About 70 people of diverse ethnic backgrounds and ages, almost half women, were offered an alternative to New Labour’s policies of privatisation, war and anti-trades unionism from an equally diverse platform of four speakers.

The main speaker, Salma Yacoob, was confidently introduced as the next Respect MP to wide warm applause. She was only about 3,000 votes short of being elected MP for the Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency in last may's general election.

She explined the context of the Thursday evening. It was a response to the terrorist attacks in London; earlier that day the second wave of London bombing attacks had taken place. She said that the nightmare scenario had come true; and like many others, she, herself, had predicted that the war against Iraq would bring individual terrorism to the shores of the British isles.

Salma, who is a radical, voices mainstream Muslim opinion. she condemned the attacks, but stated how: “political injustice drives fundamentalist Muslims,” and described how it would take a coming together of ordinary people, including Christians, Muslims and Jews to put a stop to the escalating cycle of violence.

Making the the point that the truth had been getting through, and most people at least subconsciously knew Blair was lying, she stated the back lash against the Muslim community had been minimal. This was despite Blair’s New Labour still being in denial and relentlessly propagandisng about the reasons for the bombings. They have accepted no responsibility themselves.

Turning to the anti-war movement, which she stressed needs building, she reminded those present that there had been 13 national demonstrations. She said the British demonstrations had inspired others in the Middle East to come out and protest.

Dr Al-Zitani spoke from the platform. Originally from the world’s oldest cosmopolitan centre, Damascus , he started working as a NHS Surgeon in Coventry five years ago - which has only been a city for 600 years - and founded the “Coventry Circle”, and has been trying to make links between the cities. He described that the aim of the Circle of professional people was to promote the political engagement of the Muslim community in Coventry. This is because the majority of them don't have the confidence, status, or experience to do so. He stated the government that supported the war in Iraq can be toppled democratically.

The meeting was at the Muslim Resource Centre on Red Lane; an apt address since red not only represented the collective restrained anger against Blair’s lies and reckless support of the Iraqi War and Blair’s. It also reflected the long standing socialist and Marxist tradition in Coventry, which was combining with the socialist principles that underpinned the Islamic religion. It was stated clearly that both these traditions reject individual terrorism, but they seek to understand and explain its causes.

Dave Goodfellow, a member of Respect and the SWP, later spoke from the floor to congratulate Cllr. Dave Nellist of the Socialist Party (formerly known the Marxist Militant tendency expelled from the Labour Party in the early 1990’s) on his recent speech in the chamber of Coventry City Council about the London bombings. In it, Nellist sought to understand the motivations of the London bombers without condoning their actions. Few prominent British politicians have taken this position in public apart from Galloway. Blanket propaganda, led by Blair, that: “these evil terrorists just want to destroy western civilisation”, means that those seeking a more rational explanation are hysterically and disingenuously accused of supporting terrorism.


Dave Nellist, who was the first socialist Councillor elected in England, called for meaningful negotiations between socialists, including Respect, about organising collectively in elections. The Chair and Respect National Executive member, Farid Noor, responded by saying that he was a long-time supporter of the socialist Party in Coventry, and that informally they were already working with members of the Socialist Party to see how they could build an alternative to and maximise their challenge against New Labour in Coventry.

The Socialist Party nationally - who have had 3 councillors elected in Coventry - have declined to “Join” Respect. So too the Green Party, the dormant Socialist Alliance which was initially founded in Coventry in the aftermath of the independent election campaigns of expelled Labour MPs John Hughes and Dave Nellist. Incidentally, in 1992, Nellist was a few hundred votes shy of becoming the first British independently elected socialist MP. George Galloway, another MP expelled from the Labour MP, became Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow and achieved that historic distinction this year.


At 76 years of age Alan Wilkins spoke from the platform having represented workers since 1964, and has been a shop steward at Rolls Royce Coventry. He pointed how Blair’s new Labour betrayed Trade Unionism by not repealing the anti-trade union laws brought in by Thatcher’s governments. In fact, he added, new Labour have introduced more.

He related how many trade unionists had been victimised and lost their jobs over the years. However, it was as important today as ever to: “Fight for the right of all trade Unionists to elect their own representatives, and be represented.” This was pertinent in the case of the current Amicus convenor on the Bristol RR Test Area, Jerry Kelly, who has been employed by Rolls Royce for 30 years.

After a strike at the Bristol plant by 100 testers which successfully defended two workers from the sack, Jerry was victimised for representing them. On Wednesday all Bristol Rolls Royce workers walked out and met to decide what action they should take. Their demands are: to reinstate Jerry; Allow Jerry to address all parts of RR; and a ballot at all RR plants for industrial action.

It has been a long time since such a large and important group of workers have walked out to defend their trade union representative. Alan stated that a new generation of trades unionists in their first dispute were leading a resurgence in the power of trade unions.

Sabrina Actar at 16 represented youth at the meeting. In fact she has for three years as Coventry representative on the UK youth parliament. She stressed that young people needed to get proactive and get involved in politics, and the importance of education and information - it is power.

If Salma Yacoob were to be elected at a by-election the first radical Muslim woman MP, it would by degrees surpass the achievements of Cllr. Dave Nellist and MP George Galloway. It would continue the gains that Respect have made - apparently they gained 15 new members at this meeting.

Organised socialist parties may have been on the decline over the last twenty years but it appears they are now on their way back having recruited a new young layer of activists, and perhaps having learned lessons from their history.



- Next Meeting

Wednesday 27th July, 7:30 pm, Muslim resource centre, Red Lane Coventry.
Video of George Galloway, respect MP for Bethnal Green, giving it to the US Senators with ‘both barrels’ (and that’s not oil!).