Reply to the Socialist Workers Party’s Open Letter on Left Unity

Dear Comrades,

We welcome your open letter and call for unity on the left and would like to work alongside you to achieve it. Given the recent failure of attempts to build left alternatives, this is not going to be easy – but it is a vital and urgent task.

We agree when you say, “There is real potential for a united left group to make a real impact—not just by winning votes but also in helping to pull people together to build resistance on the ground.”

We think united action against the BNP and the impact of the recession is the route to re-build a united left that can work together despite the political differences that exist.

We cannot ignore the fact that there is a widespread perception on the left, amongst trade union and student activists and in the many community and single issue campaigns, that the socialist groups are more interested in building their own organisations than building real support for ongoing struggles.

This is often the result of bitter experiences people have had trying to work in campaigns with left groups. Instead of unity in action and comradely debate they have found sectarianism and a predatory approach to recruitment. Instead of open democracy they have faced manoeuvres and bureaucratic tricks, the seeking of “party advantage” rather than a fraternal and united struggle.

Any new project for unity has to overcome this widespread cynicism and distrust of the left. If we can move away from these methods the whole left could grow and become more powerful and a stronger unity can be forged through common struggle and solidarity.

To achieve this we would propose a number of united actions that can build trust and co-operation. We suggest that the left work collectively within the NSSN to build it into a genuine rank and file organization. We want it to be able to mobilise practical support and publicity for ongoing strikes and struggles such as the Lindsey dispute and the struggles against privatisation in the Post Office. Let’s give it the financial and organisational support it needs, bring the various rank and file and left union papers into it, democratise their editorial boards and make them part of this struggle.

Let’s do the same with Unite Against Fascism, set out to make it more democratic, more linked and responsive to the local anti fascist organisations that are campaigning against the BNP and more rooted in the communities that are at the sharp edge of the fight against fascism. Let’s make it a bottom up organisation that really reflects the militant fight against fascism by the activists around the country.

In the student movement, at fresher’s next year, let’s abandon the senseless competition between every tiny organisation on the left as they try to build their own student front by corralling a few activists. Instead let’s form Socialist Societies within which every tendency and independent socialist can find a home. And let’s go out of our way to banish the foolish and self defeating sniping and manoeuvering that goes on in student politics and replace it with a common commitment to build the left in the student movement and draw it towards ongoing workers’ struggles. 

Locally, let’s build socialist coalitions, socialist clubs, forums or conventions of the left that can get all socialists actively working together. Against the coming cuts in public services, against the privatisation of schools and social housing, against the BNP – and for developing a positive political alternative to a neo-liberal dominated Labour Party, to the reborn Tories and of course to the fascist BNP. 

Out of these initiatives the left will emerge stronger and will rebuild trust. The individual socialist organisations would undoubtedly grow as well. We are not calling for far left groups to disband, to give up arguing or recruiting to their distinct political positions, but rather to recognise that this is a subsidiary task to building the forces and organisations in the working class that can adequately confront the serious crisis we face in politics and the economy. 

Out of such a change of outlook and practice could come a “new left”, one rooted in a common activity, in the communities, colleges and unions. This would be a solid basis to start building a fighting alternative to New Labour. It would make sure that any unity achieved could last beyond the immediate aftermath of a general election and prepare a powerful socialist voice in the struggles that will come after that election.

Wed 24, June 2009 @ 22:20