James Harvey
Latest articles by James Harvey
Opportunism in matters of organisation
While we broadly agreed over Israel and Gaza, we sharply disagreed over membership commitment and maintaining barriers. James Harvey reports
Two-term chatter being heard
James Harvey reports on the stage-managed Labour conference, the courting of big business and unconditional support for Israeli colonial oppression
Two forms of unity
There are any number of broad unity projects being plotted, floated and pushed at the moment. All will fail. James Harvey reports on our assessments, debates … and a membership application
We did it!
Summer Offensive: £7,000 still needed
Their socialism and ours
James Harvey reports on Winter Communist University 2023
No unity with scabs
There need to be clear lines of demarcation. James Harvey reports on CPGB criticisms of the sort of unity being pursued by comrades in the Netherlands
Open polemics cauterise
James Harvey reports on plans, problems and the need to openly thrash out principled differences
God save the king, the Starmer regime
James Harvey of Labour Party Marxists calls for rebellion against the blue Labour monarchism being foisted on the Liverpool conference
It’s the politics, stupid
The left needs to break with economism and take the monarchy and high politics seriously. We should be fighting for a federal republic and extreme democracy, argues James Harvey
A ray of light
Momentum behaved despicably, while the CLPD was hardly any better, but there was a welcome upset. James Harvey examines the Labour left after the NEC elections
Expect broken promises
Enough is Enough will not deliver a new workers’ party. On the contrary it will enhance the career prospects of the likes of Andy Burnham and return masses of angry people to the Labour fold, argues James Harvey
No time for Sir Keir
With the rise in trade union militancy, all sorts of rumours are circulating about establishing some kind of new left party. James Harvey reports
Curse of faction
James Harvey looks at reactions to the Forde report and what it says about the state of the Labour Party’s left
Indy2, strikes and boycotts
Why are the ‘official communists’ in such a muddle over the SNP’s bid to hold a legal referendum on independence? James Harvey critiques the YCL’s gensec
Phew, what a scorcher
As temperatures hit record highs, James Harvey pours scorn on the Johnson government’s totally inadequate targets and the backtracking by the leadership candidates, not least Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak
Not yet another coalition
James Harvey looks at the storming of government buildings, the danger from the army and the prospects for winning a real Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Westminster vs Holyrood
James Harvey considers the SNP’s call for a second independence referendum and asks how the left should respond
Summer of discontent
Workers in other unions have been inspired by the RMT. James Harvey argues for coordination, unity and political organisation that goes beyond Labourism
Experience and expectations
Especially in light of the challenges of Nato’s proxy war, there needs to be a push for the unity of the Marxist left in a party project. James Harvey reports
Banging same old drum
It has nothing to do with business in Northern Ireland, everything to do with keeping the Red Wall seats. James Harvey explores the politics behind Boris Johnson’s plans to scrap the Northern Ireland protocol
Time to rebel!
James Harvey reports on last weekend’s CPGB membership aggregate, which discussed Ukraine and our plans for Communist University and fundraising
Parliamentary and everyday sexism
The current furore has produced a morally outraged cross-party consensus, but the last thing we need is yet more investigations, judge-led enquiries, quangos and powers to suspend or expel MPs, says James Harvey
Dead not resting
James Harvey of Labour Party Marxists looks at the origins, politics and ultimate demise of Labour Briefing
The biters bitten
James Harvey of Labour Party Marxists asks why the AWL has been proscribed when it has given such unstinting service to the right in promoting the ‘anti-Zionism equals anti-Semitism’ big lie
Piracy on the high seas
There is a danger of the P&O dispute being railroaded along nationalistic lines. James Harvey looks at the sacking of 800 workers and the government’s response
Spineless of the little blob
Its response to the Ukraine war shows the official Labour ‘left’ is sinking ever further into the mire, writes James Harvey
Going over to Washington
James Harvey looks at how former leftwinger, Paul Mason, has made his peace with the US and Nato, and become a full-blown social-imperialist
Charting the way forward
We have suffered, and continue to suffer, from political fragility, but we have every reason to be confident about the future. James Harvey reports
Remembering and forgetting
James Harvey surveys the Bloody Sunday commemorations, speeches, articles and the left’s none too glorious record
Six sessions of the best
Ollie Hughes and James Harvey report on Winter Communist University 2022, where discussions ranged far and wide
Creating a carnival of reaction
James Harvey looks at how and why the island of Ireland was partitioned one hundred years ago
Back to the past - again
James Harvey looks at the latest round in the Brexit saga and asks where it might all be heading
Careerism on the Mersey
James Harvey reports on the manoeuvrings and stitch-ups that have happened in the wake of the arrest of elected mayor Joe Anderson
No theory, please - we’re Labour
Activism, never mind the politics: unfortunately this just about sums up the general approach. James Harvey reports
Hollow man for hollow times
Much hyped though it was, the ‘new chapter’ speech was a ‘painting by numbers’ exercise in political platitudes, writes James Harvey
End the contradiction
James Harvey reports on a timely conference that produced a strange outcome
Still not prepared to fight
The readmittance of suspended members does not mean that the right is in retreat, argues James Harvey
Facing both ways
Last weekend’s conference ended up adopting two totally contradictory positions. James Harvey of Labour Party Marxists reports
Going nowhere fast
If 2020 was a year of bitter disappointment and demoralisation for the Labour left, then 2021 is shaping up to be no better, writes James Harvey
Abolish the mayors
We need accountability in local government and in our movement too. James Harvey looks at the corruption scandal in Liverpool
Open and honest debate
The CPGB’s first online winter school proved to be a real success. James Harvey reports
Time for something different
How should the principled left respond to the Starmer witch-hunt? James Harvey of Labour Party Marxists points to an alternative which goes beyond the narrow limits of fight or flight
Flight or fight?
A recent NEC vote shows that the official left is prepared to join in the witch-hunt, reports James Harvey of Labour Party Marxists
See you in court?
Political, not legal, action is the way forward, argues James Harvey of Labour Party Marxists
On the road to … where?
James Harvey of Labour Party Marxists looks at the dismal record of the official Labour left
High drama at No10
The departure of Cummings and Cain was about far more than personalities, says James Harvey
Pivot back to Europe
James Harvey asks what a Biden presidency might mean for relations with Boris Johnson’s Britain
Dogs that didn’t bark
James Harvey of Labour Party Marxists gives the reasons why the official left’s response has been so feeble to Jeremy Corbyn’s suspension
New round of lies
With Mike Pompeo widening the circle and Jeremy Corbyn suspended, James Harvey calls for defiance
Cowardly fake left peddles lies
James Harvey presents Labour Party Marxists’ recommendations for the national executive committee elections
Politics of two borders
With Brexit negotiations going to the wire, the future in Ireland remains uncertain. This is an edited version of the talk given by James Harvey to Online Communist Forum
Candidates, slates and votes
How best to oppose the witch-hunt and reorient the forces of the left? James Harvey presents LPM’s reconsidered approach
Shared island or democratic republic?
Sinn Féin is relying on demographics and opposition to Brexit. James Harvey gives his take on the reunification debate
Class struggle and reunification
James Harvey exposes the economistic and pro-imperialist politics that lie behind the seemingly innocuous call for Labour to stand candidates in Northern Ireland
Holding the fort
At last a new government has been formed. James Harvey looks at the whys and wherefores
Power, not office
With the main parties still jockeying for position, James Harvey looks at the ongoing calls for a ‘left government’ with Sinn Féin
Illusions of the left
There should be no talk of participation in a bourgeois government, argues James Harvey.
In the balance
James Harvey looks at the contenders for next month’s Irish general election and the possible coalitions
Full steam ahead?
While Stormont has been restored, writes James Harvey, the old communal divisions remain firmly in place.
Northing inevitable
Both Sinn Féin and the DUP did badly, but there is still talk of a border poll and reunification, reports James Harvey.
Drowned in blood
James Harvey concludes his thoughts on the 1918-19 German revolution, based on his talk at CU2019.
World revolution had arrived
This article is based on a talk given by James Harvey to Communist University 2019.
Holding all the cards?
Key parts of the DUP’s base in the farming and business sectors are fearful of the impact of a hard border and a hard Brexit on their economic interests, notes James Harvey.
Flies in the ointment
Whither the Brexit Party? James Harvey thinks it has no long-term future.
Brexit and reunification
James Harvey considers the consequences in the Six Counties if the United Kingdom really does leave the EU
From bailout to Brexit
The Dublin government sees its future with mainland Europe, not an insular UK, writes James Harvey
From miracle to hard border?
In the 1990s Ireland was a great success story. Then came the financial crash and now there is the danger of Brexit unleashing economic mayhem. In the first of two articles, James Harvey discusses the changing fortunes of Irish capitalism
Across the sectarian divide
There is more to the border question than meets the eye, says James Harvey
Beyond the border quandary
Brexit is in the interest of neither British nor Irish capital, writes James Harvey
Our bodies, our choice
Whatever the result of the referendum, writes James Harvey, the fight for a woman’s right to choose will go on
Twenty years on
James Harvey recalls the Good Friday agreement and looks to the problems that lie ahead
Labour Against the Witchhunt: Liverpool launch meeting
Members discuss how to fight back
Rising to the challenge
Could the FLA develop into a fully-fledged fascist movement? That depends on the scale of forthcoming crises and the response of the left, argues James Harvey
Much needs to be done
On July 8 a team of comrades from Labour Party Marxists attended the Durham Miners’ Gala. James Harvey recounts some of his impressions of this year’s ‘Big Meeting’
Man, movement and state
The transformation of Martin McGuinness from freedom fighter to ‘man of peace’ cannot be put down to individual failings, writes James Harvey