14th November Movement for Left Unity

[articul8]

Ha ha.

Oh I see, it was a "joke"?

 

[chilango]

Oh I see, it was a "joke"?

Yes.

 

[Trealover]

This thing had its first national meeting today. Sounds like there was a lot of self-important waffling about whether they should deign to allow existing groups to partake in the blessed unity. Did anyone go?

Self-important waffling is hardly new on the left. But you can hardly blame them for at least debating the wisdom of it becoming just the latest version of the unstable alliance of competing Trot and Stalinoid groups. Who are all basically shit.

 

[Trealover]

At best this is what it will be - a coalition of the non-aligned! Which could look very different (okay, maybe not very, but different) from anything else out there.

It will look like the existing far-left groups without their uniforms on.

 

[treelover]

This meeting resolves not to take any votes on any of the statements, resolutions or amendments except for those, or those parts, which deal with 1) the election of the new national co-ordinating group [to be dissolved and replaced with a properly elected body at the first conference] 2) the process of debate and discussion 3) the dates of the next national meeting and the founding conference and 4) the principle that the new organisation should be based on ‘one member, one vote’.
This passed by majority vote, and, to my mind, was a heartening start to the whole project. We would not start out by pretending to represent more people than we really did, we would not take any decisions out of the hands of future or indeed present members of the local groups, and the new party would be based on individual membership, with every member having equal power over decision-making. These last two points were especially important in assuaging fears about takeovers or undue influence and interference from existing groups and sects. A member of a left sect in the meeting moved that the new committee should invite observers from all existing left groups; others argued that existing groups should be allowed some kind of affiliation or group membership. On the basis of past experience, such notions were rejected by an overwhelming majority of those present. Members of existing groups would be welcomed as individuals, and their views would be treated with respect and given due consideration. Invasions by groups and parties with agendas of their own would not be.
The debate on this question and the subsequent voting got at times fairly heated, and, in the absence of previously agreed structures and mechanisms, pretty chaotic. It even perhaps teetered on the brink of disaster. But this was in itself pretty inspiring stuff. It’s what real democracy is like: it ain’t always pretty, it can sometimes descend into aggression and frustration, and it can be very hard work. But the results are worth it: a decision is eventually reached that satisfies most people if not everyone, and that has authority on that basis. After a debate and a vote like that, there is a certain quiet satisfaction in a job well done if the vote goes your way; a humble acceptance if it doesn’t. At least there should be.

http://leftunity.org/left-unitys-first-national-meeting-a-report/

Actually it sounds promising, one person one vote, sects proposals for observers, struck down, no group affiliation, new committee to stand down immediately founding conference is held. massive arguments but no one left and things were resolved, reps from 55 groups uk wide,

oh and Ken got everyone to chill out...

 

[Trealover]

Actually it sounds promising, one person one vote, sects proposals for observers, struck down, no group affiliation, new committee to stand down immediately founding conference is held. massive arguments but no one left and things were resolved, reps from 55 groups uk wide,

oh and Ken got everyone to chill out...

I hpe it won't be as boring and worthy as the average Ken Loach film.

 

[treelover]

Well that may or may not be worth doing - but achieving that is not the same as "left unity" - and will not mean the left as a whole looks very different - just that there's a grouping of people most of whom have fallen out of bigger groupings. People lkike Nick Wrack and Dave Church were involved in something similar inside the Socialist Alliance if I recall.

As a LP supporter not surprised at your view on LU, reports though differ, there are many many people getting involved who are joining out of necessity, they need allies to help fight he bedroom tax, atos, etc, this group will at last genuninely support and work with disabled people for instance.

 

[treelover]

I hpe it won't be as boring and worthy as the average Ken Loach film.

Name usurper, anyway time for a name change methinks..

 

[chilango]

I hpe it won't be as boring and worthy as the average Ken Loach film.

I dunno about his "average films" but he has made at least two or three truly superb films.

 

[Trealover]

I dunno about his "average films" but he has made at least two or three truly superb films.

It's sometimes possible to create a superb example of something boring and worthy.

 

[treelover]

Land and Freedom, Kes, Cathy Come Home

bit worried though, doesn't Ken support some of the U.S's enemies?

 

[chilango]

It's sometimes possible to create a superb example of something boring and worthy.

Yes. Isn't it?

Who the fuck are you anyway?

 

[chilango]

Land and Freedom, Kes, Cathy Come Home

bit worried though, doesn't Ken support some of the U.S's enemies?

Looking for Eric

Wind that shakes the barley

 

[Trealover]

Looking for Eric

Wind that shakes the barley

Both boring and worthy.

 

[chilango]

Both boring and worthy.

Bye bye...

 

[Trealover]

Land and Freedom, Kes, Cathy Come Home

Worthy. Boring.

 

[Trealover]

Bye bye...

Boring, worthy and only watched by middle class liberals.

 

[treelover]

please change your name, see FAQ

 

[Trealover]

please change your name, see FAQ

Don't worry, I'll be gone soon.

 

[frogwoman]

Ha ha.

 

[Trealover]

please change your name, see FAQ

How do you do it? I can't seem to find how to do it.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

Actually it sounds promising, one person one vote, sects proposals for observers, struck down, no group affiliation, new committee to stand down immediately founding conference is held. massive arguments but no one left and things were resolved, reps from 55 groups uk wide,

The "55 groups" thing, like the claim that there are "200 participants in Brighton", is self deception.

The self regarding idiocy of banning observers from other organisations or group affiliations, while at the same time inviting their members to join as individuals, is simply hilarious. If any largish group on the socialist left actually decide to take them up on that offer, they'll go through these clowns like a wire through cheese. Federalism is a restraint on organised groups simply bloc voting to their heart's content.

 

[treelover]

Those elected (in alphabetical order) are: Andrew Burgin (M), Terry Conway (F), Merry Cross (F), Felicity Dowling (F), Guy Harper (M), Kate Hudson (F), Chris Hurley (F), Salman Shaheen (M), Bianca Todd (F), Tom Walker (M).

Really getting you riled all this, anyway 60% of new committee are women and 50% of future delegates must be women, what do people think of this?

btw, Tom Walker, ex SWP is on committee, they basically re-endorsed the acting one

 

[treelover]

The self regarding idiocy of banning observers from other organisations or group affiliations, while at the same time inviting their members to join as individuals, is simply hilarious. If any largish group on the socialist left actually decide to take them up on that offer, they'll go through these clowns like a wire through cheese. Federalism is a restraint on organised groups simply bloc voting to their heart's content.

What a strange thing to say, you seem to relish it to satiate your anger, so they will put ideology above defending the interests of the many thousands of people who need effective broad based organisations to help them

 

[Nigel Irritable]

What a strange thing to say, you seem to relish it to satiate your anger, so they will put ideology above defending the interests of the many thousands of people who need effective broad based organisations to help them

What on earth are you talking about now?

 

[redsquirrel]

Apparently Ken Loach invited him, as chair of TUSC. He turned up. They wouldn't let him in.

Pathetic

 

[el-ahrairah]

right, so received this email from the organisers of Lambeth LU, wasn't able to go to the meeting due to being post operatively laid up, but does anyone have any thoughts on the proposed motions?

"!
Dear comrades,
Hi Nathan and everyone.
here is a motion for the Left Unity meeting on Saturday I would like to put to the meeting tonight. I will bring some hard copies along with me. If anyone else needs any photocopying doing if you send it to me - say by 4.00 pm I can do it in the Workers Power office in Camberwell

I assume our agenda will include the national meeting on Saturday- election of delegates, the plans for LU building in Lambeth and future meetings, the NHS demo on 18th May and any local events, organisation of the group, etc.

See you all at 6.30 pm

Dave Stockton

Motion to Left Unity national meeting 11 May 2013


Left Unity - as an organisation laying the foundations of a new party - cannot remain inactive and without policies till it has agreed the complete strategy (programme) that a party needs. It order to recruit and consolidate members and participate in ongoing struggles and forums with a clear and distinct message it needs a more limited platform which addresses to the burning issues which face us in 2013-14.

Consequently it fights to:

Halt the privatisation and destruction of the welfare state - the NHS, public education, social services and pensions - by all means necessary including direct action, occupations, coordinated political strikes.

Unite the rival anticuts campaigns at a national level and unite the different local campaigns into committees of delegates that can plan and execute united action. Together we must formulate a national plan of action.

Supports the call for a huge demonstration of February 15 2003 proportions as a lunch pad for mass direct action to force out the Tory Lib Dem coalition.

Supports the building of networks of rank and activists in the unions to fight for democracy and militant policies, with the union leaders if possible but without them where necessary.

Fights against racism including islamophobia and antsemitism, against sexism homophobia and support movements by the unemployed, youth, women and all victims of racism against their oppression

Fights against the capitalist destruction of the environment.

Opposes all the imperialist wars, interventions and occupations and state repression of civil rights at home in the name of the 'war on terror' or of delivering 'humanitarian aid'.

Supports the Arab revolutions and the fight of the Palestinians to a state and their refugees to return to their homeland.

Supports calls for Europe-wide actions in solidarity with all those fighting the cuts in Greece, Cyprus, Spain, and Eastern European countries like Slovenia and Bulgaria.

A New Left party should aim to unite all these struggles with a struggle by the working class to put an end to crisis-wracked capitalism and replace it with a democratically planned, ecologically sustainable, socialist system.

What means are necessary to achieve this goal - whether by a social revolution or by a process of social reform – what sort of government could carry them through - will have to be democratically debated and discussed by the members of the new party before being embodied in a new programme.

"

 

[love detective]

usual building castles in the air stuff isn't it, and this (if i'm reading it correctly).....

Left Unity - as an organisation laying the foundations of a new party - cannot remain inactive and without policies till it has agreed the complete strategy (programme) that a party needs

...... is total arse about tit in the usual top down lefty assumption that nothing can, or should, be done until the 'complete strategy that a party needs' has been agreed/decided in advance (not to mention the fact that the phrase used is almost illogical to read 'cannot remain inactive until it has....'(??). pretty much a snapshot of everything that's wrong about the left and left top down a priori attempts to do something

also amusing that it then argues for a 'more limited platform' and then goes on to list every single lefty cliche bingo buzz policy under the sun - without any kind of awareness that until the left in this country achieve any kind of credibility, attraction and influence in their own backyard in relation to the day to day dogshit then they are never going to be in a position or carry the weight that enables them to even think about being able to have any influence in relation to any of the things listed on that list

it then shoehorns democracy in at the very end when it comes to talking about the means to achieve the ends but the ends are given in the usual top down a priori way without so much as a recognition that both the ends, and the means to achieve them, should arise out of the process, not be top down inputs into or starting points of the process

 

[treelover]

Don't worry, I don't think that pile of 19 C Left crap was accepted, in fact they are learning and no motions like these manifestos were accepted.

btw, el-ah, unless you were chosen as a delegate, you couldn't have gone anyway, L/U are not doing things in the same old same old way...

 

[butchersapron]

Supports the call for a huge demonstration of February 15 2003 proportions as a lunch pad for mass direct action to force out the Tory Lib Dem coalition.

Firebox getting a bit ahead of themselves here.