Socialist Alliance

The (former) Socialist Alliance

What will SA branches do now?

Local Socialist Alliances are discussing what to do after the national SA decision to go into the "Respect" coalition. Some local SAs, notably in Erdington and Stockport, are determined to continue on an independent socialist basis. In many other SAs the SWP, though maybe a minority in routine meetings, can turn out numbers to sway the critical decision. Some other SAs where the SWP has routine control have already become defunct.. In Cambridge, SWP members have put down the following motion. They have also proposed that Cambridge SA cease meeting regularly, and meet only at the discretion of...

Obituary: Cecilia Prosper

Cecilia Prosper, former Islington UNISON steward, Socialist Alliance candidate in North-East London in the GLA 2000 elections, and a member of the Socialist Workers Party, has died of cancer at the age of 44. Cecilia was victimised from her job at Islington council after a strike in the late 1990s, but led the appeal which indicted the council. Our sympathy and condolences to her family and many friends. A memorial event will be announced shortly. Details: Socialist Worker website

Socialist Alliance dumps "worker's wage"

"It's not clear what a 'worker's wage' means", said Alan Thornett, one of the concluding speakers for the majority at the Socialist Alliance Council meeting on 17 January. "If it's what my plumber gets, then even George might accept it". He urged the Council to vote down a proposal to have the Socialist Alliance argue for "workers' representatives on a worker's wage" in "Respect", the new coalition headed by "George" - George Galloway MP - into which the SWP and its allies are sinking the Alliance. The "worker's wage" was the unanimously agreed first of the Socialist Alliance's "priority...

Minority must take the fight forward

Martin Thomas looks at the history of the Socialist Alliance and of far-left electoral campaigns The Socialist Alliance in its present form emerged in the run-up to the May 2001 general election. It united almost all the activist left groups in England, and drew in some hundreds of unaffiliated socialists, to stand 98 candidates. A small "Socialist Alliance" - mostly local groups of the Socialist Party and some unaffiliated activists - had existed since 1992, but the immediate jump-off point for 2001 was 1998. In July 1994 Tony Blair had been elected leader of the Labour Party and quickly...

The disrespectful left

The Socialist Alliance, the Respect Unity Coalition and the future of the left On 25 January, short of a political miracle, a tarpaulin will be pulled over much of working-class socialist politics in England. The Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and a large part of the activist left will sign up the "Respect" coalition as their political vehicle for the coming months. Its politics: a bland collation of sops for various constituencies (peace, green, Muslim, trade-union). Its figurehead: George "I need £150,000 a year" Galloway. Marx and Engels called the Communist Manifesto communist, not...

Socialist Alliance Council 17/01/04

"It's not clear what a 'worker's wage' means", said Alan Thornett, one of the concluding speakers for the majority at the Socialist Alliance Council meeting on 17 January. "If it's what my plumber gets, then even George might accept it". He urged the Council to vote down a proposal to have the Socialist Alliance argue for "workers' representatives on a worker's wage" in "Respect", the new coalition headed by "George" - George Galloway MP - into which the SWP and its allies are sinking the Alliance. The "worker's wage" was the unanimously agreed first of the Socialist Alliance's "priority...

Socialists debate the Galloway coalition

By Martin Thomas The Socialist Alliance Executive on 3 January voted to support the "Respect" electoral coalition launched in Socialist Worker of 13 December, mainly by the SWP and George Galloway MP. It "regard[ed] the statement [published in December] as a good basis for the public launch of 'Respect'". Two Executive members, Steve Godward (unaffiliated) and myself, voted against. Three abstained: John Fisher (close to SWP), Lesley Mahmood (ex-Militant), and Marcus Strom (Weekly Worker). 13 voted for. The "all aboard" trumpet-call, however, was not quite at perfect pitch. Supporters of...

Chasing after Middle England

By Steve Godward We have changed from a left coalition which will be "of course, socialist" to one where we will "fight for it to adopt a working class and socialist platform". This major policy breach was not in my opinion within the power of the Exec. [At the Exec] I argued that to subsume the SA in the forthcoming local elections would be the best gift the BNP would have, as it appears "Respect" is only standing in the London and European elections. I left the meeting believing we have deserted the class in the hope of Middle England's vote through our craven desire not to rock the "Respect...

Democracy in the Socialist Alliance

A different vision of the kind of united left political alternative needed by the working class has been put together by the Democracy Platform of the Socialist Alliance. Extracts: "We believe the struggle for democracy is an integral part of the struggle for socialism. The defence and extension of democracy in the Socialist Alliance, in the working class movement, in Britain and the rest of the world, is of fundamental importance in advancing the interests of the working class. To advance these objectives, we need the democratic organisation of socialists and militant workers into a party, as...

SA Executive backs "Respect"

The Socialist Alliance Executive on 3 January voted to support the "Respect" electoral coalition launched in Socialist Worker of 13 December, mainly by the SWP and George Galloway MP. It "regard[ed] the statement [published in December] as a good basis for the public launch of Respect". Two Executive members, Steve Godward (unaffiliated) and myself, voted against. Three abstained: John Fisher (close to SWP), Lesley Mahmood (ex-Militant), and Marcus Strom ( Weekly Worker ). 13 voted for. The "all aboard" trumpet-call, however, was not quite at perfect pitch. At the previous Exec, Nick Wrack (SA...

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