Weekly Worker 517 Thursday February 26 2004

Reds and the greens

Phil Kent reports on the open warfare that has opened up between Respect and the Green Party

More than 200 people crammed into the main hall of the West Indian Community Centre for the launch rally of Respect in Haringey on February 24.

In keynote speeches Ken Loach and George Galloway explained how Labour has become a party of big business, hence the urgent need to form a broad coalition that can challenge Blair at the ballot box and not just on the streets. The top table speakers were completed by a young activist originally from the Green Party who had joined the Socialist Alliance and who has now moved seamlessly on into the ranks of Respect, and a Kurdish militant, who made the very welcome call for migrants to become active in British left politics.

The main note of controversy was provided by a member of the Green Party speaking from the floor. She said that there was already a party that had a democratic constitution, a programme similar to Respect’s, which opposed the war in Iraq and defends immigrants. Everyone should join the Green Party rather than split the anti-Blair vote.

In his closing remarks George Galloway explained how he had thrown an expensive dinner for the leaders of the Green Party to get them into the Respect coalition but had been turned down before the soup course was finished. The deal could have included them taking the first eight places on Respect’s GLA list and the top spot on the European parliament list for London, George taking second spot (assuming he is chosen as our representative, of course).

Galloway pointed out that we were not just greens, but red, black and muslim too. The Green Party had not had much success in recruiting from minority groups, he said. What is more, Respect would be standing on its own platform, not trying to piggyback on the Greens

Respect events

• York: Friday February 27, 6.30pm, Langwith 047, York University.
• Ealing and Hillingdon: Sunday February 29, 4pm, Dominion Centre, Southall.
• Harlow: Sunday February 29, 3pm, Latton Bush Centre, Southern Way.
• Manchester: Sunday February 29, 1pm to 5pm, Great Hall, Manchester Town Hall, Albert Square.
• St Albans: Monday March 1, 7.30pm, Jubilee Centre, Catherine Street.
• Bromley: Monday March 1, 7pm, United Reform Church, Widmore Road.
• Southend-on-Sea: Tuesday March 2, 7.30pm, St Marks church hall.
• Brent and Harrow: Tuesday March 2, 7.30pm, Corrib Rest Irish Centre, Salusbury Road, Queens Park.
• Lambeth and Southwark: Wednesday March 3, 7.30pm, Lambeth town hall.
• North East London: Thursday March 4, 7.30pm, Round Chapel, Lower Clapton Road, E5.
• Croydon: Thursday March 4, 7.30pm, Cedar Hall, Ruskin House, 23 Coombe Road.
• Hackney: Thursday March 4, 7.30pm, old school room, Round Chapel, Powerscroft Road, London E5.
• Lewisham and Greenwich: Thursday March 4, 7pm, Christchurch Forum, Trafalgar Square, Greenwich.
• Wandsworth and Merton: Friday March 5, 7pm, Tooting Leisure Centre, Garratt Lane.
• East Midlands: Saturday March 6, 3.30pm, Comfort Hotel, George Street, Nottingham.
• Cambridge: Saturday March 6, 3pm, McCrum Lecture Theatre, Cambridge University, Benets Street.
• West Midlands: Saturday March 6, 1pm, Carrs Lane Church Centre, Birmingham city centre.
• Birmingham: Saturday March 6, 1pm - West Midlands launch, Carrs Lane Church, city centre.
• Cambridge: Saturday March 6, 3pm, McCrum lecture theatre, Cambridge University, Benets Street.
• Hammersmith: Sunday March 7, 11am, Hammersmith town hall, King Street.
• City and East London: Tuesday March 9, 7pm, East Ham town hall, Barking Road.
• Oxford: Tuesday March 9, 7pm, Asian Cultural Centre, Manzil Way (off Cowley Road).
• Yorkshire and Humberside: Sunday March 7, 12.30pm, Conference Auditorium, Leeds University.
• South East region: Sunday March 14, 2.30pm, upper hall, University of London Union, Malet Street.

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