15.05.1997

For a democratic SLP

SLP: news and comment

Now that Blair is in, we must step up the campaign for democracy in the SLP. Without a democratic party, we will not be able to arm ourselves for the struggles that undoubtedly lie ahead for our new workers’ party. Without democracy in our party, we will be left fighting for the hearts and minds of the millions disillusioned with Labour with one arm tied behind our back.

In this vein, I am heartened to see that this weekend comrades in the North West are holding a launch meeting for the campaign for a democratic SLP. The success of this campaign - which is firmly partisan, in favour of Socialist Labour and the whole working class - is vital if we are to achieve the sort of party which can be home to the most active and militant sections of the class and win the support of millions.

This weekend’s launch will take place in central Manchester on Saturday May 17 from 12 noon. The meeting will be discussing, amongst other items, the outrageous voiding of SLP activist John Pearson and is organising around the slogans - Build the SLP! Stop the witch hunt! For a democratic SLP!

The sponsors for the Manchester meeting include: Ian Driver, Vauxhall SLP parliamentary candidate; Jim Flannery, Wythenshawe and Sale East SLP parliamentary candidate; Stan Keable, voided Brent East SLP parliamentary candidate; Barry Biddulph, voided Vauxhall SLP executive member; John Pearson, voided Stockport SLP secretary; and Steve Smethurst, voided Manchester SLP member.

Branches which have already made calls or sent motions for democracy to the NEC include Blackley, Blackpool, Cardiff North, Cardiff South, Cumbria, Trafford, Vauxhall, West London, Brent, Camden, Lewisham, Swindon and Wythenshawe.

Another very encouraging aspect of the campaign for democracy in our party is that Blackley SLP, home to NEC member Phil Griffin, reaffirmed its previous commitment to democracy in the SLP at its last meeting. This time, however, Phil Griffin was present for the vote and expressed his broad support for the intent of the motion passed.

I do not have the motion in front of me, but it called for SLP members voided to have the right to appeal in a disciplinary procedure in the spirit of the workers’ movement, with those charged with offences having the right to see the evidence against them. So far, none of the voided members, including the entire Vauxhall branch, have had any appeal or any evidence produced against them.

The national launch conference for the campaign for a democratic SLP will take place on Saturday June 14 from 11am at Conway Hall in central London.

There are now 23 weeks until our annual conference. It cannot be stressed enough just how important this conference will be for the future of Socialist Labour. In order for our party to be armed for the struggles ahead, it is vital that we win members, whether revolutionary or reformist, to the principle of democracy and openness. These are the best conditions for winning support within our party for a revolutionary programme.

Election reflection

Going over the election results in last week’s Weekly Worker, it struck me that I may have over-emphasised the difference in the votes for our party and the Socialist Party. Of course the SLP gained a larger vote than the SP wherever we stood, and this undoubtedly has a psychological impact, but overall, the SLP had its few excellent votes and the SLP/SSA had theirs. The overall averages for the parties were SLP: 1.85%; SP: 1.21%; and SSA: 1.83%. The other difference is that the SLP and the SSA are only one year old, whereas the SP/Militant has existed as a public tendency in the workers’ movement for 34 years.

Simon Harvey