[Marxism] Workers Action, Respect and the SWP (B).

[mike pearn <neprimerimye@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm not a supporter of Workers Action - in fct I'm
quite a way from them politicallt in some respects -
but they are one of the more thinking groups on the
far left in Britain. Given that the far left here is
quite literally doing it's level best to commit
collective suicidea at present I'm afraid that's not
much of a compliment. More to the point I'm certain
Charlie can reply for himself.

But the fact is that in yesterdays farcical elections
Workers Action called, if I'm not greatly mistaken,
for a vote for the Labour Party candidates. That is
for the candidates of a party that retains the
affilited membership of millions of trade unionists
and has some hundreds of thousands of individual,
mosly working class, members.

That is my view was more or less the correct and only
principled position for socialists to adopt in Emgland
and Wales. Except I would argue that where credible
socialist candidates were standing it would have been
correct to extend critical support to them. However in
point of fact there were only a handfull of such
candiates and they almost completely achieved votes
that are best described as marginal.

Perhaps the most tragic aspect of the vote was that
Respect won semi-credible votes in London. One must
presume that their votes in the Euro elections, not
yet out, will in London at least be very similar. This
will encourage the current leadership of the SWP to
back G Galloway who is aiming to make Respect an on
going part of his enterprise. As it is the SWP bank
roling the operation this cannot have any positive
aspect for socialists in Britain.

I can only conclude that the SWP is heading, very
slowly, the way of the late unlamented WRP and the
RSL. I note that they are also getting out of the
commercial printing trade and are reported to be
selling their printshop. it is argued that they cannot
aford to upgrade to full color. Their printshop is
however in a development zone and I suspect they own
the freehold bought cheap back in the 1970's.
Therefore I suspect a lose of will to build the
organisation.


Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2004 10:40:08 -0500
From: "LouPaulsen" <LouPaulsen@xxxxxxxxxxx>

> Workers Action No.26, June 2004

A couple of comments:

- It is a little disappointing to go to your website
and discover that one can't read any of these
articles.  Must I really hop a plane to London
and plonk down a pound in a left bookshop in order to
find out what contributions your current is making?

- At the risk of sounding as if I am trying to cadge
political analysis from you gratis, can you tell us
what vote Charli Langford DID recommend in
the June 10 elections?  I read the leaflet dismissing
the Respect coalition as a 'dead end', which is
available on your site.  Your position in that
leaflet was that left parties/currents/coalitions have
no business running in an electoral campaign
until/unless they have a chance of actually forming
a government.  It sounded as if you were abstaining
from the elections.  But since Langford is considering
how to vote after all, do I infer that you are
recommending Blair's candidates after all?

- Can I also infer that you believe that socialists in
the US should neither run their own candidates nor
support Nader?  Should they vote for Kerry?

Just curious,

Lou Paulsen
member, WWP
Chicago


        
        
                
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