Compass Conference, left wing my arse!

[treelover]

Anyone heard about this Compass conference, they are billing it with suitable hyperbole as The Shape Of Things To Come!.

'THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME?
A manifesto to change our world over the next 20 years
2006 Compass National & Robin Cook Memorial Conference; Saturday 17
June, Central Hall, Westminster, London

Imagine an event where you get to actually shape and influence a
manifesto to change our world over the next 20 years, where you get to
help come up with a new vision for the future, to debate freely the
things you believe passionately about and discuss solutions to the
biggest challenges of our time: like improving our environment,
tackling climate change, renewing our democracy, abolishing poverty, delivering equality and more

‘So get inspired and debate the future at the political highlight of the summer, the biggest annual gathering of the Left, taking place after the local elections and before Labour Conference, with brand new facilities including an exhibition area and new light and airy 1000+ capacity venue. ‘'


Well, shoot me down in flames if I am wrong, but Hazel Blears, Steven Twigg, the New Politics Network, the Fabian Society, Forum for the Future, (Jonathan Porrit and business greens) even Compass (sounds like a multi-national) are not exactly carriers of the socalist torch are they? This sounds more like positioning for a post Blair political landscape. I wonder who do they think from the left are going to it? well I see Red Pepper are participating, more fool them, seemingly providing left cover for neo-liberals and Blarite rejectionists. There certainly seems to be some re-inventing/recuperating going on about what being left means. I'm not exagerating when i say 'Dave' Cameron would probably be at home at this event!

http://www.compassonline.org.uk/conference/

 

[Jografer]

Then don't go.....

...what is it about the left that there is so much ideological purity bollocks..... "whinge, whinge, I don't agree with them so they can't be a socialist like me".

don't attend, don't agree, organise and work for what YOU believe in..

 

[Hocus Eye.]

treelover

Yes I fear that it is more about Labour politicians getting near to the lifeboats so as to survive once the Blair ship goes down taking with it all on board. Excepting of course the Captain who will be winched off the deck by a rescue helicopter sent by the CBI.

One of the contributing groups is Save The Labour Party of which I have never before heard but seems (from their website) to be about appealing to people a bit to the left of Blair without being too radical. Compass sounds too much like the invention of a spin maker to be convincing. Having Hazel Blears anywhere near it will discredit it alone without those other career politicos.

I wonder if Mandelson is somewhere at the back of this.

 

[munkeeunit]

I'm a Socialist, but I think some NGO's can be worked with. A lot of people in NGOs are very political, but have been so put off by Socialist and Anarchist groups for one reason or another, so they look for different outlets, and once a dialogue is started with them, that's often exactly what you discover.

So, I guess things like the World Development Movement, Campaign Against Arms Trade, are political, if not overtly, and many people within them are often of a Socialist or Anarchist leaning, just no-longer willing to join either explicty.

What I am deeply suspicious of is NGO's set up by the goverment, or which are far too eager to work with the government. These entities have a tendency to be set up for the purpose of drawing energy away from political movements which challenge the government, and so to then lead them down a blind alley.

The above looks like the latter to me.

 

[audiotech]

I think they are the remnants of the 'Democratic left' who were the eurocommunist wing of the CPGB (Marxism Today). They produced 'Manifesto for New Times' in the late 80's.

 

[matewan6]

They were set up a couple of years ago with money from right wing trade union leaders like Woodley, Simpson and the sacked ex GMB leader Curran. Basically a vehicle for Brown-ite support in the Party and in the unions, they are formed around the old NDL and Euros as has been said.

 

[Fledgling]

The kitch words at the moment are environmental and sustainability so lots of politicians will use them for a while. Surely this forum or conference is about people openly discussing how they want to shape their own lives? And that would mean that you'd get a wide variety of ideas expressed ranging from left-leaning ideas to more free market ones. What's wrong with that, or are we supposed to make our own choices determining our future within the confines of some ancient doctrine prescribed by others?

 

[treelover]

the problem is that they are calling it 'a conference of the left', not thatcherite free-marketeers, or a conference of ideas, though much of it does seem right wing, no wonder young people are confused about politics these days!

 

[KeyboardJockey]

The involvement of Hazel Blears in anything is enough to discredit it for me I'm afraid. Like putting King Herod in charge of a playgroup.