Support the SWP? No!

Submitted by Anon on 4 November, 2007 - 2:49 Author: Dave L.

I don’t think there is a point in ‘taking sides’ in this faction fight. The SWP are reaping the whirlwind that they have sown. It appears to be a rearguard action against the opportunist, anti-secular and tailist politics that they encouraged in Respect. Finally they have heard the sound of Cliff turning in his grave!! But they deal with it in just the same bureaucratic anti-democratic way that they used yesterday against those of us who raised these very questions. I remember well the SWP using the same tactics to stop me being a delegate to conference and move my resolution on secularism. Then they got up to suggest that resolution was a cover for Islamophobia. What are they thinking now? Well, nothing probably. They will have long erased this from their memory, now that they find they are fighting the same battle against the Galloways and Ridleys of this world.

It follows that I have no stomach for the other side of this fight either. I have respect for Salma (sorry Sue!) and Linda, but Nick Wrack has been a willing hatchet man for the SWP and Galloway is — well, Galloway. (Rob Hoveman is a bit like me — too nice for people to get really angry with even if they disagree with him politically).

I guess it proves that those of us who opposed the establishment of Respect whether they were like me, who thought we should form a left-opposition, or most people who said stay outside — either way our scepticism about the project has been proved correct.

The thing is not to be triumphalist but to seize the time in arguing for a genuine socialist umbrella, alliance, unity — call it what you will. There will be plenty of rank and file Respect members and ex-members who will be wanting this. Comrades, can we get it together?

Dave L

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