to it having its own independent publication and its own internal political life.
It is reflected in Respect's failure to develop leadership structures which are properly independent of the component organisations, particularly the SWP, its dominant combonent.
We still have a situation where the SWP bases itself around Socialist Worker in building the SWP, but opposes Respect having its own paper in order to build itself.
And it cannot be accepted that the occasional once-ott broadsheets which are produced in the Respect office are any real substitute for a political newspaper retlecting the views of Respect on an ongoing basis.
Respect does not have a long-term future with this model tor its development. None of the successful broad parties in other parts of Europe have organised in this way.
The Red Green Alliance in Denmark organises as a party ano lakes recrumoment ano membership development seriously. It has twice the membership of Respect (in a much smaller population) and has a newspaper and an internal discussion bulletin.
The Left Block in Portugal - much admired by some SWP leaders - organises in a similar ways. It functions as a party and appears in public as a party.
The success of the SSP, despite the CUSISDTOUCOL down by Tommy Sheridan, was based on these kind of organisational principles.
There has to be a serious approach to both the recruitment and also the retention of members. If members are to slav mn an orcasanon amer thev have loined it there has to be something real for them to relate to. They have to feel that they are involved and that their ideas and involvement make a difference. Respect who feel powerless and disenfranchised by it.
If Respect is going to turn its self round as far as recruitment is concerneo it nas ro bend over backwards to be democratic and open. It has to be seen to be the right place to be for all those sections of the Jett who are not currentv a party of it. Its elected bodies need to be seen to be in control and running the organiThe task at the upcoming Kespect conterence 1S tackle these problems and to build on the success in the local and build Respect into a national organisation with a clear national profile.
The potential Respect had so clearly in its early days has not gone away. The war continues. The crisis of New Labour continues. The crisis of working class representation continues. It is time for Respect to rise to the challenge. What are the facts behind one of the most damaging splits the left has suntered tor many years. And arter une spit, wnat are te prospects tor Ent Scottish Socialist Party, one of the most promising developments for socialism and established by the SSP of building a united pluralist militant socialist and democratic party remains the best way forward for the working class of
SPEAKER: Frances Curran MSP, and other SSP speakers to be announced. Friday 27 October, 7.00pm, University of London Union, Malet St, WC1
page 12 of the scan
Submission to the JCHR
1. It is wrong to imprison for any length of time people without their being charged with an offence, or brought before a magistrate or judge, or being found guilty of an offence and sentenced to be imprisoned.
2. It is wrong to imprison allvone for an indefinite period.
3. These considerations bear particular weight in the case of asylum seekers, many of whom have been through hard, often traumatic experiences that have led them to exercise their right to seek asylum in this country.
This treatment of detained asylum seekers (and sions made by immigration judges. There is no record available to the public of what is said in court. Country information provided by reliable SOULLES (Amnesty International, UNHCR, etc.) is often ignored.
Detainees are frequently sent back to known conflict areas, e.g. Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Sri Lanka, with no regard to their experiences in those countries and what will happen to them.
15. Reductions in available legal aid and the speeding up of procedures have in the past few years made the asylum regime progressively more draconian and difficult for the individual asylum applicant
challenge, particularly