Left Alternative

Left Alternative is a UK political party resulting from the split within Respect – The Unity Coalition in late 2007. It is backed by the Socialist Workers Party (SWP). Soon after the split, the electoral label Left List was adopted and this label faced its first major electoral test in the London mayoral elections and London Assembly elections on 1 May 2008. Lindsey German, the Mayoral candidate, came seventh and in both the Mayoral and Assembly elections, Left List received less than 1% of the vote, well down on Respect's performance in 2004. The name Left Alternative was subsequently adopted.

History

Respect was created in January 2004 [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3788125.stm BBC News] ] , using the issue of the war in Iraq to mobilise its vote. Beyond this issue, it attempted to have a broad socialist agenda. Respect allows its members to hold membership of other political organisations and notably included the SWP. The party's most high profile figure is George Galloway, Respect Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow who was expelled from the Labour Party for "bringing the party into disrepute".

The crisis in Respect

In September 2007, Galloway wrote a letter to Respect's national council members saying that the party was "too disorganised" and "faced oblivion" unless it reformed its internal party management. [ [http://www.themuslimweekly.com/fullstoryview.aspx?NewsID=215082B330A483E173B045F1&MENUID=HOMENEWS&DESCRIPTION=UK%20News Galloway slams own Respect party] , The Muslim Weekly, 14 September 2007] The letter also criticised the amount of money spent on the Organising for Fighting Unions conference and on an intervention at the Pride London LGBT rights event.

The letter was the opening shot in a dispute in Respect initially between Galloway and his supporters (including founding member Salma Yaqoob) on one side, and supporters of the SWP on the other. However the arguments later began to affect all of the membership including those not in the SWP or close to Galloway or Yaqoob. In particular, Galloway called for the appointment of a National Organiser, who would support the National Secretary, John Rees (SWP Member). The SWP perceived this to be an attempt to undermine John Rees who was the dominant voice for the SWP within Respect's leadership. A letter from their Central Committee stated: "The SWP believed that the post was created to undermine Respect National Secretary John Rees." [cite web|url=http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/692/swp%20party%20notes.htm|title=From the SWP's Party Notes]

In the course of the dispute, the SWP expelled three members who sided with Galloway: Kevin Ovenden and Rob Hoveman, who both worked for George Galloway, and Nick Wrack, who was nominated for the position of National Organiser.

On 3 November 2007, Galloway's side announced plans to hold a "Respect Renewal" conference on 17 November, the same day as the planned national conference of Respect. The Respect Renewal conference was an open event and organisers claim 350 people attended. This figure has been disputed. The Respect national conference, which went ahead on the same day was attended by 270 delegates from 49 local branches and 17 student groups, as well as 90 observers. [cite web|url=http://www.isj.org.uk/index.php4?id=396&issue=117|title=The Crisis in Respect|accessdate=2008-01-05|publisher=International Socialism|year=2008|author=Chris Harman]

Linda Smith, Respect's national chair at the time of the split, has claimed: "The sectarianism and ‘control freak’ methods of the SWP have led us to a situation where Respect is irretrievably split." [cite web|url=http://respectrenewal.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20|title=Renewing Respect] The SWP has attributed the split to a shift to the right by George Galloway and his allies, motivated by electoralism (placing election-winning above other principles). This, say the SWP leadership, led to attacks on the SWP as the most prominent left group in Respect. [cite web|url=http://www.swp.org.uk/respect_cc.php|title=The record: The Socialist Workers Party and Respect|author=SWP Central Committee Statement|date=2007-11-03]

Left List emerges

The Electoral Commission has refused to take a side in the split and therefore continues to recognise Linda Smith as the Nominating Officer for Respect. [Cite web|url=http://www.electoralcommission.gov.uk/regulatory-issues/regpoliticalparties.cfm?frmGB=1&frmPartyID=467&frmType=partydetail|title=Register of political parties: Respect—The Unity Coalition|accessdate=2008-03-17] This means that her signature is required for candidates wishing to use the electoral label "Respect" (and similar registered names) on ballot papers in UK elections. A letter from the Electoral Commission to Linda Smith on 23 January 2008, set out its position on the split, following confusion on the matter from both sides. [cite web|url=http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=1617|publisher=Socialist Unity|title=RESPECT—SWP can't use the name]

Following the split, the side that included the SWP (but not Galloway or Linda Smith) nominated candidates in two district council by-elections. They could not use the name "Respect" on ballot papers without the signature of the nominating officer. Instead, both had no label on the ballot papers. [cite web|url=http://www.preston.gov.uk/elections/ElectionWard.asp?ward=94|title=Preston City Council Electoral Ward Nominees] [cite web|url=http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/council/elections/leyton-by-election/leyton-by-election-candidates.htm|title=Statement as to persons nominated]

This side in the Respect split has announced that in the London mayoral elections planned for 1st May 2008 it will stand Lindsey German for mayor (Respect's candidate in 2004 and chosen as Respect's candidate in 2007 prior to the schism) and candidates for the London Assembly, elected on the same date. It has announced that its candidates will contest these elections under a new electoral label, the Left List, since Linda Smith has not allowed them to be listed on ballot papers as Respect candidates. [cite web|url=http://www.respectcoalition.org/?ite=1833|title=Respect's Left List launches GLA challenge|publisher=Respect—the Unity Coalition|accessdate=2008-03-17] [cite web|url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/regulatory-issues/regpoliticalparties.cfm?frmGB=1&frmPartyID=818&frmType=partydetail|title=Register of political parties: Left List] [Cite news|url= http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=14397|title=Why Respect is Standing as 'Left List' in London|accessdate=2008-03-17|publisher=Socialist Worker|date=2008-03-15]

The Left List contested every constituency as well as standing on the London-wide proportional representation list. At the 1st May 2008 Council Elections, the Left List also contested seats as the Left List or the Left Party, Maxine Bowler in Burngreave, Sheffield. [cite news|url=http://www.respectcoalition.org/?ite=1822|title=Respect announces Left List for Mayoral and GLA elections|publisher=Respect - The Unity Coalition|date=2008-03-10] Respect Renewal stood in the City and East London constituency as well as contesting the London-wide list. George Galloway headed the London-wide party list, and Respect Renewal candidates will be standing under the name 'Respect (George Galloway)'. [cite news|url=http://www.respectrenewal.org/content/view/211/1/|title="We Can Win In East London This May"|publisher=Respect Renewal|date=2008-03-15] [cite news|url=http://www.respectrenewal.org/images/stories/downloads/respectspecialeditionmar08.pdf|title=Respect Newspaper Special Edition|publisher=Respect Renewal|date=2008-03-15]

Both factions of Respect suffered as a result and together failed to reach the previous number of votes.

Revolutionary socialists in the SWP/Left List, see building a working class movement as central to bringing about socialism and call for standing in elections to fight the perceived right wing in the mainstream Parties. The SWP argues that there is no parliamentary road to socialism, but argues that standing in elections offers a left alternative for electors.

Left Alternative

The organisation's website began to display the title Left Alternative in late June 2008. On 10th September 2008 John Rees and Lindsey German resigned from the Left Alternative National Committee [cite web|url=http://thecommune.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/rees-and-german-resign-from-left-alternative-leadership/|title=rees and german resign from left alternative leadership|publisher=The Commune|accessdate=2008-09-10] .

See also

*Stop the War Coalition
*Respect Coalition
*Socialist Workers Party
*Lindsey German
*John Rees
*International Socialism (journal)

References

External links

* [http://www.respectcoalition.org/ RESPECT website] (Left List faction)
* [http://www.respectrenewal.org/ RESPECT website] (Renewal faction)