THE SOCIALIST PARTY

MINUTES OF THE 5TH MEETING OF THE 102ND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

HELD AT HEAD OFFICE ON 7TH May, 2005, AT 2.15 PM


Present: Bissett (Gen Sec), Carter, Lambert, Lawrence, Parker, Scholey,
Shannon, Stair, Thomas, Wigley

Chair: agreed at previous meeting: Stair



1. Amendment and Adoption of Previous EC Minutes

1.1) Lawrence referred to item 9.2.ii of the April Minutes and the EC
resolution pertaining to the new video, observing that the actual world in
the third line was "publishing", not "published."

1.2) Parker & Scholey: "That the minutes be adopted as a true record."
Agreed.



2. Matters Arising from April Meeting

2.1) Election reports from the Vauxhall and Seaham campaigns. Results were:
Vauxhall Constituency: Labour 19,744, Lib-Dem 9,767, Conservative 5,405,
Green Party 1,705, UKIP 271, Socialist Party 240, English Dem. 221.
Deneside Ward, Seaham: Labour 1921, Conservative 361, Socialist Party 288.
Noted with appreciation.

2.2) Re item 2.4 of April Minutes, Signatories to accounts. Treasurer
informed meeting that Alliance & Leicester had still to approve the
signatories. This was more than a formality, as the bank did a thorough
check up.

2.3) Re item 3.2.iii of April Minutes, awaited report from the Ballot and
Internet Cttees on email voting. This had been referred to in the SO report
to the EC on Conference voting.

2.4) Re. item 7.1 of April Minutes, the request for a grant for a
photocopier for comrades in Uganda and further emails from Cdes Justus (8th
and 17th April) and Ishmael Mugyenzi (3rd April). The Kabale comrades
restated their request for £800-1000 for the purchase of a photocopier for
the production and distribution of leaflets in Kabale. The EC had previously
stated that all literature needs could be met by HO. The Kabale comrades
pointed out that the post could not be depended upon and those previous
postings had not arrived (the General Secretary confirmed difficulties in
posting bulky packages to Uganda). The Kabale comrades queried previous
resolutions on overseas funding and stated that they could maintain the
photocopier themselves and that there would be no need for insurance and
that the building in which the copier would be housed was protected at night
by a security firm.

2.4.i) The EC spent a full hour debating this item thoroughly. The
possibility of a loan of the money was mooted - an idea suggested in a
previous email from Kabale - and members queried how the copier could be
maintained if an important part was needed to repair it, as well as ongoing
supply costs for the copier. Cde Browne of Standing Orders, provided the EC
with the previously referred to resolution on overseas funding and which
date back to the November 2002 EC meeting: Res. Browne & Martin:- "That the
£250 be granted to the Marxian Solidarity (Zimbabwe); and, that they be
informed that we will not be continuing the practise of subsidising groups'
day to day expenditure, insomuch as paying for any day-to-day expenditure
would commit us to an ongoing drain of funds. We feel that groups should be
self-sustaining to a level appropriate to the composition of their
membership. Grants will only in future be given to specific costed projects"

The meeting considered that the substance of that resolution was still
applicable re. the day-to-day funding of the Kabale group activity viz-a-viz
a photocopier and the lack of costing of the project. The meeting further
considered funding any professional printing the comrades in Kabale could do
locally.

2.4.ii) Wigley & Shannon: "Whilst wishing to give every encouragement to
comrades' propaganda activities, this EC does not wish to fund this
photocopier project, and instead repeats its offer to arrange printing from
Head Office. In addition, this EC would be prepared to subsidise printing
locally." Agreed: For 8, Against 2.

2.5) Re. Item 10.2 of April Minutes, being Cde Thomas' Notice of Motion on
Terms of Reference for the VPD. The EC considered this item for 4 hours.
Also before the meeting was a letter from B Johnson, regarding the video, a
resolution from South London Branch in support of the video, and a letter
from J Bissett who was self-nominating for the VPD along with Cdes Shannon
and Windle and who were further tendering a VPD budget for the coming year
for £5000.

2.5.i) Cde Thomas submitted the following terms of reference: That the VPD
1. Be composed of at least 3 members appointed annually by the EC from
either branch or self-nominations. 2. To produce video/DVD material that
propagates the case for socialism in a style and treatment they consider
most appropriate to the subject matter. 3. The EC to approve in advance the
content of such productions. 4. To be responsible for the widest
dissemination of this material. 5. To report to the party annually in
January on the work done and money spent. 6. To keep the EC informed at
least once every two months of their activities.

2.5.ii) Wigley & Shannon moved an amendment: "That 'and production run' be
inserted a the end of clause 3. Agreed: 10-0.

2.5.iii) Parker & Stair moved: "In item 5 delete all after 'Party' and
insert 'and the EC at Conference and ADM'. Delete item 6." Agreed: 6 for, 4
Against.

2.5.iii) Shannon & Thomas moved: "Insert 'general' in front of clause 3."
Agreed: 10-0.

2.5 iv) Shannon & Wigley: "That the terms of reference for the VPD be
adopted as amended." Agreed: 9 For, 1 Abstaining.

2.5.v) Re. letter from J Bissett (as quoted above) on plans for the film -
the success of the film and the feedback to date and the expected cost to
produce 1000 copies professionally (a DVD duplication company had quoted us
a price of £1060 plus VAT - to have 1000 copies made, inclusive of DVD case
and jacket design). Cde Bissett also referred to web hosting costs for the
coming year of £35.00 per month, more if we wanted to upload more films to
the site and audio files of our better lectures. A link could be provided on
the WSM site which would open the film directly it was accessed. The VPD
were also keen to acquire decent stock footage to enhance the quality and
content of future films. The VPD were keen to have the film ready for sale
by the G8 summit where 100,000+ were expected to attend the anti-capitalist
demo in Edinburgh

2.5.vi) Wigley & Thomas: "That Cdes Bissett, Shannon and Windle be appointed
to the VPD." Agreed: 10-0.

2.5.vii) Wigley & Lambert: "That the VPD be granted a budget of £5.000 for
the coming year." Agreed: 9 For, 0 Against, 1 Abstention.

2.5.viii) Lambert & Lawrence: "That the video be endorsed as a Party
publication" Agreed: 9 For, 1 Abstaining.

2.5.ix) Letter from Brian Johnson (dated 27/4/05) urging EC to be actively
involved in the video's distribution. Noted.

2.5.x) Resolution from South London Branch (dated 3/5/05): "South London
Branch is in favour of the video being produced as a DVD provided that it
includes a close link to the Party."

2.5.xi) Bissett & Lambert: " Further to the resolution from South London
Branch, the EC affirms that the DVD will carry the WSM name and a link to he
WSM website."

2.5.xii) There followed lengthy discussion on Party policy on the use of the
Party name. Parker & Thomas then moved: "That 'The Socialist Party' be
inserted in the above, before WSM". Agreed: For 7, Against 3. Division:
Against - Bissett, Lambert and Shannon.

2.5.xiii) Resolution on the motion as amended: For 7, Against 3. Division:
Against - Bissett, Lambert and Shannon: The motion as agreed upon now reads:
"Further to the resolution from South London Branch, the EC affirms that the
DVD will carry The Socialist Party and WSM names and a link to the WSM
website"

2.5.xiv) Thomas & Lambert: That the VPD be authorised to spend up to £2000
on the DVD" Agreed: For 9. Against 1.

2.5.xv) The EC then debated what price should be put on the DVD. Wigley and
Stair: "That the price of the DVD be set at £5.00."

2.5.xvi) Lawrence & Parker moved an amendment. "Delete £5.00 and replace
with £3.00." For 0, Against 10.

2.5.xvii) Vote on the substantive resolution: Agreed: 10-0

2.6.) Re. item 9.3 of April meeting, Departmental Budgets.

2.6.i) Campaigns Dept submitted a budget for £1500. The department reported
that in coming months there would be the G8 summit in Edinburgh and in this
regard suggested 20,000 small business-type cards be produced. There would
also be the Durham Miner's Gala and two Anarchist Bookfairs The Dept further
requested that they be allowed to buy a large pvc banner to fill the entire
top floor facing wall at head office - approximately 20' x 12' - and which
would be visible from afar. The report from the Dept. further included a
self-nomination from Cde Bissett

2.6.ii) Wigley & Lambert: "That the Campaigns Dept. budget be accepted."
Agreed: 10-0.

2.6.iii) Carter & Thomas: "That Cde Bissett be accepted onto the Campaigns
Dept." Agreed: 10-0.

2.6.iv) Research Department (aa Library and Books Depts) submitted a budget
for £300.00, which took account of the purchase of a series of books - The
Third Revolution by Murray Bookchin (which closely examines all major
revolutions from the past 600 years) - for £180.00.

2.6.v). Parker & Lambert: "That the Research Dept's budget be accepted."
Agreed: For 7, Against 1, Abstaining 2.

2.6.vi) The Advertising Department submitted a budget request for
£10,200.00. The department spent £150 per week on Big Issue ads and received
3 replies per week. The Dept. wanted to change the text of the advert and
requested another £150 per week to advertise the book and video - £300 per
week x 34 weeks for May-December = £10,200.

2.6.vii) Wigley and Lawrence: "This EC does not wish to authorise the sum of
£10,200 for the current low return from Big Issue advertisements. Therefore
it asks the Ads Dept. to bring a revised plan and budget to the June EC".
Agreed: 9 For, 0 Against, 1 Abstaining.



NOTICE: can all departments/sub-committees please submit their budget
proposals to the next EC meeting.



2.7.) Re item 10.1 of April Meeting, Cde Thomas' Notice of Motion on reports
of departments and sub-committees. The meeting shared Cde. Thomas' concern
as to how infrequently the party's various departments and sub-committees
reported to the EC on their ongoing activity.

2.7.i) Thomas & Parker: "That departments of the Party report to the EC
every 3 months." Agreed: 7 For, 1 Against, 2 Abstaining.



3) Standing Orders Report to EC on Conference voting. The EC agreed to
defer this matter to the June meeting as the time was now 7pm, the meeting
had been in progress for 5 hours and the meeting had just finished
discussing Matters Arising. (The report is added at the end of the EC
Minutes - Gen Sec). One member had to leave the meeting at this point.



4) Accounts

4.i) The Treasurer submitted a lengthy report to the EC, inclusive of a
statement of the current account for the period 3d February to 2nd March,
Reconciliation of the February accounts, and a statement of the deposit
accounts at Leopold Joseph and the Alliance & Leicester banks. The
Treasurer reported that £40.00 was still to be accounted for. £95,000 had
been moved from Leopold Joseph to Alliance & Leicester. There had been
problems obtaining a banker's draft for the deposit for the Vauxhall
election deposit, but members sorted this out themselves. Alliance &
Leicester notified the Party that they would be issuing statements once a
quarter instead of once a month, as had been the previous procedure. The
Treasurer would be contacting the bank to see if the monthly statement
procedure could continue and would investigate if a statement of accounts
could be accessed on-line (a procedure some banks allowed for). Cde Allen
was happy to be known as the Assistant Treasurer Fuller discussion of the
report was deferred until the June meeting.



5. Forms A

5.i) Joseph Balukiddembe (Uganda). Parker & Thomas: "That the Form A be
accepted." Agreed: 9-0

5.ii) Nick Davis. The Form A for N Davis had been deferred from a previous
meeting. The applicant had been a previous member, but had been lapsed as
per rule 2, and the EC awaited further clarification on the application from
the Central Organiser. The matter had since been addressed. Parker &
Bissett: "That the form A be accepted." Agreed: 9-0.



6. Reports of Officers, Department and Sub-Committees

6.1) Report from Central Organiser (dated 27/4/05), focusing on the CO's
attempts to clarify the membership overseas. Some 66 letters had been sent
out to comrades in Africa. 17 had replied and 4 letters returned "gone away".
10 African comrades could be contacted by email. The report also listed the
numbers of members per country in Africa and the replies received per
country and which ones received literature. The CO recommended lapsing those
we could not contact and listed 13 African members for whom forms F could be
processed.

6.1i) Thomas & Parker: "That the EC accepts the Central Organiser's report
and endorses the recommendations." Agree: 9-0

6.2) Report from the SSPC (dated 13/4/05). 1500 Standards are being printed
each month at a cost of £756, which is £9072 over a 12-month period. More
were published in January and, hopefully, more would have to be before the
end of the year as sales and subscriptions increased, by £14 for every extra
100. The department proposed a budget of £9,200. This was more than last
year but considered reasonable in view of the change over to full glossy,
coloured cover on the front and back and two colours inside. The budget
request did not include postage and envelope costs, which comes from the
general administration budget, nor does it include income from sales of the
Standard which was about £6000 last year.

6.2.i) Thomas & Parker: "That the EC accepts the SSPC's report and endorses
the proposed budget." Agreed: 9-0.



7. Correspondence from Branches, Companion Parties, Members

7.1) Minutes of Kabale Socialist Club meeting held on 23rd February 2003.
Noted.

7.2) Letter from Brian Johnson, (re. item 2.3.iii of previous minutes)
expressing concern that in allowing Cde Colborn to contest a seat in Seaham,
the EC was in breach of Rule 28. Secretary was asked to reply in accordance
with the facts.

7.3) Resolution from Manchester Branch, dated 11th April: "That the EC be
informed that, after consulting the Treasurer, Manchester Branch are unhappy
that £30,000 is still with Butterfields [aka Leopold Joseph], and we urge
the EC to transfer all this sum to the Alliance & Leicester." (5-0, 6
present.

7.3.i) The Treasurer informed the meeting that we could safely keep the
£30,000 with Butterfields, who paid a higher rate of interest, because we
were covered by banking insurance for £30,000. In initially deposition the
money with Butterfields, the Treasurer had acted on the best advice
available at the time regarding high interest rates.

7.3.ii) Parker & Thomas: "The EC take no action to transfer the money from
Butterfield as it is covered by banking insurance." Agreed: 9-0.

7.4) Letter from S Parker, dated 29/4/05 regarding staffing at Head Office.
Cde Parker had responded to a call for members to help out at HO on Saturday
23rd April but, on going along at 3pm and 5pm, found the premises closed.
Cde Parker further suggested HO be open weekdays from 10am-5pm and that when
the HOO was not there a rota of volunteers be kept so the building could be
staffed. The letter also proposed that a literature stall should be erected
outside HO, weather permitting. Noted.

7.5) Monthly Report/Newsletter from SPC. Noted.



8. Forms F

8.1) Three forms F received from Glasgow Branch for: P Mckenzie (lapsed),
Ron Edwards (deceased) and W Dunn (resigned). Six forms F received from the
Central Organiser for members the Party had lost contact with: O Fisker, D
Griffin, B Walker, K Giles, DV Cznys, K O'Hara. Agreed to accept.



With no further business to discuss the meeting adjourned at 8.15 pm



Chair for next Meeting: Shannon

Date of Next Meeting: 2.00pm. 4th June. Head Office





NOTICE: CAN DEPARTMENTS AND SUB-COMMITTEES PLEASE

SUBMIT THEIR BUDGET PROPOSALS FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS

TO THE NEXT MEETING OF THE EC





Report of the Standing Orders Committee on Conference 2005 Voting.



Comrades, The voting on the conference items is as follows:



Motion 1. "That 'hostile' be replaced by 'opposed' in clause 7 of the D of
P." Lancaster.

Vote 1 For: 35 Against: 84 Motion 1 NOT CARRIED.



Motion 2. "This Conference affirms that the Terms of Reference of the PFU
Committee shall be as follows - 1 The Committee shall consider further work
on the question of the positive proposals that the Party can put forward on
the organisation of socialism, with a view to producing reports, papers,
etc. for wider Party discussion. 2 The Committee shall consist of 3
members, with powers to co-opt additional members where appropriate. 3
The Committee shall try to keep the Party informed of the progress of its
work, shall invite participation and consider contributions from branches
and members. 4 The Committee shall seek opportunities to involve the wider
WSM Movement in its work, shall be empowered, with Party approval, to
request the production of suitable material from sources outside the
movement. 5 The Committee shall report to Branches and the EC at Conference
and ADM, and more frequently as necessary." South London.

Amendment to Motion 2, "in clause 5: delete the word 'at' and insert 'prior
to'." Lancaster.

Vote 2 on the amendment: For: 82,
Against: 17

Vote 3 if the amendment is carried: For: 79 Against:
20

Vote 4 if the motion is not amended: For: 56 Against: 38

Motion 2 as amended was CARRIED.



Motion 3, "This conference instructs the EC that it shall: (a) spend no more
each year than was received in income over the previous year, unless
otherwise instructed. (b) explicitly explain any overspend to conference.
(c) Deduct any overspend from the following years' budget. (d) Likewise add
any under spend to the subsequent permissible budget." Central London.

Vote 5 For: 47 Against: 67 Motion 3 NOT CARRIED.



Amendment to Rule, 2. "As from 1st July 2005 the party dues be increased to
£5 per month." Central London.

Vote 6 For: 72 Against: 38 Amendment to Rule 2 CARRIED.



Motion 4. "This Conference instructs the EC to establish a discussion
journal to be titled 'Journal for World Socialism' to be produced under the
following terms of reference- 1 The Editorial Committee shall consist of 3
members and should aim at the inclusion of a Companion Party member. 2 The
Journal should provide a record of discussion between members of the
Companion Parties aimed at the development of socialist arguments and
should include discussion on general aspects of World Socialist Movement
theory and policy, capitalist development in relation to socialism, and
world socialism as a practical alternative to capitalism. 3 The Journal
should include a correspondence section. 4 The Journal to be issued
initially half yearly, with options on more frequent issues as appropriate.
5 The journal to be issued at minimal cost with format and lay out by
members and printing on Party facilities. 6 The contents also to be
published in electronic form on the Party's web site or other internet
sites. 7 In liaison with the EC the Journal may provide limited space for
guest (non-member) writers." South London.

Amendment to Motion 4. "In line one replace 'establish' by 'investigate the
willingness of members to produce, and the need for'. " Enfield & Haringey.

Vote 7 on the amendment: For: 68
Against: 38

Vote 8 if the amendment is carried: For: 57
Against: 49

Vote 9 if the motion is not amended: For: 29
Against: 75

Motion 4 as amended CARRIED.



Motion 5: "That the practice of putting the whole content of the Socialist
Standard on line be discontinued in favour of including selected items only
at the discretion of the Editorial Committee." Lancaster.

Vote 10 For: 22 Against: 93 Motion 5 NOT CARRIED.



Motion 6: "In view of the failure of existing advertising, Conference
instructs the EC to adopt a more adventurous policy, including in particular
loose inserts of Party material in a range of publications." West London.

Vote 11 For: 95 Against: 19 Motion 6 CARRIED.



Motion 7: "That any items for ADM and Conference shall not be accepted onto
the agenda unless accompanied by a supporting statement or unless in the
opinion of Standing Orders it is self-explanatory." Lancaster.

Vote 12 For: 100 Against: 15 Motion 7 CARRIED.



Motion 8: "that the 1984 conference resolution on amendments: 'That this
conference instructs the Standing Orders Committee that Branch amendments to
items of the preliminary agenda which reverse or disregard rather than amend
the sense of the original Resolution or Amendment to Rule are out of order
and must not appear on the final agenda.' be rescinded." Central London.

Vote 13 For: 49 Against: 58 Motion 8 NOT CARRIED.



Motion 9: "This Conference endorses the recommendation of 2004 ADM that the
front of Head Office should be refurbished, including an appropriate
replacement of the bricked area." West London. .



Vote 14 For: 72 Against: 31 Motion 9 CARRIED.



Return of voting papers was 120. up 25 on last year. Returns from Branches:

Glasgow: 13 Manchester: 10 Central London: 10 West London: 9 Swansea: 8
South London: 7 Birmingham: 5 Lancaster: 5 Enfield & Haringey: 4 North
East: 4 Edinburgh: 2. Central : 44

M Browne SOC 6th May 2005