Labour Party Marxists

labourpartymarxists.org.uk Free - donations welcome We need a new clause four James Marshall says that instead of fostering illusions in Fabian socialism, the task of Marxists must lie in winning the Labour Party to … Marxist socialism

lause four - rewritten under Tony The more stubborn sections herded into Blair in 1995 - carries a totemic “human sorting houses” to be trained for status for partisans both of the work. Those who refused would be packed right and left. But should the off to semi-penal detention colonies. Cleft seek to raise the 1918 Lazarus from its The Fabians were committed pro- grave? Or should we leave behind a flawed imperialists. According to their Fabianism past and audaciously reach out for another, and empire (1900) tract, Britain needed better future? That is the question. to get its fair share of the spoils from the John McDonnell told the 2018 Liverpool division of the world: conference that “the clause four principles are as relevant today as they were back The partition of the greater part of the then.”1 There are also groups such as globe among such [great] powers is, Socialist Appeal, British section of the as a matter of fact that must be faced, International Marxist Tendency, who are approvingly or deploringly, now only a fully committed to what is, in fact, an anti- question of time; and whether England working class tradition.2 Its Labour4Clause4 [sic] is to be the centre and nucleus of campaign has garnered support from one of those great powers of the future, the likes of Ken Loach, the leftwing film or to be cast off by its colonies, ousted director, and MPs Karen Lee, Dennis from its provinces, and reduced to Skinner, Ian Mearns, Chris Williamson, its old island status, will depend on Dan Carden and Ronnie Campbell. the ability with which the empire is Alongside them there are like-minded governed as a whole, and the freedom trade union leaders such as Steve Gillan of of its governments and its officials the POA, Ian Hodson and Ronnie Draper from complicity in private financial of the bakers’ union, and Mick Cash and interests and from the passions of the Steve Hedley of RMT. newspaper correspondents who describe Thankfully, Jeremy Corbyn is more our enemies as ‘beasts.’9 open-ended: “I think we should talk about what the objectives of the party are, whether Fabian socialism valued politeness and that’s restoring the clause four as it was good manners on all occasions, even in the originally written or it’s a different one …. midst of a voracious imperialist war. Over I’m interested in the idea that we have a the years 1899-1902, as good patriots, the more inclusive, clearer set of objectives.”3 Fabians backed Britain’s war against the Either way, a discussion is underway Boer republics: the “native races” must be and that can only be for the good. “protected despotically by the empire or abandoned to slavery and extermination.”10 History The British empire was portrayed as a Our February 1918 conference agreed a benevolent bringer of democracy to the new constitution. Clause four (objects) white dominions and a saviour of the ‘lower committed the Labour Party to these aims breeds’. The best interests of ‘black, brown (subsequently amended in 1959): and yellow’ peoples lay in being ruled over by young men fresh out of Britain’s public 1. To organise and maintain in schools. Under this guiding hand they parliament and in the country a political Jeremy Corbyn: “I think we should talk” would eventually be led to “adulthood.”11 Labour Party. Interestingly, as an aside, the Fabians 2. To cooperate with the general council exchange, and the best obtainable system Sidney Webb, its principle author, Fabian could not possibly entrust this “gigantic thought that the South African war of the Trades Union Congress, or other of popular administration and control guru and quintessential philistine - had task to the raw proletariat alone”. Engels demonstrated the “superiority of a militia” kindred organisations, in joint political of each industry or service. no thought, no wish, no intention of concluded that “[f]ear of revolution is their system over the professional army.12 An or other action in harmony with the 5. Generally to promote the political, promoting genuine socialism. Parliament, guiding principle.”5 idea that much of the contemporary left party constitution and standing orders. social and economic emancipation of the courts, enlightened civil servants and The real class war was denounced by refuses even to contemplate. 3. To give effect as far as possible to the the people, and more particularly of the liberal intelligentsia provided his road the Fabian ladies and gentlemen. The Naturally, come the 1914-18 great war, principles from time to time approved those who depend directly upon their to a reformed British empire. Webb wanted underlying social contradiction in society, the Fabians did their best to serve the by the party conference. own exertions by hand or by brain for a government of magnanimous experts according to them, was not between imperial cause. Europe had to be saved 4. To secure for the workers by hand or the means of life. whose decisions would be no more than labour and capital, but the idle rich and from the Junkers and Prussian militarism. by brain the full fruits of their industry 6. To cooperate with the labour ratified in elections: even referendums the industrious masses ... of all classes However, as the war dragged on and and the most equitable distribution and socialist organisations in the were ruled out as impeding the will of the Managers and entrepreneurs provide an the corpses piled up, any initial popular thereof that may be possible upon the commonwealth overseas with a view educated elite. invaluable service to society. As long as they enthusiasm turned into discontent. The basis of the common ownership of the to promoting the purposes of the Top leaders of the Fabian Society - eg, honestly paid their taxes, fat profits and fat February 1917 revolution in Russia means of production, distribution and party, and to take common action for Sidney and Beatrice Webb, Annie Besant, salaries are fully justified. In other words, galvanised the hopes of many. Workers, the promotion of a higher standard of Sydney Olivier, HG Wells and George original Fabianism amounted to nothing including those in the munitions industry, social and economic life for the working Bernard Shaw - considered themselves more than a form of bourgeois socialism. took strike action. Demands for a negotiated population of the respective countries. social engineers of the highest order, The Fabian Society was not only peace grew and amongst sections of the 7. To cooperate with the labour modern princes, prophets of the future. elitist. Their leaders were thorough-going ruling class there were serious worries that and socialist organisations in other The role of these ever so clever people eugenicists too. Friedrich Nietzsche Britain stood on the edge of revolution. countries and to support the United was to slowly, patiently, courteously provided a warped inspiration. Wells urged Reports came of mutinies in army base Nations and its various agencies and persuade the great and the good of the the death penalty for those suffering from camps and the killing of military policemen. other international organisations for the benefits of ‘socialism’ … hence their “genetically transferable diseases”. Defective June 1917 saw a big labour movement Feb. 7 promotion of peace, the adjustment and organisation’s chosen name (taken from men, women and children were to be dealt conference in Leeds. Famously delegates settlement of international disputes by Quintus Fabius, the Roman general who with by the means of a “lethal chamber”.6 called for a national network of Workers’ conciliation or judicial arbitration, the avoided pitched battles with Hannibal’s As for the “swarms of black, and brown, and Soldiers’ Soviets on the model of Russia. No. 22 establishment and defence of human superior Carthaginian army and instead and dirty white and yellow people”, who did Then came the October Revolution which rights, and the improvement of the social pursued a strategy of attrition). not match his criteria of intelligence and shook the whole capitalist world to its very and economic standards and conditions Unsurprisingly, Marxists have long efficiency, “they will have to go”. It is their foundations. Bourgeois politicians rushed of work of the people of the world. considered Fabianism to be the crassest “portion to die out and disappear”.7 With to make concessions. Hence, Sidney Webb 2018 expression of opportunism. Fredrick that noble end in mind Shaw demanded and the drafting of clause four. These formulations - crucially the fourth Engels showed particular contempt for this that “[e]xtermnation must be put on a By cynical calculation he had three - are too often celebrated as being a “well-meaning gang of eddicated middle scientific basis if it is ever to be carried goals in mind. defining socialist moment. Yet, when class folk.”4 True, he credited them with out humanely and apologetically as well Firstly, his clause four socialism could first mooted in November 1917 - amidst enough wit to realise the “inevitability as thoroughly”.8 Meanwhile, the working be used to divert the considerable rank- the slaughter of inter-imperialist war - of the social revolution.” But the Fabians class was to be lifted out of their ignorance. and-file sympathy that existed for the LPM February 7 2019 Clause four

Russian Revolution into safe, peaceful and are regularly rotated. Hierarchy is flattened. would be absolutely safe in their hands. A twofold contradiction, we have a threefold Notes exclusively constitutional channels. Not that Alienation is overcome. What is produced New Labour government could be relied contradiction. The left dominates both the that stopped prime minister David Lloyd and how it is produced radically alters too. upon not even to pay lip service to a British top and bottom of the party. 1. Daily Mirror September 24 2018. 2. As are Socialist Appeal’s old comrades in the George from declaring, in his closing speech Need, not exchange, is the ruling principle. version of state capitalism. Leftwingers Corbyn is not the equivalent of George Socialist Party in England and Wales. After the 1991 of the 1918 general election campaign, And alone such an association of producers such as Tony Benn, Dennis Skinner, Diane Lansbury or Michael Foot - an elementary split in the Militant Tendency, the minority around that the “Labour Party is being run by the creates the benign conditions which allows Abbott and Ken Livingstone protested, trade mistake. They were promoted by the Ted Grant, Alan Woods and Rob Sewell became extreme pacifist Bolshevik group”.13 for the full development of each and every union leaders grumbled, but the April 1995 labour and trade union bureaucracy after a Socialist Appeal. The majority - around Peter Taaffe, Secondly, by adopting clause four individual. special conference voted by 65% in favour severe crisis: namely Ramsay MacDonald’s Tony Mulhearn, Hannah Sell and Dave Nellist - evolved through Militant Labour and became SPEW socialism, the Labour Party could both Doubtless, the old 1918 clause four of Blair’s clause four. treachery and James Callaghan’s winter of in 1997. Needless to say, comrade Nellist - former distinguish itself from the exhausted, resulted from progressive political Needless to say, his version is stuffed full discontent. Corbyn’s leadership is, in the first Labour MP for Coventry South East and nowadays divided and rapidly declining Liberal Party developments. The horrors of World War of managerial guff and classless nonsense. instance, the result of an historic accident. national chair of the Trade Unionist and Socialist and please the trade union bureaucracy. I and the inspiration provided by the October Just what one would expect from the The ‘morons’ from the Parliamentary Labour Coalition, insists that the 1918 clause four must be Since the 1890s the TUC had been drawing Revolution have already been mentioned. architect of New Labour. After all, one of Party lent him their nomination. After that, “reinstated” (Coventry Telegraph August 19 2015). 3. Independent on Sunday August 9 2015. up various wish lists of what ought to be But there is also the formation of the Socialist Blair’s big ideas was to replace ‘socialism’ with however, Corbyn owes everything to the 4. K Marx and F Engels CW Vol 48, London 2001, nationalised: eg, rails, mines, electricity, International, the world-wide celebration ‘social-ism’. Another was communitarianism. mass membership. p449. liquor and land. Clause four socialism of May Day, the considerable influence of But, of course, the media glowed with That gives us the possibility of attacking 5. K Marx and F Engels CW Vol 50, New York 2004, also usefully went along with the grain of the socialist press, the increased size of trade admiration. Crucially, Rupert Murdoch the rightwing domination of the middle - p83. Britain’s wartime experience. There was union membership, the formation of the agreed to unleash his attack dogs. Within not least the councillors and Parliamentary 6. D Stone Breeding superman Liverpool 2002, p115. steadily expanding state intervention in shop stewards movement and the election of a few months John Major was almost Labour Party - from below and above. 7. HG Wells Anticipations of the reaction of mechanical and scientific progress upon human the economy. Nationalisation was, as a a growing body of Labour MPs. Then there universally derided as a total incompetent, No wonder the more astute minds of the life and scientific thought London 1902, p317. See result, widely identified with efficiency, was the growing role of state intervention heading a sleaze-mired government. bourgeois commentariat can be found - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/19229/19229- modernisation and beating the Austro- and regulation of the economy. Capitalism Riding high in the opinion polls, Blair expressing profound concern over the h/19229-h.htm. German foe. It therefore appealed to was widely considered abhorrent, outmoded inaugurated a series of internal ‘reforms’. prospects of Labour being dominated by 8. GB Shaw quoted in J Carey The intellectuals and technocratically minded elements amongst and doomed. Socialism more and more Conference was gutted. No longer could it leftwing socialists, militant trade unions the masses London 1992, p63. 9. https://archive.org/stream/ the middle classes. became the common sense of the organised debate issues, vote on policy or embarrass and Marxists. fabianismempirem00shawuoft/ 17 Thirdly, clause four socialism had to be working class. the leadership in front of the media. Instead Not that Jeremy Corbyn is a Marxist. fabianismempirem00shawuoft_djvu.txt. implicitly anti-Marxist. Webb well knew By contrast, Fabian socialism meant the whole thing became a rubber-stamping Politically, he is a run-of-the-mill left 10. https://archive.org/stream/ the history of the Social Democratic Party arguing against unconstitutional methods, exercise. Then there were the tightly reformist, albeit a left reformist with an fabianismempirem00shawuoft/ in Germany. And, of course, Karl Marx slowly expanding the provision of social controlled policy forums, focus groups enduring commitment to workers involved fabianismempirem00shawuoft_djvu.txt. Gotha all classes 11. G Foote The Labour Party’s political thought savaged various passages in its welfare and persuading of the and the staffing of the party machine with in economic struggles, campaigners for London 1985, p29-30. programme (1875), not least those which benefits that would come to the nation, if eager young careerists (most on temporary democratic rights and liberation movements 12. AM McBriar Fabian socialism and English declared that every worker should receive the commanding heights of the economy contracts). Blair thereby asserted himself in the so-called third world. Inevitably, not politics: 1884-1918, Cambridge 1962, p130. a “fair distribution of their proceeds of were put in state hands. In other words, the over the national executive committee … least given his Straight Leftist advisors, he is 13. Quoted in R Miliband Parliamentary labour” and that “the proceeds of labour Fabians consciously sought to ameliorate the considerably reducing its effectiveness in more than prone to compromise with the socialism London 1973, p64n. belong undiminished with equal right to mounting contradictions between labour the process. PLP right and trade union bureaucracy. 14. K Marx and F Engels CW Vol 24, London 1989, 14 p83. all members of society”. and capital … and thus put off socialism. Calls for a return of the old clause four are Indeed his strategy amounts to seeking out 15. Socialist Review August 1912 - quoted in R Contradictory and vacuous, seethed Rightly, Lenin denounced Fabianism as perfectly understandable. But why go back allies on the soft right, while attempting to Miliband Parliamentary socialism London 1973, Marx. What is fair? What about replacement the “most consummate expression of to a Fabian past? Instead we surely need to neutralise the hard right. He fears going to p25n. means of production? What about the opportunism.”18 And, needless to say, the persuade members and affiliates to take up war against the right. He therefore seeks to 16. K Marx and F Engels CW Vol 25, London 1987, p267. expansion of production? What about years 1918-20 witnessed colonial uprisings the cause of “replacing the rule of capital with hold back rank-and-file self-activity against 17. ‘Common sense’ being the continuously changing but widely held outlook of various classes and strata. those unable to work? More than that, abroad and a massive strike wave at home. the rule of the working class”. Our socialism the right. The ‘big idea’ is to concentrate on Gramsci called it “folklore of philosophy”, because it Marx explained these and other such woolly Revealingly, before 1918, attempts to would (a) introduce a democratically bread-and-butter issues: ie, ending austerity. exists “halfway between folklore properly speaking formulations as unneeded concessions commit the Labour Party to socialism met planned economy, (b) end the ecologically The result can only but be a series of and the philosophy, science and economics of the to the followers of Ferdinand Lassalle. with mixed success. The 1900 founding ruinous cycle of production for the sake of rotten decisions. We have already seen the specialists” (A Gramsci Selections from the prison His Workers’ programme (1862) called conference rejected the “class war” ultimatum production and (c) move towards a stateless, tacit backing of Jon Lansman’s Bonapartist notebooks London 1973, p326n). 19 18. VI Lenin CW Vol 21 Moscow 1977, p261. for “an equal right to the undiminished tabled by the Social Democratic Federation. classless, moneyless society that embodies coup in Momentum, the retreat over 19. Though it had two guaranteed seats on the LRC’s proceeds of labour”. Obviously Webb Despite that, conference voted to support the the principle, “From each according to their Trident renewal, the advocacy of a ‘jobs leading body, the Social Democratic Federation wanted to give clause four a distinct “socialisation of the means of production, abilities, to each according to their needs” and the economy’ version of Brexit and the disaffiliated in August 1901. Lassallean coloration not out of admiration distribution and exchange”. The next year a (see model motion below). disgraceful silence that reigns over the ‘anti- 20. See RT McKenzie British political parties London for Lassalle, but because he wanted to socialistic motion moved by Bruce Glasier Towards that end our next conference Zionism equals anti-Semitism’ witch-hunt. 1963, pp465-71. distance the Labour Party from Marxism. was defeated. In 1903 another socialistic - Brighton, September 21-25 2019 - should In other words, it would be fatal for the 21. Labour gained 15 seats in the December 1918 general election, making it the fourth largest party in motion fell, this time without debate. Two radically overhaul the constitution and adopt leftwing majority at a grassroots level to parliament after Bonar Law’s Tories, Lloyd George’s Red ribbon years later conference passed a motion with a new clause four. content itself with playing a support role Coalition Liberals and Sinn Féin. It had a total of 57 Almost needless to say, clause four was the exact same wording. In 1907 the previous for Corbyn. No, the left needs to fight for MPs. mainly for show. A red ribbon tied around endorsement of socialism was overturned Reclaiming its own aims and its own principles l 22. VI Lenin CW Vol 31, Moscow 1977, pp257-58. what was Labourism’s standing programme at the prompting of … Bruce Glasier. The Real Marxists, not fake Marxists, have never of social liberalism. In parliament Labour same conference agreed to set the goal talked of reclaiming Labour. It has never supported Liberal governments and their of “socialising the means of production, been ours in the sense of being a “political palliative measures of social reform. Because distribution and exchange”.20 weapon for the workers’ movement”. Model motion of its alliance with the Liberals, the party The explanation for the seesawing No, despite the electoral base and trade even found itself divided over the abolition of doubtless lies with electoral calculation. union affiliations, the Labour Party has his branch/CLP notes that the old working class. Socialism introduces the House of Lords and the fight for female While most in the party leadership been dominated by career politicians and T1918 clause four was drafted by the a democratically planned economy, suffrage. While a minority - eg, George considered themselves socialists of a kind, trade union bureaucrats: a distinct social Fabian leader, Sidney Webb, in order ends the ecologically ruinous Lansbury and Keir Hardie - defended the they were mortally afraid of losing out in stratum, which in the last analysis serves to divert the considerable rank-and-file cycle of production for the sake suffragettes and their militant tactics, the the polls. What appeared acceptable to likely not the interests of the working class, but sympathy that existed for the Russian of production and moves towards majority craved respectability. As Ramsay voters - in other words, the popular press the continuation of capitalist exploitation. Revolution into safe, peaceful and a stateless, classless, moneyless MacDonald wrote, “The violent methods … - set their limits. So, instead of fearlessly Speaking in the context of the need exclusively constitutional channels. society that embodies the principle, are wrong, and in their nature reactionary presenting a bold socialist vision and for the newly formed Communist Party Clause four was managerial, statist “From each according to their and anti-social, quite irrespective of vote building support on that basis, Sidney Webb, of Great Britain to affiliate to the Labour and predicated on the continuation abilities, to each according to or no vote.”15 Arthur Henderson, Ramsay MacDonald and Party, Lenin said this: of wage-slavery. It had nothing to their needs”. Alone such benign Yet, even if it had been put into effect, co chased the vagaries of popularity. With do with putting an end to capitalism conditions create the possibility clause four socialism remains antithetical the growth of militancy and radicalism, and bringing about the socialist of every individual fully realising to working class self-liberation. Capitalism socialist declarations were considered a ... whether or not a party is really a transformation of society. their innate potentialities. without capitalists does not count amongst sure way of adding to Labour’s ranks in political party of the workers does not This branch/CLP notes that, by 3. Towards that end Labour commits our goals. Railways, mines, land, electricity, parliament.21 Forming a government being depend solely upon a membership of sacrificing the old clause four in the full itself to achieving a democratic etc, would pass into the hands of the British both a means and an end. workers, but also upon the men that glare of publicity, Tony Blair and his New republic. The standing army, the empire state. lead it, and the content of its actions Labour clique sought to appease the monarchy, the House of Lords and Capitalist owners might well be bought Accept and its political tactics. Only this latter establishment, the City, the Murdoch the state sponsorship of the Church of out - eased into a comfortable retirement. Nevertheless, the Blairising of clause four determines whether we really have before empire, the global plutocracy. Capitalism England must go. We support a single- But, as they vacate the field of production, in 1995 was hugely symbolic - the ground us a political party of the proletariat. would be absolutely safe in their hands. chamber parliament, proportional a new class of state-appointed managers having been laid by the Eurocommunists and Regarded from this - the only A New Labour government could be representation and annual elections. and supervisors enters the fray. In terms their Marxism Today journal. Socialism was correct - point of view, the Labour relied upon not even to pay lip service 4. Labour seeks to win the active of the division of labour, they substitute for declared dead and buried, the working class a Party is a thoroughly bourgeois party, to a British version of state capitalism. backing of the majority of people and the capitalists. The mass of the population, shrinking minority. Only if Labour accepted because, although made up of workers, The Labour Party has been forming a government on this basis. meanwhile, remain exploited wage-slaves. capitalism and reached out to the middle it is led by reactionaries, and the worst transformed by the influx of tens of 5. We shall work with others, in They would be subject to same hierarchal classes would it have a future. Neil Kinnock, kind of reactionaries at that, who act thousands of new members and the particular in the European Union, chain of command, the same lack of control, John Smith and finally Tony Blair dragged quite in the spirit of the bourgeoisie. It election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader. This in pursuit of the aim of replacing the same mind-numbing routine. the party ever further to the right. Out is an organisation of the bourgeoisie, branch/CLP therefore believes that the capitalism with working class rule Marxism, by contrast, is based on an went the commitment to unilateral nuclear which exists to systematically dupe the time is ripe to commit the party to the and socialism. altogether different perspective. If it is to disarmament, out went the commitment workers with the aid of the British Noskes following, genuinely socialist, version win its freedom, the working class must to comprehensive education, out went the and Scheidemanns [the German social of clause four. This branch/CLP calls for this version overthrow the existing state. But - and commitment to full employment, out went chauvinist murderers of Rosa Luxemburg of clause four to be included as part this is crucial - in so doing the proletariat the commitment to repeal the Tories’ anti- and Karl Liebknecht - JM].22 1. Labour is the federal party of the of Labour’s constitution at the earliest “abolishes itself as a proletariat, abolishes all trade union laws, out went the commitment working class. We strive to bring all opportunity. class distinctions and antagonisms, abolishes to “the common ownership of the means Despite all the subsequent changes, this trade unions, cooperatives, socialist (For trade unions: This branch/ also the state as state”.16 of production, distribution and exchange”. assessment remains true. Labour is still societies and leftwing groups and conference calls upon the union to Capitalist relations of production and By sacrificing the old clause four in a “bourgeois workers’ party”. Of course, parties under our banner. We believe campaign within the Labour Party at all the whole bureaucratic state apparatus are the full glare of publicity, Blair and his once Corbyn was formally announced that unity brings strength. levels for this version of clause four to be swept away. Every sphere of social life sees New Labour clique sought to appease leader of the Labour Party on September 2. Labour is committed to replacing included as part of Labour’s constitution control exercised from below. All positions the establishment, the City, the Murdoch 12 2015, things became more complex. the rule of capital with the rule of the at the earliest opportunity.) of command are elected or chosen by lot and empire, the global plutocracy. Capitalism Labour became a chimera. Instead of a 2 3 LPM February 7 2019 AIMS AND NEC PRINCIPLES 1. The central aim of Labour Party Marxists is to transform the Labour Party into an instrument for working class advance and international socialism. Towards that end we will join with others and seek the closest unity of the left inside and outside the party. 2. Capitalism is synonymous with war, Another witch-hunt victim pollution, waste and production for its own sake. Attempts to rescue the NEC refuses to endorse Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt in South Thanet. Carla Roberts asks some system through Keynesian remedies are diversionary and doomed to fail. pertinent questions The democratic and social gains of the working class must be tenaciously defended, but capitalism must be n April 2018, Corbyn supporter superseded by socialism. Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt was selected as Labour’s parliamentary candidate 3. The only viable alternative is organis- for the “key marginal” seat of Thanet ing the working class into powerful and ISouth. She beat the more ‘moderate’ local thoroughly democratic trade unions, councillor, Karen Constantine, by 17 votes - co-ops, and other schools for socialism, despite the fact that the latter was backed by and crucially into a political party which an unholy alliance of Unite, Unison, GMB aims to replace the rule of the capitalist and, somewhat strangely, Momentum. class with the rule of the working class. We hear that Constantine had never 4. The fi ght for trade union freedom, been seen at a Momentum meeting and anti-fascism, women’s rights, sexual only started to back Jeremy Corbyn for freedom, republican democracy and Labour leader once he was sure to win. On opposition to all imperialist wars are Twitter, she proudly declares that her “motto” inextricably linked to working class was: “An ounce of action is worth a ton of political independence and the fi ght t h e o r y ”. 1 Gordon-Nesbitt, on the other hand, for socialism. is known as an outspoken Corbyn supporter 5. Ideas of reclaiming the Labour Party and life-long socialist campaigner. So no real and the return of the old clause four are surprise then that local members chose the totally misplaced. From the beginning more leftwing candidate (as would probably the party has been dominated by the be the case almost everywhere, if members labour bureaucracy and the ideas of were allowed to democratically select reformism. The party must be refounded their prospective candidate via a system of on the basis of a genuinely socialist mandatory reselection). programme as opposed to social But, clearly, not everybody was happy democratic gradualism or bureaucratic about the result. Two weeks after the local statism. decision, the revolting Guido Fawkes published a take-down piece on Gordon- results in expulsion from the party. Incredibly, Momentum locally and nationally has 6. The aim of the party should not be a Labour government for its own sake. Nesbitt, who works as a researcher to, even after its recent expansion from 11 to 25, certainly not raised a finger to defend her History shows that Labour governments among others, Labour peer Lord Howarth of only a minority are chosen by rank-and-file or the democratic will of the local members. 2 committed to managing the capitalist Newport. Fawkes published a small number Labour members. NEC panels have the right to make system and loyal to the existing consti- of tweets released by the Centre for Cultural Gordon-Nesbitt describes how “months decisions on behalf of the executive and tutional order create disillusionment in Change in 2016, to which Gordon-Nesbitt went by, but nothing happened”. She those decisions do not have to be ratified the working class. contributed. continued to be the officially selected by the full NEC. But, as Darren Williams As is unfortunately now the norm candidate and campaigned with local party explains, they can be “revisited” and 7. Labour should only consider forming in the Labour Party, the tweets were - members. Six months after the referral to the overturned by the NEC. Williams seems to a government when it has the active probably simultaneously - passed on to NCC she was invited to an interview - not be the only NEC member who has come out support of a clear majority of the pop- the compliance unit, an investigation was with the NCC, but with a panel of three publicly on this case, though we understand ulation and has a realistic prospect of opened and Labour’s national executive NEC members. that he is not the only leftwinger on the implementing a full socialist programme. This cannot be achieved in Britain in committee decided to put on hold the Gordon-Nesbitt writes that she came to NEC who is “unhappy” about the panel’s 4 isolation from Europe and the rest of required endorsement of her candidacy - a the hearing on December 18 “armed with decision. If there were official minutes of the world. highly unusual decision. Guido Fawkes a dozen endorsements from local party NEC meetings we would know for sure. seemed to have had more than a good members, a respected rabbi, an Oxford There ought to be, but, of course, there 8. Socialism is the rule of the working inkling of the result of the investigation even University anti-Semitism expert and a aren’t. We have to rely on the few reports class over the global economy created before it started: “Assume Gordon-Nesbitt sizeable group of parliamentary candidates produced by individual members (who only by capitalism and as such is antithetical will be deselected if Corbyn is really taking from around the country, all of whom said report on decisions they find interesting to all forms of British nationalism. anti-Semitism seriously…”, he wrote in April. in various different ways that neither I nor or important). Demands for a British road to socialism And he was right. Still, it took the Labour the tweets were anti-Semitic”. This case does shed a rather worrying light and a withdrawal from the European Party bureaucracy a staggering eight months Her local Labour Party continues to on the state of the so-called ‘left’ on the NEC Union are therefore to be opposed. to look into those few tweets - three of which support her: the CLP executive, its branches (and the wider party). Lansman has thrown 9. Political principles and organisational were authored by Gordon-Nesbitt: and the CLP women’s forum have all rejected himself with gusto into the campaign to forms go hand-in-hand. The Labour l “Accusations levelled at Jackie Walker are the NEC’s decision. equate criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism Party must become the umbrella politically motivated.” We understand that, worryingly, - a campaign whose chief target is, of course, organisation for all trade unions, socialist l “Anti-Semitism has been weaponised by leftwinger Claudia Webbe was one of the Jeremy Corbyn himself. While Lansman has groups and pro-working class partisans. those who seek to silence anti-Zionist voices. three NEC members on the panel. In fact, always been a soft Zionist, he has certainly Hence all the undemocratic bans and See The Lynching, endorsed by Ken Loach, she was the only one who was there in found his hard-core Zionist feet in recent proscriptions must be done away with. for elucidation.” person - the other two were listening in months. He successfully campaigned for l 10. The fi ght to democratise the Labour “Accusations of AS levelled in an attempt via speakerphone. In July, Webbe replaced the NEC to adopt the ludicrously inaccurate Party cannot be separated from the to discredit the left.” Christine Shawcroft as chair of the NEC’s and pro-Zionist ‘Definition of anti-Semitism’ fi ght to democratise the trade unions. Even the most biased bourgeois justice disputes panel, having been nominated to the published by the International Holocaust Trade union votes at Labour Party system would have laughed this ‘evidence’ post by both Momentum’s Jon Lansman and Remembrance Alliance, with all its disputed conferences should be cast not by out of court. Not so today’s Labour Party, Pete Willsman, secretary of the Campaign 11 examples. general secretaries but proportionately unfortunately, which is cleaved apart by the for Labour Party Democracy (Webbe also Lansman and his close allies make up according to the political balance in ongoing civil war that began with the election serves as chair of the CLPD). It is unusual about half of the nine NEC members elected each delegation. of Corbyn. In July 2018, the NEC - even for Lansman and Willsman to agree on by party members on the slate pushed though it was now ostensibly dominated anything these days - the former comrades by the Centre Left Grassroots Alliance. 11. All trade unions should be encour- aged to affi liate, all members of the by the ‘left’ - voted to refer the case to its who worked together for decades in the Darren Williams, Pete Willsman and Rachel trade unions encouraged to pay the kangaroo court, the national constitutional CLPD have fallen out spectacularly over Garnham seem to be the only NEC members political levy and join the Labour Party committee (NCC). This is a crucial body the last 12 months or so, after Lansman with at least half an occasional backbone. as individual members. in the party. It deals with all disciplinary falsely accused Willsman of anti-Semitism Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt Even though Unite is headed by close matters that the NEC feels it cannot resolve and dropped him from Momentum’s list and the real target Corbyn ally Len McCluskey, the numerous 12. The party must be reorganised from and - given that the NCC is dominated by of recommended candidates for the NEC Unite members on the NEC tend to vote - top to bottom. Bring the Parliamentary the right - the referral of a leftwinger usually (Willsman was elected anyway).3 in general - with the rest of the unions on Labour Party under democratic control. Of course, we do not actually Labour’s leadership body. The position of Labour leader should know how Webbe voted. These hugely This is particularly worrying, as Jeremy be abolished along with the national Labour Against the Witchhunt important decisions are kept secret, away Corbyn remains a prisoner of Labour’s MPs, policy forum. The NEC should be BCM Box 8932, London WC1N 3XX from the membership. She certainly who are far to his right and, of course, to the unambiguously responsible for drafting Labour Party manifestos. Tel: 07817 379 568 has not made her views on the matter right of the majority of members. Refusing Email: info@ public. But we know that she is an ally of to endorse a candidate who would have 13. The NEC should be elected and labouragainstthewitchhunt.org Lansman, who, we have been told, was been a very valuable ally of Corbyn makes accountable to the annual conference, campaigning against attempts you wonder on which side Jon Lansman and which must be the supreme body in the Web: www.labouragainstthewitchhunt.org l Facebook: https://www.facebook. to allow the next full NEC some of his allies on the NEC really stand party. Instead of a tame rally there must com/Labouragainstthewitchhunt/ meeting (January 29) to be democratic debate and binding votes. Twitter: @LabourAW revisit the panel’s decision 14. Our elected representatives must on Gordon-Nesbitt. In fact Notes be recallable by the constituency or Individual membership: £10 per the January 29 NEC did 1. https://twitter.com/uk_karen. annum, £5 (unwaged). 2. https://order-order.com/2018/04/18/labour- other body that selected them. That not discuss the case, so candidates-think-tank-defended-ken-jackie-walker. includes MPs, MEPs, MSPs, AMs, Affi liates: Local or Regional: £25pa. the decision stands and National: £100pa 3. http://labourpartymarxists.org.uk/ncc-left-slate- councillors, etc. Without exception Gordon-Nesbitt has said she farce-ends-in-another-jon-lansman-surrender. elected representatives should take only will now take legal action. 4. www.facebook.com/darren.williams.146 the average wage of a skilled worker, the balance being donated to furthering the interests of the labour movement l 2 3 LPM February 7 2019 Brexit Danger of national government Theresa May’s backstop contortions show that Brexit hangs in the balance. Paul Demarty says there is no high-tech solution

he pre-Socratic philosophers, Secondly, there was Yvette Cooper’s and border problem. There is, if nothing else, Fundamentally, however, the position has Parmenides and Zeno, are Nick Boles’s attempt to table a debate on a the small matter that huge government IT not altered. The government’s inability to get remembered chiefly for their bill, drawn up by Cooper, that - if passed - projects - how to put this? - do not enjoy a realistic withdrawal deal, from the point of arguments by paradox that would rule out a no-deal Brexit and prepare an unblemished record of success. Disasters view of the European powers, will lead to Tmotion is an illusion, and that it is logically the ground to delay the completion of article abound, from the NHS to the ministry of continued pressure and more Nissan-type impossible for one faster-moving body to 50 by nine months. The third, moved by the defence. There are successes too; but it is a statements from major industrial concerns. catch up with another. liberal Tory, Caroline Spelman, explicitly pretty big chance to take. Remainer manoeuvres are seen, by Brexit No more recent thinkers have prepared condemned the no-deal scenario, but did On top of that, a computerised system voters, as sabotage - accurately, as far as these us so well for the limitless toing and froing not - like Cooper/Boles - commit parliament is just peachy when it comes to good-faith things go. Perhaps the most worrying sign for in the House of Commons at the present to discussing legislation ruling it out. border-crossers, but how exactly is it the British bourgeoisie is how straightforwardly time, as it tries to pick its way through the The parliamentary layout began to fall supposed to catch smugglers? That is a pretty partisan the votes were. The raw materials of factional interests of various layers of the back to the partisan dividing lines, albeit hairy AI problem, Mr Malthouse; avoiding a national government of the ‘sensible’ is there political class, the state interests of the UK with visible tensions between the parties’ it demands either fairly hard borders or in the Commons, but quite spectacularly failed and the widespread suspicion - on the part of respective factions. The Labour leadership a customs union … Can anyone have to come together - even speculatively - on ‘leave’ and ‘remain’ voters alike - that none of came out in support of Cooper’s amendment, Theresa May’s crushing imagined that this is the magic ingredient January 29. For the bourgeoisie a national them have a clue what they are doing. There in line with its public rejection of a no-deal that will convince Messrs Tusk, Barnier government has, of course, two great advantage. is the clear impression of movement, but we Brexit, but was careful to make known that defeat in the Commons and co that the backstop agreement can be The Brexit nonsense would be disposed of rarely seem to have moved terribly far - or it would table amendments to Cooper’s bill, has triggered a radically revised? Yet magic ‘technology’ at a stroke. Ditto the danger of a Corbyn-led qualitatively closer to the goal. specifically to shorten the proposed delay. has been a mainstay of Brexiteer question- Labour government. The January 29 ‘crunch votes’ were The Malthouse amendment, meanwhile, constitutional crisis. The begging since the get-go. We wonder Perhaps the January 29 vote improved the result of Theresa May’s defeat three did at least have the distinct benefit of sometimes if Jacob Rees-Mogg has even May’s leverage in Europe - marginally. She weeks ago, when the withdrawal deal actually representing a real compromise establishment could well used a computer: nothing else could account cannot negotiate her way out of the backstop painstakingly negotiated by her minions among the various Conservative factions. turn to a government of for his naivety on this front. with ‘technology’, of course; but she can with the European powers finally met its That must be its only benefit, however. And indeed we have to assume that claim with somewhat greater plausibility reckoning. The question begged was: what As it gathered support, political pundits national unity. That would none of this was primarily for a European that she has forced more of her tormentors next? The answer, apparently, is déjà vu all multiplied their stories of anonymous “senior audience. Getting the Brady amendment to show their hand, and is thus in a better over again. May brought her parliamentary Tories” agreeing to it, in despair at getting stop Brexit and stop through parliament may look like the final position to get a ‘compromise’ - even one colleagues a motion, purely indicative, about through the day otherwise, yet fully aware Corbyn few drops of urine on the grave of May’s deal, wholly on her side - through an exhausted the government’s next steps. It has served as that it would never pass muster in Europe. but it has advantages: it absolves her from parliament. a blank canvas for all her opponents (and Hours before the votes actually took place in the charge of ignoring parliament, which Time will tell. supporters) to pursue their interests. parliament, the EU 27 had already prepared removed one of the preconditions Jeremy In the end, three amendments were a statement to be issued in the event of the Corbyn imposed on her, and authorises her [email protected] pertinent. Firstly, Graham Brady - chair Brady amendment (and, impliedly, the to troop off to Brussels, get told ‘no’, come of the 1922 Committee, which represents Malthouse compromise) passing; a firm back and ask her MPs, ‘Now what?’ backbench Tories - proposed to add text no to any renegotiations. The result - victory for Brady and about abandoning the existing backstop Spelman, defeat for Cooper - settles Your financial support is needed - agreement concerning the Irish border Leave it to IT? nothing in this regard. Indeed, it commits please pay into the lpm bank account: in favour of unspecified alternative One of the aforementioned “senior Tories” parliament, admittedly loosely, to two sort code 30-96-26; account number: 22097060 arrangements. In such a form it was claimed that the compromise brought his sharply contradictory positions: avoiding a unacceptable, but many conciliators in the party from farce back into tragedy - no no-deal Brexit at any cost, and rejecting the OR SEND CHEQUES PAYABLE TO ‘LPM’ different Tory factions decided to use it as longer squabbling like children, but uniting deal the opposing negotiators are actually the basis for hashing out a compromise. on principle and preparing to go down, thus prepared to make. Something has to give. LPM, BCM BOX 8932, LONDON WC1N The one that eventually emerged, and united, in some foreign field. In spite of no doubt unpleasant encounters 3XX. gained the support of No10 and victory on Yet a recurring impression, as this absurd to come on the continent, we must consider the Commons floor, was Kit Malthouse’s kabuki dance moves from one step to the this a narrow victory for May’s government. version, that offered remainers a longer next, is how ridiculous the Brexiteers actually Corbyn agreed to hold talks and had a OR CONTACT US VIA EMAIL: transition period, and in return declared are in their aspirations. An IT professional “serious and engaged” meeting with her SECRETARY@ breezily that technological solutions would like your humble correspondent can on January 31. May also forced her own LABOURPARTYMARXISTS.ORG.UK be found to avoid a hard Irish border in the hardly resist a pop at the purely notional head-bangers to vote with her, and she has event of some disaster. ‘technological solutions’ to the hard- the advantage … until the next vote. 4