Discussion & Debate

In PART ONE of a 2-part article, Socialist Platform supporter John Tummon argues for a neglected part of the socialist tradition to pave the way for Left Unity to put together a compelling alternative to capitalism which can win the battle of ideas in the long-term, by focusing on issues the Left has too often […] Read more »

Nick Wrack, a supporter of the Socialist Platform, invites its critics to engage with what it says. In his contribution to the debate, “For what it’s worth,” Mike Marqusee uses over eight hundred words to take up the Socialist Platform but fails to deal with its content in any way save one, which he gets […] Read more »

There seem to be two broad approaches emerging in discussions within Left Unity: some who want to create an overtly socialist party and some who want a social democratic party, says John Keeley from Folkestone Left Unity. What would be better a socialist or a social democratic party? Firstly, let’s understand that social democracy is […] Read more »

A debate has opened up among Left Unity (LU) supporters in relation to the political and strategic orientation and organisational form of the new party of the left that those involved in the LU project aim to launch this November, says Ed Rooksby. Three competing ‘platforms’ have emerged, each proposing a distinct set of founding […] Read more »

The appearance of platforms within Left Unity in preparation for the founding conference is a very welcome development, says Dave Parks.  So far there are three platforms; the Left Party Platform, the Socialist Platform and the Class Struggle Platform.  In one word these platforms could perhaps be summarised as: “broad”, “socialist” and “struggle”.  For myself […] Read more »

Left Party Platform supporter Mike Marqusee adds his thoughts on the debate about the kind of party Left Unity needs to build. I’m one of those thousands who signed up to Ken Loach’s Left Unity appeal a few months back. I did so because I’m convinced we need a left electoral alternative in this country […] Read more »

We face the probability of a terrible decline in the social wealth of the working people in the UK, a critical change in the life experience of working class people, says Felicity Dowling. Hunger, want and fear are coming back to this and other countries. Thousands have signed petitions supporting the call for a new […] Read more »

A contribution to the discussion from Chris Strafford. Tom Walker’s (International Socialist Network) article in defense of the Left Party Platform raised some important questions about the Socialist Platform that I support. I was not, however, convinced by the article and, whilst I enjoy Tom’s writing, his piece falls into the old arguments and the […] Read more »

In this post Robert Eagleton of Preston Left Unity explains why he is pledging support to the Socialist Platform, and what he believes the Socialist Platform offers which the other platforms do not. I came into Left Unity, as I suspect many of us did, with being let down by the reformist parties and feeling […] Read more »

Colin Piper, from Brighton Left Unity, argues for the Socialist Platform by challenging the consensus view of recent Labour Party history and suggesting there are lessons of relevance to our current discussions. There is a narrative, unquestioningly accepted and repeated ad nausea by the mainstream media, that the Labour party lost four successive elections between […] Read more »