Socialist Party leader calls for new 'party of the left'

national | politics / elections | other press

Wednesday April 19, 2006 13:30

by Tribunite

SOCIALIST Party leader Joe Higgins yesterday called for the construction of a "major party of the left" and pledged that his own party would "strive to assist such a development".

Socialist Party leader calls for new 'party of the left'

SOCIALIST Party leader Joe Higgins yesterday called for the construction of a "major party of the left" and pledged that his own party would "strive to assist such a development".

In his speech to the Socialist Party annual conference in Maynooth, Higgins said his party was open to working with "principled political groups with a real base, genuine local campaigns and community groups who may be considering standing in the general election".

There was a need, he said, to "construct a major party of the left, a real mass workers' party on this island, and the Socialist Party, while retaining its ideas and unique analysis and socialist programme, will strive to assist such a development".

The party's key objective in next year's general election would be to retain its seat in Dublin West (held by Higgins himself) and win a new seat in Dublin North with Clare Daly, Higgins said. "Nor do we exclude the possibility of winning more seats, especially with our hard-working councillors, Mick Barry in Cork and Mick Murphy in Dublin South West."

Higgins said his party would campaign for a socialist alternative both to the Fianna Fail/PD government and to a Fine Gael/Labour/Green coalition. "There is no real choice here for working-class people as all these parties share similar economic and political positions. All they fight over, in reality, is which cabal should have its hands on the loot, " he added.

Sharply criticising the proposed privatisation of Aer Lingus, Higgins said it was "more than shameful that we have the state investing in the armaments industry and in killer tobacco companies through the National Pension Fund, but refusing to invest in Aer Lingus". He also condemned the government for continuing to facilitate the occupation of Iraq by US and UK forces by allowing "the passage of thousands of US soldiers through Shannon airport".

"The Socialist Party calls for the immediate withdrawal of these facilities and also the immediate withdrawal of all facilities offered to CIA chartered flights suspected of facilitating the kidnap and torture of opponents of the Bush regime, " Higgins said.

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Comments (9 of 9)

Very seasonal

by Curious

Wed Apr 19, 2006 14:24

Did the objective conditions just suddenly rise like Jesus from the tomb? They weren't there a week ago or so they said.

sp?

by guestion?

Wed Apr 19, 2006 14:34

Are the SP revolutionary socialists or electoral/reformist (social democratic) socialists?

If they are the former like so many of their members certainly are then why the focus on getting into the dail?

calm

by .

Wed Apr 19, 2006 14:39

Remember folks this a quote from the PRESS! It is not an exact position of the SP.

No change

by SP Member - Socialist Party/CWI

Wed Apr 19, 2006 14:45

Well Curious, what Joe said is no different than what any other member of the SP has said on this issue. To quote "principled political groups with a real base, genuine local campaigns and community groups who may be considering standing in the general election". As with many on the left you appear to dismiss the substance of the arguement to serve your own ends.

As for appearing to concentrate on 'electoral' politics. This was a small extract from Joe Higgins's comments, but it's unsurprising this is what the newspaper concentrated on.

Joe misquoted?

by I'm calm

So Joe didn't call for the construction of a "major party of the left" and didn't pledge that his own party would "strive to assist such a development".
So Joe didn't say his party was open to working with "principled political groups with a real base, genuine local campaigns and community groups who may be considering standing in the general election".
So Joe didn't say "there was a need to construct a major party of the left, a real mass workers' party on this island, and the Socialist Party, while retaining its ideas and unique analysis and socialist programme, will strive to assist such a development".

by sean

Wed Apr 19, 2006 14:51

any other eports from the SP conference

Of Course he did...

by SP member - Socialist Party/CWI

Wed Apr 19, 2006 15:17

What are you on about?

It's not my fault if you are as thick as two planks and don't understand what he said.

Thick as a plank?

by Still calm

Wed Apr 19, 2006 15:22

I thought the line was, that what Joe is calling for here is premature. Well at least it was last month.
If you think I'm thick, please give me your interpretation for the word 'strive'.

some republicans agree

by s

Wed Apr 19, 2006 15:34

some republicans agree with jim higgins (sic) call.

See http://www.indymedia.ie/article/75523

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Socialist Party leader calls for new 'party of the left'

Comments (9 of 9)