More on Brexit
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“However, if Collins is right and the perceived divide is now “cultural” between “lifestyle liberals” and those who favour “traditional values” then that would explain not only why Labour did badly in the Euroelections but also why we did worse than last time too.”
A more plausible explanation, which you have alluded to more than once, has now been echoed succinctly by a sympathiser on Facebook:
“People may understand socialist society as an end goal, and be prepared to vote for it in some circumstances, but still in other circumstances be prepared to vote for the lesser evil; or they may be prepared to vote for a socialist society in some circumstances and in others sit at home and do nothing because in the end this wasn’t a vote that would actually change anything.
I would guess though that a section of your vote in both Oxford and Brighton is voting SPGB when it ‘doesn’t matter’ and Green when it ‘does’ (it doesn’t but they think it does). I’d reckon you lose to the Greens as a more ‘pragmatic’ option.
I don’t know whether it would be a matter of pride or horror to be considered less pragmatic than the Greens, but I think that may be what’s going on.”
This response from Oxford to our leaflet distributed there by Royal Mail is evidence for that interpretation:
Hello, I’m just writing to wish you success in this election, and to admit that sadly, as much as I wanted to vote for you, the voting system forced me to choose a party (Greens) with similarly progressive views, but hopefully a better chance of gaining a seat.
If a sensible and fair system such as STV was in place, you would certainly be my top ranked party, and I imagine many more would choose you as well.I believe the top priority for this country (and indeed the world) is to implement fair voting systems, so that people will be free to vote for parties such as yours without the fear of their vote being ineffective, i.e. not represented in the final outcome.I agree 100% that capitalism has failed, and global socialism is what we need to strive for. Once again I wish you all the best.London bureau
E-mail: LondonBureau@rttv.ru16th Floor Millbank Tower
21-24 Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Telephone +44 749 5649 8989Posted brief comment on this thread on Scram News under the name of Richard with embedded link to our website. Scroll down:
https://scramnews.com/ann-widdecombe-compares-britain-slaves-bizarre-european-parliament-speech/?
London bureau
E-mail: LondonBureau@rttv.ru
16th Floor Millbank Tower
21-24 Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Telephone +44 749 5649 8989Is someone on the Publicity Committee on this forum? Perhaps these details can be forwarded to the Committee. RT often goes on about free speech and recent news items have included critical commentary on Antifa’s attack on Anthony Ngo and leftist attacks on “little AOC” Not surprising for a right wing outfit like RT
They might however be surprised by the SPGB’s position on free speech and our opposition to the counter-productive and elitist “no platform” policy of some on the Left
“…Is someone on the Publicity Committee on this forum?…”
If someone is, then he or she is in a very small minority of Party members.
I find it disappointing that something that took some members much effort in creating and which could contribute greatly to the Party’s work, is shamefully neglected by most of the other Party members.
But to be fair, we are not the only ones which has a forum attracting less and less participation. So is Libcom. And the website Anarkismo, as well.
Robin, that would be campaigns surely. spgb.campaigns@worldsocialism.org
There is only one member currently on the Campaigns Committee and at the moment he has his job cut out organising Summer School single-handedly.
And is it not the media committee’s remit to contact the media to promote the party, just what is it they are supposed to do.
Can I ask when was our last press release, for instance, other than during the Euro election which I would presume resulted in contacting media outlets with news of our campaign.
Maybe Media Committee was merged another…i’m not up to date with party-reorganisation
The Media Committee, which had been ‘dormant’ for some years, was recently merged with the Campaigns Committee, an event which was reported in the Executive Committee’s minutes.
Many thanks for that info, Dave. Perhaps I should pay more attention to the EC minutes than just skimming over them and quickly forgetting their content. I do recall the latest SPC minutes and noticed that our hard-pressed Internet Committee’s expertise is required for another project.
Has the former Media Committee’s very extensive data-base of media contacts been kept and available for download? I’m sure I saw it on file somewhere but I can’t recall where to locate it.
I’d like a copy as the SOYMB blog often takes upon itself to issue posts in the name of the Party as a form of Party statement, when various events or incidents happen. Easy enough to adapt the text into a press release and CC e-mails to all the appropriate news outlets (ensuring it isn’t mistaken for spam)
Once again as you had often pointed out in the past on the forum, the heavy load of the Party’s activities is being placed upon the backs of just a few members. So we cannot really expect the Party to perform as efficiently and as effectively as it should and hope.
Can this continue indefinitely? None of us are getting any younger, are we?
How can a voluntarist organisation such as ours involve more members in its administration and running without appearing to be too demanding upon the time and energy of our members?
Has RobinC’s very modest ten-minutes-a-month on the web obligation been taken up by many? But we’d never know because most members won’t even spend five minutes a month on this forum, will they?
It may be that for those few members who are busy engaging in Party activity should start to forego party procedures and begin to act with much more self-reliance, despite the down-side that it challenges the democracy of the Party and the accountability of its members.
Writers for the Socialist Standard should widen their horizons to various receptive websites. But the blog has frequently requested contributions without result.
Perhaps we should have a column in the SS entitled “From the Web”, re-printing a member’s article already published on another website but that practice does take away the Standard’s originality, though, doesn’t it?
As BrianJ use to sign off,
yours for positive socialism
And apologies for going off-topic. BrianJ would be issuing me with one of his warnings
Has RobinC’s very modest ten-minutes-a-month on the web obligation been taken up by many? But we’d never know because most members won’t even spend five minutes a month on this forum, will they?
I routinely and as a matter of habit, post links to articles and pamphlets on this site. I think some Indian comrades do the same. If even 20-30 members did the same it could make a huge difference in terms of hits on this site and elsewhere.
Its not a lot of effort at all – I suggested 10 minutes a month.
Why dont members and sympathisers here spread the word and get other people involved. SPGB Branches should actively consider this proposition at their next branch meeting
It looks as if those who financed, and won, the Leave campaign are beginning to reveal their hand — to take the UK out of the EU regulatory system and into the less strict US one.
The front page headline in yesterday’s Times was: “Johnson to seek Trump deal in first move as PM”. Mind you, that’s easier said than done as the US is likely to take advantage of Britain’s weakened negotiating position to extract the most advantageous deal for them that it can. After all, might is right is the law of the capitalist jungle (and why, in 1972, the British capitalist state, acting on behalf of thedominant section of the British capitalist class, decided to join a bigger trading bloc).
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