01.05.2002

Call for SA paper

An appeal for a regular Socialist Alliance newspaper has been launched by three SA executive members, Dave Church, Marcus Ström and Martin Thomas. To add your name to the appeal please email your support to marcus.strom@ntlworld.com

We, the undersigned, believe that the Socialist Alliance must launch a regular, campaigning newspaper as an urgent priority. This publication should: * Fight to build the agreed actions of the Socialist Alliance, maintain our public profile between elections and give news, analysis and practical guidance to our activists on the ground. * Reflect the diversity of views in our alliance. A Socialist Alliance paper must have space for the open exchange of ideas, for comradely polemic and the presentation of minority views. Wherever possible, we should afford the right of reply in our paper. * Strike a balance between agitation and propaganda in its pages. Working class readers should not be patronised or talked down to. Our paper must carry longer theoretical pieces, as well as snappy, factual, socialist reportage. If the majority of the SA continues to block an official publication, the minority should fight for the launch of an unofficial paper. Initial signatories * Dave Church, SA executive * Marcus Ström, SA executive * Martin Thomas, SA executive Other signatories * Paul Willoughby, East Kent SA * Danny Thompson, Bedfordshire SA * Jay Woolrich * Ian Donovan, Southwark SA * Sam Metcalf, Nottingham SA * Phil Pope, Southampton SA * Dave Parks, Exeter SA * Matthew Caygill, Leeds SA * Eryk Karas, Bedfordshire SA * Janine Booth, Hackney SA, candidate, Hackney Central * Harry Paterson, Notts SA * Ray Gaston, Leeds SA steering committee * Chris Croome * Mike Rowley, Oxford SA * Geoff Wexler * Steve Cooke * Alan Stevens, chair, Greenwich SA * Lawrie Coombs, Teesside SA * Andy Gunton, Streatham SA * Anne Mc Shane, chair, Hackney SA