Cost of Living Crisis: Enough is Enough Campaign

[LDC]

You could have a pint , have a discussion and even if you disagreed , leave on comradely terms .

A very important and sadly increasingly rare trait.

 

[Serge Forward]

Soul, punk and Irish music as I remember. Very engaging fella, well read politically, and an absolute nightmare with the fash. When him and others were expelled a number of us in the SWP involved in physical anti fascism debated what to do and most of us ( for better or worse) stayed . He never bore a grudge against the members it was the leadership that he opposed. You could have a pint , have a discussion and even if you disagreed , leave on comradely terms . There’s a few ex posters on here knew him as well .

I’ve a good story to tell when he and me were witnesses to an arrest on a pro abortion demo.

Aye, I've had a few chats with Mick (mostly football related). He's a proper good egg.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I think even the least cynical amongst us would be hard pressed to disagree with this now:

 

[ska invita]

i heard second hand, supposed source someone fairly high up in the trade union movement, that Enough is Enough was a cynical attempt to take heat out of the then growing pressure cooker from trade unionists to disaffiliate from the Labour Party -

dont bother picking this post apart, i didnt bother interrogating the claim either

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Someone in the replies to that twitter post said it was a spoiler for Don't Pay.

I'm sure there were all sorts of reasons for setting it up but the primary one was identifying an opportunity I'd say.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

I think even the least cynical amongst us would be hard pressed to disagree with this now:

It's inarguable that EiE has failed to deliver on either of its stated aims: to a) act as a co-ordination point for industrial action at a local level linking up and sparking workplace action and b) to initiate/support community action in response to the cost-of-living crisis.

The top-down nature of EiE and the failure to devolve down to local stewards, and the failure of some unions to get involved or worse set up competitor 'community initiatives' were all factors.

But, EiE did show the latent potential in terms of the numbers signing up and attending launch rallies. I'd add that EiE as an idea/concept remains important, because its logical trajectory was to break with labourism rather than being captured by it. The importance of sections of the organised working class reaching that conclusion can barely be understated. The fact that those leading it were unable to follow that logic both explains the failure of EiE, but is also unsurprising given the history, politics and structure of the British trade union movement.

I am aware that many on here were dismissive/pessimistic of EiE from its inception. They were right to be, but that doesn’t answer two questions 1. What can we do to try to avoid this happening next time and 2. If not (what’s left of) the organised working class then who?

 

[Smokeandsteam]

i heard second hand, supposed source someone fairly high up in the trade union movement, that Enough is Enough was a cynical attempt to take heat out of the then growing pressure cooker from trade unionists to disaffiliate from the Labour Party -

dont bother picking this post apart, i didnt bother interrogating the claim either

Most of the unions at the centre of EiE aren't affiliated to the Labour Party, although they are saturated in labourism.

 

[ska invita]

Most of the unions at the centre of EiE aren't affiliated to the Labour Party, although they are saturated in labourism.

yes agree, one of the many reasons it sounded somewhat unlikely to me, though i think the general dynamic of very occasional letting off steam to stop a head of steam building up seems to be a pattern within modern birtish trade unionism, from my very modest experience.

i also wonder if the fact that comrade starmer started commanding 30% poll leads led to a message of 'stand down' from somewhere on high.

who knows, whatever happened, its massively disappointing

 

[ska invita]

. They were right to be, but that doesn’t answer two questions 1. What can we do to try to avoid this happening next time and 2. If not (what’s left of) the organised working class then who?

hard to answer #1 without knowing what happened

 

[ska invita]

Someone in the replies to that twitter post said it was a spoiler for Don't Pay.

I'm sure there were all sorts of reasons for setting it up but the primary one was identifying an opportunity I'd say.

there was a bizarrely strong anti Dont Pay reaction from some left quarters - I still dont understand their objection

 

[The39thStep]

Someone in the replies to that twitter post said it was a spoiler for Don't Pay.

I'm sure there were all sorts of reasons for setting it up but the primary one was identifying an opportunity I'd say.

Saw that , the Twitter author is a bit inconsistent.

 

[The39thStep]

It's inarguable that EiE has failed to deliver on either of its stated aims: to a) act as a co-ordination point for industrial action at a local level linking up and sparking workplace action and b) to initiate/support community action in response to the cost-of-living crisis.

The top-down nature of EiE and the failure to devolve down to local stewards, and the failure of some unions to get involved or worse set up competitor 'community initiatives' were all factors.

But, EiE did show the latent potential in terms of the numbers signing up and attending launch rallies. I'd add that EiE as an idea/concept remains important, because its logical trajectory was to break with labourism rather than being captured by it. The importance of sections of the organised working class reaching that conclusion can barely be understated. The fact that those leading it were unable to follow that logic both explains the failure of EiE, but is also unsurprising given the history, politics and structure of the British trade union movement.

I am aware that many on here were dismissive/pessimistic of EiE from its inception. They were right to be, but that doesn’t answer two questions 1. What can we do to try to avoid this happening next time and 2. If not (what’s left of) the organised working class then who?

Surely we have to consider the petty bourgeoisie in point 2? So much more trustworthy

 

[muscovyduck]

It doesn't necessarily have to be a coordinated conspiracy innit. Just the bog standard practice for this part of the left sabotaging a movement that actually has momentum, in pursuit of trying to gain control over it

 

[hitmouse]

I am aware that many on here were dismissive/pessimistic of EiE from its inception. They were right to be, but that doesn’t answer two questions 1. What can we do to try to avoid this happening next time and 2. If not (what’s left of) the organised working class then who?

Personally I think I was skeptical but not dismissive, but clearly that didn't help things much. I suppose my answers would be 1) dunno, no idea really, 2) I think the active involvement of the unorganised majority of the working class has to be a decisive factor, otherwise you just get a repeat of 2011 when organised public sector workers fight and lose alone without making any connection with the rest of the class. I don't know if there was ever any possibility for Don't Pay to do a better job at actively bringing people in from outside the remaining unionised sectors, but it's not looking great for them either now.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

Personally I think I was skeptical but not dismissive, but clearly that didn't help things much. I suppose my answers would be 1) dunno, no idea really, 2) I think the active involvement of the unorganised majority of the working class has to be a decisive factor, otherwise you just get a repeat of 2011 when organised public sector workers fight and lose alone without making any connection with the rest of the class. I don't know if there was ever any possibility for Don't Pay to do a better job at actively bringing people in from outside the remaining unionised sectors, but it's not looking great for them either now.

On 1 I’m in the same place. On 2 I also agree, and that’s why I think avoiding throwing the baby out with the bath water is important. EiE was posited as a project to reach the parts of the working class (the overwhelming part of it given where trade unions are currently ghettoised) that public sector unionism cannot. There was the conscious identification by a significant part of the trade union movement that a project was needed to connect up what’s left of the organised working class with the unorganised sections of the working class through community engagement and action. To even theorise how that type of project might work necessitates accepting that a decisive break with labourism and Labour is a pre-requisite.

That EiE as currently constituted has failed is now clear. But that doesn’t mean the impulse and ideas behind it should be ditched.

 

[Serge Forward]

Signed up to EiE early doors. Heard fuck all back apart from some "follow us on social meeja" shite. Double shite seeing as I'm not on any social media The don't pay campaign seemed to be far more clued up at the whole organising from below. Pity their aims were a bit unrealistic.

 

[two sheds]

This is a bit creative

Meet the Robin Hood-Style Activists ‘Shoplifting’ for Food Banks | Novara Media

Activists in Scotland are taking food off supermarket shelves and putting it straight in donation bins.

novaramedia.com

Activists are “shoplifting” from supermarket shelves and dumping the proceeds straight into the stores’ food bank bins in a “redistributive action” to protest the cost of living and the climate crisis.

On Thursday, six people entered a Tesco Extra in the Maryhill district of Glasgow, Scotland, took food and essential items from the shelves and put them in the store’s food bank donation bins.

 

[danny la rouge]

This is a bit creative

Meet the Robin Hood-Style Activists ‘Shoplifting’ for Food Banks | Novara Media

Activists in Scotland are taking food off supermarket shelves and putting it straight in donation bins.

novaramedia.com

That’s my local Tesco.

 

[LDC]

Signed up to EiE early doors. Heard fuck all back apart from some "follow us on social meeja" shite. Double shite seeing as I'm not on any social media The don't pay campaign seemed to be far more clued up at the whole organising from below. Pity their aims were a bit unrealistic.

Think EiE really need to do some reflecting on what happened and publish an account/s of it. It's very poor political behaviour tbh, at the very least some clarity and honesty about what the problems were. Acorn were centrally involved as well, until they do the same about their role in it I think they need to be given a bit of a wide berth as well.

Don't Pay's aims were not impossible, but yes ambitious. They're in the process of closing the campaign and publishing some stuff on what happened and why etc.

 

[Brainaddict]

Think EiE really need to do some reflecting on what happened and publish an account/s of it. It's very poor political behaviour tbh, at the very least some clarity and honesty about what the problems were. Acorn were centrally involved as well, until they do the same about their role in it I think they need to be given a bit of a wide berth as well.

Don't Pay's aims were not impossible, but yes ambitious. They're in the process of closing the campaign and publishing some stuff on what happened and why etc.

It's not really Acorn's style to do public reflection on their political methods or impact, so don't hold your breath for that.

 

[MickiQ]

This is a bit creative

Meet the Robin Hood-Style Activists ‘Shoplifting’ for Food Banks | Novara Media

Activists in Scotland are taking food off supermarket shelves and putting it straight in donation bins.

novaramedia.com

That's rather funny, It's hard to to see how they could be done for stealing since they aren't taking it outside the supermarket and there is nothing preventing Tesco from putting it back on the shelfs other than the fear of bad publicity (especially if they put back stuff people have paid for). I suspect the supermarkets will take the same attitude to this as they do to regular shoplifting. Tolerate a certain amount as the cost of doing business unless/until it gets out of hand then they will put the donation bins where the public can't put stuff in them without going through a member of staff or they will just get rid of them.

 

[two sheds]

That's rather funny, It's hard to to see how they could be done for stealing since they aren't taking it outside the supermarket and there is nothing preventing Tesco from putting it back on the shelfs other than the fear of bad publicity (especially if they put back stuff people have paid for). I suspect the supermarkets will take the same attitude to this as they do to regular shoplifting. Tolerate a certain amount as the cost of doing business unless/until it gets out of hand then they will put the donation bins where the public can't put stuff in them without going through a member of staff or they will just get rid of them.

With consequent bad publicity again . It really is clever.

Even if you have to go past staff I'd have thought a cheery "Oooo I forgot - hold on a second I'm right back ..."

 

[two sheds]

I've always looked on those suspiciously - it seems to be charitably giving to Tesco if you're paying full price for them. And if they start taking them back out of the food bank basket, they only need to remove one that has actually been donated for them to be stealing from customers/food banks.

 

[pinkmonkey]

Signed up to EiE early doors. Heard fuck all back apart from some "follow us on social meeja" shite. Double shite seeing as I'm not on any social media The don't pay campaign seemed to be far more clued up at the whole organising from below. Pity their aims were a bit unrealistic.

I had one email - ONE! Very poor. It reminded me a bit of an activist thing I got involved in where someone hijacked the meeting and all they talked about was the logo and which to go with, to the detriment of everything else. Or some of the entrepreneurs that I don't take on as clients who also have a logo and no other ideas.

 

[LDC]

The end of Don't Pay, or is it... let a thousand flowers bloom.... or something.

A thousand new beginnings — Don't Pay

All it took was a few people, a simple website and a bit of cash pooled together to print some leaflets. 12 months ago, we launched Don’t Pay – and it caught fire. We know we’re not where we were back then. We’ve all participated in a profound demonstration of grassroots power but, today, the...

dontpay.uk

 

[Magnus McGinty]

The end of Don't Pay, or is it... let a thousand flowers bloom.... or something.

A thousand new beginnings — Don't Pay

All it took was a few people, a simple website and a bit of cash pooled together to print some leaflets. 12 months ago, we launched Don’t Pay – and it caught fire. We know we’re not where we were back then. We’ve all participated in a profound demonstration of grassroots power but, today, the...

dontpay.uk

They definitely applied pressure from below which is to be applauded imo.

We weren’t aligned with any organisation or group

Not sure what this means. People organising this kind of stuff are always aligned to groups.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Notes from those not really in a group as it’s loosely affiliated as not a group group.

 

[LDC]

Not sure what this means. People organising this kind of stuff are always aligned to groups.

No, you're wrong, they're really not 'always aligned to groups' at all. A few of the people centrally involved in Don't Pay were not involved in any other group or organisation at all.

And the point is that some people might be involved in a variety of other groups, but the campaign itself was not set up by one single group which is the important thing.

 

[LDC]

Notes from those not really in a group as it’s loosely affiliated as not a group group.

Are you confused about all this?

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Are you confused about all this?

Apologies, I’m being a twat. I was referring to the comrade who got exposed.