It is very interesting to read about the IWCA and their plans. I'm glad I can read about things like this on Indymedia. It is very unlikely that you would read a story about this in the mainstream press - the mainstream media censor news items if the items don't fit in with the dominant (capitalist) ideology that we are told is the only way to run society.

However, I am shocked that Indymedia regularly censor posts about another left-wing organisation - Respect. Respect are standing candidates in the local and Euro elections in the Summer.

Surely Indymedia should be the place where I can read about non-mainstream events and initiatives that are excluded from the mainstream press? I want to read about what Respect stand for and what they are doing to challenge the status quo. Maybe I won't agree with what they say, maybe I will - but surely that is my decision to make, rather than have the Indymedia collective decide what I should and shouldn't read by censoring all posts about Respect?

Don't get me wrong - I think Indymedia is a brilliant news resource that can highlight the actions of people who are trying to change the world. However, claims about being 'non-hierarchical' seem to ring hollow if you are using a position of power to impose your views about what people should and shouldn't read.

Indymedia is NOT a bulletin board for political parties trying to get into power. It is for news relating to actions/grassroots campaigning.

Stop whining about RESPRECT. You have posted in at least 3 articles now saying the same thing.

Personally, i think this article should not be up on indymedia as it is not grassroots.

But i get sidetracked. You should be discussing this on the IMC-UK-features list not newswire.

The IWCA is a grassroots organisation. It's work is based in local communities, and involves hard graft on estates, thats why the "Left" hate them. No central committees, no paper-selling, no lollypop waving, just effective, progressive working-class organisation with a proven track record of success.

Good luck in the London elections and all future efforts.

Nice one IWCA. This is just the sort of activity we should be getting involved with. ANyone know if the IWCA has had enough nominations to get their candidate accepted for hte GLA elections?

We're very nearly there by all accounts, Nusrat. The political campaigning starts in earnest this week. If any supporters want to help they can contact IWCA at  enquiries@iwca.info

RESPECT/SOCIALIST ALLIANCE/SWP-ALL ONE AND THE SAME......

Whenever they do anything they hijack it, then ruin it like they did in Hackney over the Freedom Pass issue, there are still many residents in the borough being refused the pass which assists them in getting around in their daily lives and what did the above do at one meeting at Chats Palace? Instead of getting down to the nitty gritty with the manager who decides who gets and who doesn't they gave us a poetry session, if that's what we really wanted then we'd go to a poetry club somewhere else and not to this meeting where the issue was the FREEDOM PASS.

We didn't even get the chance to have it out with Hackney Councils official that night, he was allowed to make his excuses and leave, no way would this have happend if it had been the IWCA in Hackney we would still have an on-going campaign on this issue, but did we ever get the chance to fight against those respnsible for denying people in desperate need of the Freedom Pass? NO this was due to the above named bringing in members from outside Hackney to vote on an issue which didn't concern them.

What are these clowns from RESPECT/SWP doing about the housing estates with working class residents being moved out to make way for the developers to build homes for the rich and their middle class slave drivers? NOTHING.

What are they doing about the 50 million pounds Hackney have to give it's town hall a face lift while many estates in the borough have crumbling balconies and window frames and while estates are left in neglect so they can be handed over to various housing associations and their developer friends? NOTHING.

What are they doing about the 130 million pounds wasted on a sports facility in Stoke Newington which we can no longer use due to defects with the building? NOTHING.

What are they doing around the local issues of working class tenants and their rights to proper services which we pay for through our council tax payments and are not recieving? NOTHING.

What are they doing about the closures of Community Centres, Schools, Nurseries, Playgroups which working class families need in their areas? NOTHING.

If we vote for them what will they actually do for us on these issues? NOTHING.

These people actually have the front to call themselves RESPECT, who are they respecting then other than their own ego's.

Where were these people when the pensioners of Hackney blocked Mare Street over the cuts in their home help services? While pensioners had to deal with police officers wearing riot uniforms and carrying shields, this pack of shite from the SWP went around trying to sell their crap papers to everyone.

Do we really want one of these twats to be our London Mayor, they know their candidate will never make it so they'll split the working class vote, they can't stand what the IWCA are doing because working class residents are seeing a differance and if people want a better life for themselves and their families on their estates then they should come out of their homes and defend their right to better services.

In Hackney there is a lack of community centres nurseries, playgroups, and schools which are intergrated fully with every ethnic community.

There is a lack of affordable housing and rented accomodation which is only due to Hackney's plans to sell off public land to developers who'll profit from our misery.

Disabled people are still being discriminated against when it comes to the issue of the Freedom Pass, Hackney Passenger Transport Service, Meals on Wheels, Advice Centres, Housing etc.

So what are RESPECT doing for us working class? FUCK ALL!!!

I like + respect IWCA when you highlight neglected issues and take action on them.

I don't like IWCA when you launch into vitriolic rants against 'middle class' people or whatever which really don't seem to achieve anything.

Actions speak louder than words.

apart from self congratulating and being sectrian ,can someone in IWCA tell me your position on the iraq war and imperialism in general and whether you allow racists in your party.

i ask this cos i did not notice any one from iwca on the demos not even on the feb 15.
does this mean u support the war or take no position?

the race issue cos i worry that u do not engage in anti-fascist/racist work

kind regards

What has Iraq got to do with social housing in Hackney?
What has Iraq got to do with the Freedom Pass Issue in Hackney?
What has all the nursery, School and Community Centre closures in Hackney got to do with Iraq?
You talk about anti racist issues so explain to me what intergration means to you?
Tell me what segregation is and how it effects local communities?
Go on you think you know it all so explain it to us what the hell has Iraq got to do with the situation in Hackney with dodgy councillors taking bribes from developers/selling off estates/trying to get families to move out of London to make way for the rich/cuts in services/closures of schools and other community facilities and then tell me what you clowns who've taken on the name RESPECT from the annual anti racist event held each year what your doing about it all?
The working class people of Hackney and the people of London want something better than the crap their getting for their council tax.
Instead of trying to win points here why don't you do something for Londoners, seeing as that is your aim for your party to get your candidate elected as London Mayor?


Patrick McCrudden IWCA Hackney

Ad what's your position on North Korea, European integration, the seal culls and whatever other issue you've decided is important this week?

Who gives a shit - you're just spouting the same old lefty rhetoric.

If you want serious answers to your questions go and have a look at the various, very detailed responses on the IWCA national site. We've been there, done that and are tying to move on. You could maybe do the same if your various dead russians allow it.

The person above asks what the Iraq war has got to do with social housing, Freedom Passes, and nursery, School and Community Centre closures in Hackney (and by extension, the rest of the UK).

Well, I'm no expert, but if Blair and the rest of the shits in power weren't spending millions on an imperialist war to prop up US big business, then there would be more money for these local services that you care passionately about.

And what about dodgy local councillors taking bribes, you ask? Well when they see the prime minister getting away with lying, murder, locking people up without trial etc, these councillors know that what they are doing is miniscule by comparison. If Blair can get away with these things, they know they can try it on a bit too.

A defeat for Blair and Bush in Iraq is a victory for every working class person across the world, whether they come from Falluja, Nablis or Hackney. The IWCA should join the millions of working class people in the UK and across the world who support the anti-war movement.

r u surprised that housing and other services r being cut back in hackney when the govt is spending $$billions$$ on occuppying iraq.

what about the working class parents of soldiers in hackney who come back in body bags?

what about the working class people of the dense muslim community of hackney who are being victimise by the hysterical press . i don't know if u have notice they are getting slatted at the moment. they r the new blacks of britain.

do u side with these people or dont u have a position

the working class r attacked on all fronts, we have to unite our class against the bosses whether its fighting their imperialist wars for them , better housing, pay or whatever, thats what iraq has got to do with the good people of hackney.

if the iwca wants to represent the whole working class then good but if u are only prepared to represent only a section of it , then u will not get my support. i rather vote respect.

iraq and civil liberties continues to be an issue, u must have a position or r u scared of alienating the white racist working class supporters ?

Did I not mention INTERGRATION? How comes your still trying to score points you stupid trot?
Run down and neglected housing estates in London have fuck all whatsoever to do with Iraq, if you had of attended the Rehousing Fair 04 held at the Ocean Music Venue on Wednesday 21st you would have seen the goings on and it was happening to everyone no matter their colour or race.
Hackney Council have a flag ship scheme called FRESH START where they relocate working class families up north, one of the places mentioned in the fresh start scheme was Oldham an area with communities segregated from each other which has led to tossers like the BNP getting seats on the council there.
Muslims I have nothing against moderate thinking Muslims, I have many Muslim friends and these get stick due to the extremist wankers who state very clearly that all westerners should be killed.
Where were you when the BNP shits came to Finsbury Park? I was there defending moderate mosque users and there is footage to prove it filmed by Muslims.
If people join the British army and go to fight an unjust war where innocent civilians are killed in a country we have no business being in then they've made their choice and they can take their chances like everyone else.
My personal view is both Abu Hamza and Nick Griffin are both a pair of racist wankers, one hates all westerners and the other anyone who isn't white and British so fuck em both.
FUCK BLAIR BUSH AND AMERICA AS WELL.
FUCK ALL RACISTS.
FUCK ALL ARMS DEALERS.
FUCK ALL CAPITALISTS.
and fuck Britain for so many years segregating communities from each other.
Red Letter piss off and play with the fairies in the woods.

I have just read all the comments on this thread and have a genuine non-loaded question for the IWCA. Are the views espoused by Patrick of Hackney the same as those of Lorna Reid, the mayoral candidate?

I can completely understand why the IWCA wants to promote and emphasise the day to day issues that matter to working class people - housing, services, crime etc. There is no dispute that none of the middle class parties, including Respect, pay anything other than lip-service. But 'what is your view on the war in Iraq?' is a perfectly legitimate question and doesn't deserve to be met with 'what the fuck has that got to do with the people of Hackney?' Just cos we live on run-down council estates doesn't mean we can;t think about what goes on in the rest of the world. On my estate there are lots of views on the war. Some people are for, others against, some support the Islamicists, others as you say couldn't care less, but they are not the majority.

I am sure that Patrick's views are not those of Ms Reid, who has a background in anti-imperialist politics as well as local campaigning, but if the IWCA doesn't confirm this I ssuspect some people would be put off voting for them, thinking they are only being parochial and only considering the white working class or even a caricature of it to be worth addressing.

I think it's pretty clear that Patrick's speaking his own mind on this, but the IWCA's focus has been - unashamedly - on issues that we can directly affect and victories we can win as a class. This inevitably means directing our attentions to local issues that we can have some influence over; that doesn't mean that we don't as individuals have views on international issues.

Where the traditional left seems to fail miserably is in its obsession with having a position on every issue but no ability to make any real difference to anything. We've been criticised for not having a position on the firefighters' dispute, postal workers' strikes and the war in Iraq (amongst many other things) but the way I'd see it is that it's not the flag you fly but the achievements you make that people (and by that I mean teh wider working class population) will take notice of. We've slowly and steadily been achieving what we set out to do, while the old guard carry on announcing a new position every month (sorry, sounds like More magazine!) without any understanding of why they're making sod all difference.

Thanks for your reply. In many ways I take the point. I remember being intensely irritated by Socialist Alliance candidates for the GLA having platforms involving the abolition of university tuition fees and the repeal of I forget which immigration or anti-terrorist or criminal justice act. Both were things I completely agreed with but which the GLA has no say in at all. Likewise it's not like London could pull its troops out of Iraq - it doesn't have any.

On the other hand, it remains a reasonable question to ask a ccandidate and as the IWCA itself does not 'have a position' on the issue we have to focus on the individual, who I happen to know was opposed to the war in Iraq. Me personally that matters and complements her work to achieve the winnable goals you speak of. If another individual from IWCA were standing whose view on the matter was less clear, or who I definitely knew supported the bombing/invasion etc, I would certainly be quierying to myself whether their defence of local services made it worth voting for someone who supports or is equivicol about something I am so vehemently opposed to, and would probably conclued that it wasn't. (Sorry this is getting garbled, but you get the picture.)

here is another simple question for iwca (but equally for the SWP...):

what did you do when 8,000 council workers in hackney (and, therefore, many residents) where involved in a year long on-off struggle to defend themselves, attempt to rebuild their union and all in hackney against cuts. From what i remember it was limited to a leaflet slagging off the SWP and the 'failure of the left'... both sides - those who go for cheap snidey points from the SWP and the ranters (and cheap snidey anti-'trot' point takers) of the IWCA sound equally out of touch....

not an swp member asks what the iwca was doing during the 2000 - 2001 - 2002 UNSOn sruggle in Hackney.

Basically I remember they were key [along with the Sol Fed] in tryong to open up a 'second front' on the council through the rent freeze campaign.

This included aquite a lot of coverage in the gazette, meetings of up to 60 tenants endorsing a partial rent strike and support from 18 different TRA chairs -

The SWPs involvement in this was limited to coming along after the work was done