Launch of Oxford Respect 09.03.04

Chaired ably by Jo, who is soon to leave Oxford, the meeting was well
attended and there was a good atmosphere even when there were some critical
questions.

Speakers:
Will MacIntyre spoke enthusiastically about the launch of
'Respect - Unity Coalition' on 25th Jan. He said 'the present political
parties do not represent the majority of the electorate. There are already
local Respect branches in Southampton, Crawley, Kent and Brighton.

Donna Velluti of Amicus (speaking in a personal capacity) mentioned the case of Italy
and Berlusconi, who is dangerous but less so than Blair as he is a buffoon. The
Bliar Government has presided over greater devolution to Washington and the
multinational corporations than any other government. She said that she was nervous about
new things but that 'you have to shape your options' and encouraged all to join
and make 'sure Respect is democratic and all of us can be heard'.

Zaid Marham spoke in a personal capacity too, as STWC (Stop the War Coalition) cannot
affiliate. The US and UK have both tried to 'draw a line' at the end of the war, under the Hutton Report and when Saddam was found, but to no avail. This Government
has been participating in Iraq in mass murder of completely innocent
people - over 10,000 casualties and rising - and also in the whipping up of racism
etc. None of the Parties speak for us. 'we can't move fast enough as there
are only two months before the June Elections for MEPs. We are starting
tomorrow'. He said Lindsey Germain and George Galloway were on the Respect
slate for London.

Peter Boswell of the Post Office Union, the CWU (Communications Workers Union)
spoke very movingly about how he tried to stay in the Labour Party to make
changes from within, but finding this was not possible he tore up his card on
the day war started. Among other things he said ' under Labour the gap
between the rich and the poor has grown more than under the Conservatives.
They have bombed people and then complained when refugees from those
countries came here. They are short on civil liberties or they would have
chosen to attack Saudi before Iraq. Re the Big Conversation - why did Blair not
talk last Feb to the 2 million who marched ? 'He is going to pay the price'.

Ian McKendrick of Unison, a health worker, outlined all the failings of this
Government in relation to the NHS. The new PFI (Public Finance Initiative) hospitals are
mortgaging our children's and grandchildren's futures as they will be paying the interest to'for profit' companies. It is costing £200 million a month to keep troops in
Iraq !
'The RMT which founded the Labour Party 100 years ago (eileen: but see also
 http://web.ukonline.co.uk/sydenham.labour/historyx.htm) has been chucked out because it
wishes to support Respect. 'We need a new political organisation in this country and there were such a wide variety of people on the Peace Marches. Now we need them to walk to the ballot box.'

During questions, Martin Gregory asked 'does the Labour Party represent
working class people in this country ? No - we've got to seize this
opportunity in Oxford. Tom Lines of the Green Party said the Respect declaration
is virtually the same as the Green's and asked Respect not to stand against
Caroline Lucas. All agreed that she is a very good MEP. Donna said that this
can be discussed at the South East region selection meeting in Brighton on Sunday. A
pensioner asked that we support Grey Power in their stand against Andrew
Smith.

John Lister, Social Alliance candidate at the last General Election said we must
now join Respect and build on the movement started by the Socialist Alliance. He pointed out that we can reach whole sections of society which the Greens cannot reach.

John Green said 'there is space for a socialist party as the Greens [which
he supports] are seen as petty bourgeois'. He suspects Respect is somewhere
in between the Greens and the Left.

Elise Benjamin said she is interested in what is going on but fears that
there is misinformation around. She says that even in January there were
rumours going round that the Greens were not interested. As they are a
decentralised party she hopes that they will be able to take proper
decisions both regionally and at the Conference in Hove which is being held
next weekend. It was pointed out that there were difficulties in that the
Greens already have their candidates and Respect have got to get going
immediately for the June elections.

Mark Ladbrooke spoke on behalf of health workers. He made many criticism of
the Governments policy on the NHS, PFI etc. He said 'think of the scale of
the project - we are trying to respond to a cataclysmic movement involving
people who have never seen themselves as socialists. This goes beyond the
traditional left'. There is a dynamic around - even on the TV despite the
pressure from above. He said 'The Greens need to relate to this movement or
they will lose Caroline Lucas's seat.

Sarah Lasenby said she was an enthusiastic supporter of the Respect platform
herself but reminded people that there are very many who want to vote for an
anti-war independent candidate and won't vote for a 'lefty' party [with
George Galloway at its head]. She said 'If we are to oust Andrew Smith, and
I know everyone in this room wants that, we will need to appeal to the whole
range of antiwar voters'.

To take Respect Oxford forward the meeting then appointed George Roe as chair,
William MacIntyre as secretary, and nine other members of a
steering committee. After this people were able to put their own names forward
as well as being proposed, so there is a good range of people.

Author's Comment:
we are still stuck with problems of communication between
Respect and Greens both locally and nationally . The outcome of
the selection meeting on Sunday will be important - especially in relation to
the re-election of our excellent MEP Caroline Lucas.

Sarah L