been criticised for its refusal to condemn international acts of terrorism, which has lead to charges of heartlessness and of applauding reactionary elements of anti-imperialism. Unqualified support for suicide bombers, backing of Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe and indifference to the innocent who have suffered from terrorism are also common themes in the sect's writings. It is understood that some of London's radical bookstores refuse to stock the EPSR paper on these grounds.


This grouping are not particularly important. Another left wing group reports that they have a core of only three regular activists (Weekly Worker, 9.7.04). But if we are to build an inclusive movement and a free society, we are going to have to challenge the remnants of the authoritarian left in our meetings, demo's and actions.