The comrades of Socialist Worker -New Zealand, part of the same International Socialist Tendency as the SWP here, sent a long letter to their cothinkers commenting on their handling of the crisis inside Respect.
These are a couple of short extracts:
"The opening contribution of the SWP CC to the Internal Bulletin makes a couple of points which seem to us to be particularly problematic in this context. Firstly, the CC state that:
'The critics of the SWP's position have organised temselves under the slogan "firm in principles, flexible in tactics". But separating principles and tactics in this way is completely unMarxist. Tactics derive from principles. Indeed the only way that principles can become effective is if they are embodied in day-to-day tactics'.
It seems to us an uncontroversial statement that tactics must be based on much more than principles - a lesson which Lenin himself explained clearly in his famous "Left-Wing" Communism.
Revolutionary tactics must be based on the objective realities of the time -the level of class consciousness, the balance of forces in society at any given moment, the resources and cadre available to a revolutionary organization. approach, that the party is behind them. Rather, the SWP "witch-hunting".
To derive tactics from principles is not the method of scientitic socialism, but of a dogmatic or even sectarian "schoolteacher to the class".....
"According to the information we have, your party chose not to debate Galloway's proposals openly within Respect first, and tease out the politics leadership first moved to neutralize internal dissent, before coming out fighting in Respect with accusations of
Instead of leading with the political arguments and winning leadership among the broad left forces in Respect, your leadership seems to have mobilized the party for a civil war waged primarily by organizational or administrative means.
Inherent in this drive to defeat Galloway and his allies appears a "for us or against us" approach which seems to leave no room for any possible reconciliation - in effect, ensuring the death of Respect in its current form as a calition of the broad left and a nascent transitional formation of working-class politics." October Meting between SWP and 'Respect at Crossroads' supporters breaks up without agreement but due to be reconvened Weds 31 Monday 29 October John Rees appears at Tower Hamlets press conference with 4 councillors who have split from Respect group in Tower Hamlets to form a rival group. 17 members of National Council issue letter to Respect members expressing outrage at Press conference.
page 16 of the scan
September 29, where agreement was eventually reached that the national organiser post would be of equal status with the National Secretary. ings there is still no agreed acieganon to conierence in a branch which has nearly 25% of the membership of Respect nationally. SWP with its current leadership and method of operation playing a positive role in the construction of a broad pluralist party in the HE ATS RM