The left, in general, is not in great shape for this spring's general and local elections. There are, however, a number of candidates who socialists can support and campaign for. These include Labour leftwingers Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell, Respect's George Galloway and Salma Yaqoob, Green Party leader Caroline Lucas and the Socialist Party's Dave Nellist. 'Back the Left' is an attempt to encourage the process of co-operation and unity on the left, highlighting those left-wing and progressive candidates who are standing. The statement can be signed by anyone, whether in an organisation or non-aligned. This is, in my view, a necessary beginning in developing a strong and credible Left in the electoral sphere.
Duncan Chapel, who helped initiate it, reports: 'The statement's being noticed and blogged about widely, and is helping to show the left organisations that the will to maximise the united left vote at the general election is strengthening... We're doing all we can do to maximise the number of signatories, especially at the upcoming conferences being organised by Right to Work, the Convention of the Left and the Trade Union Campaign against Climate Change.'
See HERE for the Facebook group. If you aren't on Facebook you can email support to backtheleft@sent.com
good I was going to mail you about this, any chance of getting you out canvassing and door knocking.....I am off to Brighton on saturday and GL are up to Birmingham to help Salma soon.
ReplyDeleteWhats left about Galloway?
ReplyDeleteIf you need to ask that, MH, you either don't know anything about Galloway or you have a peculiar definition of left-wing.
ReplyDeleteDerek - too far for me, but this obviously won't be the last time I feature/promote left-wing candidates in the elections on here. I'm part of the left unity network in Tyneside, but still no firm decision on standing candidates and if it happens it'll be at a much lower level of expectations obviously.