Scottish Socialist Party Conference
Scottish conference is crucial for left unity
The Scottish Socialist Party Conference on February 10-11 takes place in the context of a number of key political developments.
Firstly it is takes place in the context that the Scottish Parliament has yet again shown itself more radical than Westminster - this time over care for the elderly.
In terms of the forces involved in the SSP itself, the conference will happen shortly after the biggest political force within it, the ISM has split with the international formation of which it was historically part, the CWI. (see p 19).
In addition, after months of discussion, it seems almost certain that the Socialist Workers' Party (SWP) will join the SSP shortly after the conference.
Positive
After their positive experience in the Alliances in England and Wales, the SWP recognised that they would pay a heavy price if they continued to remain outside the SSP.
The February conference will address two main issues - our programme for the General Election, and constitutional changes relating to party democracy and the rights of tendencies and factions.
Annual conference is the supreme decision making body of the party and at present all members are entitled to attend and vote. Last year's conference was the first to deal in detail with SSP policy.
Too many issues were discussed, which led to debate being curtailed. Nevertheless, on most topics the resolutions were non controversial and were accepted . Others were amended, referred back or competing positions were debated.
The conference showed the SSP took decisions in an open democratic manner.
The proposed constitutional changes have been a source of some acrimony. A platform has been formed to "Defend Democracy in the SSP".
Delegates
Two main changes are proposed. The first would change the annual conference from one at which all members can vote to a delegate conference.
This is put forward partly on grounds of size of conference and also to reflect the fact that only small numbers of members are likely to be able to travel the long distances involved.
There are no principled objections to this, the issue is one of timing. Despite misgivings, I intended to vote for a similar change last year, however, the poor wording of the change and the low attendance at the conference led me and a majority of those present to vote down this move.
This year's improved wording means that in practice all who wish to attend are likely to do so until the party is at least double its present size. Some amendments allow for additional safeguards and should be supported.
However, I believe the controversy over this constitutional change has now been somewhat defused.
The second constitutional change will lay down rules for tendencies which on some interpretations prevent them selling their own newspapers or caucusing before meetings.
The leadership proposing these changes state that this is just fomalising norms which have been in place since the SSP formed. In practice the changes are being proposed to deal with the probability that the SWP will join the SSP.
The SSP was formed at the conclusion, of a bitter faction fight within the then Militant which saw the Scottish members separate from Taaffe's grouping to form the ISM whilst remaining members of the CWI. Scottish Socialist Voice transformed itself into the paper of the SSP.
Although the Socialist Party paper, The Socialist, was available at party meetings, the ISM does not have a public paper. While other members and platforms sell papers at meetings - Socialist Outlook, Weekly Worker etc, the largest tendency within the SSP does not.
The discussions with the SWP have focused on whether they will sell the Scottish Socialist Voice as their main paper. Socialist Worker could be sold in meetings not in public.
The fear is that the SWP would operate from the start as a public faction of the SSP, and not help build it. The proposed changes set out the rules the SWP would be expected to follow.
Damage
Alongside possibly justified fears of the SWP, whose change of line to co-operate with the left is still fairly recent and possibly reversible, lies an experience of the damage done by sectarianism.
The ISM comrades have bitter experience of Taaffe and the CWI putting the interests of their group before the interests of the Labour movement and Left as a whole. The ISM's resignation from the CWI just before the SSP conference reinforces their position that these proposed changes are designed to defend democracy in the SSP. Viewed in abstract against a history of bureaucratic control in Stalinist parties, this proposed change is worrying.. But viewed against a struggle against sectarianism and attempts to build a united left and given the lack of any disciplinary actions within the SSP — the proposed changes can be justified.
What is necessary is to strengthen the avenues for discussion and debate within the SSP. There are no - rules preventing this, but few organised mechanisms for it to occur. If the SWP does join, I anticipate and will welcome an explosion of discussion and educational initiatives as well as a weekly public paper
Scottish Parliament overrules Executive
YET AGAIN the Scottish Parliament has defeated its own Executive. The first time was over Tommy Sheridan’s Act to abolish warrant sales, this time it was over free care for the elderly.
The dynamics of this were revealing. The Labour majority within the Executive were determined to deny Scottish elderly people free personal care in order to maintain the line put out by Brown and Blair.
First Minister Henry McLeish effectively went over the heads of his own Executive and appealed to the Parliament, who were overwhelmingly in favour of the proposal. The Executive was outflanked and had to concede. Henry has shown populist strengths and taken revenge on Westminster attacks on his competence and intelligence.
There remains the question of how to pay for the parliament's commitments. Money is being thrown at problems — teachers’ pay, tuition fees, free care. As the Parliament has a fixed budget it must be paid for, although most of the costs come after the next 2 years, when there will be a new Scottish Election.
Already raising taxes has been raised by the Liberals, SSP - even Scottish Conservatives. The SNP are likely to support this as well. Suddenly Scottish Labour looks the only party supporting low taxes and lower public services. Will the Scottish Income Tax be raised or even the SSP’s Scottish Service Tax introduced, which allows the higher rate of income tax to go up? We will have to wait and see.