Join us in building a bigger, bolder and better Socialist movement in Scotland
Dear Comrade,
Trade Unionists have recognised for well over a hundred years the need not only to fight on the industrial front, but also on the political front. For many of us in Scotland, until recently the SSP was the political vehicle for Socialist Trade Unionists in Scotland. Many of us helped to build the SSP, and at the same time built the PCS SSP group the biggest and most successful Trade Union group in the Party. Sadly, it has become crystal clear that the SSP is no longer able to play the progressive role we hoped it would.
When the SSP was launched it became a beacon, a real hope, for thousands of Trade Unionists in Scotland and further afield. At last we had a party that could articulate the aspirations of our members in
the fights against low pay, privatisation and attacks on our pensions.
The election of 6 MSPs in 2003 should have given the party an unparalleled platform to reach out and win over huge sections of workers to the cause of Socialism. The party should have become the party
of Trade Unionists.
But the truth is that the SSP leadership have increasingly looked inwards rather than outwards, and preferred bureaucratic manoeuvring aimed at retaining control of the party rather than fully utilising the opportunities that were available to the party.
The absurdity of the situation in which the SSP finds itself culminated in the court victory of Tommy Sheridan against Rupert Murdoch's Union bashing News of the World. It appeared that the only people
who were not delighted at Tommy's stunning victory were Rupert Murdoch and the SSP leadership! What a bizarre situation for a supposedly socialist party to find itself in: "Comrades" MSP Carolyn Leckie said "I'm still a Socialist, I don't believe Tommy Sheridan to be one"; and Rosie Kane MSP in her column in the Sunday Mail said: "Whatever happens I can never work with Tommy again and I am not alone."
THE CHOICE BEFORE US
Can PCS Socialists and Trade Unionists stay within the SSP?
We believe the answer is a resounding no. Not only because of quotes such as those above, but also because since the court case the leadership have issued bulletin after bulletin, press release upon press release, and made themselves endlessly available to the media seemingly on one subject only - to attack Tommy Sheridan. They are obsessed with this issue. If those who were pleased with the outcome of the court case stayed within the SSP we would be caught up in the eternal infighting that has engulfed the SSP, and which has destroyed the party we helped to build. Many PCS members have attended meetings over the course of the last couple of weeks to discuss the set up of a new party. Fraternal debates and comradely discussion have replaced the jealousy, hatred and bitterness of SSP meetings.
A NEW BEGINNING
This new opportunity must be grasped by PCS Socialists. The need for a Socialist party that workers can gravitate towards is needed more now than ever.
The new party will have policies, decided by its members, which are needed to defend and promote the interests of workers. This is an exciting and challenging time for the future of Socialism in Scotland, and a time when you can play a key part in ensuring a successful launch of the new movement. Come along to the launch on Sunday 3rd September at 1.00pm at the Central Hotel Glasgow.
Bring your work colleagues, your Union comrades, and your friends and family. This is a fresh, positive and forward-looking new movement that can ignite the imagination of all workers in Scotland. Join with
us to be part of it.
Yours fraternally,
Janice Godrich
PCS President
Alan Brown
Cheryl Gedling
Danny Williamson
NEC members
(Personal Capacity)
Posted on behalf of the above.
Steve G
