Had a lengthy conversation with Rees on facebook the other night. I'd had a drink. I think he's a good guy, and I like Lindsey. I just think they made a wrong decision and couldn't go back. He didn't convince me that he believes a future socialist society is possible, and I suspect that is what was behind their move into whatever Counterfire is.
SWP expulsions and squabbles
- Thread starter Nigel Irritable
- Start date
Had a lengthy conversation with Rees on facebook the other night. I'd had a drink. I think he's a good guy, and I like Lindsey. I just think they made a wrong decision and couldn't go back. He didn't convince me that he believes a future socialist society is possible, and I suspect that is what was behind their move into whatever Counterfire is.
imposs1904
Thread Killa'
You can't stop there. I wanted to know what colour Fred Perry you were wearing when the ISG had the book launch for More Years From The Locust.
Seriously, I thought your first part was interesting. I was looking forward to the second part.
Scribbling S
Active Member
Casually Red
tomorrow belongs to me
seriously man, theres loads of weird Dublin children that carry on like oul fellas . Bizarre philosophical statements are their stock in trade . Its a bit unnerving sometimes.
Scribbling S
Active Member
I meant to say - the last lot who jumped ship from the SWP will be meeting in January to decide how they should carry on together (if at all) , so I think any discussion about what ex members thought was good, and what was bad, are very useful indeed - so I still vote you should return with part 2, for the greater good as well as for the gripping story.
neprimerimye
Well-Known Member
Those staying in the SWP include Megan Trudell who tried to stitch the Faction up by doing a deal with softer elements of the CC supporters immediately prior to the conference. Around 30 Faction comrades signed that statement so some will be taken hostage along with Trudell. Others staying in are hannah Dee and Jim Wolfreys the ostensible leaders of the Faction who decided at the final Faction meeting that they would only stand on a CC slate that included Callinicos and Kimber. Younger elements in the Faction rightly took this as the idiocy it so obviously is and put forward a slate without them. Those comrades who have now signed the collective letter total 165 with a few more to come.
Karmickameleon
Too long in exile
Absolutely. Can't wait for Part 2. As you say, what makes these personal accounts so interesting is that they graphically display what was valuable in the SWP and what went wrong. I can't deny the stuff about clothes is also of interest!
Don't be so sure that those you have listed have decided to stay in the SWP. Although the list of signatories of the statement now stands at 169, there are a significant number of other comrades who, for various reasons, have been waiting until after Xmas/New Year to publicly announce their resignations. I know of at least 30 comrades who have already resigned who have not yet signed the statement. And there are a significant number of others who expect to resign shortly.
neprimerimye
Well-Known Member
Those I have listed have most certainly decided to stay in the SWP but that does not mean they will change their minds. However their claims to leadership of a new group will be damaged and rightly so. And yes more resignations are to be expected although number guessing strikes me as pointless.
I was not guessing at final figures, just stating what I know as of now.
barney_pig
Po-cha-na-quar-hip
, BBs rant was posted on SU, and I pointed out that he had until recently been a fellow member of Swindon CLP with Andy Newman, Newman replied: "
"Well yes and no, someone claiming to have been a member of the Labour Party in Swindon has indeed been posting on Urban75 under the name bolshieboy.
I have checked into this and there are various factual inconsistencies, which mean I am absolutely certain that this is someone who has created an entirely false persona; he almost certainly does not come from Swindon, and has no connection with the Labour Party in that town.
It is certaibly completely untrue that he could possibly be in the same Labour Party branch as me, as South Swindon does not have a branch structure, and has open GC meetings instead.
So is Newman lying, or what?
"Well yes and no, someone claiming to have been a member of the Labour Party in Swindon has indeed been posting on Urban75 under the name bolshieboy.
I have checked into this and there are various factual inconsistencies, which mean I am absolutely certain that this is someone who has created an entirely false persona; he almost certainly does not come from Swindon, and has no connection with the Labour Party in that town.
It is certaibly completely untrue that he could possibly be in the same Labour Party branch as me, as South Swindon does not have a branch structure, and has open GC meetings instead.
So is Newman lying, or what?
imposs1904
Thread Killa'
He never claimed to have come from Swindon. He's Irish. He just stated that he was a member of the Labour Party in Swindon. Enough people on this thread seem to know him in real life, and none of them have challenged his statement of residing in Swindon.
I think I even remember him selling Socialist Worker in the Marchmont Centre in Central London back in the mid-90s.
tony collins
Active Member
I don't think Andy's lying. I know the guy well enough to believe that he doesn't need to lie about shit like that. If he's got it wrong, the worst you can say is that Andy is mistaken.
The way I resolve this is, one of the two of them posted about the rape allegations being about "very bad sex", while the other didn't. So that tips the scales in Andy's favour for me.
The way I resolve this is, one of the two of them posted about the rape allegations being about "very bad sex", while the other didn't. So that tips the scales in Andy's favour for me.
imposs1904
Thread Killa'
Did Bolshie claim he was in the same branch as Andy Newman? I can't remember.
SpineyNorman
Inappropriate content removed
Strange logic. Why on earth would BB make it up? I can't see what could possibly be in it for him. I can see why Newman would want to deny it even if it is true though.
SpineyNorman
Inappropriate content removed
Either way I'd be staggered to find that BB made any of the Swindon labour party stuff up - why on earth would he do that?
imposs1904
Thread Killa'
To make himself appear more exciting and glamourous? For the XTC puns? 'Cos this is a thread for leftist trainspotters and Swindon's only famous for trains, the magic roundabout and andy newman?
emanymton
A cat politely sat on the flaming gardener.
I dread to think what sort of disturbed personality would fantasize about being in Swindon Labour party.
leyton96
NGO's selling privilege checking solutions
Seems like Swindon Labour Party is full of fantasist's.
You've got one bloke who thinks the current SWP leadership are defending a principled decision and you've got another one who thinks Labour are some sort of left wing party and that the Chinese Communist Party really does have a cunning plan towards a socialist society.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
because he can?
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
i wouldn't be surprised.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
J Ed
Follow Back Pro Expropriation
Why *are* so many left Labour types so into capitalist China and Russia? Is it some sort of established authority fetish that leads these people to admire both the Labour Party and these countries?
Attila of Fitod
New Member
Does the support of CWI for NUMSA in South Africa and the position it took on a rape charge against Cmde. Vavi not entirely echo the approach of the SWP to the Cmde. Delta issues?
Ongoing discussion here:
http://www.politicalworld.org/showt...rs-of-South-Africa-(NUMSA)/page2#.UsDjQvt69Ao
Ongoing discussion here:
http://www.politicalworld.org/showt...rs-of-South-Africa-(NUMSA)/page2#.UsDjQvt69Ao
bolshiebhoy
socialism leinster drink
Lol you have a point! Everyone runs us down but where else but here would all my fellow bus passengers say 'thank you drive'.
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bolshiebhoy
socialism leinster drink
Crikey yes. With Delta in fact!
emanymton
A cat politely sat on the flaming gardener.
thank you driver, where I grew up.
People say that all over Hampshire, Dorset, and parts of Wiltshire
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