A taste of their own medicine
Socialist meeting blocked by councillor

SOCIALIST PARTY members in Debden, Essex have been blocked from organising a public meeting at Debden Park community centre on the world economic crisis.
The community centre room initially accepted the booking. However, an unnamed councillor requested that Essex Police inquire into the nature of the meeting and the Socialist Party. The centre then withdrew the room booking, saying they will not accept bookings from any political organisations.

Despite being asked, Essex Police will not release the name or political affiliation of the councillor who asked them to look into the meeting. We believe this is an attack on our democratic right to organise.

We deserve the right to know which councillor asked the police to look into the meeting and whether or not they oppose ordinary people organising and discussing what is happening in the world. Socialist Party members will be organising a campaign to have the name of this anti-democratic councillor revealed.

It is probably no coincidence that the British National Party has four councillors in the area. Despite this attack on our right to organise, Socialist Party members held a campaign stall in Debden last Saturday where 23 copies of The Socialist were sold.

Greg Maughan

 http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/6486