London [and therefore] the IST orders

international | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday July 19, 2005 14:22 by The Mistress Voce

SWP party notes run of the mill this week.
We will see even more calls going out all over Ireland for SWP poddles to call anti war protests
The puppet master in London has spoken.

'It is important to remember that Galloway broke Blair's consensus
with his speech in parliament and his performances since. Without
Galloway in parliament there would not have been a single voice in
parliament raised against Blair's consensus view – this is something
Respect members can be very proud of. '

LONDON BOMBINGS – THE AFTERMATH
The consensus around Blair's assertion that there is no link between
the London bombings and the war in Iraq has been broken.
Three major national daily's lead on the Chatham House organisation
(formally known as the Royal Institute of National Affairs) report,
which argues that there is a clear link between Britain's involvement
in Afghanistan and Iraq and the attacks in London.
The report slams the government saying there "is no doubt that the
invasion of Iraq has given a boost to the al-Qaida network in
propaganda, recruitment and fundraising". In terms of British Foreign
policy it states "Riding pillion with a powerful allies has proved
costly in terms of British and US military lives, Iraqi lives,
military expenditure and the damage caused to the counter terrorism
campaign."

It is important to remember that Galloway broke Blair's consensus
with his speech in parliament and his performances since. Without
Galloway in parliament there would not have been a single voice in
parliament raised against Blair's consensus view – this is something
Respect members can be very proud of.

Bit by bit columnists like Seamus Milne, Tony Benn and Gary Younge
made brave stands in the press and on TV.

It was great that John McDonald MP came out at the weekend and made
the link between the bombings and the war – but it took him and the
rest of the Campaign Group over a week to make it!

One of the obvious indicators of the mood around the bombings was the
response to us at the official GLA vigil in Trafalgar Sq last
Thursday. Over 90 percent of those who attended were anti-war and
clearly made the link.

But there no signs that Blair is going to back down, "The attacks in
London were driven by an evil ideology rather than any opposition to
any policy, and that it would be a misunderstanding of a catastrophic
order to think that if we changed our behaviour they would change
theirs."

Blair knows that if he backs down he finished.
Meanwhile Iraq continues to fall apart. At least 150 people have been
killed and 260 wounded in suicide attack over the last three days.
Three more British soldiers are dead. The new Iraqi government is
under huge political pressure and there are calls from some Moqtada
al-Sadr's organisation for militia groups to take over security from
the US trained police and army.

Blair's assertion that there is no link between the bomb and the war
on terror has fuelled a backlash against British Muslims. If there is
no link then the only explanation is that these people must be evil.

One Muslim man was murdered by a racist gang in Nottingham. According
to the police there have been 500 racist attacks in the last 10 days
(a ten-fold increase). It is vital that we contact Mosque's and local
Muslim community groups to offer our solidarity and organise public
meetings in defence of the Muslim community – one obvious title is
United for Peace, United Against Racism. We should argue that local
StWC groups should organise these meetings – the platforms should be
broad and include a Labour MP / Labour Councillors. It is also
important that we fight for StWC and Respect speakers.

Over the last few days local StWC groups have helped organised peace
vigils. As well as the peace vigil hastily organised on the Saturday
after the bombing, the StWC held another 1,500 strong London vigil on
Sunday. This received widespread media coverage.

The London vigil was an important signal that the anti war left would
not desert Muslim Association of Britain and other anti war Muslims
that are now under threat from Blair's new range of anti terror laws.
Azzam Tamimi and MAB are being linked by New Labour to terrorism
George Galloway was right to say "if they come for Tamimi they'll
have to come through me first"…If Blair gets his way anyone who
attempts to explain where the violence comes from will be under
suspicion.

Across the country 200 marched in Beeston, Leeds and another 500
marched through the city in the afternoon. Another 150 joined the
vigil in Wakefield. In St Albans 150 attended the vigil backed by
StWC, CND and the TSSA. 70 in Cardiff – Labour, Plaid Cymru, Respect
and Cardiff Trades Council, 500 in Birmingham, 150 in Liverpool and
250 in Manchester.

Every StWC/ Respect group should be having meetings to discuss the
London bombings. We should be encouraging local StWC groups to
organise public meetings over the next month.

The StWC will be holding a demonstration in the autumn – the date of
the demonstration will be announced tomorrow – please check the StWC
website for details. We are going to have to throw ourselves into
building this demo.

SELLING SOCIALIST WORKER – SALES REPORTS
Over the last week the sales of Socialist Worker have proved to be an
important measure of the mood around the London bombings. On the
official memorial event at Trafalgar Square last Thursday we sold 531
copies of Socialist Worker, 234 more were sold on the Stop the War
vigil at Russell Square on Sunday. Comrades sold 59 papers on Friday
night in the centre of Birmingham and then a further 81 on Saturday's
vigil. On Saturday 183 papers were sold in the centre of Manchester,
92 in Liverpool and 183 at the Rise festival in South London. 209
papers were sold at TGWU conference.
We also sold 60 papers in Leeds town centre. Comrades in Leeds should
be congratulated for taking the argument for peace and anti racism
into the city centre.
These sales would be very high in any normal week…but this was far
from being a normal week. Comrades around the country approached the
sales sensitively, we didn't have megaphones blaring, and we stopped
and talked to people. The results are very impressive and show just
how deep the anti war message has gone.

WE HAVE MOVED – NEW CONTACT DETAILS
Over the last week we have moved to our new HQ. You can contact us at
the following:
SWP
PO Box 42184
London SW8 2WD
SWP National Office: 020 7819 1170
Socialist Worker: 020 7819 1180

Don't forget because of the move there will be no Socialist Worker
this week. The paper will be out as usual next Tuesday.
Please check the SWP and Socialist Worker website for new up dates
and articles.

RESPECT -
Respect came a very credible third in a council by-election in
Leytonestone, outer east London, last Thursday. The results were as
follows:
Lab – 937 (38.3 %
Lib Dem – 765 (31.3%)
Respect – 354 (14.5%)
Tory – 225 (9.2%)
Green – 165 (6.7%)
Respect is clearly being seen as the fourth party in British
politics. It is important that we continue to raise Respects profile
over the summer. We should be arguing that every Respect group should
be organising a series of events over the summer and intervening
around the peace vigils and local campaigns.
Also the BNP suffered a second electoral set back in Beacontree in
outer East London last Thursday. The BNP claimed they had a real
chance of winning the seat and tried to whip up race hatred around
the London bombing they failed – Labour won with 1117 votes, the BNP
came second with 378 votes and the Tories came third with 283 votes.
Unite organised a very high profile Vote To Keep The BNP Out campaign.


INDUSTRIAL NOTES
Stop Union Busting at Rolls Royce – Don't let the bosses sack Jerry
Hicks:
Workers at Rolls Royce in Bristol are fighting management attempts to
victimise the plant's deputy convenor, Jerry Hicks, following a
successful walkout five weeks ago against attempts to sack 2 fitters
from the Test Area. Jerry was suspended on Wednesday and the
disciplinary started on Friday – with potential for sacking for gross
misconduct for allegedly leading the walkout and his conduct in
attempting to settle the dispute. We are awaiting news of the
disciplinary hearings.

The whole plant walked out on Thursday morning and were followed by
the late and night shifts in a magnificent demonstration that workers
at the plant will not allow their union to be attacked. The Test Area
had walked out on Wednesday on receiving the news of Jerry's
suspension and has stayed out since.

Jerry is a well-known trade unionist. a member of the Amicus NEC –
elected with the highest vote for the Aerospace section and a member
of the SWP. This campaign is critical for all activists trying to
build fighting unions.

On Friday stewards from all Rolls Royce plants held an emergency
combine meeting – the first for a very long time – to pledge support,
a levy and mass meetings on every site if action is taken against
Jerry. An Emergency National Aerospace has now been scheduled for
next week.

Messages of support and collections for the workers who have now
taken unofficial action twice in the last two months should be rushed
to jw1610@blueyonder.co.uk and copied to
derek.simpson@amicustheunion.org. Cheques should be made payable to
AEU Stewards Body Test Areas and sent c/o 10 York Rd, Montpelier,
Bristol, BS6 5QE.

The Amicus National Unity Gazette meeting (the broad left grouping)
this Sat in Preston now takes on a new importance – we want to
mobilise as many people as possible to ensure we get the Gazette
involved in the campaign to stop Jerry being disciplined. This
meeting is open to ALL Amicus members - you don't have to have been a
member of the Gazette or have attended a meeting before. It is at 12
noon in the County Hall opposite the Railway Station – SWP members
going will operate a pooled fare system. Phone Moira on 07961 592 556
for more info.

Another Academies Victory

Glenbrook Primary School in Lambeth has been pulled out of Lambeth's
academy plans after a vigorous campaign by teachers, parents and the
local community. The NUT rep, a SWP member, was central to building
the campaign. The centrality of the campaign was acknowledged by the
local council in their press release – it is clear that the unease
about academies goes quite deep in the educational establishment and
when we organise against them we can win. In other parts of the
country plans are springing up for academies – this week we heard
that 2 are planned in Coventry. Respect groups everywhere should
throw themselves into campaigning against academies alongside
parents, unions and governors.
On 8 October there is a National Conference against Academies called
by Birmingham NUT and Islington Against Academies – this is for
parents, governors, teachers and students.

Coventry Single Status

The rally in support of the strikes takes place this Sat. The coach
from London leaves at 9am from Euston – ring Mladen for seats on
07905 656876. The outcome of this dispute will shape what happened
elsewhere in the implementation of the single status deal – under
current proposals some workers face up to £4000 pay cuts. Comrades
from Birmingham and the North East have organised transport – other
Unison comrades should take carloads.

Joint Natfhe/AUT caucus this Sat 23 July at 2pm in Russell Sq gardens
café, central London to discuss the merger ballots, the left in the
new union and the Palestine boycott.

PCS Fraction committee Sat 30 July at 2pm in the Russell Sq gardens
café, Central London to discuss job cuts, possible strike action in
London, civil unrest.

BOOKMARKS NEWS
With the bookstall in the beer tent at Tolpuddle this year Bookmarks
did a roaring trade selling an amazing £2,500 worth of books. Best-
seller by far was Tony Benn's Free at Last, he did a book signing
which was, as always,
totally mobbed!

Don't forget Bookmarks can supply all your holiday reading, we can
post books to you wherever you are, don't give the anti union multi
nationals your hard earned cash, support the socialist bookshop