New left blog

Well newish anyway. It's called "An Unrepentant Communist....". It's random posts on whatever takes the fancy of the blogger who's based in Ireland but spent some time in the UK and was involved with the Communist Party of Great Britain. Now I meant to say some stuff about what's in the blog but I've gone and distracted myself with what I just saw on the CPGB website. So go to "An Unrepentant Communist" where you can sample such delights as the Great Red Jukebox featuring Paul Robeson singing the Soviet anthem complete with fulsome praise for Comrade Stalin. But before I wander into what it was that distracted me, does anyone know why "An Unrepentant Communist...." is in quotes? Is it a quote? I think we should be told.

Now here's what distracted me:

MP George Galloway criticises Socialist Workers Party

"Unhealthy" internal relations, a lack of democratic decision-making, financial crisis and looming "oblivion". Last week, the Respect MP sent a scathing eight page document to all members of the Respect National Committee. The SWP leadership reacted furiously

Click here to read his document It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
Click here to read an extract from the SWP's internal Party Notes, reacting to the document
Of course, the next issue of the Weekly Worker (September 6) will be analysing and commenting on the document in detail

This is curious. I allowed my membership of Respect to lapse when I heard that the SWP had prevented Salma Yakoub from censuring Galloway over his Big Brother appearance. That showed a lack of democratic values, I thought. I also heard that Galloway was criticised over financial mismanagement at War on Want and that he was suspended from the UK parliament because of some financial issue over his Iraqi charity. And Galloway is accusing the SWP of financial mismanagement and lack of democracy. All we need now is for Gilad Atzmon's promoters at the SWP to accuse Galloway of betrayal. Let's just wait and see, shall we?