Building Respect for the future

This is the resolution that Alan and John are putting forward to Respect’s National Council with the intention that it be submitted to conference on behalf of the NC.

George Galloway’s letter to the National Council raises a number of important issues. He is right to point to an early general election and to question whether Respect is in a position to fight such a campaign effectively.

Yet Brown’s reactionary neoliberal government is more anti-working class than those led by Tony Blair. His public sector wages policy is the biggest attack on the trade unions in 10 years. His proposals “extending and renewing party democracy” will wipe out whatever residual influence the trade unions have at Labour Party conference and deepen the crisis of labour representation. His appointment of people like Digby Jones to Government positions and his invitation of Thatcher to number 10 are calculated insults to the labour movement.

The excellent Shadwell result shows that the objective conditions which produced Respect are unchanged. The need for a new pluralist party to the left of Labour is stronger now that it was when Respect was launched. The Labour left, after the failure of the McDonnell campaign, is weaker now than at any time in its history.

Respect has not only failed to meet its potential in this situation but has declined in both in membership and in the activity of its branches since 2005. The Southall Parliamentary by-election was a wake-up call in this regard.

We have to build Respect as a nationally based campaigning party with a strong public profile, radical policies, and strong internal democracy. Respect has to broaden its forces and build itself outwards if it is to become an effective left alternative. It has to relate to the Labour left after the collapse of McDonnell campaign and the left in the unions given the crisis of representation they face.

Conference notes that:

a) The RMT – the union that proposed the foundation of the Labour Party 100 years ago – is responding to the crisis of representation circulating its branches with the proposition that the union establishes an anti-privatisation political party for the purpose of standing candidates in the GLA elections.

b) That Rob Griffiths, general secretary of the CPB, has written in the Morning Star (10.9.07) that the emergence of the Brown government and his “extending and renewing party democracy” proposals threaten to put us back to the time when the Labour Party was founded. He concludes: “If the labour movement cannot or will not reclaim the LP from the privateers, the war mongers and the Thatcher fans, it will have to re-establish one.”
Conference therefore resolves:

a) To urgently seek discussions with those sections of the left currently outside of Respect. In particular those who have continued to seek to reclaim the LP. These include the John McDonnell campaign, the Labour left and the CPB. These discussions to be on the basis of no organisational preconditions as far as Respect is concerned, with the aim of initiating a process towards a wider regroupment of left forces.

b) To seek discussions with Bob Crow and others in the RMT left on the whole issue of the crisis of representation and the need for a new party, making it clear that we welcome the discussion on this question inside the RMT, which opens up an important political debate, and is a reflection of the crisis of representation. In order to avoid a split in the left vote in the GLA elections Respect should offer the best possible conditions to the RMT for a joint slate, which would also be a step forward towards a wider collaboration.

c) To discuss with the RMT, the Labour left, the CPB and others the possibility of a jointly organised conference, in the first half of next year, to extend the discussion on a solution to the crisis of Labour representation.

In order to build Respect more effectively, conference resolves:

1) To ensure that Respect has clear socialist politics in the coming election. This does not mean that we have to mention socialism in every sentence, but Respect has to operate within a consistent socialist framework. Any left party wanting to make its mark under these conditions will have to have clear and distinct socialist politics on which to build the campaign.

2) To ensure that Respect gives a high profile to material on the environment and climate change in its election and general material. To become more involved in the climate change campaign and the climate camps and their activities. Support the climate change trade union conference.

3) To build a much higher public profile for Respect. To have an effective means of getting our ideas across through broad-sheets and leaflets, and an improved, revitalised website and improved media management with a well resourced press officer. The incoming NC should also revisit the issue of a national and regular Respect newspaper.

4) To improve the democratic functioning of Respect to include:

a) A broader based, more inclusive and better-organised committee to cover the function of the existing officers’ committee.
b) A new national organiser to work alongside the national secretary.
c) Improving the decision-making process in Respect including the way decisions are carried through and carried out.
d) Abolishing the slate system of electing the leading bodies at conference and replace it with a system less alienating to individual activists.
e) Improved connection with the branches by making the national council a delegate body.
f) Ensuring that our elected representatives function under the direction of the elected bodies ­ including major public platforms and media events – and in line with agreed policy. Differences, which will inevitably arise, should be managed collectively.
g) Improving the system of appointments to national office jobs to ensure transparency and accountability.
h) Full financial statement to be given to each NC as a basis for informed decision making.
5)  To reprioritise recruitment, fund-raising, building Respect as a national organisation, and the resourcing and strengthening of its local branches.
6)  To continue to support the activities and campaigns of the StWC both in terms of opposition to the war and the defence of civil liberties and human rights.
7) To ensure that Respect plays an integral part in the struggle of the trade unions against the Brown wage freeze and the attack on trade union rights, and against privatisation and deregulation.