----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Charlie Kimber
To: Charlie Kimber ext email [redacted]
Sent: Friday, 15 February 2013, 11:01
Subject: Deadlines, support for CC statement, and faction meetings
Deadlines for motions and IB, support for CC statement, and faction meetings.
Dear comrade,
Here is some information in the run-up to the SWP special conference on 10 March.
Internal bulletin and motions
May I remind you that the deadline for the internal bulletin is 10am, Friday 1 March. This is also the deadline for motions. Motions must be passed by a properly-organised branch, aggregate, fraction, NC or CC meeting and be in by the deadline for the IB. Motions that are to be discussed must be notified to members in good time so that there is proper opportunity for democratic discussion.
Signatures in support of the CC statement
The first 500 names of comrades supporting the CC statement that was sent out last weekend are pasted below. Comrades wishing to add their name should email addmynametoccstatement@gmail.com
Anna O (Euston) NC PCS
Brian R (E Lonon) NC UNITE
Candy U (Camden) NC PCS
Despina K (Hackney) NC
Donny G (Edinburgh) NC EIS
Helen S (Birmingham) NC PCS
Huw W (Bristol) NC UNISON
Jess E (SE London) NC NUT
John Mc (E.London) NC UNISON
John R (Hackney) NC
Kate H (Goldsmiths Uni) NC NUS
Keir M (Glasgow) NC
Laura M (Leeds) NC UCU
Margaret W (Glasgow) NC
Mark C (Islington) NC UCU
Marianne O (Cardiff) NC PCS
Mark K (Manchester) NC
Martin E (Manchester) NC UNISON
Mary P (South London) NC
Maxine B (Sheffield North) NC UNITE
Nahella A (Manchester) NC UNITE
Niaz F (Euston) NC PCS
Nick G (West London) NC NUT
Paul Mc (E.London) NC NUT
Penny G. (Edinburgh) NC EIS
Phil T ( Rotherham ) NC NUJ
Regine P ( Camden ) NC UCU
Rhetta M ( Manchester ) NC
Rob M (Islington) NC
Roddy S ( E London ) NC UCU
Sally K ( Leeds ) NC NUT
Sasha S (Hackney) NC USDAW
Sean V (Islington) NC UCU
Shaun D ( Oxford ) NC
Sheila M ( E London ) NC NUT
Sue C ( N London ) NC NUT
Xanthe ( S. London ) NC NUJ
Yunus B NC
Zak C ( Harlow) NC UNISON
Adam C ( Bristol Stokes Croft)
Alan B ( Nottingham )
Alan C ( S. London )
Alan G (Dalston) NUJ
Alan G ( Leicester ) UNISON
Alan T ( Glasgow )
Alan W (Tottenham)
Alasdair S (Islington) NUT
Alex M (Merseyside)
Alex M ( Leeds Harehills)
Alex H (Leytonstone)
Alice G ( Swansea ) UNISON
Alison D (Tottenham)
Alison M (Tower Hamlets)
Allister M ( Chesterfield )
Amanda H ( S. London )
Amanda S (Walthamstow) NUT
Ameen H ( Manchester )
Andrea M ( Sheffield South)
Andrew D ( Lancaster )
Andrew F ( Swansea )
Andrew R ( Luton )
Andy B ( E London ) NUT
Andy B ( Leeds Central)
Andy C ( Manchester ) UCU
Andy D ( Leicester )
Andy G. ( Edinburgh )
Andy J ( SE London )
Andy R (South East London )
Angela M ( Glasgow )
Angie P ( Manchester )
Ann D ( Cardiff )
Anna G (Tottenham) NUT
Anne M ( Fife )
Annette L (Hackney)
Anthony P ( Chesterfield )
Arthur N ( Dundee )
Ashlea H ( South Wales )
Aubrey E ( Chesterfield )
Audrey G ( Lancaster ) NUT
Ayesha S (Edinburgh)
Aymen A (Hackney East)
Bartley W ( Manchester )
Bea K ( Sheffield North) GMB
Ben M ( Sheffield North) NUT
Berlyne H ( E London )
Bernadette L ( Leicester )
Bernard B (Islington)
Beth G ( Liverpool )
Beth S ( E London )
Bob L (Walthamstow)
Bob M ( Birmingham )
Bobby N ( Southampton ) UNISON
Brenda B (Small Heath, Birmingham ) NUT
Brett S ( Bradford )
Brian O ( Birmingham )
Brian T ( Rotherham )
Bridget P ( Birmingham )
Bruce G ( West London )
Camilla R (Islington)
Carl T (Tower Hamlets)
Caroline J ( Birmingham ) UNISON
Caroline R ( Manchester Chorlton) UNISON
Cath L ( Leicester ) UNISON
Cathy C ( West London ) PCS
Celia H ( Manchester ) BECTU
Chanie R (Hackney)
Charlie McK ( Glasgow South)
Charlotte S ( Manchester ) UCU
Cheryl M ( Glasgow )
Cheryl P ( Sheffield South)
Chris A ( Wolverhampton )
Chris B ( Luton )
Chris D ( Coventry ) NUT
Chris K (Southwark) NUT
Chris S ( Fife )
Chrissie B (Islington)
Christian H ( Leeds Harehills)
Claire L ( Glasgow )
Claudia C ( Birmingham )
Connor J (Leytonstone)
Daniela M ( E London ) UNITE
Darren B ( Lancaster ) UCU
Dave B ( Liverpool )
Dave B ( Luton )
Dave C (Hackney Dalston)
Dave D (N.London) NUT
Dave F ( Plymouth )
Dave G ( Barnsley ) UCU
Dave G (Hackney) NUT
Dave H ( Luton )
Dave H ( Sheffield South) UNISON
Dave L ( Wigan ) UNISON
Dave M ( Bristol )
Dave S ( Manchester ) UCU
Dave S ( Glasgow ) UNITE
Dave W ( Bristol )
David R ( Swansea )
David W ( Leicester ) UNISON
Dean H (Hackney)
Dean H (Walthamstow) UNISON
Deborah C (Islington) Unite
Dennis W ( Bristol East) UNISON
Dermot S ( Chesterfield )
Des B (Hackney) NUT
Des M ( Newport ) UNISON
Desmond M ( Oxford ) UCU
Diana S (Tower Hamlets) UNISON
Dick B ( Manchester )
Dick P ( Sheffield South)
Do G (Leicester)
Doug M ( Birmingham ) NUT
Drew S ( Leeds Central)
Duncan B ( Glasgow )
Eddie P ( Essex )
Eleanor CM ( Leeds )
Elizabeth K ( Leeds Harehills/Chapeltown)
Esther N (Walthamstow) BECTU
Eugene D ( Lancaster ) NUT
Faith P ( Birmingham Handsworth)
Fergus N ( N. London ) UCU
Fero F (Hackney East)
Fran P ( Barnsley ) NUT
Frank L ( Leicester )
Frank O'D ( Edinburgh )
Gareth J (Hackney)
Gary D ( Manchester ) UCU
Gary L ( Swansea )
Gary M (Tottenham) NUJ
Gary S (Leytonstone)
Geoff D ( Birmingham ) PCS
George A ( Barnsley ) NUT
George F ( E London )
George P (Dalston)
Gerry M ( Aberdeen )
Gionn M ( Nottingham )
Glyn O (Southampton) NUT
Gordon D (Edinburgh)
Gordon J ( Sheffield )
Gordon L ( Glasgow North)
Gordon W ( Northampton ) NUT
Graham R ( Manchester ) UNISON
Harish D ( Birmingham )
Helen B ( Glasgow )
Helen D (Hackney)
Helen T ( Swansea )
Helga B ( Ipswich )
Hilary C ( Lancaster ) NUT
Iain F ( Glasgow ) UCU
Ian B ( Dundee )
Ian D ( Scunthorpe )
Ian T (Hackney East)
Ian T ( South Wales )
Irene D ( Manchester )
Irene L ( East London )
Ivan C ( Swansea )
Jo P ( E London ) NUT
Jack B ( E London ) USDAW
Jack B ( Lancaster )
Jack R ( Sheffield North)
Jackie S ( Cardiff )
Jackie T (Tower Hamlets) BMA
Jacqueline L ( Leicester ) UNISON
James C ( N. London ) UCATT
James E ( Chesterfield ) UCU Regional Executive
James G ( Birmingham )
Jan B ( East London )
Jan B ( Manchester )
Jan N (S.London) NUT
Jane B (Hackney) NUT
Jane C ( Northampton )
Jane E (Euston)
Jane E ( Rotherham )
Jane H ( Chesterfield ) UNISON
Janet M (Walthamstow)
Janet P ( Chesterfield )
Jeannie R ( Chesterfield ) UCU National Executive
Jeff H ( Cardiff )
Jennifer L (Hackney) BECTU
Jenny A ( Birmingham )
Jenny D (Hackney) UNISON
Jill A ( Rotherham )
Jill C ( Sheffield South) UNISON
Jim B ( Doncaster ) UNISON
Jim B ( Dundee )
Jim F (Walthamstow) UNISON
Jim M ( Glasgow )
Jimmy R ( Glasgow )
Jo L ( West London )
Jo P ( East London )
Jock M ( Glasgow )
Joel H (Walthamstow) PCS
John B (Hornsey / Wood Green)
John C (Walthamstow)
John C ( Aberdeen )
John C ( Ipswich )
John C (Wandsworth and Merton)
John C R (Ashfield and Mansfield)
John D ( South Wales )
John H ( Northampton ) NUT
John J ( Essex )
John M ( Camden ) UNISON
John R ( Sheffield North)
John S (Hornsey and Wood Green)
Jon G (Home Counties)
Jon W ( Portsmouth )
Judith P ( Chesterfield UNISON
Judy R ( Birmingham ) NUT
Julia A ( Sheffield North) NUJ
Julia S ( Sheffield N) UNISON
Julie B ( West London )
Julie H ( N. London ) GMB
Julie H ( Lancaster )
Julie M (Hornsey and Wood Green)
Julie W ( Nottingham ) PCS
Kambiz B ( E London ) BMA
Karen R ( Manchester ) UNISON
Kate H ( Northampton )
Kate J (Hornsey and Wood Green)
Kate M ( Leeds Harehills)
Kate R ( Sheffield South)
Kate S (Hackney)
Kath G ( Manchester )
Kath J ( East London )
Keith B ( Glasgow )
Keith C (Euston) PCS
Keith P. ( Edinburgh )
Kelvin W ( E London )
Ken M (Hackney) NUT
Kevin C ( E London ) NUT
Kevin D (Islington)
Kevin M ( Halifax )
Kevin O ( Manchester )
Kevin S (Southwark)
Kristina H ( Cardiff )
Laura H ( Sheffield South)
Lee B ( Brighton )
Leo F ( Telford ) UNISON
Leroy M ( Sheffield North)
Les D ( Chesterfield
Lewis M ( Camden )
Leyla O (Hackney Dalston)
Linda S ( Portsmouth )
Liz C ( Dundee )
Liz W ( Camden ) UNISON
Lloyd G ( Cardiff )
Loreen W ( Leeds Central)
Lorna F ( Doncaster )
Lorna G F ( Doncaster )
Lorna S (Hackney)
Louise C ( Bristol Stokes Croft)
Louise M ( Fife )
Lucinda W ( Sheffield South) UNISON
Lucretia P ( Chesterfield ) UCU
Lynda A (Hackney South) UCU
Maddy C ( Camden ) UNISON
Maggie F ( E London )
Maggie M (Waltham Forest)
Maggie P (South East London )
Malcolm P ( Huddersfield ) UCU
Margaret G ( Glasgow )
Margaret S ( Sheffield South)
Margo H ( S. London ) UCU
Marion D ( Manchester )
Marisa L ( Liverpool )
Mark B ( E London )
Mark C ( Coventry )
Mark D (South East London )
Mark J ( Chesterfield )
Martin C ( Swansea ) NUT
Martin H ( Rotherham )
Martin L ( Walsall )
Martin S ( Nottingham )
Marven S ( Leeds Chapeltown/ Harehills)
Mary B ( E London ) NUJ
Matt F (Hornsey and Wood Green)
Matt R ( Birmingham ) UNISON
Matthew K ( Devon )
Matthew F ( Manchester )
Matthew R ( Sheffield South)
Matthew S ( Swansea
Maureen S ( Edinburgh
Michael B ( Coventry )
Michael D (Tottenham) NUT Vice Chair LGBT National Advisory Committee
Michael G ( Leicester ) UNISON
Michael L ( Preston ) UCU
Michael S ( Harlow )
Michelle A ( N. London )
Mick P ( Chesterfield )
Mike B (Leytonstone
Mike G ( Leicester )
Mike G (Wood Green)
Mike H ( Sheffield South)
Mike K ( Manchester ) UNISON
Mike K ( E London )
Mike S (Hackney) NUJ
Mike W ( South Wales )
Miriam S ( E London ) NUT
Molly D (Islington)
Monica A (Woolwich and Plumstead)
Morag G ( N. London ) UNISON
Morgan O (South East London )
Moyra S ( West London ) NUT
Muzzammil M ( East London )
Nathan J (Handsworth)
Neal S ( E London ) FBU
Neale W (Southwark)
Neil H ( Cardiff )
Niamh O ( Newcastle )
Nick G ( Bristol East)
Nick H ( Sheffield South)
Nick R ( Huddersfield )
Nicola F (Southwark) NUJ
Nina H ( Crewe )
Ollie P (Leytonstone)
Owen G ( N. London ) BECTU
Pablo S ( Sheffield South)
Pam C ( E London )
Pat C ( East London ) UNITE
Pat J ( Huddersfield )
Patrick C ( Coventry ) UCU
Paul B ( Leeds )
Paul G ( Leeds Central)
Paul H ( S. London )
Paul J ( Manchester )
Paul M (Euston)
Paul P (Walthamstow) NUT
Paul P (Leytonstone)
Paul P ( Sheffield South)
Paul P ( Chesterfield )
Paul Power (Walthamstow) UNITE
Paul S ( E London )
Paul S ( Lancaster )
Paul W ( Nottingham )
Phil G ( Leeds Central)
Piers F ( Cardiff )
Penny F ( Portsmouth )
Penny K ( Manchester )
Pete A ( Dundee )
Pete D ( South Wales )
Pete E ( South Wales )
Pete H ( Manchester ) UCU
Pete J ( Birmingham ) PCS
Pete McK ( Coventry )
Pete W (Hornsey and Wood Green)
Peter A ( Camden ) UNISON
Peter S (Home Counties)
Phil D ( South Wales )
Phil B (Tottenham) NUT
Phil G ( Leeds )
Phil H ( Northampton )
Phil J ( Bristol )
Phil W ( Blackburn ) UCU
Philip W (South East London )
Philippa P ( Portsmouth )
Phoebe W ( Central London ) UNISON
Rab T ( Edinburgh )
Rafel S (Walthamstow)
Rahul P (Brixton) UCU
Ray H ( Chesterfield )
Ray L ( Liverpool )
Rebecca B ( Sheffield South) UNISON
Rebecca L ( Leicester ) UNISON
Rhiannon B ( Doncaster )
Rhys E (Leytonstone)
Richard B ( Exeter )
Richard B ( Nottingham ) UNISON
Richard D ( Chesterfield )
Richard G ( E London ) UCU
Richard M ( Coventry ) UNITE
Richard M ( E London )
Richard M ( South Wales ) UCU
Rob F ( E London ) UCU
Rob J ( Cardiff )
Roger H (Walthamstow) NUJ
Ron S ( Manchester )
Rosa K ( Leeds Central)
Rose W (Tottenham) UNITE
Ruby H ( Glasgow Uni)
Rupert M ( Norwich )
Russ C (Walthamstow) UNITE
Russel W ( Leeds Central) PCS
Rusty E (Hackney) UNISON
Sabby S ( Camden )
Salena W ( Bristol East) UNISON
Sally S ( Leicester ) UNISON
Sam B ( Birmingham )
Sam S ( E London ) UNISON
Sam T (Brighton/Hastings)
Sara T (S.London) NUT
Sarah C ( Sheffield South)
Sarah M (Tottenham)
Sarah R ( East London )
Sarah W ( Manchester )
Scott H ( Newcastle )
Sean H ( Leeds )
Sean L ( Coventry ) UNITE
Sean W (Euston) UCU
Sharon P ( Sheffield North)
Shaun O'R (Southwark)
Sheila G ( Lancaster )
Sheila H ( Leeds Central)
Simon A (Hackney East)
Simon H (Tottenham) PROSPECT
Simon H (Tyneside) UNISON
Simon M ( Portsmouth )
Simon M H ( Stoke-on-Trent )
Simon S ( E London )
Simon T ( Manchester )
Siobhan B ( E London )
Siobhan H (Walthamstow) UNISON
Sojourner M ( Leeds Harehills)
Stefan S ( N. London ) NUT
Stephen McB. (Edinburgh)
Steve M (Euston)
Steve Q ( Manchester )
SteveW. ( Edinburgh )
Stuart M (Hackney East)
Stuart M ( Edinburgh )
Steve C ( Dorset )
Steve N (Southwark)
Sue A ( Derby ) NUT
Sue McP ( Manchester )
Sue T ( Leeds Central)
Sue W ( Sheffield South)
Susan A ( East London ) NUT
Susie H (Hornsey and Wood Green)
Suzanne J (Islington)
Suzy F ( Plymouth ) UNISON
Talat A ( Edinburgh ) UCU
Tanya M ( SE London ) UNISON
Teresa E ( Camden )
Terri B (Islington)
Terry McG (Hornsey & Wood Green) UCU
Terry S (Hornsey and Wood Green) NUT
Thea B ( Dudley )
Theresa C ( Brighton )
Tim S ( E London )
Tim W ( Chesterfield )
Tom G ( Glasgow ) GMB
Tom H (Hackney East)
Tom K ( Sheffield Uni) NUS
Tomas T ( Cardiff Uni) NUS, National Student Committee
Tommy I (Hackney East)
Tony H ( Manchester )
Tony M ( Manchester )
Tony P (Leytonstone)
Tony S ( Plymouth and Cornwall )
Tony T ( Sheffield South)
Tracy M (Hackney) NUT
Trevor G ( Sheffield South) UNISON
Umit Y (Bradford) UCU
Ursla H (Walthamstow) NUT
Ursula W ( Walsall )
Val D (Croyden)
Vijdan D (Hackney East)
Viv W (Islington)
Vivek L (Tottenham)
Willie T ( East London )
Yota K (Hornsey and Wood Green)
Yusuf T ( Cambridge ) FBU
Faction meetings
It has always been the party’s practice that faction meetings should be open to all SWP members (and only to SWP members). It is, however, reasonable that part of a faction meeting can be closed to comrades who are not members of the faction in order to have a caucus.
We are one party, not two. It is unacceptable to have wholly closed meetings, and factions should feel able to argue their political perspective with other party members.
The In Defence Of Our Party faction is holding a meeting in Leeds: Tuesday 19 February, 6pm-8pm, Fenton pub, Woodhouse Lane , Leeds LS2.
The faction may be contacted at swpidoop@gmail.com
Solidarity,
Charlie Kimber, SWP national secretary
48 comments:
I was very disappointed to see some names on this list, some people I definitely thought better of.
Remember, everyone signing up to this statement thinks it's a) fundamentally okay for the SWP to pronounce on a rape allegation, b) that is it perfectly acceptable to pursue degrading lines of questioning in the investigation of that complaint, c) that there is no problem having a panel of the accused's mates and close comrades investigate and pronounce judgement, and d) there is nothing to see here, move along.
What an absolute shower.
Addendum - I wonder how many of these people know they're on this list?
Same here in Manchester, shocking level of self deception
I don't think this list will do them any favours at all. My immediate reaction - and I'm sure I'm not alone in this - was to search the list for the forename & initial of local union officials, activists & friends. I'm happy to say my search came up empty, but I did see the names of two people in whose defence I've signed appeals in the past. I do hope they don't get victimised again, but if it did happen I would feel very reluctant to leap to their defence. Actions have consequences.
They do indeed, Phil. These people need a reality check.
What's very revealing is how few of these people claim to be in a trade union; and, in the case of the Manchester hacks, how few of them are under 40.
The union concentration is very interesting too.
This comment from Karl Stewart over at Socialist Unity shows what these people have signed up for:
Thanks for posting that list of shame up Phil.
Remember, every single person on that list agrees with summary expulsions of people who have “unauthorised” conversations.
Every siingle person on that list agrees that it’s OK to threaten to set “lynch mobs” on people who disagree with them.
Every single person on that list thinks a boss should be allowed to behave inappropriately towards young female employees with no sanction whatsoever.
Every single person on that list thinks that the young female employee should be fired if she complains about the inappropriate behaviour.
Every single person on that list thinks the SWP should employ workers at below the Living Wage, with no right to trade union representation and no right to collective bargaining.
Some people on that list have added their trade union after their name.
Why is that?
Does their trade union also support these positions?
Do you belong to any of the trade unions listed?
Do you support these positions?
Do you want people who support these positions to represent you?
Posted by Karl Stewart
Very few of the Manchester hacks are under 60. Almost none of them is active in a trade union, if they still belong to one. The very few who attend the Trades Council occasionally do so only to ponce off it for SWP front organisations and behave like Stalinoids, seeking to undermine the elected officers, while doing absolutely no work. I wonder if their branches know what they're up to?
In the entire North East of England, only the arch-hack Yunus Bakhsh and the SWP's lone shop steward, Simon Hall, support the CC.
In Scotland, the SWP 'loyalists' barely exist.
I scanned the list for people I knew in my 12 year SWP membership and I am saddened to find so many here. I do know that most of them are in their 50s and 60s and slavishly obey the edict NOT to read the dark side of the interweb. So they are, in the main, ignorant of the nature and content of the crisis... or pretend to be.
I'd not noticed the union affiliation part. I wont over-interpret the blanks as this list has probably been written centrally and so I'm sure many of them are in unions, although potentially not particularly active in them.
What I did notice is how many of them were teachers or lecturers. You don't tend to get many bin men or dinner ladies in the SWP, it's true, but it does seem to be further evidence that there is a generational divide with the students on one side and their lecturers on the other.
A comrade was handed this at Unison's Women's Conference this morning.
ran a quick breakdown of the CC supporters. obviously this does not reflect branches/districts by name as i have merged nearby branches into blocks (e.g. all of london).
Location Count
London 183
Manchester 33
Sheffield 30
Leeds 21
Glasgow 19
Birmingham 18
Chesterfield 17
Edinburgh 12
Leicester 12
Cardiff 10
Bristol 9
Lancaster 9
Leytonstone 8
South Wales 8
Coventry 7
Swansea 7
Nottingham 6
Dundee 5
Northampton 5
Portsmouth 5
Rotherham 5
Doncaster 4
Essex 4
Liverpool 4
Luton 4
Barnsley 3
Brighton 3
Fife 3
Huddersfield 3
Plymouth 3
Aberdeen 2
Bradford 2
Home Counties 2
Ipswich 2
Newcastle 2
Oxford 2
Southampton 2
Walsall 2
Ashfield and Mansfield 1
Blackburn 1
Cambridge 1
Crewe 1
Derby 1
Devon 1
Dorset 1
Dudley 1
Edinburgh 1
Exeter 1
Halifax 1
Merseyside 1
Newport 1
No location given 1
Norwich 1
Preston 1
Scunthorpe 1
Stoke-on-Trent 1
Swansea 1
Telford 1
Tyneside 1
Waltham Forest 1
Wigan 1
Wolverhampton 1
Total Result 500
Yes...looking through that list many people there who I'd always thought were more principled and independently minded and not simply CC droids. Others far more predictable. Depressing!
Genuinely shocked to see some people I know and respect on here too.
One can only wonder at the justifications they have. I just hope they free themselves from the shackles before it's too late.
Sally K's mother (Audrey F) will be turning in her grave.
Marven S from Leeds had signed up to the Democratic Opposition in the pre-conference period. His mate Paris had just been expelled (and now his expulsion has been upheld following their appeal). Yet now Marven signs up to this. I wonder how many more who raised criticisms have now crumbled and what pressure was put upon them. It is worth noting however that even with the full apparatus behind them the CC only have 100 more names on their list than the In Defence of Our Party faction.
If I was still in the SWP I would certainly be in the faction with the intelligent wing of the old guard led by Pat Stack et al. who've woken up to how serious this is. But it won't do to dismiss Yunus B or many others on this list as mindless hacks (even if those wanting to 'cut out the cancer' remind me of Vyshinsky and Stalin's purges). Yunus fought a brave battle against his bosses and Unison at a cost to his health and would never have won without support from SWPers. Many others were commited militants but now retired (hence no union) and Audrey Farrell in my view would have been with her daughter: defending the party they've spent 30 or 40+ years building against a threat from 'alien elements' who have broken the rules - as the opposition has of course because they realise what Cliff used to say: the party is an instrument, a means to an end not an end in itself and without youth it is doomed, even if the dying could take a long time.
The CC faction's supporters are heavily concentrated in the London area, the Manchester area and South Yorkshire.
I was speaking to a comrade yesterday who said he'd challenged one of his local SWP'ers about why they'd signed the statement. His reply was "we had a vote at conference".
Anonymous said...
"Marven S from Leeds"
I AM MARVEN S !!
Excuse you anon - typical your anonymous. There was no pressure whatsoever. I don't have to justify my position as was and is now is, to anyone on a blog ffs…
It just shows how irresponsible this blogosphere is about the whole internal issue of the party. It gives credence to rumour, innuendo, gossip and slander USING MY NAME to suggest there is intimidation and bullying…
Grow up and grow some principles. If your a comrade anon, I will gladly explain my position personally and not on a blog.
You don't have to justify yourself to me, Marven. Just don't be surprised if you find yourself on the sharp end of some awkward questions from others in your local labour movement.
funny that…it's been two months nearly and my local labour movement hasn't said anything "awkward" towards me or my comrades…thats why I find all this guff about the SWP being this and that is, in the real world, is rather inflated. Not to labour the point anymore phil.
I call it the tinterweb quagmire =)
Perhaps you might like to reflect on the reception a small cadre of SWP'ers got at this weekend's Unison Women's Conference.
My sister-in-law went to the Unison womens conference as an SWP member. She said there were no problems at all and they were made to feel very welcome apart from the final motion which we opposed, rightfully so, on principle. Sometimes you have to stand up and say something even if its unpopular - thats Bolshevism. Grow a f**king backbone.
you're all going to hell, pricks.
I don't know which of the last two comments are the most incredible.
I note that a couple of UCU folks in there have had the effrontery in the past to lecture me on "justice".
I'll have some choice phrases ready for next time that is attempted.
Mike Holmes
I am deeply saddened to see the names of several people on this list whom I've held in high regard.
I am outraged to see some names on this list of people who campaign on behalf of gender equality issues. And some who will be representing the women members of their unions at the TUC Women's conference next month. How can they possibly reconcile support for the CC with representing women trade union members?
I am disgusted to see that one of the names on this list is the organiser of a pro-choice counter-demo against an anti-abortion protest tomorrow. How can anyone defending the way the SWP's appalling handling of a rape allegation and its attacks on feminism have the bare-faced cheek to claim to be campaigners for gender equality?!
This thing has not even come to the boil yet. Many people are only now finding out within the last few days that we are talking about a man, in a positon of power, in his mid 40's and a child of 17. The serious rape accusations being made when she was 19. The Class are not happy at all.
There has got to be someone in the Lynch Mob faction that has to realise this is wrecking the SWP's reputation in the labour movement (which was never great anyway). What will it take for the penny to drop?
Had to dig out the text books and blow away the dust. Thinking along the lines of Bion and the Fight/Flight scenario. The enemy within the group must be attacked but in doing so an enemy outside the group is created. (imaginary but in the present SWP case real.) The SWP had the choice of engaging the external enemy or evading conflict. They have chosen conflict with the wider movement. I do not think they will survive as a group.
'Taking the long view
We are now in the 7th year of a worldwide capitalist crisis. The depth
of the crisis in countries such as Greece is leading to deep
polarisation between the left and the Fascist right. The UK is in a
triple dip recession. There are no signs of any serious recovery.
The history of our party (and of the Bolsheviks and indeed other
organisations in our tendency) prove the need for a unified, Leninist
organisation which can provide a revolutionary pole of attraction for
the working class.
There is a huge fear amongst our comrades that if we are too hard in
holding the positions democratically won at our conference, branches
and elected national committee we will lose many of the young student
members of our organisation. None of us want that to happen. However,
we also have to be clear that whilst engaging in a political argument
to win and keep as many comrades as possible, we cannot hold on to
members at a political price which will fundamentally damage our
ability to organise in the working class.
New students arrive at colleges every year. If we raise the level of
politics to fit the present situation the SWP can recruit and develop
layers of Marxist students successfully.
To preserve a revolutionary current in this country for the inevitable
struggles ahead we need to ensure that we fight to win all comrades to
a democratic centralist position in practise as well as in name. And,
at the same time, we need to demand and enforce with discipline if
necessary the right of the majority of members to have decisions
respected and our action to be unified. Without that we cannot
effectively move forward in this epoch of crises, wars and
revolutions.
Proposed: Anna
Seconded: Alan
Tottenham Branch'
Doncaster has really only three, a female comrade has been put down twice. Interestingly enough found out recently that a young woman was told about me and my socialist activism, that it wasn't up to scratch because I'm a feminist. Luckily for me her and Donny she rejected hipoor analysis. What's more interesting about this is that we have the worst rates of domestic violence and child abuse for our size and also the worst public sector cuts, which yes you've guessed it affects women and children the most. I thought it was an active socialists job at this time to highlight the inequality aspects of the cuts and campaign accordingly. I'd like to be able to say the Donny comrades had helped on this most difficult period. But that would be factually incorrect.
What I also find annoying is the way conferece places are elected. How does doncaster take down more than one person when they have lost nearly all members and have three left? When we raised issues and were ignored we joined the left platform. We were immediately told wehad to get elected at a Sheffield aggregate. We replied not on your Nelly and they couldn't do a thing about it. They are trying the very same tactic again. Its a totaljoke and older comrades who say this is acceptable well, the mind boggles. Democratic centralism doesn't mean handing over your brain.
My experience of the SWP is that it does centralism well and internal democracy not very well. Strangely that’s not necessarily a critical failing – when I was a member that centralism was mitigated by the fact that the CC needed to persuade rank and file members of their position for it to be effective and that had a disciplinary effect on the leadership - to some degree. Now that check seems under threat.
As far the members on the list, there are undoubtedly some who would sign up to any statement that the Central Committee issued because the CC issued it. But there are a number of others – as Pete Green argued – who are first class fighters and people. I imagine they support the statement as they believe that their party is a force for good and that, even with its faults and its large failings on this issue, its best way of moving forward and achieving more things in the future is through support for a decision which has already been taken at conference – their constitutional forum for taking major party decisions. Those on the list have it badly wrong this time around, of course, but I’m very uneasy with the characterisation of them as apparatchiks/cowards/ hacks. I know a number of Labour party members of principle who have remained in that party and voted to support its leadership despite the Iraq war, attacks on civil liberties and the treatment of asylum seekers (to name a few things) under New Labour - policies they deeply disagreed with, but a party they stuck to in the belief that it resulted in net good. I don’t think several of the SWPers on this list are behaving much differently in this instance.
The SWP have never really been a force for good. Such is their contempt for other activists their paranoia forces them to destroy any united front that they cannot control. They are middle-class fantasists who have no connection with the working class activists. Their contempt for the working class being so strong that Cliff expelled many shop stewards who could think for themselves. Of the 20 members in my area, one working class trade unionists. One educationalists is even on the management committee of his university forcing through cuts. hypocrite. Reading Comrade Anna's statement above the CC having lost this generation of students now seem to be hellbent on grabbing the next generation for Swapper Fodder. If generations of activists had not been contaminated by the SWP the left may have had some decent radical youngsters.
I think it's fair to say the SWP won't be screwing up many more young people after March 10th.
"What will it take for the penny to drop?"
A disastrous Marxism this summer should do the trick
I'd be interested to know Jimboo what makes you believe you speak for the working class in the first place - the fantasist here seems to be you.
Oh dear why must I feed the trolls. When as a shop steward I found out the working class are quite able to speak for themselves, I never speak for the "Class". The SWP are totally separated from the working class and have been from the beginning. Quite simply the working classes who have read about the actions of Smith and others are quite happy to describe them as nonces. Every senior member of the SWP that I know or have read about have had zero contact with the working class. Most of them are in professional employment,many are lecturers and teachers. Now I have read your defence of Martin Smith's relationship with a student of 17 elsewhere and am aware you do not see anything wrong with it, your problem, you live with it.
Dearest Jimboo
Indeed people can make up their own mind: my only previous contribution to this debate was at http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/swp-expulsions-and-squabbles.303876/page-231
and in the unlikely event that folk are interested (apparently like you were! )in following my previous contributions they can make their own judgment.
I will add that my contribution was intended, not as ‘defence’ of Martin Smith - whose behaviour from what I have read is inexcusable on a number of counts - but a broader wariness of some people casting other relationships between consenting adults as ‘inappropriate’ from a distance. As someone in a same-sex relationship I am aware as to how that label has been as a veil for discrimination in the past, and continues to be used in a number of other countries around the world.
I also agree that people can speak for themselves which is why I wondered about your previous comment here that: “The Class are not happy at all”; alongside a number of other comments from which suggested you have a privileged insight into other people’s thoughts. However I must now acknowledge my error. You don’t think that you have the privileged position of speaking for the working class; rather you you have the privelege of determining who the working class are in the first place! Obviously (shock horror!) no-one who has had that bourgeois impetus to pick up a book (or even more shock horror!!) a degree can be deemed working class. They are ‘professional’ and ‘middle class fantasists’ and worthy of your contempt. Worst of all having a degree might mean you go on to become a teacher (pah!) or even a lecturer (pah! pah!) –and clearly these middle class fantasists can be discarded and sidelined as enemies of the working class!
Given that Braverman’s Labour and Monopoly Capital challenged such an archaic, monolithic view of working class identity back in 1974 I can only assume that your roots in the left (if indeed you truly have any) are in the 1950s CPGB. If that is the case all I can say is that it’s sad for you that society changed while you stood still.
One final comment as a piece of advice – be careful as you type that response : your Stakhanovite fingers might fall off if they continue to come into contact with something as ‘middle class’ and ‘professional’ as a computer. Best chisel out a response on stone by banging your head against it – your head seeming to be your least valuable body part.
Lots of love,
Ben xx
Weary, Weary,wasn't going to answer but... SWP members in the main are employees of the state or the oppresive arms of the state. Why,it is their aim to take control of that state. Braverman as a cultist was as separated from the reality of labour and the working class as Cliff was. His approach is basically tarted up Luddism. I find it ironic that you quote a Trotskyist text dated 1974, this is around the time Cliff started the expulsion of Shop Steward militants from the IS. This is when the SWP retreated to their middle class "fantasy" world of being the Revolutionary Party. They shat themselves during the shop stewards movement and haven't made any contact with industrial workers since. It is ironic that the main fault of Bannerman and the SWP, US or GB, is they have not recognised the strength of class division, and what class they are actually in. I rarely argue with cultists, political or religious, but in relation to the SWP it has no reason to exist. I do find your Stahanovite quote amusing as I am the exact opposite.
I was in the SWP during the 80's and 90's. Deep down, I can't say I am surprised. One ex CC'er who has since died was notorious in our day picking up young, impressionable women. I saw his behavour first hand in Skegness which was quite frankly disgraceful.
I didn't know Comrade Delta terribly well, but in my day there were behaviours as serious, if not more that what was alleged against him.
This is only the tip of the iceberg and I feel looking at all the leaked documents that The SWP is finished in my mind. You don't appreciate the dogma until you experience it from the other side. I'm glad I left the SWP which accounted for so much of my time and money.
Some of the people on the current CC and staff I knew very well and it is sad to see how they have ended up.
Life outside of the SWP is bright, less angry and much more connected into real life. The SWP is an unhealthy environment. It reminds me of the Catholic Church. The parallels are uncanny. No doubt it will take time for it to finally disband, but one thing is for sure, it has lost all credibility and as a force it is finished. The conciousness laggs way behind the reality of the situation. It will take time, but it will manifest itself to people that this is so.
Farewell SWP. It was nice knowing you. We had some good times, but we have outgrown you. Your time has passed.
Always wondered what the S in SWP stood for. Sharia? Sexist? Shattered? Split? Superannuated? Shit?
Paul Blackledge from Leeds is on this list. What a hypocrite. He was hauled up in front of the Party many years ago for using SWSS as a personal harem. Shame on him!
http://averypublicsociologist.blogspot.co.uk
It has just been brought to my attention that you have published an internal Socialist Workers’ Party document including my and other signatories, on to a public blog without permission. I would like to make the following clear:
a) The signatories who are members of this union continue to support the SWP’s handling of this difficult issue, but would like to make it clear that it would be inappropriate to infer that this means the EIS has a view on it or has a locus in this issue.
b) The signatories that you have published including EIS next to our first names and surname initials, signed the document in a personal capacity and not on behalf of our trade union, the EIS.
If you are not prepared to take down this document from your blog, or remove all references to the EIS, I request that the above is publish the above to make this clear.
Penny Gower, Edinburgh
A couple of interesting facts about the list. One person on it has been accused of rape in the past and another engages in dogging by his own admission. What a bunch.
Revive an old thread.
Some of the 14 SWP candidates standing under TUSC banner.
Edinburgh East Ayesha Saleem;
Glasgow North Angela McCormick;
Barnsley Central Dave Gibson;
Sheffield Brightside & Hillsborough Maxine Bowler;
Leeds Central Liz Kitching;
Portsmouth North Jon Woods.
Names seem familiar
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