tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21995284.post117197149262600340..comments2023-10-25T12:49:50.074+01:00Comments on The Old Socialist Unity Blog - we have moved: Labour party, controversy revisited!ANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05901425044840795347noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21995284.post-1172159653278355112007-02-22T15:54:00.000+00:002007-02-22T15:54:00.000+00:00And what fight would that have been, Jim? The RMT ...And what fight would that have been, Jim? The RMT quite reasonably stated that it should be able to give its money to whoever they jolly well wanted. Or are you against the democratic right of unions to give their money to whoever they want? The Labour Party said "it's us or you're out". If I remember correctly, the RMT voted on this because of the privatisation of the railways and the health and safety aspect. Crow didn't engineer anything. <BR/><BR/>I'm surprised that any socialist can look upon the last ten years of vicious union-bashing, especially to the FBU, and then exclaim that its the unions fault for not having "the stomach for a real fight". Given Labour's super-capitalist agenda the unions could probably stand a better chance with the Tories than with Labour.Tawfiq Chahbounehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11823083103153195642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21995284.post-1172103800925490532007-02-22T00:23:00.000+00:002007-02-22T00:23:00.000+00:00...unlike that bullsitter Crow, who engineered the......unlike that bullsitter Crow, who engineered the RMT's exclusion from the LP, because he (Crow) didn't have the stomach for a real fight.Jim Denhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00364272346989690845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21995284.post-1172097079411917022007-02-21T22:31:00.000+00:002007-02-21T22:31:00.000+00:00"although if a union were prepared to wage a fight..."although if a union were prepared to wage a fight it would be able to do so far more effectively if it was affiliated to Labour". <BR/><BR/>I agree with you Simon. If a couple of unions took on the politics of New Labour and were prepared to fight instead of selling-out then that would give multiple headaches to the LP bureaucracy. And a lot of opportunities to us!Louisefeministahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08279991897445225597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21995284.post-1172080636112018982007-02-21T17:57:00.000+00:002007-02-21T17:57:00.000+00:00The idea that it is UNISON's affiliation to Labour...The idea that it is UNISON's affiliation to Labour that impede' our resistance to privatisation is ridiculous, and it lets the bureaucrats off the hook for not doing anything for our members. It is that the leadership are bureaucrats more interested in a quiet life than fighting for their members. There is no evidence that the unaffiliated unions such as the PCS or the NUT are any more or less radical than the affiliated unions, although if a union were prepared to wage a fight it would be able to do so far more effectively if it was affiliated to Labour. <BR/><BR/>Conversely there is no evidence that the RMT or FBU have become any more radical since leaving (or being kicked out of) the Labour Party. They are radical for a number of reasons, not least of all being relatively small unions organised around workplaces in a way that means they can punch above their weight on an industrial level.<BR/><BR/>There is no magical spell that makes you stop fighting for principled politics because you are in an affiliated union or you are a member of the party, nor is their any mystical formula that means leaving the party will make you radical. In the case of the unions it can oftenm lead to a failure to try and hold the Labour Government to account since Labour is no longer seen as 'our' party.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21995284.post-1172049510037521942007-02-21T09:18:00.000+00:002007-02-21T09:18:00.000+00:00Martin the cartoon of course says both. The audien...Martin the cartoon of course says both. The audience for the cartoon was those open to the arguemt n that socialism would not come from the LP. But the cartoon requires the context that some other people do think socialism would come through labour - which surely is not a mainstream view now??ANhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901425044840795347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21995284.post-1172049187924155042007-02-21T09:13:00.000+00:002007-02-21T09:13:00.000+00:00Keynsam is also famous to everyoe of a slightlyold...Keynsam is also famous to everyoe of a slightlyolder eneratioon than me as the home of a guy who advertised on radio Luxemburg on a pools advice service.<BR/><BR/>And Bill Bailey also comes from there. Went to the same school as me and joined the WRP - but i don't recall ever having met himANhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901425044840795347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21995284.post-1172046592758361392007-02-21T08:29:00.000+00:002007-02-21T08:29:00.000+00:00"HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A GOOD LOOKING MARXIST?"Everyt..."HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A GOOD LOOKING MARXIST?"<BR/><BR/>Everytime I look in the mirror, baby.Martin Wissehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04612094541576041276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21995284.post-1172017556960527152007-02-21T00:25:00.000+00:002007-02-21T00:25:00.000+00:00Not nearly as pointless as the McDonnell campaign ...Not nearly as pointless as the McDonnell campaign is to the working classes.neprimerimyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16016300366294292841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21995284.post-1172010363390399982007-02-20T22:26:00.000+00:002007-02-20T22:26:00.000+00:00"Keynsham"That's where the lead singer, Beth somet..."Keynsham"<BR/><BR/>That's where the lead singer, Beth something-or-other, from the band Portshead (the rest of the band come from Portishead...)comes from originally. <BR/><BR/>Ah sorry, useless bit of information for you..Louisefeministahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08279991897445225597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21995284.post-1172002365845547382007-02-20T20:12:00.000+00:002007-02-20T20:12:00.000+00:00Actually, that cartoon says that a lot of people t...Actually, that cartoon says that a lot of people thought the Labour Party would ever be too timid to embrace socialism.Martin Wissehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04612094541576041276noreply@blogger.com