Open letter from Wansbeck CLP Left calls for new left unity

Wansbeck CLP Left has sent an open letter to the SCG, leading left organisations and other socialists calling for a new left unity under a common program.
Wansbeck is Socialist Campaign Group MP Ian Lavery’s constituency.


An open letter to the following…….

Jeremy Corbyn MP.
John McDonnell MP.
Ian Lavery MP.
To the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MP’s.
To the national committee and members of Momentum and Forward Momentum.
To the leadership and supporters of Don’t Leave, Organise (LRC. Red Labour, JVL).
To the leadership and supporters of the Labour Left Alliance.
To Labour Against The Witch Hunt.
To all CLP left groups and individual socialists.
To the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy.

From: The comrades of the Wansbeck Labour Left. (The seat of Ian Lavery MP)

Dear Comrades,
This is not an attempt to explain the current situation the left finds itself in at the present moment. That explanation can be found elsewhere and in a comprehensive form. This is a direct appeal to all comrades in the rank and file of our movement, who wish to defend the gains of the last 5 years, who wish to develop and enhance socialist policies going forward into the future and who are now desperately looking toward the creation of a single, unified response to the current crisis we face both inside and outside of our movement.
We the undersigned recognise the different strands and threads which have brought the left to this juncture. This however, is only a starting point. The left must now come together to form a single, unified and fully democratic entity which is created by and speaks for the entire left and which can get organised in a bold, unapologetic and extremely effective manner.
We the undersigned believe this starts with a political program around which we can unite. That program is like a red silk thread which runs through our movement and touches and links us all together in one way shape or form.
We believe in common ownership.
We believe in free health care for all.
We believe in free, life long education.
We believe in well paid work for all.
We believe in the right to a secure home.
We believe in world peace.
We believe in the rights of all peoples around the world to work and live where they want.
We believe in real equality for all.
We believe in human rights.
We believe in democratic socialism.
We all agree we need to rid the world of the system which brings the opposite of all the things we believe in.
The constituency of Wansbeck contains some of the most downtrodden towns in this country. We therefore reach out to all of our comrades and to all the workers of this land, and across all the other downtrodden cities, towns and villages, appealing to everyone to join in this endeavour to fight for the demands above and to come together into a founding conference to reignite the left and to re-found our movement based on the above. We stay in the Labour Party and we fight for socialist policies!
If need be, we must bang heads together, tear down structures and barriers to this vital task. We call upon the leaders of these groups to put personalities to one side and get together to bring about this founding conference, and any attempt to use our movement for personal gain should be cast aside. The details of a political program, whatever is finally agreed, must be the single most important priority. We cannot let personality politics or any preciousness about positions within structures hamper our efforts to bring about the socialist transformation of society.
Whether this task is coordinated by the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MP’s or by an amalgamation of the above bodies this has to happen and happen ASAP.
Solidarity to all comrades. Lets do this! Now!
Signed……..
Steve Brown – Wansbeck CLP Labour Left.

All should sign if agreed.
Steve Brown
Carol Taylor-Spedding
Glen Keech
Ed Bober
Richard Spedding
Francis McGuckin
Rebecca Wilczek
Mark Fitton
Peter Martin
Michael O’Kane
Caroline Ball
Robbie Scott
Paul Anderson-Glew
Gareth Mclean
Storm Knight
Carol Hulme
Margaret Turner
Mary Ord
Grace Doswell
Rita Timson
Viv Mather
Angela Turnbull
Bronwyn Twizell
Jill McGuckin