SPEW and elections
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If we were a centralist top-down party with a leadership that could tell branches what to do, we could have contested dozens of seats across the country. But — fortunately — we are not and if the branches in the North, the Midlands and the West Country don’t want or don’t feel up to contesting elections so be it. Personally I think that’s a pity.
Admittedly SPEW is bigger than us but they have greater expectations from contesting elections at the moment than we do. For us it’s mainly a chance to get our views across. They want to build a “new workers party” and influence the policy of the capitalist state. By that standard they fail more than we do.
They’ve actually done something quite clever with TUSC: basically, it’s just a franchise/brand, and anyone can stand as a TUSC candidate, as long as they agree with the platform approved by the steering committee, so they don’t need a network of branches or a top down bureaucracy.
Of course, this is classic front work, so, while they ostensibly aren’t in complete control of the situation, in practice they control all the co-ordinating levers. But it does point to a slightly different way of doing politics (though, I suspect, this is more like how US political parties operate, individuals and groups campaign under the brand umbrella, as compared to the European mass membership party model).
I thought I would check what the SWP said for these elections and it’s still the same as ever:
“In most places socialists will have to vote Labour”
Other political groups can have a large membership but their political principles are totally incorrect and they always call for the continuation of capitalism, therefore, they align themselves with the minority class
A comrade has sent in this leaflet with the comment: This is from the Young [Sic]ialists’ programme for the Xmas bazaar. As usual, they con local shops to donate.
There is a council by-election in Ealing in London next Thursday 10 October. Both SPEW and Galloway’s party are standing, so it seemed worth leafletting. 500 of our End Capitalism leaflets were distributed through letter boxes today. A further 500 will be before election day.
Others have been out leafletting too. A SPEW leaflet on behalf of the TUSC candidate is completely reformist as well as being contradictory. Unfortunately it says “Vote Socialist”. The nearest it gets to saying what they mean by “socialism” is:
“We need a true socialist alternative that will enact real change and raise the standard of living for the majority, not continue to line the pockets of the rich with profits.”
The leaflet calls to “Fund public services” saying “Make the rich 1% pay for it — not ordinary people”.
So the rich are still going to exist and make profits but some of these are going to be taxed to restore public services that have been cut.
This is just leftwing populism. Tax the rich to “raise the standard of living of the majority”. As if this is possible under capitalism with its division of society into the rich and the rest of us. Trying to do this would provoke an economic crisis as it goes against what drives the capitalist economy — making profits to re-invest in making more profits. Cut profits too much and capitalist firms won’t invest and production will fall.
Speaking of populists, Reform UK have a candidate. They too are complaining that “32,500 pensioners in Ealing to lose Winter Fuel Allowance” and calling to “campaign for better local health care including social care.”
Be interesting to see who gets the populist vote.
They’re SPEW are active on Tiktok, had to think then, what with twitter now being X.
Adam, here talking about tuition fees and making the 1% pay!!?
Posted made the point that Ex Labour Militant Tendancy, using our party name, Socialist Party which the Electoral Commission refused them permission for SPEW candidates to use on the ballot paper.
Clause 8 of your Declaration of Principles states: The Socialist Party of Great Britain, therefore, enters the field of political action etc. Not ‘The Socialist Party’.
We are registered with the Electoral Commission as “The Socialist Party of Great Britain” which we can use on the ballot paper. We can also use “The Socialist Party (GB)” and “The Socialist Party (SP-GB)”.
They are registered as “Socialist Alternative” but have not be using it as they contest as TUSC.
To make matters even more confusing, a new Trotskyist party broke away from the SPEW*. What’s the name of this new party? Socialist Alternative.
*A bunch of Trotskyists leaving their party to start a new one! Can you imagine!
Had a little chat with one of the SPEW stall holders outside my workplace earlier this week. It was unnerving just how little capacity for critical thinking some of the trots have.
He was a fairly young lad but had been in SPEW for five years and was telling me that the demands from his party were realistic. The particular theme that day was student grants not loans and other student sops to attract students, as well as the usual list of nationalisation and higher taxes on the rich. He called them “stepping stones towards Socialism”.
When asked if he knew that even the leaders of his group knew the demands couldn’t be achieved and that these demands were put in place deliberately to demonstrate to the workers who support these demands capitalism can’t meet their desired outcome, this turning them into revolutionaries, he seemed genuinely non plussed. He went off to talk to the top banana who was accompanying him to check out what I said was true!
Looks like only the top echelons of SPEW are privy to the truth about the famous Trotskyist alchemy routine.
Clause 8 of your Declaration of Principles states: The Socialist Party of Great Britain, therefore, enters the field of political action etc. Not ‘The Socialist Party’.
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SPEW, formerly Labour Militant Tendancy, put on the ballot paper against their candidates names, I believe, Socialist Party, but were refused permission.
Clause 8, I don’t think the Electoral Commission are aware of it, but have ruled there is only one party entitled to use Socialist Party – of Great Britain.
Posting on Tiktok, with its limited word count, is difficult enough without beating ones self up to explain SPEW total dishonesty in stealing our Party name.I wouldn’t worry too much about SPEW, from what I’ve heard they are leaching members to the newly fashionable RCP (I’m sure I’ve come across that name before, somewhere).
I would guess that pretty soon SPEW will have gone the same way as:
Communist League (UK, 1932)
Communist League (UK, 1990)
International Socialist Group
International Socialist Group (Scotland)
League for Socialist Action (UK)
Left Fraction
Leninist League (UK)
Marxist Group (UK)
Marxist Party
Militant Group
Permanent Revolution (group)
Revolutionary Communist League (UK)
Revolutionary Socialist League (UK, 1938)
Revolutionary Socialist League (UK, 1956)
Revolutionary Socialist Party (UK)
Revolutionary Workers’ Party (Trotskyist)
Scottish Militant Labour
Socialist Alternatives
Socialist Democracy Group
Socialist Labour Group
Socialist Solidarity Network
Socialist Unity (UK)
Workers League (UK)
Workers’ International League (1937)
Workers’ International League (1985)
Workers’ Internationalist League
Workers’ Power (UK)
Workers’ Socialist League
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