Bristol Respect News

We had a good and open discussion at our Respect meeting on Monday 8 June, when we had the EU results as well as the local election results. The dismay over the BNP getting 2 EU seats is tempered by the fact that their vote did not increase but that supporters of the main parties, particularly of Labour, stayed at home and did not go out to vote so the turn out was down benefitting the BNP.

Hopefully members and supporters will look at the attached document and feed back any questions and comments.

It would be great if at the next Respect meeting Monday 13 July 7.30pm Malcolm X Ashley Road, BS6

we could plan our future events and a strategy for the General Election which will take place within the next 12 months.

Jerry will draft a discussion document before then.

From all our experience a registration campaign is vital, and a public meeting on the political situation and background in Somalia.

So hope everyone can come and participate with questions, ideas and comments.

Jerry and Jo will now be away for 3 weeks, Mo Ouammi is in Germany resuming the treatment he required after his surgery and which he interrupted to come back to Bristol to be a candidate in the local election campaign.

Some fantastic news. Rob Williams, the convenor of Linemar in Swansea has been unconditionally reinstated the day before the all out strike commenced on June 11.

The SITA bin men and road sweepers have settled honourably without loss of pay and in a good position for future pay claims.

Their action showed they were prepared to stand up for themselves and has brought back into public attention, the failure of privatised services to supply our needs.

In solidarity

Bristol Respect

 

Election Results

Bristol Respect. 2009 local elections.

Results and Analysis

Ashley         Votes      Turn out %

Lib Dems      1978      47.84

Greens           1283      31.03

Labour           542        11

Respect          167        4.04

Tories             165        3.99

Easton

Lib Dems 1290       35.24

Labour          1116        30.48

Greens           938         25.62

Tories            220         6.01

Respect          97           2.65

Lockleaze

Lib Dems       923        36.54

Labour           516        20.43

Respect          377        14.92

Tories             309        12.23

BNP               210         8.31

Greens           191         7.56

The political crisis seems to have favoured the Lib Dems who now have overall control of the council, Labour having less seats than the Tories.

For Respect .. would we have wanted to have done better? Of course!

Could we have done more with our resources? No!

The strategy set out 9 months ago was based on our decision that we could no longer continue to stand in just one ward and that in this election we would cover 3 or 4. This would obviously mean a spreading of our resources. We agreed on 2 priority wards, Lockleaze and Easton where Respect had stood before, and to stand for the first time in Kings Weston and Ashley where we would have credible candidates who could conduct a campaign relying on  local personal networks built up over previous years of activity.

We extended this to Lawrence Hill when Prince Abdul Aziz , the first candidate from the Somalian community to stand in Bristol, became our fifth Respect candidate.

However, we were a team beset by injuries before we even took to the field.

Personal circumstances prevented Steve N. standing in Kings Weston.

Our Easton candidate Mo Ouammi had to go to Germany for surgery for 3 months before the election, returning 2 days before the deadline for putting in his nomination papers, which he managed to do with 90 minutes to spare.

Prince Abdul Aziz was taken into hospital with a serious heart condition and although his nomination papers were complete, his condition deteriorated and there was no option but for him withdraw from the campaign.

Personal reasons made it impossible for our favoured candidate, Ellen H to stand in Lockleaze, and she was replaced by Jerry Hicks.

Jerry Hicks, our Bristol Respect convenor had spent the 12 months up to the middle of March 2009 campaigning for the election of the General Secretary’s position of UNITE the union (Amicus section). It was a remarkable campaign and an impressive achievement. He succeeded in forcing Derek Simpson the incumbent to call an election, in winning sufficient nominations to get on the ballot paper and came second out of 4 candidates with 40,000 votes.

The campaign built a network of trade union activists across the UK, gave hope to thousands and enhanced the reputation of Respect.

It did however mean that some of Bristol Respect resources were diverted into this, in particular that of Jerry himself whose formidable energy and leadership had made such a massive contribution to our 2 previous successes in Lockleaze and Easton, lifting Respect into a completely different league in electoral politics in Bristol.

Comparisons with activity and resources in 2009 and 2006 and 2007

Lockleaze 2006

( following the Rolls Royce strike that gave Jerry and Respect a high public profile and something that people could identify with.)

6 months campaigning

9 leaflets

3 door to door canvasses

£4,000

Lockleaze 2009

9 weeks campaigning

4 leaflets

mini canvassing by Jerry and Hazel, scratching the surface

£550

Easton 2007                                                    Easton  2009

6 months campaigning                                    4 weeks

9 leaflets                                                          1 leaflet

2 door to door canvasses                                  £ 225

£4,000

Ashley 2009 (first time standing)

6 weeks campaigning

1 leaflet, covering ¾ of the ward (plus cards and window posters)

£225

Summary .. we stood in 3 wards spending a quarter of the amount of money that we had spent on one ward previously.

9 week, 6 week and 4 week campaigns compared to 6 months previously.

We stood against large organisations with decades if not centuries of history, establishing their names and building their resources which they concentrate almost entirely on electoral success.

They can guarantee a block of votes just by standing whereas we have to work for every single vote.

Even though Labour support and grass roots organisation have sunk to an all time low, a century of identification with the Labour movement guarantees them a bed rock vote of 500 votes in those areas, no matter how poor the quality of the candidate and the party’s record in national and local government.

Ashley was the key seat for a head to head fight between the Lib Dems and Greens and where they concentrated all their forces in Bristol.

Lockleaze was a target seat for the BNP and where they hoping to make inroads. Respect gave people there a clear and positive alternative.

In Easton, just as we effected John Kiely’s defeat in 2007 by campaigning over privatisation of Home Care, so this year we influenced Labour’s Mohammed Arif’s vote by exposing his false claims over Gaza ultimately meaning he failed to win the seat.

Having previously been rebuffed by the Greens, we were approached by them during the course of this election, unfortunately too late, for an electoral accommodation. This will hopefully mean a future agreement.

Respect is unique in that we consistently campaign in our communities for public services, peace, justice and the environment as well as for support and votes in elections. This has built political relationships and a reputation over a wide and varied network and a treasury of talents.

We now have a list of supporters unrivalled in Bristol Respect’s history. Over 80 people, half of who were not members, gave their time, money and energies to the election campaign.

Are we well placed to benefit and grow? Yes – but only time and a great deal of effort will tell.

 

Refugees have Rights

Unlike Mr Berry (Soapbox Evening Post April 30) I think immigration has had a positive effect on Bristol, enriching the city’s past, present and hopefully our future – whether from Ireland, Jamaica, Poland, Pakistan or Somalia.
With our predominantly ageing population, we need their youth, skills and energy. They are the future surgeons, home care assistants, bus drivers, teachers and street cleaners that Mr Berry’s generation and mine will be relying on to provide the services and revenue that we can no longer contribute to our community.
Already migrants contribute £2.5 billion more to the economy than they take in services.
So let’s invest in our future. That would be public money better spent than bailing out greedy, incompetent bankers.
Just to correct the common mistake that Mr Berry makes. The majority of the many millions who are forced from their homes by conflict and tyrannical regimes do find refuge in neighbouring countries. Iran and Pakistan for example have taken in 4 million Afghans. Only 2% of the world’s asylum seekers are in the UK.
Jo Benefield

 

Keep The Post Public Rally 12 May 2009 (South West/Bristol)

Keep The Post Public Rally (South West/Bristol)

Support building a modern Royal Mail in our hands
19:30 to 21:00, 12 May 2009, Transport House, Victoria Street, Bristol, BS1 6AY
Speakers: Neal Lawson, Chair, Compass

You are all invited to this event, and would request that you give this e-mail the widest possible circulation, to help us push forward our campaign. We would also like to pass on our thanks for the overwhelming support that we have had from Labour Party members, you are the backbone of the party, and we hope that our elected representatives recognise your opinions.

It would be very useful if you could indicate if you are interested in attending so that we can assess numbers, so if you could contact me at the above e-mail address, or on 07827321377, that would be appreciated.

Regards

Mike Wollacott
CWU Bristol & District

 

Bristol PSC Plans BOYCOTT ACTION at Broadmead

BOYCOTT ACTION AGAINST ISRAEL

SATURDAY 18th April

12.00 – 2.00

Tesco Metro Broadmead

Called by Bristol-Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Wear Palestinian flag colours (red, black, green, white) or a Keffiyeh (Palestinian scarf)

FFI www.bristolpsc. info

 

Respect supports RMT-led Electoral Alliance

The Bristol branch of the Respect Party, in keeping with the decision of the Respect National Council, has decided to support the local RMT candidates in the upcoming EU parliamentary elections.

RMT Stands candidates on EU election campaign

Thursday 19 March 2009

by Bob Crow

IT’S not every day I agree to head up a new left-wing EU-critical electoral alliance to stand in the European elections, but it wasn’t a decision taken lightly. My union has been following developments in the European Union for many years and has debated the impact of EU treaties and various directives each year at its annual general meetings.

Many RMT members have suffered as the result of EU diktats such as the one which led to the privatisation of our rail network. The EU drive to push market mechanisms into our public services has now appeared with the part-privatisation of postal services.

The EU mania for imposing increasingly discredited neoliberal economics on over 500 million Europeans is also enshrined in the Lisbon treaty, the renamed EU Constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005. The treaty forces governments to hand public services over to private corporations. That means handing fat cats control of railways, schools, postal services, energy and even social services across Europe.

According to the EU constitution, “A European framework law shall establish measures to achieve the liberalisation of a specific service.” That provision remains in the Lisbon treaty. The current economic crisis was created by this right-wing economic dogma, yet, under the Lisbon treaty, these policies become constitutional goals. EU rules demanding the “free movement of capital, goods, services and labour” within the EU have also encouraged widespread social dumping where vulnerable exploited workers from across the EU are being used to drive down wages in member states.

Successive EU directives and European Court of Justice decisions have similarly been used to attack trade union collective bargaining, the right to strike and workers’ pay and conditions. As a result, working people are feeling increasingly betrayed by a political elite that seems more interested in implementing neoliberal EU rules than representing those who elected them. This crisis of working-class representation, along with the growing economic crisis, has led to a deep disillusionment, cynicism and general mistrust of politicians.

That is one of the reasons why Irish voters rejected the Lisbon treaty in June last year – because they too did not want an EU constitution that took away their hard-won democracy and effectively turned the EU into an undemocratic superstate. Yet the resounding No by Irish voters was ignored by politicians across Europe who are clearly more wedded to EU institutions than their own electorates. That is why Gordon Brown’s government reneged on Labour’s 2005 manifesto promise to hold a referendum and instead forced the treaty through Parliament with Liberal Democrat and Tory help.

The Irish electorate has been told that they must vote for a second time on the Lisbon treaty by October 2009, having voted to reject it in 2008. Why? Because EU and Irish politicians have decided that voters in Ireland must be overruled. To counter this assault on democracy, No2EU – Yes to Democracy is fielding candidates on June 4 to give a voice to voters who feel betrayed by the main parties.

This crisis of democracy and the very serious economic situation is leading to a rise in support for far-right, fascist parties such as the British National Party. Yet the BNP has no answers. It peddles hate and seeks to undermine organisations that working people rely on to protect them such as trade unions. No2EU – Yes to Democracy is an electoral platform and not a party. Our candidates will not sit in the European Parliament in the event of winning any seats.

Our candidates would nominally hold the title MEP but would not board the notorious EU gravy train. This is because the European Parliament is, in fact, not a parliament but a very expensive talking shop with no law-making powers. Those powers lie with the unelected European Commission. A recent report showed that MEPs can make over £1 million from a single five-year term by claiming various allowances and even for assistants for whom no record exists.

British MEPs’ pay will even rise by almost 50 per cent after June’s election to over £120,000. While in the real world banks go under and hundreds of thousands of workers are losing their jobs, EU elites continue to enrich themselves at the taxpayers’ expense.

Lend us your vote on June 4 and we will continue to campaign against the EU privatisation drive and the widespread corruption that goes with it.

It’s clear that millions of people would reject the Lisbon Treaty if they were given the chance to and demand the repatriation of democratic powers to the member states. The time has come to give these people a voice. Vote No2EU – Yes to Democracy on June 4.

Bob Crow is general secretary of RMT.

reprinted from Morning Star

 

‘No2EU Yes to Democracy’

The ‘No2EU Yes to Democracy’ campaign

No2EU Yes to Democracy is an electoral platform. It is a trade union-backed alliance of political parties and campaigning groups. We believe the time is right to offer the peoples of Britain an alternative view of Europe. The recent referendum in Ireland clearly demonstrates that the working people of Europe are not happy with the direction the EU is taking. The failure of the mainstream parties to represent this feeling has led to a political vacuum. We will not sit in the European parliament in the event of winning any seats. Our candidates will only nominally hold the title MEP and will not board the notorious EU gravy train. We want to see a Europe of independent, democratic states that value its public services and does not offer them to profiteers; a Europe that guarantees the rights of workers and does not put the interests of big business above that of ordinary people. We believe the current structures of the EU makes this impossible. We say… • Reject the Lisbon Treaty • No to EU directives that privatise our public services • Defend and develop manufacturing, agriculture and fishing industries in Britain • Repeal anti-trade union ECJ rulings and EU rules promoting social dumping • No to racism and fascism, Yes to international solidarity of working people • No to EU militarisation • Repatriate democratic powers to EU member states • Replace unequal EU trade deals with fair trade that benefits developing nations • Scrap EU rules designed to stop member states from implementing independent economic policies • Keep Britain out of the eurozone

 

George Galloway’s first speech from Gaza – March 09

 

Viva Palestina nears the border of Gaza

 

Convoy under attack in Egypt