14th November Movement for Left Unity

[taffboy gwyrdd]

Good point. But with a lot of people voting BNP last time, won't a fair portion of that support go to UKIP? I can't see it going to the Greens.

UKIP were very close to taking a 2nd seat. So it would take a vast amount of former BNP and others to push them to a 3rd seat this time. It's not out of the realms but unlikely in my guestimate according to how D Hondt works. Greens would more likely be seeking those who'd normally plump for Labour or LDs in a general.

 

[belboid]

Greens & Galloway are fair enough calls.

The greens made it on the back of twenty years plus hard work. She will retain her seat I think. Galloway made it off the back of being a pain in the arse Labour MP, and then the war. He's a one off. Unless someone else splits from labour, which I can't see anyone doing.

 

[DotCommunist]

in his last win GG was more than helped by labour forwarding a candidate with a reputation for cronyism. iirc.

 

[barney_pig]

in his last win GG was more than helped by labour forwarding a candidate with a reputation for cronyism. iirc.

The corruption and cronyism of Bradford city politics meant gorgeous george felt right at home.

 

[el-ahrairah]

Lee Jasper sent on his way by Lambeth LU:

"
Dear Lee,

So the conclusion of our branch was that we did not want to run an election candidate at this time, the reasons were similar to the ones I explained to you when we met, namely that the branch didn't feel ready to undertake such work seriously and with only 5 weeks to go we didn't want to do a botch job. We were also concerned that we would have to deprioritise our campaigning work, around housing, the college and the Ritzy living wage strike, to focus everything on the election which we thought would not be a good idea.
In terms of you standing as a candidate, many members of the branch only knew you by name, and didn't feel that the local branch had built up enough of a relationship with you to make a decision to back you in an election. Having said that people were keen for you to join Left Unity so that we can make a more informed decision next time, based on you as a member who has helped to build the branch and already identified as a supporter of Left Unity before an election.

We are having an AGM coming up in May that it would be great if you attended and people could get to know you better, hear your views on how we can build a left alternative to Labour and how we can win support from the Black community in Lambeth. "

 

[DotCommunist]

he's a bit gallowayish isn't he?

 

[butchersapron]

2012 elections he turned up on RESPECT's doorstep last minute demanding selection as a candidate in the coydon seat, lost his deposit. Beaten by even the lib-dems.

 

[treelover]

Lambeth shouldn't touch him with a barge pole.

 

[Plumdaff]

Lambeth shouldn't touch him with a barge pole.

Do you think Lambeth LU actually think he will join and help build the branch? It's a very polite way of not touching him with a bargepole.

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

Do you think Lambeth LU actually think he will join and help build the branch? It's a very polite way of not touching him with a bargepole.

Yep it's the most sensible reply they could give anything more negative and who knows what he might have alleged.

 

[ska invita]

The candidates standing in Wigan, Norwich and Barnet
http://leftunity.org/meet-left-unitys-local-election-candidates/

 

[free spirit]

Lee Jasper sent on his way by Lambeth LU:

"
Dear Lee,

So the conclusion of our branch was that we did not want to run an election candidate at this time, the reasons were similar to the ones I explained to you when we met, namely that the branch didn't feel ready to undertake such work seriously and with only 5 weeks to go we didn't want to do a botch job. We were also concerned that we would have to deprioritise our campaigning work, around housing, the college and the Ritzy living wage strike, to focus everything on the election which we thought would not be a good idea.
In terms of you standing as a candidate, many members of the branch only knew you by name, and didn't feel that the local branch had built up enough of a relationship with you to make a decision to back you in an election. Having said that people were keen for you to join Left Unity so that we can make a more informed decision next time, based on you as a member who has helped to build the branch and already identified as a supporter of Left Unity before an election.

We are having an AGM coming up in May that it would be great if you attended and people could get to know you better, hear your views on how we can build a left alternative to Labour and how we can win support from the Black community in Lambeth. "

That's actually a really mature response. Bodes well.

 

[Coolfonz]

fyi `Anarchists` in Left Unity and discussion of Podemos on front page of site www.leftunity.org

 

[ska invita]

havent heard of Podemos - i found this interesting:
"The second and most important example of how Podemos achieved popular empowerment was the creation of so-called “Circles”, local spaces of debate and action where everybody can attend no matter his or her political affiliations. Today there are around 400 Circles spread over the Spanish State and anywhere else where its citizens have had to exile since the crisis started for economic reasons (London, Berlin, Brussels, etc). The motto “all power to the circles” represents a dose of democracy to the regime and an unprecedented tool of popular empowerment."

Anyone had any experience of these - direct or second hand? Favelado, have you come across these?

 

[Favelado]

havent heard of Podemos - i found this interesting:
"The second and most important example of how Podemos achieved popular empowerment was the creation of so-called “Circles”, local spaces of debate and action where everybody can attend no matter his or her political affiliations. Today there are around 400 Circles spread over the Spanish State and anywhere else where its citizens have had to exile since the crisis started for economic reasons (London, Berlin, Brussels, etc). The motto “all power to the circles” represents a dose of democracy to the regime and an unprecedented tool of popular empowerment."

Anyone had any experience of these - direct or second hand? Favelado, have you come across these?

Hi Ska.

I have read about them post-election. Podemos completely passed me by until I saw a sticker for them two days before the Euros. I have hardly watched TV in the past few months, and Pablo Iglesias seems to have largely built his appeal by appearing on Spain's La Sexta channel, in conjunction with these circles. I live in the most famously left-wing area of the city - my street is heavily plastered in communist, anarchist and anticapitalist graffiti and propaganda, but nothng more than a single 10 cm square sticker from Podemos. Izquerda Unida spent lots of money on official billboard space before the euros but, again, nothing from Podemos. Their TV strategy and their grassroots activism passed me by completely.The two big mainstream papers El Pais and El Mundo gave them very little attention either. The left-wing paper Publico must have been writing about them though, and it's my fault that I haven't read it much recently.

I feel embarrassed that I managed to miss such a big phenomenon when I profess to be interested in politics. Given where I live (e2a Iglesias grew up round here!), there must be one of these circles going on right on my doorstep. Podemos are now being talked about everywhere since their incredible election results. The mainstream TV and papers are not ignoring them anymore. Formed in March 2014 I believe, and winning 1 million votes 10 weeks later in May. Extraordinary stuff.

I note that Podemos won a seat in the Rivas suburb of Madrid, where some of my best friends live. I'll ask them if they've been to any of the meetings. Anything that you would specifically like to know or just general curiosity?

 

[treelover]

The article talks about how the activists there would discuss how militant, etc, Greece was and the success of Syriza, but that "it couldn't happen here", then look what happened! It says there is a lesson for here in the U.K, but here the new progressive grouping is still called Left Unity which whether or not by design means inwardly focussing on 'uniting the left', (though I think they are looking much wider now), further could a new progressive formation here get anywhere near 1 million votes ten weeks after forming?

btw, who is voting for Podemos, and is its leader going to be a possible Galloway, etc?

 

[ska invita]

Anything that you would specifically like to know or just general curiosity?

What it looks like, how often it happens, whats being discussed (is it bringing in new people or is it an echo chamber for the converted), the mood, how is it chaired, that kind of thing....

 

[nino_savatte]

LU hold a read-in of American literature at the DfE in protest over Gove's decision to remove American literature from the curriculum.There's a vid somewhere. I'll try and find it.

Protesters, reading out loud from American books, have staged a short demonstration at the Department for Education (DfE) in central London.

The group, part of newly-formed Left Unity, read excerpts from Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Crucible.

Earlier this week, two exam boards announced their GCSE set texts would not include any American literature.

The DfE confirmed the group were there but said they left after half an hour.

The curriculum announcements by exam boards AQA and OCR sparked protests and online petitions.
http://leftunity.org/left-unity-protest-reads-us-books-at-michael-goves-department/

 

[Favelado]

btw, who is voting for Podemos, and is its leader going to be a possible Galloway, etc?

It's a lot of people who were "indignados". I saw a Podemos poster in the street today that had the slogan "Turn your indignation into change." They will have a lot of young voters, a lot of public sector workers, but also a lot of non-unionised left-leaning voters and at a guess they'll be taking votes off PSOE and IU.

No signs of Galloway-esque behaviour yet but I'm learning about him now really.

What it looks like, how often it happens, whats being discussed (is it bringing in new people or is it an echo chamber for the converted), the mood, how is it chaired, that kind of thing....

I'll go to one and report back. Best way to find out really.

 

[Coolfonz]

Urbanites: check out what someone just posted about me on Unity's site. Proper bonkers Wolfie Smith scenes cuz!
"you are ideologically a radical liberal reformist, Coolfonz, not a socialist. Dislike the “label ” if you like – but that is what your politics are. Nevertheless , you are very welcome in our broad radical left party. Just don’t delude yourself..."

 

[SpineyNorman]

Urbanites: check out what someone just posted about me on Unity's site. Proper bonkers Wolfie Smith scenes cuz!
"you are ideologically a radical liberal reformist, Coolfonz, not a socialist. Dislike the “label ” if you like – but that is what your politics are. Nevertheless , you are very welcome in our broad radical left party. Just don’t delude yourself..."

You'd have thought someone who thought left unity was a broad radical left party might keep quiet about the question of delusion

 

[Coolfonz]

Fancy calling me a radical liberal reformist when it's well known they were just splitters from the liberal reformist radicals. The bastards.

 

[SpineyNorman]

None of them are willing to demand nuclear anihilation as a step towards communism so they're all fucking liberals if you ask me

 

[Coolfonz]

If everyone from Urban joined Unity...it would be a much better - and likely drunker/higher - party.

Anyone fancy forming a cell? I've always wanted to be in a cell. As opposed to made of loads of them.

 

[DotCommunist]

PD entryist faction?

 

[SpineyNorman]

If everyone from Urban joined Unity...it would be a much better - and likely drunker/higher - party.

Anyone fancy forming a cell? I've always wanted to be in a cell. As opposed to made of loads of them.

It's much less fun now than when you used to be able to smoke in them tbh

 

[Coolfonz]

PD entryist faction?

Are you making a pass at me?

 

[DotCommunist]

Are you making a pass at me?

that would require PD's love poem division:

When we kiss, I feel the sparks,
You're the Engels to my Marx.
How I long for us to tryst,
My beautiful Lenninist.
How I long to hold you tight,
My beautiful Trotskyite.
Hold you with a grip like Stalin,
Because you are my only darling.

 

[SpineyNorman]

PD entryist faction?

I would definitely do that

 

[yield]

French left go for Syriza effect
Counterpunch June 11, 2014
A Red-Rose-Green Alliance

And around what common platform? “The fight against austerity, the establishment of a Sixth Republic, the defence of public services, the fight against transatlantic trade treaty, establish a policies for nationalization or state participation in the capital of large industrial enterprises,” said the afflicted Liem Hoang-Ngoc, who was optimistic that a genuinely progressive and politically powerful coalition could be forged. “When we want to unite, we can do it.”

France too.