31.05.2000

Fight for 50+

The May 28 aggregate of CPGB members discussed our role in the London Socialist Alliance, launching an all-United Kingdom Socialist Alliance and standing at least 50 candidates under a socialist alliance banner at the forthcoming general election. Other items included the Republican Communist Network, the crisis in the Socialist Party in England and Wales, Communist University 2000, and setting pledges for our £20,000 Summer Offensive fundraising drive over the months of June and July - the bulk of which will be ploughed into our LSA and general election work.

The report on the London Socialist Alliance was given by comrade Marcus Larsen. He spoke about the positive role of the Socialist Workers Party, the growth of trust between most of the component groups and the prospects for the LSA in London. He also highlighted plans for a socialist alliance across the whole of the United Kingdom and the perspectives of the Provisional Central Committee.

The importance of the LSA cannot be overestimated: it is a "major realignment of the left", the comrade said. Since the collapse of 'official communism' and with the de-Labourisation of Labour under Blair there has been a small but growing "vacuum on the left", which none of the groups and sects have been capable of filling alone. The LSA has succeeded in laying the basis for a viable socialist alternative to Blairism through its inclusive and democratic approach. By so doing it has become the model for socialist alliances in other parts of the UK and to some extent acts as a pole of attraction for independent socialists outside and even some comrades inside the Labour Party.

It was agreed that at the June 11 LSA conference the CPGB will fully back the call for an all-UK challenge to Blairism and the target of 50-plus candidates. There must be the biggest, most attractive and most inspiring campaign possible. Present-day limitations in terms of cadre, finances and shallow roots in society must and will be overcome. The higher we aim, the more will be achieved. We are for a fully democratic and inclusive all-United Kingdom Socialist Alliance and for patiently but energetically encouraging such a formation in the direction of establishing a single democratic centralist party. The CPGB will selflessly join with and fight alongside all those who have a broadly similar perspective.

This cannot and will not lessen the "necessity of open political debate and criticism". Such exchanges, far from detracting from unity in action, provide the only sure basis for democratic unity at the highest level. As the socialist alliances develop, we anticipate, said comrade Larsen, "sharp divisions" emerging on "all manner of questions". That is inevitable. The key question is how differences are handled. They can either be suppressed and driven underground. The "incorrect method". Or they can find full expression in factional journals and papers that freely circulate. The "correct method".

During the aggregate debate, several comrades questioned what they saw as a cautious approach of limiting the LSA to electoral work. They advocated an immediate broadening of LSA activity beyond exclusively electoral work, so that the routine of joint work with other left groups CPGB comrades built up during the GLA election campaign could be continued and built upon.

Other comrades pointed out that, while the SWP remains the most important force within the LSA, the tendency whereby the comrades regard their organisation as the party and treat the socialist alliances as a 'united front' with left reformists, had to be overcome. Our task is to prove that it is not necessary to become reformist in order to win the support of reformists. Reformists become revolutionaries. All serious components of the LSA say they are committed to revolution, Marxism and Leninism. Our aim should not therefore be a united front, but a process of communist rapprochement of the sort which brought about the Communist Party of Great Britain in July-August 1920 - this highest achievement of the working class movement in Britain was initially formed by the unity of a diverse range of communist and left groups.

The meeting also heard Peter Manson outlining the CPGB's view of the Republican Communist Network. In Scotland it has organised under its banner a number of small factions, including supporters of the CPGB, for discussion and united intervention in the Scottish Socialist Party. As a result the RCN is now the main left opposition within the SSP. Encouragingly almost all RCN members in Scotland are readers or subscribers of the Weekly Worker and there is no doubt that a higher unity is a distinct possibility.

It is vital that the RCN is not seen as a purely Scottish formation. A key task at this moment in time is to combat and defeat the SSP's dominant left nationalism and its call for an "independent socialist Scotland". We need all-Britain workers' organisation in order to defeat our common enemy - the UK state and its government in Westminster. We fight for the RCN, and through it the SSP, to be organised on the principled basis of opposition to all concepts of national roads to socialism, not least the one involving the break-up of Britain. We seek to maximise working class unity in order to fight the ruling class and the world system of capital.

Unfortunately the RCN's initial work in England has been peppered with some silly organisational disputes. Thankfully the situation in Wales is different. The CPGB will do its utmost to ensure a positive outcome in England and our comrades will strive to see to it that the RCN meeting on June 17 in London is a success. We seek a constructive approach to differences.

Comrade Dave Craig of the Revolutionary Democratic Group, which has a standing invitation to attend CPGB aggregates, pointed out that, although the struggle within the RCN in England may appear on the surface to consist of petty personal squabbling, it actually reflects a serious political struggle between two positions: the communist position of fighting for worker' unity and a federal republic on the one hand; and the divisive, separatist stance in favour of a Scottish workers' republic on the other.

CPGB comrades agreed that it was important to draw a clear line of demarcation between ourselves and left nationalists who stand for Scottish independence as a principle. Jack Conrad stated that the RCN must be won to adopt a slogan encapsulating this opposition to nationalism.

Comrade Mark Fischer gave a short report on the state of the Socialist Party in England and Wales. Those nearest the centre of SPEW continue to doggedly defend their failure to consistently support the LSA, but among the rank and file demoralisation and anger against the leadership is growing. An organised left opposition to the Taaffe regime is on the cards. If such an opposition is established, the CPGB will hold out the hand of friendship and cooperation. Certainly, given its disgraceful attacks on the LSA, the Taaffe leadership has been acting as a sectarian barrier to the development of left unity and strength, and deserves to be challenged by a democratic rebellion from below.

At the end of the aggregate, comrades heard a report on the ongoing preparation for the 2000 Communist University. It was reported that the SWP and the Alliance for Workers' Liberty had agreed to provide speakers. István Mészáros, Hillel Ticktin and a range of others have also been confirmed.

Finally, to launch the 2000 Summer Offensive, individual targets were set by those comrades present. A total of £13,400 was pledged towards our goal of £20,000.