rjt

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art...ticle_id=11208


The repect Party have chosen their candidates for London Mayor and Assembly Elections which will be held in May 08

22ANDUK

This quote (and especially the bold part) made me laugh. Does this rather pathetic argument remind you of two other parties?!

Don't knock them though. They've pulled their finger out and people are going to know who they are months in advance.

The problem with Respect still stands though - how will this 'coalition' reconcile the Socialist Workers primarily atheist, pro-abortion, pro-gay rights with the religious, anti-gay rights and abortion, traditionalist side?

In the event of a seemingly inevitable break-up, could Respect prove to be a 'Trojan Horse' for the representation of the Far-Left Socialist Workers Party and a newly formed 'Islamic party' to gain seats in the London Assembly, national parliaments, assemblies and councils and even more so the HofC?

Frederick

That is exactly what I think will happen - in a few years time (probably within twelve months of 'Gorgeous Gorge' stepping down from the leadership, Respect will divide into it's two component halves, the far-left looney student half, and the mad mullah kill-all-Jews-and-gays half. And yes, both halves will have people elected who would not have stood a chance in Hell of getting there on their own.

In fact, it will probably split into about twenty parties, mostly the different far-left sub-groups - Marxist, Anarchist, Stalinist, Trotskyite and God knows what else is in the Respect coalition, plus at least one, and probably three or four, Islamic groups (moderate, socialist, militant, conservative, ulra-religious, Sunni, Shia, all having their own little clique, probably also split along ethnic and linguistic lines).

And I don't think it will matter. They will not be in charge anywhere (possible exception being Tower Hamlets and, having once lived there, I don't think anything could make it worse), they will inject some much-needed colour and humour into local politics as they try to be taken seriously, and they will all lose their seats at the next election.

Maybe one or two will turn to local community/parish pump politics and get re-elected, maybe a few will embrace fraud and corruption, and get away with it for a few years, but I would say that the next two years will be their high-water mark and two to tthree years after that their presence will be but a dim and amusing memory. Something like George on Big Brother.

Dissident Congress

A year is a long time in politics and anything can happen in the meantime.

I wouldn't put money on the candidates chosen today to be the candidates on the ballot slips next year. The Islamics could well be running the show shortly after this year's local elections.

Britannist

George Galloway MP has said he intends to stand down at the next General Election. The question is - does he mean what he says?

Richard Allen

Yes. For the simple reason that he would never be able to hold his seat. It was a unique set of circumstances that allowed him to win and they will not be repeated.

Dissident Congress

The information I received was that he thinks an Asian Muslim should represent Bethnal Green and Bow for the long term.

Galloway is sure to fade into insignificance.