The Scottish Socialist Party's education and discussion was attended by over 300 people. This event is becomling the Scottish equivalent of "Marxism' and included 25 separate discussions on a wide range of political, economic and cultural ssues with the theme o Socialism, Internationalism Friday evening with a march and rally on the Friday evening, St Andrews night commemorating the legacy There was also a plenary report back from Alan and discussions with socialist groups there, and a final rally with speakers from Italy and Britain.
The additional strength Even to the SSP through the members was noted by a number or sessions led of by SWP comrades including Chris Bambery, Neil Davidson and Donny Gluckstein. Non-SSP members also (General Secretary of the Scottish TUC) leading sesLabour and the Trade A larze number of trose attending were young members or non SSP members including, from the SNP, who found the whole event very The smaller number of SSP activists attending than at previous events is due to the extent of public activity Ticktin and Neil Davidson on The intention is to ensure the Economic Slump were largely expositions and highevent and given there are no lighted the need for further other events like this in discussion on issues such as Scotland it plays a unique the nature of the crisis of role in the Scottish Left. overproduction, the arms economy. and inter- moeralindividuals selected which ist tensions. discussions they attended The discussions on with Cach person solts to Internationalism led b up to five. The following is Murray Smith and Chris therefore a sample. Bambery outlined the practiThe discussions on Peaso and CND tumed to a debate towards left co-operation between proconents of non and joint action. volence arainst nose point Chris was critical of the ing to lessons of Chile etc stance taken Ligue The onens of labour and Communiste Revolutionnalre the Trade Unions discussions (French section of the Fourth focused on clarifying the dif International) on the war in Ass view withh Action Programmes and which Murray disagreed. Reformism with a separate lowever, overall there was surprisine ap eement on Fund. how to strengthen the interTwo sessions led by Hillel national effectiveness of the Lique Communiste Revolutionnaire banner on Brussels demo left.
ine minal pienary session was exhilarating] The Italian success of the Italian Left since Genoa in forging a with a substantial trade union component. isolation he now feels in the Labour Party, arguing that change the Labour Party; Soclalists like him have to take hard decisions soon about which party they should really be in! Tommy Sheridan finished with a call for people to increase their practical supJune 2003 elections with a strengthened apparatus.
He argued that we should aim for a block of not one or get of at least 1 MSP in each of the 8 areas of
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