What should the Left do about the growing democratic deficit in the movement? How do we challenge abuse of power? One of the healthiest anti-war groups in the country was recently wrecked by the Socialist Workers Party who packed out key Birmingham meetings with its party members and purged a raft of well-respected activists.
They tell their story on their website.
They tell their story on their website.
Open Letter Concerning Events in Birmingham Since the Autumn of 2001
We set out here details of key events that have poisoned the atmosphere on the Birmingham Left since the autumn of 2001. There seems to be a misconception as to what has happened, so we feel it is time to put the record straight. At the heart of the problems in Birmingham has been the behaviour of key SWP members. The Left outside Labour in Birmingham had been united as never before during the 2001 General Election campaign. But this completely unravelled during and after the Afghan war and the situation has continued to deteriorate ever since.
1. The 5th February 2002 General Meeting of Birmingham Stop the War Coalition (BSTWC) and its Aftermath
2. The BTUC Teach-In on Iraq and Palestine on Sunday 6th April 2003
3. Birmingham Socialist Alliance AGM on 1st July 2003
4. Socialist Alliance National Council in Birmingham on 19th July 2003
Details on the Birmingham website:
http://web.bham.ac.uk/sue_blackwell/politics/swp.html
Open Forum
We set out here details of key events that have poisoned the atmosphere on the Birmingham Left since the autumn of 2001. There seems to be a misconception as to what has happened, so we feel it is time to put the record straight. At the heart of the problems in Birmingham has been the behaviour of key SWP members. The Left outside Labour in Birmingham had been united as never before during the 2001 General Election campaign. But this completely unravelled during and after the Afghan war and the situation has continued to deteriorate ever since.
1. The 5th February 2002 General Meeting of Birmingham Stop the War Coalition (BSTWC) and its Aftermath
2. The BTUC Teach-In on Iraq and Palestine on Sunday 6th April 2003
3. Birmingham Socialist Alliance AGM on 1st July 2003
4. Socialist Alliance National Council in Birmingham on 19th July 2003
Details on the Birmingham website:
http://web.bham.ac.uk/sue_blackwell/politics/swp.html Open Forum
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