Louise Nousratpour at the Labour Representation Committee conference in Conway House
Sunday November 16, 2008
The Morning Star
BRITAIN is facing the rising threat of both "state fascism" and the far-right BNP, Labour Representation Committee delegates warned on Saturday.
Far-right groups such as the BNP are active in white working-class areas, filling the vacuum left by the Labour Party and other organisations, the committee's conference heard.
Moving a motion on combating the threat of fascism and racism, committee member Daphne Liddle called for locally focused campaigns and door-to-door visits, particularly in areas targeted by the BNP.
"The BNP puts most of its political energy into door-to-door campaigning because it knows that this is effective and it must be countered in the same way," Ms Liddle argued forcefully.
Conference also expressed fears about the growth of "creeping state fascism" through anti-terrorism legislation as well as a succession of draconian immigration and asylum acts.
Committee chairman John McDonnell MP noted that, in his west London constituency, "three or four asylum-seekers are deported every day - dragged out at all hours of the night and in handcuffs.
"This government is sending people back to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq."
The agreed resolution called for the repeal of all "unjust" immigration and asylum laws, the scrapping of all anti-terror legislation and an end to private-sector involvement in the prison system and all government departments that keep public records.
Global crisis 'raises new prospect of war on Iran'
Louise Nousratpour at the Labour Representation Committee conference in Conway House
Sunday November 16, 2008
The Morning Star
DELEGATES have vowed to mobilise against any plans to attack Iran, warning that the economic crisis has brought a new threat of war.
The Labour Representation Committee conference heard that the global slump could lead to more wars driven by a capitalist system desperate to restore lost profits through arms sales and plunder.
Opening the session on international issues, left Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn urged delegates to affiliate to anti-imperialist organisation Liberation, which was founded as the Movement for Colonial Freedom in 1954.
He said that Liberation had links to a large number of solidarity groups around the world and that "international solidarity is the only answer to this global crisis.
"The way mainstream media reports the crisis, you would think that it only affects the West and big business profits. But the reality is that, for the first time ever, some one billion of the world's population have plunged into starvation."
Socialist Youth Network representative Ben Lewis warned the conference that the threat of military action against Iran had not passed.
"One of the best ways for capitalism to solve its crisis is through war and military intervention," he said.
"We have already seen the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan spill over to Pakistan and Syria."
The committee's anti-war commission chairman Mike Phipps called on delegates to endorse a statement issued by the Justice for Iraq conference in July in London.
It reads: "We call on those states responsible for the invasion and occupation of Iraq to terminate their illegal and immoral war and express our solidarity with the Iraqi people in their struggle for peace and self-determination."
Sunday November 16, 2008
The Morning Star
DELEGATES have vowed to mobilise against any plans to attack Iran, warning that the economic crisis has brought a new threat of war.
The Labour Representation Committee conference heard that the global slump could lead to more wars driven by a capitalist system desperate to restore lost profits through arms sales and plunder.
Opening the session on international issues, left Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn urged delegates to affiliate to anti-imperialist organisation Liberation, which was founded as the Movement for Colonial Freedom in 1954.
He said that Liberation had links to a large number of solidarity groups around the world and that "international solidarity is the only answer to this global crisis.
"The way mainstream media reports the crisis, you would think that it only affects the West and big business profits. But the reality is that, for the first time ever, some one billion of the world's population have plunged into starvation."
Socialist Youth Network representative Ben Lewis warned the conference that the threat of military action against Iran had not passed.
"One of the best ways for capitalism to solve its crisis is through war and military intervention," he said.
"We have already seen the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan spill over to Pakistan and Syria."
The committee's anti-war commission chairman Mike Phipps called on delegates to endorse a statement issued by the Justice for Iraq conference in July in London.
It reads: "We call on those states responsible for the invasion and occupation of Iraq to terminate their illegal and immoral war and express our solidarity with the Iraqi people in their struggle for peace and self-determination."
Left urged to unite around workers' programme
Louise Nousratpour at the Labour Representation Committee conference in Conway House
Sunday November 16, 2008
The Morning Star
THE Labour Representation Committee conference urged the British left on Saturday to unite around a socialist programme to defend workers' jobs threatened by the economic crisis.
Hundreds of delegates and representatives from affiliated organisations crammed into London's Conway Hall on Saturday to organise co-ordinated action in Parliament and on the picket lines to force their demands through.
The one-day conference focused on the impact of the crisis on the working class, from job losses and a 20 per cent increase in house repossessions to wage restraints and drastic cuts in public services.
Delegates also feared the rising threat from fascism and the possibility of a more aggressive enforcement of the anti-trade union laws.
In a series of motions, they called for the nationalisation of the finance system and rigorous regulation, investment in public works to tackle unemployment and a national programme of council house building to combat rising homelessness.
Moving a series of resolutions on the economic crisis, committee chairman John McDonnell MP said that demands for public investment could easily be met if the government addressed tax avoidance, which is costing the British economy more than £30 billion a year.
"This is the greatest opportunity the left will have in our lifetime to push for a socialist agenda, because the crisis has exposed the failure of neoliberal ideology and claims that an unfettered market can satisfy all our social needs," he told delegates.
Mr McDonnell urged the left to stop sectarian infighting and unite around a practical social programme.
"We must show the government and big business that the socialists are on the march again on behalf of the working class," he added.
Fire Brigades Union leader Matt Wrack said: "The starting point among socialists and unions is to recognise that this is a class agenda.
"The neoliberal drive to restore the profitability of business around the world has led to trouble for working people.
"The multibillion bail-out of the banks in Britain and the US is about one thing - the nationalisation of the losses at taxpayers' expense and the privatisation of profits."
The FBU general secretary asked conference: "Are we going to stand by and let the working class pay for the capitalist crisis or are we going to force bankers and big business to pay for their own mess?"
Sunday November 16, 2008
The Morning Star
THE Labour Representation Committee conference urged the British left on Saturday to unite around a socialist programme to defend workers' jobs threatened by the economic crisis.
Hundreds of delegates and representatives from affiliated organisations crammed into London's Conway Hall on Saturday to organise co-ordinated action in Parliament and on the picket lines to force their demands through.
The one-day conference focused on the impact of the crisis on the working class, from job losses and a 20 per cent increase in house repossessions to wage restraints and drastic cuts in public services.
Delegates also feared the rising threat from fascism and the possibility of a more aggressive enforcement of the anti-trade union laws.
In a series of motions, they called for the nationalisation of the finance system and rigorous regulation, investment in public works to tackle unemployment and a national programme of council house building to combat rising homelessness.
Moving a series of resolutions on the economic crisis, committee chairman John McDonnell MP said that demands for public investment could easily be met if the government addressed tax avoidance, which is costing the British economy more than £30 billion a year.
"This is the greatest opportunity the left will have in our lifetime to push for a socialist agenda, because the crisis has exposed the failure of neoliberal ideology and claims that an unfettered market can satisfy all our social needs," he told delegates.
Mr McDonnell urged the left to stop sectarian infighting and unite around a practical social programme.
"We must show the government and big business that the socialists are on the march again on behalf of the working class," he added.
Fire Brigades Union leader Matt Wrack said: "The starting point among socialists and unions is to recognise that this is a class agenda.
"The neoliberal drive to restore the profitability of business around the world has led to trouble for working people.
"The multibillion bail-out of the banks in Britain and the US is about one thing - the nationalisation of the losses at taxpayers' expense and the privatisation of profits."
The FBU general secretary asked conference: "Are we going to stand by and let the working class pay for the capitalist crisis or are we going to force bankers and big business to pay for their own mess?"
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