SWP: Something is seriously rotten in the state of LaLa land

I think most folk know that I'm no friend of the Trotsky Revolutionary sect, the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), but the latest scandal they are embroiled in is just breath taking.

One of its junior female members made a complaint of rape against a longstanding member of its Central Executive Committee.

Instead of insisting that this member should report this very serious crime to the Police, they agreed that an internal "Disputes Committee" made up largely of friends and senior colleagues of the the alleged perpetrater  should "investigate" the complaint.  To no ones surprise they found (6-1) the case against "Comrade Delta" (a well known SWP Central Committee activist and reputed to be a violent thug) was "not proven".

Check out the report in "Socialist Unity" (who broke the story), "The Independent" and "Dave Osler" blog.

While I fully accept that the Police and the Crime Prosecution Service have in the past treated some rape victims shamefully and the Jimmy Saville debacle shows that powerful men can get away with a life of crime. I cannot for a second accept that an internal "investigation" by any organisation into such serious allegations is acceptable, never mind that the investigation panel comprised of mates and colleagues of the accused. How dare they think that they are better than an independent jury of 12 of your peers.

Is this a case of history repeating itself? In the picture above is Gerry Healy, the former leader of the Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP). Healey was eventually found to be a serial rapist and sexual abuser who for years was protected from accusations. The WRP collapsed after the discovery that its leader was a rapist and afterwards the SWP took its place as the "main" Trotsky sect in the UK.

Is there something in the essential DNA of these tiny ultra left sects and cults that make them prone to its leading men treating women as dirt? 

Sunday Secretarianism: SPEW gives up on Trots are "orrible, repugant and not worthy" EAT

In February an Employment Tribunal Claim that UNISON discriminated against Trotskyites was thrown out by the tribunal.

The finding by the tribunal was after several different hearings and listening to witnesses and thousands of pages of evidence. 

The Tribunal found that there was no case to answer.

"there was no case to answer since the allegation was outside the regulations (and not capable of being discriminative), it was also “out of time” and even if it was within the regulations and in time it found that no discrimination had taken place".

"They found that the SPEW Trotskyism was “not compatible with human dignity” section 131; they found that SPEW members held “Extreme and repugnant views” section 133; Trotskyism is “not a belief that qualifies for protection from discrimination" section 134; “The claimant views conflict with the fundamental rights of others, and the dignity of others, and are not worthy of respect... in a democratic society". Section 135".

SPEW (Socialist Party England and Wales) whose members took this action have now withdrawn their appeal against this judgement - so we assume they now accept how repugnant et al their views and practices are!

SPEW are also currently trying to sue UNISON in yet another legal claim.  Despite the fact that when they lost the last one they called the judicial system all the names under the sun, they are now asking the "class prejudice" courts to back them! 

Wot complete and utter hypocrites me thinks.

"Trotskyism is not compatible with human dignity.. It conflicts with fundamental rights..repugnant.. and not worthy of respect in a democratic society". OFFICIAL

Last week’s published judgement by an Employment Tribunal (ET) which threw out a nasty and bogus complaint by certain members of the Socialist Party (SPEW) against UNISON - completely vindicated the union.

The four London based SPEW member's barmy claim was that internal discipline action taken against them by the union was only taken because they were Trotsky revolutionaries. They also claimed they were entitled to protection due to their Trotsky views and philosophy under the anti- religious discrimination regulations.

I won’t comment on the internal discipline procedure since this is still on-going. The SPEW web site reports that their internal union appeals have failed and they face a “mitigation” hearing on 24 February 2010.

However, I can comment on the completely vile lies and slanders that have been put about by supporters of these four SPEW members with regard to this ET.  Leaving aside the important issue that we have union members publically attacking their own union and encouraging outsiders to do the same.

You can purchase a copy of the ET judgement for yourself and see that the tribunal found that not only was there was no case to answer since the allegation was outside the regulations (and not capable of being discriminative), it was also “out of time” and even if it was within the regulations and in time it found that no discrimination had taken place.

Incredibly, SPEW has now published here that the employment tribunal decision was part of some wider class conspiracy against them and... British Airways workers (BA)? What daft and ignorant comments. ET’s have played no part in current legal dispute between Unite and BA. These BA workers are facing a real legal attack on them and for SPEW to try and compare themselves to genuine workers at risk of dismissal is just bloody shameful. Who outside the public sector union movement, who have to deal with such extremists, really gives a damn or has even heard of them?

What a load of cultist conspiracy rubbish. No-one forced them to take part in this legal process. Most of them had taken part in tribunals beforehand and knew the score. If they had won would they still be saying the same? No. Of course not.

Let’s see what the tribunal decided after a full hearing with witnesses giving evidence and being questioned, during several days of evidence as well as the submission of thousands of pages of statements and documents.

Without forgetting the important decision that the tribunal found that there has been no discrimination let’s see what they found about Trotskyism.

They found that the SPEW Trotskyism was “not compatible with human dignity” section 131; they found that SPEW members held “Extreme and repugnant views” section 133; Trotskyism is “not a belief that qualifies for protection from discrimination" section 134; “The claimant views conflict with the fundamental rights of others, and the dignity of others, and are not worthy of respect... in a democratic society". Section 135

That’s good enough for me. I only wish that this judgement was made available to all UNISON members. It was a pity that there was no mention that SPEW and other Trotskyite parties such as the SWP believe in “democratic centralism” which means that all their members must accept being told what to do by their Party and what the Party thinks is in the interest of the “revolution” (whatever that is) rather than in the best interests of union members. Why don't they disclose this on election addresses?