11.04.1996

SLP election campaign scuppered

Bureaucratic manoeuvre overturns members’ decision

Two Socialist Labour Party communists adopted as candidates for the Manchester City Council elections on May 2 have been barred from standing by bureaucratic manoeuvre. As a result, no SLP candidates will be fielded for the key City Council, while the less significant Metropolitan District Councils of Oldham and Tameside will have one SLP candidate each.

All four candidates were happily accepted by the Greater Manchester branch on March 13, but at the March 27 meeting the March 13 decisions were declared in breach of procedure by the appointed Northwest organiser, Phil Griffin, on the pretext that not all members had been informed in writing that selection was taking place.

The national leadership is well represented in the branch, which contains two members of the interim national committee, Phil Griffin and Paul Hardman. It also contains a group of members associated in the past with Socialist Outlook. It seems that procedure can be turned on or off to the liking of unelected leaders. The motion to stand all four candidates was re-put at the March 27 meeting, but was defeated by 11 votes to 6 by Phil Griffin’s motion from the chair that this would overstretch resources - an argument not used on March 13. The real reason was let slip outside the meeting by a branch committee member who asserted: “we are not having communists coming in to do a job on the SLP”.

The fact is that the day after communist nominations were accepted, the leadership flew into a panic. Having no-one else to stand, they scuppered the only two campaigns in the city rather than have communists stand.

Their lack of confidence is reflected by continued efforts to rush through and stifle debate. Key political issues are being swept under the carpet. The discussion to decide whether the SLP adopts a revolutionary perspective must be had out in the open.

In a discussion on the economy at the April 3 branch meeting SLP, communists raised the issue of revolution and revolutionary demands, to challenge reformists. Having first opened the discussion, Phil Griffin closed it with the comment that there is no need to discuss theory since the back of the membership card contains all the economic theory the SLP needs. What nonsense!

A majority for revolution can be won, however. In a meeting in Oldham on April 10 a discussion on the election tactic produced a clear majority in favour of revolution. The nature of the SLP is fluid and can be affected most easily during its formation. Many on the left in Manchester still feel excluded from the SLP by Scargill’s proposed constitution. They should not allow themselves to be intimidated. The fight for the party the working class needs is raging in the SLP.

Ian Farrell