MotionNick Wrack
27th June 2009
At the Respect National Council meeting held in London on 27th June, a discussion was held regarding the strategy Respect should adopt in the aftermath of the Westminster expenses scandals and the recent European Parliament election results, including the election of two BNP members in the North of England.
There have been a variety of analyses of these results such as those published by Salma Yacoob and Southwark Respect branch.
In advance of the meeting a motion was submitted by National Council member Nick Wrack for discussion. However, this motion was ruled out of order by the National Chair Kay Phillips as it was received after the deadline for motions that she had set prior to the meeting. As a result this motion will now be discussed at the next National Council meeting, to be held on September 12th. It was the feeling of the National Council that this motion deserved wider debate across the organisation and so we are asking that branches and/or individual members consider the issues involved prior to the next National Council.
If individuals, groups of members or supporters or branches wish to make comments with regard to this motion please could they send them by email to myself, the National Secretary, at clive@respectnorthwest.org prior to 5th September so that these comments may be circulated to all the members of the National Council.
Yours in solidarity,
Clive Searle
Motion
This Respect National Committee notes the resolution headed Respect perspectives (elections) that was agreed at the 2008 Respect conference. This included the following:
- "Conference recognises that Respect cannot, at this stage, present an alternative at elections except in a few places. Conference therefore agrees that Respect will seek to work with other organisations and individuals who also want to build a leftwing alternative, with a view to presenting the broadest possible left-wing challenge at elections. This could include electoral alliances, non-aggression pacts, joint lists and other such methods of collaboration."
We believe that it is imperative that there is the biggest left-wing electoral challenge possible at the next general election, to give working-class people the opportunity to vote for candidates who represent their interests.
We note the continuing fall in the Labour vote.
We note also the recent collaboration between the RMT, the CPB, SP, AGS and others in NO2EU. We also note the recent Open Letter from the SWP.
We would welcome talks between Respect and these organizations and others with the aim of creating a left-wing electoral coalition to challenge at the next General Election.
In order to maximize impact it would be best if this coalition could agree to stand under a single name and with a common minimum programme.
We therefore agree to write to the above named organizations to propose that talks are set up to discuss these issues.
Proposed by Nick Wrack
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