When it comes to building a new Left Party, every socialist has their own particular part to play.

Since 1997 the Blair and Brown governments have morphed the LP into a vehicle for reactionary change of the worst kind, the Thatcherite anti trade union laws have under a Labour government been underpinned by a whole raft of new legislation which farther restricts our democratic freedoms. The latest being the 42 days detention orders that were voted through parliament by a majority of LP MPs and are currently before the House of Lords. 

Only last week the Labour government endorsed a proposal to give Margaret Thatcher a full State funeral and why wouldn’t it, for the Blair and Brown administrations have proved to be willing disciples and the rightful heirs of Britain’s worst post was prime minister. By endorsing a State funeral for Thatcher they are simply displaying their absolute contempt for their core support base, which suffered more than most at the hands of the wretched woman; and sending a message to Capital that it can rely on them to squeeze the working class until the pips squeak if the recession bites hard whilst protecting the money men.

In modern times no other British government has rewarded its core support base with such a measly gruel and in such a begrudging manner, even the pension credits which have at least taken some pensioners out of dire poverty are linked to means testing. Thus whilst the extra cash has been welcomed by many working class pensioners, they have restrained from becoming over grateful as they understand clearly that these ‘pension credits,’ being means tested and not directly linked as of right to their State pensions, can be snatched back at any time. 

There cannot be many socialists left in England and Wales who still believe the British Labour Party is a vehicle for progressive political change, or in the process a means through which working class people can defend past gains. Indeed one of the main reasons why Blair and Brown have been able to pass such a raft of reactionary legislation is because the working classes have had no mass political party to lead the opposition to this legislation, either within Parliament or the Country. True a small group of left wing MPs like John McDonnell have fought a rearguard action in Parliament, but as LP members they have been so busy protecting their rear from government sniping, they have been unable to fight an effective and independent minded campaign that could be transfered to the country as a whole.

In recent weeks there have been a number of developments out of which a new Left Party might emerge. The Campaign for a New Workers Party (CNWP) moved a step closer to the establishment of a new Left Party at their conference on the 29th of June, when over 300 socialists gathered to discuss the way forward. Amongst them were members of various left wing and environmental organizations, plus rank and file and leading trade unionists such as (PCS) vice-president John McInally, and the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) general secretary Bob Crow. Both of whom said a new workers party was essential if workers are to defend past gains and make new ones in the future.

Bob Crowe went on to say, “I’m not launching a new political party today, but there clearly has to be one. The question is when. Workers are sickened by New Labour and all of the establishment parties. If we’re not careful, he said, the unions could go down the “American road” of non-political trade unionism. He added, “We now have three Tory parties who “all embrace privatization, anti-trade union laws and imperialist wars.” *

Whilst the Labour Party is holding its Annual Conference in Manchester,  progressive forces will be organizing a Convention of the Left. ** (Saturday, September 20th - Thursday, September 25th 2008} The sponsors of the Convention include  Tariq Ali, Tony Benn, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Jeremy Dear (NUJ) George Galloway MP, Bill Greenshields (NUT) Robert Griffiths (CPB), Rahila Gupta, Jenny Jones (Green Party), Ken Loach, (Respect) Cllr. Abjol Miah (Respect), John McDonnell MP, Mark Serwotka (PCS), Hilary Wainwright, Derek Wall (Green Party), Matt Wrack. (FBU) 

According to the conventions web site it will be both a protest at Labour’s war and privatization, racism and pollution, authoritarianism and inequality, and a practical demonstration that there is an alternative.

“Our Convention will be about an entirely different world – one that can be built by working people for working people.”

“Our Convention will be united in our determination to combine our strengths and develop through open and participatory debates the rebuilding of The Left today.”

It seems that left elements within the cart horse that is the British trade union movement are finally moving into action and the left in general is beginning to move beyond its own sectarian self interest and has finally recognized that the needs of the working class come before the type of political dilettantism that has been the curse of the UK left for decades. 

One of the bright spots on the horizon is that many on the Labour party left have finally recognized that the Party is well and truly ‘fucked’ as a vehicle for socialism, as a member of the Labour Representation Committee bluntly put it at the CNWP conference. Interesting times lay ahead.

To paraphrase the words of the great Irish republican socialist Bobby Sands, “when it comes to building a new Left Party, every socialist has their own particular part to play. No part is too great or too small; no one is too old or too young to do something.”

For more on the CNWP and the decisions taken at its June conference, http://www.cnwp.org.uk/ConferenceReportSP.htm

* http://www.conventionoftheleft.org/

See also COTL blog,www.conventionoftheleft.org.uk