Weekly Worker 400 Thursday September 20 2001

SWP balks

Support continues to grow for the ‘For a democratic and effective Socialist Alliance’ platform.

John Mulrenan, former Labour Party activist and SA general election candidate in Peckham, has added his name to a broad list of comrades who want our still new and growing organisation to take strides forward, enabling us to both take day-to-day initiatives and form an effective weapon in the fight for socialism. Others to sign up include Mick Regan, secretary of Hackney NUT, and John Bulaitis of the Socialist Solidarity Network.

With imperialism on a war footing and the relative tardiness with which the alliance has reacted, we see more than ever the need to create clear central priorities. Waiting for the next set-piece demo or the next by-election is inadequate. We need to be able to react immediately to political developments, as events unfold.

With the conference bulletin just out (see below), campaigning to win signatories for the statement is urgent.

Move the statement as a motion at your local Socialist Alliance, get the structure conference on your agenda. Do not let philistines relegate this important stage in the SA’s development to a mere 20-minute session. The discussion is not about rules and constitutions in a dry, technical sense, but about the very future of the organisation.

It is unfortunate, though not surprising, that the leadership of the Socialist Workers Party is not prepared to support the statement. The SWP believes it points the alliance in a partyist direction and for this reason cannot lend it support. I am also told that they balk at the formulation, “the right to form distinct temporary or longer-term political platforms”. Apparently this may be considered appropriate for a party, but not for an alliance which has distinct supporting organisations already.

The current situation in Afghanistan and the US shows this is nonsense. It is quite possible that different platforms will develop on how best to respond to the war situation. These may be short-term or more long-lasting. They may involve cutting across the groups and the coming together of all manner of previously opposed forces. The right to form such platforms is perfectly reasonable and should be demanded by alliance members.

I trust the SWP will see sense on this matter and overcome its fear of political trends organising for constructive debate within the framework of clear central prioritiesl

Marcus Larsen
SA executive member

December 1 conference

The first bulletin for the December 1 conference on the way ahead for the SA has been posted out this week. It contains contributions to the debate on structure, the current constitution, proposed alternatives, amendments and separate motions. All national members should receive their copy soon. Here is an extract from the bulletin, outlining how the conference will work.

Structure of the conference

After opening remarks, which may include fraternal greetings from other organisations, the conference will be formally structured around amending the current constitution, a copy of which is contained in this bulletin, and which can also be accessed on our website at www.socialistalliance.net.

The conference will essentially fall into three sessions following the opening remarks. In the first session there will be debate around broadly retaining the current constitution or accepting one of the ‘delete all and insert’ amendments which have been tabled. At present three different ‘delete all’ amendments have been proposed. Once the conference has decided whether to broadly retain the existing constitution or to adopt one of the ‘delete all’ amendments there will be a second session which will allow for detailed amendment of whichever option has been selected from the first section. There will then be a third session which will allow for resolutions to be moved relating to structure which will not become part of the formal constitution if passed.

On the other hand, you may prefer to submit specific amendments which relate to the original constitution and/or one or more of the ‘delete all’ amendments. If your amendment relates to the existing constitution, you must indicate which section you are amending. If your amendment relates to one or more of the ‘delete all’ amendments, you will need to indicate which ‘delete all’ amendment(s) you are amending, and which section within the ‘delete all’ amendment(s) you are amending.

If you have an amendment you wish to move at the conference, please forward it either by e-mail to office@socialistalliance.net and mark it ‘FAO CAC’, or send it to FAO CAC, Socialist Alliance, Wickham House, 10 Cleveland Way, London E1 4TR, but these must reach us by Friday November 2. All new amendments will be posted on the Socialist Alliance website.