The year since Respect's last conference has been remarkable. The positive General election results in a number of key alcas, d seat 1n Westminster, and the remarkable public profile achieved by Respect, are unique for a left-wing organisation.
The mass support Respect has won in a number of deprived inner city working class areas with big ethnic minority communities Muslim but not only Muslim - is also unique.
The task at this year's conference, however, not about congratulating ourselves on past achievements it is about thrashing out how to translate these gains into long-term all-round development - not an easy task.
The conference agenda takes up a range of issues confronting us at the present time.
There are strong resolutions on the war, civil liberties, asylum, climate change, detence of the NHS and education, solidarity WITN Venezuela and many others which will stand us in very good stead. But the resolutions on building Respect for the future are particularly important. Oppressed
Respect does some things very well. It relates to wider sections of the oppressed than any of its predecessors. Its election campaigns, in its main constituencies, transcend anything the left has done for a long time.
It regularly mobilises big rallies around key themes, attracting audiences beyond its membership. This reflects its real potential, as new Labour moves ever further to the right.
Yet there is a worrying contradiction between Respect's potential its
development. Respect is known to millions and originates from the mass anti-war movement. vet its membership is still around 4,000.
This Respect's real potential - given the opportunities of the past six months. The WSAG's membership in Germany has risen to 13,000 in half the time Respect has existed. National realities are different, but are they that different? Bridgehead
John Rees rightly argued that the gains made by Respect in the election were only a bridgehead. To avoid being pushed back, he argued, Respect needed to be built into a "mass membership party".
This was strongly endorsed by the National Council (NC). George Galloway's often repeated target of 20,000 members is not a fantasy figure.
Yet there has been no real development on this since the election. We are still at the bridgehead with no clear view on how to get beyond. Many people join at rallies, and major events, but the membership does not go up. No new component of the left, or trade union left has joined since the last election.
Respect's election strategy of targeting a small number of seats was effective at the polls. But the distortion of resources it required has left Respect's spread of membership and the organisational strength of local branches dangerously uneven.
There are large memberships in some largel constituencies, but Ilally branches outside of Birmingham and East London are finding it hard to develop.
If this conference endorses a similar election policy it must go alongside measures to back up the branches where there is no election campaign, and which suffer as a result.
This means tackling some of the things Respect is not so good at. At the moment the national office is overstretched and understaffed and the contact with, and servicing of, local branches is seriously inadequate.
This problem is reflected in a cluster of resolutions to conference. Some call for better contact between branches and leading committees and more transincluding the circulation of minutes and the right of branch members to attend as observers.
Others call for a less topdown and more inclusive approach; arrangements for local branches to send resolutions to elected committees, more working parties, policy commissions (health, pensions, education etc, special interest groups and a more systematic approach to recruitment and the integration of new members. Publications
Still more call for the development of basic political material for public use, a general manifesto (or policy statement) for sale to those interested, a regular publication (tabloid), at the national level, regular information bulletin to branches and members and formal arrangements for internal discussion within Respect Many people join at rallies, and major events, but the membership does not go up. No new component of the left, or trade union left has joined since the last election. between conferences.
Respect must project itself as a well organised democratic national organisation with a full range of developed policies, as an anti-war party but not just an antiwar, or single issue, party.
As the Camden and Barnet resolution if Respect 1s going to recruit on a wider basis and bring in other section of the left and the trade union - i.e. become a mass party - it has to be "recognised as the most democratic, transparent, and pluralist organisation within the wider labour ШОСment".
It will be a real problem if these resolutions are rejected - or accepted without the political will to implement them. Or met with the retort: Molly Cooper George Galloway addresses a meeting of Tower Hamlets tenants campaigning to save their homes
Respect as a party from time rately from Respect.