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Anti-Nice treaty alliance unveiled in Dublin national |
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news report
 Thursday September 19, 2002 15:24 by From Ireland.com
 A campaigning group comprised of Dáil parties, Independents and other groups opposed to the Treaty of Nice was unveiled in Dublin today.
Mr Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party accused the Government and the European Union of failing to illustrate in the implications of the Treaty. He said if the Treaty was passed it would spell the introduction of "wholesale privatisation" and would mark a move "towards a European armaments industry". Independent TD Mr Séamus Healy warned the Government would be punished for deceiving the public in order to be elected. Accusing the Government of using "bully-boy" tactics over enlargement, he referred to EU president Mr Romano Prodi’s assertion that the Irish rejection of the Nice Treaty would not affect the accession of new members to the EU. Green Mr TD Paul Gogarty said the Government was "spinning stories" that rejection of the Treaty would mean withdrawal from the EU and said it was time to put the enlargement argument "to bed". Sinn Féin’s Mr Aengus Ó Snodaigh said the Government was spending millions of euro on a campaign deception. The campaign is focusing on four central themes - it opposes the privatisation of the public sector, the creation of a European army, calls for the protection of workers rights and moves toward further integration and federalism. Former ATGWU national secretary Mr Mick O’Reilly called on the Government to state whether it would accept the result of the second referendum if it was a No vote. The Alliance is made up of the Green Party, Sinn Féin, the Socialist Party, the Tipperary Workers and Unemployed Action Group and Mr Seamus Healy TD, Mr Tony Gregory TD, Mr Finian McGrath TD, the Workers Party, the Socialist Workers Party, the Irish Socialist Network, the Independent Socialist Forum Against Nice and Mr Mick O’Reilly.
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Comments (15 of 15)
Jump To Comment: 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1The account I gave is historically accurate. The record can be checked. My response was to someone who expressed surprise at the formation of the Alliance and suggested SP members were "out of the loop".
To Justin's point (as I made clear in earlier posts) we believed the way forward in the first instance was for socialist parties to form a specifically *socialist* anti-Nice campaign.
We contacted a number of socialist parties and groups (look up the thread where I gave details some time ago here if you are interested.)
It is true the Alliance that has been formed following Joe Higgins' response differs somewhat from this. We won't make difficulties. We welcome the formation and participated from the word go.
HS from sp use silly talk to try to muddy the waters. No-one in the SWP suggested anyone was or should be "afraid of the SWP" and there was no "attitude" that anyone could be reasonably "put off" by. Just an account of our role in paving the road for a bit of left co-operation.
As I say, we *should* do it more often.
Kevin
This alliance didn't come about because everyone afraid of the swp, The greens now have six seats and Sf have five, the unemployed action group have a a td and a whole load of locals. If the swp didn't exist this still would have happened, and if the Socialist party didn't exist I think someone would have taken the inititive. Its attitutes like the one kevin displays here that turns many off them.
While certainly Kevin is correct in that the SWP call often and long for a left bloc, a socialist bloc etc. I amn't so sure about his statements on Nice. He states:
"In particular we approached a number of socialist parties and groups some time ago to suggest a unifed socialist campaign against Nice."
Now it's certainly possible that for ideological reasons he didn't approach us as he might not see us as socialist (And an argument on that we can save for another time). The same with the Greens. But the first we heard of it was from Joe Higgins and the Socialist Party. Leaving out the two largest anti-Nice parties with progressive left-wing and in our case socialist politics seems a little odd. The same might apply to certain independents you may not have contacted.
As far as we're aware, and most of the other people tied into the Alliance are aware, the move for this formation came from the Socialist Party. I don't think the response was provoked by the SWP and while certainly since it was set up the SWP have played a full, active role in the Alliance I think credit should go to where it's due. The SP started this nd we all tied in. The important thing now is to use it as a way to build opposition to Nice.
The move is very much to be welcomed but is NOT a surprise.
As regular readers of IMC will remember the SWP has been calling for Left co-operation and a Socialist Bloc for some time. In particular we approached a number of socialist parties and groups some time ago to suggest a unifed socialist campaign against Nice.
A vitriolic discussion rubbishing the SWP was conducted here to which I gave a number of replies outlining the SWP position and our calls for co-operation.
During this time the Socialist Party eventually responded with Joe Higgins' letter calling a meeting to set up something similar. If you want to check the posts you will find I welcomed this move on behalf of the SWP and since then we have taken a full part in this venture.
In other words no surprise, just a belated but nonetheless welcome case of left co-operation. We should do it more often
Kevin Wingfield
Socialist Workers Party
Having recogised that there are people, of some form, outside the Pale, the Alliance is planning a series of public meetings in Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Galway and, obviously, Dublin. Waterford is on the 26th and an ad for it is somewhere on Indymedia. We're looking at 2/10 for Galway and 9/10 for Dublin as tentative dates.
The Alliance is producing literature both to advertise the meeting and to be used as general campaign material. All those people who prefer to remain non-party are more than welcome to come along to the meetings, DONATE MONEY, and distribute campaign literature.
There will also be press conferences and the like throughout the campaign.
All Alliance parties and groups will also be running their own campaigns of course.
"If you're all so knowledgeable about the left wing, how come there wasn't even a whimper about this alliance on the newswire?"
You're way behind comrade haven't you been reading. We've been discussing this on indymedia since Joe Higgins first sent the letter around weeks ago. It led to a debate on left unity that has been raging ever since. Also the anarchists have set up a seperate campaign.
the reason why I didnt mention it here is because there was a possiblility that some people/groups may not have joined, there were discussions about the programme etc.
It was not suitable for a public forum like indymedia.
I knew all about the Alliance Against Nice, We discussed it at a branch meeting.
If there is a nationwide anti nice campaign starting, then I would be interested in participating. Assuming the campaign will be active outside the pale.
Ha ha, the SP people that post on Indymedia must be really really out of the loop...while they're on here talking through their backsides the real power-people in the SP are deciding who to hook up with.
If you're all so knowledgeable about the left wing, how come there wasn't even a whimper about this alliance on the newswire?
Not a word. You were all too busy debating with the SWP and the anarchists. Did you even know this was coming...
the media machine is has started for the Yes vote already.
Rte.ie the news section doesn't even cover the launch.
An excellent magazine too, and truly independent.
They are a forum of Socialists independent from others and who oppose Nice ;) Their speaker at the press conference was a guy called Aindrias O'Cathasaigh.
Who are Independent Socialist Forum Against Nice?