London Socialist SOCIALISTS in London have agreed to work together to stand a slate for the Greater London Authority elections next year.
Representatives from around half a dozen political groups met with independent activists at the beginning of August to discuss whether a Socialist Alliance joint election campaign would be possible. Despite varying emphasises, they agreed LO work together.
The election of the Scottish Socialist Party's Tommy Sheridan showed that with a consistent long-term approach it was possible to build the confidence of working people to vote for a socialist alternative to It is important Closer to home, the victory of lan Page that roots are for the put down in local Party in communities Lewisham Council from the by-election in June has shown that with start sufficient local roots it is possible to tap into the growing disgust with New Labour's broken promises.
Credible Over the next months the London Socialist Alliance has now to set itself the task of laying the basis for a credible election campaign - developing its political programme, choosing candidates and putting in place local social-. ist alliances across London, able to encourage a broad socialist challenge to Labour.
Some forces at the meeting wanted to immediately move to a formal delegate structure - in effect declaring a new party into existence. This was rightly rejected, for a looser form of organisation, designed to ensure that existing organised groups work together on areas where we can agree. The key is not to formalise relations but to build a practical experience of unity in action. However, to do this means overcoming the problems that became apparent in the run up to the European Hedging their bets, the main political organisations, in particular the SWP, refused to engage their membership in building anything practical.
Fright
Whilst they promised forces during the election campaign itself, up to that point everything was to be conducted at a leadership level only. When the SWP took fright at the prospect of Arthur Scargill standing in London, their membership could not be blamed for having missed the whole exercise altogether. This time round it is important that roots are put down in local communities from the start. That means every organisation being prepared to work collectively, now building local groups, involving all socialists, through the practical collaboration of existing political organisations and by tapping the talents of independent activists. Building the lobby of Labour Party conference would be a good first step. . That said, the work done in preparation for the abortive Euro-election campaign has laid down basic points of agreement on a political platform.
Where that needs extending is in our relation to green politics and the Green Party in particular.
The Greens have already chosen candidates for the GLA elections. It is clear from the Euro-elections that they represent in the eyes of many a serious alternative to the left of Labour.
So is co-operation with them possible or even desirable? The general feeling of the meeting seemed to be that co-operation would not be possible, but it's clear that environmental issues are basic to socialist politics.
Our political platform has to raise the simple facts that socialism is not viable without respect for the environment in which we live - and that it is the capitalist market system We which is the motor can show force behind the it is possible destruction of the for socialists environment we are witnessing today. to work Being together means being green, but equally without being a socialist you cannot be a green.
New Labour has now chosen its candidates for the GLA. Party members were given little choice from a rigged panel.
Almost without exception, its Blairite candidates will support government attacks on the working people of London.
It is important that we are open to all developments within the Labour Party, as the New Labour 'would not expect to take offensive continues to drive committed socialists out of Labour's ranks.
We have to show that there is an alternative. Central to that will be building practical support for all those defending themselves from government attacks.
The LSA agreed to try to work closely with trade unionists fightprivatisation, supporting their campaigns now, but also looking involve prominent rank and file activists in our campaign, as part of our slate of candidates.
Already inside the RMT, the London Underground Regional Council has indicated that it would consider supporting candidates prepared to endorse RMT policy to keep the tube public.
Opportunities
As UNISON members in health and local government come under further attacks and as the government prepares to outlaw strikes by firefighters, opportunities for collaboration must be seized. Above all the Socialist Alliance needs to put down roots in the communities across London. We cannot pretend to be a new political party, fully formed - but we can show that it is possible for socialists to work together.
If we are successful in building such unity, we can present a serious alternative in the Greater London Authority elections.
Not as an end in itself but as part of building the fight-backs of our class and of a process of rebuilding the left as a political force in Britain.
At the 1998 Annual DeleI HAVE YOU GOT ANYTHING FOR I SOCHLIST PRINCIPLES, DOCTOR?