Transform Labour into a real party of labour Not back to the Fabian past, but forward to extreme democracy, working class rule and international socialism here are still those amongst us annual conference. who fondly look back to what Annual conference must be the su- Tthey imagine to be a golden preme body of the Labour Party. We age. The old clause four (part four) of need democratic debate and binding our constitution committed us: “To votes. Not a happy-clappy rally de- secure for the workers by hand or by signed for Ed Miliband to display his brain the full fruits of their industry acting talents in front of TV audiences. and the most equitable distribution Make officials and shadow ministers thereof that may be possible upon the report as humble servants. No more basis of the common ownership of would-be media stars, no more control- the means of production, distribution freakery, no more business lobbyists, and exchange, and the best obtainable promotions and exhibits. An authori- system of popular administration and tative, honest, no-holds-barred con- control of each industry or service.” ference would certainly guarantee an Mistakenly, this is interpreted as a immediate increase in CLPs sending sincere commitment to socialism. But delegates to conference. when it was first adopted, in February As with the trade unions, our elected 1918 - during the slaughter of inter- representatives must be recallable by imperialist war - the idea of Sidney the constituency or other body that Webb and the Fabians was to divert selected them. That includes Labour the considerable sympathy that existed MPs, MEPs, MSPs, AMs, councillors, for the Russian Revolution into safe, etc. constitutional, channels. No to control by faceless bureaucrats Likewise, without exception, our Needless to say, clause four was elected representatives should take mainly for show. However, even if it Believe it. And far from austerity-lite pay higher than the average of the others. The leader of the Labour Party only the average wage of a skilled had been taken seriously and put into being a step towards socialism, it will membership. Moreover, rules which should be a nominal position. Instead worker. When it comes to existing practice, Fabian socialism is antitheti- create demoralisation in the working restrict the ability of the rank and file of a Bonaparte with the power to ap- salaries, the balance should be given cal to working class self-liberation. class and the chances are the election of to organise and criticise must be swept point shadow ministers, the National to the party. On current figures, that Industry, banking, transport, etc, an even more rightwing and regressive away. Such measures bring discredit to Executive Committee should be re- means around £40,000 from each MP would be bureaucratically national- Tory government. That has been the our movement. sponsible for electing chairs of the PLP, (at present they are only obliged to pay ised. The mass of the population, how- lesson of history. No, our main prior- Trade union votes at Labour Party shadow ministers, etc. the £82 parliamentarians’ subscription ever, remain exploited wage-slaves. ity should be rebuilding, democratis- conferences should be cast not by gen- At present rank and file Labour rate). That would give a substantial fil- Capitalism without capitalists. ing and re-educating the entire labour eral secretaries, but proportionately, Party members are deeply alienated. lip to our depleted finances. Nevertheless, the old clause four movement. Inevitably that perspective according to the political balance in The Joint Policy Committee, the It should be a basic principle that resulted from mass pressure. Because includes transforming the Labour Party each delegation. Conference cannot be National Policy Forum and the whole our representatives live like workers, of World War I, because of the Russian into a real party of labour. dominated by four or five men in suits. Partnership into Power rigmarole have not pampered, middle class careerists. Revolution, capitalism was widely As a party we should commit our- The Labour Party should be reor- demonstrably failed. Instead of being If that was done, no longer would peo- discredited, viewed as inherently ir- selves to energetically campaign to ganised from top to bottom. All social- reformed, they should simply be abol- ple say, ‘All politicians are the same’ or rational, warlike, prone to constantly revive the trade union movement. The fall ist and communist groups, leftwing ished. The NEC must be unambigu- that they are ‘ll in it for personal gain’. recurring crises. Socialism was seen as from 12 million trade union members in think tanks and progressive campaigns ously responsible for drafting Labour This perspective motivates our ‘For the answer. What was true of 1918 is in- the late 1970s to some seven mil- ought to be encouraged to affiliate. The Party manifestos. And, of course, the a strong, democratic and socialist la- creasingly the case in the 2010s. There lion today can be reversed. Party Labour Party must become the com- NEC needs to be fully accountable to bour movement’ motion l is a widespread rejection of capitalism. members should take the lead in re- mon home for all workers and working Calls for a return of the old clause cruiting masses of new trade unionists class organisations - the stated goal in four are understandable, but totally and restoring the strength of the un- 1900. Towards that end the undemo- Motion No9 from Labour Party Marxists misplaced. We need to go forwards, ions in the workplace and in society cratic bans and proscriptions must be not look backwards. Labour needs to at large. Every level of the party needs rescinded. Clause two (five) must be organise on the basis of an explicitly to be involved. That includes our coun- reformulated. A whole raft of new af- For a strong, democratic socialist, as opposed to a social demo- cillors and MPs. filiated socialist and other such organi- cratic, neoliberal or Blue Labour pro- Strikes must be unashamedly sup- sations would not bring in hundreds and socialist labour gramme. Only then can we fulfil our ported. Not condemned. There ought of thousands of new recruits. It would responsibilities. to be a binding commitment to back though bring in many highly valuable That is why Labour Party Marxists workers in their struggle to protect men and women of talent and dedica- movement advocate extreme democracy in society jobs, pensions and fight spending cuts. tion. The culture of our party can that he Miliband-Balls leadership’s pledge that the next Labour and throughout the labour movement, Inevitably the anti-trade union laws way be greatly enhanced. Tgovernment will responsibly manage the capitalist system will working class rule and international will have to be defied. The Parliamentary Labour Party has mean maintaining pay freezes and spending cuts, attacking the socialism. In parallel all trade unions ought to to be brought into line. We must end the working class in the ‘national interest’ of the British capitalist class. Historically - in terms of member- be encouraged to affiliate to the Labour situation where Labour members vote This would not be a stepping stone towards socialism. ship, finances and electoral base - our Party, all members of the trade unions for one thing and the PLP does another. History shows that Labour governments committed to British party has largely relied on the work- encouraged to pay the political levy to What is needed is not further measures nationalism, the monarchy and the existing constitutional order sow ing class. This has been our greatest the Labour Party and join as individual of bureaucratic control from above, but disillusionment and demoralisation in our class, paving the way for strength; and here is the source of our members. democratic control from below. ever-more rightwing Tory governments. Cameron’s Tory-Liberal hope and confidence in the future. Unions that have either been ex- Our ward and constituency parties Democrat coalition government, with its project of privatising health Because of its constantly renewed so- pelled or disaffiliated need to be wel- will continue to wither and die if they and education, is further to the right than the Thatcher and Major cial position the working class tends to- comed back: eg, the RMT and FBU. remain under the thumb of regional or- governments, which were more right wing than Heath’s. wards collectivist, socialistic solutions. But there are unions which have ganisers and are expected to act as mere The capitalist system of exploitation and oppression is in deep, Despite Blairism, New Labour and never had an organised relationship transmission belts for Victoria Street. prolonged crisis, inflicting misery on humanity. Only the world’s the public sacrifice of the old clause with the Labour Party: eg, PCS and Local autonomy enlivens, educates and working class can bring the system to an end. But our mass organisations four we remain a distinctly class party. NUT. Indeed of the 58 unions affili- lays the basis for growth and national are weak and politically committed to capitalism. The historic relationship with the trade ated to the TUC only 15 are affiliated influence. All officials in the Labour Our key aim, therefore, is to rebuild, democratise and re-educate unions survives, there are still 2.7 mil- to Labour. Winning new trade union Party must be subject to regular elec- the entire labour movement. With powerful trade unions, with the lion affiliated members and the work- affiliates would help transform our tion and re-election. parliamentary Labour Party under the control of a vibrant mass ing class ‘core vote’ stood up well in present situation. Labour Party Marxists want the membership, with a working class that is militantly political and the last general election. Naturally, the fight to transform the present post of Labour leader abol- consciously socialist, far-reaching concessions can be gained in It would be a mistake of the worst Labour Party cannot be separated from ished. While our party has to fulfil the Britain, and effective solidarity delivered to our brothers and sisters kind to bank on the election of an Ed the fight to democratise the trade un- statutory requirements laid down in broad. In co-ordination with the international workers’ movement, Miliband government. Such a govern- ions. All trade union officials ought to the thoroughly undemocratic Political crucially across Europe, capitalism can be overcome and replaced by ment, we are told, will be committed be subject to regular election and be Parties, Elections and Referendums the rule of the working class and socialism l to cuts and maintaining pay freezes. recallable. No official should receive Act, the Führerprinzip can be left to II LPM November 2012

Not personal but an irresponsible political split Political differences should be brought out into the light of day. Hiding them for appearance’s sake stores up trouble, writes Stan Keable elegates at the 2012 TUC congress and the Labour DParty conference were no doubt perplexed to find two rival publications on sale with the same name - Labour Briefing. Both journals argue for socialist ideas in Louise Whittle the Labour Party and both claim to be the continuation of 32 years of Labour Briefing as a pluralist forum for the Labour left, trade unionists and campaigners. The genuine Labour Briefing (labourbriefing.org.uk) is now produced by the Labour Representation Committee, a growing organisation led by John McDonnell MP, with 1,200 or so individual members and around 150 affiliated organisations, including national trade unions, and a democratic structure. The other, self-styled “original” Labour Briefing (labourbriefing.co.uk) has no democratic structure. It is a spoiler launched by six comrades who had come to regard Briefing as their personal property and were unwilling to abide by the Briefing AGM vote. The LRC had become “too leftwing” for them. Others who opposed the merger have accepted the democratic decision, to their credit. Christine Shawcroft (left): funny sort of solidarity Jon Lansman, for instance, was a signatory of the anti-merger motion, and accountable.” In the discussion During the four years since the between the two sides were difficult and national policy forum”. Its role but joined the interim editorial board on the two motions, Andrew Berry merger proposal was previously to discern. Both sides were clearly should be “to make the left visible, which functioned until the LRC’s pointed to the “accountability deficit raised, the idea was not developed committed to the struggle within not to lead it”. November 10 AGM. in Briefing”. Norette Moore - who, and thrashed out in the pages of the the Labour Party, but at least some With all their talk of pluralism, Peter Firmin’s motion to the July as a recent secretary of Greater journal itself - the logical thing to have of the anti-merger wing wanted to of giving a voice to all strands of 7 Labour Briefing annual general London LRC, might reasonably be done. If that had happened, readers keep a certain distance from the the Labour left, the anti-merger meeting - that Briefing should expected to know - said she had not could have become familiar with the LRC - apparently because they wing of Briefing seems satisfied “become the magazine of the LRC” previously attended a Briefing AGM arguments and the issue need not have want to keep a certain distance with the left remaining divided, so - was carried, and the alternative because this was “the first time I exploded onto a surprised readership from the non-Labour left. The anti- that Briefing can carry on its “non- motion moved by Jenny Fisher that heard that it is open”. I myself was in the form of a personality clash. merger comrades did not dispute the aligned” role of supposedly being the magazine should continue to be similarly surprised, earlier in the year, In the period leading to the AGM, description of Briefing in comrade everyone’s voice. These comrades “run by our readers” was defeated, by to discover that AGMs were open to Briefing did not even carry the text of Firmin’s four-page motion: “Briefing do not want organisational unity 44 votes to 37 with three abstentions, readers, and that anyone at all could Peter Firmin’s merger motion, though has a unique role in providing a broad, - which, however, is vital to the after what comrade Firmin fairly attend and vote - a fact not advertised, it had been submitted to the EB as non-sectarian voice for the left, which task of defeating the pro-capitalist described as “by and large a healthy and presumably unknown to most of early as its April meeting. Surely this orientates politically towards the bureaucracy and transforming the debate”. By this slim majority, the the roughly 950 Briefing readers. was the legitimate business of all Labour Party and fights to channel party into a pro-working class, AGM agreed to “transfer Briefing to Under these circumstances, it readers and supporters, and should the demands of the broader movement socialist party. Reflecting the sad the LRC with immediate effect, with is perhaps inevitable that personal have been published in full as early and campaigns towards the party and a division of much of the left, in or the aim of a relaunch at this autumn’s frictions arise and working together as possible. Pre-AGM discussion in Labour government.” But the motion out of Labour, into bureaucratic- Labour Party conference”. In fact, an may become intolerable to the the journal was limited to a single also emphasised the importance of centralist sects which forbid public interim 16-page September issue was individuals concerned - in this case page for each side in the June issue, the class struggle outside the Labour discussion of political differences, produced in time for the TUC, and between comrades Jenny Fisher and again in the July issue, but there Party and, while comrade Firmin said they support this backwardness by the October issue was out for party and Graham Bash. It was comrade were no readers’ letters on the merger “the Labour Party is the agency of believing that pluralist organisation, conference. Bash’s withdrawal from the EB in proposal. So the main debate raged change”, he added that “class struggle where minorities can express their On the day, the Briefing AGM February, also withdrawing the use on the Facebook pages of Briefing is the agency of change in the Labour views, is impossible. Pluralism versus debate was thankfully free of the of his home as the EB’s office and and LRC, where facts and arguments Party”. Richard Price, in contrast, organisation. Wrong. silly online accusation that the whole meeting place, which triggered the were gradually dragged into the light exhibited a severe case of Labour Hence, the pejorative term, “house purpose of the merger proposal was revival of the 2008 proposal that - but only for those with the time and Party sectarianism, fulminating journal”, that was used by a number personal: to exclude Jenny Fisher, Briefing should merge with LRC. tenacity to dredge their way through against LRC joint secretary Andrew of anti-merger comrades. Comrade Christine Shawcroft and others from But behind personal conflict there hundreds of messages. Fisher for resigning from Labour Fisher most clearly expressed this Briefing’s editorial board (EB). In are usually political differences, and like so many comrades (though he view in a Facebook posting: “I still fact the June LRC national committee it was wrong for comrade Shawcroft ‘Historic’ delay later rejoined), over the Labour don’t see how the LRC can produce meeting had already agreed (subject to ask readers to oppose the merger Chairing the AGM, comrade government’s 2003 invasion of a pluralist and open magazine if it is to Briefing voting for the merger) on the basis of personal loyalty, as she Shawcroft, drawing attention to the Iraq. And the LRC, he complained, the magazine of only one organisation to invite all existing EB members did online, dividing the two EB camps day’s agenda, announced somewhat had split the Centre-Left Grassroots - its mouthpiece, aiming to build that to sit on the interim editorial board into “carvers and carvees”. casually and unconvincingly that Alliance slate and allowed rightwinger organisation (unless one assumes that “with full rights, including voting”, Despite the much proclaimed the merger proposal (or “takeover”, Luke Akehurst onto Labour’s NEC. organisation is the pluralist left, rather alongside those appointed by the NC. commitment on both sides of the as she called it) made it “a historic Comrade Stewart, who penned the than part of it).” Subsequently, they will have the same merger debate to continuing Briefing’s meeting”. But the proposed agenda anti-merger page in the June issue of Perhaps the trump card of the anti- right as anyone else to a seat on the EB pluralist tradition of carrying articles allocated only an hour and 20 minutes Briefing, admitted that “the LRC is merger wing was veteran Labour - six to be elected by the LRC AGM from different political trends, it out of four hours to this issue - to be too left for me”. CND comrade Walter Wolfgang, and six by the national committee, is evident that airing differences preceded by two hours for four guest Ian Ilett, speaking in favour of the who told us that Briefing is needed to give “a balance of independence in public - actually a most healthy speakers and discussion. A comrade merger, saw the political difference as because “Tribune is not always from, and accountability to, the NC”. thing to do - is regarded by most from Labour Party Marxists proposed either “working in the Labour Party, consistent”. But Briefing “must be Co-optees will not have a vote, in as an embarrassment. In the online that the “historic” merger proposal - waiting for the class struggle to come independent of an organisation … order “to maintain the supremacy of debates prior to the AGM, quite a few “the reason there is such a big turnout in” (anti-merger), or “going out to the To make it a house journal would those elected”. It goes without saying, comrades bemoaned “wasting time today” - be taken seriously and moved class struggle” (pro-merger). Indeed, be to murder it.” However, the pro- of course, that this NC plan may be on internal disputes”, while there are to the top of the agenda. Only if time comrade Jenny Fisher’s emphasis, in merger trump was John McDonnell, varied by the LRC AGM itself. real issues “out there”. At the AGM, permitted should we hear the guest moving the anti-merger motion, saw who, after pleading for everyone to This democratic structure will, Simon Clark (for example), while speakers. But comrade Shawcroft Briefing’s role almost purely within accept whatever decision was made hopefully, bring transparency and arguing for the merger, said that the overruled the proposal, and invited the Labour Party. “Some in the LRC,” and leave the room as comrades, accountability to the editorial board, LRC “needs a paper, not debate”, and the comrade to challenge the chair’s she said, “want to build the LRC as an reluctantly admitted that he had been in place of the previous ‘tyranny of an ex-Islington councillor thought it ruling, which would require a two- alternative movement”. Briefing “isn’t won away from his previous agnostic structurelessness’ which left control “sad to dispute amongst ourselves”. thirds majority. However, John an organisation: it’s a magazine”. position by the arguments of Mike in the hands of those in the know, But unless ideas are openly expressed Stewart asked if more time could And, pretending that Briefing does Phipps and was now convinced or the most tenacious volunteers. and thrashed out in the light of day, be given to the two motions, and not have its own politics, she added: that merger was “beneficial for the “At present,” said the successful they fester in an undeveloped form in the chair agreed to start the item 30 “Don’t tell the Labour left the answers movement overall”. resolution, “Briefing is run by a small the dark, and only burst into public minutes earlier. - they have ideas themselves.” group of people … its structures and view in the rotten form of a crisis - as Although passions were sometimes Briefing should “give space to the Red-baiting procedures are not very transparent on this occasion. high, significant political differences newly elected left on Labour’s NEC On July 8, the day after the AGM, LPM November 2012 III

Not personal but an irresponsible political split Our aims Political differences should be brought out into the light of day. Hiding them for appearance’s sake stores up trouble, writes Stan Keable and instead of accepting the democratic in the party in any case. “There is a opponent of the merger motion, decision of the Briefing AGM, long list of people I would not vote had chaired the AGM. Both sides comrades Fisher and Shawcroft issued for before I got to Christine,” wrote had mobilised, and the AGM was principles a press release which, unfortunately, one comrade. unusually well attended. The vote reverted to many of the acrimonious In the “original” September TUC was very close: 44 to 37, with three 1. The central aim of Labour programme. This cannot terms and arguments used online special, comrade Shawcroft criticised abstentions. Several of those pulled in Party Marxists is to transform be achieved in Britain in before the relatively cordial debate the “tendency on the left to write off to oppose the merger were won over the Labour Party into an isolation from Europe and at the AGM. Labour Briefing is to the bulk of party members … in a during the debate. instrument for working class the rest of the world. “close down” and the LRC intends to game of ‘prolier than thou’”, which So the merger was necessary. But advance and international 8. Socialism is the rule of launch “its own house journal, using “manifested itself on the Briefing I disagree with Mike’s insistence that socialism. Towards that end the working class over the the same name”. Despite the majority editorial board occasionally” and “led the split was about personalities, not we will join with others and global economy created by vote by the Briefing AGM on a to Briefing drifting away from ordinary politics. On the contrary, the personal seek the closest unity of the capitalism and as such is motion from members of the Briefing party members and away from our clashes on the editorial board were left inside and outside the antithetical to all forms of editorial board, the press release has original mission of encouraging fuelled by political conflicts. While party. British nationalism. Demands it that “members of the LRC - aided members to speak for themselves”. the splitters use red-baiting to 2. Capitalism is synonymous for a British road to socialism by members of the Communist Party Christine argued effectively that ingratiate themselves with the so- with war, pollution, waste and a withdrawal from the of Great Britain, which produces the party membership should not be called centre of the party, the LRC and production for its own European Union are therefore the Weekly Worker - attended the written off. “The ultras” are wrong, is looking outwards to win all trade sake. Attempts to rescue the to be opposed. AGM of Labour Briefing and forced she said, to claim “that the fact that unions to affiliate to Labour, and to system through Keynesian 9. Political principles and through a vote …” The merger is “a David [Miliband] got more votes campaigns like Occupy, in the hope remedies are diversionary organisational forms go hand- hostile takeover which is tantamount in the constituency section than his that they will supply new blood in the and doomed to fail. The in-hand. The Labour Party to political asset-stripping”, the little brother is proof of the inherent struggle to transform Labour. As Pete democratic and social gains must become the umbrella press release continued. “Those conservatism of party members”. Firmin’s merger motion said, “class of the working class must organisation for all trade readers who have been robbed of In his electioneering, David did not struggle is the agent of change in the be tenaciously defended, unions, socialist groups and their magazine are now the human announce “that he was the son of Tony Labour Party”. but capitalism must be pro-working class partisans. collateral damage in the LRC’s turn Blair”. “He stood on false pretences, The reluctance of Briefing cadres superseded by socialism. Hence all the undemocratic to empire building.” and members were taken in”. to publish their disagreements in the 3. The only viable alternative bans and proscriptions must This red-baiting and fingering Such arguments are all well pages of their own journal made it is organising the working be done away with. comrades as Communist Party and good against those who would difficult for readers and supporters class into powerful and 10. The fight to democratise members, reminiscent of give up the fight to transform the to discern the unarticulated political thoroughly democratic trade the Labour Party cannot be McCarthyism and the worst aspects party - to democratise it, establish differences which gave rise to the unions, co-ops, and other separated from the fight to of the Labour Party in the cold war rank and file control over the party eruption of personal hostilities on schools for socialism, and democratise the trade unions. period, was repeated uncritically bureaucracy, open the party up to the editorial board at the start of crucially into a political Trade union votes at Labour by Jon Lansman in his July 9 Left include all working class and socialist 2012. As the bulk of the editorial party which aims to replace Party conferences should be Futures blog, where he presented what organisations and tendencies, and win board were LRC members, a merger the rule of the capitalist class cast not by general secretaries appeared to be a neutral, journalistic it for the interests of the working class with the LRC might have seemed with the rule of the working but proportionately according report - failing to mention that he majority and socialism. But they are non-controversial. But the splitters class. to the political balance in was one of the signatories of the anti- not good reasons for splitting from have been uncomfortable about their 4. The fight for trade union each delegation. merger motion, or the unmissable fact the LRC, whose aim is precisely association with the LRC, especially freedom, anti-fascism, 11. All trade unions should that comrade McDonnell had spoken to transform the Labour Party, not its left wing, fearing it will endanger women’s rights, sexual be encouraged to affiliate, in favour of the merger. abandon it. As the genuine, LRC- their alliance with the so-called centre freedom, republican all members of the trade In the light of their hostile press controlled Briefing underlines, “The of the party, especially the Campaign democracy and opposition unions encouraged to pay release, I put two questions to LRC is a democratic, socialist body for Labour Party Democracy and the to all imperialist wars the political levy and join the comrades Shawcroft and Fisher. working to transform the Labour Centre-Left Grassroots Alliance, are inextricably linked to Labour Party as individual Are you planning to launch a rival Party into an organisation that reflects which between them got Christine working class political members. magazine, as some have suggested? all sections of the working class.” Shawcroft successfully re-elected to independence and the fight 12. The party must be I hope not. Will you write for the Having backed the successful the NEC. for socialism. reorganised from top coming issues of Briefing? I hope so. motion at the July 7 Briefing AGM The splitters’ “original” 5. Ideas of reclaiming the to bottom. Bring the Unfortunately, their answer came only that the journal should “become Briefing hypocritically claims to be “a Labour Party and the return Parliamentary Labour Party with the first issue, the TUC special, the magazine of the Labour non-aligned magazine which is open of the old clause four are under democratic control. of “the original” Labour Briefing. Representation Committee”, many to all” and that it was set up because totally misplaced. From the The position of Labour Feigning exclusion, the six LRC members, as well as Briefing readers “did not want to be shut up beginning the party has been leader should be abolished splitters - Lizzy Ali, Stephen Beckett, readers and supporters not in the by the LRC”. But aren’t they the ones dominated by the labour along with the national policy Jenny Fisher, Richard Price, Christine LRC, were variously “outraged”, who, at the January 2012 editorial bureaucracy and the ideas forum. The NEC should be Shawcroft and John Stewart - say “disappointed” and “sad” on board meeting, opposed publication of reformism. The party unambiguously responsible they formed the Labour Briefing Facebook and Yahoo at the decision of my letter, mildly critical of sectar- must be refounded on the for drafting Labour Party Co-operative Limited, which owns of the six anti-merger comrades to ian comments by Christine Shawcroft? basis of a genuinely socialist manifestos. the “original”, to act as “a custodian flout the majority decision. However, In her short report of the 2011 LRC programme as opposed to 13. The NEC should be of Labour Briefing to protect it before getting too righteous about AGM, Christine had light-heartedly social democratic gradualism elected and accountable to against being taken over by a hostile the “disgraceful behaviour” of once wished that the Alliance for Workers’ or bureaucratic statism. the annual conference, which group”. Their journal declares itself “trusted comrades” who “ignore Liberty, the New Communist Party 6. The aim of the party must be the supreme body in “an independent voice and forum democratic decisions”, etc, we should and Labour Party Marxists - all affili- should not be a Labour the party. Instead of a tame for socialist ideas in the Labour remember that the boot might well ates of the LRC - would “go and play government for its own sake. rally there must be democratic Party and trade unions”. Its first have been on the other foot, so to in someone else’s organisation”. The History shows that Labour debate and binding votes. editorial excused their irresponsible speak, had the vote gone the other way. argument over whether to publish the governments committed 14. Our elected representatives split by repeating the mantra of a Some pro-merger comrades made it letter caused a row, and Graham Bash to managing the capitalist must be recallable by the “hostile takeover”, although the very clear before the Briefing AGM withdrew from the editorial board, un- system and loyal to the constituency or other body merger proposal originated in the that “we have had enough”, and able to remain in the same room as existing constitutional order that selected them. That Briefing editorial board itself, most “we will walk” if necessary. Indeed, Jenny Fisher. But my letter was pub- create disillusionment in the includes MPs, MEPs, MSPs, of whom were LRC members. It Graham Bash had walked out of the lished and freedom of expression was working class. AMs, councillors, etc. wrongly accuses the pro-merger editorial board as early as February. upheld - despite the objections of those 7. Labour should only Without exception elected comrades of “contempt for Labour Mike Phipps, who played a who now claim to be “open to all”. consider forming a representatives should take Party members”, on the basis of a pivotal role in winning support for Protecting ‘ordinary workers’ or government when it has the only the average wage of a paragraph in LRC joint secretary Pete the merger, explained convincingly ‘ordinary party members’ from real active support of a clear skilled worker, the balance Firmin’s successful AGM resolution: to the September 8 meeting of debate in the hope of not scaring them majority of the population being donated to furthering “Briefing is predominantly sold Greater London LRC why it was away does not educate them and does and has a realistic prospect of the interests of the labour within the Labour Party to Labour necessary. Briefing, Mike said, has not prevent splits. Spoon-feeding implementing a full socialist movement l Party members. This is a weakness, been in long-term decline, because the readers with pre-digested consensus as membership of the party has been Labour left has been shrinking. There obstructs the necessary clarification decimated, and the Labour left is was a real danger that Briefing would of ideas for both readers and almost invisible to the outside world.” become unviable, like Voice of the leaders. Ideas remain undeveloped. If you agree with LPM’s aims and But surely this is merely a truthful Unions before it, which had been Although the merger decision was estimate of the weakness of the absorbed by Briefing. The 2011 made by a democratic vote, a two- principles or want to contact us, Labour left. Unfortunately, however, AGM was attended by only about 25 hour debate cannot substitute for the the left outside the party is just as comrades. On the other hand, the LRC kind of extensive written polemic write to: BCM Box 8932, London weak. was growing and needed a journal. and ongoing discussion necessary WC1N 3XX. Although a few LRC members About 80% of the Briefing editorial for the clarification of ideas. To the expressed the view that the splitters board were LRC members. Should extent that a culture of freedom of should be expelled, and never again the same overstretched team expression is not adopted, the same supported in any Labour Party produce two journals? Nothing political frictions will inevitably Or email secretary@ election, most are more sensible. They was “forced through”, as the continue to fester in the dark, not only labourpartymarxists.org.uk want Christine Shawcroft to return “original” Briefing claimed; indeed between the rival journals, but within to the LRC fold, but will support her Christine Shawcroft, a leading each camp l IV LPM November 2012

LabourEd Miliband has invoked the legacy of Benjaminturns Disraeli in order to embrace blue the agenda of Blue Labour, argues Paul Demarty

e on the far left, despite our that exercised the two trade union men: at the time and incorporated into the carefully cultivated image McCluskey called the policy “crazy”, great, nauseating national story peddled Was fearless revolutionaries and described the jobs-versus-wages by Miliband. on the avant-garde of history, are argument as a “false choice”: it is “time For daring even to mention Attlee, quaintly old-fashioned in some ways. for Labour to once and for all turn its Balls got a standing ovation. Apart For example, we foolishly hold to back on the neoliberalism of the past”, from that, you know a speech was the quirky old shibboleth that ‘the he concluded.2 deathly dull when the headline policy purpose of a party conference is to It may be that, for once, a union announcement is using the proceeds decide policy.’ figure as significant as McCluskey from selling off the 4G communications Not nearly ‘modernised’ enough a was inclined to back up his words infrastructure to build 100,000 new notion for the Labour Party machine with action; until he proves it, we must houses. in its present state. At least, in the assume that he is all mouth and no good old days before Blair, Brown trousers (indeed, subsequent statements Escape to victory and Miliband, Labour tried to pretend have made the latter look very much It may be asked, exactly how do its conferences mattered, passing all the more likely state of affairs, as we Miliband and Balls expect to get manner of hotly controversial motions, shall see). On that assumption, the people excited about a possible Labour which would then be ignored by the interventions of McCluskey and Prentis government with so little detail about parliamentary party. Now, the purpose were a minor theatrical performance: what it would actually do? This would of a party conference is the same in they made intransigent noises, and be to miss the point. The excuse offered their eyes as it always has been in the Eds dismissed their statements as by both, on several occasions, is that it the Tories’: to provide a platform for irresponsible balderdash. would be irresponsible to make policy leaders to shine, unchallenged, before The Eds got to display their pledges now, when those pledges come the bourgeois media. ‘independence’ from the unions (read: due in two or three years, by which Not the only thing they borrow cravenness before the capitalist class) time all kinds of things might have from the Tories these days. The for all the world to see. Meanwhile, the happened. start of Labour’s conference was union bureaucrats got an extra chance The subtext is this: the strategy one calculated build-up to the ‘main to rally the troops for October 20, and adopted by the Labour leadership is to event’ on the Tuesday night - when Ed otherwise paint themselves to the left of do nothing, and hope that the chaotic Miliband announced the new branding the Labour leadership. Everybody won, flux of capitalist crisis makes the Tories for his party. It is apparently the party except public sector workers. an untenable party of government. of ‘one nation’, a phrase cheekily lifted The theatrics were insubstantial, Under those circumstances, they will from Benjamin Disraeli in a manner but preferable to the main event - the sail into government with the wind designed to raise a few eyebrows. All various statements from the Eds and behind them. For this to work, it is the carefully orchestrated buzz the day their shadow-cabinet toadies. Stitching crucially necessary not to scare off the after focused on that soundbite, and up conference is all very well to appease Confederation of British Industry or rumours abounded that Labour MPs the swing voters of middle England the City. Beyond that, it is necessary were under orders to drop it into every (read: the bourgeois papers they are to have a ‘big idea’, or rather a interview possible. gullible enough to believe); everything branding strategy, and a key policy can be stage-managed to be bang on pledge (one-nationism and reversing Grumbles message (apart from the calculatedly the Lansley bill, respectively), which Until Tuesday, the conference had off-message rantings of McCluskey) can then be picked up as the reasons looked like being pretty run-of-the- and editors of The Times, Financial for the bourgeois establishment to mill. Times and suchlike may be appeased. back Labour over the Tories in an Alongside the thin policy The late and unlamented polling guru, election. announcements and cheap shots at the Philip Gould, would approve. It is a long shot, and whether it government, there were the usual gripes The sacrifice is ultimately the will pay off or not is entirely out of and grumbles from those (marginally) conferences themselves. By god, the Labour leadership’s hands. Still, to the leadership’s left. The leadership’s these events are dull. Every last spark it should be remembered that it was present attitude to such insignificant of life is extinguished in them. Policy Yet another rebranding not the masses of the people - most expressions of dissent is, in one sense, announcements are honed down to of whom will not have paid any the story of a motion. Its text called the humblest tweaks of this collapsing came together to defeat fascism, and difference between Glasman and the direct attention to the proceedings in in essence for the two Eds, Miliband social order. In place of debate, there we heard it again as Clement Attlee’s Blairites - undercutting the slickness Manchester - who were targeted by and Balls, to commit to the reversal is a small and browbeaten audience Labour government rebuilt Britain after of the latter with the philosophical Miliband’s rhetoric, it was not his own of the privatisation and marketisation (the hall is rarely full), whose every the war.” grandiosity of the former, and vice party and it was not the unions either. It of the national health service in recent whimper of mirth or applause is as (And - as an aside - the response versa. was the press. He has made his pitch, decades - it was a model motion, canned as on an American sitcom, and of the griping union tops to this bilge? It may be that this nationalist and now he must wait and see. of which numerous variants were whose every vox-pop to waiting hacks “This is a tour de force. It is the best narrative gets your heart-rate up, and Those who watch poorer football submitted by CLPs.1 thronged outside (‘So what did you speech from a Labour leader I have causes you spontaneously to break teams play against better ones will It was Hull North’s version that make of Ed’s speech?’) is impeccably heard and it will offer genuine hope into ‘Land of hope and glory’. If so, recognise this strategy - keep all the finally made it to the conference floor. rehearsed. to voters,” gushed McCluskey. “This you are reading the wrong paper; but players behind the ball, building a In order to do so, the constituency had The effect, on the whole, is like was the day Ed Miliband showed that more importantly, you probably vote grand defensive shield, and attack only to organise a 200-strong lobby of the playing with Victorian automata - the he was prime minister material. He Conservative as a matter of course, and when there is no risk of conceding a conference centre and face down the first time you set the thing off, some delivered a truly inspirational vision it will take more than an unconvincing goal. Sooner or later, the opposing team conference arrangements committee, wonder is to be had at the detail in of a fairer, united Britain under the next lend-lease of moth-eaten Tory jargon to will get frustrated and make a fatal which first attempted to rule the NHS the mechanics of it all. We have had Labour government,” reckoned Prentis. stop you. After all, nobody does Tory mistake, which can then be exploited. motions out of order and then attempted over a decade of such ‘conferences’ ‘Pass the sick bag,’ pleaded the nation.) jargon like the Tories. As a strategy, it requires patience and to gut them through the compositing from Labour, however, and it is really This rehearsal of one-nation So if the fine phrases do not get discipline, and it bores the socks off process, and possible further tricks starting to get tiresome. Toryism told us something about the you excited, then what of the politics? the spectators. It has only the one (it can be overruled by the NEC, for ideological make-up of Miliband’s Sadly, as usual, there wasn’t any. There justification: the point of football is to instance). ‘Tour de force’ inner circle. Above all else, one figure were pledges on reversing changes to win, no more and no less. This is a pretty substantial amount What are the Eds’ big ideas? We can haunted the speech - Maurice Glasman, the NHS that - apart from a specific The strategy of the two Eds is of effort to go to, just to see a motion take Miliband first, and his theme this the idiosyncratic academic and founder commitment to ditching Andrew directed at exactly the same goal - and voted down by a horde of careerist year is a very old one indeed: “We are of so-called ‘Blue Labour’. The latter’s Lansley’s bill, which no sane person no amount of hot air about Benjamin creeps and apparatchiks; or, failing that, one nation!” he told the assembled basic proposition - that working class can take for less than an utter debacle Disraeli will fool anyone as to their true ignored with impunity by Ed Miliband, faithful no fewer than 46 times in politics is small-c conservative, - were simply too vague to amount to motives l in time-honoured Labour leadership his speech on Tuesday. That was no concerned with the construction and anything much. Beyond that, there fashion. It is hardly a great incentive accident - the patron saint of Miliband’s maintenance of a stable, organic was an awful lot of guff about how Notes to fight for policy, and it is quite speech was not Kier Hardie or Sidney community - is very obviously at work the Tories were bad sorts of people, 1. http://labournhslobby.wordpress. miraculous that enough CLP delegates Webb, but Benjamin Disraeli. in the one-nation land grab. divisive and ‘unfair’ - which made com/2012/08/29/contemporary-motion-for-clps. could be found who were sufficiently “Let us remember what Disraeli was There is more to it, though. them enemies of the organic national 2. The Guardian October 2. masochistic to fight a bureaucratic celebrated for,” Miliband exhortsed Miliband’s integral nationalism community, as opposed to ‘one nation’ guerrilla war against the party apparat. us. “It was a vision of Britain where explicitly reaches out beyond the Labour. LRC annual Perhaps these individuals were patriotism, loyalty, dedication to the workers’ movement to small business, As for Balls, there was the same subsequently heartened by ‘tough common cause courses through the to the south as well as the north, and mix of nostalgic bluster and policy conference/AGM talk’ from Unite general secretary Len veins of all and nobody feels left so on - all important components of the announcements so tiny that you could Saturday November 10, McCluskey and his Unison counterpart, out. It was a vision of Britain coming indivisible British nation. All these old be forgiven for missing them entirely. 10am to 5pm, Conway Hall, Dave Prentis. The Eds had endorsed the together to overcome the challenges we saws are most associated today with At least, in his case, the model was not Red Lion Square, London government’s public sector pay freeze, face.” Must have been grand! “Disraeli his brother - and in the recent period so much the 1870s as the 1940s - to be WC1. on the basis that they prefer to keep jobs called it ‘one nation’; one nation - we above all with Tony Blair. The ‘one precise, the Attlee government, shorn www.l-r-c.org.uk rather than pay, and it was this matter heard the phrase again, as the country nation’ concept is an attempt to split the of what radical rhetoric it could muster