Respect's strong performance in several inner-city seats and George Galloway's victory mean that it is now here to stay. This obliges us to think again about what we want it to become and how we can help it grow.
The political situation facing very favourable. The only sure things about the Labour Party are that it will continue on its rightward path and that the promised rebellions will be pitiful
This means that the audience for politics which challenge neo-liberalism and authoritarianism will be looking for something which is not Labour.
We know that the attacks on public sector pensions will shortly resume and, with the election out of the way, it will be more difficult for union leaders to suspend strike action. The war in Iraq is a long term Labour commitment which will continue to cause it to leak support.
Even so soon after the election it is possible to pick out what the principal campaigning themes of the next four years will be.
Identity cards have become an important plank of the New Labour programme. They will be used to harass and intimidate non-white young people. A dynamic, angry campaign against ID cards will show young people New Labour.
Respect has to make itself the natural home for people who are prepared to engage in real class struggle and want to give it a political expression.
Lots of Labour MPs had pledges in their election materials about immigration controls. Labour's rhetoric on the subject is identical to that of the Tories.
This intellectual climate allowed the BNP -LU poll strongly in some working class areas.
has started to express a clear, working class opposition this racism. That has to be a big part of our fight with the racists.
Respect's internal life has to develop. A regular Respect newspaper would help consolidate branches and groups. It would allow a shared body of ideas to emerge and permit the discussion of policies on areas that have so far been neglected.
Some assumptions that are taken for granted on the left are still controversial among some newer Respect supporters. Equal rights for lesbians and gays is an obvious example.
The only way to deal with disagreement and controversy is to have structures in place at every level in which opposing viewpoints are debated freely.
This process advanced in some parts of the country than in others but it is an indispensable element of democratic working class organisation. Working class militants expect to have their voice heard in their party or their union.
At union branch meetings the elected officers are expected to explain their decisions and account for their actions. Respect must not be any different.
As it starts to win more elections and perhaps gain defectors from other parties we have to be confident that they are the servants of
members. Even Labour Party MPs have to report to their General Committee every month.
Elections are an opportunity to talk to large numbers of people about politics and Respect's electoral successes suggest that a lot of people like what they have heard.
Our challenge now is to show that Respect is about offering answers to all the issues that concern working people and youth and that we do it even when elections are not happening. Getting the word out in Poplar & Canning Town