03.05.2000

CPB congress

Auto-Labourism under attack

Voting for New Labour has become so unpalatable that even the Communist Party of Britain, the Morning Star's 'party', whose programme specifies the road to socialism through a series of left Labour governments, is having difficulty holding the (Labour) party line. Hitherto, the 'official communists' have dogmatically called for a Labour vote, the only rare exception being where it stands its own candidates.

Its April 22-24 congress (incidentally, there was a "fraternal" guest from the anti-semitic and chauvinist Communist Party of the Russian Federation), saw an organised challenge to auto-Labourism which was only narrowly fought off by the leadership. The Merseyside amendment relating to the Labour Party and electoral work was defeated by 38 votes to 26 (Morning Star April 25).

Richard Aubery of Merseyside urged "flexibility" in the party's electoral strategy so that, "where an acute political situation renders it necessary", the CPB would have the option of withholding support from Labour. In the 1999 European Union elections, he argued, the CPB's call for a Labour vote was "unjustifiable" because of the Blair government's bombing of Yugoslavia. He was backed by Nick Kelleher (Wolverhampton), who ridiculed CPB policy of calling for a Labour Party vote. It was "in tatters", he concluded. There has, of course, been some considerable debate in the Morning Star recently over the London Socialist Alliance. Many have been pro, others con.

Perhaps the Merseyside opposition wants the CPB comes to terms with the LSA. Alternatively it may seek to reopen negotiations with the Socialist Labour Party? Harpal Brar, ultra-Stalinite London president of the SLP, referred to this question at an election rally earlier this week. Speaking alongside general secretary Arthur Scargill, he said, "The SLP would be only too happy to rescue the Morning Star under certain circumstances, but it would mean handing over editorial control." Hardly the sort of 'merger' the CPB tops would welcome. The Star, with its customary forthrightness, leaves us in the dark when it comes to such questions.

Either way, leadership loyalist Bill Evans (Leeds) argued successfully against "diverting" the CPB in "a sectarian direction" by turning its back on the Labour Party. Apparently putting the interests of the Labour Party before the economic or political interests of the working class as a whole is not something comrade Evans can recognise as sectarianism.

Another opposition emerged from the former Straight Leftist-Communist Liaison faction. Morning Star columnist Andrew Murray characterised the organisation's present electoral strategy as "a recipe for muddle and confusion" - an appropriate description, I think, when London members are told to vote Livingstone for mayor, CPB for the GLA list, and New Labour in the constituencies.

Calling for "greater flexibility and clarity in working with other left forces", comrade Murray wants the CPB to embrace total auto-Labourism. The idea of 'official communists' standing candidates in elections is a fundamental error. For him and his faction the Labour Party remains the party of the working class because of the union link, etc. This is what he means by "class politics".

Comrade Murray, supporting an amendment from Camden and Islington, seems desperate for the unions to save the Labour Party before it is too late. Urging a campaign "for unions to end their passivity and fight to take back the Labour Party before New Labour changes its class character once and for all", he called for "communists' attitude to the changing political situation" to be centred on the role of the unions, and on "class organisation, class analysis and the class struggle".

For the CPB executive committee, John Foster opposed the amendment as "electoralism" and "defeatism". A "turnaround in Labour's direction" was still possible, but it would be suicidal to abandon elections completely for the sake of comrade Murray's "clarity". "Electoralism", he said, would aid Blair and help to "make the Labour Party totally safe for big business". The Murray faction was defeated by 41 votes to 30.

Evidently reality is pulling the CPB in three directions. There remains the Straight Leftist-Communist Liaison conservative faction around Murray and the unstable majority around general secretary Robert Griffiths and Morning Star editor John Haylett. However there is a sizeable minority wanting to break from auto-Labourism. This is new and excellent. Whatever our differences, we hold out the hand of friendship to the Merseyside minority.