On Tuesday 21 May, Tory minister Michael Gove made a speech in which he labelled pro-Palestine university encampments as ‘antisemitism repurposed for the Instagram age’, and referred specifically to the Socialist Party.
The Socialist Party calls on Michael Gove to publicly debate these issues with us so that we have the chance to answer this completely unfounded slur of antisemitism made against us by him.
Our party has participated in and built the anti-war movement, especially campaigning in the trade unions for the potential power of that six million-strong body to be mobilised. Student members of the Socialist Party have been involved in, and supporting, the student encampments. We offer socialist ideas to build the movement against war – and for a socialist alternative to the capitalist system Gove seeks to defend.
Gove refers to the left supporting calls for ‘intifadas’. Socialist Party placards on the demos call for the building of ‘socialist intifadas’. A recent editorial in our weekly paper the Socialist explained it – and shows why Gove wants to undermine this idea:
“Above all, the Palestinian masses and the working class in the Middle East have the power to decisively change things. The Socialist Party and the Committee for a Workers’ International have been making the case for a socialist intifada – a democratic mass struggle of the Palestinians – to bring an end to the horror in Gaza, and international working-class action to halt the war.
“The development of such a movement would light the touch paper for working-class struggle across the region, threatening the ruling elites. Israel’s fragile right-wing coalition government would not be insulated from its effects.
“For socialists in Britain, the task is to help strengthen the working-class movement here and build mass support for socialist ideas – the alternative to capitalist crisis driving war and oppression internationally.”
The Tories – and Keir Starmer’s Labour – offer no alternative to that system so they seek division in order to cut across the possibility of building a working-class socialist alternative.
Criticising the actions of the right-wing Israeli government – which we also do – is certainly not antisemitic. In fact, the Netanyahu government faced an historic nine-month opposition movement prior to 7 October. The absurdity of Gove’s claim is further shown by the fact that, alone among the left, the Socialist Party attended the London protests that formed part of that movement.
The Socialist Party (formerly Militant) has had longstanding opposition to those who deny the existence of Israel. We have always fought against antisemitism, as well as against fascism and all forms of racism.
The big problem that Gove has with us is that our demand for “no trust in the capitalist politicians, internationally or in Britain and a fight to build a mass workers’ party in Britain that fights for socialism and internationalism” is finding ever-greater support and hence his attempt to discredit the protests and the Socialist Party.
On 9 and 10 November, the Socialist Party will be hosting a major weekend of discussion and debate in London. Mr Gove is invited to defend his position there if no sooner date can be found to debate with us.
Info for press
- Socialism 2024, a major socialist forum of discussion and debate taking place from 9-10 November, 2024: www.socialism.org.uk
- The Socialist Party is a campaigning, democratic organisation. Our members played a leading role on Liverpool Labour council in the 1980s when it defied Thatcher and refused to implement cuts, winning £60 million to spend on jobs and services in the city.
- Socialist Party members were among the leaders of the struggle in the late 1980s and early 1990s when 18 million people nationwide refused to pay the hated Poll Tax. We fight against all attacks on the rights and living standards of working-class people and stand for a socialist alternative.
- See the Socialist Party website for more info: www.socialistparty.org.uk
- To arrange interviews and any other information requests, please contact: Sarah Sachs-Eldridge: 079 580 320 71 sarahse@socialistparty.org.uk
