12.11.1998

Destroying themselves

Statement by expelled Merseyside Socialist Party comrades, October 1998

Together with London, Liverpool has the longest record of Trotskyist organisation in England, spanning some 60 plus years. More importantly throughout that history Liverpool has always been involved in struggles.

Unfortunately, throughout its history Trotskyism has been bedevilled by splits and conflicts over leadership, leading to the creation of a multitude of ‘parties’, leagues and tendencies. Much of this has come about because the ‘leaders’ have been isolated and removed from the actual mass activities. In the late 1940s the Revolutionary Communist Party imploded after the expulsion of a series of leading figures. Now in a surreal rerun, history has come full circle.

On October 18 1998 the national committee of the Socialist Party (formerly Militant) suspended with no right to appeal the entire membership of the Merseyside regional committee. This effectively amounts to expulsion. The reasons lie in the political and organisational challenge mounted by Merseyside against a national leadership which regards political and organisational differences as a heresy.

The political differences centre around perspectives for capitalism worldwide, trade union issues, the possibilities of building a new workers’ party, together with severe criticisms of the financial and organisational running of the party.

As differences have unfolded the true nature of the organisation has been revealed. Whilst professing to promote political debate and democratic methods, the national leadership of the Socialist Party has chosen in action to use completely contrary methods.

This has not happened in isolation. In the last two years comrades in the USA, Pakistan and Germany have been expelled. In Scotland, Militant Labour is for all intents and purposes regarded by the London-based leadership as being outside the orbit of ‘their’ organisation. Further divisions, splits and expulsions have opened up in France, Australia and in Britain.

The response to the expulsion of Merseyside will be to further widen this crisis. Throughout England and Wales there is opposition: in Manchester, Tyneside, London, South West, Wales, Yorkshire and the Eastern Region. Support for the national leadership is largely confined to London. The NC is split down the middle. Voting figures at the national committee demonstrate this and signal the depth of the crisis within the party. Out of a national committee of 80 plus only 50 participated in the vote for expulsion and out of the 36 who voted for expulsion, 20 plus were from London.

On Merseyside itself only a handful of people support the national leadership. Prominent amongst these are two comrades expelled by Kinnock, in the 1980s, from the Liverpool District Labour Party, as part of a group of nine. The nine had 141 years membership of the Labour Party. The regional committee members, expelled in October 1998, have 214 years of membership in the Militant/SP. Perhaps even more damning is the fact that one of the comrades supporting the national line is currently leading a campaign for democracy in Unison - yet supported the expulsions, without any procedures or recourse to the laws of natural justice.

Given the whole history of expulsion, surcharges, press assassination and organisational actions taken against Merseyside, it is not surprising that these actions have led to anger, revulsion and a massive show of support from active trade unionists and socialists for the Merseyside regional committee.

Significantly not one individual who played a prominent role in the Liverpool council battles of the 1980s, the expulsions from the Labour Party, the poll tax fight, the events around the Walton by-election, the defence of Terry Fields MP in Broadgreen or the marathon dispute of the dockers has come out in support of the national Socialist Party leadership; in fact the very contrary is the case. The dock shop stewards stand in total solidarity with the comrades on Merseyside. Without exception those who stood shoulder to shoulder during these events, who adopted a principled and collective stance, have supported the Merseyside regional committee, because of their recognition of the contribution made. No amount of organisational or financial smears will ever detract from this.

As history proves, those who resort to organisational measures to solve political differences inevitably destroy themselves. The irony of the national Socialist Party leadership expelling those who were expelled by Kinnock’s Labour Party and using the same methods that they vehemently complained about will not be missed. What applied to the Labour Party in the 1980s will now apply to the Socialist Party - those who voted for expulsion will only ever be remembered for this act; those who were expelled will always be remembered for their independence and integrity.

What, therefore, will happen on Merseyside? Firstly we are proud to continue to uphold the traditions which began 60 years ago. However, we also recognise that the labels of yesterday do nothing to represent the reality of today. In other words we are prepared to discuss with and learn from all political tendencies that stand on the basis of fighting for a democratic socialist society. Secondly there is no intention of repeating past history and declaring a new ‘party’. Thirdly we do not ask that anyone take our word for what has gone on in the party. In the next couple of months a full account of the political differences and debates will be published, electronically and in printed form. Individuals, parties and history can then make a judgement.

Instead Merseyside socialists will continue the work of the last 20-30 years: stand by workers in struggle, promote revolutionary socialist ideas locally, regionally and internationally and work with other socialists to create a new mass workers’ party. Nothing on Merseyside, in this sense, has changed.