Sheffield Left Unity: Open Letter
Sheffield Left Unity: An Open Letter To The Left
This is an invitation to all working class and socialist organisations to participate in the official launch of Sheffield Left Unity on Saturday 29 June. The event will take place at the Central United Reformed Church (S1 2JB) at 1pm.
As the welfare state is being dismantled by the coalition government, great suffering is being brought to the most vulnerable in society and eroding the living conditions of millions of ordinary people. Worse still, the Labour Party is not presenting an opposition to the austerity programme and instead appears to have wholeheartedly adopted neo-liberal policy, instead advocating its own brand of austerity and privatisation. We do not seek to replicate anti-cuts campaigns but working within them recognise the need to rebuild independent working class political representation.
Left Unity was born out of Ken Loach’s appeal for a new party of the left. In the short time since, the appeal has been met with large success: more than 8,000 supporters so far, and more than 100 local groups already established. Over the past 15 years, numerous unity initiatives have been attempted, yet all were unsuccessful. Rather than open old wounds, we believe it is necessary for the left to once again attempt to unite on a principled socialist basis. Sure enough, disagreements will exist and arise but that ought be no reason to not attempt to bring together what is a largely fractured left. As part of this process, we believe the urgent task should go further, to not simply unite existing organisations but also appeal to those disillusioned with Labour, those that want a fighting working class alternative to austerity, and those that have refrained from joining any of the existing socialist left.
There are many different left unity initiatives in Europe. While circumstances and political programmes differ, we believe there are certainly lessons to take from the continent.. A united left would be better placed to begin to offer solutions to the problems and challenges we currently face as a class, as well as beginning to offer a counterweight to the rise of UKIP.
Members of all left-wing organisations are welcome to join. We hope you will consider our proposal, participate in our launch event, and assist in building Left Unity in Sheffield.
In solidarity,
Sheffield Left Unity
Email: sheffield@leftunity.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/SheffieldLeftUnity/
Twitter: @SheffLeftUnity
10 comments
10 responses to “Sheffield Left Unity: Open Letter”
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Might it be an idea for every group or geographical area to have a launch event to pull people into some sort of action?
Sounds like a good idea, John. I can’t help thinking however that by now Left Unity nartionally should be in a position to put down some basic, minimalist “What we Stand For” principles, around which an appeal to the broader Left to participate , could focus. The ill-fated” basic “Statement” presented, but never discussed, (after endless procedural wrangles) at the 11th May London meeting could have served this purpose. The excellent “what we stand for” suggestion, by Huddersfield Left Unity, would be even better.
Many people have queried just what was so controversial about the “Statement” offered for discussion on 11th May, that certain factions put in a “wrecking procedural motion” to prevent its discussion. . “Nothing at all” would be my judgement. It’s pretty bland. But it would have been a start. Here it is in full. You judge:
“Europe is plunging deeper and deeper into crisis. Its governments are continuing with their failed austerity policies which are destroying the social and economic gains working people have made over the decades. The economic crisis has increasingly become a social and political crisis as people face poverty, hunger and even death, as a result of the catastrophic and government-imposed failure of health systems and social services. A further manifestation of this crisis is the rapid development of fascism in Greece, in the shape of Golden Dawn.
However the people of Europe are fighting back . In Greece, France, Germany and elsewhere, new political formations have emerged, drawing together a range of left forces, posing political, social, and economic alternatives, and challenging the capitulation of social democracy to neo-liberalism. Here in Britain we face the savage onslought of the coalition government, destroying our hard-won gains, but Labour is failing to pose a viable economic alternative. It embraces neo-liberalism and does not represent the interests and needs of ordinary people. A successful response to the rightwards move of Labour has not yet taken place, yet we have equal need of a new political formation which rejects austerity and war, advocates a greater democratisation of our society and institutions and transforms our economy in the interests of the majority.
The strong support for Ken Loach’s appeal to discuss the need for a new left party shows that many share this view. Discussions are ongoing but there is a strong desire for a new party of the left which will present an alternative set of values of equality and justice: socialist,environmentalist and against all forms of discrimination. Its politics and policies would stand against capitalism, imperialism, war, racism and fascism. Its urgent tasks would be to oppose austerity, defend the welfare state, fight to restore workers’ rights and advance alternative social and economic policies, redistributing wealth to the working class.
Its political practice would be democratic, diverse and inclusive, committed to open dialogue and new ways of working ; the mutual respect and tolerance of differences of analysis ; the rejection of the corruption of conventional political structures and their frequent reproduction of the gender domination of capitalist society.
International solidarity is fundamental to the success of any resistence and the achievement of any political progress ; such a new party will work with other left organisations and movements in Europe and internationally, to build coordination, strategic links and common actions.
From this meeting today, we call on the national coordinating group to organise a conference of Left Unity groups and members this Autumn to discuss the founding of such a Left Party, to facilitate commissiomns to outline the principles and policies of such a Left Party, and to outline a timetable for a founding Conference in 20142
What a missed opportunity it was that this wasn’t adopted. Though good news that the 11th May meeting agreed instead a new Party Founding Conference even earlier – Autumn this year. As it stands each local group is in danger of setting up their own local “What we Stand For” principles – a recipe for continuing uncertainty and confusion as to the nature and purpose of this important new nationwide movement.
We need agreed principles, at least in outline, ASAP !
John, I really disagree with you on the point that we should be putting forward some form of programme already, beyond the current broad democratic Left organisation. We have the opportunity here to build a genuinely democratic Left party which means any ‘What We Stand For’ must come out of the local groups holding public meetings with broad involvement (both pre-existing socialist and anarchist groups, civil society groups like Women’s Shelters, refugee charities, bedroom tax groups etc. plus individuals who are just angry and want to get involved building a political alternative to Labour), the discussions, tactics, ideas and motions that take place in these can then feed into what sort of party the class desires rather than it just policies thought up by a few of us here or the national committee that we think might work.
Many thanks, I have copied this appeal and adapted it for the Left in Milton Keynes and posted in on our web site. We don’t always have to reinvent the wheel do we?
While it is good there is a launch event, I’m really confused about this, isn’t LU meant to be a one person one vote organisation, why the call and focus to all existing far left groups? Imo, the emphasis should be on getting new people involved, bedroom tax protesters, NHS cuts activists, poverty campaigners, etc. This does seem to be old school and proscriptive defining by its invitations what sort of organisation it will be,
open to differing views.
Agree. I think it’s a little bit of an error to emphasise people who are already part of the organised left, while I want those people in the room they are already a minority of our audience, and hopefully a small minority.
Agree with you Jonno, but also other mainstream organisations like Shelter, CPAG, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, should have a very prominent place in Left Unity. Their expertise should be sought to devise the policies LU would then present at the general election. This way people might take LU seriously enough to consider voting for it!
I think if your read the open letter is does clearly states we are appealing to the many disillusioned and angry out there:
“As part of this process, we believe the urgent task should go further, to not simply unite existing organisations but also appeal to those disillusioned with Labour, those that want a fighting working class alternative to austerity, and those that have refrained from joining any of the existing socialist left.”
Yes, but its focus is on the existing groups which are tiny, have not gained popular if any support, it does seem different to the approach of many other LU groups uk wide.
To clarify this was a letter sent to different socialist organisations in Sheffield inviting them to participate in our upcoming launch meeting – and not necessarily a statement that we believe Left Unity will be a flop without them.
I understand people’s concern but I can assure you that ‘members’ are also arguing for Left Unity in their unions, workplaces, and campaigns they are involved in.