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Left wing MP's & trade unionists meet to reclaim Labour

Marxist_Mike | 20.07.2002 14:57

Report.

Left wing Labour MP's and trade unionists are meeting today at a conference to discuss a programme for reclaiming the Labour Party for the unions and working classes that created it. The New Labour elite has completely dominated the Party, distorting the original principles of the Party which are still held by the majority of members.

As socialists we should welcome this move, but remain cautious. The Labour Party has swung to the right many times throughout history, from Ramsey Macdonald, to Hugh Gaitskell, to James Callaghan. Tony Blair is just the latest traitor to the working class, but his extensive overhaul of the Party may mean that loyal Labourites have to look for an electoral alternative, particularly if revolutionary ideas seem unfeasible to them in this militaristic, neo-imperialist epoch.

What are the alternatives?

Scargill’s Socialist Labour Party is modelled on the Bolsheviks under Stalin’s control, with all power consolidated with Scargill. Thousands of socialists who joined the SLP at its original inception have been subsequently disappointed and left. A great opportunity wasted.

http://www.socialist-labour-party.org.uk/

The Green Party. Can be perceived to have taken the Left initiative with particular emphasis on ecology and the environment. However it is currently co-habiting on several councils with the Liberal Democrats, and are jointly pushing through privatisation and job cuts. Another disappointment, but they probably have the best of intentions.

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/

The Socialist Alliance is the favourite and most coherent alternative to Labour. Despite a relatively poor turnout at the council elections (with the exception of Hackney and a few other wards) the SA still remains the most exciting electoral project on offer. There are talks under way with the Socialist Party to re-unite the two after the SP's unfortunate departure. This will be a significant event considering the SP's very good turnout at the council elections, winning several seats, including one in Coventry with over 1000 (52%) of the vote. The unity represented by the SA will be the key to the success of the Left. Liz Davies, former member of the Labour national executive is now part of the SA and other disillusioned Labour members may seriously consider joining in. A list of individual Trade Unionist, Lawyer, Media Workers and celebrities that support the SA can be found at:

http://www.socialistalliance.net/about/supporters.htm

The SA has taken an active role in initiating the debate on the Trade Unions relationship with Labour, and the proposed democratisation of the political funds. It also came out strongly in support for the recent strikes, many members being Unison and GMB regional representatives.

http://www.socialistalliance.net

There are also some great Anarchist alternatives like the newly formed Anarchist Youth Network who do excellent work in mobilising activists to different causes and demonstrations all over the country.

http://flag.blackened.net/ayn/

The decision is, of course, up to you. Even if the Left is able to somewhat reclaim the Party, as more Labour MP's courting promotion lap up the New Labour rhetoric, the seeds are being sown for future Blair’s to take control and steer Labour towards oblivion.

The time to act is now.

IN SOLIDARITY.

Marxist_Mike
Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/socialistcomrade/

Comments

Hide the following 8 comments

Dont get your hopes up, folks !

20.07.2002 15:40

The decline in recent years has been too great to simply pretend that we can go back to the glory days of Old Labour. When indeed, WERE those days ? For all the talk about it, I cant recall when things were so very good, all dancing in the socialist sunshine, unless you mean Ramsay McDonald, Attlee or Wilson. Now there's a set of names to inspire !
No, lets get this in proportion. If the trades unions are considering calling a halt to the Blair Get- Rich Project, it will only be so if they get some direct benefit, and for we true lovers of freedom there MAY be a slight slackening off from the insane authoritarianism now taking over.

Acorn Tributor

No Going Back

20.07.2002 20:40

Acorn is right - let's not look backwards. Its over 30 years since Old Labour was in power. It wasn't that great - I just about remember it: hyper inflation, unemployment, urban decay, the state the answer to all our problems, male dominated trade unions - no thanks! The world is different. We need new solutions. We need alternatives not just to Labour but the whole meaningless ritual of election politics.

Richard G

NO GOVERNMENT

20.07.2002 22:08

GOVERNMENT IS THE PROBLEM!

FREEEEEEEE.......................

Time to wake up

21.07.2002 00:52

Don't you people think that it is time to wake up and see the true nature of the Labour Party (old or new)? Anyone who knows about classes could see that the Labour Party is truly a bourgeois party and all they are doing is acting in the interests of their class. Therefore I don't understand those who are 'disappointed' in the Labour Party. It is not and was never a working class party and is only doing what it is expected to do. Those who believe that the Labour Party can be reclaimed for the working class are nothing but naive. The working class must and will eventually create its own class party.

Class Conscious

the Anaser is Not politcal

21.07.2002 03:57

the anaswer is not political the anaser is not politcal or to strengthan any party the anser is to buld revolutionary Unions and organizations base on the needs of workers, tenets, consumers

as far as the male dominated trade unions are considered the remedy for that is obviosly more women menbers and leaders in the unions.

,Worker Indempendence,

Arise ye Workers

21.07.2002 11:44

The unions are coming much more to identify with their members and the needs of the modern day workforce. For instance 44 out of the 67 seats on the Unison NEC are always occupied by women to accurately reflect the membership.

It is important that everyone is a member of a union to maximise their syndacalist potential:

http://www.unison.org.uk/

http://www.gmb.org.uk/

http://www.tgwu.org.uk/

http://www.rmt.org.uk/

http://www.msf.org.uk/

http://www.tuc.org.uk/

I agree that a (non-bureacratic) mass workers Party or organisation is necessary. That is why the Socialist Alliance is so important, it's purpose should be to unite as many spheres of socialist thought as possible, because unity will be our strength. Independent activity is also important, like the dissemination of propaganda and local organisation.

in solidarity.

http://www.socialistalliance.net

Marxist_Mike

The left is divided

21.07.2002 15:34

Like many, I have felt betrayed by New Labour. Had I been able to vote in '97, I would have been taken in too, but Blair is more of a Tory than Thacher was! So what are the alternatives? The problem is there is not one huge leftist party to reflect our needs, but a number of small ones, Socialist Alliance, Socialist Labour, the IWCA and so on. Given the choice, I'd vote for any of these alternatives, but the problem is there is no one party large enough yet to attract the people away from New Labour. The danger is that people who disillusioned with the major parties will go to reactionary far right groups such as the BNP, which has been the case in Burnley.

Having said that, the Socialist Alliance seems the most promising alternative, although I haven't read into the manifestos of any of the others. If they had stood a candidate in my ward in this year's elections (Keele ward in Newcastle-under-Lyme), I would have voted for them, but the only choice was the Big Three, so I ended up voting Lib Dem instead, cause I think I should exercise my right to vote, I couldn't vote Labour cause I'm a student and they were the ones who introduced tuition fees, amoungst other thing, and I certainly couldn't vote Tory.
This highlights another problem, many of the small leftist parties are not spread far enough to have that much of an impact, although if they can attract enough people from Labour, they could be in with a chance. However, their tactics are not working at the moment.

Thomas J

Socialist Alliance

22.07.2002 15:58

I completely agree with you Thomas. It is vitally important that the SA grows, and comes to encompass as many organisations that broadly share their views and objectives. In order to grow, the SA needs more active members at a grassroots level to make the party more accessible and recognised amongst the general public. Work at a local level is important, the putting up of SA posters, the distribution of leaflets and just talking to people and arguing the case. Everyone I have talked to, whether in the pub with mates, or with the barber whilst getting a haircut, broadly agrees with the policies of the SA, but so few people have heard of them that it is hard for them to articulate their opinion through this organisation.

Everyone has their part to play.

In solidarity.