tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2753038714790369265.post6623057521278070349..comments2023-07-18T02:33:09.242-07:00Comments on Campaign for a New Workers' Party: How can an alternative to the main parties be developed?Campaign for a New Workers' Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00635619996281840111noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2753038714790369265.post-3507198201443671402008-04-01T02:17:00.000-07:002008-04-01T02:17:00.000-07:00Blackstone Its bloody Labour, we have enough Ameri...Blackstone Its bloody Labour, we have enough America rubbish here now, Labour. and the Libs no thanks mate.Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05186557603493331701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2753038714790369265.post-58931639047614803452008-03-15T21:49:00.000-07:002008-03-15T21:49:00.000-07:00a strong liberal-labor coalition is needed on the ...a strong liberal-labor coalition is needed on the ground and grassroots levelblackstonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06486087989322216502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2753038714790369265.post-41739352818313797282008-03-15T10:16:00.000-07:002008-03-15T10:16:00.000-07:00Hi allFirstly I think this blog is a good idea - i...Hi all<BR/><BR/>Firstly I think this blog is a good idea - it can help stimulate debate and is another way of getting our ideas out to people looking for an alternative.<BR/><BR/>Just briefly on the points raised by Mark Serwotka. I think Mark is miles ahead of other union leaders in industrial and political terms, and the fact that he is prepared to debate these issues is vital and to his credit.<BR/><BR/>Whilst the 'make your vote count' campaign is a good step forward and a worthy initiative (we did something similar in my union branch) - it would be good if he went further. Could Mark get together with Bob Crow and Matt Wrack of the FBU to hold a conference either in the names of the union or in a personal capacity?<BR/><BR/>The PCS, and Mark, have much respect in the movement - they are in a real position to take the fight for working class representation forward - that would give a real boost and impetus for a new working class party.<BR/><BR/>cheers<BR/>Paul<BR/>Coventry<BR/><BR/>ps please try and take out a SO to the campaign, even a couple of quid a month makes big difference!<BR/><BR/>see www.cnwp.org.ukPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17540926189388891480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2753038714790369265.post-35952522534589862742008-03-14T05:43:00.000-07:002008-03-14T05:43:00.000-07:00Many thanks to Mark Serwotka for his contribution ...Many thanks to Mark Serwotka for his contribution to this vital issue. Recent events in Germany and France have illustrated the movement that is developing towards building a left alternative to the social democratic parties. In Germany we have seen the growth of the Left Party at recent regional elections, it is beginning to challenge the SPD as the party that represents workers interests. In France we have seen a turn to the Left in recent local elections,a reaction against not only Sarkozy but also the Socialiat Party. <BR/> <BR/>Therefore the task in this country of building the CNWP becomes more relevent and urgent. I agree with Pete that we must move things forward and I share his frustration at the apparant slow pace of progress. However the growth and development of a new workers party will be dependent on the pace and tempo of events in the working class and especially on the role of the trade unions. Whilst there is anger and frustration among trade unionists we have not yet seen a major break from the Labour Party by the big trade unions. I believe we are seeing the beginning of this process with the FBU and RMT in the vanguard, it is our task to take the political case for `breaking the link` into the trade unions, especially at this years annual union conferences. Therefore I think it is premature for us to move beyond a campaign at this stage, although we must step up our efforts both in local anti cuts campaigning and in the trade unions.<BR/> <BR/>Regarding Petes points about building unity on the Left, I respect Petes non sectarian approach and I share his aspiration, however merely seeking to bolt together the various Left groupings will not work. Many of us have been through the previous attempts to achieve this including the SLP, SA and Respect in each case it ended in tears. The CNWP has made it clear that it welcomes groups and individuals from the Left into its ranks, to participate in open and democratic discussion about the way forward. <BR/> <BR/>In the coming months we will see further anger amongst workers as New Labour moves further to the right, our task in the CNWP is to fight day in day out to defend workers interests and to establish the case for a new workers party.<BR/> <BR/>Terry Pearce<BR/>TU Officer<BR/>CNWPTerry Pearcehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09285239315210283913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2753038714790369265.post-54636321567053131042008-03-10T04:55:00.000-07:002008-03-10T04:55:00.000-07:00good to see a blog launched comrades. Are we going...good to see a blog launched comrades. Are we going to get another update?Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2753038714790369265.post-28872473194927114842008-02-29T09:43:00.000-08:002008-02-29T09:43:00.000-08:00Mark Serwotka raised the vitally important questio...Mark Serwotka raised the vitally important question for all socialists in his interesting article headed ‘How can an alternative to the main parties be developed?’. He ably explained why we need it. New Labour must now be seen as a Tory party, nothing less. So Mark comes to the conclusion that many of us made some time ago – we need a new left party. <BR/>What impresses me is that Mark clearly sees that industrial struggle alone will not be enough, important as trade union support for a new initiative will be. I also think his call to campaign for proportional representation is crucial for the left to make best use of electoral opportunities, not that electoralism would be the be-all and end-all. Equally significant is his call for left unity, with his assertion: “Our loyalty must be to our class, not our party card”. As Mark concluded, what unites us is far greater than what divides us. The old 80/20.<BR/>I believe strongly that we should be building a new mass socialist organisation/party – and quickly. There may not yet be an upturn in working class political activity, but workers are increasingly realising that there is no real difference between the policies of the three main parties. They want an alternative in the here and now. If not, some will turn to the racist and fascist BNP, as has already begun.<BR/><BR/>Working to a timetable<BR/>The discussion on how to build that alternative must start now. We need a timetable. It should be in no more than two years – or by the next general election. That would force us to focus. At the moment the CNWP is a campaign for a new party. I am proud to be the CNWP press officer, and the Socialist Alliance, of which I am national secretary, has played a positive role in the CNWP’s development. But, after two years, it remains very much a campaign, albeit the most likely one to succeed. <BR/>A campaign is pursued to achieve a purpose. What is the CNWP’s purpose? It is to form a new workers’ party. After two years of pursuing that goal, we need to take stock. How close are we to it? If we do not intend to have that new party in place by the next general election, for example, then what is our goal? If it is the same goal we set ourselves in March 2006, then why have our actions not been effective?<BR/>Moving CNWP forward<BR/>The Socialist Alliance has put forward a number of suggestions which could have moved the CNWP towards at least a pre-party formation or a pro-party alliance. We have suggested that the 3,000 CNWP supporters are encouraged to become individual members of the campaign. We called on the CNWP to adopt a federal structure which encourages affiliation and automatic representation from all supportive political organisations irrespective of size, and representation for independents. We asked for CNWP working groups to develop the agreed policy points in the CNWP Charter. We suggested a discussion e-list to encourage dialogue between supporters. All of these, so far rejected by the Socialist Party majority, would keep the campaign going whilst starting to prepare for a more structured organisation – as agreed at the CNWP launch conference.<BR/> We need a party/organisation that is open, inclusive of both individuals and socialist/green socialist groups, pluralistic, democratic and non-sectarian in every sense of the word. It should be formed both by campaigning amongst the working class, as the CNWP quite rightly is doing, but also by inviting all the left to join. Yes, that includes the Socialist Workers’ Party (SWP).<BR/>Socialist unity<BR/>How you get that unity is not easy. The Socialist Alliance moved at the last CNWP steering committee for discussions to commence about how best to approach all socialist unity projects and other progressive red/green groups and individuals - with a view to inviting them to a conference in 2008 to discuss ways of uniting the left – not to form the new party. That was also rejected.<BR/><BR/>Some of us have been striving for socialist unity for over 15 years. Why has it not happened? We need to identify the hurdles. The main one is the sectarianism of the left. Each left group/unity project thinks it has the answers and seeks to build its own organisation first and foremost. We must learn tolerance and respect for each other, and acknowledge that none of us has all the answers. Those of us involved in the original SA, or, indeed, within Respect, will be only too aware of the SWP’s control freakery. We will need structures in place that prevent a repeat. But we need to include the SWP, just as we should welcome and include all progressive socialist and green socialist forces.<BR/>Mark Serwotka was so right when he mentioned the idiocy of there being three different socialist unity projects meeting on the same Saturday in different venues. By the following weekend, a further four had met nationally but separately – Respect Renewal, the SA, TUSP and the AGS. This division of the left into at least seven distinct blocks has got to be overcome. As a start, whilst we continue to develop the CNWP, we should also organise a delegate conference to discuss, at the very least, ways of uniting the left, and explore how we could unite better. The SA will be pursuing this goal in the months ahead. <BR/>Pete McLaren<BR/>SA National Secretary<BR/>CNWP Press OfficerPete McLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13266272218814241969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2753038714790369265.post-41441216048612965872008-02-27T09:42:00.000-08:002008-02-27T09:42:00.000-08:00an interesting discussion on one of the key politi...an interesting discussion on one of the key political questions for workers and young people. Its a very positive development that the PCS can fund political campaigns, i was just wondering if that included supporting the firefighters that Mark Sewotka mentions in his article? Its developments like that that are key in the struggle for a new workers party. It'd be interesting to see what other people think.<BR/>Keep up the good workAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10537445184362359923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2753038714790369265.post-49004911820938617182008-02-19T05:01:00.000-08:002008-02-19T05:01:00.000-08:00Socialist Party welcomes debateWe very much welcom...Socialist Party welcomes debate<BR/>We very much welcome Mark Serwotka's article on a central issue confronting the workers' movement today: how to lay the foundations now for a new mass political alternative to discredited New Labour? We hope that his contribution and this reply to some of his points will provoke a lively correspondence and debate...<BR/>Read full article at: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/519/3731Greg Maughanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05575136141651214079noreply@blogger.com