First meeting between Left Unity and TUSC

Sharon McCourt from Left Unity’s National Co-ordinating Group reports on the recent meeting between Left Unity and the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, with additional thoughts from Bianca Todd.

As agreed by Left Unity’s National Coordinating Group (NCG) in June, four of us went along from Left Unity to meet with delegates from TUSC. Left unity delegates were myself (Sharon McCourt), Andrew Burgin, Bianca Todd and Kate Hudson.

TUSC delegates were Dave Nellist and Clive Heemskirk for the Socialist Party and for RMT Sean McGowan, Darren Ireland and Sean Hoyle. A little late Peter Pinkney, the RMT president also joined us. Will McMahon who is both a member of TUSC via the Independent Socialist Network (ISN) and a supporter of Left Unity, was also present. As the Left Unity delegation was not aware that Will would be present there was a short discussion to clarify that he was there representing the ISN, not in a Left Unity capacity.

We began by introducing ourselves with a brief description of our involvement in the movement and what had led us to be there.

Kate began for us, giving a good explanation as to where we are at this point with Left Unity: everything is under discussion and nothing is set in stone although at the first meeting the overwhelming feeling was that we are and shall remain a one member one vote organisation. She pointed out from the outset that we had no authority to agree or decide on anything and that this was strictly a discussion for us to report back to the members of Left Unity. She gave the background about Ken Loach’s appeal and the 9000 people who had signed it and the fact that 90 groups had sprung up around the country. She explained that we were a work in progress, working towards a founding conference in November where we plan to form ourselves as a party.

Dave Nellist began for the TUSC delegation talking about the Socialist Party and the coalition that has been built, the organisations within it and where they are currently. TUSC members spoke of the coalition they had built between them and – because each organisation within it had the right of veto – that they worked by concentrating on the 80% they do agree on and moving forward on that basis. There were some observations about the extent to which people would always put their own party first, hindering the development of the coalition but the discussion was a constructive one.

I spoke next, about how I am new to this form of political work, but had come to be involved in Left Unity. I made my point that I strongly believe we need a new party, not a federation, not a coalition. How I live on a council estate in inner city Birmingham living with unemployment and that we need to give hope back to the people. That people need an alternative – something to get behind to give people a reason to vote at all – to build a real alternative. I have been a mother for years and so trade union representation has not been an issue for me and for a lot of the low paid poor it isn’t either, sadly. I saw the appeal from Ken Loach and signed up because we need a new party of the left. Labour sadly left that behind a long time ago.

Bianca spoke about her involvement with Unite and how she is involved with the trade unions within Left Unity, how she had avoided getting involved with politics for many years, but she truly believes in the Left Unity project. And how she believes we can build a new party and that trade union members can be a vital part of that.

Andrew spoke last from our delegation reinforcing the fact that this discussion was a positive step even though it could not reach any conclusions. He said that he believes that a new party can be formed and that we are moving forward towards our founding conference in November.

We finished with a general discussion where I believe that everyone in the room agreed we are on a common path and that we have no wish to be fighting each other. There were suggestions from the TUSC side of possible electoral agreements, or even that Left Unity could become part of the TUSC coalition. The Left Unity delegation noted these proposals to report back to the NCG and supporters but we were clear that any decisions on these or any such proposal from any party or organisation would have to take place after the founding of the new party when the membership would decide. TUSC proposed that we had further meetings in future and our delegation agreed to put that suggestion to the NCG for consideration. So everything is now back to Left Unity for discussion. I found it a positive meeting and a good first step towards possible further meetings.

Sharon McCourt

The discussion at the first meeting between Left Unity and TUSC was done so on a platform of mutual respect and understanding that whilst both organisations seek to provide a voice for the void in the left, there exists differing approaches to achieving this goal.

Bianca Todd