Don Rocinante’s article (Crisis in the SLP, LLB, November) is wishful thinking. Socialists hostile to the SLP have been predicting splits and collapse for over a year, yet its organisation and growth continue. A clear and focused strength has been needed to establish a new socialist party and it’s doubtful that any working class militant other than Arthur Scargill could have established it.
To argue that the SLP failed to organise a national campaign is daft! Socialist Labour stood in 63 seats, distributed over 4 million election addresses, gave out hundreds of thousands of leaflets and knocked on thousands of doors, resulting in a doubling of our membership. Our election broadcast, produced by Ken Loach, was seen by over 6 million people. We gained over 51,000 votes, the highest left vote since the Communist Party in 1966! Remarkable for a party barely a year old and against an overwhelming desire of working people to simply get rid of the Tories.
For the first time in over 100 years trade union branches and regions have affiliated to a political party other than Labour. Many leading trade unionists have joined — Jimmy Nolan (T&G), Frank Cave (NUM), Joe Marino (Bakers), John Mulrenan (Unison), Bill Freeman (GPMU), Ronnie Macdonald, (OILC, Offshore rig workers) and Bob Crow (RMT).
Since the election branches have continued sinking roots in their local communities, supporting trade unionists in struggle, building trades councils, fighting by-elections and working with local groups and tenants campaigning to save public services.
A debate is taking place within the party concerning its direction and organisation, that is a healthy sign. A majority recognise that a centrally-controlled Stalinist Party is not the way forward and are seeking to work in partnership with other socialists, community activists, and environmentalists. Lewisham SLP comrades have worked closely with the Socialist Party and tenant leaders to establish a Save Lewisham Housing Campaign. A Socialist Group has been formed on the Council by the SLP and SP and both councillors are working together to support the town hall unions fighting proposals to externalise services, set up a private housing company and form public/private partnerships which will lead to poorer services and reduced pay and conditions for workers including many black people and women. An internal Labour Party document reveals their town hall machine is worried. For the first time a red/green opposition is emerging to challenge Tammany Hall politics and local Labour Party sleaze.
The SLP seeks to build a mass inclusive, democratic party filling the void being left by Labour as it moves ever further right. Prospects are extremely favourable — it is Labour which is facing a split. Thousands of Labour Party members remain suspended and excluded from participation in decisions. Socialists are denied the chance of standing as local councillors. It is Labour members who are leaving in disgust at the undemocratic and centralised control of the party.
MEPs are being denied the right to debate reforms proposed for Euro elections, including the closed list system and are being suspended for doing so. Working class representatives for Parliament were blocked and right-wing, centrally-imposed candidates slotted in. After only 6 months in office the character of New Labour is becoming clear — buckling to any resistance put up by the rich and powerful, continuing attacks on lone parents, privatising services and committed to the “market”. Prospects for parliamentary socialism have died, the door has been firmly bolted on turning around the position inside the Labour Party and councils are likely to move dramatically to the right after May 1998.
The prospects for a growth of trade union organisation and resistance, community activity, rebirth of socialism and the emergence of a truly socialist party with roots in the working class and trade union movement have never been better. The creation of assemblies in Scotland, Wales and London under alternatives to First Past The Post, along with reforms to local elections, holds the prospect for socialists and greens to gain seats. Comrades in the SLP have made a brave and bold start. I am aware that a growing number of LLB comrades are reviewing their position within the Labour Party in light of Party Into Power and the defeat of left policies in October.
The tectonic plates of British left politics have started to move. A re-foundation of British socialism is on the agenda and it is likely that the SLP will be important in shaping its direction. Reports that a group of MEPs have approached the Greens to stand as Red/Green candidates in 1999 indicate events are moving quickly. The introduction of a centrally-approved candidates list and the adoption of a tight disciplinary code for the Parliamentary Labour Party are likely to result in Campaign Group MPs being disciplined. It could well be that by the time the SLP holds its Congress in December it could have its first parliamentary representatives!