Socialist Resistance is convinced that Respect is the best opportunity that the British left has ever had to create a new party with mass working class support to the left of Labour.
Unfortunately its second conference has left the organisation in a weakened state. The thrust of the leadership majority's argument was to limit debates on the way forward and advance a much narrower view of how Respect should develop.
An event that should have been devoted to celebrating the successes of the previous year, planning for the council elections and consolidating local and national structures instead became the vehicle for introducing a new internal regime.
The leadership majority used the conference as an opportunity to de-legitimise political discussion and to try to cow anvone who wanted to offer an additional political perspective.
In a weekend with many low points the nadir was probably Lindsay German speaking to 'support' a Socialist Resistance resolution ensuring that a commitment to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights would not be omitted from future manifestos. She concentrated on suggesting that the motion flowed from a "hidden agenda" - while at the same time implying that its movers were on the same side as liberal Islamophobes. Debating style
The main problem with a leadership debating style that relies on misrepresenting the other side's positions, virtually denying their right to express their views, insinuating that they have ulterior motives - and using the Conference Arrangements Committee to rig the debate - is that it could be the kiss of death for an organisation like Respect.
If the conference had contained a significant number of independent trade union militants, peace activists, environmentalists or anticapitalists such methods would not have been possible.
It is a measure of Respect's need to reach out to these forces that a lot of delegates seemed impressed by such demagoguery.
Delegates who had had the courage of their convictions when voting for resolutions in branches did not feel able to vote the same way when they came under pressure from the top table at conference.
Despite the hectoring that passed for debate, a number of resolutions were approved that will firm up the organisation if they are implemented.
These include the establishment of policy consultation groups and a greater year.
Blair takes his lead from Washington and his cabinet has stood firmly behind Condaleeza Rice and the Bush administration as they seek to justify torture and murder.
Perhaps it should come as no surprise then that a lawsuit has been filed by 28 Pakistanis who claim that they were hooded, tortured and interrogated for a week by British and Greek security services at a secret location in
Athens in the wake of the London bombings of July 2005. Jack Straw has said the nonsense" yet London has barred the news media from printing the names of the implicated agents.
If this is the type of "democracy" that Bush and Blair are seeking to spread throughout the world, then we don't want any part in it. It's time to get rid of the torturers and warmongers! Ilow oi information between the National Council and the branches.
These are the types of things that the RMT activists who are seeking a new political home outside the Labour Party will expect to have as part of the furniture.
Supporters of Socialist Resistance will be working to implement these conference decisions and will continue to work to build Respect at national and local level.
It is clear that many activists felt that the debates were worthwhile, notwithstanding their tone.
They clarified a number of issues which are essential if Respect is to expand.
We think that helping Respect develop into a pluralistic mass party in which the free and comradely exchange of views is standard is a priority for socialists in Britain in 2006. WAR Cameron: hoping the public have short memories