AROUND THE BLOGS
Rupa Huq makes the excellent point that at the same time that the Swiss were voting to ban minarets, the British Prime Minister was celebrating Eid at number 10, with a number of prominent British Muslims. This really does show the competing souls of the Labour Party, and the conflicting messages it sends: on the one hand fairly genuine over their commitment to equality and mutual respect; while simultaneously tied to an American foreign policy that has led it to invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq and impotent ambivalence over Palestine. What is more, New Labour’s stress on social conformity has led to dog-whistle statements from Jack Straw about those Muslim women who choose to wear a veil, and their electoral policy of triangulating around hot topics has led them to mixed messages over immigration, at exactly the time when a clear defence of the value of immigrants and cultural diversity to our communities was required.. Richard at lenin’s tomb reminds us again in a very cross way about Gordon Brown’s shortcomings in this area!
Phil at A Very Public Sociologist shows the strategic difficulty that the “son of NO2EU” electoral politics can create, as the Socialist Party have decided to stand in the general election in Stoke Central, which not only has a high BNP vote, with six BNP councillors elected from wards in the constituency, but the sitting Labour MP Mark Fisher is on the centre left in the party. I think that this decision might create a lot of divisive bad feeling in the wider Labour movement.
Richard Seymour writes one of his better articles on the crisis of labourism, and Dave Osler bemoans the sell off of school playing fields
Jim Jepps takes on Tory Climate Change skeptic, David Davis. Liam Mac Uaid has a report of Saturday’s Climate Change demonstration. On the right wing and libertarian blogs, like Devil’s Kitchen, there is still massive traffic with numpties misunderstanding the science, and getting over excited about leaked e-mails - I hope to write something on this topic myself later this week. In the meantime, Unity at Liberal Conspiracy has written a very good article here that explains the “hockey stick” anomaly that the deniers are obsessing over.
Salman Shaheen at Third Estate reports on Evo Morales election victory in Bolivia.
Paul Mason has a dense but neat article arguing for the nationalisation of banks over at his BBC blog. while not strictly a blog article, Socialist Action’s editorial on the current state of the world economy is well argued.
For those of you who like this sort of thing there are also two excellent articles about the current politics of the SWP over at Splintered Sunrise, that have managed to provoke quite constructive discussion: one on the Democracy Commission and the other on the Left Platform, and the philosophy of the early Lukács. The influence of the politics of the early Lukács on the SWP has been interesting, for example John Rees bundles Lukács with Gramsci in his assessment in “The Algebra of Revolution”, whereas both in terms of their location in debates within the Comintern at that time, and their similarity of voluntarist philosophical outlook the early Lukács is much more convincingly associated with Karl Korsch, author of “Marxism and Philosophy”.
Unusually for a political website Socialist Action’s is a bit vague on what they do, what they stand for, what their strategic views are, what they do or how you can join them. A bit of detail would be interesting to supplement the analysis.
Comment by Liam — 7 December, 2009 @ 5:40 pm
The BNP have filled a vacuum in Stoke; the crisis in working class representation is very apparent. Whilst there might be opposition to the Socialist Party standing against Labour and possibly splitting the anti-BNP vote, it should be recognised that they are some of the very few activists on the ground. Whatever happens in the election, we might be wary of condemning them the way No2EU were condemned in the north west during the euro elections; the fact is, there’s no Green Party in Stoke as there was in the NW, no active Labour Party, and little to enthuse those working class voters disenfranchised by 12 years of Blair/Brown. I hope that Stoke SP have spoken to son of No2EU coalition partners and Norscarf (North Staffs Campaign against Racism and Fascism) before making the decision but would suggest that careful consideration is given to the specific situation in the Potteries before the inevitable flak starts to fly. Norscarf have been very active against the BNP but the Labour Party have been hopeless.
By the way, has Mark Fisher confirmed that he is standing again?
Comment by Chris — 7 December, 2009 @ 6:36 pm
Ssssh, Liam, I get the impression we have stumbled on a secret site. I think if we try random file names an Aladdins cave of political treasure may be revealed.
Comment by RobM — 7 December, 2009 @ 6:38 pm
Chris, Mark Fisher is confirmed for this election. The fun will start as folk fall over themselves for his seat in 2014/15 - apparently he plans to retire then.
Comment by A Very Public Sociologist — 7 December, 2009 @ 7:17 pm
I’m sure they will be thrilled to know that they have you on tenterhooks, Liam!
Comment by Mikey J — 7 December, 2009 @ 7:35 pm
On the Stoke seat, Labour got 7 times as many votes as the BNP last time, and have a majority of 10k. There is no chance of the BNP getting in, so I can’t see a problem with arguing for a genuine socialist alternative. Many of those who argue against this in the Labour movement (but not all) will be those who will never be sympathetic to any left of Labour candidate anywhere. The MP may be ‘Left-of-centre’ (I have no idea) but frankly, where has that type of politics got us in opposing New labours agenda? Good luck to the SP I say.
Comment by swp member — 7 December, 2009 @ 8:34 pm
#6
Actually I sort of agree, as Labour have more than 50% of the vote last time it is a rock solid labour seat, and the type of place where a left challenge can do little harm, and possible some good.
The decision may still nevertheless cause some bad feeling as Fisher is regarded by the trade unions as a good MP, so why prioritise a challenge in this particular seat?
Comment by Andy Newman — 7 December, 2009 @ 8:38 pm
cos the SP think they’ve got some semblance of a base in the area I’d have thought
Comment by swp member — 7 December, 2009 @ 9:07 pm
VPS, does the constituency include Burslem?
Comment by Karl Stewart — 7 December, 2009 @ 9:32 pm
Plus the local branch have weighed up local factors and decided to stand after a healthy debate, rather than wait for some centralised leadership to give them the nod. Good work and good luck comrades.
Comment by Jota — 7 December, 2009 @ 9:53 pm
Karl, it doesn’t. Most of it is covered by Stoke North. I’m not quite sure where the boundary is, but chances are it straddles the Burslem South ward we fought in 2008.
Comment by A Very Public Sociologist — 7 December, 2009 @ 10:07 pm
Cheers VPS, best of luck with it. Good article/report on your site by the way.
Comment by Karl Stewart — 7 December, 2009 @ 10:14 pm
Just read part of the thread on Leninstomb about the Swiss Minaret ban, was suprised to see well rehearsed and articulate racist arguements put up by commentators. It happens here as well much more frequently, is it that the far right are much more confident about trying to take over discussions on leftish sites, or that there are just many more such commentators?
In parts of Europe the far right so dominate cyberspace that genuine news sites have to close comments because they are filled with anti-semitic and racist rants. It feels like a conscious policy to dominate any discussion forums driving out genuine discussion.
Comment by non-partisan — 7 December, 2009 @ 10:45 pm
Liam#1 ‘A bit of detail would be interesting to supplement the analysis.’
Interesting for those obsessed with the far left who have no serious grasp or wish to grasp reality perhaps. I find it interesting that as someone who has set himself up as a left blogger - and presumably therefore believes he has something interesting to say - you seem to have nothing to say on the analysis itself?
Seriously attempting to understand what is going on in the world must surely be the starting point – programmatic, strategic and tactical decisions flow from that – or have I misunderstood?
On my reading, the article makes some interesting points on precisely the questions that the socialist left should be discussing - what precisely is the nature of the economic crisis, what is the significance of China today, what is the position/strategic objectives of US imperialism, what is the significance of leftward developments in Latin America and what, in the context of all that, are the tasks confronting socialists in the west???
Clearly many aspects of that analysis would be debated by many on the left if there was a left capable of doing so in a serious way.
Frankly, why Liam is more concerned about ‘how you can join’ socialist action – something he has no intention of doing – summarizes all that is wrong and totally inadequate about the British left.
Comment by Spencer — 8 December, 2009 @ 2:07 am
Personally I agree. Liam sums up EVERYTHING wrong with the British left. Liam-go stand in a corner or something. I feel a bout of monumental self-criticism is in order after your petulent, and frankly offensive comment. The more I think about it the more enraged I become.
Comment by johng — 8 December, 2009 @ 2:22 am
It’s johng being a HUGE bully again. Think of the children!
Comment by christian h. — 8 December, 2009 @ 4:45 am
Do some organisations hace centralised leaderships that contribute to local decisions? That’s just full-on stalinism! Next thing they’ll all be breaking rocks in Siberia.
People like Jota are a barrier to the class moving forward. Not just cos of the faux-libertarianism, but the deliberate poisoning of sensible discussion.
Comment by swp member — 8 December, 2009 @ 6:33 am
A bit sensitive, swp member? A criticism of no2eu was that ‘big-wigs’ stood candidates irregardless of local conditions rather than listen to local activists - I was suggesting that in Stoke this clearly isn’t the case. I wasn’t having a dig at your organisation.
Ultimately, I guess Stoke SP are bound by democratic centralism, but belong to a party that isn’t intimidated by local responsibilty and initiative.
Comment by jota — 8 December, 2009 @ 7:42 am
#14 Hundreds of millions of people every day exercise their right to avoid reading my site. In my view a much bigger problem on the British left than asking for a bit of background information is bureaucratic manipulative politics.
I’m off to that corner now Johng.
Comment by Liam — 8 December, 2009 @ 8:27 am
Personally I think it’s about personal style-
Liam, nobody likes a smart-arse.
Spencer, even fewer people like a boring ****.
Btw when I was a Socialist Action supporter it was pretty easy to find out how to join in. If they’ve become a bit more particular you can hardly blame them.
Comment by Armchair — 8 December, 2009 @ 8:38 am
re 18 - fair enough, it was a bit early in the morning, with the weight of impending exploitation bearing down..
Comment by swp member — 8 December, 2009 @ 10:11 am
As to the SP fighting stoke central, would concur that BNP not in a position to win this- yet- and that the Labour majority here is unassailable- for now. A good place to continue building a socialist alternative- as Stoke SP have started doing.
If we accept that the long-term solution to the BNP is creating that socialist alternative, then this is the only sensible thing to do
I am worried that BNP will be unopposed in many other seats in the midlands. Only have Burton and Nuneaton in thr West, but in the East Midlands so far announced are , Leicester West , Charnwood, Bosworth, Loughborough, South Derbyshire, Leicestershire South, Nottingham South, Gedling, Corby, Ashfield, Nottingham North, Derby North, Amber Valley, Erewash, Derbyshire South, Boston & Skegness, South Holland & the Deepings, Grantham & Stamford, Kettering and Northampton North
And while agreeing that a paper campaign in an area where you have roots is of no use at all- there must be enough lefties in Leicester and Nottigham at very least to stand a candidate there
Comment by JimPage — 8 December, 2009 @ 10:14 am
I hope that Stoke SP have spoken to son of No2EU coalition partners
I doubt that the Communist Party of Britain is going to go along with opposing a serial anti-New Labour rebel on the Labour left.
Comment by RNM — 8 December, 2009 @ 10:52 am
Interesting point RNM but I think it is debatable whether to regard Fisher as on the left. As the only Old Etonian remaining on Labour’s benches (and the son of a Tory MP), Brown’s comment on Cameron may come back to haunt him here, but his voting record is more ambiguous than consistently “anti-New Labour”. Nevertheless I think you are right to say that it doesn’t fit the CPB’s idea of who their new alliance with the SP might be standing against.
Voting record (from PublicWhip)
How Mark Fisher voted on key issues since 2001:
* Voted moderately for a transparent Parliament.
* Voted moderately for introducing a smoking ban.
* Voted moderately against introducing ID cards.
* Voted very strongly against introducing foundation hospitals.
* Voted moderately against introducing student top-up fees.
* Voted moderately against Labour’s anti-terrorism laws.
* Voted very strongly against the Iraq war.
* Voted a mixture of for and against an investigation into the Iraq war.
* Voted very strongly against replacing Trident.
* Voted moderately against the hunting ban.
* Voted strongly for equal gay rights.
* Voted moderately against laws to stop climate change.
* Quite often rebels against their party in this parliament.
Comment by Prinkipo Exile — 8 December, 2009 @ 2:56 pm
#24
That’s a voting record better than 90% of the PLP. He’s exactly the sort of people the CPB’s British Road to Socialism says that communists should be supporting and building alliances with.
(And I don’t see the relevance of where he went to school, nor of where David Cameron went to school, other than in how it is reflected in their politics.)
Comment by RNM — 8 December, 2009 @ 3:11 pm
Plaid Cymru Assembly Member defects to Conservative Party due to love of Royal Family and United Kingdom
http://waleshome.org/2009/12/defection-in-the-assembly-mohammad-asghar-am-leaves-plaid-for-the-conservatives/
Comment by Welshee — 8 December, 2009 @ 3:24 pm