In the aftermath of the Respect conference last year, a number of activists approached Socialist Resistance supporters on the National Council to discuss how to work together to positively build Respect while at the same time fighting for a healthier internal life for the organisation. As a result a new current has been launched inside Respect. We are pleased to print its founding THOSE OF US who have come together to form the Respect Party Platform are tully committed to building
We think it is the most important thing to have happened the left in England for a very long time.
Il renects simllar developments across Europe in recent years from the Left Block in
to the SSP in
Respect came out of the anti-war movement and was founded on socialist principles. It was a positive response to the relentless rightward march of new Labour and the need for an alternative this created.
We have been heartened by the success it has had during its still short existence, in particular the results it achieved in the general election last year and support it has won in the Muslim community. This shows the kind of long-term potential Respect uniquely has.
We were shocked, however, at the 2005 Respect conference, by the attitude of leading members to resolutions trom branches aimed at tackling the problems Respect is experiencing and at improving its functioning - both its democracy and its organisational effectiveness.
Most of these resolutions were agreed, yet speeches by leading members were openly dismissive of them.
The implication was that the views of these leading members were more important than the decisions of the The issue is not what Respect is called. The point is that it is an effective political organisation -both electorally and in campaigning. Respect conference and its elected bodies.
It was argued that Respect is a coalition and not a party, and that coalitions don't need all this stuff. In the case of a regular publication it was argued that it would actually be wrong to have it.
1he issue 1s not what Respect is called. The point is that it is an effective political organisanon - both electorally and in campaigning.
Any organisation with MPs and councillors, which presents itself as a political alternative at elections, has to have basic democratic structures. procedures, and accountability if it is to go anywhere at all. The other pluralist lett organisations in Europe function as parties in this way. Such organisations have to have procedures to decide policy collectively.
Ihose elected on such policy must be prepared to carry it out, or discuss and find a solution. They must be prepared to be accountable to the organisation for the decisions they lake ln their elected positions or in the wider movement.
Given the range of differences which inevitably exist within Respect there has to be a way to discuss, debate, and develop policy between conterences. "here have to be well-organised local branches with their own political life. The elected committees must be the bodies that run the organisation.
At the moment there are problems in the way both the officers' committee and the national council tunction. Kespect must be seen as the most democratic, transparent and genuinely pluralist organisation on the left.
Unless Respect is an organisation of this kind it will not be able to hold new members for the long term. It will not be able to attract other sections of the left, established activists, and the trade union left into its ranks.
Such activists are committed to democracy and equality and can only be attracted by a party which has its elected leadership operating pendently from its affiliated organisallols. and which involves its branches in the democratic process throughout the year.
Nor will it be able to attract young people from the antiwar or global justice movements unless it functions in Unis way.
The situation is urgent. If Respect fails it would be a defeat for the whole of the left Irom wnich it woula be nara to recover. We think the resolutions adopted by conference Contact at: [email protected] http://groups.yahoo.com/group/respectpartyplatform would develop Respect in this •recuon.
This is why we have established the Respect Party Platform as a network inside Respect to work in an organised way for their implementation.
Our priority proposals are:
• Respect has to be built as a mass membership party. This means a new emphasis on recruitment, and a fresh approach to sections of the left currently not in it.
• Respect needs a stronger national political profile, with its own publications, leaflets, pamphlets, and a manifesto for regular use between elecDONS.
The national office needs to be strengthened.
The Officers' Committee and National Council need to be more ettective. develop greater authority, and improve their connections to the local branches. Minutes of Inell meetings should be available to branches and members.
• Structures are needed to ensure the accountability of elected representatives.
• Steps have to be taken to get Respect on a firm financial footing with transparent do seve soccer
• Policy groups and special interest groups need to be established to create more membership involvement in
• We need an internal bulletin and/or website facilities for discussion and debate so that differences can be discussed and ideas developed.
This statement was agreed prior to the advent of the Big Brother House, but we think that it is an experience which reinforces the arguments we have made above.
We hope that others will come forward and join us in this. We are not interested in destructive criticism divorced from a positive approach to building Respect. We are very interested in uniting with those who share this approach.
Respect Party Platform, January 2006.
page 9 of the scan
Alan Thornett Though the main item on the agenda une National Council was Big Brother and its aftermath (referred to briefly in the editorial) several other important items were dealt with.
The most important of these was the local elections in May, where Respect is mounting its first big local election challenge.
The elections and the campaigns around them gives Respect an excellent opportunity to build itself after the impact of Big Brother and make another important step forward.
It will not be easy given the impact of the Big Brother events, but the strong feeling was that it can be done.
The selection of candidates is taking place across the COULLIV wards where struggles to recover from Big Brother fiasco Respect has the possibility of good results. These include seats in Slough, Oxford, Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and, course, Preston wuere already had Michael Lavalette as a councillor.
In London small numbers of candidates are being considered in Hackney, Camden, Enfield, Harringey and Southwark.
The big interventions are in Newham, where the aim is to stand in all 60 seats in 20 wards and in Tower Hamlets where the aim is to stand in all 51 seats.
Newham and Tower Hamlets are where Respect has a real chance of winning a significant number of seats. In Newham Respect is also planning to stand 1n the Mayoral elections.
The other issue dealt with was the implementation of the decisions of the Respect conference last November. This was considered in a detailed and well-prepared item which was far better than last year.
The first was to convene a meeting of trade union activists OISCUSS work in the unions and the forthcoming trade union conferences. The date set for that is March 4.
On publicity materal arrangements were made to update the Respect manifesto from the general election and publish it as a policy pamphlet for general use by the Respect branches.
A manifesto will also be produced for the local elections campaign along with other campaigning material.
The other area where a lot of work needs to be done is on Galloway emerges from the Big Brother House leaving members a problem of rebuilding credibility series of policy groups to develop Respect policy and chair. organise its work. where a group already exists; civil liberties including asylum; defending the NHS; education and housing.
If such groups can be established it will develop the work of Respect and involve more members in it.
A new 20 member officers group was elected. Linda Smith was re-elected as chair, the decision to establish a John Rees as national secretary and Salma Yagoob as vice Although Respect has
The most important areas taken a big hit by the decision here are: the environment, ofits MP and most prominent
member to go in the Big Brother house, the election campaign and the strengthening of Respect in the ways detailed above give it the best chance available to repair the damage and build Respect into a serious alternative to new Labour and the major partics.