Re: [Marxism] Respect split

[Einde O'Callaghan <einde@xxxxxx>]

Louis Proyect schrieb:
> (bounced from Ernie Tate. HTML formatting?)
> 
> From: Philip Hearse [mailto:pehearse@xxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 6:07 PM
> 
> Subject: SWP has split Respect
> 
> Dear Comrades
> It gives me no pleasure to inform you that the British
> SWP has split from Respect - announcing the formation
> of an 'Independent Respect'. An article by myself and
> Liam Mac Uaid giving the background can be found at:
> 
> http://www.marxsite.com/SWPsplits%20repect.html
> 
As I understand it this isn't strictly true - at least as far as I can 
see from here in Germany. There is a serious split within Respect - Thre 
are claims and counter-claims. The latest statement I've seen from mthe 
SWP called for the scheduled conference, due in mid-November to decide 
on the issues. this doesn't sound like a split to me.

On the other hand there are reports that George galloway and company 
want to postpone the conference. They have also declared that John Rees, 
the National Secretary of Respect, should no longer be regarded as such 
and that Lindsey german the London mayoral candidate has also forfeited 
her position - with what constitutional justification I don't know.

In one are ther has been a split. Some of teh councillors in tower 
Hamlets in East London have split from the council group, but still 
claim to be loyal members of Respect. What the reasons are I can't 
really tell. John Rees attended the press conference of the dissident 
councillors - what he actually said there is the subject of conflicting 
reposrts.

I'm afraid I can't really follow the in and outs of the conflict but I 
would like to point out that Phil Hearse and Liam Macuaid, who are 
claiming that the SWP has split from Respect, are actually members of 
the anti-SWP faction and as such their take on the situation is possibly 
a bit biassed.

People may know that I'm a long-time member of the ISTendency, but I 
honestly don't know what's going on in Britain. The purpose of this 
message is simply to urge people to look at both sides of the argument 
before rushing to judgement. Probably the best place to find the SWP's 
side of teh story is the SWP website at <http://www.swp.org.uk/>

There you will find a statement from Monday headed "The SWP leadership 
is not splitting from Respect" 
<http://www.swp.org.uk/respect_announce.php>, which would seem to 
contradict Phil hearse's interpretation of events. Anotehr called 
"Respect: there is no split - let the members decide" 
<http://www.swp.org.uk/respect_announce2.php>, calls for the conference 
to decide on the way forward. This also doesn't sound like a call for a 
split to me.

However, as I said the details are pretty murky - allegations and 
counter-allegations abound - and I'm just as much in the dark as others 
not in the thick of the faction-fight.

Einde O'Callaghan


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