The LRC and the Labour Left Alliance

If You Want To Go Fast, Go Alone.

If You Want To Go Far, Go Together.

Why the LRC is leaving the LLA

With regret, the Labour Representation Committee decided at its National Executive Committee meeting on 26th October to end its involvement with the Labour Left Alliance (LLA).

This was not an easy decision to make, given the LRC’s recognition, as spelt out at its conference in February of this year, of the need for a vibrant grassroots network, supportive but independent of the Labour Party leadership, stating: “It is not intended to create an alternative to existing organisations, but to build a network of those who accept the above [statement], whether they are members of Labour left organisations or not. The network will act not in the interests of one group or another, but as an umbrella to organise within. “

The LRC committed itself to building a “vibrant, organised and strategic partner to that leadership, both in opposition and in any future government.”

The LRC joined with Labour Against the Witchhunt (LAW) in launching the Labour Left Alliance after being approached by LAW in June. Although this was premature in terms of how the LRC has seen building such a movement, we felt, with the ongoing and increasing resentment against the Momentum leadership (particularly over its role in the debacle of Chris Williamson’s (re)suspension), it was worth taking this shortcut in order to strike while the iron was hot. While there was agreement on a core statement of principles between the LRC and LAW, it has become obvious to the LRC over a period of attempting to work together that serious disagreements exist around both the political orientation of the LLA and the character of what should be built in the short term.

A WIDER PERSPECTIVE AND AMBITION

While the LRC is, and always has been, committed to opposing the witchhunt against those falsely accused of antisemitism, it also concerns itself with wider issues than the narrow focus of LAW in seeing this as virtually the only issue around which the left has to organise. The LRC believes that the left needs to organise and campaign around a much wider range of issues. For example, we argued for the insertion into the LLA statement of the clause “supports and encourages struggles against austerity and all forms of oppression”. While this met no opposition, it has not been reflected in the political proposals of those LAW comrades involved in the LLA project, whose sole emphasis seems to be on internal party matters. We feel that this shuts down the wider potential and ambition originally envisaged.

For the LRC it has always been crucial to win trade union support for such a project, in order for it to have a solid base in the movement. Such a foundation is absolutely crucial if we are to both counter the opposition from some sections of the left to the involvement of the unions in the Labour Party at all, while also challenging many of the machinations which go on in the name of our unions – defending and democratising the union-party link.

This priority was not shared by most leading LAW comrades. They saw it as of little interest, at best regarding it as an LRC obsession. Nor has there been space in the LLA to raise issues that should be the bedrock of Labour left organising – for example, whether solidarity with workers taking industrial action, international campaigns, opposition to climate change or defence of public services.

Instead, their emphasis was that small left groups should be encouraged to affiliate to LLA, while questioning the affiliation of broader, genuine labour left groups like Red Labour and Grassroots Black Left. We have opposed this, seeing it as a dead end which would lead to LLA being seen as part of a far left ghetto, rather than the broad organisation we wish to build. The LRC is not interested in building yet another small left group, but in a much more ambitious formation which can eventually take on the tasks which Momentum has failed in – one which builds an effective campaign to both transform the labour movement, democratically and politically and provide extra-parliamentary pressure in support of those aims.

EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

This rush to grow something regardless of how shallow its roots are, is also reflected in the way in which leading LAW comrades have promoted the formation of local LLA groups, rather than the – on paper – agreed approach of persuading existing, established and active local left organisations – whether Momentum, Labour Left, or whatever – to affiliate. But affiliation alone is seen as insufficient - in addition local groups are required to have a minimum number of members who have individually signed up to the LLA. This becomes farcical when extended to trade unions, expecting a certain minimum of members of a union body which votes to affiliate to be individual signed up supporters. Thus, what is being built already is an individual membership organisation, rather than the network envisaged, at least in the short-term and until solid foundations are in place.

LRC VISION AND NEXT STEPS

There will be those who argue that the LRC should remain within the LLA to continue working for this different perspective. However, the experience of those comrades undertaking this work on behalf of the LRC is that the way in which certain comrades in the LLA Organising Group function is far from collaborative, pushing through their perspective by insisting everything is done at breakneck speed, accompanied often by hectoring language and pressure. The space for rational discussion of alternative perspectives has been repeatedly closed down, leaving us, in our view little option but to withdraw, rather than give credibility to an organisation we believe to be going in totally the wrong direction and most likely a cul-de-sac.

We are not pleased at having to take this decision, which has been a difficult one. In some ways it is a defeat to have attempted something we now think can’t succeed on its current path. The LRC is still committed to building the type of broad labour left organisation based on clear principles which is so clearly needed. And we also think there are many people who can be won to such a vision.

The LRC will therefore prioritise our focus on getting ready for a General Election, while continuing discussions with unions and other established left groups that we started prior to the launch of the LLA. Many of these groups and organisations expressed the reservations which have now brought us to issue this statement.