14.11.1996

SLP branch reports

Merseyside

Merseyside SLP has been expanding since its formation in Liverpool. Three branches have now been set up - in Birkenhead, Liverpool and District, and Knowsley. The region is planning to stand candidates against Frank Field in Birkenhead and against George Howarth in Knowsley North. Ex-CPGB member Alec McFadden is the SLP secretary for the area.

The region had a successful meeting last week with Pat Sikorski coming to speak. To the surprise of SLP members in London this Fiscite gave a very leftwing speech, describing himself as a communist and Marxist - not very compatible with his witch hunting activities and his conservative attitude towards the SLP: not wanting an SLP newspaper or to stand a significant number of candidates in the general election.

Militant Labour has a strong history and presence in the area, which perhaps influenced Sikorski’s accommodating attitude. In other areas the Fiscite leadership has ruled out all discussion with ML over the elections and joint work and has also vigorously discouraged involvement in the Socialist Alliances.

Merseyside SLP on the contrary has been careful not to stand candidates in the same area as ML. Ludicrously Sikorski, although admitting this was a good idea, ruled out the possibility of any formal ‘deals’ with ML. This is more true to his sectarian rather than communist approach to the working class and its organisations. Nevertheless at this meeting he did not rule out work and cooperation with other groups.

The SLP has been sending observers to the local Socialist Alliance but again Sikorski made it clear this should go no further and the branch should not set up formal alliances. The idea that the left in Britain should not be building stronger and stronger alliances with the aim of forging one Party is alien to most honest working class politicians and should be fought by all SLP members. If we allow the SLP to begin as a bureaucratic sect, there will be very little chance of transforming it into a Party of the class.

Bristol

This is a smaller branch with 25 members, which is still having a struggle to have an impact in the area. There are though many opportunities since the Labour council has been making vicious attacks on jobs and services in the area and is winning few friends.

Comrade Salcombe, the branch secretary, is also a regional secretary of the Communication Workers Union. Curiously there is a strong grouping around him that is against the SLP standing in elections, advocating rather a vote for New Labour, and is also against the party having a newspaper. Justifying this approach, Salcombe says we are not “electionists”. A familiar argument used by the Socialist Workers Party to completely write off the SLP. The idea that the working class should not use the elections to spread its political voice and should confine its struggle to the trade unions is used by such people to keep the working class hamstrung to the Labour Party.

A delegate from Leicester SLP which is standing in the elections is coming to speak to the branch at a forthcoming meeting, when this question will be discussed in full.

The branch is also having trouble getting hold of this month’s Socialist News. The branch secretary reports that this is because they were unable to pay for last month’s.