Party & Programme > The left
Another split, another sect
26 Apr 2012
The left must organise on the basis of genuine democratic centralism, argues Ben Lewis
MDC split offers opportunity for left
09 Mar 2006
Zimbabwe's opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, has formally split. The MDC was originally set up by trade union leaders, including former Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions president Morgan Tsvangirai, but was soon taken over by pro-imperialist elements. Former MDC MP Munyaradzi Gwisai, a leading figure in the Socialist Workers Party's sister grouping, the International Socialist Organisation, assesses the current situation
Fight for a Marxist party
09 Mar 2006
The Socialist Party's campaign for a new workers' party must be put on firm Marxist foundations, says Ian Mahoney
Charter of platitudes
09 Mar 2006
The Friday before the EPA saw meetings of the 10 or so ESF networks. Potentially the most important is the one that is has been drafting the 'Charter of principles for another Europe'
Approaching crisis point
09 Mar 2006
The European Social Forum is in real danger of disintegrating. All democrats and communists must work hard to prevent this. Despite our many criticisms of the process, it is currently the only real avenue that exists for the cooperation of the European left. Tina Becker and Ben Lewis report from the latest preparatory meeting in Frankfurt, which took place from March 3-5
Shades of Stalinism
02 Mar 2006
It is impossible not to observe a distinct taint of Stalinism in the reaction of the Socialist Workers Party to the recent controversy over the Danish cartoons, writes Lawrence Parker. This raises an ominous question mark over the SWP's ability to constructively engage with cultural production
SWP 'racism' fig leaf
23 Feb 2006
The furore following the Danish cartoons has not subsided, writes Peter Manson. But the position of many islamic groups - backed up by the Socialist Workers Party - plays into the hands of islamophobes
SWP and freedom of speech
16 Feb 2006
Michelle Euston reports on the Socialist Workers Party's rally 'Socialists and the Movement' in London, while Ted North attended the event in Sheffield
Left merger still on hold
09 Feb 2006
"An absurd fratricidal war" - this is how the political magazine Der Spiegel describes the current difficulties hampering the creation of a new left party in Germany. But the root of the dispute is not absurd at all, says Tina Becker: it centres on the important question of government participation. By employing a range of bureaucratic manoeuvres, the WASG leadership is now trying to silence its own opposition that demands the party take a principled stand against accepting ministerial posts - while the SWP's German section sides with the right
Rough ride for Rees
09 Feb 2006
SWP leader John Rees was only adopted as a Respect candidate after strong objections from a sizeable bloc of Bengali members. But the drive to turn him into a political celebrity is unmistakable. Dave Jacques reports
What's principle got to do with it?
02 Feb 2006
At the 'Defy section 9' conference in Manchester, the comrades from the SWP again tried to prevent the meeting from taking principled positions on the question of immigration, reports Dave Isaacson
Victim of 'democracy'
26 Jan 2006
SW Kenning comments on SWP paranioa and the witch-hunting of one of their own members
SWP bites its lip
19 Jan 2006
The Socialist Workers Party is deeply uneasy about George Galloway's antics in the Big brother house - but it was them who gave him carte blanche to be a free agent in the first place, says Peter Manson
Learning from defeat
12 Jan 2006
Panayotis Yulis is a representative of the Network for Political and Social Rights in Greece (Epohi), which works with immigrants and political prisoners. He is a member of the Greek Social Forum and on the organising committee for the ESF in Athens
Dying on its feet
12 Jan 2006
Around 150 people gathered in the Konferenzhaus in Vienna to prepare for the next European Social Forum, which will take place in Athens on May 4-7 2006. Rifondazione Comunista's turn to government hung over the event like a Damocles sword - together with an unwillingness to take any decisive steps forward. Tina Becker fears that we might be witnessing the beginning of the end of the ESF as a vehicle for international cooperation
Faith schools too hot for SWP
12 Jan 2006
The left must takes this issue seriously, says Michelle Euston. After all, faith schools are envisaged in the government's white paper on education as a wedge to break up comprehensive education system