crucial, it is vital that Respect begins to organise and project itself more like a party.
We can expect the mass media to continue to largely ignore - except where we are able to make ourselves into a news item.
This means that we must find alternative ways to make a wider public aware of our existence and the policies we put forward: we need to gencale our owl publicity machinery that can ade quately reflect the strength and size of the organisation we want to build.
Individuals who have joined Respect will come in with different levels of commitment to active work and different levels of previous political experience and organisational flair. They all need to be encouraged to develop politically.
To get the most out of all of them, each member needs to such as the SWP, to communicate with and organise their membership.
Despite the website and the production of leaflets, postcards and local-level publicity Respect has so far clearly not been able to develop adequately without a paper.
Indeed while Respect's National Council recently voted against establishing any form of regular publication, it is conspicuous that when the same leading members of Respect wanted to help promote a recruitment drive targeted at students they were ready and willing to sanction a large print run of a special tabloid newspaper, which is able precisely to prolect the strengths of Respect into Freshers Fairs and the September 24 Stop the War demonstration.
To gain the full benefit of a national publication it is important to devise a sustainLiam Mac Uaid There is no doubt that there is a desperate need for a political alternative to new Labour; its love affair with union busting big business, its craven support for American imperialism and its anti civil liberties agenda.
Many activists who have left the Labour Party say that the complete absence of an opportunity to have their views heard is a key reasons for this decision. They complain that they want to do more than run around at elections times delivering leaflets and follow instructions from Labour headquarters.
This is an important lesson for Respect to learn. Members will be active for a while, but unless Respect develops its own political culture in which the activists can hear both sides of a debate and draw their own conclusions they won't be persuaded to stay.
Respect is widely seen as the party that emerged from the antiwar movement. Its anti-war credentials are beyond reproach. But it still is not seen as the natural home for the trade unionists and working class activists who want a new party.
These are the very people who are used to winning and losing political arguments and we have to create inside Respect the space where they know their voice will be heard. They will decide if we really can make Respect a mass membership party.
There is agreement inside Respect on many international questions and some of the strategic problems facing the organisation. But reports from around the country suggest that serious political discussion and controversy are avoided or conceded unwillingly by local branch leaderships.
We know for example that there are strong differences of opinion in Respect over the legislation on incitement to religious hatred. At the moment Respect branches are not encouraged to discuss the politics behind issues like this.
Local Respect branches have a low profile when they are not fighting elections. Even in Newham in east London where Lindsey German won 19.5% of the vote the party is seldom seen. Not having press and literature about Respect's politics to distribute and help organise activists contributes to this.
Branches too have to develop local campaigning activities. As an example Newham council is transferring much of its housing stock without even allowing a vote. This is the sort of campaign issue that could help Respect put new roots down in the area.
Activists who are used to democratically run union branches or remember how local Labour parties held elected officials to account will expect the same from Respect. People who have been radicalised through the anti-capitalist movement also have expectations of high levels of discussion and accountability. Respect has to offer itself as a model of what a truly democratic working class party looks like.
This year's conference offers us a chance to review what has been an impressive year for Respect. It allows us to coolly examine our strengths and weaknesses, learn from the history of what has happened in other political parties and use this experience to create the party that will break the British working class from New Labour.