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on Tue, 08 Jan 2013 23:47:07 +0100, Einde O'Callaghan wrote:
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> On 08.01.2013 23:36, Jim Moody wrote:
>
>
>
>> Looks likely that the UK's SWP is on the way to a split, with some
>> ructions already in evidence.
>>
>> National Secretary, Martin Smith, has been accused of being a
>> sexual predator, with a session at the SWP's recent conference
>> taking a report of a rape allegation. One commentary is here:
>>
>> http://www.2ndcouncilhouse.co.uk/blog/2013/01/06/misogynists-and-
>> the-left/
>>
> In the interests of accuracy I'd like to point out that Martin Smith
> hasn't been national secretary of the SWP or a member of the
> leadership for the last two years - this is at least partly the
> result of the allegations which were first raised and discussed
> within the organisation two years ago.
>
> It would be nice if people taking potshots at the SWP could at least
> be up to date with their information!
>
> Whether there will be a split and, if so, on what basis and how large
> remains to be seen - however I tend to feel that reports of the SWP's
> demise are rather premature.
>
> This week's Socialist Worker contains a report on the conference
> including a brief discussion of the factions:
>
> http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=30285
>
> Einde O'Callaghan
It's not a question of taking 'pot shots', as Einde calls it, but more a
question of distress that the largest revolutionary organisation on the
left in Britain might haemorrhage revolutionaries, as the WRP did upon its
critical break-up. The SWP membership is, to my mind, one of the
ur-components of the single revolutionary party that we desperately need.
If these comrades are scattered to the four winds then it is not a good
thing for the working class. I really hope that dissident SWPers will stay
in and fight for a truly democratically centralist party.
Former national secretary Smith's case is but one symptom of the problem
with a party (among many on the left) whose leadership has until now
suppressed the democratic element in democratic centralism.
Andy Newman's Socialist Unity blog was first to publish the SWP's Disputes
Committee report, AFAIK, here:
http://www.socialistunity.com/swp-conference-transcript-disputes-committee-
report/
--
Jim Moody (j...@redunity.org.uk) on 09/01/2013
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