Meetings in Scotland: "The Lenin I Knew" (1977)

Party News from the November 1977 issue of the Socialist Standard

Blogger's Note:

With regards to him doing a series of meetings on "The Lenin I Knew", Harry Young's credentials were that he was a founder member of the Communist Party of Great Britain in 1920, serving on its Executive Committee in his capacity as the national organiser of the Young Communist League. Later on in the 1920s he spent several years in the Soviet Union working for the Young Communist International. He also provides some background information on his time as a Communist Party member in an article from the February 1976 issue of the Socialist Standard.

Andrew Whitehead's excellent website has more details on Harry Young's political life and journey. It's well worth checking out.

The Socialist Party — who we are and what we do (1995)

From the November 1995 issue of the Socialist Standard

The following is the text (slightly amended) of a leaflet that was recently distributed by our members in Edinburgh

The aim of the Socialist Party

The aim of the Socialist Party and the other parties which make up the World Socialist Movement is the sole objective of achieving Socialism. To us Socialism is a world without employers and employees and the poverty that is caused by this master-slave relationship. We want a classless, stateless, world society where everything that is produced is available free. No money — we take what we need and we make decisions about what is produced and what isn’t. In short, we seek the end of what is usually called Business and Commerce.

How do we achieve this?

If such a democratic community is to come about it must do so because the majority of people want it. It isn’t going to fall out of the sky or be brought about by leaders who are going to sneak such a society upon us pretty much without our knowledge. So the Socialist Party seeks to build support for the end of the Profit System and its replacement by World Socialism. We are prepared to use Parliament and other elected bodies to affect this change. We also believe that as socialist ideas grow there will be developments in the organisation of people at their places of work. Clearly, we don’t just have a parliamentary strategy. The main thing is that the majority are the only people who can bring this change about and sustain socialism.

Do we have leaders?

No. Leadership is undemocratic. It implies, as can be seen from the way virtually every other political party is organised, that certain members have more rights than others. Every member of the Socialist Party joins on an entirely equal footing with every other member.

Are we after Nationalisation?

No. Nationalisation, of key industries or all industries, just means that government bodies administer Business and workers continue to be exploited. Wc want the end of Business.

Do we Vote Labour or suggest that people should vote Labour?

No way. The Labour Party is in our view an anti-socialist party which now has no ideas at all. It is virtually identical to the Tories. Even when it claimed to have ideas these merely amounted to government bodies running business — nationalisation isn’t socialism.

Do we campaign for Reforms?

No. That isn’t to say that some reforms haven’t in the past benefited workers. Like the vote, elementary education, “free” health care. But, as people now know, even these reforms can be wrecked or they can be taken away all together. So we don’t campaign to house the homeless or for more funds for the Health Service — this isn’t because we don’t care - we reject this because campaigning for reforms hasn't worked. Instead we try to get people to look beyond the acceptance of a daily life of relative poverty.

Are we involved in “the day-to-day struggle"?

Yes. No worker can avoid being in the day-to-day struggle to look after ourselves and our families. Most of our members who work are involved in trades unions — and actively resist attempts by employers to worsen our working conditions, but we recognise that unions have many limitations. Our members are also involved in things like tenants’ associations and other community groups.

Russia and all that.

No! For 75 years we have been criticising the methods, tactics and the outcomes of events like the Bolshevik Revolution. The idea of a coup d’etat by a small minority in the name of the working class which then enacts nationalisation measures is totally at odds with trying to build a majority who want to bring into being a classless, moneyless world society. The notion that socialism means this was not in the game at all in Russia in 1917

What do we do?

We hold public meetings, debates, weekend conferences. We occasionally contest local, national and European elections. We produce leaflets for door-to-door distribution and for handing out on the streets or at demonstrations. We sell the Socialist Standard (it’s not compulsory) and in Edinburgh we have written and produced our own free paper/magazine called the International Times. We attend other organisations’ meetings and demonstrations to talk to people, give away leaflets and sell literature. And while we don’t join in demonstrations to demand reforms we are anti-war and anti-racist.

We also do things like organise “socials” which are just get-togethers in pubs with people performing. With more people we could do a whole lot more. One thing we never do, however, is set ourselves up as some kind of leadership of the working class — we leave that short of thing to the SWP, Labour and the like — or to any other conservative groupings who think that workers are sheep in need of leaders.

University Challenge Meetings (1995)

Party News from the November 1995 issue of the Socialist Standard

Socialist Party to stand five candidates (1996)

Party News from the September 1996 issue of the Socialist Standard

In the coming General Election the Socialist Party will be putting up five candidates, the highest number yet in a parliamentary election. Two will be standing in Scotland, two in the North East and one in London.

The seats and candidates are

Glasgow Kelvin:      Vic Vanni.

Livingston:               Matt Culbert.

Jarrow:                     John Bissett.

Easington:                Steve Colborn.

London Vauxhall:    Richard Headicar.

Around 40,000 election addresses will be distributed by the Post Office in each of the five constituencies, but this will only be during the election which must take place sometime before May next year.

In the meantime preparatory work has started, with meetings, literature stalls and leaflet distribution in the constituencies. If you want to help with this, or want further information about the socialist campaign, the contact persons for the constituencies are:

• Glasgow: Vic Vanni, Flat A, 26 Baker Street, Glasgow G41 3YE. Phone:0141-xxx xxxx.
• Livingston: Matt Culbert, 53 Falcon Brae, Ladywell, West Lothian, EH54 6UW. Phone: 01506-xxx xxx.
• Jarrow and Easington: John Bissett, 10 Scarborough Parade, Hebbum, Tyne & Wear NE31 2AL. Phone: 0191-xxx xxxx, or Harland Wear, Telephone 0191 xxx xxxx 
• London: Gareth Thomas, 185c Northcote Road, London SW11 6QF. Phone: 0171-xxx xxxx.

If you are not living in any of these areas but still want to help the Socialist election campaign one way to do so is to make a contribution to the Election Fund. The amount in the fund at the moment is £4,656, not much compared to what the pro-capitalist parties will have to spend. The more money we have the more effectively can we make the voice of socialism heard.

Cheques (made payable to “The Socialist Party of Great Britain”) should be sent to: Election Fund, 52 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UN.

New Premises Fund (1936)

Party News from the October 1936 issue of the Socialist Standard

Again we have to remind readers that we need money urgently for our New Premises Fund. When the present renewal runs out, in about six months, we shall be faced with the need to secure other and larger headquarters. Our freedom of choice will be strictly limited by the amount of money we have in hand to enable us to meet removal and furnishing costs, and to pay the higher rent until our extended activities make it possible to pay the higher rent out of current income.

Send your donations to the Treasurer, 42, Great Dover Street, S. E. 1.

A list of donations is printed below: -

SPGB Meetings (1994)

Party News from the September 1994 issue of the Socialist Standard

SPGB Meetings (1971)

Party News from the September 1971 issue of the Socialist Standard

Socialist Party Meetings (2001)

Party News from the November 2001 issue of the Socialist Standard

Edinburgh Branch Day School

Against all war!

Public Meeting and discussion, Saturday 10th November,

Quaker Meeting House, Victoria Terrace, Grassmarket, Edinburgh.

Afghanistan - Another War For Oil? Speaker: Brian Gardner (Edinburgh), 4pm.

From Hitler to bin Laden - how do you defeat terrorism? Speaker: Richard Donnelly (Glasgow), 5pm.

Questions and Discussion.

Capital study group

The next meeting will be held on Saturday, 1 December 2001 4pm, Head Office, 52 Clapham High Street London (nearest tube: Clapham North). For more details, or if you would like to receive minutes or discussion papers,  please write to stuart_commie@yahoo.co.uk, Stuart Watkins, 173 Archway Road, London, N6 5BL. Tbel: 07785 106 XXX.

Rambles

Walk 1: Hampton Court and Bushey parks. Distance 5 miles. Pub stop for lunch. Meeting place: Hampton Court station, Sunday 4 November, 11am.

Walk 2: Cassiobury park, near Watford. Distance 7 miles. Pub stop for lunch. Meeting place: Watford Underground station (Metropolitan line), Sunday 9 December, 11am.

Enfield and Haringey Branch

Real democracy — local to global

Informal discussion. Thursday, 22 November at 8pm. Angel Community Centre, Raynham Road, Edmonton, N18.

Manchester Branch

Peter Kropotkin: Anarchist and Explorer

Monday, 26 November at 8pm, Hare and Hounds, Shadehill, City Centre. 

Speaker: Carl Pinel

London Sunday evening meetings

Lessons of the German Revolution 1918

Sunday, 25 November at 6.30pm, at Head Office, 52 Clapham High Street, nearest tube Clapham North.

Speaker: Bill Martin

London Day School

Revolutionary socialism versus left-wing reformism - an historical account

Saturday, 17 November at Friends House, Euston (just over the road from Euston mainline station), from 10.30 to 4.30, with break for refreshments.

10.30-11 am: Welcome and tea or coffee

11-12.15: Labouring in vain  — a brief history of Labour Party reformism. Speaker: Darren O'Neil.

12.15-1.15: Lunch

1.15-2.30: Leninism in practice — the Russian Revolution. Speaker: Robert Worden.

2.45-4.30: The Socialist Party — a history of no compromise. Speaker: Richard Donnelly.

Blogger's Note:

Bill Martin's talk on the Lessons of the German Revolution 1918 is available as an audio recording on the SPGB's website.

Alan Johnstone (2024)

From the October 2024 issue of the Socialist Standard

Readers will have noticed that there have been no articles for a while from ALJO who wrote the Material World column and was a prolific contributor to our blog. We ourselves have not heard from him in Thailand for well over a year.

Alan joined the Edinburgh Branch in 1970 while a teenager and rejoined in 2003. Before his retirement he worked for Royal Mail and was an active member of the Communication Workers Union.

If anyone has any information about him or his whereabouts could they please get in touch with us.

SPGB Meetings (1974)

Party News from the February 1974 issue of the Socialist Standard

Blogger's Notes:

• 'S. Stefen' was the pen-name/party name of Stephen Shenfield.
• Howard Weaver's obituary was posted elsewhere on the blog.
• Stephen Bodington was the author of the 1973 book, Computers and Socialism. He was associated with the Labour Left.

Socialist Election results (1997)

Party News from the May 1997 issue of the Socialist Standard

The 5 Socialist Party candidates polled a total of 1359 votes.

The individual results were:

• Easington 503
• Glasgow Kelvin 102
• Jarrow 444
• Livingston 213
• Vauxhall 97

SPGB Lectures and Special Meetings (1971)

Party News from the December 1971 issue of the Socialist Standard 

Obituary: Jimmy Moir (2023)

Obituary from the December 2023 issue of the Socialist Standard

Edinburgh Branch are saddened to report the death of Comrade Jimmy Moir in September at the age of 85. He left school at 15 and became a socialist after reading the Socialist Standard and listening to outdoor meetings at the Mound in Edinburgh (where he was later to speak himself), joining the Party in 1968. His last job was as a road worker for the Edinburgh Corporation/Lothian Regional Council where he was a NUPE shop steward. He said he never hesitated to put at union conferences the socialist analysis of worker/capitalist class relations and their struggle. He stood for the Party at the first Scottish government elections in 1999. Radio Scotland broadcast one of the hustings debates and he cut through our opponents’ Blairite bullshit in his strong East Coast accent and railed against the poverty of the working class. Jimmy was a stalwart of the branch and at the time of his death was the branch secretary and treasurer. Comrades like him are difficult to replace.

SPGB Meetings (2007)

Party News from the November 2007 issue of the Socialist Standard

Where to buy the Socialist Standard (1971)

From the November 1971 issue of the Socialist Standard

ABERDEEN: J. G. Bisset’s, 99 High St.. Old Aberdeen (also pamphlets sold). Bisset’s, 12-14 Upper Kirkgate. Bisset’s, College of Education, Hilton Place. Watt & Grant's, 247 Union Street. College Bookshop, 191 Holbom Street. M. Vallance, Room 21, Johnston Hall, College Bounds. Old Aberdeen. (Also pamphlets sold). 

BELFAST: The Paperback-Shop, Gresham Street.

BIRMINGHAM: Reference Library, every weekday, evenings only. The Ramp, New Street Station, every Saturday.

BRIGHTON: The News-stand, London Road Unicorn Bookshop, Gloucester Road. 

DUNDEE: James Finnie, 10 Kinnaird Street. 

EDINBURGH: David Balfour, West Nicholson St. Better Books, Forest Road. Moondan, 18 Stephen St., Stockbridge Cross, Westport Row. Cross Market. Every Saturday 11 a.m. -5 p.m. in Princes St., at the East End beside the Duke of Wellington Statue, at the West End in front of Binns, and halfway along Princes St. at the Mound. At the Mound every Sunday. 

GLASGOW: Bryson’s, Byres Road, W.l. Clyde Book Shop, High Street. Macdonalds, Maryhill Road at Cromwell Street.

HULL: Robinsons, 80 Cottingham Road. Robinsons, Newstall University Union. Browns Bookshop University.

LEHAM-BY-FORFAR: Roger Wilkie, 8 Blairs Road.

LIVERPOOL: Wilson’s Bookshop, Church Alley, off Church Street, Liverpool. Bob's Newsbox, Brown-low Hill, Liverpool 3. 

LONDON: News-stand outside Midland Bank, High Holbom, WC1. The Compendium, 240 Camden High Street. NW1. News Stores, 10 Coptic Street, WC1 (near British Museum). Collet’s, Charing Cross Road, WC2. Housman’s, 5 Caledonian Road, Nl. News-stand, Notting Hill Gate Tube Station (near Burtons). Until II pm SPGB, 52 Clapham High Street. SW4 (all literature). And at Hyde Park every Sunday. 

MANCHESTER: Percival, Oxford Road; also Percival’s at St. Peter's Square and Wilmslow Road, Didsbury

SWANSEA: Dylan’s Bookshop, 75 High St. (near High St. Station). Tel. 59664. Central Library 10.30-12.00.

WOOLWICH: W. Tyler, 30 Woolwich High Street. SE18.

Party News: Livingston By-Election (2005)

Party News from the October 2005 issue of the Socialist Standard

The Socialist Party stood a candidate in the Livingston by-election, in central Scotland, on 29 September, caused by the death of former "ethical" Foreign Secretary Robin Cook. As it took place while this issue was at the printers we are unable to report the result, but details of the campaign as it progressed and its outcome can be found on the by-election blog at http://realsocialism.blogspot.com

Party News: Edinburgh Branch (2000)

Party News from the October 2000 issue of the Socialist Standard

We have had a pretty busy year since last year’s branch news update for the EC. Since last year most of the branch acquired computers and are using the web frequently for socialist matters. West Lothian Discussion Group, which Edinburgh Branch members regularly attend, now has two web sites (actually the same site in two different places) which we hope to develop further in the foreseeable future. They are being visited regularly by surfers.

The discussion group has now been up and running for a year with a steady weekly membership. Some of the topics covered are included in their web site.

The summer has seen branch activity at the Mound, in Edinburgh, addressing the public every Sunday. And we have also had a stall at the Alternative Book Festival, with a follow-up meeting.

Currently we are planning what our next election activities are going to be. The branch is probably more enthusiastic and energetic than ever before, despite being a small branch, and is looking at all kinds of ideas to expand activities.

Election Results (1999)

Party News from the July 1999 issue of the Socialist Standard

In the elections to the Scottish parliament on 6 May the Socialist Party lists obtained 388 votes in the Lothians Region and 309 in Glasgow.

In local elections held the same day in England, the result in Primrose ward of South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council was: Perry (Lab) 1169, Armstrong (Con) 314, Bissett (Soc) 138. In the Deneside ward of Eastington District Council (three councillors) the result was: Peadon (Lab) 569, Lee (Lab) 558¸ Crowley (Lab) 534, Colborn (Soc) 163.

The election to the European Parliament in the North East Electoral Region on 10 June, where we put forward a 4-person list, was easily won by the abstentionists, the option chosen by over 80 percent of the electorate. The result, amongst the 19.6 percent who voted was: Labour 162,573, Conservative 105,573, LibDem 52,070 UKIP 34,063, Green Party 18,184, SLP 4,511, BNP 3505, ProEuro Conservative Party 2926, Socialist Party 1510, NLP 826.

Obituary: Matt Culbert (2022)

Obituary from the June 2022 issue of the Socialist Standard

It is with great sorrow that Edinburgh Branch has to report the passing of a long-time and active member of the Party, Matt Culbert.

Matt first joined the Party’s Glasgow Branch on the 12th June 1972 and soon became an avid attender of its lively outdoor meetings. Due to personal problems, Matt was lapsed but re-joined in 1995.

In many ways Matt was an archetypical member of the Party, busy promoting the case for socialism but also engaging in trade union activity as a shop steward representing predominantly women members, challenging the sexual discrimination and craft outlook of the engineering union with its demarcation lines. This perhaps was what led to him also participating for a time in the Industrial Workers of the World.

Matt left Glasgow to relocate in Livingston, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, transferring his enthusiasm and energy to re-building and bolstering the branch, as well as organising discussion meetings. Matt readily offered himself up as candidate for various Westminster and Holyrood elections, as well as attending innumerable political rallies to leaflet and sell the Socialist Standard.

When the internet replaced the forums of the street meetings, Matt eagerly launched himself into creating a Party web presence, using his self-taught computer skills to assist in the Internet and Blog Committees and more recently replying to questions pertaining to socialism posed on the Quora website.

In addition to his dedication to the Party, Matt had wider interests other than politics and was particularly devoted to reading poetry and listening to music despite hearing difficulties that led to him being a proficient lip-reader.

We offer our deepest condolences to Matt’s partner.

Edinburgh Branch

SPGB Lectures and Meetings (1975)

Party News from the May 1975 issue of the Socialist Standard