by LOUISE NOUSRATPOUR in Manchester
Monday September 22, 2008
The Morning Star
Convention of the Left: LABOUR Against the War campaigners called on the British left on Sunday to step up organisation in the local Stop the War branches to prepare for "dangerous times ahead."
MPs and activists at the Convention of the Left warned that the "war on terror" had cost countless lives in Iraq and Afghanistan and led to "wasteful" military expenditure and oppression at home.
They lambasted government plans to extend the pre-charge detention to 42 days and branded the Labour conference's refusal to discuss the wars "lamentable."
Chairing the session, Alan Simpson MP said: "When we formed LAtW, we warned that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan would come home on to our own streets and into our own communities.
"Sadly, in every city across Britain there is evidence of that."
Conference heard the story of Hicham Yezza, who was detained under the Terrorism Act for helping a fellow university researcher download an al-Qaida training manual readily available on the US Department of Defence website.
He was released without charge after eight days, only to be immediately re-arrested on trumped-up immigration charges.
"My story raises alarm about the sort of society Britain is drifting into," warned Mr Yezza, who is currently fighting deportation.
"On campus, young Muslims are livid and scared. Those who know me say that, if it can happen to you, none of us are immune."
Jeremy Corbyn MP demanded a "fundamental re-evaluation" of Britain's foreign policy, which he said had led to "an increase in powers for security services in Britain and elsewhere."
Speakers attacked Foreign Secretary David Miliband's handling of the Georgia-Russia conflict, warning that his "warmongering comments" last month had raised the danger of another cold war.
Despite the gloomy predictions, the mood was extremely uplifting and campaigners expressed optimism about the future.
Young activist Peter Berry said: "Saturday was my first time on an anti-war demo. I think the success of the Stop the War movement has put US and Britain off attacking Iran."
John McDonnell MP said: "I do not think new Labour can secure a Parliament vote for another war."
Veteran socialist Tony Benn also rejected the defeatism of some in the movement, stressing: "We are up against powerful people and arms dealers who want war and profit from it. This is a long struggle."
Activists seek support for bid to save two Iranian asylum-seekers
by LOUISE NOUSRATPOUR in Manchester
Sunday September 21, 2008
The Morning Star
Convention of the Left 2008: REFUGEE activists urged the Convention of the Left on Saturday to support campaigns by two Iranian asylum-seekers facing deportation.
The Child M Campaign was recently launched in support of an eight-year old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and his family, who are facing removal.
"They face persecution if they are returned to Iran. They are accused of circulating Salman Rushdie's banned book The Satanic Verses," campaign spokeswoman Zoe Cantle told the conference.
The Home Office recently locked up M and his family for 51 days, conference heard. They were released two weeks ago and allowed to return to Manchester.
"We have heard reports about the harmful effects of detention on children," Ms Cantle said. "These effects were very visible in child M, who lost his hair and developed ringworm, as well as falling behind in school."
The family has launched a High Court challenge and the campaign has gathered over 1,000 petition signatures. "But we need your help to win this case," Ms Cantle said.
Let Bahman Stay is another campaign launched in Manchester against Home Office attempts to deport 16-year-old Bahman Mohammadi.
"In the wake of US military threats against Iran, the regime has stepped up efforts to recruit young people into its secret police force," campaign speaker Marian Sudbury said.
"Bahman refused to join the force and, fearing persecution, he soon had to flee Iran for Britain. Now, the British authorities want to sent him back. We urge you to support his campaign to remain here."
Sunday September 21, 2008
The Morning Star
Convention of the Left 2008: REFUGEE activists urged the Convention of the Left on Saturday to support campaigns by two Iranian asylum-seekers facing deportation.
The Child M Campaign was recently launched in support of an eight-year old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and his family, who are facing removal.
"They face persecution if they are returned to Iran. They are accused of circulating Salman Rushdie's banned book The Satanic Verses," campaign spokeswoman Zoe Cantle told the conference.
The Home Office recently locked up M and his family for 51 days, conference heard. They were released two weeks ago and allowed to return to Manchester.
"We have heard reports about the harmful effects of detention on children," Ms Cantle said. "These effects were very visible in child M, who lost his hair and developed ringworm, as well as falling behind in school."
The family has launched a High Court challenge and the campaign has gathered over 1,000 petition signatures. "But we need your help to win this case," Ms Cantle said.
Let Bahman Stay is another campaign launched in Manchester against Home Office attempts to deport 16-year-old Bahman Mohammadi.
"In the wake of US military threats against Iran, the regime has stepped up efforts to recruit young people into its secret police force," campaign speaker Marian Sudbury said.
"Bahman refused to join the force and, fearing persecution, he soon had to flee Iran for Britain. Now, the British authorities want to sent him back. We urge you to support his campaign to remain here."
Uniting to find a new way forward
LOUISE NOUSRATPOUR hears the Left's plot to rally together an alternative to Labour.
Sunday September 21, 2008
The Morning Star
The aim of the Convention of the Left is to unite against a resurgent Tory Party and a growing BNP, filling the vacuum left by new Labour's abandoning of the working class.
With delegates from across the left debating issues of peace and socialism long abandoned by new Labour, the event is intended to offer a stark contrast to the official Labour conference taking place just down the road in Manchester.
That point was driven home by a banner on display after Saturday's 5,000-strong anti-war demonstration.
It bore two clear messages - one reading "war," with a blue arrow directing people to the Labour conference in the GMEX Centre, and the other saying "peace," with an arrow pointing to the convention hall in Friends Meeting House, where convention delegates joined a lively debate on practical policies to counter new Labour's agenda of war and neoliberalism.
Opening the session, event organiser John Nicholson said that the four-day convention was about "developing practical policies through discussions and contributions from all, not just a panel of the usual suspects."
He stressed that the aim was not to form yet another left party but to unite the movement around the big issues agreed by all.
As the global economy took a nosedive last week, the bourgeois media was nervously asking whether "the end of capitalism" was near.
But a Respect activist pointed out: "Capitalism will not collapse on its own accord because the state will always step in to rescue the system at the expense of the working class.
"We have to bring it down and this convention can be an important step towards that direction."
Indeed, only a few days ago, the US government effectively nationalised AIG for $85 billion in public money and Britain has pumped billions into the finance sector to bail out City gamblers.
While governments use taxpayers' cash to fund bankers' greed, the fat cats are busy sacking workers, cutting wages and slashing pensions lest the self-made crisis eat into their profits.
John McDonnell MP warned: "In my constituency in west London, unemployment is already rising, wages are being depressed, homelessness is at a crisis point and more and more refugees are being deported.
"Enough is enough. We have a historic opportunity to recreate the left and put progressive policies into practice."
Stop the War Coalition convener Lindsey German also said that, rather than debate "whether to create a new workers' party," the convention should focus on "practical solutions to help the working class defend itself against the economic crisis and imperialist wars."
Andy Smith of Permanent Revolution said that the convention must analyse the reasons why Respect collapsed "or we run the danger of repeating those mistakes."
One activist, only introduced as Tariq, said: "I've just come back from Pakistan, where bombs are going off all the time.
"It is the duty of the left in this country and internationally to unite, because we cannot have peace here when bombs are dropped on sleeping children elsewhere."
Green Party representative Derek Wall summed up the meeting with a quote from an anarchist song: "Even though we disagree, we have a common enemy and that is capitalism."
Sunday September 21, 2008
The Morning Star
The aim of the Convention of the Left is to unite against a resurgent Tory Party and a growing BNP, filling the vacuum left by new Labour's abandoning of the working class.
With delegates from across the left debating issues of peace and socialism long abandoned by new Labour, the event is intended to offer a stark contrast to the official Labour conference taking place just down the road in Manchester.
That point was driven home by a banner on display after Saturday's 5,000-strong anti-war demonstration.
It bore two clear messages - one reading "war," with a blue arrow directing people to the Labour conference in the GMEX Centre, and the other saying "peace," with an arrow pointing to the convention hall in Friends Meeting House, where convention delegates joined a lively debate on practical policies to counter new Labour's agenda of war and neoliberalism.
Opening the session, event organiser John Nicholson said that the four-day convention was about "developing practical policies through discussions and contributions from all, not just a panel of the usual suspects."
He stressed that the aim was not to form yet another left party but to unite the movement around the big issues agreed by all.
As the global economy took a nosedive last week, the bourgeois media was nervously asking whether "the end of capitalism" was near.
But a Respect activist pointed out: "Capitalism will not collapse on its own accord because the state will always step in to rescue the system at the expense of the working class.
"We have to bring it down and this convention can be an important step towards that direction."
Indeed, only a few days ago, the US government effectively nationalised AIG for $85 billion in public money and Britain has pumped billions into the finance sector to bail out City gamblers.
While governments use taxpayers' cash to fund bankers' greed, the fat cats are busy sacking workers, cutting wages and slashing pensions lest the self-made crisis eat into their profits.
John McDonnell MP warned: "In my constituency in west London, unemployment is already rising, wages are being depressed, homelessness is at a crisis point and more and more refugees are being deported.
"Enough is enough. We have a historic opportunity to recreate the left and put progressive policies into practice."
Stop the War Coalition convener Lindsey German also said that, rather than debate "whether to create a new workers' party," the convention should focus on "practical solutions to help the working class defend itself against the economic crisis and imperialist wars."
Andy Smith of Permanent Revolution said that the convention must analyse the reasons why Respect collapsed "or we run the danger of repeating those mistakes."
One activist, only introduced as Tariq, said: "I've just come back from Pakistan, where bombs are going off all the time.
"It is the duty of the left in this country and internationally to unite, because we cannot have peace here when bombs are dropped on sleeping children elsewhere."
Green Party representative Derek Wall summed up the meeting with a quote from an anarchist song: "Even though we disagree, we have a common enemy and that is capitalism."
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