actually to form a party in reality as well as in law. Many of us would see the model of the Scottish Socialist Party as the sort of model we would be interested in. I wondered if you had given this any thought? LD: Watching the Socialist Aliance, until recently from the outside, I've been struck by what appears to be a new understanding on the left - that not everyone has to agree with every dos and comma in order to be HO CTO Wor oudo mon programme. the various election results, by the strength and diversity of the candidates and by the broad alliance that it represented.
I'm aware that sometimes there are diferences within the Socialist Alliance - and that those diferences are resolved democratically. That's a refreshing contrast to New Labour.
I've also been struck by the number of people who have left the Labour Party - cither recently or over the last few years WI STE this work. now involved in supporting the Socialist Aliance.
I don't have any prescriptions for how the Aliance should develop. The most important task 1s to cotal a decent vote at the general election that will contirm our position on the clectoral map.
Having scen many of the candidates speaking or campaigning, and seen the real entusiasm that there is in the Socialist Aliance for getting the socialist message out to the clectorate, I'm convinced the Alliance represents a new and exciting alternative. Through the Looking Glass (Verso 2001, £15) Reviewed by TERRY CONWAY Through the Looking Glass than most writers manage has achieved more exposure oner of his leader. after publishing for years, not oa tvoroiom ran major extracts of the book inside the party precisely two days running. I he reason that paper Was prepared to cover the book, as well as the story of author Liz Davies's resignation from the Labour Party and support for sively was nothing to do with support for the principled politics clearty demonstrated in in fact the Guardian has gone out of its way to nubbish Liz Davies's politics but at the same tome tney know that their readers have fol-. lowed her story more dosely.
Its ironical that the law of the market should occasionally stand the left in good stead but this time it did - even though the first day's extracts were incredibly badly edited.
Hopefully the taste given to brief snippets will convince many to go out and buy the whole thing. The full menu is definitely to be recommended.
As Liz Davies says in our interview with her, Through the Looking Glass sets out to expose the machinations of new Labour. It certainly succeeds in that goal and does so commend it.
in an accessible, vivid style -building up the total picture through a series of incisive cameos, which impacted on this reader despite the fact that there was little in the book that I wasn't already familiar with.
Liz manages to make all the characters real, whether they todw's Labour Left by conare friend, foe or somewhere trasting it with the viracity of the anti-globalisation moveThis is most memorable of ment, we are in no doubt of course when she breaks with the viewpoint of this chronireceived wisdom. Her analysis der. of John Prescott for example What emerges from these pages is a clear demonstration nyth that the man is a bum- not only of the lengths the bing fool and an unwilling pris. party machine goes to stifle even the mikest dissent, but Instead Liz shows that often their craven dedication to furOther the interests of big busitw scot wro was to sen to argue the Blairite line ners and the rich. regandiess of the cost to their oum support. because he was not seen as an **DI course this is a story familoutsider in the way that Blair's lar to most readers of this paper - but hearing it again in such clear ringing tones certainly reinforced my anger and strengthened my determination to fight it yet more vigorGUSTY It is true that some of the heart-rending moments that Po my ocea resign from the party that she had worked for and in all her adul lne don't appear to the Having assumed the role, Ive full extent they could.
carried it out through the use I suspect the reasons for this are two-fold.
of coherent arguments.
Conversely she shows Blair. Firstly both Liz herself and.
portrayed in the media in the the book are enormousty gen.
image he has created for him- erous to those she has worked self as Mr Cool, being riled on with but disagreed with.
more than one occasion. The second, as Liz states in What is less clear to those the interview, is that the purpose of the book is to chronireaders who haven't encountered Liz herself except de the rise of New Labour, not through these pages, it is por- to talk about the strengths and werknesses of the opposition Few people in my experience to it use the same style when they This book is a valuable asset are spesking as when they are to anyone wro wand to - and understand the rise of Blairism it is a style with a good deal to writng. Uz Canes oop in order. to fight it more effectvely. Liz Davies has done the Not only do the people come left a great service in writing it.
to lfe, but the political implica- More than that, by continuing rions of the actions depicted to commit herself to strugging for socialism, she is continuing are drawn out in a gloriously understated style. From the to lend her enston ano pessa to a movement which is today dedicnion to Tony Benn Hor speaking truth to power developing in exciting new through the concluding pages directions.
which ilustrate the paucity of
Outlook SA