23.03.2000

Tatchell opposes LSA

Adding to the long list of splitting candidates for the GLA elections, Peter Tatchell, formerly the left Labour candidate for Bermondsey, south London, and now a leading gay rights activist with Outrage, has thrown his hat into the ring as an individual.

Spurning the possibility of standing with us on our LSA list, Tatchell has launched a 'Vote Livingstone for mayor and Tatchell for assembly' campaign. According to his press handout (see below), "He will fight for Londoners with the same passion and determination that he has fought for gay human rights." The statement concludes: "Peter can win. He is standing in the list section of the ballot and needs only five to eight percent of the vote to get elected."

"Only"! Some hope. While Tatchell is guaranteed a spot near the bottom of the poll - alongside jokers like the 'other' Frank Dobson - he might just steal enough votes to keep out an LSA candidate. And for what? The admittedly inadequate LSA platform nevertheless is outspoken in favour of full gay rights: "End discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual people. For full equality for same-sex couples. Defy section 28 - and fight for its abolition."

Had Tatchell joined our campaign, he might have benefited from speaking at some of the dozens of rallies being held all over London. He would have been free to put forward his own views, if he considered the LSA platform did not go far enough. Instead he is standing as a freelance, when clearly what is needed is a united push for a movement of the working class.

Tatchell joins others on the left who also appear determined to go it alone, thus eating into the vote of the only list with a realistic chance of winning seats - the LSA. Others who have so far refused all approaches for a single left slate are:

• Arthur Scargill's Socialist Labour Party, which is standing a list headed by Scargill himself, but including half a dozen ultra-Stalinites;
• the 'official' Communist Party of Britain, which intends contesting the PR seats, but is advocating a vote for New Labour in the constituencies;
• the Campaign Against Tube Privatisation, which, despite fielding a slate of self-proclaimed socialists - including Patrick Sikorski, Oliver New, Bobby Law, and the Socialist Party's Arwyn Thomas - completely eschews any pretence of upholding working class politics, focusing exclusively on "good public transport" and "London for Londoners".

There is still time for all these groups to think again. All that can be achieved through maintaining this sectarian stubbornness will be the strengthening of the establishment parties - particularly New Labour.