george galloway & the burghers of bethnal green & bow
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so his work on this single issue makes up for his pisspoor record in terms of actually being responsive to the real, day to day needs and concerns of his constituents on the ground?
take the fire engine that got removed from bethnal green a few months back, after his brief involvement to get the photo opportunities he needed, the fire engine was removed and despite him saying that the provision of adequate fire safety services to the people of BB&G was central to his election campaing, he's done fuck all since the removal to follow that assertion up, if he now thinks that the people of BG&B do have adequate provision for fire safety, why did he make such a big fuss about the removal in the first place?
take the fire engine that got removed from bethnal green a few months back, after his brief involvement to get the photo opportunities he needed, the fire engine was removed and despite him saying that the provision of adequate fire safety services to the people of BB&G was central to his election campaing, he's done fuck all since the removal to follow that assertion up, if he now thinks that the people of BG&B do have adequate provision for fire safety, why did he make such a big fuss about the removal in the first place?
Isn't parliament still in recess at the moment? Not much point showing up there then. I think that the vast bulk of those who voted him in will be quite happy to see more stuff like the roasting that he gave the US senate.
Most other MP's will be sunning it in Tuscany. Blair spent three weeks having a love-in at Cliff Richards caribbean home. Can't all the 'gallowaywatch' posters come up with something better?
Most other MP's will be sunning it in Tuscany. Blair spent three weeks having a love-in at Cliff Richards caribbean home. Can't all the 'gallowaywatch' posters come up with something better?
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oisleep said:
Oisleep, you clearly have an axe to grind with regards to Galloway, rather than being really concerned about the day to day needs of his constituents. I too have issues with Respect and George Galloway, however a quick visit to the Respect website and I noticed a number of items around housing and privatisation, the bombings in London, the police, trade union rights and hospital closures. All issues affecting constituents in the East End and beyond.
oisleep said:
And I'm sure we all remember RESPECT's and GG's laughable attempts at "direct action" over that issue:
Lack of legal observers.
No bustcards (despite having been told how to make them).
No legal support.
Senior Swappies suggesting, nay, demanding, people do arrestable actions without any of the above safeguards for their protection.
And then, blatantly and high-handedly, ignoring any criticism of their actions, however reasonable those criticisms were, and there were plenty of them.
But of course, I forgot, the SWP CC that actually runs RESPECT would like it if we all simply moved on and embraced the future, wouldn't they?
And, in the process, ignore the fact that Galloway is a lousy MP and a fake rebel, masquerading as a modern-day 'voice of the common people' to suit his own agenda.
I wouldn't trust that man as far as I could spit.
MC5 said:
Ha ha. Very funny.
I think you'll find police cells and a spell in the clink aren't much of a laugh either, not that the SWP CC, and especially John Rees (who was exhorting people to commit arrestable actions), are ever likely to find out for themselves.
They'd be much happier if they could persuade or bully some rank and file members to enjoy that very special experience, in their place, wouldn't they?
MC5 said:
would that same quick glance find any information about how a constituent could attend their mp's surgery? the party's only mp
so constituents of BG&B have to put up with plodding through the national website of their elected mp's party as a poor surrogate for any actual action/work on their behalf by said mp?
Nigel Irritable
Five, Ten, Fifteen Years
I wonder what Oona King is up to these days?
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Pilgrim said:
I know that a police cell and a spell in the clink is no laughing matter thanks. I don't know who, if any of the present SWP CC, or John Rees has spent time in one. I'm not that interested to be frank.
As far as I'm aware, the SWP, like other parties, is a voluntary organisation and it's down to individuals themselves as to whether they want to be a member, or invole themselves in 'direct action'. Me personally? I'm not going to be persuaded, or bullied (it can't be both btw) into some futile gesture.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
What jobs have any of the CC done? Anyone know?
Udo Erasmus
Well-Known Member
Should note that George Galloway has visited several picket lines since being elected as a Respect MP - was active in building solidarity with the London FBU to prevent the removal of a Fire Engine from Bethnal Green, and was recently spotted making a speech to the Resistance at Gate Gourmet and afterwards spending much time in informal discussions with workers.
He has also spoken at tenants meetings and many other grassroots campaigning events.
But to get down to the nitty-gritty: George Galloway speaking in the US to help the anti-war movement in that country is bad????
Personally, I believe that if imperialism is defeated in Iraq it will be a victory for the working class of this country, as well as the workers and toilers of Iraq
He has also spoken at tenants meetings and many other grassroots campaigning events.
But to get down to the nitty-gritty: George Galloway speaking in the US to help the anti-war movement in that country is bad????
Personally, I believe that if imperialism is defeated in Iraq it will be a victory for the working class of this country, as well as the workers and toilers of Iraq
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oisleep said:
That's a good point. I notice they have a Contacts Page for the area though and other constituencies are covered too.
We've already discussed Galloway's activity and as I said that is on the website.
Plodding through said website is probably exaggerating things a bit, plodding through the streets, on a wet evening, to a surgery however is grim.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
That's one answerPilgrim said:
But i meant more in terms of 'proper work' - what have they done? Any one?
MC5 said:
I'm interested because Rees has been saying that RESPECT councillors should be prepared to go to prison if necessary, and I'm deeply sceptical as to his (or any other SWP CC member's) willingness to lead by example and take that risk themselves. If not, then they have no right whatsoever to exhort anybody else to do so.
My interest comes from several years experience of direct action camps, and having seen the effect that police cells and jail can have on even the most committed activists. It also comes from a genuine concern for the welfare of rank and file Swappies, whom I wouldn't trust the SWP CC (or Galloway, for that matter) not to sacrifice if they considered it a good move.
And, having discussed the Bethnal Green fire station debacle on here, and compared it with direct action as practiced by sorted crews who know what they are doing, I wouldn't trust the SWP CC to organise adirectaction campaign properly and effectively even if their motives were pure. Personally, I don't think they are.
Nigel Irritable
Five, Ten, Fifteen Years
I tend to agree with MC5's take on this last "direct action" section of the thread. What's with all the posturing about the joys of going to jail all of a sudden?
Every member of my own organisations leadership has a long record of involvement in direct action and most of them have seen the inside of a cell. I doubt if any of them would argue that the experience made them better people or better activists, it was just something a situation made necessary.
Every member of my own organisations leadership has a long record of involvement in direct action and most of them have seen the inside of a cell. I doubt if any of them would argue that the experience made them better people or better activists, it was just something a situation made necessary.
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