London Socialist Alliance
1000 rally round London's left slate
A THOUSAND people packed into the Camden Centre on February 22 for a rally organised by the London Socialist Alliance (LSA)to mark the end of the first round of meetings in constituencies across the city in the run up to May's election for the Greater London Assembly.
Around 2,000 people have attended these events in the different boroughs where the LSA will be standing local candidates, as well as contesting the central positions for the Assembly.
Candidates have been selected in many areas and are out and about getting themselves known. The Alliance has begun to put itself on the map with weekly stalls in many parts of London, and campaigning activity around a whole range of issues. So far it has been relatively easy to get media exposure - the LSA has had more column inches than any other Assembly candidates.
It is scarcely surprising that the LSA should be prominent in the defence of Candy Unwin and fellow steward Dave Carr, who are under attack both from UCH management and from their own union UNISON.
Candy is the LSA candidate in Camden and Barnet and she is standing against her own personnel manager at UCH - who is the new Labour nominee.
The LSA has also been out building the rally at Waterloo on February 28 in support of RMT member Sarah Friday, sacked by South West trains for fighting against the unsafe conditions her members work in.
The Branch Secretary of RMT at Waterloo, Greg Tucker, also an LSA candidate said " Our branch was pleased to sponsor the LSA. It is about time we had an organisation that stood up for the concerns of working people not just asking us to come out every few years to further some politicians career, but helping us campaign here and now. .... "
LSA supporters also participated in the STOPP demonstration and will be marching on March 4 to demand that " Mumia must live ". We are clear that while we want votes in this election, what is even more important is to be involved in what resistance is actually taking place on the ground.
The rally itself had a very positive feel with little hint of the usual sectarianism that the British far left is so dogged by.
Pat Stack, in the chair, opened the meeting by explaining the groups that had come together to form the Alliance, while also stressing that the involvement of non-affiliated individuals was key.
Speakers from both the platform and the floor the identified themselves mainly as LSA supporters without seeing the need to identify their particular organisation when there was one.
The way that sectarianism has been such a problem in the movement was explicitly addressed in the contribution from film-maker Ken Loach - and his challenge met a positive response from Paul Foot, who made the final speech.
Foot, making his first public appearance since his recent illness, was warmly received when he acknowledged the contribution being made to the movement by those outside his own tradition.
Up-beat
All the speeches were very up-beat and the meeting was clearly united around calling on Livingstone to stand as an independent - or rather as a socialist, as some one argued.
No one wants him to do what the rumour-mills have been suggesting - to put forward a slate with ex-Liberals, Tories and business people. His supporters are in the labour movement, and that is where he should be looking for candidates and allies.
I certainly came away from the meeting energised to do more to make sure the LSA is on the map to stay. There will be weekly stalls in most parts of London from now until the election and plans are being laid for a round of ward based meetings at the end of March.
For further information about how you can get involved contact 020 7928 4213 or [email protected] . Web site is http://londonsocialistalliance.org.uk