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For a new mass party of the working class |
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For a new mass party of the working class |
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THE SOCIALIST Party is an active component of the Socialist Alliance. Socialist Party councillor Dave Nellist is chair of the Alliance. In the general election we stood 10 candidates in England as part of the Socialist Alliance. Socialist Party members received three of the five highest Socialist Alliance votes, with Dave Nellist getting the best vote.
Important developments are taking place in the trade unions. Many workers and youth are looking for a left alternative to New Labour. We need an open, democratic broad-based Socialist Alliance which is capable of attracting significant new forces. Above all we need a new mass party of the working class.
NEW LABOUR are privatising our services, attacking education, scapegoating asylum seekers and placing the profits of big business before the needs of the working class. They are clearly another capitalist party, although of a more 'liberal' character than the Tories.
Millions of workers abstained in the recent general election rather than vote New Labour. Increasingly trade unionists are asking why they should continue to fund a party that turns round and kicks them in the teeth. On the same day that Blair announced plans to carry out more privatisation of health, education and other public services, UNISON, Britain's biggest public sector union, voted at its conference to review its links with the Labour Party.
The resolution was moved by Glenn Kelly, Socialist Party member and council union-backed candidate in a recent Hackney council by-election.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) conference also voted for a resolution moved by a Socialist Party member to 'free up' its political funds to back candidates who support the union's aims. Last year CWU delegates voted to withdraw 'moral and financial support' from New Labour if it privatised the Post Office. London Tube workers stood independent candidates in last year's London assembly elections. The GMB has talked about standing its own candidates in next year's local elections if Blair continues to attack public services.
There is a clear need for a new broad workers' party to pull together trade unionists, community and environmental activists, anti-capitalist youth and all those who want to collectively fight against the system and how it affects their lives.
THE Socialist Workers Party (SWP), imagine the Socialist Alliance alone can provide a left electoral challenge to New Labour. This shows a complete misunderstanding of the processes involved in mass struggle.
Whilst we are against a Labour Party mark II, there are important lessons to be learnt from the Labour Party's formation. The Labour Party was initially formed out of mass industrial, community and social struggles. In its early stages it had a federal structure, uniting together socialists, Marxists and trade unionists with differing outlooks and ideas. Of course, events today will not be repeated in exactly the same way.
The recent general election was the first national electoral test of the Socialist Alliance. Overall the alliance polled 57,553 votes. The best result was in Coventry North East, where Socialist Party councillor Dave Nellist stood. Encouraging as these votes were they represent more a symptom of things to come rather than heralding the arrival of a new, mass alternative to New Labour.
While the Alliance polled some creditable votes, the Greens and the SLP both outpolled the Alliance where there was a direct contest. In Wyre Forest an independent health campaigner won the seat.
This shows that the Socialist Alliance has not yet established itself as an authoritative force capable of pulling together trade unionists, public service users, environmental and community campaigners, and young people into a united anti-capitalist movement. A sense of proportion of what the Socialist Alliance represents will be critical for its future development.
Over the next few years workers and youth will move into struggle on a mass scale. The decisions of UNISON and other unions give a taste of what is to come. As workers go into battle they will also move towards independent political representation. The recent experience of Tube workers, health campaigners and Hackney council workers, and the threat of the GMB to stand its own candidates, shows that the Socialist Alliance won't be the only electoral vehicle for workers breaking from New Labour.
Because the SWP do not see these developments as part of the process towards a new workers' party, they are in danger of leading the Alliance up a dead end.
The SWP has shown a lack of understanding of how to build a successful broad-based Socialist Alliance. The alliance in Hackney, dominated by the SWP, decided to stand against the council union-backed anti-cuts candidate, yet gave a free run to Dianne Abbott who stood on a less radical programme.
Glenn Kelly had the backing of 120 council workers including 27 council stewards, following a decision of a Stewards' conference to stand against New Labour. In Strathke'vin and Bearsden the SSP correctly stood down in favour of a hospital campaigner in order to put 'local services before the careers of candidates'.
Will the SWP insist that GMB-backed candidates stand in the name of the Socialist Alliance?
The Alliance, rather than attempt to impose its banner, should welcome and support workers moving into electoral opposition to New Labour, even if they are not prepared to join the Alliance at this stage.
AT THE moment there is a discussion within the Socialist Alliance on what structure the Alliance should have. The SWP want to centralise it, which will mean riding roughshod over the rights of groups and individuals who disagree with them.
If the Socialist Alliance is to successfully unite all the disparate forces moving onto the political plane at different speeds it will need to have an open, democratic and federal structure, which allows individuals, organisations and groups the right to take part in the Alliance whilst allowing them to maintain their own separate identity.
The struggle of workers for independent political representation will lay the basis for a new mass party. Within this party there will not be a unified consciousness. Some will consider themselves socialist, some anti-capitalists, others will simply be fighting against the effects of the capitalist system.
But such a party would be an enormous step forward for the working class. It could unite all those who want to fight the system and help develop an anti-capitalist and socialist outlook on a mass scale. Revolutionary socialists should be doing everything possible to speed up this process. Once such a party is established we will fight for it to adopt a revolutionary socialist programme.
July 2001
Trade unions to break the link with New Labour
Support for community and environmental activists, trade unionists and groups of workers who independently stand against New Labour
An open, democratic and federal Socialist Alliance
A new mass party of the working class
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