Alex Bainbridge, London
Marxism 2005, the annual public conference organised by the British Socialist Workers Party (SWP), was scheduled to begin July 7 — the day of the London terrorist bombings — at a venue close to one of the explosions. The first day of the conference was cancelled, but by the end of the second day, the conference was proceeding mostly as scheduled.
The organisers and a number of key speakers used the conference platform to address the political situation, condemning the bombings in London and the slaughter perpetrated by the British government in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
At a 1200-strong session on the new left-wing party Respect, MP George Galloway said he never once hesitated before standing up in parliament and criticising the Iraq war after the bombings.
"This is a moment when truth is required", he said. "The primary responsibility lies with the bombers, but neither can it be separated from the crimes being carried out by the US and Britain."
Writer Tariq Ali made similar comments: "If the killing of civilians in London is barbaric — and it is — then how do you define the killing of 100,000 people in Iraq?"
According to the SWP's Socialist Worker weekly, which described the conference as the "biggest gathering of the left in Britain and Europe", 4000 people attended.
At least 1000 people, mostly conference-goers, joined a vigil on July 9 to mark the bombings. Stop the War Coalition co-chairperson and leading SWP member Lindsey German addressed the vigil, as did Galloway and Labour left MP Jeremy Corbin.
At the closing rally, SWP leader John Rees argued that "Respect must become a mass party of the working class" and "only those that stand aside [it] will lose". He projected an ambitious campaign for next year's local council elections as the next step.
From Green Left Weekly, July 20, 2005.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.