Vote Labour where there’s no left candidate? - Socialist Resistance statement

A debate has emerged on voting in the general election following the Respect conference, in particular whether socialists should vote Labour where there is no left candidate. The Socialist Resistance National Committee recently had an initial discussion on this. The result was the following resolution:

“We are in favour of maximizing the left vote in the general election — particularly around candidates who oppose the war, the neoliberal agenda, the cuts and privatisation, and other anti-working class measures.

“Our preferred option in the general election will be to vote for Respect — preferably as part of a wider coalition created in advance. In the absence of Respect or broad coalition candidates we will call for a vote for other credible socialist or radical left candidates and for left Labour MPs such as Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell as well as Green Party candidates who have platforms to the left of Labour. We welcome the decision of the Greens to stand aside for Salma Yaqoob in Birmingham and will work towards similar arrangements in other constituencies.

“In Scotland our first preference will be the SSP and in Wales we call for a vote Plaid against new Labour candidates.

“In order to oppose the far right, and because we cannot advocate an abstention in what is the most important election for a generation, in constituencies where none of the above candidates exists, we call for a vote for Labour.”