The Socialist Alliance will hold a special conference on the euro in early October, almost certainly on 12 October. The deadline for motions is 31 August.
The debate will be about whether we trade on opposition to "capitalist Europe" (as if Britain were less capitalist), by trying to cook up a supposedly-socialist version of "no to the euro" alongside the unashamedly nationalist versions we will get from the Murdoch press and the Tories, or whether we focus on workers' unity across Europe as the necessary response to the remorseless processes of cross-border capitalist integration.
Two draft motions are already in circulation, "no to the euro" from the SWP, and "neither-euro-nor-pound", versions of which are being discussed between Solidarity and Workers' Liberty, Workers' Power, the CPGB (Weekly Worker) and the Revolutionary Democratic Group. [see http://www.workersliberty.org.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=… ]
Plans for the conference were the first major item at the Alliance's Executive meeting on 8 June 2002. The Alliance is also committed to holding three other conferences in the coming months. (It is not clear to me whether this is a deliberate decision in favour of such pluri-conferencing or just the addition of a number of individual decisions, all plausible in themselves but not so plausible when totalled up).
We will run a "trade union activists' meeting" on 29 June 2002; a conference mainly geared to young people, on "New Internationalism, New Imperialism", in late November or early December 2002, following the European Social Forum in Florence on 7-10 November; and an Annual General Meeting, probably next February.
The executive also agreed to produce a Socialist Alliance leaflet opposing the coup in the PCS.
The question of the slogans to be carried on Socialist Alliance placards for the big demonstration for asylum rights on 22 June produced a sliver of controversy. I proposed "Open borders for people, not for capital" as a positive and socialistic slogan, but got only two votes, mine and Tess McMahon's; the majority went for "Defend asylum seekers, Scrap detention centres, No to immigration controls".
The bigger political discussion was on a draft perspectives document from Liz Davies. It laid out the coming electoral deadlines, and noted that in the next two years we must build the Alliance without large immediate electoral focuses. It called for "systematic and long-term campaigning" and a better flow of information. One particular proposal was for a campaign on child-care provision. On the organisational front, Liz proposed investigation of alternatives to the present "list" system of electing the Alliance's Executive.
One detail that caused particular comment was Liz's suggestion that the Alliance should use red-and-green election rosettes, as it does in Leeds, in place of the red rosettes it currently uses in all other areas. Marcus Strom (CPGB) and Mark Hoskisson (Workers' Power) objected.
John Rees (SWP) said that trade-union activity and participation in "the anti-capitalist movement" should be the two priorities. Rob Hoveman (also SWP) said that there had been "some worry that having debate in Socialist Alliance meetings could mean sectarian wrangling - but people do want a political life".
I raised the idea of developing Socialist Alliance workplace groups and bulletins, and consistent Socialist Alliance roots in local communities - in short, making the Alliance a vehicle for working-class political representation in fact and not just by self-proclamation - and the need for a regular Socialist Alliance newspaper.
Liz is editing her document in the light of the discussion, and posting it on the Alliance's SA_information email list. Branches are asked to submit comments and criticism for further discussion, which will take place at the Executive on 13 July and the National Council in September.
The Alliance's paid-up, nationally-registered membership is now 1200. According to membership secretary Will McMahon, however, there are at least as many members again who have paid subscriptions to local Alliances but not had the money transmitted to the national office. Eight local Alliances have respectable accredited membership figures - Hackney 76, South Manchester 58, Bristol 57, Bedfordshire 54, Sheffield 54, Nottingham 46, Brent 44 and Waltham Forest 43 -- but several others among the 90 or so groups known to exist must have at least similar numbers of members, or potential members, if only the detailed signing-up is done rigorously.
The Alliance's finances are in the black - for now. Keeping them that way depends on a constant flow of new members' subscription income throughout the year.
Although the next big electoral tests are probably the local government and Euro elections in May and June 2004, there are some other contests coming up. Hackney Socialist Alliance will run a candidate in the borough's mayoral election in October;Mansfield SA may run one in theirs, also in October. The Tower Hamlets Alliance is contesting a council by-election on 27 June, against opponents which include the BNP, and the Bedfordshire Alliance is fighting a by-election in Luton.
Marcus Strom was elected as the Alliance's new nominating officer, after the Executive had expressed its regret that Dave Church would not reconsider his resignation from that position. Dave is still active in the Alliance, only not on the Executive. Alan Thornett (ISG) was co-opted to the Executive to replace Dave Packer (also ISG), who has stepped down because of illness.
The Executive approved a draft, presented by Lesley Mahmood, for a leaflet on women's rights. We noted that there had been around ten local republican events organised by local Alliances during the Jubilee, and felt we had missed opportunities to do more that weekend.
The Executive also delegated me to represent the English Socialist Alliance at the conference of the Australian Socialist Alliance, in Melbourne on 17-18 August.
