14th November Movement for Left Unity

[chilango]

This is cropping up in other threads now and I figure it merits a thread of it's own.

They claim to have over 5,000 people signed up and 35 groups. Of course, this is likely to be Facebook numbers, with potentially significantly lower numbers "on the ground". But if it's even remotely true it's certainly an impressive starting point for the latest "new workers' party".

Naturally it begs a lot of questions. But my initial gut feeling is that this is really reminiscent of the first days of the SLP. Some of you may remember the genuine enthusiasm that it's founding created.

Has this got legs? And where has it come from?

 

[chilango]

Has anyone here signed up?

Even Ian Bone says he might've done!

 

[Nigel Irritable]

Has anyone seen any real sign of this thing on the ground? ie not on the internet?

 

[treelover]

apparently meetings already happening, flyers printed, events planned,

maybe the logjam(swp) being shifted a bit has empowered people combined with the truly awful economy/cuts, etc

think its a work in progress, name, logo, all maybe changed

for me, a significant change would be signalled if those who called for the party: Burgin, etc, are not on the committee/head honchos, etc when it gets going..

 

[treelover]

This is cropping up in other threads now and I figure it merits a thread of it's own.

They claim to have over 5,000 people signed up and 35 groups. Of course, this is likely to be Facebook numbers, with potentially significantly lower numbers "on the ground". But if it's even remotely true it's certainly an impressive starting point for the latest "new workers' party".

Naturally it begs a lot of questions. But my initial gut feeling is that this is really reminiscent of the first days of the SLP. Some of you may remember the genuine enthusiasm that it's founding created.

Has this got legs? And where has it come from?

Yes, it was my first big political meeting for sometime, as a student I remember going to the first one here when Scargill spoke, etc, surprised to see my lecturers, etc there, AWL were very present, wasn't massive though..

 

[Nigel Irritable]

apparently meetings already happening, flyers printed, events planned

Well, yes, but "apparently" is a pretty important word there. What I'm curious about is the extent to which people here have actually, personally, noticed a visible presence offline of this initiative whether at anti-cuts meetings or on demonstrations or whatever else. I'm aware that there's been quite a lot of noise about it on left wing bits of the internet, but as I'm not in Britain I have no idea to what extent that reflects a movement (however small) on the ground. I'm not saying it's a facebook phenomenon or anything similarly dismissive. I'm asking.

 

[treelover]

it only started a week ago, the call from Ken Loach that is, it seems to have 'exploded' after the Guardian piece, which may not be a good sign..

 

[treelover]

L/U are now claiming 40 groups set up in just five days, 1000* hits a day to the site(it has crashed more than once) and 6,000 replies to Ken's appeal, many ex LP members, activists, ILP 2?

I like the fact they have a sense of humour, with the memes and the growing numbers indicated by party balloons..

*just read that the 17000 hits, were in just one day, how does that stack up, seems a hell of a lot...

 

[treelover]

"Bianca Todd is the new Left Unity organiser in Northampton - she writes:
I am the grand-daughter of Ron Todd, former General Secretary of the TGWU [now UNITE] and am passionate about the principles of social justice, fairness and equality."


Ron Todd's grand-daughter is to be the organiser for Northhampton, "let me take you out of your misery Brother"

not being snark, but Blair could have claimed the above values, LU is going to a be a very diverse party indeed.

 

[chilango]

There's a lot of "homeless" lefties out there, and with the exception of the SP, no groups for them to join.

This could easily gather together a few thousand people into the "biggest" group on the Left for a few years.

Doesn't mean it'll acheive anything though, or even that it's a good idea, just that it could be a viable project.

Wonder what TUSC and Respect make of it?

 

[chilango]

It has a better name and "look" than its precursors too.

 

[mk12]

"Bianca Todd is the new Left Unity organiser in Northampton - she writes:
I am the grand-daughter of Ron Todd, former General Secretary of the TGWU [now UNITE] and am passionate about the principles of social justice, fairness and equality."


Ron Todd's grand-daughter is to be the organiser for Northhampton, "let me take you out of your misery Brother"

not being snark, but Blair could have claimed the above values, LU is going to a be a very diverse party indeed.

Northampton is my local group. I might pop along and see what it's all about.

 

[mk12]

There's a lot of "homeless" lefties out there, and with the exception of the SP, no groups for them to join.

This could easily gather together a few thousand people into the "biggest" group on the Left for a few years.

Doesn't mean it'll acheive anything though, or even that it's a good idea, just that it could be a viable project.

Wonder what TUSC and Respect make of it?

You're right you know. Before I looked into it I thought it was just another left party. But they seem to better at the Facebook stuff, and targetting young people. That's just an initial thought though. I've tried to get in contact with my local organiser so if I found out any more I'll post it up.

 

[chilango]

Against all my better judgement I may stick my name on the list to see how this starts to pan out. Somebody dissuade me before curiosity kills the cat!

 

[where to]

All this facebook.numbers stuff is great but the proof in the pudding is when you sit in a room with them all and hear the range of lunatic views they have (or don't have).

Then the arguments over tommy Sheridan, George Galloway, assange, rioters etc etc. All the usual stuff the.left falls out over.

If the excitement is just a result of ignoring this stuff its pretty daft.

Btw imo the easy way around this in the medium term is saying to the most divisive figures, sorry not this time, and then focusing only on economics.

Get a severe policy on conspiracists too (ie, fuck off).

 

[mk12]

Based on my very quick research, the local organiser in my area isn't a familiar face and doesn't appear to be a "usual suspect." She is a local youth worker who has initiated schemes aimed at ex-offenders and "socially excluded individuals."

She is part of the "Community Court Yard" which has run campaigns such aimed at "reducing re-offending, anti-social behaviour & crime. Tackling social inequality, through the creation of social change. Increase in young people in education, training & employment."

 

[mk12]

All this facebook.numbers stuff is great but the proof in the pudding is when you sit in a room with them all and hear the range of lunatic views they have (or don't have).

Then the arguments over tommy Sheridan, George Galloway, assange, rioters etc etc. All the usual stuff the.left falls out over.

If the excitement is just a result of ignoring this stuff its pretty daft.

Btw imo the easy way around this in the medium term is saying to the most divisive figures, sorry not this time, and then focusing only on economics.

Get a severe policy on conspiracists too (ie, fuck off).

The only way this will work if the "usual suspects" keep their hands off it, or at least remain an insignificant minority within it. Galloway, Assange, Sheridan, SWP rapes and all that stuff should not be an issue for this initiative. The focus should be on issues that affect local communities.

 

[chilango]

Btw imo the easy way around this in the medium term is saying to the most divisive figures, sorry not this time, and then focusing only on economics.

Get a severe policy on conspiracists too (ie, fuck off).

Yep.

 

[mk12]

I can't imagine the SWP will be able to dominate this one, not with what has happened.

 

[chilango]

As with all these things it'll only work if it gets out of hand.

Local communities etc. using it as a vehicle for their own interests not those of the cliched lefty activist.

It might happen, if the lefty activists accept that is a positive thing and that LU should just be a loose umbrella to give grassroots stuff wider "oomph".

If (or more likely, when) people start raising "position questions" it's fucked.

We'll see.

 

[mk12]

Indeed. I'm open minded though!

 

[treelover]

All this facebook.numbers stuff is great but the proof in the pudding is when you sit in a room with them all and hear the range of lunatic views they have (or don't have).

Then the arguments over tommy Sheridan, George Galloway, assange, rioters etc etc. All the usual stuff the.left falls out over.

If the excitement is just a result of ignoring this stuff its pretty daft.

Btw imo the easy way around this in the medium term is saying to the most divisive figures, sorry not this time, and then focusing only on economics.

Get a severe policy on conspiracists too (ie, fuck off).

"The May 4th, The Big One" which is getting a lot of attention seems to be linked to conspiraloons, seems more youth orientated as well..

 

[treelover]

Its noticeable a fair few anarchist types are getting involved, one is posting from North East Anarchists, it clearly has a libertarian bent..

 

[mk12]

I don't think it "clearly" does at all. It seems to be pretty broad ideologically. The Milton Keynes organiser has always voted Labour, the Northampton organiser is involved in local, community work, the Lambeth organiser is a 16 year old...

 

[Random]

Against all my better judgement I may stick my name on the list to see how this starts to pan out. Somebody dissuade me before curiosity kills the cat!

Your sacrifice is one I'm willing to make. Let us know how it goes

 

[Pickman's model]

I can't imagine the SWP will be able to dominate this one, not with what has happened.

not once word gets round of the extracurricular activities of some of their senior members.

 

[treelover]

I don't think it "clearly" does at all. It seems to be pretty broad ideologically. The Milton Keynes organiser has always voted Labour, the Northampton organiser is involved in local, community work, the Lambeth organiser is a 16 year old...

I meant in its widest organisational sense: open, plural, possibly non hierarchical,

16 year old, blimey, can't accuse the call outer's of wanting to control then..

 

[treelover]

not once word gets round of the extracurricular activities of some of their senior members.

maybe helped along on the blogs...

 

[chilango]

Well, I've spent the last half an hour trawling their blog and FB page. It's enough to cure me of any daft ideas.

There a lot of familiar names and even more familiar tropes repeated.

It doesn't seem to have any "new" content or ideas, but rather its the SLP, SA again, only watered down with the realisation that they need to be pretty open/broad to get the numbers required to give this a go.

It really does not look like my cup of tea. Sorry. So someone else will have to sign up for information purposes.

Will still watch carefully with an open mind however.

 

[mk12]

From the FB page, it's far too focused on Trade Union only issues, activism for the sake of activism, summit hopping and all that malarkey. It might be different at a local level though.