SWP are loco in my view, control freakery, etc, etc, no wonder many people reject socialism, I know some very good SWP individuals but as an institution no thanks!
Monday, 23 November 2009
A Party to Win? Clare Solomon expulsion from SWP
Dear comrades, friends & fellow travellers,
Two months ago myself and James M were suspended from the SWP. James has had his suspension lifted and is able to participate in party debates at conference although is not able to sell the paper, attend branch meetings, central London, Soas or otherwise. It is a great shame that the party has enforced restricted membership on such a dedicated revolutionary.
On Saturday, however, I was expelled. I was expelled for 1) putting on an event called Mutiny which they claim was autonomist 2) for sending 6 friends a private email and 3) I was accused of 'lying', ie for not accepting that this was a factional email or event.
I have been a member for four turbulent years. My sister and I joined the SWP at Marxism 2005, the year of the London bombings which had me penned in my Brunswick Centre flat in Russell sq, a mere 100yds from the bus bomb.
How glad I am that I was amongst people such as you all at this difficult time and that my distress was channelled into becoming a revolutionary. Through learning from and participating in discussions about how to change the world I was won to the idea of having to do this collectively.
The seed of this was sown in my mind in 2003 when the local Stop the War branch used my restaurant (Char Bar in Cromer St) to hold planning meetings. Coming from a military family background (my dad was in the Military Police!) meeting these people and seeing their desire to fight back against the impending war on Iraq was certainly a life changing experience. My first ever demo was the 2m people one on 15 July 2003. I attended with my own homemade banner with the Gandhi quote 'an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind': my, how I have changed.
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5 comments:
The SWP are, in my experience, a nasty lot whose primary motivation is being more left wing than anyone else. To them, everyone who dares disagree is a nasty right-winger.
I have seen members display seriously authoritarian tendencies so it's no real surprise
I bet the SWP leadership rue the day the internet was ever invented. ;-)
Oops, minor ommission-any chance u cud add this tjust after the 1st 'i was, however, expelled'. Ta.
(addition to original post) I was expelled for 1) putting on an event called Mutiny which they claim was autonomist 2) for sending 6 friends a private email and 3) I was accused of 'lying', ie for not accepting that this was a factional email or event.
And thx for the support. See u in Copenhagen. Or at my talk on The Internet and activism etc at HM conf. Link is in my post...
Hi Clare,
I am not in Copenhagen although my close political associates will be, so look out for them,
have amended above,
cheers,
Historical Materialism conference looks awesome but alas I am canvassing for Caroline Lucas, finishing books, spending some time with my children and feeling guilty about bunking the free public transport meeting in Birmingham.
Incidentally 2010 I want to encourage people to work in practical ways for Caroline, Salma and Jerry Hicks in their respective election battles.
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