Throughout the history of the labour movement we have witnessed the
development of sectarianism within a section of the left. It reflects
the inability to understand that the mass of the working class moves
through its traditional mass organisations. The sectarian ignores this
and believes that all you have to do is declare the "new party" and
then the masses will come flocking.
We are reproducing here a letter sent by John McDonnell to all his
supporters in which he stresses the need to now build the Left of the
Labour Party. The campaigning work of the recent period is not wasted. It can
be the basis for strengthening the left.
The ranks of the Labour Party and trade unions have been
denied the right to vote on who they think the next leader of the party should
be. This has been achieved by convincing a handful of Labour MPs not to
nominate John McDonnell. But this is not the end of the story. Now is the time
to redouble efforts to build up the left of the Labour Party in the coming
period.
While the
Blairites are licking their wounds after last week's elections results, the
results of the Scottish Socialist Party and Solidarity in Scotland and the
Socialist Party in England should leave no doubt in anyone's mind that
sectarian politics is a dead end.
Last week’s elections confirmed the
damage that Blairism has done to the Labour Party. Far from being the man who
“wins elections” as the Blairites boasted in the past, Blair has become a
liability. After ten years he has thrown away the 1997 victory. Now is the time
to draw lessons from this whole experience and fight to change the leadership
of the Labour Party.