21.03.1996

Socialist crusade

Dundee raises the flag

On Tuesday night a rally organised by Dundee Socialist Alliance heard speakers from a number of different political organisations, unions and community campaigns who expressed the need for a socialist alternative to the mainstream political parties.

Roy Meekison (FBU), a Tayside firefighter, and Graham Smith (Unison), a council worker, described the cuts in resources and attacks on jobs, pay and conditions that they are facing in their respective workplaces. Underfunding, dictated by the Tory government and meekly being implemented by Labour and SNP councils, would have a devastating effect on the provision of services.

With Dundee city council attempting to close six schools to save money, Mick Taylor from the Community Against School Closures Campaign (CASC) stressed the need for a mass fighting campaign to oppose these closures. He made the important point that it was necessary to oppose all school closures and not get drawn into the game of “our school should stay open; yours should close” - ie, divide and rule.

A speaker from the CPGB maintained that the “Scottish Socialist Alliance is an anti-capitalist coalition, which will give a voice to thousands of young people, trade unionists and community activists, who feel at present they have no political party to represent them. We aim to express the determined voice of young and old and magnify it through united action and struggle. I hope that the alliance grows until it becomes part of a party that can challenge the British state.”

Councillor Willie Clarke (Communist Party of Scotland) nailed the lie that a Blair government would be much better than the Tories. “There will be mass disillusionment with an incoming Labour government. Tinkering with capitalism is mission impossible.”

This theme was taken up by Tommy Sheridan (Scottish Militant Labour). He said there was a need to reverse “the ideological assault on the idea that there is an alternative way to run our lives, there is an alternative to capitalism.” He called for the redevelopment of the ideas of socialism, based on the eradication of poverty, and decent jobs, education, homes and health for all: “The Scottish Socialist Alliance should be involved in the day to day battles, in fighting for a radical socialist agenda.”

Nick Clarke