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24 September 2004 |
Scottish Labour activists will not support Labour pro war candidates in the next General Election |
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The Campaign for Socialism (CfS) believes that any pretext for supporting Tony Blair’s prosecution of a war has gone. Tony Blair has clearly misled the British people and members of the Labour Party. He is responsible for presenting the Labour Party and nation with misleading 'intelligence' about WMD, Saddam's 'link' to Al-Qaeda, uranium smuggled from Nigeria, and the 45-minute warning. The Iraq Survey group has reported that there were no WMD in Iraq, Blair’s central reason for going to war. Kofi Annan has recently voiced his belief that the war was illegal - the same belief, articulated by George Galloway, that contributed to him being expelled from the Labour Party. In face of this, CfS believes that Blair should resign and that those Labour MPs who wish to run as candidates in the next general election should repudiate Blair’s stance. Those who do not, can hardly expect to get a great deal of campaign support from the majority of Scottish Labour Party members who are against the War. CfS is certain that many Scottish Party members will either stay at home during next year election campaign or will instead come out to work only for those candidates who have taken an anti-War stance. New Labour has consistently ignored the views of the majority of its own membership in pressing ahead with a War Programme. It can therefore no longer expect those members to act as campaign fodder to re-elect spineless MPs who have been more loyal to Tony Blair than the local membership. Glasgow City Councillor Aileen Colleran, speaking on behalf of CfS, will address a crucial meeting of left wing delegates at a fringe meeting at the Bright Helm Centre, 7.00 pm on Monday 27th September. She will be joined by leading left figures Tony Benn, Bob Crow and John McDonnell MP. Councillor Colleran will argue : "With so many ordinary Labour Party members and trade union affiliates opposed to the Illegal War and Occupation of Iraq, I think the Party in Scotland is truly in a crisis. Any pro war candidate for left wing Labour activists to help knock doors or deliver leaflets should look elsewhere. We will be working hard for Labour candidates who really represent what most Labour members in Scotland believe". ENDS Contact: |
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