Momentum Internationalists launches

Submitted by AWL on 6 May, 2020 - 9:14
Labour for a Socialist Europe

Momentum Internationalists is a platform launched by supporters of Labour for a Socialist Europe to promote left-wing, class-struggle, pro-democracy and internationalist ideas in the big Labour left grouping Momentum as part of the debates around the coming elections for Momentum’s National Coordinating Group (NCG: nominations 28 May to 11 June, voting 16 to 30 June).

MI’s first action after launch was to initiate an open letter to Keir Starmer protesting against his pro-Modi u-turn on Kashmir, demanding that Labour uphold conference policy to “stand with the Kashmiri people fighting against occupation”.

MI will stand and support candidates in all regions of the UK and hopes for productive collaboration with other like-minded candidates, including those supported by the “Forward Momentum” faction, founded by some staff from Momentum’s “World Transformed” events bureau.

FM’s platform calls for a healthier culture in the party, but otherwise is very light on any policy other than democratic reforms. But even on democracy, the platform is lacking: it doesn’t even propose that Momentum have a sovereign annual conference — i.e., be at least as democratic as every other labour movement organisation.

Likewise, FM’s decision to hold their own “open” primary selection process using a first-past-the-post voting method shows — at best — that the comrades’ thinking on best practice when it comes to democracy is muddled. Hopefully, the debates surrounding this NCG election can lead to some clarification of ideas in the Labour left.

• Momentum Internationalists platform here
• MI’s open letter to Starmer on Kashmir here

Comments

Submitted by Joe Booth (not verified) on Wed, 06/05/2020 - 20:14

So why exactly is First-past-the-post not democratic enough and how is STV much better?

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