With only months to go until the General Election, the LRC is drawing up a list of MPs on the left who will need help getting re-elected.
In every constituency, every MP and Parliamentary candidate will of course be doing their utmost to get back to Westminster and retain a Labour government. But, whatever the result, it is absolutely essential that the PLP retains its left voice.
Because of Mps standing down, or being in seats with tiny majorities, the sad fact is the left's ranks after May will be pretty depleted. But, with the inevitable losses elsewhere, a tranche of around 20 Mps could still play a significant role.
In our immediate vicinity, there are three MPs who have stood firm on issues like Trident, 90 Days and trade union rights. They are Mike Wood, Batley and Spen (pictured) , Linda Riordan in Halifax and Gordon Prentice in Pendle. All three also nominated John McDonnell in 2007 and they need support from across the north to get re-elected. The LRC will also be setting up a General Election fund which will shortly appear on the website. The money will go to help MPs with a consistent socialist record
In the past 20 years, the Socialist Campaign Group has been a principled voice in Parliament. We need as many people as possible out there helping to ensure it does not die.
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For twenty years, the Socialist Campaign Group has been a sedentary disaster at representing socialist views in parliament, which was why the LRC was formed in the first place.
You're right, we need to help Left MPs get re-elected. Even the reformist Lefties can be influenced, in the crisis of debate, if we weaken the group to their Right.
But let's not pretend the SCG even exists anymore, for any intent or purpose. And when it did exist, it was a fig leaf for parliamentarians who were actively working against anything that can remotely be considered socialism, or for parliamentarians who sat on their fat arses and did nothing.
I suppose if they moved further left the members of the SCG would have even more clout in party and country than they are now. :-p
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