04.04.1996

Building on unity

The Kent Socialist Alliance is still in its infancy. But the united front tactic that is being deployed by this alliance of Marxists, anarchists and campaigners from a whole range of groups certainly seems to be paying off. However local Socialist Workers Party members in Kent are at present absent from our monthly meetings. They too should follow the lead of other groups and join us in effectively building on our strength in unity.

There are weekly pickets and petitioning of Michael Howard’s surgery in Folkestone - Militant Labour is standing a candidate against Howard in the general election. The Shell garage in Canterbury has also been picketed, because of its continued support for the repressive Nigerian regime.

It is good to see that such actions are now beginning to come from a united left in Kent and not just different isolated groups, as before. This should lead to more successful campaigning in the future.

This month we will be demonstrating against a pilot workfare scheme in Medway and will continue to picket and petition against Michael Howard at his Saturday surgery in Folkestone. A public launch of the Alliance will include a rally around the Justice Campaign. Speakers such as Paddy Hill, one of the Birmingham Six wrongly imprisoned for 16 years for the IRA pub bombings, will be invited to speak.

The Kent Socialist Alliance has a long way to go. But these alliances can be built upon and I hope many more such initiatives will be set up in other areas of the country, as Kent is anything but unique. The left in this country is incredibly weak at the moment. We cannot afford to be divided. Unity is strength and sectarianism does not belong in the fightback.

Chris Weller,
Kent Socialist Alliance