Socialist Resistance Morning Star (CPB) Says 'No' to Respect After a long and bitter debate which saw the organisation split down the middle, at its special 47th congress on Saturday, January 17, the Communist Party of
Britain adopted the following resolution:
"For labour movement unity to defeat New Labour and reclaim the Labour Party
The Communist Party's electoral strategy is the servant of our general
perspective for transforming the labour movement into the main instrument
and rallying point of all those seeking progressive social change. Any
electoral policy adopted by communists in Britain today must be based upon
our overall strategy of defeating the New Labour clique and winning a united
Our existing electoral policy supplies sufficient scope for opposing right-wing Labour candidates wherecircumstances require, but still retains the party's traditional Leninist
position of winning the trade union movement and, through it, the Labour
Party for socialist policies. This is predicated upon the assumption that it
is possible to reclaim the party formed by the trade unions 100 years ago
and for which Lenin urged support.
Consistent with this strategy, the present electoral policy adopted at the
46th Communist Party congress provides full scope for a flexible response to
the current political situation in which the New Labour clique have taken
control of the party and are pursing reactionary policies at home and
This policy does not preclude voting for individual left candidates who have
captured the popular support of the masses and who, by their standing in the
movement, are able to advance the cause of social justice. We are prepared
to offer support to candidates who command the support of the labour and
democratic movements in their area but who have been denied the right to be
official Labour Party candidates by the dominant right-wing faction. In the
London mayoral elections, in line with our previous and existing policy, we
should support Ken Livingstone whether or not he is readmitted to the Labour
Where the party's executive committee believes that local or special
circumstances require it - on recommendation of the relevant local branch or
district committee - we are open to working alongside others on the left in
the electoral field, provided there is agreement on strategic perspectives
for the labour movement. If, at any time, the Communist Party agrees to
enter into electoral alliances, the manifesto of any such alliance must go
before the executive committee for agreement.
The Communist Party will continue to stand its own electoral candidates
where this can help to contribute to a strong left challenge within the
labour movement to the policies of the Blair clique and raise the case for
working class struggle and socialism.
We remain committed, however, to the return of a Labour government and to
support for Labour candidates in elections where these conditions do not
apply, to unity to defeat the Tories in all fields and to winning the Labour
In no circumstances, therefore, would we join an electoral alliance that
seeks to establish itself as an alternative to the Labour Party. We are
opposed to the formation of any new national coalition that stands in
elections against the Labour Party. Any electoral alliances that are not
supported by the labour movement are doomed to failure or destined to repeat
the past mistakes of social democracy. It is democratic accountability and
control by the movement that will determine which path any future 'left'
In particular, we reject participation in the Respect Coalition proposed by
George Galloway and others. It is a narrowly-based front for the SWP which
has emerged from the remnants of the failed Socialist Alliance, and is
likely to divide not only the labour movement but the anti-war movement as
well. Its main constituent organisation holds quite different views to those
of our party on the role and potential of the trade union movement and its
leadership, on the national question and the nature of imperialism, and on
the socialist countries past and present.
Our Party rejects participation in any electoral alliance which might weaken
our influence and role in the struggle to unite the labour movement around
the perspective of defeating the Blair leadership in the Labour Party and
building the fight for socialist policies in the labour and trade union
Participation in an electoral alliance that opposes the Labour Party in all
seats would severely damage the ability of our party to argue for our
overall strategy in the labour movement. This would be the case even if our
direct participation was only for the 2004 European Parliament and Greater
Such a departure from our long-standing policy would be interpreted,
whatever our statements to the contrary, as indicating that the Communist
Party has abandoned any hope that the Labour Party can be reclaimed. Such a
message would do great damage and be counter-productive in a political
situation where New Labour is in deep crisis and greater opportunities exist
for changing the balance than has been the case for a decade. No less
seriously, it would also make much more difficult our fight to maintain the
unity of the trade union and labour movement as the ultimate vehicle for
socialist political change in Britain.
Thus the Communist Party will not participate in the Respect alliance, while
recognising that debate on the character of the Labour Party and the way
This does not mean that we should call for a Labour vote in all
circumstances. In the forthcoming European Parliament and Greater London
Assembly elections we will put maximum pressure on Labour candidates on, for
example, the question of the war on Iraq, their support for a referendum on
the EU constitution and opposition to privatisation, the euro and to racism.
Where Labour candidates refuse to take a progressive stance on these issues,
Communist Party organisations will determine who they should support in the
The question of the European Union is one that causes major confusion in the
labour movement. The role of a Communist Party standing in the European
Parliament elections is to expose the EU as a product and a tool of
transnational corporations. The EU cannot be reformed and serve the
interests of the European working class. It will also by its nature continue
to distort the economies of Third World countries and further impoverish
their populations by the use of unfair trade deals etc.
The Communist Party will not form electoral alliances with organisations
that do not see withdrawal from the EC as a major weapon in fighting
imperialism. The essential campaigns on the euro and the proposed European
Union constitution are exceedingly important. However maintaining the status
quo is not a long term option either, because even without the euro and the
EU constitution the European Union may appear acceptable. Nothing could be
further from the truth and the undemocratic nature of the body as a whole
There is no short term solution to the problem of right-wing Labour. There
can be no real solution until the labour movement is united and provides
active leadership for social change. This will require a vast amount of
political education for the leading class forces. This is one of the main
roles for the Communist Party.
Our party needs to increase its detailed work in communities and the trade
union movement to rally support for the left and to reclaim the Labour Party
for its original objectives as a democratically organised party representing
the labour movement. This is an essential complement of our electoral
strategy and is made ever more important by current developments in the
The Communist Party will also continue our existing policy of forming the
broadest campaigning alliances on issues such as peace, star wars, the EU
constitution, anti-racism and anti-union laws.
"Blair's lies undermine Labour" - Communist Party Executive Committee
" Blair's lies about Iraq and university top-up fees, where a clear
manifesto commitment is being dumped, are undermining the Labour Party's
credibility among working people" Communist Party Industrial organiser told
the party's executive committee at the weekend.
"The fight to replace New labour and its pro-imperialist, pro-big business
policies is becoming more urgent by the day" he insisted.
"We support the courageous campaign of West Country pensioners against large
Council Tax rises, while central government control of the business rate
feater-beds big companies" Mr Halpin declared. He welcomed the call from
Labour-controlled local authorities for replacement of household Council Tax
by a progressive income tax based on ability to pay and business tax paid to
The Executive Committee drew up plans to project a left alternative strategy
of limits on the export of capital, an anti-redundancy law and the repeal of
anti-trade union laws in order to retain manufacturing jobs in Britain.
The meeting also discussed Communist electoral strategy in the light of the
party's special congress on January 17, which decided not to participate in
the Respect Unity coalition but to put pressure on right-wing Labour
candidates including support for possible progressive alternatives.
Communist Party International Secretary John Foster reiterated the demand
for a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel, based on the pre-1967
borders before Israeli annexations, and urged a big turn-out for the
Palestine Solidarity Campaign lobby of the Westminster Parliament on January