RESPECT : Gerrymandering, exclusions and the farce of three- minute democracy
Peter Manson writing in the Workers Weekly (cpgb) | 06.11.2004 22:38
The October 30-31 conference of Respect showed the SWP at its worst, writes Peter Manson: fixing delegations, voting down socialist and democratic principles, demonising opponents and riding roughshod over any remaining pretence of inclusivity.
The Report is in workers in Weekly Worker 551 Thursday November 4 2004 at:
http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/551/respect%20-%20main.htm
A summary by:
About 270 delegates attended, of which 70% were swp. Several non swp lefts resigned after the conference. There was no agreement to work with the rest of the left, and they intend to stand in a small number of seats in the general election, and to support Labour left MPs.
Some thoughts on the report:
One year old, the Respect electoral project is already being fatally strangled by the bureaucratic hold of the swp, losing momentum, instead of receiving a boost, six months before the general election, after which its exit has been widely predicted.
It is difficult to understand why the swp have operated in this way (see the report above), other than they are being true to form, and, as usual, seem to want control only for the sake of having control - other objectives seem mere fancy.
hh.
http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/551/respect%20-%20main.htm A summary by:
About 270 delegates attended, of which 70% were swp. Several non swp lefts resigned after the conference. There was no agreement to work with the rest of the left, and they intend to stand in a small number of seats in the general election, and to support Labour left MPs.
Some thoughts on the report:
One year old, the Respect electoral project is already being fatally strangled by the bureaucratic hold of the swp, losing momentum, instead of receiving a boost, six months before the general election, after which its exit has been widely predicted.
It is difficult to understand why the swp have operated in this way (see the report above), other than they are being true to form, and, as usual, seem to want control only for the sake of having control - other objectives seem mere fancy.
hh.
Peter Manson writing in the Workers Weekly (cpgb)