Left of Labour electoral prospects and strategies in Britain

It seems that elements around the RMT, Communist and Socialist Parties that put together the last-minute NO2EU alliance for the recent Euro elections are now looking at putting together a coalition for the next general election in Britain.

Aside from concerns about the democratic credentials and principles of some of those involved in this project (in light of the way that NO2EU was put together over the heads of much of the RMT rank-and-file), I would say that a much broader discussion is needed on left electoralism. Going once "more unto the breach" with another coalition after the varied degrees of failure of the Socialist Alliance and Respect and split of the SSP without confronting the reasons for the failure of these projects would seem a self defeating exercise for those involved. The current and likely political situation should also be honestly looked at, along with the lack of time for putting together anything beyond local agreements not to have inter-left contests on the electoral field.

As far as I can see at this time, with the possible exception of the Greens and Scots and Welsh Nats (and whilst there are socialist elements/currents in these parties the leaderships are often more social democratic/left liberal) the Left in Britain are likely, in most cases, to go down and go down hard at the next general election, tactical and electoral agreements or not. (Tactical agreements might soften the blow). This is an inevitable result of the British Left's attachment to the Labour Party as internal or external tendencies through repeated deference to the shibboleth of the "organic" Trade Union link.

Once this likelihood is faced then a realistic appraisal of what can be salvaged in the short term and what the longer term strategic tasks should be can be addressed. I think that effort should be put into getting some electable tribunes elected - Salma, Caroline, some of the left Scots and Welsh Civic Nationalists and the handful of electable Labour Lefts behind McDonnell's "change candidates" idea. Such a grouping of MPS should present themselves as a left opposition in Parliament, separate and distinct from the rump Labour Party (which is likely, after defeat, to fall into civil war between different rightist factions). But beyond that the emphasis should be on the work that the Convention of the Left sensibly concluded was necessary - basic grassroots bread and butter coalition working. (Which will become even more vital in the face of the already telegraphed Tory onslaught on the British working class) Much of the left nodded in agreement to this and then went away and continued with the same old sterile sect politics, student recruitment and foreign policy fetishisation.....there is still time.

Demonstration Against Trust Schools In Waltham Forest

The following is a message from Waltham Forest NUT:

To ALL Teachers in Waltham Forest
ALL Trade Unionists
ALL Parents and local Residents
ALL Those Concerned about Education and Youth


DEMONSTRATE AGAINST TRUST SCHOOLS IN WALTHAM FOREST



WEDNESDAY 15th JULY 2009 at 4pm

March from Leyton County Ground at 4pm to outside Walthamstow Library, High Street near Selborne Walk and then to Waltham Forest Town Hall at 5.30pm

Norlington NUT members are taking STRIKE ACTION on that day. Please come and express your Support for their stand.

Teachers Oppose the Trust Schools

* The school will be outside of LEA control- less accountable to local people

* Conditions of service for all staff could be subject to change

* The status of Norlington as the last boys-only secondary school in the Borough will be threatened

* It is a terrible idea to educate 1800 Primary and Secondary children on the same small site

Residents oppose the Trust school

They intend to build on nearly half the site

Waltham Forest is an Olympic borough and yet they intend to take away our sports facilities

The Essex County Ground is a green oasis in a desert of bricks and mortar

The Lecturers in the UCU union oppose the Trust School

They believe that The Institute of Education (the main Trustees) should train teachers and not get involved in running schools, which is an area they have no experience in

This March is supported by Waltham Forest NUT, Waltham Forest Trades Council and The Leyton Triangle Group

Green MSP to Support Candidate in Norwich

GREEN PARLIAMENTARIAN IN NORWICH NORTH!
Patrick Harvie MSP talks about what just a few Greens can achieve in a Parliament

The Green Party candidate in the Norwich North by-election, Rupert Read, is aiming to become the first ever Green MP at Westminster in the election on July 23rd.

But in fact the Greens already have two MPs – in the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood.

One of them is Patrick Harvie MSP, who has been a Green MSP for Glasgow since 2003. Mr Harvie will be in Norwich on Sunday and Monday (July 12th and 13th) in support of Dr Read’s campaign in Norwich North.

Patrick Harvie says although the Greens may be few in number, they regularly hold the balance of power at Holyrood and have notched up some remarkable achievements, including the first Green Act in Britain – Patrick’s own legislation to tackle hate crime.

The Scottish Green MPs have also delievered:

* a Climate Change Bill with stronger targets than those set for the UK
* a £27.4m Climate Change Fund for innovative communities in Scotland
* a £30m Scottish Investment Fund for socially beneficial enterprises
* legislation to protect the coastline against the risk of oilspills in the Firth of Forth
* a strong campaign to get a buildings insulation programme in place across Scotland
* helped secure the abolition of student tuition fees in Scotland

Patrick Harvie is clear that even a small number of Green MPs at Westminster could begin working towards similar progressive measures. That’s why he’ll be out campaigning with Rupert Read in various locations across Norwich North on Sunday and Monday, and ready to meet the media on request.

High Profile Greens To Speak in Norwich

High profile Green Campaigners and Parliamentary Candidates Tony Juniper and Peter Tatchell are to speak at public meetings in Norwich in the run up to the Norwich North by-election.

LEADING ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGNER TONY JUNIPER VISITS NORWICH NORTH

The internationally-renowned environmental campaigner and writer Tony Juniper will visit Norwich North on Wednesday July 8th in support of the Green Party campaign for the Norwich North by-election. Tony Juniper has been campaigning on green issues for 25 years, most recently as Director of ‘Friends of the Earth’. He is an inspirational speaker, and his visit to Norwich during this campaign is a great boost for the campaign.

At 7.30pm on Wednesday July 8th Tony Juniper will address an election rally at The Belvedere Centre, Belvoir Street, Norwich, on the subject “Making them listen: How MPs and Parliament will be transformed by the Greens.”

Leading human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell is also due to visit Norwich in the next couple of weeks. Rupert has this endorsement from Peter:

"Fed up with the established parties and corrupt MPs? It is time for change. Register your anger by voting Green - for a new, clean politics. There are already plenty of Tory, Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs. Electing another MP from these big-three establishment parties won't make any difference. But electing Rupert Read as a Green MP for Norwich North will make history. He would be the first ever Green MP. It would put Norwich on the map. Vote for change, vote Green."

On an episode of Newsnight last week political commentator Michael Crick predicted that the Greens were on course to beat New Labour into third place - if the Greens can hold off the Liberal Democrat challenge, (whose campaign has already been damaged by some unfortunate negative campaigning) we will be in the prime position to challenge the Conservatives.

More Green Contenders On July 23rd

As well as the Norwich North by-election on July 23rd there are set to be a series of other by-elections at local council level around Britain on that day, some contested by Greens.

In Wembley, London, Martin Francis is carrying the Green Banner and campaigning on a range of issues -

I would press for changes in the Council's consultation system so that people are fully involved in how their area develops and feel that they are really being listened to. Often decisions seem to have be made in advance and those who have taken part in consultations feel their views have been ignored and their participation was a waste of time. I have supported residents angry about the potential impact of the Wembley Masterplan on their environment and have steadfastly opposed the Wembley ARK Academy because we have had no say in the Council handing over tax-payer funded education to a financial speculator and because the particular site will mean the loss of playing fields and increase traffic congestion. I support the campaign for a new community secondary school in the south of Brent to serve local people. I would seek to ensure that all major developments, such as the Civic Centre are consulted about at the proposal stage: "Should we have one?", rather than later: "What kind of roof should it have?"

More here

Meanwhile in the Green stronghold of Brighton there is a by-election in the Goldsmid ward being contested by Alex Phillips -

"This long overdue by-election gives Goldsmid residents an opportunity to vote for a positive change," commented Alex.

"The Green Party's forward-looking policies to create jobs, increase affordable housing and improve the city's public transport are what the people of Goldsmid have told me on the doorstep they are looking for.

"The past two years of Tory administration have left residents underwhelmed, and the previous Labour-run council had run out of ideas and direction."

More here

Norwich North By-Election - Ready to Go!

The Norwich North by-election is being planned for July 23rd. The Green Party is ready for the challenge, and delighted that the fight for Norwich North can now begin in earnest.

The Green Party candidate for Norwich North is Dr.Rupert Read, a Norwich city councillor and UEA lecturer who narrowly missed election as an MEP in the recent European elections.

Rupert Read said today:

“After the gloom of the economic downturn and the scandal surrounding MPs expenses, which has sullied all three main parties,the Greens are offering a fresh new approach. We want cleaner politics as well as consideration for the environment underpinning every aspect of policy.

“For the first time ever, the national spotlight will be on the Green Party in a by-election campaign and our prospects are being taken extremely seriously. The big three parties have everything to lose. The Green Party has everything to gain.”

Dr Read, who has previously won plaudits for his Party’s ‘Clean Campaign Pledge’, recently saw a huge expansion of the Green vote in the east of England after his campaign for the European elections and came within 1% of securing a seat.

Green support peaked strongly in their emerging stronghold of Norwich, where the Greens came out on top with about 25% of the vote, a tremendous achievement and one which shows that the Green Party and Dr Read will be a major force in the forthcoming coming by-election. In Norwich North, the Green Party won two Council seats for the first time, giving it new momentum. (Labour won just one seat, and the Lib-Dems none at all).

Norwich Green Party Site.

Greens Prepare To Fight Norwich North By-Election

Here are some of the first news releases about the Green campaign in Norwich North -

Candidate selected for Norwich North

At a packed meeting of Green Party members this week, Dr Rupert Read was selected as the Green Party's parliamentary candidate for the Norwich North by-election, ahead of fellow Norwich City Councillor Claire Stephenson, and former councillor Jessica Goldfinch.

Rupert Read said: "I'm honoured to be given the opportunity to represent the Green Party in a by-election in which, for the first time ever, the national spotlight will be on the Green Party and our campaign and our prospects are being taken extremely seriously."

As well as being a Green city councillor, Dr Read (43) is also a lecturer in philosophy at the University of East Anglia.

Dr Read recently won a huge expansion of the Green vote in the east of England in his campaign for the European elections and came within 1% of securing a seat. Hundreds of supporters took an active part in that campaign, and, in the absence of the high-level funding enjoyed by other parties, the Greens are calling for similar assistance in Norwich North where they'll be organising their first major leafletting this weekend.

Norwich Green Party has 13 Norwich City Councillors (Labour 15, Lib-Dems 6 Tories 5). It has 7 Norfolk County Councillors serving 7 of the 13 Norwich county wards. In the 2009 European election, the Green Party secured more votes than any other party in the Norwich City Council area, gaining 25%.

Here is the news release on the first opinion poll relating to the forthcoming election -

Norwich by-election - Greens take off as Labour goes into freefall

The first poll in the Norwich North by-election shows a major increase in the potential Green Party vote - as Labour's support collapses.

The poll shows the Conservatives ahead on 34%. Labour have fallen to second place, and their support has plummeted FIFTEEN points to 30%. Meanwhile the LibDems are worrying on 15%.

But the poll suggests the Green Party's support has shot up to 14%, putting the Greens hot on the heels of the Liberal Democrats. In UK-wide polls relating to parliamentary elections in the last year, the Greens have more commonly been on around 3% - and the previous record was 8%.

The by-election is being fought for the Greens by Dr Rupert Read, a Norwich city councillor and local university lecturer, who narrowly missed election as an MEP in the recent European elections.


College poll shows popularity of Green Party higher education policies

The poll, which was conducted by ICM and commissioned by the University and College Union, also questioned respondents about their attitudes to education - and Green Party policy proved popular.

Nearly three-quarters of adults (73%) agreed that giving young people affordable access to local education and training would reduce crime and anti-social behaviour - a view shared by the Green Party.

Over four-fifths (82%) of adults in the Norwich North constituency agreed that every local person who met entry standards should be entitled to a free place at a local college or university. Green candidate Rupert Read, who teaches at the University of East Anglia, said he would do everything in his power as an MP to help bring this about.

Rupert Read said today: "This poll is very encouraging for the Green Party.

"In the Norwich North by-election, the big three parties have everything to lose. The Green Party has everything to gain."

Note

The poll was commissioned by the University and College Union and carried out by leading pollsters ICM. It surveyed a random sample of 504 adults aged 18+ by telephone on 19-21 June 2009. More detailed results can be found at: http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=3987.