years in bringing socialist ideas to a mass audience. Over the summer Socialist Resistance interviewed Jorge Costa, who works for Left Bloc members of Parliament, about Left Bloc's work and the future for broad left parties. Jorge will be speaking at the Resistance conference (see panel). Socialist Resistance: Tell us about the formation of the Left Bloc and its development to date. Jorge Costa: The Left Bloc was formed in 1998. The Socialist Party had been in power since 1995 and the balance sheet of their government was negative, particularly on issues like taxation. People felt the need to build a parliamentary alternative.
The groups involved were PSR (the Socialist Revolutionary Party, the 4th international section of which l am a member), UDP (União Democrática Popular, a former Bloco de that of the Left Bloc? arate PSR day-to-day meetings. rent in the Left Bloc and hold our own the Portuguese Section of the Fourth ment? terms of the PSR's organisation and JC: It proved hard to keep up both forms of organisation in terms of holding PSR and Left Bloc meetings. We no longer hold sepWe define ourselves as an internal curevents, for example to celebrate 30 years of
Dower SR: What do you think about the current situation in Brazil, the impact for
encland broad left parties world-wide and the potential for the social movements to change the nature of the Lula governJC: It's possible that the social movements will take to the streets and force changes of policy. The left wing of the Workers' Party (PT) are the most effective interpreters of the anger of the social movements because they are inside the party. The PT has to exert pressure on the government - it
DS (the 4th international current in the Party - they are central, not peripheral, to Resistance's petition in support of those threatened with expulsion are excellent because they work in solidarity with comrades in Brazil. What I don't think is correct is for those outside Brazil to try to be judges SR: What are your current political priJC: We are pulling more and more people work together in the Bloc - including some from the Communist Party. Having elected Britain? members of parliament has given us access to the media allowing us to put forward socialist ideas to a mass audience in a way socialist
At the moment we have a right-wing government to defeat. The demand for a Name... new referendum on legalising abortion will Address
Gaining influence in the trade unions is also vital, as is campaigning against poverty. The next national elections will be in 2005 and opinion polls already say we have more support than the 3 per cent vote we got last