31.10.2019

LAW statement

It is a shame that the executive committee of the Labour Representation Committee¹ has decided to withdraw from the Labour Left Alliance.

Especially now, with a general election on December 12, the need to build a viable left alternative in the Labour Party and the labour movement seems to us more urgent and more important than ever.

For example, we are deeply worried about the way Labour’s national executive committee has taken over the selection of parliamentary candidates at the beginning of October. Many candidates favoured (or already selected) by local Constituency Labour Parties were left off the long lists. And even where leftwingers made it onto the shortlists, we have heard of more than a dozen cases where they were swiftly removed once a rightwinger or regional officer complained. Often, no reason was given beyond the party’s “need to exercise due diligence”. In other cases, reasons given for the removal include pictures of the candidate with Chris Williamson or posts criticising Israel. There is no right of appeal.

At the same time, the witch-hunt against Corbyn supporters has accelerated once more. Automatic suspensions have been reinstated and we have seen evidence of members having been suspended on ridiculous charges, which include sharing posts by Labour Against the Witchhunt.

In our view, the LLA has made great strides forward since it was launched in July 2019:

• Almost 1,600 individual supporters from over 450 CLPs have signed up to the Labour Left Alliance.
• More than 20 Labour Left groups have affiliated - among the latest are Swansea Labour Left and Northants Labour Left.
• Preparations for the LLA launch conference on February 1 2020 are well underway.

LAW is committed to continue building and participating in this important initiative and we urge all socialists and Corbyn supporters to join the LLA:
www.labourleft.org

(Note: footnote 1 at bottom of page refers to the above article, not the following one)