Labour Representation Committee meeting shows new confidence

Submitted by martin on 18 May, 2010 - 4:34 Author: Sacha Ismail

About 200 people attended a conference, "After the election, join the resistance", organised by the Labour Representation Committee in London on 15 May and co-sponsored by several other groups, including the Socialist Campaign to Stop the Tories and Fascists.

Although probably a majority of those at the conference were 50 or over, the mood was more confident and upbeat than at other LRC gatherings in recent times.

Several speakers called strongly for socialists to get in to local Labour Parties and to link up with the new recruits now coming - and older Labour Party members who may now start attending meetings again - to organise resistance.

Quite a few activists from outside-Labour left groups attended and spoke, but none of them openly argued against that perspective.

The event had been planned as a discussion without motions or voting, so there were no clear-cut decisions from it.

Pete Allen, a Green Party member from Manchester, called for the conference to make an appeal for the creation of united anti-cuts committees everywhere.

From Workers' Liberty and the Socialist Campaign to Stop the Tories and Fascists, Martin Thomas put forward a proposal for a united front of trade union, socialist and Labour left organisations around four planks: defence of public services against cuts; the right for unions to organise and take industrial action; the right of unions to fund political parties; and democracy in the Labour Party.

SCSTF supporters also took the opportunity of the conference to talk individually with many key activists about this proposal. The response was generally positive.

SCSTF held a "fringe meeting" at the end of the day which discussed the proposal further. We'll be following up through conversations with organisations and individuals.

John McDonnell MP, speaking at the conference, indicated more or less clearly that he will contest the coming Labour leadership election.

He said also that if he cannot get on the ballot paper - which, given the rules requiring nominations from 12.5% of Labour MPs, is possible - then he will not endorse any of the other candidates now in contention.

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