Open debate?

Submitted by Matthew on 30 April, 2014 - 11:07

A “revolutionary unity” conference with the International Socialist Network, the Anti-Capitalist Initiative, Workers’ Power, Revolutionary Socialists in the 21st Century and Socialist Resistance was held on Saturday 26 April.

Members of Workers’ Liberty were refused entry on the grounds that we had not been invited by any of the organising groups and were not members of ISN.

Organiser Simon Hardy apologised, admitting that the wording on the website around whether the meeting was open or not was “confusing”.

Liam MacUaid of Socialist Resistance was not so polite; he rudely exclaimed that the decision to exclude us was “non-negotiable”.

Two ISN members invited us back in, describing the event organisation as a “car-crash”, something they were not happy with. They thought that debate was healthy, and limiting the intake of the meeting to a certain number of groups was stifling that debate.

The reasoning behind the exclusion is unclear. The ISN website says “if you want a direct confrontation of differing views on the revolutionary left, and a genuine attempt to build real and lasting unity, come along”.

But only if you are in with the leadership...?

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