31.03.2004

Respect South West: yes to republic

The Respect South West convention for the nomination of candidates was held in Bristol on Sunday March 26 with about 150 present. Joe Wills was there

First up to speak was a local Fire Brigades Union campaigner who spoke of trying to break FBU funding of New Labour and instead supporting candidates that backed union policy, including Respect. Majid Khan, a West Midlands Respect candidate and former president of Birmingham University Islamic Society, also spoke. His speech was a fuzzy mixture of platitude-mongering and traces of islamic reaction, including an endorsement of gender segregation.

Predictably gorgeous George stole the show with his usual high-level charisma, wit and vigour. His speech was a fiery attack on the Blairite clique, which he accused of usurping worker representation in the Labour Party, replacing them with careerists. He argued that Respect candidates could take on the unknown faceless ‘stooges’ in the June elections.

After his speech debate was opened up to the floor. The only real challenge came from the CPGB. Galloway was pressed on why the demand for a republic was rejected at the Respect founding conference on January 25. He answered that what was passed was an emergency programme and the question of the constitutional monarchical system was not of key importance. However, Galloway did stress that he was a republican and that he would campaign for republicanism at Respect’s autumn conference - but not before. Let us hope he sticks to his guns on this one.

The voting process was lifeless, the SWP-dominated candidate slate was unanimously backed by a sea of hands. None of the candidates spoke and no questions were asked of them. Well, almost none: another, by necessity forceful, CPGB comrade asked the candidate at the top of the slate, SWPer Paulette North, whether she would stand on a worker’s wage. After a chorus of groans and hisses, as if it was rude to ask, she replied, “Yes”.