SOCIALIST UNITY

In this month’s edition of searchlight there are two very interesting articles about England fans in Germany. Nick Lowles points out that “there is something unpleasant and aggressive about our society that is not repeated on the continent”, and he reports how there were repeated incidents of xenophobic violence, and celebration of our culture of fighting and drinking. In contrast Mark Perryman points out that this violence is hardly surprising given the level of violence every Friday and Saturday night in pubs and Clubs round England. And while a minority of England fans are hooligans, the overwhelming experience of Germany 2006 was positive, as an amazing 350000 English fans visited the World Cup! Most enjoyed the footballl, and enjoyed mixing with the travelling fans of 32 nations, united by love of football. England fans even laid a wreath, alongside Polish and German fans at Dachau.

This has been a huge shift, as in previous tournaments the numbers of travelling fans was much smaller (just 10000 in Italy in 1990), allowing the ultra hooligans to have a disproportionate influence.

But Perryman asks an important question that will not go away. Who are we English?

The St George flag is a new phenomenon, almost unseen before Euro ’96. It is noticeable where I live that many of the large population of Goan immigrants (who are Portuguese citizens through accident of empire) are strong England supporters, with flags on their cars, and replica shirts. England can be a racially inclusive national identity, stripped of Imperial British baggage. If we want it to be, if we fight for that vision of our national identity, and contest the political right’s authority to shape Englishness.

As Scotland and Wales move towards independence, faster to the north than in the west, but both inexorably, then who are we who are left behind? We have no parliament, we have no national anthem. For most of us English we don’t even have a capital city, as London has a culture and dynamic completely alien to us, and most English people can’t stand the place. But we do have a football team, and we do have Monty Panesar!

Eighteen months ago, Hercules XV179 was shot down by Iraqi insurgents, and all 10 air crew were killed. Eight of the ten were based at RAF Lyneham, delivering a severe blow to the small Wiltshire town.

The bereaved relatives have asked renowned human rights lawyer, Simon McKay, to represent them at the upcoming inquest. But in an incredibly mean spirited move, the Ministry of Defence is refusing to pay for their legal representation.
The issue the families wish to raise at the inquest is whether the MoD was negligent by not providing explosive suppressant foam in the fuel tanks.

All American Hercules have foam in the tanks. This is hardly new technology, and has been deployed since the Vietnam war: it makes a remarkable difference, and one American Herc recently survived 19 rounds in the fuel tank, but still landed safely.
RAF pilots had asked for British planes to be fitted with the foam two years before XV179 was shot down. The cost would be a measly £275000 plus £50000 per aircraft – in terms of military budgets this is small change.

Time ands again British casualties in Iraq show evidence of incompetence, and negligence towards their safety. Soldiers killed because they have had to give up their body armour, soldiers with insufficient ammunition, out of radio contact, or given insufficient training.

The government has a duty of care towards service men and women. That duty of care was betrayed when they were sent into an immoral invasion in Iraq, and when they were sent to Afghanistan. That duty of care is betrayed when they have inadequate equipment to protect their lives.

The anti-war movement in Britain is absolutely correct to draw attention to the scandalous disregard the politicians have towards service lives. The best way to protect service men and women is an immediate withdrawal of British troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. There is no contradiction between this demand, and also arguing for solidarity for those fighting to liberate Iraq from US and UK occupation, because that is the only way lasting peace can be achieved.

Italian left wing daily newspaper Il Manifesto is making an urgent appeal for funds.

Of course we are all used to left wing publications making financial appeals, but this occasion is different. Il Manifesto is an internationally important institution, and it is under threat of closure.

Il Manifesto has survived for more than 35 years as a workers’ co-operative, without the interference of a capitalist proprietor, and has consistently produced first class journalism.
Although originally supportive of the Communist Party, Il Manifesto has always been independent of party control, and in more recent years has supported the social movement, and Rifondazione Comunista.

It is a witty and innovative paper, combining investigative reporting with satire and cheeky disrespect for the rich and powerful. Nor does Il Manifesto rely on third hand reportage for international events: rivalling its pro-establishment competitors it has journalists around the world. One of its reporters, Giuliana Sgrena, was kidnapped in Iraq by insurgents in February 2005, but thankfully later released.

Il Manifesto is now in danger of closing, since February they have been struggling to pay their own salaries.

On the basis of an annual turnover of 17.5 million Euros, and a staff of 121, the Italian State subsidies cover 25% of costs. The rest of the paper’s income comes from sales. They sell an average 29000 copies of the paper every day, and have 5,892 subscriptions.

Il Manifesto has suffered because of loss of sales due to on-line publishing, and also a steep rise in costs – which rose by 11% in 2005.

Please send a contribution today with your credit card.

Let us ensues that Il Manifesto, and its experiment in defying the laws of the market, survives. The paper has played a vital role in Italy and internationally. It has supported the development of the Italian left away from sectarianism of the past, and towards the collaborative way of working of Rifondazione, and the social forums.

Thanks to the African blogger, black looks, for pointing out the plight of the tens of thousands of “African and South Asian migrants amongst the displaced in Lebanon. Unlike other foreign nationals from the Middle East and the West, who have been evacuated by their respective governments, this group have largely been left to fend for themselves without money or papers. Many of them at the lowest strata of society and in a foreign land. It is estimated that there are some 20,000 Ethiopians as well as Nigerians, Ghanaians, Sudanese, Somalis, Sri Lankans and the largest group (90,000) Filipinos working in domestic servitude, as migrant or forced labour and the sex industry in Lebanon.”Some but not all of these migrants workers are part of an international industry in people trafficking. As I have pointed out before there are some 12.3 million slaves in the world today. As Black Looks describes it: “In Africa as elsewhere in the South, the majority poor and dispossessed subsidise the lifestyle of the minority world enabled by a system of dehumanization based on cultural, religious, ethnic and racial difference. Psychologically it is easier to oppress someone who is regarded as different and with whom you can distance yourself. In this way, Nigerian children are taking to Senegal to work in domestic servitude and Senegalese children are taken to Ghana. One ethnic group becomes forced labour or sexual slaves for another in a tit for tat series of exchanges that encompasses the whole world. Going outside one’s own community also makes it more difficult for those trafficked to escape. The further you take someone away from their home the more difficult it is for them to find their way back - trapped in distance, language, culture, bonded-debt and in the case of Lebanon abandoned in a war zone thousands of miles from home.”

Here are the details of Ted Grant’s funeral arrangements - please circulate as best you can:

It will take place at the South Essex (Corbett’s Tey) crematorium in Ockenden road, Upminster RM14 2UY on Tuesday 8th August at 1.15pm. It can be reached by public transport from Upminster Station (Tube/Overground)by getting the 370 bus going to Gray’s or Corbett’s Tey.

A memorial meeting will take place on Sat afternoom 9th Sept at the friends meeting place, Euston London - more details later.

The TUC today (Thursday) welcomed a major victory for Polish workers in Britain who have been paying double tax on their earnings. A campaign by the TUC South West region has led to a treaty being signed today between the Polish and UK Governments that will make sure Polish workers do not pay both tax in the UK and high level tax on the same earnings when they return to Poland. Thanks to this treaty, UK tax paid will count against Polish tax.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber is visiting the Polish church in Bristol today where the problem was first raised with the TUC by the Polish support group, Polski Bristol. The South West TUC took up the campaign with Dawn Primarolo, Bristol South MP and Paymaster General, highlighting to the Minister the complicated tax rules and the fact that workers in other countries such as Ireland get better tax treatment. The Government has subsequently reached an agreement that will benefit thousands of Polish workers employed in the UK. Dawn Primorolo has signed the treaty today on behalf of the British Government.

Speaking at the Polish church in Bristol this evening, Brendan Barber will say: ‘Unions, campaigners and community groups in Bristol have worked together to secure an important victory for thousands of Polish workers across the whole country and end this unjust ‘Pole tax’.

The Government rightly recognises the value that Polish workers add to the UK economy and has responded quickly to union concerns that they were not being treated fairly.’
Julia Verne , Polski Bristol, said: ‘This is great news for Polish workers who have been penalised with unfair tax demands when they go home. The current double tax system doesn’t take into account the high cost of living in the UK and is especially punitive to workers on low pay. The system means that workers are left with very little disposable income. When we first raised this issue, the church was packed with workers who wanted to know why they faced double tax. This treaty is great news and we are indebted to the TUC for helping us tackle this issue.’

Nigel Costley, South West TUC Regional Secretary, said:’Unions are giving on-the-ground support to Polish workers to make sure they are treated properly at work but we’ve proved we can also tackle bigger problems. I didn’t realise that they had to pay double tax and was pleased to help them campaign for reform. Dawn Primarolo has been very quick to respond to this issue and make the system fairer for workers in her own constituency and across the country.’

A statement by the Workers Advice Center in Israel in relation to Israel’s attack on Lebanon.

Since July 12, Israel has been carrying out a disproportionate and murderous war in Lebanon . It has killed hundreds of innocent civilians, including whole families. It has destroyed much of the infrastructure in the south, creating a humanitarian disaster. Those who suffer most are the workers and the poor. At the same time, the IDF continues to pummel Gaza , here too killing innocent civilians. The goal behind all this destruction is to restore the country’s power of deterrence. It needs this power so that it can continue to behave unilaterally––without concessions to the Palestinians or the Syrians.

But Israel too, in the present war, has suffered civilian casualties, both dead and wounded, among the half million or more who live in the Jewish and Arab localities of the north.
The working classes on all sides in the conflict have nothing to gain from this war, no matter what its outcome.

Concerning the Palestinian and Lebanese militias, WAC, which represents the progressive Arab and Jewish workers in Israel , sees no justification for their military actions, which they undertook without consulting their peoples, and which gave Israel a much-desired pretext for showing off its might while exploiting divisions within the Arab camp.

We are concerned about the passive way in which the international community accepts the IDF’s exaggerated use of force. We call on political parties and workers’ organizations, including the trade unions of the world, to demand a cease fire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces back to the international border.

Israel justifies its massive destruction by claiming that it was attacked first. But if it were truly interested in peace, it could have reached a treaty years ago with Syria , with Lebanon , and, most importantly, with the Palestinian people. All it would have needed to do would have been to withdraw from the areas it conquered in 1967 and recognize the legitimate rights of those peoples.

Without such a comprehensive Israeli withdrawal, there will be neither peace nor stability.
It is time to stop the fighting and begin negotiations on the basis of principles that will guarantee the independence and development of all the peoples in the region.

Visit www.workersadvicecenter.org

Here’s a statement by John McDonnell on his John4leader website.

Britain Must Act to Secure Truce in Middle East

We are in danger of witnessing a rapid descent into a widespread war in the Middle East, involving Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Iran, unless Britain with other peace allies act swiftly as mediators. Already the loss of innocent lives on all sides in this conflict is mounting hour by hour but the scale of suffering will be immense if the war engulfs the whole region as it now threatens to do.

Following his meeting with George Bush, the Prime Minister seems to be simply following the American line of seeking to blame the current escalation of military action on both Iran and Syria. Whatever the provocation of having soldiers captured, the Israeli response has been commonly acknowledged as totally disproportionate.

In addition the lack of early intervention by the US to seek to restrain the Israeli reaction at the outset leads some to fear that the implication of Iran in the current conflict suits the USA’s wider political and military agenda for the Middle East. Britain could play an important role in preventing the further escalation of this conflict and in laying out the terrain for its resolution.

Israel is only influenced in any meaningful way by the US. Britain must now call upon the US administration to make it patently clear that it does not support the present Israeli military action and that consequences for the Israeli/US relationship would follow if Israel persists in its attacks on Lebanon and Palestine.Britain, along with its European peace allies, should now seek a mediating role via the UN. First, to negotiate a ceasefire and subsequently the handing over of prisoners from both sides.There is a possibility that we could assist all parties to this conflict to step back from the brink. But we can only succeed in playing this role if Britain is demonstrably seen to be independent of the Bush administration. Our role on the international stage is diminished by Britain being viewed as a satellite of the Bush administration.

The Ministry for Peace initiative, which I participated in establishing in the UK three years ago, has demonstrated that around the world conflict has been overcome by some very basic techniques of peace making and conflict prevention. It is time that we established at the heart of the UK government a Ministry for Peace, so that we are organised and resourced to assist in preventing any future conflicts like the one we are presently witnessing in the Middle East. You can find out more about the Ministry for Peace at their website.

I’ve survived another Marxism. With help and therapy I can look forward to Marxism 2007 with hope and enthusiasm.

Of course some people have an unambiguously good time at Marxism. Snowball at Adventures in Historical Materialism has a good positive account. The treatment in Socialist Worker is, of course, very positive, but I applaud the opening up of coverage. Rather than a single authoritative voice telling us how good it was, backed up by short snippets of interview, this year they’ve given the space to several positive but obviously fresh accounts. You can find more critical accounts in Weekly Worker and Solidarity (actually the AWL account is pleasantly honest and balanced), but just as the SWP can come across as having pre-packaged views and conclusions, so can their critics.

Socialist Worker also gives a figure for attendance: 4,100. This is an interesting and positive development for transparency. Before it has always been bigger and better. I treasure the memory of an SWP-blogger last year saying Marxism 2005 was also bigger, but people just weren’t necessarily in the meetings. Ah, bless. Last year’s Marxism took place in the immediate and disruptive wake of the horrors of 7/7, which must have held numbers down. And last year’s Marxism was also the first to be transformed into a long weekend, justified quite naturally by the previous weeks focus on Edinburgh and Gleneagles; however they seem to have decided this is a better format and soon it’ll only be the experienced activists who’ll remember the dark days of the Tuesday to Friday mornings. In 2004, what with the Respect campaigns in Leicester and Birmingham it was basically only the foreign comrades who gave the thing a semblance of life.

Back to numbers: 4,100. It seemed like roughly the same number as recent years, and that’s quite a bit less than the numbers being claimed a few years back. It’s harder to judge: the topography of Marxism used to centre it on ULU and the Institute of Education, but it’s a bit more dispersed now. The word was that there were unprecdented numbers of young people going: students and school students. Good, but if they’ve got more first-timers going, those of us not satisfied with the simple bigger and better message have got to ask what about the people who used to go. There’s an obvious demographic effect. Despite the wonders of the creche and the obvious effort that the SWP puts into providing this, there’s going to be a demographic effect as comrades have children, etc. But there’s still an issue: the SWP puts a lot of emphasis on the new, the fresh faces, and very good and invigorating that is too, but political organisation needs to keep the older people with it. Yes, I’m disagreeing with Vladimir ‘let the Liberals have the old people over 30′ Lenin here. There certainly were old comrades who turned up, partly to meet old friends and comrades, partly to get a political boost; but I was certainly aware of the vast swathes of people who used to go, but no more.

It’s interesting to compare Marxism’s 4,100 to both the Tolpuddle commemoration with around 10,000 people, but also the far fewer numbers that any other left organisation could muster for a long weekend of political discussion. Please remember this oh worthies of the AWL, CPGB and others. Where but Marxism would the promised introduction to Battle of Algiers by the venerated Giles Pontecorvo be replaced by Saffron Burrows?

What was good about Marxism? Well, the range of non-SWP speakers for one thing. Praise be to Danny ‘I’m not in the SWP, I don’t shout’ Dorling the geographer from Sheffield exposing mythss of segregation in Britain. Paul Gilroy was exceptionally cool in the forum on multiculturalism. The list goes on, imagine my despair at discovering Walden Bello had been replaced by Chris Harman! I missed Bernadette McAliskey, but everyone said how insprinig she was.

Of the non-SWP speakers I think special praise should go to the various Islamic speakers. In the forum on ‘Muslims and the left today’ the Respect Mayoral candidate in Newham, Abdurahman Jafar was cool and happening, and the other speakers Anas Al-tikriti and Nahella Ashraf (Respect candidate in Manchester) were also excellent: fresh and honest, far away from tired old Marxist rhetoric and convincing in their claim to be part of the left, and that we are at the start of a dialogue and developing relationship. I know this is one of the most controversial issues, but to me its an application of then old principle about revolutionaries being tribunes of the people and that people can and do change in stuggle. Jafar was clear that the engagement with Respect was the start of potential changes.

To continue being heretical I also enjoyed the ‘What next for Respect?’ ‘forum’ (yes, okay, rally). Rees and Galloway both gave good rousing speeches, some overlap in their list of positive accomplishments (and I’m sure I was alone in thinking ‘if Leicester was so brilliant in 2004, where’s Leicester Respect now?’). Both were good on the emphasis on the trade union conference called by Respect in November and even Galloway’s hope that Respect could replace Labour as the political voice for working people sounded convincing. Okay, long and difficult way to go, no guarantee of success and lots of reasons for cynicism about both Galloway and the SWP, but good to have ‘eyes on the prize’.

Other points: Joseph Choonara on Bolivia gave good background, but clearly wasn’t interested in talking about practical solidarity. There seem to be a lot of ‘revolutionarytourists’ around: the wonders of globalization of course. On the other hand only one comrade made the call for a revolutionary party in Bolivia as necessary for success and that kind of stuck out as a sore thumb. Once upon a time it would have been said in every meeting.

Chris Harman on Cuba: really I went to see if the line had changed, with the firm assumption that if it had, Chris would have been in the rearguard. Well there is a distinct change of emphasis from the old days, a bit more emphasis on the positive and defence of Cuba against US imperialism, but the old underlying criticisms of ’socialism from above’ remain - even if ’state capitalism’ didn’t get mentioned.

There’s much more to be said, but let’s jump to the downsides. The comrades trying to recruit you are still a pain. Weekly Worker recorded a figure of 121 joining , a bit down from previous years I think, but including two Respect councillors from Tower Hamlets. Good, but how many willstill be members next year? I’m told a firm ‘no’ puts the recruiters off, but I’m not so sure myself. There’s still too much arrogant egotism about the SWP’s view of itself. There’s still too much triumphalism. There’s still a bit too much of people saying the same thing. The rhetoric remains a bit too shallow, ‘Neoliberalism’ was a bit too much of a mantra. I couldn’t face the opening and closing rallies: still expect the level of hysteria to be just too much. But I’d put all these things in the context of what is positive about the event, which remains by far and away the largst and most significant event of its type for the left in Britain.

Well. I am just back from camping at Tolpuddle. We took a delegation down from Swindon Stop the war Coalition, and for the third year running we had the only peace movement banner on the march, which is a shame.
What an excellent event the Tolpuddle festival is. Around 10000 people there, nearly all of whom are trade union or left activists. There were also delegations from the Woodcraft Folk. I had my six year old son with me so I was unable to go to any of the political talks, but there were session on climate change and Latin America, and music by David Rovics.
We did a tally of the 40 odd peoplewho came down from Swindon, half of them on the GMB coach, and only 2 of the 40 are in the Labour Party. So although the Tolpuddle march on Saturday is one of the few places where Labour Party banners are out in strength, it is an illusion. The activists in the movement are no longer automatically Labour.
Indeed the huge response to the Cuba Solidarity Campaign stall, and the growing number of Hugo Chavez T-shirts shows that most of the people there are very off message from new labour.

On Sunday I attended the moving wreath laying ceremony at the grave of martyr James Hammett. Peter Hain laid a wreath on behalf of the labour party, and Tony Benn laid a wreath on behalf of socialists. That seemed to sum it up. The red note choir, who are a first class socialist singing group from Bristol, then sang, finishing with a moving version of the red flag. They had adapted the last verse, so it now says Tony has turned our flag blue. This was rapturously received, but understandably there was also a little argument from Labour loyalists.

So this is the conundrum. Those 10000 people are exactly the people who would be the core of any new party to challenge Labour. The Labour Party has driven out or alienated the very people who gave it any meaning. Yet we are as far as we have ever been from offering any alternative that they might identify with. (It is significant for example that there were no Green Party or Respect banners there).