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LPM November 2012 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.
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