28.03.1996

SLP in Scotland

On March 23 the SLP held a Scotland-wide meeting in Glasgow. In his opening remarks, the meeting’s chair, John Milligan from the RMT, made it clear that the steering committee in London viewed the constitution, drawn up at a private meeting in London some months ago, not as a draft, but as a working constitution. At present it is suggested that the constitution will not be debated at the first membership conference in May, but can be debated at the 1997 conference! This undemocratic manoeuvre must be challenged.

There was also discussion about the attitude of the SLP steering committee to the Scottish Socialist Alliance. Their opinion was that the SSA was constituted as a party, and so membership of this would go against ‘their’ constitution.

A report back was given from members who attended the March 2 London meeting. Some of the discussion papers for the May conference were distributed, but there are more in the pipeline. A steering committee was set up and the next membership meeting was arranged for Saturday April 13 in Glasgow.

There is much groundwork to be done in Scotland, if the SLP is to become a powerful political force north of the border. Members need to be recruited, branches formed, action initiated and discussion started around the type of party the working class needs. Crucially, the Scottish Socialist Alliance needs to become involved and make the SLP its own.

Billy Campbell