Left Unity.org / People’s Assembly
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Hi Adam,The policy on elections we have agreed is that we will only field candidates where the political support and resources exist for a real campaign. On that basis, I would be against LU standing anywhere, and would prefer to give Tusc and the Green (and yourselves!) a free run. However, I know many people are interpreting those words far more liberally than I would, and have heard mutterings of a candidate standing in Birmingham. So I don't know, I don't think any final decision has yet been made. Hope that helps.
It might do, you'd have to join and move the motion. I did hear that a Left Unity member is standing as a candidate for Ian Bone's Class War party, which raised not a squeak of protest from anyone. So, whatever else our faults, we are more libertarian than you are! (More politically feeble-minded if you prefer…)
jondwhite wrote:Would Left Unity throw its full resources behind backing SPGB candidates?Why on earth would you think they would want to, and why on earth do you think we would be able to accept 'help' from a pro-capitalist party?
Of the people I've spoken to, more are fond of and supportive of the SPGB than are hostile. Not even calling them "pro-capitalist" would put them off liking you.
stuartw2112 wrote:Not even calling them "pro-capitalist" would put them off liking you.Oh well there's for trying
Or they might just call you "reformist", depending what strand of the left they're from. There! See how you like it!
stuartw2112 wrote:Or they might just call you "reformist", depending what strand of the left they're from. There! See how you like it!Ow, that hurt!
DJP wrote:jondwhite wrote:Would Left Unity throw its full resources behind backing SPGB candidates?Why on earth would you think they would want to, and why on earth do you think we would be able to accept 'help' from a pro-capitalist party?
They would want to back the SPGB if they are sincerely putting unity first. Why do you think anyone calls for unity?And I do not think the SPGB should recognise assistance from any political party but the SPGB do not operate in a vacuum and non-members already help the SPGB.
"i recognised something that you failed to because you didn’t have the same personal experience or political encounters – LU’s similarity with the Scottish Socialist Party, which had a more significant impact than LU has had so far….." Highlighted this time for you.For many in Scotland the reason LU has not really taken off depite the odd group is that here we have been there and seen the optimism from previously non- politically active, seen the enthusiasm of the already politically aligned to for "unity" , heard the radical barn-storming speeches, read the glowing testimonies from its advocates in the arts media and culture, and we have already been offered all the wonderful reforms and policies when they stood for election. The impetus and momentum had already slowed down to a stand still, long before the Sheridan debacle. I'm talking from a position where friends and union collagues had eagerly embraced the SSP, using much the same arguments as yourself now use. My own CWU branch endeavoured to affiliate (but legally having to settle instead to financial donations) as did the RMT in Scotland support the SSP, a connection with the labour movement LU is still to develop but may benefit from a demise of the TUSC but i somehow doubt it. The truth of the matter is that the working class is not yet conscious or confident of its own power politically, and is not yet detached themselves from the pro-capitalist parties of reform which the SSP and now the LU are now simply radical manifestations of. I had more understanding and sympathy of your support for Occupy, even if we differed on whether it should be uncritical or critical support because of this aspect of creating a much needed urgency and when LU began it seemed as if many in Occupy had learned the lesson of the necessity of political organisation but the crossing over has been disappointing overall, despite some positives. LU is not a new model political party but simply a revamped and rebranded old one. Same as the SSP turned out to be.
Alan, we should really try to come to a more sympathetic understanding of each other. Do you really think my support for Left Unity is based on an unawareness of previous attempts to do something similar (both in Scotland, and down here: Socialist Alliance, Respect, TUSC, etc, etc)? Do you really think that the difference between us with regard to Occupy was that my attitude was one of "uncritical support"? I must have explained myself really very badly, for which I apologise.
"They would want to back the SPGB if they are sincerely putting unity first. Why do you think anyone calls for unity?"I think it would be safe to say that Left Unity would not stand a candidate where any other left candidate was standing. Which is more than can be said for the SPGB, sadly! (Not that it matters much at the moment.)
Citizens income article in the Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/apr/08/citizens-income-instead-of-benefits
Even Thatcherites like the idea (not usually a selling point among socialists, I realise, but still, interesting):http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/welfare-pensions/the-ideal-welfare-system-is-a-basic-income
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