The only MP for the political party, formally called “Respect”, sends a meaningful fraternal message to his comrades in the SWP. This outburst was at the end of a branch meeting in Tower Hamlets on Thursday over the “election” of delegates to the (definitely diss-) Respect National Conference on 17 & 18 November. Hat tip to Harry's Game.The SWP are trying to seize control of this conference with their own delegates. They have been wreaking selection meetings up and down the country in order to do so.
George Galloway turned up at the Tower Hamlets meeting and spoke against the attempt of the mainly white middle class SWP members to take over their delegation even though the overwhelming majority of Respect members are not supporters of the SWP. The SWP Central Committee had even sent one of their chief thugs, Shaun Doherty, to try and intimidate people.
There appeared to be a good old row at the meeting. There was a vote at the end where George appeared to win by one vote. Interestingly he only had Bangladeshi supporters voting for his motion. However, the vote will be probably challenged by the SWP as unconstitutional. So watch this space.
As previously reported, Respect is disintegrating. It has always had tensions due to its inherent contradictions. How can you have a coalition of Stalinist opportunists (George & co), middle class toy town revolutionaries (SWP), extremist Muslim fundamentalists (Jamaatis) and naive but sincere anti-war New Labour refusniks.
The SWP of course, provide the experienced political foot soldiers and much of the dosh for Respect (although no doubt, knowing of George there will be other funding – we just need to check the taxi receipts). Incredibly they believe that Respect will be their vehicle of bringing about revolution (yeah).
The Respect Muslim business men who control the local communal politics power base (in East London and Birmingham) have told George that they do not support socialism, women’s equality or gay rights and that he will have to sort the SWP out or else he will not get their support to run as MP in the next general election.
Bloggers generally tend to believe that they are more important that they actually are – the average weekly local newspaper is read by far more people than any blog (I think?). However, the reporting of the self destruction of Respect is being led by blogs and other on-line reports.
The disintegration of respect was always inevitable but it will have been aided by all the “leaks” by all sides to political blogs. No other political faction that has faced problems in the past would have had to cope with letters, accounts and even minutes of controversial meetings being published widely “on-line”, sometimes within minutes of the meeting ending.
Roll on digital democracy. But the sting in the tail is that unfortunately George will survive the destruction of Respect – that is until Jim sorts him out at the next general election that is!
Picture is of the Gorgeous One with John “trot-meister” Rees and his misses Linsey German playing happy families before the fallout. Thanks to Colonel Roi.
