Derek McMillan Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 The launch conference of the of the Campaign for a New Workers Party was held last Sunday. Former Labour MP and current Socialist Party councillor in Coventry Dave Nellist chaired the conference An overwhelming theme of the conference was that after previous false starts in trying to establish a new party to represent working people – such as Arthur Scargill’s Socialist Labour Party – any new party would have to be democratic, open and inclusive. At this stage the delegates at the conference felt it should take a federal approach to bring in as many supportive organisations and groups as possible, with no one group or individual dominating. Dave Nellist, elected as the chair of the new steering committee said after the conference: "Today has been a very good start to our aim of preparing the way for a new party based on trade unionists, anti-war campaigners, community and environmental activists and particularly young people. "With PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka speaking at the conference, along with other supportive messages from leading trade union figures, then this shows we have a strong base in the unions. A key objective now will be to get the unions to break from Labour and support our campaign." Teachers at the launch conference have put together a discussion group on Yahoo. Information about the launch is available here: http://cnwp.org.uk You can join here Post message: CNWPteachers@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: CNWPteachers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: CNWPteachers-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com List owner: CNWPteachers-owner@yahoogroups.comI It is open to everybody and there is a sign-up link on our webpage. The only memberships which will be terminated are those which are seriously off-topic or advertising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 The launch conference of the of the Campaign for a New Workers Party was held last Sunday. Former Labour MP and current Socialist Party councillor in Coventry Dave Nellist chaired the conference I lived in Coventry in the 1980s. I remember Nellist as a leading figure in the entryist organisation "Militant Tendency". Is this not just the same wine in new bottles ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek McMillan Posted March 26, 2006 Author Share Posted March 26, 2006 I think a lot has changed since then. At that time Socialists thought the Labour Party could be transformed because it was still based on the trade unions to some extent and the constituency activists would normally be the backbone of local union organisations and campaigns like CND and anti-war groups. The objective of the Labour Party was the social ownership of the means of productions. Today although many unions are still giving their money to Labour, this is dwarfed by the donations from the millionaires, (dodgy or otherwise) and privatisation is New Labour's mantra. The launch conference of the of the Campaign for a New Workers Party was held last Sunday. Former Labour MP and current Socialist Party councillor in Coventry Dave Nellist chaired the conference I lived in Coventry in the 1980s. I remember Nellist as a leading figure in the entryist organisation "Militant Tendency". Is this not just the same wine in new bottles ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek McMillan Posted March 30, 2006 Author Share Posted March 30, 2006 I can confirm that a fringe meeting for the Campaign for a New Workers Party has been booked for NUT Conference in Torquay. There will be a leaflet for delegates. The meeting will be at: The Livermead Cliff Hotel (where the STA are holding meetings on other nights) at 7.30 pm on Monday April 17th Dave Nellist has agreed to come and speak. The proposed platform is: Chair Kate Ford (Hackney NUT) Speakers: Martin Powell-Davies, teachers' rep on the CNWP Steering Committee and Dave Nellist, National Chair, CNWP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 I think a lot has changed since then. At that time Socialists thought the Labour Party could be transformed because it was still based on the trade unions to some extent and the constituency activists would normally be the backbone of local union organisations and campaigns like CND and anti-war groups. The objective of the Labour Party was the social ownership of the means of productions. So you've given up entryism but you are still Trotskyites? I'd be more encouraged had you embraced socialism Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek McMillan Posted March 31, 2006 Author Share Posted March 31, 2006 You will have gathered that the Campaign for a New Workers Party is rather broader than the Socialist Party and for example Mark Serwotka was one of the speakers at the founding conference. The objective is to hold meetings at as many union conferences as possible to discuss the issue of creating a party to represent the working class on issues like privatisation where New Labour has sold the pass. The time for this campaign, when the Labour Party is riddled with corruption scandals and UNISON is engaged in a full-scale confrontation with the government seems quite appropriate. There is a discussion group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CNWPteachers/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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