Respect Party Platform There were two very different visions of Respect at this year's Conference.
The view shared by the leadership, which was theretore dominant. was expressed in terms of bravado about Respect's successes and a determination change nothing as long as the loose coalition model appears to be achieving something for the Left.
But this is founded in a self-fulfilling lack of confidence that Respect can work as a party in its own right.
The other view was that Respect can be built into a party with the kind of transparent internal democracy that will attract new, independent members, defections from other parties and affiliations from trade unions.
This was mitigated by concerns about the apparent loss of macpenachl from Respect, who may feel that they have no voice in the coalition.
The constitutional amendment on structures and elections was defeated, partly because of practical objections, but good arguments have now been made both to create better links between branches and the governing body and to have transparent elections for the governing body.
This year the NC slate was accepted without any alternatives having been proposed -hardly a process that involved the membership.
1he session on war and civil liberties set the tone for motions being carried unopThis posea. ncverliciess included specific practical commitments which had not previously been made.
There was a powerful introduction to the session on the environment, and there is no doubt that this is an issue of huge importance.
There was consistent opposition to individualising the solution (particularly putting responsibility on individual workers) and recognising that there is corporate responsibility, but we have yet to be clear on technical solutions that can Work.
The first shift away from the rather stilted atmosphere was the session on trade unions, with some real anger in the contributions from Gill George and Jerry Hicks. Conference seemed to wake up at this point, and it was clear that working with the trade unions is going to be crucial to any success for Rally
Whatever the tactics of giving Saturday afternoon over to the anti-Islamaphobia rally, the rally went well with some good speeches, and perhaps it wouldn't have got the same media coverage if it had been organised separately.
Students were well-repre sented and well received throughout the second day, and the session on defending public services followed the pattern of motions being carried unopposed.
Housing was a prominent theme both in this section and in reports of what
ColnCHOrs have achieved. and the commitment to defending the health service was reaffirmed.
It was only in the session on Respect Organisation and Strategy that motions were opposed. Cheap jibes
There were several cheap and disingenuous objections to requests for transparent democracy, even implying that Respect shouldn't even be discussing its own structures while "Muslims are dying on the streets".
Other members felt that the best defence for alienated communities is a properly organised that can build through independent members and trade unions.
The first motion that was opposed by some members was something slightly unusual in that it was a CPGB
supported by the leadership, committing Respect to supporting John McDonnell's campaign in the Labour Party.
Although it was carried, because of the leadership support, the substantial opposition following many unopposed motions implied a moral defeat, and there is unlikely to be any material commitment.
Supporting a campaign to "galvanise" any part of the Labour Party is not consistent with Respect acting as a party in its own right, but it might be consistent with a loose coalition of organisations which are hedging their