02.05.2001

And

Troubled Waterson

There are rumours that Julie Waterson has been sacked as a SWP full-timer in Scotland. According to the latest issue of the anarchist paper Class War she ?has been made redundant with much falling out amongst the comrades?. CW?s attempt to explain this, however, is laughable: ?? it [the SWP] has not increased its paper sales and they are now having some serious financial problems?. To assume she has been sacked because the SWP can?t pay her wages shows just how far theses particular anarchists are off the rails.

Julie Waterson has been less than discreet in her opposition to the SWP-SSP merger. A major offence in the SWP, of course. You can think whatever you want - as long as you keep quiet about it. The merger with the Scottish Socialist Party is an especially touchy subject, because a minority inside the SWP have still to be ?convinced? that it is a good thing to join the openly nationalistic SSP. In this situation all you need for a membership rebellion is a cadre who could lead the minority. Maybe somebody like Julie. Then again, maybe not.

Red devil

I?m all in favour of bringing sports back into the working class. But this is going too far. Half those attending the last SSP conference choose to watch a Celtic-Rangers match rather than stay for the second day of the conference. At the last organising meeting of Brent South Socialist Alliance, leading SWPer and election agent Brian Butterworth - who was chairing - made his apologies and left, whispering ?Sorry,  Liverpool v Barcelona, you know?? as he went. And they say the British left is out of touch with the day-to-day interests of the working class.

It must be the uniform

Chief inspector Robin Lumsden of the Fife constabulary has a fascination with all things German - at least all things German circa 1930s.

Our latter-day Dixon of Dock Green is an avid consumer of National Socialist memorabilia and historica. Indeed, CI Lumsden drives a car with the number plates, N5DAP - in homage to Hitler?s Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei.

According to the Chief Inspector, this is his ?little joke?. Local councillors haven?t  found it amusing and are investigating.

Abracadabra

Scotland Yard has reportedly taken on the services of a magician. Can we now expect stop and search abuses to be accompanied by glamorous assistants, gaily-coloured  hankerchiefs and little white rabbits being pulled from suspects? pockets?