Open Letter to Respect Comrades
Socialist Sums | 06.06.2004 11:33 | London
This weekend we have had an absolute mauling in the left/centre press. Firstly, the New Statesman, then the Guardian and today the Observer. Are they scared of us and playing us down, or are they reacting to us talking ourselves up?
Every time I turn to the mainstream media, I read or hear that we are going to do nothing. Every time I talk to anyone backing Respect I hear that we are going to do really well. Who do I believe? Much as I detest the mainstream media, those of us campaigning on the left do tend to be over enthusiastic about our chances in every election we stand in. I’ve been around long enough to spot a false dawn when I see it.
We are going to do a lot better than the SLP did in 1999 and that is an absolute certainty. What is also clear four days before the election is that we are going to fall short of winning the Euro seat in London. Much as I feel for George (and he looks shattered with all the work he has put in) it just isn’t going to happen this time.
I think we can still get 5% so the Assembly vote is obvious, as is my vote for the Mayor. But I’m not going to vote Respect in the Euros, because I don’t think it is going to help elect an anti-war MEP. Sorry George. Sorry Comrades.
I got involved with Stop the War because I believed it would make a difference. Respect was the obvious evolution. Like many others I believed we would do it when I saw us united together at the start of this campaign. I really want Blair to fall over Iraq and I want these election results to hurt New Labour.
Our votes on Thursday need to elect an anti-war MEP in London. If like me, you don’t think George can do it, you know that there is only one other choice. Whatever you think of the membership, the tactics and the selfishness of her party, Jean Lambert has not been a bad MEP (this goes without saying for Caroline Lucas in the South East). She had the right policy on Afghanistan and Iraq, and for these reasons, she will be getting my Euro vote through gritted teeth.
In return, I want more respect for us from the Greens after these elections. They must stand aside for us in areas where we are majority voice of the anti-war movement, because if Jean Lambert is elected, they need to recognise that tactical socialist votes delivered this. We can't allow a result where both Respect and the Greens lose out on a Euro seat. No anti-war MEP for London? Not acceptable. We'll take the disappointment of not getting George elected but let us build on our gains and begin work on a socialist challenge to pro-war Labour MPs with Lindsey as our democratically elected leader.
Every time I turn to the mainstream media, I read or hear that we are going to do nothing. Every time I talk to anyone backing Respect I hear that we are going to do really well. Who do I believe? Much as I detest the mainstream media, those of us campaigning on the left do tend to be over enthusiastic about our chances in every election we stand in. I’ve been around long enough to spot a false dawn when I see it.
We are going to do a lot better than the SLP did in 1999 and that is an absolute certainty. What is also clear four days before the election is that we are going to fall short of winning the Euro seat in London. Much as I feel for George (and he looks shattered with all the work he has put in) it just isn’t going to happen this time.
I think we can still get 5% so the Assembly vote is obvious, as is my vote for the Mayor. But I’m not going to vote Respect in the Euros, because I don’t think it is going to help elect an anti-war MEP. Sorry George. Sorry Comrades.
I got involved with Stop the War because I believed it would make a difference. Respect was the obvious evolution. Like many others I believed we would do it when I saw us united together at the start of this campaign. I really want Blair to fall over Iraq and I want these election results to hurt New Labour.
Our votes on Thursday need to elect an anti-war MEP in London. If like me, you don’t think George can do it, you know that there is only one other choice. Whatever you think of the membership, the tactics and the selfishness of her party, Jean Lambert has not been a bad MEP (this goes without saying for Caroline Lucas in the South East). She had the right policy on Afghanistan and Iraq, and for these reasons, she will be getting my Euro vote through gritted teeth.
In return, I want more respect for us from the Greens after these elections. They must stand aside for us in areas where we are majority voice of the anti-war movement, because if Jean Lambert is elected, they need to recognise that tactical socialist votes delivered this. We can't allow a result where both Respect and the Greens lose out on a Euro seat. No anti-war MEP for London? Not acceptable. We'll take the disappointment of not getting George elected but let us build on our gains and begin work on a socialist challenge to pro-war Labour MPs with Lindsey as our democratically elected leader.
Socialist Sums
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