'Respect' and George Galloway

Below is the text of the platform of the "Respect Unity Coalition" being launched by George Galloway and the SWP . The greatest mass movement of our age has brought us together. We have marched in unprecedented numbers against war, against racism and in defence of democracy and civil liberties. Our views are shared by millions, often a majority of the people in this country. Yet no establishment politician, and very few elected representatives of any kind, will lend their voice to this movement. The two most important statistics in contemporary politics highlight the growing chasm between...

By Dave Osler The things George says: 'A mass unifying movement of grassroots radicals to hobble the state, bring it under popular control and complete an unfinished radical democratic revolution. This level will unite Muslims, Christians, Jews, socialists, liberals and conservatives, men, women and the disadvantaged of all types in one movement of democratic liberation'. From The Guardian Revolutionary socialism in England signed its own suicide note last week, and it came in the unlikely shape of a billet-doux to George Galloway. The overwhelming majority of the far left south of the border...

How George Galloway has voted From a posting by Phil Hamilton on the UK Left Network email list .. 1. Opposition to cuts in student funding - 8.6.1998 Motion to oppose government plan to cut student funding. Motion was lost. Note: This was a rebellion against the complete abolition of student maintenance grants. Tony Benn spoke forcefully against the proposals. He said: 'This is an erosion of the whole principle of the welfare state . . . I benefited from a free education . . . I would find it awfully hard for any MP who benefited by grants to go into the division lobbies to oppose those...

The Socialist Alliance Executive, meeting on 22 November, authorised Alliance chair Nick Wrack (who is close to the SWP) to sign any "declaration" for a new "unity coalition" he considers fit. According to Nick Wrack, an "organising committee" will be set up. It will include George Galloway (the "key figure", as Wrack put it), Salma Yaqoob, George Monbiot, Ken Loach, Bob Crow, Mark Serwotka, and some Alliance people. It will convene a "convention of the left" in January next year. It should formulate a political platform in "four or five paragraphs". The Alliance, said Wrack, will "push for it...

The "Unity Coalition" initiated by George Galloway has launched a website, announced a six-point political platform, opened a bank account, and issued membership application forms. It is not clear who, other than Galloway himself, has decided all this. The Socialist Alliance, which has provided the main footsoldiers for the Galloway meetings so far, has been neither consulted nor even informed. Emails announcing the new website have been sent out to many addresses over the last couple of weeks. Read on: As you will no doubt be aware I have been expelled from the Labour party for my views on...

The Guardian's coverage of the expulsion of George Galloway from the Labour Party on 22 October was not only pro-Galloway, but notably uncritical. It took Galloway as he chose to present himself - as a left-wing martyr to the anti-war cause. It only serves to underline one of the great and continuing mysteries in British politics right now: why does the left, in the broadest sense, including liberals like those who produce the Guardian, give almost uncritical support to Galloway? On the platform with Galloway at the rally at Friends Meeting House, London, on 29 October, to launch a new...

Advertised in the Morning Star. 'Morning Star' public meetings under the banner, "Unite to defeat New Labour - unite the labour movement with the left alternative strategy". Brighton 4/11 Sandra Lusk CPB (Chair); George Galloway and John Haylett, ed Morning Star. Leceister 11/11 Ann Green CPB (Chair); George Galloway; John Haylett and Avtar Sadiq IWA. Manchester 24/11 Andrew Murray STWC. Newcastle 24/11 George Galloway. Colchester 27/11 Emily Mann CPB (Chair); George Galloway; John Haylett. London 3/12 Anita Halpin CPB (Chair); George Galloway. Pontypridd 4/12 Andrew Murray; John Haylett...

There was lots of applause and high talk on Wednesday 29 October, when almost a thousand people were drawn by the Socialist Workers' Party to Friends' Meeting House, London, to hear George Galloway MP speak. The premise of the enterprise - presented as a broad forum, not just an SWP event - was that the whole spectrum of political opinion in Britain to the left of New Labour and the Lib Dems can be corralled into a "popular unity" movement simply by putting up George Galloway for them to rally round. Who is this hero, this champion? On his own account, George Galloway is not particularly left...

George Galloway MP spoke at Friends Meeting House, London, on 29 October 2003, to announce that he would stand as a "popular unity" candidate in June 2004's Euro-elections. According to a version of Galloway's speech on 29 October published by Al Jazeera - significantly different from what he actually said, but presumably supplied to Al Jazeera by Galloway himself - he described the basis on which he wants to stand as follows: "A mass unifying movement of grassroots radicals... unite Muslims, Christians and Jews, socialists, liberals and conservatives, men, women and the disadvantaged of all...

According to The Scotsman of 30 October 2003 , George Galloway plans to stand on his "popular unity" ticket in June 2004's Euro-elections in every Euro-seat in England and Wales.