20.12.2001

Working for splits

After walking out of the Socialist Alliance national conference on December 1 the Socialist Party in England and Wales is not only instructing its members to leave at a local level: it is encouraging further splits. The following text comes from SPEWà¢â‚¬â„¢s national circular, dated December 10 2001

Most comrades will know by now about our departure from the Network of Socialist Alliances on December 1, as a result of the SWP pushing through a new constitution.

This was not the outcome that we wanted from the conference. We fought up to the last possible moment, on the day itself, for a constitution that could lay the basis for the building of the alliance on a healthy basis. We printed articles in our paper prior to the conference which explain our views on the issue of the constitution, and in the week following the conference we printed a report of the conference. Following these reports, the executive committee has also produced a statement which goes into the issues in further depth. This statement has been emailed to the national committee members and branch secretaries who we have email addresses for, and is enclosed with this circular for the others [it is also available on the SP website - ed].

Since the conference, the reaction of many of the à¢â‚¬Ëœindividualsà¢â‚¬â„¢ and of many of the local members of some of the organisations in the alliance has not been one of hostility towards us. Rather it is one of regret that we are no longer part of the alliance, with a significant number expressing a desire to continue to work with us nonetheless. This does not mean that we shouldnà¢â‚¬â„¢t be prepared for strong attacks on us in the coming period from those hostile to our party.

Our Sheffield comrades went to their local post-conference SA meeting with the following resolution, which was passed:

à¢â‚¬Å“Sheffield SA agrees to enter early discussions with the SP and the SLP (and any other serious socialist, or working class or community forces or campaigns) to try to achieve electoral agreement for the 2002 Sheffield council elections, any council by-elections and future parliamentary elections in Sheffield. Sheffield SA also urges the SA national executive to make similar approaches at a national level, to avoid the situation of socialist candidates opposing each other in elections.à¢â‚¬Â

We should ask all local alliances for a similar agreement as soon as possible. We enclose a copy of a letter we sent to the SA executive committee [see Weekly Worker December 13 - ed].

Where local alliances decide to keep their affiliation to the national SA - ie, where they are in effect accepting the new SA constitution which enshrines SWP dominance - our comrades should cease to be members of those alliances. Even in alliances where SWP members do not play a leading role or try to dominate directly or indirectly, we cannot remain as members - because the SWP-controlled national structure will ultimately dictate to those local alliances on who can stand in elections and how campaigns should be run, etc.

This does not mean, however, that we (or anyone else) should not attend any SA meetings. On the contrary, where we have an invitation to attend as visitors or observers, we should do so if it appears worthwhile. In the case of any alliances that break with the national SA constitution and work on a federal basis, we can continue to participate as members, although it should be made clear that such groups will not be able to use the SA name at election times - as official authorisation is in the hands of the national nominating officer.

In local alliances, where a discussion is taking place on what decision to make following the passing of the SWP-backed constitution, we do not need to resign our membership precipitously. Rather, we should participate in the discussion, putting our point of view on the constitution and what it will lead to, and allow sufficient time for the alliance members to make the decision. However, this process cannot go on indefinitely, particular bearing in mind the proximity of the May elections - at some point a decision has to be made. Also, the national alliance officers are rushing out new membership forms to get everyone to register - signing up to the new constitution in the process.

In all our branches, regardless of the pace of SA discussions, we should discuss and decide on where we want to stand candidates in May as soon as possible. While being open to negotiations with others on the left at all stages, and while inviting these negotiations for as long as it is practically sensible to do so, we also must be clear in our own ranks on what want to argue for. In order to plan the use of our resources, branch election plans should be made in consultation with regional committees, national council members and the executive committee.