Meanwhile, back at the UK SWP… March 10, 2013
Posted by WorldbyStorm in British Politics, The Left.trackback
… thanks to the person who noted this link.
And that the CC managed to come through, though what the short, medium and long term damage will be remains to be seen.
Figures I’ve seen suggest an almost 4:1 majority for the CC.
ADDENDUM: Trust the CPGB to be quick off the mark.
CPCB, absolutely obsessesed with SWP.
Not, though, without cause in this instance.
This is quite a good summary, and the repeated insistence in pre-conference aggregates that “the blog” was the source of the party crisis, can be updated to the repeated insistence at special conference that “the blog” was the source of the party crisis.
I am a little doubtful about SGB’s confrontation with the full-timer about bullying and smears, and wonder if the latter wasn’t actually agreeing that such was going on. This doubt may stem from a difference with SGB about the reliability of other ex-friends of the SWP over the last decade, which he seems to assume, while I think many have shown in practice to be more full of shit than the party (a difficult task at times).
That the CC needed a gerrymander to achieve a majority at special conference suggests that there is a fight for the actually existing SWP to be had before many of the comrades look for an alternative. The leadership may be hoping to force expulsion by making the defence of Delta the Great Loyalty Oath Crusade. But it’s harder to force people to do that when it’s an issue that one pro-CC supporter claimed, people don’t talk about “up my end”, than a issue that starts in general politics (obviously this one feeds into politics on women’s liberation among other issues).
The claim of the CC has been all along that the Delta issue is closed. And so it thinks that SWP members should give him more of a pass than the outside world would do. And the CC obviously believes that the issue will go away, whereas it will hang like an albatross round the neck of the SWP wherever Comrade Delta goes.
Because until they can say, and have people say, it is Xxxxxx. [Please don't name names that might potentially cause trouble - wbs] who is accused, he is clearly too damaged to be an asset to the party if he ever was.
The last time I was here I may have given the impression I thought outsider comment was a waste of time. I actually meant that comments of the type “Perhaps now SWP members will accept that they should follow my own prescription on left organisation” was not likely to connect with what SWP members actually think are the issues and thus what they might choose to do. In fact I find the CLR one of the most likely places for a more intelligent discussion to occur.
China Mieville, Richard Seymour among others have left
FAO the Central Committee of the Socialist Workers Party
We, the undersigned, are writing to you to inform you that we can no longer remain in the Socialist Workers Party. The organisation’s tradition of fighting women’s oppression has been seriously undermined by the handling of a number of rape and sexual harassment allegations by the Disputes Committee and the Central Committee and the crisis of democracy and accountability in the party this has laid bare.
The SWP leadership has done everything it can to silence members’ genuine concerns on the matter including:
· Expelling four comrades for discussing concerns about how the rape allegation was handled
· Gerrymandering and abusing bureaucratic measures in conference, aggregates and district meetings;
· Sitting back whilst the Central Committee supporters have bullied the complainants, their supporters, and any
member of the opposition.
We are not prepared to accept or abide by the decisions of the special conference. The conference is a bureaucratic victory which will only lead to the demise of the SWP. The reputation of the SWP in the movement is irreparably damaged as a result of the handling of these complaints by the Disputes Committee and the leadership’s determination to protect one member rather than to develop a clear perspective on rape and consent.
The SWP leadership have utterly failed to uphold the organisation’s core principles of women’s liberation. This is corrosive to the party and thus it is not in spite but because of our commitment to the struggle that we feel forced to leave in order that we can remain committed socialists who can build militant activity in our workplaces and communities. We will not put the party before the class, or the organisation before our principles.
We stand in solidarity and comradeship with those who remain in the party and attempt to save it, but we can no longer do so.
In solidarity,
seventy odd names here
http://internationalsocialismuk.blogspot.ie/2013/03/fao-central-committee-of-socialist.html
Sort of inevitable after the weekend. Moving fast though. Big blow to SWP. Btw, was I wrongly informed about the breakdown in votes? I can’t get a definitive figure and would appreciate one.
Wonder what ramifications, if any, do the SWP convulsions in Britain have for the SWP here?
They haven’t heard about them. Too busy.
@ brannos…..maybe you haven’t been following the discussion on this site…rumours that a motion mildly critical of the mother ship was agreed but spiked courtesy of Kieran Allen and two others. Conor kostick to his credit joined the fray early on in support of the opposition, saying inter alia that they had been lied to by the leadership
I thought the story was that they passed a motion censuring the ‘delta’ affair and the handling of it, but that they also passed a motion agreeing that no one was to be told, on pain of death and excommunication (or whatever), that the former motion had been passed.
Mass resignations after the weekend including Richard Seymour who singles out John Molyneux, now of the Irish SWP, for special criticism.
I wonder if Molyneux is ‘over here’ now in homage to Tony Cliff’s previous visit to these shores as an undesirable alien (in the UK’s eyes) in the late ’40s?! On a more serious note, what are the ramifications for the Dublin franchise should the UK party completely collapse? I never cease to be amazed at the number of people I come across who are former members of the party. Unfortunately, few of them ever seem to continue in leftie politics…
http://www.leninology.com/2013/03/on-resigning-from-swp.html
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=30848
by Charlie Kimber, national secretary, Socialist Workers Party
This is a crucial time for the working class. And it poses big questions for the left.
Hundreds of delegates came to a Socialist Workers Party (SWP) special conference last Sunday.
In the weeks before over 1,000 party members went to local meetings to elect delegates to the conference and to debate.
SWP branches and districts discussed motions, and every one that was passed was discussed on Sunday.
At the conference speakers from a range of viewpoints powerfully put forward different arguments.
The SWP has faced strong criticism from people outside and inside the party over its handling of serious allegations against a leading party member.
This was the catalyst for the formation of an organised group, or faction, critical of the party’s leadership.
But it is also clear that wider political debates are involved over many issues.
These include what sort of party revolutionary socialists need, women’s oppression, democracy and the shape of the working class.
These questions confront the revolutionary left across the world.
Clarify
The SWP is part of a vibrant Marxist tradition that constantly tests its theory against reality.
We are committed to having discussions that clarify ideas so that we can be as effective as possible in the fight against capitalism.
On Sunday 77 percent of delegates backed a motion from the party’s leading body, the central committee.
It expressed confidence in the SWP’s democratic method of full discussion before making major decisions and then every member implementing them.
The conference made clear that this applied to all party members.
Slurs against fellow socialists and the party on blogs and Facebook are not how we should conduct debate.
The motion passed expressed
delegates’ belief in the integrity of the party members who were involved in handling the disciplinary case and of their investigation.
The conference set up an elected body to look at particular problems of confidentiality, the disciplinary process more generally, and to propose changes where necessary.
The party has been through an intense period of internal debate. It is now crucial it turns outwards.
Some 250,000 civil service workers in the PCS union are set to strike on Wednesday of next week.
This is budget day, when chancellor George Osborne will announce further attacks on working people.
The SWP must be at the centre of building solidarity and demonstrations on the day.
More generally the party will play a full part alongside others in the Unite the Resistance
initiative. This can increase pressure on union leaders to fight, deliver backing for strikes and bring the resistance together.
The next few weeks will also see party members supporting Jerry Hicks’ campaign for the leadership of the Unite union.
We are for action from union leaders, not just words. And we don’t believe that Labour offers any real hope for working people.
The bedroom tax is a focus for the feeling against austerity.
Socialist Worker has highlighted how people are organising against the tax and the SWP is asking every member to be part of this.
The result of the Eastleigh by‑election, the rise of Ukip and politicians’ scapegoating of migrants shows how our rulers will try to divide us.
We need to build on the successes of Unite Against Fascism and take on the arguments over who is really to blame for the lack of jobs, housing and services.
The working class needs socialists to unite against attacks and to put forward an alternative to capitalist exploitation and oppression.
This is what members of the SWP decided to do on Sunday
587 words.
Number of times rape mentioned: 0
Number of times harassment mentioned: 0
Number of times abuse mentioned: 0
Number of times sex mentioned: 0
Number of times victim mentioned: 0
Number of times women mentioned: 1
Well, that’s something, I suppose.
Tory cuts though
Depressing.
One of the worst things for them is that when you google them now, autocomplete is pretty unforgiving (I wonder could you sue autocomplete for libel!?!) and then nearly all the first twenty or so articles on google.co.uk are extremely hostile media and blog coverage.
^
from the Seymour piece today
He also tried to say that “the reach of attack blogs like Socialist Unity and the Association of Musical Marxists is not very big”. I said, “if there are people on the CC who are making this argument, they are out of their minds. They couldn’t conceal Gerry Healy’s actions back in the 1980s, before the internet; this is going to be in the Daily Mail! All the papers that hate our guts will love this.” “Yeah, I know,” he said. “The nightmare scenario is an attack piece by Laurie Penny.
…
‘ Asking a talented, articulate comrade to keep an eye on what is discussed and comment for the SP would be welcome. Irish Mark P, for example. Possibly not Jimmy H.’
Reference to a domestic violence case from socialist unity involving a RMT official and a (suddenly)ex SP member
Has my mother started posting on Socialist Unity?
I’m very very leery about dragging people who have nothing whatsoever to do with a topic into the picture. Mark P and the SP simply is not related to the original issue. In relation to the allegation you refer to above Mark P has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with it. It may not be your intent PB, but by bringing his name into the frame it seems a bit like coat trailing.
On a broader issue, while aware that no organisation is immune from what has beset the British SWP it seems to me from my reading of the issue to date that the English SP has been a lot more sussed about these issues which stands enormously to their credit. Given there is no hint of anything similar in regard to the Irish SP there’s no more to be said in regard to them and this matter.
WBS
Please read the original post on socialist unity
Irish markp is sought as a source of enlightenment….there is another more boisterous markp on su blog,
Markp’s response here bears this out
I’ve tried to find the OP on SU with no success. But if I’m interpreting you correctlyit’s not slagging our Mark P off?
Nah, s/he’s not slagging me off. Although, s/he may be gently poking fun at me. Some random anonymous poster stuck a tribute to my greatness on Socialist Unity and Pangur Ban was quoting it here.
Ah that’s okay, just I didn’t think it fair to point fingers at those who are blameless. I clearly took it up wrong. Apologies PB as well.
rapeapologists.org
http://marksteelinfo.wordpress.com/2013/03/13/oh-good-lord-what-has-the-swp-gone-and-done-now/
Some gallows humour from Mark Steel.
Worth a post of its own
You’re right. Terrific piece by Mark Steel and far from just being a hatchet job. It captures both the awfulness and the sadness of the thing. Has anyone got any assessment of how this is affecting the party in Ireland who are, after all, a far more significant political presence than the mothership given that they have actual elected representatives and much great public visibility in worthwhile campaigns. Sad to think of someone like Boyd Barrett biting his tongue and wishing this would just go away.
And someone gave me stick for drawing this analogy before but there are similarities to the Catholic Church’s way of approaching sex scandals. (A) The insistence that some procedure intrinsic to the organisation itself will solve the problem, whether it’s canon law or democratic centralism and (B) The suggestion that critics of the organisation are ‘no friends of ours’ and can thus be ignored given that their motivation is to damage the Church/the SWP. And (C) A failure to see that the nature of the organisation makes this more serious than it would be for let’s say a bank. You can’t preach sexual morality and cover up child abuse. And you can’t preach left wing politics and social justice while treating a young woman like a pariah and your members like children.
Already on it Branno as part of something a bit longer, posting it up in an hour or so.
EC. Excellent comment. Spot on in every way. I have some sympathy for our own SWP and their predicament in this.
[...] and how these have been approached and dealt with in deeply questionable ways. This comment by EC here sums up, I suspect, the way many of us feel as to the problems implicit in the handling of the [...]