27.02.1997

Scargill voids again

As reported in last week’s Weekly Worker, Barry Biddulph, an SLP member in South London, has been ‘voided’ by Arthur Scargill. Below we reprint Scargill’s letter and Barry’s response

February 3 1997

Dear Mr Biddulph,

It has been brought to my attention that you signed a membership application to join the Socialist Labour Party on the basis that you agree to abide by the constitution of the party. It is clear from the evidence in our possession that this is something that you are not willing to do and are acting openly in defiance of the constitution and refusing to abide by the rules.

In these circumstances I have to inform you that your application for membership of the Socialist Labour Party was ineligible and therefore you are not a member of the party. I would therefore ask you to return your membership card no 1181 and on no account should declare yourself as a member of Socialist Labour in any circumstances.

Yours sincerely
A Scargill
general secretary/treasurer

Dear comrade Scargill

In a letter to me dated February 5 1997, but received February 14 1997, you claim that I am acting openly in defiance of the constitution and refusing to abide by the rules of the party. Yet you fail to substantiate your allegation. You do not present any evidence that I have broken the rules. Which rules have I broken? Which section of the constitution have I defied? You put me in an impossible position. How can I defend myself against an unspecific allegation? Nor have I been given the right to appeal.

Even the Labour Party and New Labour feel the need to be seen to formally observe bourgeois norms of natural justice. In contrast you have acted in an undemocratic, arbitrary manner. My constituency party has not been consulted or even informed. You do not even claim it is a decision of the National Executive Committee. When you were a member of the Labour Party you opposed bureaucratic witch hunts against socialists. Indeed, you have treated me in exactly the same way as my bosses, the New Labour Southwark council. They illegally prevented me carrying out my trade union duties for six months on the basis of general unsubstantiated allegations. There were no charges and I was unable to defend myself.

I believe you have victimised me because I have been part of a constituency majority and before that a South London branch majority who have had the temerity to exercise our democratic right to criticise the leadership and to seek to change or influence the policies of the SLP. It has been a great disappointment to myself and other comrades that you wish to stamp out those who ask questions or stimulate debate about the strategy and tactics required to advance the interests of the working class.

I should add that the membership have not been allowed to discuss and vote on the party rules and the constitution. This is in flat contradiction to your often repeated assertion that the members make the policies of the party. Ironically you have broken the rules by adopting the title of general secretary and postponing the party congress. The rules require a yearly congress and the election of the general secretary at the congress.

There are many other irregularities. The composition of the NEC does not conform to the constitution and so on. The truth is the constitution is hopelessly bureaucratic and many members would like to see it rendered more democratic. In other words many members have been compelled to accept the constitution, but do not politically agree with it.

I have been a member of the SLP since May 1996. I have been actively involved in building the South London branch, then later the South West branch and now the Vauxhall constituency. I will continue my socialist activities as a member of the SLP as long as I have the support of my constituency party.

Barry Biddulph
Membership no. 1181