30.01.1997

Revolutionary challenge to Ken Livingstone

Members of Socialist Labour’s West London branch living in Brent met last week to set up a constituency branch and make plans for the general election. They sent out this press statement

The foundation meeting of Brent East Constituency Socialist Labour Party on Wednesday evening adopted local communist Stan Keable as prospective parliamentary candidate against sitting Labour MP Ken Livingstone.

Mr Keable, who contested Bethnal Green and Stepney for the Communist Party of Great Britain in the 1992 general election, said:

“Those socialists who still think Ken Livingstone is not as bad as Blair, and Blair is not as bad as Major, should think again. Livingstone, Benn, Corbyn, Skinner and the like are misleading honest socialists into the dead end of Labour Party reformism, which can never get rid of capitalism, and Blair’s Labour government will attack working class rights and living standards as never before.

“Labour supports the monarchy. Socialist Labour fights for a republic.

“Blair’s proposed referendum of the people of Scotland is an insult to the name of democracy. Under his sham Scottish parliament, all the big decisions would still be made in Westminster, courtesy of an English majority.

“Democracy requires the right of self-determination for Ireland, Scotland, Wales - and England. In my view we need an independent, united Ireland, and a federal republic of England, Scotland and Wales, with the right of each part to stay or leave. At present we have a forced marriage. A happy marriage requires the right of divorce”.