"Several hundred people will travel from across Scotland to attend the launch of Solidarity... because they recognise the need for a new bigger, better and broader movement for socialism... An independent socialist republic will be a cornerstone demand of Solidarity... It is both a democratic and economic necessity". These were the words of Tommy Sheridan in Scotland's broadsheet The Herald on Saturday, 2nd September. Tommy's prediction turned out to be accurate on two counts ‑ around 400 people attended the launch rally of his new party and yes, the Party will be firmly founded on a nationalist programme.
However, not all the 400 at the meeting will necessarily join Solidarity. Many who attended this rally (though it was hard to tell exactly how many) had also attended the SSP rally the previous day - i.e. there were many SSP members who hadn't yet made up their minds which of the two parties to support. This was reflected by speakers at the meeting who made a point of appealing to undecided comrades in the room.
Tommy's other declared prediction of winning 1500 members to his Party in a few months may be harder to realise. Even before the split, the level of activity in the SSP does not appear to have been very high. One former SSP full-timer told the rally that there were 150 more people at this meeting than were at the last SSP National Conference in the autumn of 2005!
Similar to the SSP rally the day before, the Solidarity rally put on a succession of speakers who collectively spoke for more than 3 hours. While there were a couple of speakers from trade unions the majority were representatives from various one-issue campaigns, e.g. Stop the War Coalition; Muslim Association of Britain; Military Families against the War; Justice, Truth and Freedom; G8 Campaign; Friends of Lebanon; Lesbian and Gay Centre etc.
John McAllion, ex Labour MP and SSP candidate for the North East Scotland MSP seat spoke next. He talked about how we must learn from history. He described the history of splits in the Scottish Labour Movement. He talked about the differences between Willie Gallagher and John MacLean in the early years of the 20th century. He talked about Maxton and the ILP in the 1930's and how the ILP collapsed but the Labour Party did not. He described the setting up of the Scottish Labour Party by Jim Sillars in the 1970's and how it collapsed. What's the lesson he's learned? The SSP is the only way forward and there is absolutely no way you should be a member of the Labour Party. This is a very interesting approach to learning lessons!
It was clear that many who had come to this meeting were working class people looking for an alternative to Blair and the Labour Party. They are understandably repulsed by the Blair government's reactionary policies at home and internationally. However, they are being duped by the leaderships of Solidarity and the SSP who are attempting to defy (or deny) all historical experience.
Wrong in Principle and in Practice
Firstly, to promote an "independent socialist republic" for Scotland is at best naïve and at worst dangerous. It is both wrong in principle and wrong in practice. The Scottish working class has rejected nationalism time and again and instinctively understands the old idiom 'unity is strength' and its opposite 'divide and rule'. It is one thing for socialists and Marxists to accept that nations have a right to self determination if they genuinely want it; it is quite another to actively campaign for it, which can only divide workers in the UK along nationalist lines ‑ even if it is dressed up with socialist rhetoric.
On a practical level a socialist Scotland based on the nationalisation of the major banks and big business would not last very long without the active support of our English, Welsh and Irish fellow workers who would have to nationalise the main hub of their economies. The British ruling class would not sit idly by and allow a Scottish Socialist government to take away its wealth and privileges. Nationalism would be a very convenient tool (and even a gift) for them to divide the working class of Britain to maintain capitalist rule. Bloody experience throughout the world proves that nationalism is not some kind of benign force that can serve the interests of the working class but is a dangerous divisive tactic which can only serve the enemies of the working class.
Secondly, it is a historical fact that when the working class in large numbers turn to political action they first do so through their traditional mass parties rather than join or vote for small socialist parties. In Britain these are the established trade unions and the Labour Party. No matter how much socialists would wish that fact to be different ‑ it is still a fact. John McAllion eloquently proved this by naming all the corpses of independent socialist parties in Scotland in the last century. Unfortunately, despite this knowledge John comes to the wrong conclusion. As the saying goes "those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it" which is exactly what John, the SSP and Solidarity leadership are doing.
The speakers at the Solidarity rally were adamant that there is room in Scotland for not just one but two independent socialist parties ‑ despite these parties having identical policies. As we went into the Solidarity rally the SSP were giving out leaflets saying "Look at our policies ‑ why set up a new party that just shamelessly steals them, but splits the left vote?"
It will be interesting to observe how they will try and differentiate themselves from one another. The logic of their situation is likely to drive both parties further down an opportunistic and nationalist road as they try to outflank each other's positions in an attempt to win the left vote.
At a certain stage the Labour Party will again be rejuvenated as the working class are forced to take political action through their trade unions and the Labour Party. An independent nationalist 'socialist' party is doomed to sit on the sidelines of events unable to influence the workers in their organisations.
We call on the workers and youth who are members of Solidarity or the SSP and wish to defend a genuine socialist position to contact the Socialist Appeal and Marxist.com with the view to developing a Marxist tendency in Scotland and internationally.