The dogs might bark, but the caravan rolls on.
The first national Left Unity meeting last Saturday
Bianca Todd is the Left Unity organiser for Northampton and she is one of the ten people elected at the Left Unity meeting last Saturday as part of the new national co-ordinating committee.
I am the grand-daughter of former general secretary of the TGWU Ron Todd and the assumption that can be made from that family connection is correct, in that I do come from a family whose values are entrenched with traditional socialist principles, that of social justice, equality and fairness.
However, as a social educator, working with young people, offenders and ex-offenders I have spent approximately twenty years of my professional career mostly avoiding traditional activist involvement in political parties and indeed the trade union movement.
This avoidance, with reflection was about not understanding where I could fit in within the traditional structures. Although more than that, as I had attended Labour Party meetings it was clear from the start that whilst I shared a history with those at the meeting, there was not sense of sharing a future. So, like many I opted out, not because of choice but because my principles are important to me, they define me and many of them are not negotiable.
The call out from Ken Loach, was refreshing, the use of media to reach the masses, without hesitation I signed up, excited about the potential for the debate about a party that at its’ heart was as passionate about the survival of the welfare state and the working class as I am.
Hoping that someone else would step forward to take the lead in Northampton, was a pipe dream, so I reached out and I now am the organiser for Northants. Having had five showings of the Spirit of ’45 and over 300 people joining me to see the film, several informal meetings to begin the debate and a first “official” branch meeting connecting Northants imminent; I feel excited about the prospect about meeting each person and sharing the experience of the first national meeting.
Being asked to chair with Jake Whitby, the opening session, was an absolute honour and as the room filled with delegates it was clear that the decision I made to make my actions match my words by getting involved were possibly one of the best decisions I have made.
There are always going to be teething problems and growing pains in anything that is new and which is grown organically meeting the needs of the masses. It was understandable knowing the breadth of the left that there would be motions and debates where not everyone would not agree. However what was most heart warming to see and to feel, was a determination by those within the meeting to look for that which unites us and concentrate on the important principles which define us. Whilst the statement presented on behalf of the interim organising committee was not adopted, we made significant decisions that will enable Left Unity to be inclusive, representative, provide transparency and accountability.
I left the national meeting feeling inspired; learning later in the evening that I had been elected onto the national co-ordinating committee. I have an inkling that my grandfather would have been proud, because he would know that the actions that I undertook, whilst inspired by him were done of my own volition.
As I embark on the Left Unity journey, in the seat of the national co-ordinating committee, I am mindful of the Albanian saying “The eagle can fly as low as the chicken but the chicken cannot soar like the eagle”, so off you go my young Left Unity eagle and let us see how you soar, unite and provide a platform for the social change that we are all crying out for.
23 comments
23 responses to “The dogs might bark, but the caravan rolls on.”
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Oh great… how come this wasn’t publicised? I WANT TO GET INVOLVED… but isn’t it funny that anyone with an alternative view of what Left Unity means gets shut out. This is absolute crap.
I’m disgusted with the Left Unity movement so far – just as cliquey, irrelevant, powerless and self-serving as the toadies within the Labour party are.
I wrote to Bianca Todd asking for details on how to get involved. She suggested I watch a video, and that was the last I heard from her. I’m so angry right now, that ONCE AGAIN, self-interest and self-serving gits are self-selecting themselves to be the self-appointed mouthpieces of what SHOULD BE a horizontal movement.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this comment gets deleted or worse, ignored. You cannot know how incensed I am by this.
Ben I have no intention of ignoring you, and I am certain that Left Unity will not be deleting your comment. I have actually emailed you about the films that were happening in Northampton. There is a Left Unity facebook page which also has information on and is updated regularly.
The national meeting was for delegates, and as we have not heard from each other since our original discussion it is hard to facilitate a conversation. That being said, it is never too late to get involved, this Sunday we have another viewing of the film and debate afterwards in Wellingborough at the Rising Sun Public House, 7pm.
The branch meeting for Northampton will be on the first Wednesday of the month, the next will be 7-9pm 5th June at the Black Lion Public House (in the back rooms), Marefair, Northampton
However call me and as I suggested previously we can meet. 07925730772. BT
I have no idea what your politics are and it does not concern me here.
What I am concerned about is that you say that your ‘first “official” branch meeting connecting Northants [is] imminent’. Left Unity Newsletter 5 on 21st April said ‘Please remember to elect up to two representatives from your local group to attend the first National Meeting taking place on 11th May in London’.
So how did you get to be the representative for your group when you have not had an official meeting yet although there was at least 3 weeks to arrange one?
My point here is that if we are going to move forward with the project we need to ensure above all that there is no abuse of process and that people are not manipulating things for advantage. I had more than a skinful of that in the 1980s with the CPGB thank you.
People need to be assured that the process has legitimacy, are confident that all views are being aired and taken into account and the space for various tendancies to hijack LU is minimised.
I do sincerely hope that now you are one of the 10 elected on Saturday, that you can get your own group operating openly and democratically and be meticulous in ensuring that there is no abuse of process at national level.
Hi David Le Peuple.
Northamptonshire, has five separate groups, covering Northampton, Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and East Northants. The imment meeting is the one of the entire area of Northamptonshire. I was presenting Northampton on Saturday. I hope this clarification assists in addressing your concern.
I shall try my best as one of the 10 on the national co-ordinating committee to ensure that local branches are run openly meeting the needs of the local members. More than that, I shall make sure that I remain accountable to my local group thus ensuring my own personal / professional reputation and integrity survives the journey of politics! BT
Hello Bianca
Apologies for being a bit brusque earlier – still reeling from the fact that only half of the representatives to the conferance on Saturday were elected by thier groups.
Thank you for the clarification and the clearing up of doubt and confirming your commitment to open and democratic politics.
You will need a thick skin for the future as others who see any chink of doubt in statements and actions will seek to exploit them.
All the best for the future.
PS I would not post your telephone number if I were you. I’m sure an administrator can remove it if asked.
Nice report Bianca, and excellent chairing on the day too! I particularly liked the skilful way you calmed the heated debate down, and I like too your eagle metaphor. I seem to remember the eagles always saved the day in the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings, so why not here in the real world?! All the best
Thank you Stuart. It was a great to be able to chair… I learnt a great deal throughout the day.
Now to learn more, to be more, to do more #LeftUnity
Ben I suggest you attend a Left Unity meeting and get involved – I really cant see what your point is. “I’m disgusted with the Left Unity movement so far” – actually at least 8000+ people have found Left Unity inspiring and refreshing and if left Unity is not for you then you are under no obligation to join. I can only say that having attended Saturdays Left Unity conference and having met Bianca for the first time I only know that we are moving in the right direction with some wonderful people like Bianca as part of Left Unity. These are early days for Left Unity but I am confident we can build on from Saturdays first national meeting. It was great to see so many people from so many different parts of the country and to see Left Unity attracting so many female supporters as well as male – well reflected in Saturdays attendance.
There is always going to be teething problems in the formation of any new Party – the task is huge and no doubt a few who are current supporters will be out in a year or so but many more who are not members now will be members in a year or so. So let get out there and organise!
It was good to meet you to Neil :-)
Already looking forward to the next meeting.
So much to do, national meetings, conferences, and local groups, grassroot membership #notenoughhoursintheday
Neil…
I’d love to attend a left unity meeting and get involved. But there isn’t a branch near me, and I don’t want to be involved with a hierarchical organisation.
I’d like to set up a Kettering based group, run differently to Bianca’s group in Northampton, with no committees, representatives or hierarchy – and certainly no propaganda from Ken Loach.
I’m a Lefty, and someone committed to modifying the inherently corrupt political system we have here in the UK – but not in the way the Left Unity clique is imposing on me.
So do I just ‘set it up’ or do I have submit to the will of the self-selected few?
Bianca,
I apologise for being… heated in my response here. I’m just so hacked off that I have NO way of being fairly represented.
Why do we have to have only one group for Northamptonshire? I’ve stated several times on the Facebook page that I’d like to start a local group here in Kettering, completely unaffiliated with the Northmpton group, as I believe Northampton bods cannot represent local concerns in Kettering. Can this be achieved?
Ben.
Hi there Ben.
Please remember Left Unity is weeks old. Also remember that I am one person.
What I set out to do was exactly what Ken Loaches calling described, which was to facilitate showings of the film and to engage in the debate. I have have three showings at a local cinema and two within local communities; following that, people had a debate in a variety of places.
We do not have one group that represents Northamptonshire, we have groups meeting in Wellingborough, East Northants, Corby, Northampton. I don’t want to be rude, but you have not made any comments on the Left Unity Northampton page to date, had you done so, you would have been aware of what was happening throughout Northants.
That being said, once again. I suggest we meet up and then we can sort out you moving forward in Kettering with Left Unity. Shall we talk, and meet face to face. Call me / text me on 07925730772. Or email me your contact details and I will call you today. #ActionsNotWords
Deal.
I will call you on your mobile number that you have kindly provided, and we’ll go from there.
Just so you know – expecting responses on a website is an exceptionally poor way of getting engagement from your audience. Something I know a little bit about. The Left Unity movement should be using social media to a far greater degree than it is already, as I regularly contribute to the Left Unity fb page.
Ben.
Well done Ben for apologising. Politics is often inseparable from passion — and I am a pretty passionate person myself — but it does not help our nascent movement to call colleagues ‘self-serving gits’ and ‘toadies.’
Good luck building up LU Kettering. It is only about an hour from Nottingham ( where I live) to Kettering — and my sweetheart’s mother lives near you — and so why don’t I drop down to visit you and we could have a beer together before too long.
I know it is cannot be a top priority at the minute, but I have asked LU HQ
(for want of a better name!) to set up a system whereby LU supporters in one area can directly contact those who live in other parts. In the interim, I will send in my e-mail address to LU content (content@leftunity.org) and why don’t you do the same…and they can put us in touch with one another?
In the same struggle,
Alan Story
Hi there Alan,
I am meeting with Ben this evening which I am sure will be great and enable us both to learn more, be more and do more. As Kettering is only a stones throw away, I’d welcome the opportunity to join you both when you meet.
I met the Nottingham Left Unity people yesterday, who were great, so hopefully your experience with Left Unity will be productive and positive. #workingtogther
The guy who is running the ‘Abolish bedroom tax or prepare for people’s revolution 2013’ F/B site, which is very active and interesting, has been polling his readers: the majority vote labour, many of these people are on the arses, really struggling, and yet they are still, saying at least, they will support the LP. If this is the case,there is a hard job for LU ahead.
These are the sort of people L/U should be encouraging to join: I have no problem with middle class people being involved, it looks like there are some fantastic people involved, but it can’t be dominated by them. Tbh, it is looking like that, quotas for women are acceptable, but what about the W/C person involved in their local B/T campaign who isn’t on the net and has no money to travel to meetings, especially London ones?. I don’t want to fetishise class, but its there, the real thing, not the Marxist abstractions, L.U without questioning individuals backgrounds, making it personal, etc, needs to consider this.
I am slightly less sanguine about the possibilities of a new left wing party where the unemployed/precariat will feel welcome than I was before.
Hello Jonno,
You are quite right that Left Unity should target the working class, indeed I am working class.
I hear the issues that you raise, and agree wholeheartedly, which is why we have held meetings in places and at times when people have wanted them, some of those meetings were in peoples houses, others in public spaces, its about growing a movement from grassroots and making it sustainable. I hope you will get involved with Left Unity, if you are Northampton ends, then do give me a shout. If not message the content@leftunityorg and no doubt you will be out in touch with some great people. Good luck & Keep in touch.
tx for that, and my comments were not aimed at individuals, if people want to donate their time and experience that’s great, but we as you say, must have W/C representation and involvement.
I don’t know if I’m alone in saying this but I feel uncomfortable about Bianca’s repeated references to her trade union leader grandfather. There’s a hint in my view of establishing one’s left-wing dynastic credentials. Although I don’t know whether this was a factor in Bianca being voted onto the interim national co-ordinating committee I don’t see that it is relevant or should be mentioned – just as not having *anyone* in one’s family history who was a left-wing leader or member should be relevant.
In my opinion it would be wise to drop all that sort of thing now – it seems distinctly backward and inward-looking ‘old labour’ to me – a concern which the centrality of ‘the spirit of ’45’ conception does little to allay. Although frequent appeal to workerist or labourist roots may appeal to some I’m pretty certain that there are X times as many potential leftist members that it is more likely to put off, or prevent contributing fully because they do not have the right ‘pedigree’.
Thanks Neil for your thoughts,
I have reflected on your words and can offer you the following as an explanation/ response.
I guess I have mentioned my family connection to offer a framework of who I am. Although having a grandfather who history places in the field of the left, does not correlate with automatic alliance of the left for members of his family.
Identity is important and for me, my family history has played an instrumental part in understanding where I am from and determining where I want to go. Additionally transparency, from the beginning I thought was essential, I wanted to make sure that people understand where I come from, and where my principles are rooted.
That being said, I am hopeful that the Left Unity as a party will attract those with workerist / labourist roots as well as those without and my identifying strongly with both sets of grandparents and being inspired by them both, I don’t believe will desist in the task of recruitment. Indeed many young people have signed up in my area, who even if I were to tell them who my grandfather was, the name would not mean a thing.
What you suggest I might have used my identity as a factor to influence, simultaneously that suggests that people were unable to make a decision based on the facts of who I am. This I am certain is not true. I’d like to think that I was voted on to the committee because of how I presented myself at the meeting on Saturday and not because of my relations, I’d hope that I will be judged by my actions and efforts within the NCC.
The journey of Left Unity has just begun, and for me I wanted to begin with truth and respect for the past, for the present and for the future. Nothing sinister, just setting the scene. However as that has now been done, now is the time for organising and increasing membership. Ready for the long adventure we have ahead of us. BT
Dear Bianca,
I was so pleased to met you on Saturday. I loved your style of chairing. I thought you might like a bit of womanly support having had a quick look at this list of comments. Be strong.
All the best.
Thank you Micheline,
It was great to meet you on Saturday too. Thank you for your kind words.
In all honesty, what I have learnt from this thread, is that this is not personal, it is ‘politics’ and the comments have provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my thoughts and how I have articulated them.
There are always going to be people who look for an alternative agenda within words, and I understand that. However I am genuinely feeling lucky that I was able to chair the opening session and more than that, that people felt I was worthy of being on the organising committee, that is a great honour… I am still a little bit excited about it all.
I look forward to our paths crossing again soon, Stay well and keep smiling on this Left Unity journey. It’s going to epic.
Is Left UNITY a name or more of a vague ambition. From reading the comments here it doesn’t seem terribly united and the levels of affection for other “comrades” seems rather low. I think Micheline’s worst fears will probably come true and it will turn out to be some ghastly exhibition of patriarchy.
I really miss the Spice Girls and their GIRL POWER sometimes boo hoo poor me.