The successful founding conference of Respect set itself a worthy and ambitious target to challenge New Labour at the June elections. It aims to raise £1 million in electoral funds and to turn out one million votes. The number one job must be to build branches and establish Respect. June 2004 provides a fantastic opportunity to do this: but Respect will have to grow beyond elections. Many people attracted to Respect will not regard themselves as socialists. Therefore a major task for Respect will be to win large numbers of people to the ideas of socialism. The activities of the Socialist Alliance (SA) will inevitably be scaled down to accommodate the development of Respect. The following document proposing a non-sectarian and clearly socialist platform, initially in the SA and later in Respect has come from seven members of the SA national executive, three of them supporters of Resistance. We welcome thoughts of Resistance supporters. • • A new platform in the Socialist Alliance
The Socialist Alliance has worked consistently towards building a socialist alternative to New Labour with an acknowledgment that, within our membership, we have more in common than that which divides
The ultimate aim of the Socialist Alliance project has always been to help build a society organised in the interests of working
It is founded on certain principles. In summary, these are:
• Only socialism has the potential to finally rid society of the evils of capitalism: war, exploitation, poverty, environmental destruction and prejudice.
• Only working people, by using their economic and industrial power, have the potential to bring about socialism.
• The politics of our movement must be determined by the widest possible fraternal discussion and debate. Policies and decisions must be the product of true democracy.
• Our leaders will be selected, elected and (when necessary) recalled, by the above process. We will not accept any situation that elevates our leaders above the everyday experience of those that elect them.
It is in this spirit that we have welcomed the development of the RESPECT - Unity Coalition, arising as it does from the biggest and broadest political campaign in a generation. We welcome the opportunity to unite with individuals and groups who have not been part of the SA and to collaborate with other left wing organisations.
Above all, we want to see a political organisation that harnesses the anger of the anti-war movement and challenges the politics of New Labour:
We want this to be a challenge on several fronts - the ballot box, the workplace and the street. This organisation must aim to build a coherent socialist voice in the movement.
If, as we hope, RESPECT is a success:
• it could potentially attract tens of thousands of members - a diverse mix of individuals, organisations and trade unionists many of whom will regard themselves as socialists, others who will not. Although it will have socialist traditions within it, it will not as presently constituted be itself a socialist organisation.
• it will pose issues such as policy making, campaigning priorities, internal democracy, electioneering, etc. It will help in the development of a party to the left of New Labour.
A strong, socialist current can help shape the direction of RESPECT. We are, therefore, proposing a platform from within the Socialist Alliance that would:
• continue to promote the positive and progressive politics and working relationships already built within the Socialist Alliance.
• work to retain the structures and activities of the Socialist Alliance until RESPECT has proved itself to be a viable vehicle to fight for socialist change.
• work to build the widest possible support for socialism within RESPECT.
• aim to bring together socialists/potential socialists who are not members of the existing left and revolutionary organisations.
• broaden the appeal for socialist ideas through policy development, campaigning and activity.
• be an organised and inclusive socialist current within RESPECT.
• campaign for the formation and development of a democratic left wing party to challenge New Labour in future elections with socialist campaigns and policies.
The policies of the platform are what we regard to be a contemporary and succinct version of the overall document "People Before Profit".
Mandy Baker, Matthew Caygill, Jim Jepps, Declan O'Neill, Lesley Mahmood and Will McMahon. THE -WAR FAME
CND NO WAR ON IRAQ VAR The CB managed to work alongside the Socialist Alliance and others in the anti-war movement: but they appear wary of doing so on a wider political front.