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Socialist Party (England and Wales)

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Revision as of 11:44, 29 August 2024 by G weasel29 (talk | contribs) (Undid revision 1240339283 by Rambling Rambler (talk))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) Not to be confused with Socialist Party of Great Britain.

Political party in The United Kingdom England & Wales
Socialist Party Template:Lang-cy
[REDACTED]
LeaderHannah Sell
Founded1997; 28 years ago (1997)
Preceded by
HeadquartersEnfield, London, England
NewspaperThe Socialist
Student wingSocialist Students
Youth wingYoung Socialists
IdeologyTrotskyism

Marxism Socialism Revolutionary socialism Unionism

Activism
Political positionLeft-wing politics
National affiliationSocialist Green Unity Coalition (2005–2010)
European affiliationEuropean Anti-Capitalist Left
International affiliationCommittee for a Workers' International
Electoral allianceTUSC
Colours  Red
Website
socialistparty.org.uk
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The Socialist Party (Template:Lang-cy) is a Trotskyist political party in England and Wales. Founded in 1997, it had formerly been Militant, an entryist group in the Labour Party from 1964 to 1991, which became Militant Labour from 1991 until 1997. It is a member of the Committee for a Workers' International (2019), and the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.

History

Main article: Militant tendency

The Socialist Party was formerly the Militant group, which practised entryism in the Labour Party. In the 1980s, Militant supporters Dave Nellist, Pat Wall and Terry Fields were elected to the House of Commons as Labour MPs. In 1982, Liverpool District Labour Party adopted Militant's policies for Liverpool City Council in its battle against cuts in the rate support grant from government, and came into conflict with the Conservative government.

In 1991, there was a debate within Militant as to whether to continue working within the Labour Party, centred around whether they could still effectively operate in the party following the expulsions. The group became Militant Labour in 1991, after leaving the Labour Party. In 1997, Militant Labour changed its name to the Socialist Party, and the Militant newspaper was renamed The Socialist.

In March 2009, the Socialist Party was invited to participate in No to EU – Yes to Democracy (No2EU), a left-wing alter-globalisation coalition by the RMT union leader Bob Crow, for the 2009 European Parliament elections. This alliance later developed into the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), of which the party is a member.

During Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party, members of the Socialist Party attempted to join the former, with then leader of the Socialist Party, Peter Taaffe, stating they hoped to be able to affiliate to the Labour Party and stand joint candidates at future general elections. Labour Party sources however distanced themselves from such attempts, highlighting that the rules preventing active members of other parties joining the Labour Party.

In 2018 and 2019, the party was involved in a dispute within the predecessor Committee for a Workers' International (1974) around the questions of socialism and identity politics. The Socialist Party, as part of the “In Defence of a Working Class and Trotskyist CWI” (IDWCTCWI) faction, would go on to re-establish a revived Committee for a Workers' International in 2019 that considers itself a continuance of the original CWI (though this is disputed).

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

At the start of May 2024, the Socialist Party ran a major article: Why the Socialist Party stands as part of TUSC a few weeks before the general election was called. It stated: "Socialist Party candidates are standing as part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC)" and examines the reasons behind the coalition strategy it has adopted.

On the 19th June 2024, the Socialist Party stated: "There will be 40 candidates standing on behalf of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) on 4 July."

History of the Socialist Party in TUSC

2010: Supporters of the No2EU electoral challenge entered discussions on a continued electoral alliance, and in January 2010 the formation of TUSC was announced in time to contest the 2010 general election. The Scotsman newspaper named Bob Crow as the coalition's leader. According to The Scotsman, TUSC policies included: "commitment to public ownership of industry, banking and utilities; a promise not to implement cuts in public services; an end to public bail-outs of the banking industry; improved trade union rights; and an end to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq".

The 38 TUSC candidates who ran in the elections pooled 12,275 votes. The four Socialist Party candidates who still stood under the name Socialist Alternative received an additional 3,298 votes. The party lost its only remaining Councillor, Dave Nellist, in the 2012 elections to Coventry City Council.

2013: In March 2013, Joe Robinson, a Socialist Party member standing as TUSC, won a Maltby Town Council by-election. A second TUSC supporter & Socialist Party member, Shaun Barratt was elected unopposed as a town councillor on 27 March 2014.

2014: On 30 April 2014, the Socialist Party reported that the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) "will be fielding 561 candidates in the local elections on 22 May". It termed the TUSC election challenge of the May 2014 council elections "the biggest left of Labour electoral challenge since World War Two". No candidates were elected.

2015: At its annual congress in February 2015, the Socialist Party discussed TUSC's target of standing 100 parliamentary candidates and 1000 council candidates. Achieving this target should secure a TV broadcast.

By the end of February 2015, 95 TUSC parliamentary candidates had been approved by the TUSC steering committee, with more expected, six of which were standing in The Independent newspaper's top 100 marginal constituencies against sitting Labour MPs. On 25 February 2015, the United Left, a broad left caucus within Unite the Union, wrote an open letter to Socialist Party members in Unite appealing for them to withdraw from standing against the Labour Party in marginal constituencies in the 2015 general election. Signed by the Chair and vice chair of the Unite Executive Councils and a number of regional chairs, the letter accused the Socialist Party of having a "derisory" electoral record, gaining coverage in the Morning Star newspaper. In response, the Socialist Party claimed that a Labour government "would be at best austerity-lite and a continuation of the crisis that faces working-class people. This prospect has led to a fracturing of politics." The Socialist Party's reply pointed out that "we are part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) that also comprises the RMT in an official capacity, representing its 80,000 members, and other leading trade unionists from PCS, Unite, NUT and the POA as well as other socialist organisations and individuals". Asking "why is this letter necessary?" if its efforts were derisory, the Socialist Party nevertheless appealed to the United Left to "enter a dialogue" with TUSC's steering committee about any threatened Labour Party MPs they feel are likely to represent Unite's members interests in parliament.

The final count for TUSC candidates was 135 parliamentary and 619 council. This was a high point for TUSC.

2017: The TUSC Coalition decided not to contest the General Election while Jeremy Corbyn was leader of the Labour Party. The Socialist Party stated: "TUSC confirms no candidates in June and full support for a Corbyn-led government with socialist policies."

2020: The Socialist Party announced that TUSC has decided to stand in elections again, after the removal of Jeremy Corbyn from the leadership of the Labour Party

Allegations of violence against women and sexual assault

In March 2013, Socialist Party member and National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Assistant General Secretary Steve Hedley was accused of domestic violence by a former partner, Caroline Leneghan. Hedley, who had joined the Socialist Party a year after the alleged event took place, resigned immediately from the Socialist Party when the allegations were made.

A former Socialist Party member alleged in 2013 that the Socialist Party's Executive Committee unfairly dealt with her complaint against a fellow member who put his hand on her knee. The Socialist Party did not publicly comment on her case, but Hannah Sell, who was Deputy General Secretary at the time, published a statement on behalf of the Executive Committee: "Combating violence against women: A socialist perspective on fighting women's oppression".

See also

Notes and references

  1. Keith Edkins (30 November 2009). "Local Council Political Compositions". Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2009.
  2. Nicholas Whyte (10 May 2005). "The 2005 Local Government Elections in Northern Ireland". Northern Ireland Social and Political Archive. Archived from the original on 9 August 2007. Retrieved 2 December 2009.
  3. ^ "Labour win but come under fire from axed Nellist".
  4. Mgadzah, Ray (28 March 1995). "Legacy of Mersey's Militants". The Independent. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  5. "The Socialist Party (formerly the Revolutionary Socialist League, Militant Tendency and Militant Labour)". mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  6. "Election campaigns". socialistparty.org.uk. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2009.
  7. "About". TUSC. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  8. Stewart, Heather; Elgot, Jessica (11 November 2016). "Socialist party leader submits application to rejoin Labour". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  9. Kelly, Fiach (6 March 2019). "Socialist Party documents illustrate criticism from international comrades". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 13 July 2023.
  10. Flakin, Nathaniel (9 August 2019). "The Split in the CWI: Lessons for Trotskyists". Left Voice. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  11. "Why the Socialist Party stands as part of TUSC - Socialist Party". Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  12. "Meet the socialists standing for TUSC on 4 July!". The Socialist. 19 June 2024. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  13. Launch of Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, The Socialist, 12 January 2010
  14. ^ New socialist party led by union veteran Bob Crow to fight general election, The Scotsman, 14 January 2010.
  15. "Election 2010, National Results after 649 of 650 constituencies declared". BBC News. Archived from the original on 23 January 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
  16. Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition#Candidates and results
  17. "Notice of Result of Poll, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council". Archived from the original on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  18. "Notice of Result of Poll, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council". Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  19. "Vote for a working class voice". The Socialist. 30 April 2014. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  20. "Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition conference - Preparing the biggest left of Labour election challenge since the war". The Socialist. 3 February 2014. Archived from the original on 16 February 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  21. "UK GENERAL ELECTION 2015: TUSC candidates for May's local elections (The first 183)". 5 March 2014.
  22. "2015 Socialist Party Congress: Preparing the forces to fight capitalist austerity". The Socialist. 18 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  23. "UK general election: 100 seats that will decide the result". The Independent. 26 January 2015. Archived from the original on 15 June 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  24. "Open letter to Socialist Party supporters in Unite". United Left.
  25. "Unite's left urges Tusc to reconsider". Morning Star. 27 February 2015. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  26. "Discussion in Unite 'United Left' on stance in general election". The Socialist. 26 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  27. "TUSC Prospective Parliamentary Candidates for 2015" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  28. "TUSC Council Candidates for 2015" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 May 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  29. "TUSC confirms no candidates in June - Socialist Party".
  30. "TUSC to stand in elections again against pro-austerity politicians - Socialist Party". Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  31. "RMT accused of dismissing attack claim by activist". The Independent. 8 March 2013. Archived from the original on 5 April 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  32. "RMT investigation concludes: Steve Hedley has no case to answer". www.socialistparty.org.uk. 2 April 2013. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  33. "Workers' movement: Bureaucratic 'justice' and dealing with sex assault cases". Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  34. "Combating violence against women: A socialist perspective on fighting women's oppression". Socialist Party. 11 March 2013. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2020.

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