14th November Movement for Left Unity

[treelover]

The Sheffield first meeting was a massive success. The main organiser didn't turn up

http://leftunity.org/left-unity-is-...e-your-left-unity-group-is-accessible-to-all/


I think he is disabled and may not be able to be consistent, there is a good article here on the whole range of issues that may have to be considered, things are going to have be very very different than in the past, maybe even mattresses for those who just cannot sit for too long, understanding people may be very nervous, overwhelmed even..

 

[treelover]

Darren Cogavin is the Left Uinty organiser for Basildon. Please contact Darren at Basildon@leftunity.org
I've been involved in the left for over ten years
now. I joined the Socialist Party in 2003 and resigned, in amicable circumstances, th...ree years later following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. I joined Workers Power
in 2007, impressed by their analysis of Ireland and national question. I lived and studied in Amsterdam for a year too and was active in the broad Socialist Party's youth wing Rood. I was very active in student politics in Dublin and have been
involved in numerous campaigns including Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Latin American Solidarity Centre, Irish Anti-War Movement, various pro-choice and
anti-racism campaigns etc. During that time I cultivated good working relationships and friendships with people from across the broad left.
I was a member of the United Left Alliance (RIP) in its formative stages before I moved to Basildon 18 months ago. Within a month of moving here, I was on the picket
lines outside Basildon Hospital (work) on November 30th. I'm involved in Unison and the Health Workers Network but Basildon Against Cuts is inactive. There are three
local councillors who have recently resigned from Labour, mostly over personal issues, but all are signatories of the Labour Against Cuts statement. I think they
should be approached with the Ken Loach appeal to see what their attitude is.

Blimey, Basildon, the home of the working class tory has a left unity group now..

btw, Denis, do you know the guy?

 

[Plastic Red]

I went to my local Left unity meeting last night. My first political meeting for about twenty years. It was small but quite varied and lively.

 

[treelover]

I went to my local Left unity meeting last night. My first political meeting for about twenty years. It was small but quite varied and lively.

small town?

 

[Plastic Red]

Hackney and East London. But several people were attending another meeting and a few others couldn't make it who had previously. Still working out which groups cover what areas. So some people who apparently came to the just Hackney meeting from Stoke Newington weren't there.

 

[treelover]

its very patchy, 60 turned up in Brighton, 27 in Sheffield, all with lots of apologies.

 

[Plastic Red]

It was obviously very early days. No organisation set up yet. But I think it's promising. Very good atmosphere and everyne seemed to be able to leave their preconceived ideas aside. I would expect more people once some basic principles have been established and some actual work starts.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

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?

 

[dominion]

There's a rumour (or should I say one post) on Socialist Unity that Dave Nellist of the SP was refused entry to the LU National meeting. Is this correct?

 

[Nigel Irritable]

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

 

[chilango]

Why not?

 

[butchersapron]

Because he wasn't an elected delegate from a local LU group - at least that's what the defenders of the action are saying.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

Of course, according to the Nick Wrack and ACI motion, lots of people there weren't elected delegates. Which rather undermines that particular excuse.

Anti-sectarianism of sectarians.

 

[dominion]

Had another look at that SR Piece:
Both the ACI and the IS Network attended the conference and gave greetings to it. They were very positive toward a three-way regroupment. Kate Hudson (one of the convenors) also brought greetings from Left Unity and welcomed SR’s involvement in it. Regarding far left unity the mood of the conference was summed up by one comrade who said that if we still exist in a years time we will have failed.
Since the conference things have moved on further with the first meeting to discuss regroupment proposed for May 12th – the day after the first national meeting of Left Unity.
All this reflects a profound change which is taking place on the far left in England, the extent of which is not yet clear. What is clear, however, is that by this time next year things are likely to look very different on the far-left. (my emphasis)

That means a new name for groups of people shuffling around the far left. No progress there. Happens decade after decade.

Dave Nellist says they "changed their minds" see: https://twitter.com/davenellist

 

[Nigel Irritable]

I've seen pretty much nothing about the big meeting on twitter, on blogs, on facebook. Other than a few references to the Nellist exclusion thing. I'd assumed beforehand that they'd all be burbling with excitement.

 

[barney_pig]

The reading inaugural meeting happened this week, I know because it w in the local free sheet. However they forgot to tell those who had signed up on the national web site and been added to the local list

 

[treelover]

Lots of these errors being made, will iron itself out.

 

[chilango]

The reading inaugural meeting happened this week, I know because it w in the local free sheet. However they forgot to tell those who had signed up on the national web site and been added to the local list

Oh.

I might've gone if I'd known.

Oh well.

 

[barney_pig]

Oh.

I might've gone if I'd known.

Oh well.

Me too.

 

[chilango]

Me too.

Oh well.

If you hear anything PM me.

 

[articul8]

What is clear, however, is that by this time next year things are likely to look very different on the far-left. (my emphasis)

They really aren't - and Left unity is a total misnomer. It's more like an alliance of socialist independents - I'm sure Simon Hardy, Richard Seymour and Kate Hudson are awfully excited about their "three-way regroupment" (sounds kinky) but really, what does it amount to?

And excluding Nellist

 

[ska invita]

Worth saying that Left Unity hasn't officially been launched yet and theres still debate as to what shape and structure can be agreed on

Left unity is a total misnomer. It's more like an alliance of socialist independents

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.

 

[articul8]

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.

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.

 

[butchersapron]

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.

Anti-semitism from labour - again.

 

[articul8]

butchersapron you what?!

 

[chilango]

butchersapron you what?!

Ha ha.

 

[ska invita]

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.

the amount of people who have "dropped out" is a majority of the population - people aren't stupid, they know mainstream political parties are all similar shades of shite, and those who have come in contact with the organised left are often equally put off. This is being billed as the UKIP of the left remember ... nuances aside UKIP's strength is also based on "drop outs" I think its fair to say.

Agree Left Unity is a misnomer. Though if this becomes a genuine popular/peoples type party (for which the potential at least is there) then maybe other groupings would come under the umbrella eventually - but that all seems a long way down the line.

 

[barney_pig]

They really aren't - and Left unity is a total misnomer. It's more like an alliance of socialist independents - I'm sure Simon Hardy, Richard Seymour and Kate Hudson are awfully excited about their "three-way regroupment" (sounds kinky) but really, what does it amount to?

And excluding Nellist

What this? On the Reading left unity Facebook? A advert for red pepper?

 

[articul8]

Most of the population haven't dropped out of Trot groups or fronts though? But this is the majority of people involved in LU at the moment

 

[articul8]

What this? On the Reading left unity Facebook? A advert for red pepper?

Some RP people are more optimistic about this than me. But I don't mean to be dismissive, just realistic.