13.09.2006

CPGB motions

The CPGB is sponsoring two motions to be put to the Respect annual conference on October 14-15. If you are a paid up member of Respect, add your support by writing to office@cpgb.org.uk

Accountability

Conference recognises that the sort of society we want to see cannot be established by any single individual, however eloquent or committed. It depends on building a mass movement with a democratic culture, structures and forms of work.

Conference also recognises that the idea of a leaderless movement is an illusion; both because the movement is composed of individuals and individuals have to come up with proposals, make public speeches and so on; and also because often when a new movement is developing, certain figures emerge who seem to many activists to embody what it stands for. Once such personalities begin to have a prominent role, there is a danger that attacks on them from the establishment will destroy the movement, or that the individual will later use their prestige to mislead the movement.

Conference therefore recognises that democratic structures, accountability and transparency are essential at every stage of the development of Respect. Thus Respect commits itself to the following:

1. All elected representatives should publish to the Respect members in their area, or if they are national representatives to the membership generally, monthly reports of their votes and activities made available on the web or otherwise.

2. The minutes of the national committee and the executive should be made available to the membership on the Respect website or otherwise.

3. Elected representatives should be accountable to the appropriate bodies - local organisations in the case of the councillors, the National Council in the case of MPs.

4. Respect will fight for the creation of a right of voters to recall their MPs and councillors.

John McDonnell campaign

Respect welcomes the decision of John McDonnell MP to challenge for the leadership of the Labour Party. We recognise that the entire left - both inside and outside the party - gains from the strengthening of socialists in Labour.

Comrade McDonnell's campaign has the potential to galvanise the left of the party and so this conference resolves to work with, aid and build the McDonnell campaign.

Unanimous emphasis

Calderdale Respect had its pre-conference meeting in Halifax on Tuesday September 12. Dave Isaacson reports

Unfortunately only four members (out of a local membership of around 20) turned up to debate motions and elect delegates this year. The only motions on the table where the two which I proposed. The first, on accountability, was passed unanimously after a short discussion in which all present (including a comrade from the Socialist Workers Party) emphasised the importance of this issue.

One comrade suggested, and I accepted, an additional point to the motion I had presented: "5. That the executive report back to conference in 2007 on the implementation of the above motion." So the Calderdale motion is identical to that proposed by the CPGB (see above) with the addition of this fifth point.

The second motion we discussed concerned the challenge of John McDonnell MP for the leadership of the Labour Party. Comrades agreed that we should "welcome" comrade McDonnell's decision to stand but felt that to "work with, aid and build the McDonnell campaign" was going too far. It was suggested that this would give credence to the idea that the Labour Party could be 'saved' or 'reclaimed', and that what we needed to be doing was building our own campaigns. I was the only person to vote in favour of this motion in the end.

Next came the selection of delegates. Only two comrades had put themselves forward: Kevin Stannard (ex-SWP) and myself (CPGB), and we were both duly elected without opposition.