What will SA branches do now?

In Lewisham, having had problems in the past the SWP are considerably more circumspect. They are moving a motion at the next meeting simply calling on Socialist Alliance members to join RESPECT, but where clear in the steering committee meeting they envisaged the SA continuning. Lewisham Workers Liberty are moving a motion calling for the SA to have nothing to do with RESPECT and to continue on an independent basis.

It seems to vary locally and depending on the balance of forces. At last week's Chorlton SA meeting (about half and half SWP and supporters and dis-respectful cdes) it was agreed to continue to stand in two previously selected wards under the SA title. A suggestion that SA and Respect should meet as one was put forward by one SWP cde but received no support. Two cats were let out of bags: long time SWPer Colin Barker saying 'Of course we want to keep the SA in existence. We don't know yet whether Respect will fly.' Plus Clive Searle - pro-SWP indy - saying that he wouldn't support anyone who didn't put in their manifesto a call to support Respect in the Euros and hinting that once the SA had rubber stamped Respect at the March Conference that the national SA would or should take the same view.

As I understand it Mike Lavalette is likely to head the respect slate in the NW for the Euro elections. But then again, nobody knows for sure, do they?

Bruce Robinson

e-mail: office at workersliberty.org

From: "Richard Belbin" To: , Tuesday, February 03, 2004

Sheffield SA held our monthly meeting last night, at which we, unsurprisingly, discussed RESPECT. It was an interesting discussion, much along the lines it has gone on here & at the convention (with just a couple of bizarre moments ­ such as one comrade arguing that the siz of the convention proved how it was far wider than just the Oold left¹ - because is the SWP had been able to fill that hall on there own, well, we¹d be almost at a point of revolution, not pissing around with stalinist reformists! Funny, I thought the SWP said they had 10,000 members)

The discussion was framed around two motions submitted ­ one saying that Respect didn¹t negate the need for a Socialist Alliance and that we would still stand in wards in the local elections, and one saying that we would put ALL our energies and resources into Respect in the Euro¹s. The argument for the latter being that we don¹t have enough bodies to do both, it would be confusing and contradictory to be arguing for candidates from different organisations, and that the Euro¹s are far more important and could change British politics forever (you know, like the UKIP did when they won 3 seats). At a packed meeting, the latter motion prevailed 9-8. Not one non-SWP member voted against standing SA candidates, whereas all their members did

My impression was that this was going to be national SWP policy, tho someone from Leeds has indicated to me today that that¹s not the case. Does anyone no anything else? Are there plans to stand as SA anywhere? I had heard that Michael Lavalette was going to stand as Respect locally, is this right?

Rich

e-mail: office at workersliberty.org

At newcastle's SA meeting on thursday - the SWP let the ISG propose the support Respect resolution. Some discussion took place first about whether the SA could still stand in elections and this was unclear though Pete Burnett from ISG argued that it wouldnt make sense, and effectively the meeting acknowledged that the vote represented the end of the SA in the Northeast though there was no actual discussion on this. The vote went 6 - 5 (3 SWP, 2 ISG, 1 independent??)

The motion carried as well as calling for support for Respect, 3 candidates in euro elections etc also called for support for Respect Regional Convention. No date or information about who was calling it, or if anyone other than SWP would be involved.

There now needs to be a meeting of those who opposed the motion to decide whether the SA continues to meet or under what banner.

Ed - Newcastle AWL

The Nottingham SA 'split' as far back as July over the proposed Peace and Justice platform with the Birmingham Central Mosque. A motion from AWL members opposing P&J and arguing for a local SA orientation to the labour movement and community campaigns on the basis of workers' representation fell by about 15-14. The 14 who voted for it walked out of the meeting and the local SA has effectively gone into limbo with the SWP holding very occassional meetings and rarely informing the whole membership. They may organise a new meeting soon at which they propose support for the RUC.

In the meantime, AWL comrades have now called a meeting for the 17th of February and have invited all the comrades who walked out of the SA - as well as non-SWP SA members - to attend, along with the Socialist Party. The purpose is to discuss the crisis in the Socialist Alliance owing to the foundation of the RUC. A local branch of the SADP or an Independent SA may emerge out of this. Another purpose of the meeting is to discuss the prospect of a united socialist electoral challenge in the 2005/6 elections.