The rest of the left

• Sparks, flashes and damp squibs March 22 2007
  Andrew Coates reviews Nick Cohen's What’s left? How liberals lost their way (Fourth Estate, 2007, pp400, £12.99)
• Cross-class alliances endanger the struggle against Mugabe March 22 2007
  The past week has seen a stepping up of imperialist propaganda against the regime of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe, especially in the US and UK. But what is the situation on the ground? Peter Manson spoke to Mike Sambo, national coordinator of the International Socialist Organisation Zimbabwe
• Nationalist squabbles March 8 2007
  On Saturday March 3 both the Scottish Socialist Party and Solidarity held one-day policy conferences in Glasgow to finalise their respective manifestoes for the May 3 election to the Scottish parliament. Peter Manson comments
• ISG split over Respect March 1 2007
  In January, two leading members of the International Socialist Group, Alan Thornett and John Lister, left the officers’ group that heads the Respect national council. Others in and around the ISG-dominated paper/front Socialist Resistance have quit Respect altogether. Jim Moody reports
• Bush ups the ante January 11 2007
  Differences over Iraq have been sharply debated in Washington between ‘neocons’ and ‘realists’, writes Mike Macnair. On a micro-scale this is paralleled in Britain by a debate within the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty
  • AWL ‘realists’ raise their heads above the parapet
    
• Whatever happened to the CNWP? November 23 2006
  Socialism 2006, the Socialist Party’s annual school, was held over the weekend of November 25-25 at the University of London Union. But the Campaign for a New Workers’ Party hardly featured, reports Tina Becker
  • Dead ducks and Labour pains
    Entitled ‘New Labour after Blair - can it be shifted left or is a new workers’ party needed?’ this meeting illustrated that the Socialist Party has a deeply problematic stance in relation to the Labour Party. Lawrence Parker reports
  • Islamists and infidels
    Seyyed Ferjani from the Muslim Association of Britain and SP member Jim Hensman debated the rather broad question, ‘Which way forward for Britain’s muslims?’ Not surprisingly, the meeting lacked a certain focus - but also highlighted the SP’s confused and inadequate position on democratic questions, says Helen Broadhurst
    
  • Democracy east and west
    Leading SP member Paula Mitchell presented a scary vision of socialism in the session, ‘Why the Soviet Union wasn’t socialist and how democracy would work under socialism’. Tina Becker was there
    
  • Red and green
    Do you have to be red to be green?’ was a debate between Pete Dickenson of the SP and the Green Party’s ‘male principal speaker’, Derek Wall. Simon Wells reports
    
• Money for old rope November 23 2006
  The elevation of Communist Party of Britain chair Anita Halpin into the media spotlight over the last couple of weeks has been one of the more unlikely stories of the political year. Lawrence Parker reports
• Breakaway deeply divided from birth November 16 2006
  Peter Manson reports on the uneasy alliances within Tommy Sheridan's new party Solidarity
• Sect with class roots (Ted Grant 1913-2006) July 26 2006
  Ted Grant died on July 20 at the age of 93, after more than 75 years as a Trotskyist activist. He was the effective founder and theoretical guru of the Militant Tendency, which at its height, recalls Mike Macnair, before the splits of the 1990s, was probably the largest and best-rooted of the Trotskyist organisations in Britain
• Workers Power split July 6 2006
  As many readers will be aware, Workers Power and its ‘oil slick international’, the League for the Fifth International, has just expelled one-third of its members. Mark Fischer draws up a balance sheet
  • The Split in the League for the Fifth International, Workers Power (majority) statement, July 1
    
  • An outline of the evidence that reveals how the International Minority Faction planned to split the League, Worker Power (majority)
    
  • The split in the League for the Fifth International (LFI) Workers Power (minority) statement, July 3
    
• Ever-decreasing circles June 8 2006
  The Morning Star’s Communist Party of Britain held its biennial congress over the weekend of June 2-4 at its Croydon headquarters. Lawrence Parker reports that behind the diplomatically coded language and show of unity, the factional war between ‘traditionalists’ and ‘innovators’ is rumbling on
• Wrong ‘new layers’ June 8 2006
  Dave Isaacson reports on the Leeds launch of the Campaign for a new Workers' Party
• Clear red water and the CNWP May 25 2006
  The first steering committee meeting of the Campaign for a New Workers’ Party took place on Saturday May 20, writes Anne Mc Shane. The meeting showed that, much to its dismay, the Socialist Party has only the left groups for company
• From Star wars to library wars May 25 2006
  Lawrence Parker reports on what looks like a new factional war in the Morning Star's Communist Party of Britain over the Marx Memorial Library
• Vote Socialist Party, but... April 27 2006
  Despite the chasm between its revolutionist theory and reformist practice, Ian Mahoney calls for a critical vote for the SP in the May 4 local elections in England and Wales
• Lies, smears and distortions March 30 2006
  The Stalinoid left has been at it again. In order to excuse homophobia amongst the muslim establishment, some are suggesting that the March 25 ‘Freedom of Expression’ rally was linked to the far-right BNP, so as to smear Peter Tatchell and the gay rights group, Outrage. In fact the event was organised by bourgeois liberals - and the BNP boycotted it. Brett Lock of Outrage looks at the role of Ken Livingstone’s well-paid apologists, Socialist Action
• ‘Marxists’ for another Labour Party March 23 2006
  The March 19 launch of the Socialist Party’s Campaign for a New Workers’ Party went according to plan, writes Peter Manson. The 450 comrades who signed up to its founding declaration overwhelmingly voted for the SP’s plans for a Labour Party mark two.
  • A programme for which class?
    The fringe meeting organised by the CPGB that followed the Campaign for a New Workers’ Party conference gave our comrades and others the opportunity to discuss its politics. Mary Godwin reports
    
  • Democracy for the millions, not the millionaires
    The CNWP must aim for an SSP-type party, writes Dave Craig of the Revolutionary Democratic Group
    
• Rearming our class March 16 2006
  The CPGB is moving this motion at the March 19 conference of the Campaign for a New Workers’ Party: “Our campaign for a new mass workers’ party must be shaped by the type of politics such a formation needs if it is to be a genuine workers’ party. Thus, we will campaign for a workers’ party based on the theory and practice of revolutionary Marxism.” Mark Fischer reports
• Fight for a Marxist party March 9 2006
  The Socialist Party's campaign for a new workers’ party must be put on firm Marxist foundations, says Ian Mahoney
• Reviving left reformism November 17 2005
  The Socialist Party in England and Wales is recruiting and in buoyant mood, writes Peter Manson. Its November 12-13 weekend school demonstrated that sectarianism brings short-term advantages
  • SP rival to Respect?
    Joni Wells reports on the Socialist Party's Campaign for a New Workers Party
  • Short-termist and dishonest
    Peter Manson looks at the role of the Socialist Party in the public service pensions sell-out
• Fischer defects July 28 2005
  In a grievous blow to the CPGB, national organiser Mark Fischer has decided to bail out and apply for the vacant post of national administrative secretary of the Morning Star’s CPB - one of history’s few examples of a rat joining a sinking ship. To expose the wretched treachery of this perfidious viper we once held to our breast, we reprint his application letter below
• Tawdry attractions February 24 2005
  Should the CPB's Andrew Murray join the SWP? The idea is not as weird as it sounds, thinks Alan Rees
• Who's left in Britain? October 14 2004
  Mark Fischer's guide to the British left - and their positions on Europe
  
• Socialist Party stung by opposition June 17 2004
  Lee Rock looks at the behaviour of the left in the PCSU
• Voting for war criminals June 3 2004
  At its congress on May 29-30, the Morning Star's Communist Party of Britain stuck to its old line of auto-Labourism for the next general elections - despite opposition from leading members. Alan Rees reports
• Divided they fall May 27 2004
  The Morning Star's Communist Party of Britain holds its annual congress over the weekend of May 29-30: and are likely to highlight serious divisions. Despite the protests of some CPB members that these are mere personality clashes, Alan Rees argues that they are lodged in the opportunist DNA of the party, and are political, not personal.
• Sect illusions March 4 2004
  Ian Donovan reviews Workers Power's From protest to power - manifesto for world revolution
• Party and paper split January 22 2004
  Alan Rees reports on unresolved tensions within the rump Communist Party of Britain following its recent special congress
• Divided four ways January 8 2004
  There are deep divisions in the leadership of the Morning Star’s Communist Party of Britain over what attitude to adopt towards the new Respect coalition. Can its forthcoming special congress resolve the contradictions? Alan Rees investigates
• Globalise Resistance and the politics of manipulation November 12 2003
  Ian Donovan takes a look at the Socialist Workers Party's anti-capitalist front organisation
• Keeping left out November 12 2003
  Ex-Labour member John Marek launched his new party at a conference in Wrexham. Cameron Richards was denied access to this "historic occasion"
• In the full glare of secrecy November 6 2003
  Former Labour Party Welsh assembly member John Marek intends to launch his new party on November 8. Cameron Richards asks why there is so much secrecy
  • John Marek party - founding principals
• Heading into the camp of the enemy October 30 2003
  Jem Jones reports on the Alliance for Workers' Liberty's Sean Matgamna's recent defence of Zionism and warns against the continuing drift into first camp politics of his organisation
• AWL and Zionism September 18 2003
  Jack Conrad criticises Sean Matgamna's latest article in 'Solidarity', in which he proudly declares that the Alliance for Workers Liberty is a "Zionist" organisation
• Nats go nuts September 18 2003
  Exposure of the sectarian plotting by Cymru Goch members in Wales has sent their nationalist co-thinkers in Scotland into apoplexy. Mark Fischer reports
• Nats scheme to exclude 'Brits' September 18 2003
  Closed e-list correspondence between Scottish and Welsh nationalists and the project of a Welsh Socialist Party
• Ukrainian scam: what are the real lessons? September 11 2003
  Unity, not sect replication, is the road to genuine internationalism
• Global party, not international fraud September 3 2003
  Peter Manson looks at the fallout from the Ukrainian scam to defraud the left and the statement from Peter Taaffe's Committee for a Workers' International, host organism for the group
  • CWI statement
• Good little Stalinists June 26 2003
  Mike Macnair was impressed on the unity of purpose shown by the Communist Party of Britain and their would-be suitors in the Socialist Workers Party at the STWC activists' conference
• Afghanistan and the sectarian turn of the AWL June 19 2003
  Jack Conrad takes a look at the Saur revolution and Workers' Liberty's continuing anti-unity campaign
• Abandon sectarian doctrine June 12 2003
  Open letter to members of the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty from Manny Neira
• Anatomy of the hard left May 1 2003
  For the tens of thousands of people mobilised against the war on Iraq who have been drawn towards political action for the first time, the myriad of groups on the far left must seem bewildering. Ian Mahoney supplies a rough guide to a few of the more prominent
• Sub-reformist July 8 1999
  Peter Manson critiques the election platform of Jill Mountford of the Alliance for Workers' Liberty.
• Narrow vision October 31 2002
  Ian Mahoney review the Socialist Party's Socialism in the 21st century - the way forward for anti-capitalism
• Thornett agonistes October 10 2002
  Mark Fischer reviews Alan Thornett's The socialist case against the euro
• AWL divisions clear July 25 2002
  Mark Fischer attended the Alliance for Workers' Liberty's recent weekend school
• AWL conference: Workers' party or sect March 14 2002
  Peter Manson and Danny Hammill report of the recent meeting of Alliance for Workers' Liberty members
• Stalinism and the 'return of the repressed' March 14 2002
  Martin Thomas of the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty replies to CPGB criticisms of the AWL’s refusal to join with us in launching a Socialist Alliance paper
• Socialist Alliance paper 'not viable' February 28 2002
  Letter to the Communist Party from the Alliance for Workers' Liberty, February 22 2002
• Reply to Martin Thomas
  Jack Conrad replies to the AWL