17.07.1997

Confusion reigns

Around the left

We can see major developments inside the Socialist Party. Clearly, centrifugal forces could threaten to tear apart the organisation. If the SP was to entirely fragment, which is a distinct possibility, that would represent a significant step backwards for the workers’ movement.

‘Do your own thing’ seems to be the new motto of the SP. Not unlike the SLP, the SP has abandoned any idea of Partyism. Instead, bureaucratic anarchy rules. With regards to the national question, the organisations in Scotland, Wales and England seems to be going their separate ways - ie, the Welsh concern themselves with Wales, the Scottish with Scotland and the English with England. The poison of separatism has set in - and its looks like it might kill off the patient.

Of course, the same old left reformism is ever present in all the competing SP groups. Indeed, left reformism seems to be one of the few things that holds the organisation together. Comrade Alec Thraves, secretary of the Socialist Party, Wales, writes: “Whilst critical of the lack of powers for the proposed assembly, it will nevertheless be a step forward and can be used as a limited vehicle to advance socialist ideas in Wales.” Sound familiar? If so, it means you have read comrade Alan McCombes in Scottish Socialist Voice: “At the very least, an elected parliament brings the Scottish Office under some measure of democratic control” (July 4).

Wales or Scotland - the same opportunist logic. We also see the Socialist Party/Scottish Militant Labour’s ‘method’ of politics by opinion poll. That is, tail ending the masses - ‘Tell ’em want they want to hear’, and perhaps they will flock to your ranks. One day.

Thus as the desire amongst the masses in Scotland for self-determination gathers pace, the SML comrades take on a more nationalistic stance, start speaking the language of left nationalism. Conversely, as nationalist sentiment is not so intense in Wales - at the moment - the language of workers’ unity and anti-nationalism flows easier. Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with Marxism.

Thus, comrade Alec Thraves quotes various statistics to justify SP Wales’ opposition to any form of separatism: “There is not at this stage a large number supporting independence in Wales. A recent opinion poll put it as low as eight percent” (July 4). What if there was “a large number” supporting Welsh independence, comrade Thraves? Would SP Wales ‘do an SML’ and decide to become left nationalist?

McCombes loves to quote statistics as well - albeit in the other direction: “It is significant that among SNP voters 94% intend to vote for devolution. For this layer, Labour’s proposals are seen as a starting point rather than an end in themselves. Among Labour supporters, 79% say they will vote ‘yes’ to devolution. Yet only 26% of Tory voters favour any change.” The comrade’s unseemly desire to be ‘with the masses’ - a perfectly correct and laudable aim, of course - means he abandons a principled programmatic perspective and bows to spontaneity.

He makes the opportunist logic even clearer: “A ‘yes’ vote is strongest among the working class ... Socialists have to stand on the side of the working class against big business.” While this sounds superficially reasonable, it in effect means that the comrade is not prepared to fight for what is necessary - merely what is expedient at the time. What if comrade McCombes’ beloved opinion polls showed something different? Presumably, he would tear up all of SML’s ‘programme’ and start all over again from scratch. Hardly a scientific approach to working class politics.

Inevitably, the messages coming out of Scotland and Wales differ. Comrade Thraves favoured formulation is: “Our message to the Welsh working class will be clear: we stand unashamedly for a socialist Britain with autonomy for Wales - a parliament with real powers - within a socialist federation of Europe.” This does not sound the same as the viewpoint expressed by comrade McCombes: “We will continue to fight for a fully self-governing socialist Scotland, which will retain strong links with the other nations of the isles of Britain and Ireland.”

In other words, confusion reigns supreme in SP, SP Wales and SML.

However, what is clear is that the SML comrades seem to positively relish the prospect of the break-up of Britain. After discussing recent events in Canada, Belgium and Spain, comrade McCombes writes: “The referendum in Scotland is likely to usher in a new period of political turmoil and upheaval.” But, comrade McCombes, judging by the separatist/nationalist tide which threatens to engulf these countries, that is not necessarily a good thing. Is it?

SML needs to reject national socialism, otherwise it will lead the Scottish working class to disaster.

Don Preston