Despite Wigan’s 5-0 thrashing by Manchester United in the town on the same day, when it comes to ‘Premiership’ flight progressive politics the day’s result from the nearby Pemberton Labour Club was altogether different.
What was witnessed there, less than two miles away, just off the road to Wigan Pier, was an even greater display of political ‘footwork’ with 5 parties having united for the launch of the new Wigan People’s Alliance.
The rousing launch rally which was supported by the Respect Party, Community Action Party, Socialist Party, Green Party and the SWP was attended by 70 people including members of the local Trades Council.
Speaker after speaker, including Coventry Socialist Party Councillor and ex-Labour MP Dave Nellist, Nahella Ashraf of the SWP, Alan Johnson from the Green Party, and Peter Franzen of the Wigan based Community Action Party commended the grassroots unity which has and is still being practically forged in the Wigan area around the fight against local school closures, PFI, job & service cuts, and around other issues as well. Also in terms of the decision to unite around the People’s Charter, which is the platform on which the new alliance is based and which has widespread support within the unions, the new alliance’s attempt to provide a genuine working class ‘people’s’ political alternative to the traditional parties and the BNP in the forthcoming elections.
Nick Griffin’s now regularly visits to the Wigan area since his election as a Euro MP and the fact that BNP are wanting to make a big organisational push in Wigan has helped to focus our minds especially since their activities puts us very much in the front line of the fight against the fascists.
However, while their activities are obviously of great concern, the main political enemy of ordinary people in our area at this moment in time is actually the Labour Party, they are the ones leading the attacks on ordinary folk now, and who are already preparing themselves for the loss of their overall control of the Council in the local elections by courting the Tories with a view to forming a coalition administration.
The last thing most people want to see in Wigan are the Tories getting back into power nationally, but that is precisely the prospect they are currently faced with under New Labour and in the case of Wigan Council a joint Tory-New Labour administration.
We want to stop that happening by offering a genuine ‘People’s’ alternative’ that fights for ordinary people both on a day to day basis and at the ballot box.
Manchester United may have bagged five goals at football in Wigan on Saturday, but as a city Manchester is politically and organisationally behind Wigan in terms of the huge tasks ahead of us.
But they could catch us up and likely supersede us in a matter of weeks if they made the same effort as we have. The same political forces and campaign activists who are working together in Wigan are to be found in Manchester and in much greater numbers. So just what is holding everyone back??
The Wigan People’s Alliance is now afloat and shows the way I say.
What we are wanting to do now is make it not just an alliance of progressive political parties which aims to link up with progressive unions to fight this or that campaign and/or the elections, but a genuine alliance of the people at a grassroots level.
Stephen Hall
Branch Organiser
South Lancs Respect Party
Liam redux 
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