Launch of Dublin Central People Before Profit

by Left Eye Lopez Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:38

Information and discussion on the political background to this meeting can be found in the Opinion and Analysis section under 'Independent Left joins SWP', October 15. (I don't know how to put in a link to that discussion. Maybe someone else does?)

by me Mon Oct 29, 2007 17:08

Eddie Conlon has come a long way from his days in the WSM - PBPA is just an electoral alliance, for god's sake. The other contact, Colm Stephens, of course, is a member of the SWP. Gotta keep a hand on the tiller.

by anon Mon Oct 29, 2007 17:16

Is Conlon supposed to be representing the now defunct CIL? I don't remember him ever being involved!

by Indyer Mon Oct 29, 2007 17:56

The link that Left Eye was talking about.

by Same Old Stuff Mon Oct 29, 2007 18:59

This is a marriage of desperation. A shotgun wedding.

The C.I.L. fell apart. The I.S.N. legged it early. Then Collins hopes of a Dail seat took a battering. Healy lost whatever interest he had. They looked around and around and the only people left in the room were the same small bunch of older activists minus a few.

The P.B.P.A. remained a phantom. For all the public meetings and conferences and leaflets, the S.W.P's exciting new left turned out to consist of their own shrinking ranks, a woman in Wicklow and a woman in Mayo. In times past the P.B.P.A would have been unceremoniously packed up and put in that box of dead fronts in a closet up on Henrietta Street, with Globalise Resistance, the Anti-Nazi League, the Socialist Alliance and all of the rest. The problem is that the S.W.P. have too much invested in this to just dump it now. How can they expect to get Richard Boyd Barret's arse on a council seat if they have to tell people that he's in the Socialist Workers Party, or that he stands for anything other than being a pleasant young man who wants to save the seafront?

So they need each other. But does anyone need them?

by Same Old Stuff 2 Tue Oct 30, 2007 02:05

Same Old Stuff from 'Same Old Stuff' Change the record please. Get off the net and get into the real world.

by Real Worlder Tue Oct 30, 2007 09:49

If you lie down with dogs.........
Here's the latest on RESPECT and the SWP antics.

Dear Respect Member,

SWP leadership splitting from Respect

We are astonished that the Respect National Secretary John Rees has
spoken publicly in support of four councillors who have split from
Respect in Tower Hamlets.

Today, Monday 29 October, there was a press conference called by four
former Respect councillors in Tower Hamlets. They announced that they
had resigned the Respect whip on the council and were forming a
Respect (Independent) party. This is a clear split from Respect.

John Rees answered questions at the press conference. He expressed his
support for the four breakaway councillors. In answer to questions
from journalists he said that Respect (Independent) candidates could
be standing against Respect candidates in elections. Cllr Oliur
Rahman, who was a member of the National Council and a national
officer, did not rule out standing against George Galloway, who is
Respect's only nominee to be the Respect parliamentary candidate in
Poplar and Limehouse.

No party could be expected to tolerate its purported National
Secretary colluding with those who have split from the organisation
and discussing standing candidates against it.

By this action he has betrayed the members of Respect and the party he
is supposed to advocate, defend and build. He has forfeited his
position as National Secretary and as a member of the National
Council. He has clearly indicated that he and the leadership of the
Socialist Workers Party are splitting from Respect.

Nothing could more clearly demonstrate the duplicitous behaviour of
the SWP leadership, which has been asking for support for its petition
against "witch-hunts" whilst preparing its forces for a split from
Respect.

Yours in solidarity,

Linda Smith, National Chair

Salma Yaqoob, National Vice Chair

Ayesha Bajwa, National Council

Victoria Brittain, National Council

Rita Carter, National Council

Ger Francis, National Council

George Galloway MP, National Council

Jerry Hicks, National Council

Abdul Khaliq Mian, National Council

John Lister, National Council

Ken Loach, National Council

Abjol Miah, National Council, Leader of Tower Hamlets Respect Councillors Group

Bernie Parkes, National Council

Yvonne Ridley, National Council

Clive Searle, National Council

Alan Thornett, National Council

Nick Wrack, National Council

For more information contact nick.wrack@tooks. co.uk;
lindablackpool@ hotmail.com; kevin.ovenden@ gmail.com;
robhoveman@yahoo. co.uk or phone Nick on 07812 063409 or Linda on 07854
998501.

See also the letter sent out to all members on 26 October titled
"Statement from elected representatives and National Council members -
Respect at the Crossroads" and the letter sent of 29 October titled
'response from national chair Linda Smith and others to SWP's "Respect
appeal against witch-hunting" '.

by pat c Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:33

Eddie Conlon, Ailbhe Smith and Joan Collins are decent people. I really wonder what they are doing involved in something which is nothing other than an SWP front. A Front which has no independent existence.

Perhaps Joan Collins is just speaking at the meeting in the interests of Left Ecumenicism. But Eddie and Ailbhe are organisationally involved with PBPA/SWP. They should and do know better.

by Real Worlder Tue Oct 30, 2007 17:20

I know one of the people involved in the current left unity project with the SWP once recommended the following site as an excellent resource on this site, so I'm sure he and others will find the following article interesting. It's by Phil Hearse and appears on Marxsite.com. It finishes with the following paragraph:
......It will confirm those suspicions because they are, sadly, correct. The SWP, under its present leadership, has shown itself in successive experiences – the Socialist Alliance, the SSP and Respect – to be incapable of fruitful long-term co-operation with other socialists in building a national political alternative. The leopard hasn’t changed its spots.

by left activist Tue Oct 30, 2007 19:34

I followed the link above and read the recommended story. What struck me was the similarity with the way the SWP destroyed the IAWM here in Ireland back in 2003-4. Control freaks and sectarians.

I see also that Ken Loach has lined up against them in Britain. So this isn't just a case of Mad Galloway going on an 'anti-left' rampage. Not a chance.

by yahoo Wed Oct 31, 2007 14:43

PatC,

The reason Conlon, Smith, Meehan, Young etc… are involved is because they consider themselves to be the intellectual wing of the workers movement (ironic considering than none of them are working class and all have nice cushy jobs!) and are hoping that the SWP/PBP will provide the foot solders to facilitate their latest attempt at fame, sorry Left Unity. At least RBB does the leg work in Dun Laoghaire but none of the aforementioned do any work in their local communities.
Unfortunately, the reasons for Joan Collins involvement are even sadder. The poor vote during the elections was a serious setback for her and Connolly. (she genuinely expected to get elected). With Healy, Catherine Connolly and the ISN walking away from the CIL she was only left with the dross. Out of desperation, and a leftist need to cohabitate with other leftists, she sees the SWP/PBP as the only show in town. Her previous attempt failed because it was ‘outed’ before some of those targeted were informed see http://www.indymedia.ie/article/81364.
If any of those involved in this con job were genuine about Left Unity, Dublin Central wouldn’t be the place to start. The WCA, or what’s left of them, already have a base there. While most of the Left wouldn’t consider the WCA socialist or support their extreme views on drugs and sex offenders, they are certainly class conscious, possibly even too ‘workerist’ in their views. With the WCA’s close relationship with the ISN, it will be interesting to see what the rest of the non-SWP/PBP/CIL left think of this move. Nobody will be surprised at the SWP involvement, after all they did run against the Socialist Party in Dublin South Central in 2004 when the SP had a good chance of building a base on the back of the bin charges. Left unity on the basis that nobody else will touch them isn’t really a good start!

by Kieran O'Sullivan - Personal Capacity Wed Oct 31, 2007 17:41

Same old debate going on by Anonymous people.
"left activist" wrote "I followed the link above and read the recommended story. What struck me was the similarity with the way the SWP destroyed the IAWM here in Ireland back in 2003-4. Control freaks and sectarians. "

Exactly how did the SWP destroy the IAWM? It is still in existence and held a very successful conference on October 13th.

What really amazes me about these comments is that those who have been most critical of the SWP's involvement in other organizations are now complaining that there seems to be a split between the SWP and Respect.

There are a lot more interesting questions to ask People-Before-Profit.

1. Where are their policy documents?
2. What exactly is the difference between PBP and the other parties?
3. What structures will PBP put in place to prevent the types of betrayal carried out by the Greens?
4. When will PBP get a constitution?
5. What campaigns will PBP be highlighting over the next 5 years?
6. Is PBP going to be limited to local issues or will it come up with policies on national issues?

These are more interesting questions than getting hung up on the SWP.

by pat c Thu Nov 01, 2007 14:33

"The reason Conlon, Smith, Meehan, Young etc… are involved is because they consider themselves to be the intellectual wing of the workers movement (ironic considering than none of them are working class and all have nice cushy jobs!) and are hoping that the SWP/PBP will provide the foot solders to facilitate their latest attempt at fame, sorry Left Unity."

That is not my experience of the people you mention. They are genuine activists who have been involved in ongoing campaigns, the TU & Womens movements for decades. I might not always agree with them but their integrity should not be challenged.

I'm just curious as to why they are involved with the PBPA/SWP. They must be aware that the PBPA is an SWP Front. Some of them have had their figers burned through past involvement with the SWP, that makes their involvement with an SWP Front all the more puzzling.

by Ailish Gregan Mon Nov 05, 2007 18:53

From my information, several leading members of the WCA have joined the PBP campaign. One of them, Joe, tells me that he gelieves that a united left campaign may succeed and he was happy to play a role. Joe said that John Meehan laid out a very persuasive campaign strategy and he felt it was very workable.
This appears to me to be a good move.

by leftwatcher - none Thu Feb 21, 2008 13:47

yea he does but ya see he's feckin off ta Aussie land so ya wonnt be seeing that much of him anyways