Solidarity - A new movement for socialism in Scotland

Solidarity - A new movement for socialism in Scotland

This meeting believes we share a historic responsibility to provide people in Scotland with a socialist alternative to the pro-market agendas of New Labour, Tories, Liberal Democrats and the SNP. Many working class voters are so disillusioned with politicians that they do not vote at all.

The war in Iraq and Afghanistan continues its deadly course and Lebanon lies in ruins; this is the latest stage in a regional conflict at the root of which lies the same free-market agenda that has devastated working class communities the length and breadth of Scotland. Immigrant communities are under attack, Islamaphobia is on the rise and our civil liberties continue to be undermined.

The scale of anger and disillusionment with New Labour is growing and the need for that socialist alternative is more urgent than ever. Sadly, the SSP is no longer able to play that role.

We agree it is now only possible to take the socialist movement forward by immediately launching a new political party that will become, in time, the broad party of socialism in Scotland - bigger, better and bolder than that which has gone before, a fresh movement with an attractive, pioneering, and inclusive spirit, welcoming to all who join, irrespective of ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation or disability.

We will demonstrate SOLIDARITY WITH those fighting against low pay and oppression. SOLIDARITY AGAINST poverty and discrimination in all its forms. SOLIDARITY FOR an independent socialist nuclear free Scotland.

Our new party will be

A campaigning movement - against social injustice and poverty, for a decent living wage and pensions for all, against hospital closures and local service cuts, for empowered communities and trade union rights, in opposition to racist discrimination and bigotry and all forms of oppression, for our civil liberties, and for public ownership and democratic control of our major industries, land and assets.

A democratic movement - for an independent socialist Scotland, a modern pluralist republic that harnesses our collective energies, talents and wealth for the benefit of all our citizens while safeguarding and respecting individual freedom in all its aspects.

A workers movement - that will support trade unionists and all workers in struggle, fighting for the rights of workers in Scotland and internationally whether or not they are already organised in a trade union, for the repeal of all anti-trade union laws.

An anti-war movement - opposing all imperialist wars wherever they occur and the current occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine.

A grass roots movement - that will be active in campaigning around the issues that matter in all parts of Scotland, from the borders to the Northern Isles, from the Hebrides to the oil rigs of the North Sea, in our streets, in our communities and our workplaces, reaching out to people, and engaging in constructive political debate.

An environmentalist movement - campaigning against new nuclear power stations and for the removal of Trident nuclear missiles from the banks of the Clyde, campaigning positively for massive investment in renewable technologies, and a truly integrated and modern publicly owned transport system, for environmental justice for all.

A young peoples movement - that aspires to be the natural political home for young people, supporting campaigns for a decent minimum wage, free education and affordable housing.

An internationalist movement - committing ourselves to solidarity with working and oppressed peoples in struggle across the globe, engaging with and supporting international resistance to capitalism, neo-liberalism and globalisation.

A socialist movement - that fights for the redistribution of wealth from big business and the millionaires to working class people and their families.

We call on everyone who shares our vision to join us.



Then a separate motion on organisation

We agree that our new party will contest all eight list seats in the forthcoming Scottish Parliamentary elections, and will contest targeted council seats across Scotland.

We call on members, regions and branches of the SSP to disaffiliate from that broken organisation immediately and affiliate wholesale to the new party.

We resolve to launch a national campaign of rallies and public meetings across the country to sign up new members.

Name, constitution and program of the new party

The party will proceed for the time being under the working name of
Solidarity – Scotland’s Movement for Socialism

We will hold a founding party conference in November to discuss our constitution and campaigning priorities. We further agree that the name of the new party will be decided by a One Member One Vote ballot of the membership in time for that conference.

This meeting resolves to set up a Steering Committee to plan launch rallies, deal with the media and to prepare a draft constitution and agenda for the founding conference. The Steering Committee shall also have responsibility for consulting with the membership and producing a shortlist of names and party symbols for consideration, and accepting as bona fide party bodies new branches, regional councils etc.

The interim Steering Committee shall consist of MSP’s Rosemary Byrne and Tommy Sheridan, two individuals elected from each region (with an understanding that there will be regional flexibility on the way members are elected) plus two from each platform.

We further call upon the members to meet as soon as possible to organise regional meetings, branches where appropriate and other interim committees until we agree a constitution and democratic structures for the new party at the conference in November.


Press Release 29/08/06

Tommy Sheridan and Rosemary Byrne call for Solidarity.

For further information contact Jim Monaghan
01290 424387
07944 217938
cdvssp@hotmail.com

Solidarity Takes Shape

At a meeting in Edinburgh on Sunday afternoon, plans were drawn up to put to the launch rally of a new party next Sunday (3rd September) in Glasgow. Over 70 leading socialists including former members of the Scottish Socialist Party and other socialists, campaigners and trades unionists took part.

The meeting agreed to recommend an interim name for the new party, Solidarity -Scotland’s Socialist Movement. A statement has been agreed that represents the vision of a new party of the left in Scotland. This statement will be presented to the members at a launch meeting on Sunday 3rd September at the Central Hotel Glasgow at 1 p.m.

Tommy Sheridan MSP said:

"This was an excellent planning meeting conducted in a friendly spirit, a spirit that is reflected in the name that we are recommending as an interim working title, Solidarity – Scotland’s Socialist Movement. We shall be offering solidarity to working people in struggle, to those fighting for an independent socialist Scotland, solidarity to all those opposing Blair and Bush’s illegal wars, to all those fighting for social justice and an end to poverty and discrimination."

Rosemary Byrne, MSP for the South of Scotland region invited others to join:

“We invite people to join us on Sunday at the Central Hotel in Glasgow at 1 p.m.. This is not a party just for ex SSP members it is a new movement that is open to all who share our vision of an independent socialist republic in Scotland and an end to global corporate wars.”