Clare Daly resigns from the Socialist Party

[bolshevik]

Well done. I have a feeling you will be steering a sinking ship however.

Were the independents enthusiastic about the state of affairs?

I was among the most pessimistic about prospects. I wouldn't say anyone was enthusiastic but the majority are hopeful that the current rocky period can be overcome, pointing to a few people having joined and the potential that exists in the anti-household campaign. They believe, or at least want to believe, that it is possible for the non-SP/SWP members to do this within the current alliance framework.

I on the other hand don't see how we can recruit the hundreds of recruits necessary to achieve this without fundamentally transforming the way the ULA operates and I made it clear that pressing for that transformation is what will motivate my participation on the steering committee.

I was actually expecting another candidate to have come from the camp of the optimists and that I wouldn't have been elected. But this unexpected result will at least make for some interesting meetings which I'm sure the SP & SWP reps are not looking forward to as I will, from their point of view, be quite troublesome

[bolshevik]

Maybe now you will understand the points I was making about Clare Daly's attitude to the ULA before she resigned from the SP

Well she certainly didn't give the impression that she had been particularly interested in the ULA before this happened with the implication being that her commitment to building the ULA has involved a fairly recent conversion.

She did say that both sides in the split had not told the whole truth and she had been unhappy for a couple of years on a variety of issues but didn't elaborate on what that fuller truth was - I guess we will have to wait for her memoirs for that.

If you listen to Clare Daly she repeatedly says 'Wallace's company' didn't pay the VAT - that is not the position of the SP. Wallace himself doesn't make the distinction. Furthermore Clare Daly repeatedly refused to sign Socialist Party press statements on Wallace's tax affairs.

My understanding from yesterday was that she didn't make that distinction and he should pay from whatever sources of income he has available. I don't know about the signing of SP statements on Wallace - that didn't come up.

I don't envy you.

Don't worry about me JRG, I'm a revolutionary Marxist, I'm used to being a minority on strategic issues and am well able to argue my corner. I'd be more worried about your, and the SWP, reps on the steering committee who I am sure are not looking forward to having me at the meetings as I might be a little bit more disruptive of what is apparently a cozy status quo than the last non-aligned reps were.

[C. Flower]

Originally Posted by bolshevik
We also have two new reps to the national steering committee - Eddie Conlon and myself.

I don't envy you.

Why is that ? I would have thought you, as a member and supporter of the ULA, would be delighted that people want to take on this role.

[C. Flower]

Bolshevik's blog post on the meeting.

http://revolutionaryprogramme.wordpr...s-new-members/

To be blunt, it sounds as though Daly proposes to use the name of the ULA to attempt to build a local personal electoral machine.

I can see no reason why any organisation should but up with that kind of arrangement.

Clare Daly didn’t give the impression that she had been particularly interested in the ULA before her split from the Socialist Party with the clear implication being that her commitment to building the ULA has involved a fairly recent conversion.

She was also very vague about how she saw things moving forward. She intends to build a new grouping in her constituency and her initial thinking is have that group affiliate to the ULA rather than having them join as individual members and operate in the local ULA branch – her reason being concern over the ability to work constructively with the SP in that context.

That does of course raise the related issue of how she intends to relate to the non-SP/PBPA members of the ULA, particular in the role as a non-SP/PBPA TD. I came away from the meeting without really being sure how that will play out.

If she wants to build a genuine new political tendency, why restrict it to her Constituency ?

[Sam Lord]

To be blunt, it sounds as though Daly proposes to use the name of the ULA to attempt to build a local personal electoral machine.

I can see no reason why any organisation should but up with that kind of arrangement.

The ULA was set up by the SWP and the SP to assist them electorally. Why should Daly not use it the same way?

[C. Flower]

The ULA was set up by the SWP and the SP to assist them electorally. Why should Daly not use it the same way?

The ULA organisation, as I understand it, is an alliance of several left wing parties and groups, who have affiliated, along with some independent individual members.

The idea that in addition an individual might be able to affiliate to the ULA with a number of personal adherents in tow seems to me to be frankly bizarre.

[Baron von Biffo]

The ULA organisation, as I understand it, is an alliance of several left wing parties and groups, who have affiliated, along with some independent individual members.

The idea that in addition an individual might be able to affiliate to the ULA with a number of personal adherents in tow seems to me to be frankly bizarre.

What's the SP if not an individual with a number of personal adherents?

The ousting of Daly shows that no-one will fly closer to the sun than Uncle Joe.

[C. Flower]

What's the SP if not an individual with a number of personal adherents?

The ousting of Daly shows that no-one will fly closer to the sun than Uncle Joe.

I don't see evidence of that. Clare Daly herself says she has had political differences for a good while.

What I don't see is why they are secret. It is normal in political splits to fight the issues out in public, to try to win people over to ones' views.

Like them or not, the SP has its own identifiable politics. Clare Daly is being strangely quiet about hers.

[riposte]

I don't see evidence of that. Clare Daly herself says she has had political differences for a good while.

What I don't see is why they are secret. It is normal in political splits to fight the issues out in public, to try to win people over to ones' views.

Like them or not, the SP has its own identifiable politics. Clare Daly is being strangely quiet about hers.

Cass .. Clare Daly's silence on the split has done her no harm ....... The SPs constantly obsessive attacks on her have made them look bitter, small-minded and scared of the Media.

[C. Flower]

Cass .. Clare Daly's silence on the split has done her no harm ....... The SPs constantly obsessive attacks on her have made them look bitter, small-minded and scared of the Media.

Indeed. And her silence on leaving the Party for which she stood in the elections makes her look either confused or lacking in political principle ?

Should she not resign and stand for election on her new political platform, whatever it is ?

[riposte]

Indeed. And her silence on leaving the Party for which she stood in the elections makes her look either confused or lacking in political principle ?

Should she not resign and stand for election on her new political platform, whatever it is ?

Cass .... it is a wise person who cares less about looking foolish ...... than being foolish.

[fluffybiscuits]

Indeed. And her silence on leaving the Party for which she stood in the elections makes her look either confused or lacking in political principle ?

Should she not resign and stand for election on her new political platform, whatever it is ?

She probably kept stumped as she knew the SP's constant bickering and whining about her would be rope for them to hang themselves with. All she has to do is to keep schtump and the SP witter on ...

[Reck-less]

There is an interesting article in the Irish Times today (21/01/2012), entitled: "Higgins may leave group over criticism".

(The group referred to, is the ULA).

[C. Flower]

There is an interesting article in the Irish Times today (21/01/2012), entitled: "Higgins may leave group over criticism".

(The group referred to, is the ULA).

Thanks for posting. I'll post a link to that on a ULA thread.