In the latest edition of ‘Socialist Worker’, the SWP’s leading theoretician and central committee member Alex Callinicos makes an interesting and revealing comment:

‘Of course, parliamentary elections aren't revolutionaries natural terrain. Activists can lead mass movements but find themselves cut down to size on polling day’

Of course he is not directly referring to the SWP and the ‘RESPECT’ coalition here. That would make the debate too open and honest. Rather he is talking about the recent relatively poor showing of the anti-capitalist alliance of the Lutte Ouvriere (LO) and the Ligue Communiste Revolutionnaire (LCR) in the French elections.

However, later in the article he hints at parallels with the UK, in the context of the internal crisis that now besets the French LCR:

‘There is a real danger that the Ligue will now implode into faction-fighting. …I can't avoid a feeling of "There but for the grace of god go us." In June Respect will face its own great test in the European and Greater London elections.’

In this one phrase he gives us a slight revelation of the massive tensions and conflicts that exist within the SWP central committee. Of course a revolutionary party with a culture of democracy and open debate amongst activists as equals could survive such a crisis….

Mmmmm….
WARNING: PLEASE STAND CLEAR
Britain’s largest left sect in crisis
Could turn very nasty.
Please inoculate and protect your social movement / trades union branch from any ensuing fallout!

Refs:
Alex Callinicos
‘Don't duck the politics’
Socialist worker Page 4, Sat 3 April 2004, no 1895.
 http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/1895/sw189506.htm