SWP collapses before Scargill

The crisis in the Socialist Workers Party has entered a new stage. After its hesitant electoral turn, the SWP has announced its withdrawal from the Socialist Alliance electoral bloc in London. This reflects the SWP's troubled transition - or disorderly flight - away from the politics of auto-Labourism which the SWP has pursued doggedly for decades. Political life outside the electoral shadow of Labour Party is proving to be full of contradictions.

Over the recent weeks, civil war has been waging amongst the SWP tops in Tony Cliff's inner circle. For over three weeks its political committee has been deadlocked over whether to stay with the united socialist bloc for the European parliament or withdraw. This panic was obscenely provoked by the eminently predictable decision of Arthur Scargill to place himself at the head of the Socialist Labour Party list for London.

Speaking at last Tuesday's meeting of the SA steering committee, comrade Rob Hoveman formally relayed the long awaited decision. He said that in the opinion of the SWP the SA - as presently constituted - was not "credible enough" in comparison to Arthur Scargill's SLP. This amply demonstrates the cowardice of the SWP, which suffers from a chronic lack of self-belief when it comes to testing the theory of a deep popular disillusionment with Blair. More than that, the idea that Scargill is credible politically shows a profound inability to grasp elementary facts. Scargill's organisation is now virtually nonexistent. Only one loyalist branch remains in London. His politics are little Englandism in the extreme - a mix of NUMism and Pol Potism. Significantly half of the 10-strong list for June's Euro election are members of the Stalin Society. If the SWP central committee believes that a united left cannot beat such politics - backed as they are by a non-organisation - because of the public image of Scargill, it is indeed beginning to slowly spiral into failure.

It seems that the comrades from the SWP actually think that Scargill's public show of unity with the Stalin Society is too big an obstacle. But surely it will make it almost too easy to expose Scargillism before the working class. The real question is: who is going to do it? The Sun and the BBC or the forces of revolutionary socialism? Worryingly comrade Hoveman indicated that the SWP was probably committed to a critical vote for Scargill.

Smarting from recent criticism carried by the Weekly Worker, comrade Hoveman said that the SWP central committee was acting in unison. Do not panic. The SWP would be standing in the elections for the Scottish parliament and Welsh assembly, and would also be supporting the West Midlands SA. Evidently the SWP lacks any clear sense of perspective as well as courage.

Of course the decision of the SWP to bail out is not unexpected. The missed deadlines were omens. All the other alliance members - the CPGB, Socialist Party, Alliance for Workers' Liberty, International Socialist Group (ie, Socialist Outlook) and the Independent Labour Network - expressed their disappointment with the SWP.

Yet the momentum behind this unprecedented electoral alliance is not entirely lost. Speaking for the CPGB's Provisional Central Committee, comrade John Bridge expressed unequivocal support for the SA project. The comrade stressed the necessity of presenting a political alternative to Blair. New Labour's bellicose behaviour in the Balkans cannot be met by silence. As to Scargill, he stinks of red-brown politics - not only when it comes to Milosevic, but here in Britain. He can and must be defeated. The June elections are an ideal opportunity to do so and build the revolutionary alternative.

Leading ISG member comrade Alan Thornett said that after a long debate his organisation had decided to support the electoral bloc. Good. But, he continued, not if the SWP withdrew from the SA. Bad. Nevertheless, comrade Thornett piously wished the project well. Very Delphic.

The withdrawal of the SWP has troubled both the AWL and the ILN. Comrade Jill Mountford of the AWL said her organisation - which is deeply divided and has a strong though rather inarticulate pro-Labourite right wing - had not yet made a final decision.

Comrade Julie Donovan of the Socialist Party said the SWP was making a "big mistake". The SA had made an impact. She said most union activists in London know that the SA is going to stand in the London Euro elections. The comrade thought it important that the left let Scargill know that electoral field is not the sole preserve of the SLP. As comrade Donovan reiterated, the SP has made the political decision to pursue the SA project - as long as it is not left on its own, deserted by the other left groups.

The ILN is not sure of itself any more. It has been rattled by the SWP's decision to jump ship. However, Nick Long was keen to stress the importance of standing in the elections. As comrade Long pointed out, Scargill is counting on the elections to breath some life into the cadaverous SLP. Scargill cannot and will not back down.

There is no point denying that the SWP's desertion is a setback. But the generally positive attitude of organisations like the SP and the ILN shows there is a real practical desire to unite. The CPGB remains utterly firm. If some or even all the other left organisations in the London SA desert the electoral field, the CPGB will not. We urge the SP, AWL, ILN, etc to fight alongside the CPGB - and for the SO and SWP to reconsider their mistaken stances.

Comintern always considered participation in elections obligatory except under the most exceptional conditions. We recognise that decade after decade of auto-Labourism cannot be eradicated overnight. Yet the de-Labourisation of Labour can only mean that our alliance partners - which all to a greater or lesser degree share a Labourite background - are going to be forced to turn to elections as a weapon. Certainly the working class can quickly move - especially in the midst of a unpredictable foreign war.

The SWP, like most other economistic left groups, has a profound problem. In order to rally its politically under-educated and misinformed members, comrades like Candy Udwin have resorted to the ludicrous claim that there has "never been a better time" to be a socialist. We are meant to believe that Blair is deeply unpopular. In an obfuscatory manner, Mark Steel of the SWP writes in The Guardian that "Blair must be the most unpopular 'most popular person' ever" (April 14). In reality the reverse is true - Blair must be the most popular 'most unpopular person' ever.

As the SWP tops well know, the theory that there is "widespread anger" at the New Labour government would be shown to be false before the entire membership - and the rest of the left - if the SWP ended up with a 'derisory' vote. Like the late and unlamented WRP before it, the SWP is in danger of having its entire raison d'être or programmatic perspectives - if you can call them that - shattered in a million tiny pieces before our eyes.

We need to grab the opportunities offered by this conjuncture - Blair's warmongering in the Balkans, the EU question, the House of Lords and the monarchy, self-determination for Ireland, Scotland and Wales, etc. By addressing and mastering these democratic-constitutional issues, the workers are made into a political class - and socialism becomes possible.

Marcus Larsen