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Another if belated (only published on polling day after voting had begun) interview with our candidate in Lambeth & Southwark but this time Kevin at least got a chance to correct a misinterpretation (scroll down to comments). The SW Londoner is an online newspaper published from Streatham.http://www.swlondoner.co.uk/4-5m-houses-make-mockery-system-lambeth-southwark-socialist-gla-candidate/
Socialist Party Head Office wrote:Here's the Socialist Party statement on the EU referendum adopted by the EC at its meeting on Saturday:Comment on this received by email at Head Office:
Quote:To the Socialist Party of Great Britain,I have read the statement issued by your executive committee this month titled "The problem is not the EU… it's capitalism." I believe, too, that the problem is capitalism. But I am absolutely sure that the EU is irredeemably linked to Capitalism, whereas at Westminster we conceivably have the power to make the interests of big businesses a less dominant factor in politicians' decisions. Because the EU Commission is not elected. It is conceived as a capitalists' charter, and acts as such. Westminster, freed from the anti-democratic influence of the EU, will be once more the seat of a democratic government, and with democracy comes the opportunity for people who have the intention and the courage to stand up to the massive power of capitalism to be elected. I urge you to choose the devil that you can get rid of in an election, rather than the devil that you can't. Can we not try to claim Britain for the people rather than surrendering it indefinitely to a group of unelected bankers? I feel like whoever is reading this will think me quite presumptious in airing my views to a political party in this manner, but I am young and optimistic, and I really believe what I just wrote. I'd be very eager to hear your reply to this. I wonder if you'd also be interested in my petition to Jeremy Corbyn? https://www.change.org/p/jeremy-corbyn-vote-with-your-conscience-the-eu-is-a-coup-against-democracy-and-the-working-classes?recruiter=76781477&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink Please reply, I'm being ignored everywhere.Best wishes,Brendan Kjellberg-MottonHere's the Socialist Party statement on the EU referendum adopted by the EC at its meeting on Saturday:
Quote:The problem is not the EU … it’s capitalismOn 23 June you will asked to make a decision on behalf of the minority who own and control the means of production in Britain: should they stay or should they leave the EU? Perhaps you ought to feel flattered that, for once, they have entrusted you with making a decision of vital importance to them. But our answer, as socialists, is “we are not interested. Settle the matter yourselves”.This is because the problems we and you face as wage and salary workers or their dependents are caused by the capitalist system of ownership by the few and production for profit. This system, which requires that making profits comes before meeting needs, will continue whether Britain is in or out of the EU. Whichever it is to be, the problems will continue. They will continue for as long as capitalism does. The only way out is if you, together with wage and salary workers in the rest of the world, organise democratically to replace global capitalism by a worldwide classless socialist society of common ownership and democratic control, with production to satisfy people’s needs not for profit, and distribution on the principle of “from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs” not by the amount of money you have – or don’t have.The devil you knowApart from a few idealists who want to see a Federal European State, the main group in favour of staying is Big Business. With good reason, from their point if view. The EU gives them tariff- free access to a vast single market with common standards. And the EU, negotiating as a single body with non-member States over trade and other economic matters and so with more bargaining power, gets them a better deal than if Britain had to do this on its own.Other supporters are the Scottish and Welsh Nationalists who want to protect the EU subsidies their parts of Britain get. More principled is the position of the Green Party which wants to defend the free movement of workers throughout the EU – out of as well as into Britain.Cameron claims to have negotiated some fundamental reform of the EU. Actually, he has done no more than freeze the position of Britain as a non-member of the Eurozone. He hasn’t undone anything. He hasn’t even stopped immigration which some mistakenly see as a problem, only held out a hope that it will be less attractive in a few years. No wonder the Eurosceptics are sceptical.Basically, the Stay campaign are campaigning for the status quo. As is the Labour Party. In other words, capitalism as we know it, with all the problems it causes, and so not worth supporting even if it is the devil we know.The devil you don’tWe have received the following belated email comment on this article:
Quote:Hello SPGB,I am writing to you regards publication, No. 1313 January 2014 material world:Myth of Peaceful Buddhism.I find the publication misleading. Buddhism has many strands and has many followers in different countries. Most of these people would be lay followers.So to put up a a very negative and one sided view of Buddhism is not only unfair and unjust but it contorts the view of reality of the Buddhist to any person who would not know much about Buddhist followers or the Buddhist teachings.The word Buddhist can be very wide ranging so to slant a view on it would be misleading.On the publication it quotes Dr. Muang Zarni who himself is a Buddhist. You left out a lot of information on Dr. Muang Zarni study. Dr. Muang Zarni lived in Burma for 24 years and says even someone of his education (himself) had never heard anyone utter the word Rohingya. He talks about it here, https://youtu.be/8LctOLRhumsHe says that "90% of the people of Burma would never have meet someone from Rohingya. That the Genocide of the people is politically state sponsored."As it states in the publication, The conflict between Buddhists and Muslims is often over land and nationalism. And the Buddhist people are been lead by a extremist monk and other officials from government. So this genocide is not Buddhist lead. The Buddhist teachings does not advocate violence, it would be the opposite, compassion.So if a pacifist went out and murdered someone could you really call them a pacifist. They might be Buddhist in name but not in nature or practice.The whole publication seems to be anti Buddhist with no balance. It is offensive and disrespecting to the millions who actually follow the teachings of the Buddha.It reminded me of people who say things like, Stalin the socialist murdered 50 million of his own people…..we know that Stalin was not a socialist. But branding is a dangerous thing……war, oppression, conflicts, BUDDHISM, genocide, neo-nazis monks, its all throw in there. It also reminds me of a Britain first publication. With no tolerance of other peoples beliefs.So I kindly ask you to take the publication down as it cases offense to socialists and Buddhists alike. Kind regards Eddie O SullivanEmail received from Comrade KC of Cork who is not on this forum:Dear EditorsWell done to the various comrades for a range of good articles about the Easter Rising in last month’s Standard. For a socialist living in Ireland it’s good to read an alternative perspective on this matter and to have some of the well-known shibboleths that surround it debunked (not for the first time of course!). As I write in the week prior to Easter, things are gearing up here for the major commemorations scheduled for Easter Sunday and Easter Monday; 27th and 28th March. As the articles in the Standard suggests, in spite of all the rhetoric of the state and media, there really is very little tangible to see in the day to day lives of the citizens of the Republic of Ireland that is connected to the Rising apart from the fact that most major railway stations in Irish cities are named after some of the leading participants. It’s interesting to compare this centenary celebration with the commemoration that occurred in 1966 on the half centenary. The centrepiece on that occasion was a traditional old style military parade of the Irish Army down O Connell Street whilst being reviewed by De Valera and other elderly survivors of the Rising. Now it’s much more ‘inclusive’ with family events, educational lectures, historical re-enactments, street festivals, etc. Of course the underlying nationalist message is still present though in a more muted form with the Proclamation being read out in all school playgrounds under the Tricolour.The correct attitude to adopt to the Rising has always been somewhat problematical for Irish Governments. While Irish Independence is nominally taken to have begun with the rebellion, in fact the origins of the state really date from the unplanned and erratic series of events that occurred from the Conscription crisis of 1918 to the end of the Civil War in 1923. The undemocratic and vanguardist nature of the military operation of Easter 1916 has unpalatable parallels with the more recent campaign of the Provisional IRA. Furthermore the participation of James Connolly in the Rising has always given it left-wing appeal even though he was a clear minority in terms of his political outlook compared to the other leaders. A well-known phrase from the Proclamation ‘cherishing all the children of the nation equally’ has been used to justify the claim that it was a progressive event even though that wording was placed there more for grandiose political purposes rather than a call to any specific programme of action.What’s the view from today? You can debate over and back whether the 26 counties that eventually went on to form the Republic of Ireland would have been better or worse off if they had remained as part of the UK. To an extent it’s similar to the current debate in the UK about its own membership of the larger European political union. The delineation of national boundaries within a system of world capitalism is just a reflection of the nationalist consciousness that currently prevails amongst the people of this planet.
mcolome1 wrote:Most of the Greek philosophers supported slavery, and the slave master, and they were part of the Nobles class. it was a society whereas the slaves did all the works, and the nobles never worked.Message from comrade NW (who is not on this forum): "Most of the Greek philosophers supported slavery". -I don't think we can say that, for one thing, we don't know enough about the lives of most of them. Although certainly Aristotle, Plato and even Socrates had no problem with it, but the Cynics, Diogenes, for example, made a big thing of their poverty.He also writes 'It was a society where the slaves did all the work and the nobles never worked'. That's wrong too. In his book, Athenian Democracy, AHM Jones disagrees with this common view. He writes, (about slaves) "They were owned in the main by the 1,200 richest families and in decreasing numbers by the next 3,000 or so. It is unlikely that any slaves were owned by two-thirds to three-quarters of the citizen population. The great majority of the citizens earned their living by the work of their hands, as peasant farmers, craftsmen, shopkeepers, seamen and labourers". (Page 17) – and he writes plenty more along the same lines. And there is plenty of evidence in Athens various museums to show there was a large population of very poor citizens.
Letter received from Ron Elbert of the World Socialist Party of the US:Dear ComradesStefan's review of Gary Roth's book on Paul Mattick (February Socialist Standard) is interesting and thought-provoking. There is, however, one otherwise minor point I think it would be useful to bring out. The World Socialist Party of the U.S. did not 'originate' from the Socialist Party of Michigan, as stated in the review.The Workers' Socialist Party was the direct result of collaboration between disaffected Detroit members of the SP of A and SPGB 'slackers' Adolph Kohn and Moses Baritz, on the run from the British wartime authorities. These members, drawing on Kohn's input, resigned as a body from the SP of A, which would not allow the breakaways to use its registered trademark as the Socialist Party of the United States. So they dodged the issue by adding the qualifier "Workers'" to the name.The emergence of the Proletarian Party, on the other hand, was the outcome of mounting conflicts within the SP of A's Michigan affiliate: between the faction grouped around John Keracher, who promoted a radical policy of no reforms of capitalism, and members who had no trouble selling the national office on Keracher's heretical radicalism. The national organization finally 'expelled' the Michigan troublemakers by excluding them from its reorganized state affiliate.The new Proletarian Party, under Keracher's leadership, held views that were generally regarded by the WSP as nearly identical to its own — except for the PP's passionate endorsement of the Bolshevik Revolution. It is true there was a longstanding relationship between the Proletarian Party and the Workers' Socialist Party/Socialist Education Society. But it was a debating interest centered mainly around the latter's infatuation with 'the Russian bug,' as WSP members referred to it. The PP often derisively referred to the WSP as 'revolutionary tea drinkers.'It is in any event somewhat misleading to describe both organizations unqualifiedly as having a common origin in the Socialist Party of Michigan.Yours for socialism,RON ELBERT, Boston, USA
Letter received from Comrade Peter Newell.Regarding the ideas and thoughts of Antonio Labriola, readers may be interested in a book, Socialism and Philosophy, a collection of letters and articles, to Georges Sorel among others, written by him between April, 1897, and Hune, 1899, and published in English by Charles H. Kerr & Company 110 years ago in 1906. The translation was by Ernest Untermann from the Italian, the author of Marxian Economics and translator of works by Marx and Engels.In the early days of the Socialist Party of Canada, and the SPGB, Labriola's views were held quite highly by members such as James and William Pritchard and copies of his Socialism and Philosophy were sold both by the SPC and SPGB (I bought my copy from the SPGB).In the May, 1915, issue of the Western Clarion, William Pritchard refers to Antonio Labriola's criticism of the "Great Man" theory of history, wherein Labriola claims that the establishment of socialism "cannot be the work of a mass led by a few" (see my The Impossiblists: A Brief Profile of the Socialist Party of Canada, p. 74 and pp. 146-147). Labriola's view was that of Marx and Engels, that the workers must emancipate themselves.
More information supplied by the WSP(India) in reference to Gorachand Paramanik -Dear ComradesGorachand Paramanik’s complains against WSPI are baseless.My comments from face book of Socialist Party of Great Britain are following….If you know all the matters in wspi, so why have you rejoined in wspi? Your involvement in wsm was wspi to world socialist group (gobardhan pur) to spgb to wspi to …..that means either you are motivated or disturbing the wsm. Organization is based on principles and rules. What's the anti- socialist activity of whom?Soroj Bose is anti-socialist. Repeatedly our organization informed him our stand point. We are using ballots, not bullets. But still he was arguing against it. So we are not allowing because he uses bullets not ballots. Gorachand Paramanik r you going to use bullets in your socalled movements? Gorachand's comments:I often said manipulation never helped anybody, and don't follow to your de-facto leader blindly. Don't through your bogus comments, which you do not know. Without historical consciousness the debates are irrelevant. From me a: That means u know all the history? You are such a great man! And you mention the name of leader? Why are you afraid for mentioning name Gorachand Paramanik? Your consciousness. In marriage ceremony, I was also present, not mentioned by Gorachand Paramanik. We enjoyed voj (foods) not religious activity. Sankar Sarkar, Soroj Bose, Chandan Debnath they r all anti of our movement. They r most likely Leninist. They r against using Ballot. They r very much comfortable with using gun.Binay Sarkar is not egoists. Chandan debnath is egoist. I was present in that meeting. Chandan did not want to attend the meeting in our party office. Why Gorachand Paramanik? Chandan's behavior was violent but not B. Sarkar. U may confirm with Biswarup Choudhury. Fund collection articles published in Bengali dailies is a continuous prosecc. That doesn't mean it should b always day to day hour to hour minute to munute seconds to seconds fraction of second to fraction of second………….activiiiiiiiity Our last public meeting was held at 8B bustand, Jadavpur. And there is a Sunday discussion every Sunday in our party office which is open to all.Thanks Pradip Singha.
Arising from the EC minutes, the WSP (India) supplied the following correspondence with Cde Gorachand Paramanik -DOCUMENT 2 Gorachand’s hidden motive: Gorachand has been deceiving the Socialist Party of Great Britain and her sister parties since long past. Now again he is bent on deceiving the World Socialist Movement by hurling slanderous attacks against us – the World Socialist Party (India). His hidden motive is he wants Money.Some time ago he commented in a meeting at our HO that the SPGB possesses a huge amount of money. So his intention is clear: he has been keeping an eye on this money. He knows well that the SPGB and the companion parties of the WSM trust him. So he could get them believe his ploys against the WSP (I), as though they trust the WSP (I), their companion party any less. He calculates, once his allegations are accepted by SPGB in particular and the WSM in general, the WSP (I) will be thrown out of the WSM, and consequently his “World Socialist” group (comprising himself only) will be taken in as the alternative. Thus eventually he will be able to extract funds from the SPGB and other companion parties of the WSM for his personal use in the name of World Socialism. One cannot judge a person by what he says and thinks of himself, but by what he actually does.Gorachand Paramanik <gorachandparamanik@yahoo.in> WSP INDIA <wspindia@hotmail.com>;Adam Buick <alb342@msn.com>;Pradip Singha <wsppradip@gmail.com>;biswarup_chaudhury@yahoo.co.in;Bigboy Musemwa <msemwabm@yahoo.com>;spgb@worldsocialism.org;sambhupadanag@gmail.com;spc@iname.com;Tue 12/22/2015 5:27 PM Dear Comrades,I have not any hidden motive, his socialist attitude was a play before my inclusion in the WSP(I). Now everyone aware about his cult of personalities. I already said, I never violate the rules of the WSM, I don't support to the Leninists, and never think the ignominy of the WSM. Yours for World Socialism. Gorachand+91 8972091200 WSP INDIA <wspindia@hotmail.com> Gorachand Paramanik <gorachandparamanik@yahoo.in>;Adam Buick <alb342@msn.com>;Pradip Singha <wsppradip@gmail.com>;biswarup_chaudhury@yahoo.co.in;Bigboy Musemwa <msemwabm@yahoo.com>;spgb@worldsocialism.org;sambhupadanag@gmail.com;spc@iname.com; Dear Comrades, Allegations leveled by Gorachand Paramanik are baseless. Undoubtedly, he has a hidden motive behind this sudden attack. Now he is out to extract sympathy for deriving benefits from our comrades around the world. He has already resumed his so far dormant (which he said he had deleted at the time of his inclusion in the WSP (I) but which he clandestinely kept alive) group name so-called "World Socialist" just after his "repeal" notice. All our comrades should ask him to substantiate his allegations with facts. We are going to discuss this issue in our next EC meeting on 3rd January 2015 and take appropriate decision. Yours for Socialism,Binay Sarkar Gorachand Paramanik <gorachandparamanik@yahoo.in> Socialist Party of Great Britain <spgb@worldsocialism.org>;spc@iname.com;World Socialist Party New Zealand <nzsocialists@gmail.com>;boston@wspus.org;Biswarup Chaudhury <biswarup_chaudhury@yahoo.co.in>;Pradip Singha <wsppradip@gmail.com>;Bigboy Musemwa <msemwabm@yahoo.com>;Tue 12/22/2015 2:34 PM Dear Comrades,I wanted to repeal my membership from the WSP(I) very simply, there had no any accuse. However, when the situation came into public place, therefore, this must be treated. I ensure his (Binay Sarkar) theoratically position but not personal attitude. Comrades please find the attachment and take a necessary step regarding this.Yours for World Socialism Gorachand+91 8972091200 Gorachand Paramanik <gorachandparamanik@yahoo.in> WSP INDIA <wspindia@hotmail.com>;Wed 12/16/2015 6:38 PMFlag for follow up. Start by Monday, December 21, 2015. Due by Friday, December 25, 2015. Dear Comrades,Please repeal my membership from the party.for World Socialism Gorachand+91 8972091200 Gorachand’s attachment: Dear comrades,I regret to inform you that, I have sent an email to the WSP(I) for repeal my membership from the party. It does not means that I do not believe the object and the declaration of the principles of the WSM. I never forget the WSM and not to be. I do not believe on personal conflict, such as ignominy of the WSM. If anybody strongly claim himself that he is a genuine socialist and he is all right, on the contrary, if someone said this that, his attitude is anti socialist, therefore, he is not less “egoist”. If any organization is based on ‘egoism’ therefore, the organization will no longer exists. Many people think this that, there has a party office at “257 Baghajatin E block at Kolkata” ; I never think that it is a party office but a so-called party office. Which is controlled by a single individual. If anybody protest against his anti socialist activities then he/she will be ignored, insulted by him.Can I claim personally to anyone that, you are trying to break-up the party ? without a party decision ? either he is visitor or member. We are not the chemical of the laboratory, that, we will be changed our colour. An example is Saroj Bose, who never come back in this office.Manipulation, blaspheme can not be the socialist behavior. I have experienced after the formation of the WSP(I), I was influenced against Biswajit Santra by him, although I do not support to B. Santra. Harisadhan Ghosh was influenced against Sunil Pal by him. And Ashok Chakraborty were influenced against me by him. I think all these are Stalinist processes of expulsion.He often said all the expulsions were held according to the party rules / democratically, if that is right, then his party membership would be expel according to the party rules No.7 – when he, Sumitra Mondal, Harisadhan Ghosh, Rathish Sharma and me also attained the marriage ceremony of the daughter of his sister-in-law a few years ago at Calcutta. We was not present at the religious place, but the ceremony was religious.In this connection, I see that party never will grow, however, that is not my main aim, our aim should be spread of the socialist theories in the working class. I consciously said that, our comradely feelings are often contradictory, an ego is being worked among the members. I heard few years ago the debate between Binay Sarkar and Chandan Debnath was going to violence, Sankar Sarkar also said to me regarding the same. Therefore, how we can expect this that the WSP(I) will grow ? this is an also ignominy of WSM.There has no any field work except timeline of the facebook. When I requested to them that, they do not care my suggestions. In my opinion the EC minutes is a gospel. When his question was against the irregularity of Biswarup Chowdhury at the business meetings, therefore, how does he collect the money from the party sympathizers ? and why the deficit is bringing ? No one wants to hesitate for expensing money for social revolution if he is a socialist minded. He has mentioned in the last EC minutes that he is born the pary’ deficit alone ! why ? as his manipulation. He is able to give the date when Harisadhan Ghosh’s last writings was published in the Calcutta dailies ? which is mentioned in every EC minutes ? I think the EC minutes is a gospel.However, comrades if you have any objection to access the website of the WSM, I myself will restrict this.Yours for World Socialism
Email received at Head Office a few days ago from the Council of Ex-Muslims:
Quote:NEW CASE STUDY: ISLAMISM ON CAMPUS The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) has today published a case study on the Islamic Societies at Trinity College Dublin, Warwick University and Goldsmiths University where attempts were made to restrict or bar our spokesperson Maryam Namazie from speaking in 2015. The case study shows that the Islamic Societies at the three universities in question are clearly promoting Islamist values through hate preachers who condone Sharia Law, Islamic states, and the death penalty for apostasy. The study is only an example of a widespread problem – which is the normalisation and legitimisation of Islamism on university campuses. CEMB calls on universities and Student Unions to unequivocally defend free expression, including by removing policies which restrict and censor free expression, such as safe space policies, so that apostates and dissenters can confront Islamism on campuses with a progressive counter-narrative. You can read the new case study here.It is important to note that apostasy and blasphemy are not abstract theological debates but a matter of life and death for many across the globe: http://ex-muslim.org.uk/2016/01/apostasy-and-blasphemy-are-basic-human-rights/.Dear AdamA message from the party would be great.I’m presently in South Africa, where i live, but will send you a copy of the book when I get to the UK.Imagine is great. I think I’d like that at my funeral.In comradeshipPeterOn 11 Oct 2015, at 15:21, Socialist Party of Great Britain <spgb@worldsocialism.org> wrote:Dear PeterThanks for your email and sorry to her this sad news. We will post aboutit on our members internet forum.You mention that she wrote an autobiography. If there is a spare copy wewould be interested in having it for our archives.As to what piece of music to play at a socialist's funeral one memberslike is John John Lennon's "Imagine".Would a message from the Party be appropriate?Adam
Dear Comrades,I'd like to bring to your notice that Dipak Kumar Bhattacharya is misusing the SPGB's official blog – Socialism Or Your Money Back for his personal interest. Our EC has already expelled him from membership. You will get the details in our EC Meeting Minutes of 04-10-2015 soon.Yours for Socialism,Binay Sarkar From: wspindia@hotmail.comTo: biswarup_chaudhury@yahoo.co.in; wsppradip@gmail.com; gorachandparamanik@yahoo.inSubject: A LinkDate: Fri, 2 Oct 2015 20:32:55 +0530 Dear Comrades,The following link is for your information : https://www.facebook.com/dipakkumar.bhattacharya1/posts/10207513137817519?notif_t=close_friend_activityYours for Socialism,Binay Sarkar
William Dunn's comment on the reply to his letter in this month's Standard:
Quote:Thanks for publishing my letter in the Socialist Standard on Corbyn and the reply.Your reply shows we have no disagreements really…perhaps a minor one: as to what
affect the return of the word 'socialism' to the everyday vocabulary will have on
the body politic with a Corbyn win and in the USA if Sanders does well and even
beats Clinton to the post of Democratic Party nomination.Only time will answer that one. Well that also rather depends on what World
Socialists make of the opportunity! It is our word after-all—who better to speak
this word?The establishment and cynics both here and in the USA right now are going through
the motions with Sanders saying: 'he has no chance', like they said with Corbyn
here. The task in the USA for a 'Socialist' candidate is much harder—on the other
hand, the predicaments of most there are more acute and thus change there more
urgently needed. As we see here the 'mainstream media' and rightwing politicians
have thrown everything they’ve got into Corbyn’s path and it seems to no avail, thus
they are powerless to prevent a Corbyn victory and perhaps too in the USA with
Sanders and all that means is that workers' real needs (as they see them) cannot be
erased by media propaganda. And that too should please us that when we present our
arguments in contrast to the limits of Corbyn and should our new definition of real
needs be grasped by the workers then a real socialist victory will be unstoppable
too.Summer School report 2015 The SPGB’s 2015 Summer School was held over the long weekend 24th – 26th July at Fircroft College in Birmingham. The theme was ‘New Perspectives On Socialism’, taking a fresh approach to socialist theory, practice and activity. This was an amalgamation of several people’s ideas for a theme, from when views were canvassed after last year’s event. The following sessions were held:As A Marxist, Frankly, I’m Skeptical – a talk by Simon WigleyThe X Factor: Revolutionary Political Consciousness – a talk by Brian GardnerThe Argument Clinic: Logical Fallacies and Cognitive Biases. How thinking about thinking can help give new perspectives to old arguments – a workshop with Darren PoyntonRevolutionary Action – a talk by Johnny MercerGaming the Revolution – a game run by Bill MartinImagine a Boot Stamping on a Human Face, or Givin’ it Str8 on da St8: Socialism and the State in the 21st Century – a talk by Steve ClaytonAll the talks were video recorded, and audio files are already accessible through the party website. There were also showings of the short films Policy Beta and Street Politics 101. Between the sessions, and over meals and drinks, there was plenty of time for informal chats and discussions. Unlike the two previous years, evening socials were held on site with a self-service bar. This year’s exclusive publication was a glossy magazine-style collection of nine essays on the Summer School’s theme, with two articles accompanying sessions at the event. There was also a display stand to gauge attendees’ views on Socialist Party activity. 19 people voted for the three types of activity they considered most worthwhile. The results are below (in order of preference):joint 1st maintaining the SPGB website, and holding public talks and meetings2nd using social media (twitter, facebook, blogs etc)3rd standing in electionsjoint 4th running literature stalls, appearing on radio / TV, and producing short films5th producing printed literature6th engaging with other organisations7th participating in online discussion forums8th attending demos Feedback forms were available, although only one response was received. This said that the sessions had been enjoyable, and suggested changing the format so attendees spend less time sitting down. There were a couple of complaints about the beds. There were 43 residential attendees in all, ten more than last year (and more than since at least 2008). Around 12 of the attendees were not party members, a higher proportion than in recent years. There were no day-only visitors, and this number has been in decline for some time. The continued generous subsidy from central funds must have made the event affordable for more people. This means that almost enough people attended to fill the venue (with 47 being the maximum). Booking the entire venue means that Fircroft will allow alcohol on site for the evening socials. As in previous years, batches of flyers advertising the event were sent to the dozen-or-so radical bookshops in the country, although no known bookings have ever resulted from this. Most of this year’s attendees either came along in previous years or heard about the event by word-of-mouth, especially thanks to Kent and Sussex branch. Figures for income and expenditure are below: income expenditure * bookings 2760.00 venue 6952.00 bar sales 283.00 bar costs 264.75 literature sales 215.30 literature costs 40.00 printing 390.00 stationery 28.77 postage 68.46 speaker’s travel 62.30 TOTAL 3258.30 TOTAL 7806.28 TOTAL DEFICIT ** 4547.98 * receipts have been submitted to the treasurer** the maximum potential subsidy as agreed by the EC was £4730 (i.e. £110 maximum subsidy x 43 attendees) Thanks go to those who ran sessions at the event, which also greatly benefited from help from Eddie Craggs (bookings), Dave Chesham (promotion), Rob Whitfield, Dave Chesham and Vince Otter (recordings), Callum McConnell and Sam Shaw (graphics), Darrell Whitehead (programme and films), Darren Poynton (website), James Barwell (printing) and Robert Morrell for a generous donation of books. Mike Foster14th August 2015
