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Party name
Sorry to read there may be problems with the “Left Labour” party name: it did appeal to me.
Do you think we might get away with “Democratic Socialist Labour Party” – DSLP?
I do think we should try for a title with “Labour” in it somewhere to preserve something of a claim to sharing the brand.
I like Go Left as a party name and “An eco-socialist party” works as a strap line acknowledging the climate crisis as a major objective while approaching this huge challenge as socialists. US eco-socialist thinking seems to be much more typically socialist than UK eco-socialism.
Technology and Eco-socialism FB Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/883572619108719
“Keep Left” has not been taken.
Still waiting for a better party name. I am not entirely happy with “Breakthrough” either. Particularly if we do not break through immediately.
Party Organisation
So far, I like the nature of the proposed constitution and the organising details – including the use of virtual meetings (except for National/Regional Conferences). I share the view regarding whether now is a good time to consider forming a new party per se ….. for me the trade unions need to be very much on board before that is a realistic option. The same applies to any mergers/alliances. Our trade unions have (and for me still are) the best examples of an organised working class ….. this is despite the reality that some unions – through their officers – are still very much in the pocket of the Tory-Lite Labour Party machine, As such there is a need to take a long hard look at how our trade unions (and other community organisations like cooperatives, tenant’s associations etc) with a view to forming the best and widest alliance of political forces that are firmly committed to genuine change of our capitalist system as opposed to just trying to manage it better than the Tories!
I have a problem with the “Objects Clause” at the beginning. You have inserted “and our people” after “To secure for the workers by hand or by brain”.
Your stated aim is to make it a “bottom up” aim, but I don’t think that this insertion a) makes sense or b) doesn’t what you want.
1. I agree with proposal on Objects Clause
2. I would be in favour of relaunching the ILP if it were possible. Otherwise happy to vote on what comrades suggest.
3. Defer any merger to later time.
4. Agree on proposal for National Committees.
5. Agree virtual meetings at this time.
6. Policies. I like to think I have some writing skills. Willing to put forward ideas for the agreed manifesto points.
7. I agree the suggested timetable.
I understand the reluctance to have regional and national conference as virtual meetings. Have you ever travelled from Thurso to Glasgow or to Liverpool or Brighton? Many comrades cannot afford to travel long distances, and cannot afford accommodation. Many comrades have caring issues.
Like everyone else I enjoy the conversations in the bars at Conference. Perhaps a comrade would like to run Friday night quiz night on Zoom, followed by open ended discussions until the last of us falls asleep? Or Sunday morning open chats or open chats on a policy issue? We could start these now – if we have a volunteer.
I fully agree with getting the trade unions on board. It is a bit of “chicken and egg” with trade unions, left Labour MPs and former MPs, Momentum, and former Labour Party members. They want to join an organisation that is up and running rather than to start from scratch. There was no party I wished to join when I left Labour. I know there are a lot of people looking for a party to join. So here we are.
A common problem with manifestos is either they are too simplistic or they are far too long.
The reason for having background papers is to allow us to have a short punchy manifesto that people understand, with links to the very lengthy background papers. The background papers on many issues will be close to book length. I am looking for people to lead teams to write the background papers and the punchy sentence for “the manifesto”
“Bottom up”- I am open to better wording.
UK Constitution
A thought about the makeup of a revising second chamber:
Why not include the representatives of all the major civic institutions, including The TUC/major trade unions and CBI, leading church/faith groups, the major professional bodies,etc. so that the second chamber was a repository of the major areas of expertise/vested interests of the country. Organisations could be free to nominate/elect their representative, but each individual could only participate for a limited period of time (say 4 – 5 years).
On devolved Governance and National Independence movements:
Could we consider advocating a constitutional move to a Federal English regional structure that complemented and had similar powers to the devolved governments of Scotland,Wales, N Ireland? Something similar to the Länder arrangement in Germany? By weakening the central power of Westminster we might succeed in preserving the Union as a Federal rather than a central structure.
Thankyou for this e-mail, since we last exchanged e-mails I’ve been
busy defining my political differences with the Green Party by
challenging their environmentalism, which is sceptical of technology
and fragmented without viable systemic solutions resulting in
unambitious policy making and an inherent acceptance of the capitalist
status quo. They don’t advocate a co-ordinated, democratically
managed climate crisis campaign, ranging from the global to the local
and their thinking is timid, conservative and contradictory offering
only a weak challenge to the elite establishment. I’ve realised that
while this FB group is a worthwhile effort it will be far better in
the long run to challenge the Green Party’s approach to the climate
crisis through the vehicle of a competing Left party. They’re also
blind to their professional middle class bias which is a shame, that
is a solvable issue.
You wanted suggestions for a new a party of the Left. For me the most
important has to be to turn the committed and pleasing diversity of
the Left into a strength and not a weakness, looking at the social
psychology of radical left groups, our group dynamics and how we
communicate. What research methods do we need to use to establish
what we know to be true? greatly lessoning the effect of confirmation
bias and social bias in our political thinking. We must move
socialist politics from subjective thinking into the realms of a
social science and if we want to improve our performance we need to do
constructive and objective self criticism. “Am I wrong about this?”
being useful question. I’m not talking about a self flagellation
exercise, we’re trying to pull off something that is urgently needed
and very difficult, particularly with our elite class. I’m happy to
pile in with other suggestions if needed, as we agreed previously.
I’m interested in setting up research teams for complex questions like
this one, we’ll need our own think tank groups using voluntary
members. I’m not keen on political messiahs having reaching the
conclusion that politics is too complex for a single individual to
know. Group think is the way to go IMO and research teams would have
to communicate well to achieve worthwhile results 🙂
Concerns about the Green Party, they need a socialist critique!
https://www.facebook.com/richards.time/posts/3597713896992924
https://www.facebook.com/richards.time/posts/3592687464162234
Every party has their issues. I do not intend to be rude about comrades I wish to join us.
We will be setting up research and writing teams.
In terms of the second chamber, I am reluctant to give it over to vested interests. Many of us would be excluded. If there is to be a second chamber (I am not sure about that), I would like it elected on a Regional basis. The experts and vested interests should give evidence to the second chamber, not vote in it.
I am open to a Federal structure. Perhaps regions as well as NI, Scotland, and Wales?
Publicity Proposals
Are you in contact with any of the Campaign Group of MPs at all?
Have you considered attempting to get a spot/interview on Tysky Sour on Novara Media? Their three times a week You Tube broadcasts now have an audience of thousands.
Good suggestions.
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