Business Candidates Split Respect

“I do favour trade unionism. We need all the trade we can get, so we have to help them.”

So says business wing Respect candidate, Harun Miah, for the Shadwell by-election, Tower Hamlets, when interviewed about his views in the recent “Workers Weekly” article entitled “Respect - the party for everybody”. The by-election is this Thursday 9 August.

It is quite clear that Harun hasn’t a clue what trade unions are about – he seems to think we are some type of “trade body”?

It gets even more farcical when Harun reflects upon a certain sensitive subject that many on the left traditionally hold strong views about:

“As for socialism, it does provide some sort of justice, some sort of equality. I agree with that. As long as it doesn’t breach the rights of others. Of course, Respect has socialism as an element, but it’s not the only element, is it? There are other concerns. But I don’t mind”.

He appears concerned about any interference in the “rights” of property and capital perhaps? Can anyone interpret his remarks otherwise?

Despite attempts to underplay Harun’s business connections and portray him as only the owner of a local shop, it is now clear that many have been mislead about the extent of his considerable business interests and that of his family. He may well only own one business outright, but he has apparently significant shares in a number of other businesses, not only several local retail shops but also a money transfer business and property letting agency. Is the only reason that he is against the privatisation of council housing estates is that the “right to buy” is restricted?

Let alone the fact that Harun also declares in the interview that he is a “mate” of Michael Keith, the Labour Party Candidate? Talk about keeping your options open! The previous Respect councillor for Shadwell resigned calling the party “bickering, immature, self serving” and “dominated by militants”.

While the “Workers Weekly” interview was all well and good, there were a load of questions that were not raised with Harun? I assume that a SWP full time goon was present during the interview.

I for one would have been interested in Harun’s view on the “London Living Wage” and how much his own work force is paid per hour? (never mind the legal minimum wage), What sickness benefits are they entitled to? what about his views over gay rights? civil partnerships?, a women’s right to choose? (we know already that Galloway has serious form on this issue).

It appears that many rank and file SWPers have also had enough. The preferred SWP candidate - young, female activist Sultana Begum was not chosen at a selection meeting dominated by local businessmen. Recently a senior SWP activist was expelled for supporting the selection of such candidates in Birmingham. At least one senior member of the SWP has been disciplined by its central committee for attacking their link with Respect.

Apparently there is a growing revolt by core members refusing to join “Respect”. Many complain bitterly that female and gay members have been cold shouldered and excluded (to be polite) at Respect meetings. The links between certain Respect members and Jamaat-e-Islami quite rightly horrify many.

It is clear that many (not all) members of Respect are only interested in male dominated communal politics.

Trouble in mill? – roll on Thursday.

Business wing of Respect selects Candidate in Shadwell

Following Shamim Chowdhury resignation as Respect Councillor for Shadwell, Tower Hamlets, the local SWP/Respect party is now trying to claim that his reasons for resigning are “flimsy” and have implied that he is “dishonourable”, which is a strange word for a Trotskyite Revolutionary Party to use?

The by-election is on 9 August 2007 and as already posted, former Council leader and Shadwell councillor, Michael Keith has been selected as the Labour Party candidate.

Their new Respect candidate is Harun Miah who is an “unknown” Brick Lane businessman. Check out this unsympathetic but probably accurate account of the Respect selection process from workers weekly

“Within a week Respect had called a meeting at its Club Row offices to select Chaudhury’s potential successor. There was little time to waste, since the Shadwell by-election has been arranged for August 9. The meeting on July 10 was packed out, with around 100, overwhelmingly male and Asian, members squeezed into the highly restricted space.

Chair Glyn Robbins (another SWPer) struggled to make himself heard above the noise, as he called for the “best order possible for the meeting”. There were two nominations: young, female activist Sultana Begum backed by the SWP, and middle-aged shopkeeper Harun Miah, who is allied to the businessmen’s wing of Tower Hamlets Respect.

The two were given five minutes each to present their case, and this was followed by questions from members. Begum, a member of two and half years, spoke first, acknowledging that she had been in two minds about standing (I got the impression that the SWP was desperate for her to do so, as it sees real control slipping completely from its grasp). A young, suggestible candidate was what was called for, but, as we shall see, naivety also has its disadvantages.

Begum started by posing the question, “Do we win at any cost or on principles?” - a fair question, given the previous incumbent’s opportunism. Begum said she joined Respect because of its “values”, but unfortunately she could not quite remember what those values were - she was unable to get past the ‘E’ for equality when she tried to remind us what Respect’s initials stood for. She had to content herself with saying, “Muslim values are close to my heart” and expressed the wish that everyone should work together.

Miah, a very new member, said: “Respect is a party of the future”, whose foreign policy he particularly approved of. Nearer to home, he expressed his concern about parking problems, drugs and “other anti-social behaviour”. For the benefit of the elders he then switched to Bengali and finished his speech to loud applause.

In the question and answer session Miah pledged more “social involvement and improvement” and promised to work for “what is good for the community”. Oliur Rahman, the first councillor ever to be elected on a Respect ticket, tried to put Harun on the back foot by stressing the importance of trade unions and asking both candidates to commit themselves to joining a union. Our businessman nominee replied: “I will take his advice to become a member of a trade union - I have no problem with that.” Oli did not know whether to laugh or cry.

In response to a question on the Olympics, Miah said: “I support and welcome it because it will be good for jobs.” The wrong answer and one that did not go down well with a section of members, many of whom booed loudly. He had less trouble with a question from SWP organiser Aysha Ali, who, in another plant aimed at boosting Sultana’s chances, asked the candidates to say something about women’s rights. Neither was capable of going beyond general platitudes.
There was one question that went to the heart of the difficulties faced by Tower Hamlets Respect: “We are struggling in unifying Respect councillors and members. How would the candidates overcome this?” While Begum was once more at sea, Miah was ready with his sound bite: “We need to show each other respect and to retain harmony.”

The voting was chaotic. Voting slips were flying around like confetti, with whole bundles being passed round the room for members to help themselves. Someone complained loudly about foul play, but I do not think there was any cheating. After about 10 minutes the winner was announced - the businessman’s nominee, Harun Miah, had seen off SWP-favoured Sultana Begum by 56 votes to 40”.

The Tories have picked Duncan Crossly and the Lib Dems Rosie Clarke.

Organising fighting unions? - “SWP thug assaults expelled member”?

As if the SWP doesn’t have enough trouble at the moment with the disintegration of “Respect”. The Workers Weekly allege that expelled SWP member “Simon D” was attacked by a SWP national officer and one other at the Marxism 2007 event yesterday. Ironically this was apparently while Simon was waiting to attend the so-called “Organising Fighting Unions” workshop.

Simon was allegedly “wrestled to the floor, sustaining bruising, abrasions and back strain. A second SWPer then joined in and they started to go through our prone comrade’s pockets to take his Marxism ticket”.

Which I assume actually is an allegation of “Robbery” as well as assault.

What I can gather is that Simon was expelled by the SWP for reporting on his blog (accurately) the Tower Hamlets Respect AGM last year (and leaking it to Workers Weekly?).

I assume that makes him a “blogger martyr”? There again, I would have thought that being expelled from the SWP was actually a badge of honour.

Simon was “barred” from any SWP or Respect meetings. He has apparently ignored this “ban” and turned up to open events. The “assault” appears to have taking place in an attempt to take away his ticket to Marxism 2007.

Obviously I have only heard one account of what has happened and the CPGB (who publish Workers Weekly) is hardly a fraternal friend of the SWP. However, I do note that the motto of Marxism 2007 is of course “YOU ARE either with us or against us”

Frankly I would have thought that a worse punishment would have been to make him attend.

See copy of a leaflet that the CPGB is handing out at Marxism 2007 about this incident.