I.L.P. Refuses Debate (1940)

Party News from the April 1940 issue of the Socialist Standard

We are asked by our Glasgow Branch to give publicity to the refusal of the Mosspark Branch of the I.L.P. to proceed with a debate which had been under negotiation. In the letter of refusal the I.L.P. Branch Secretary says that, in the opinion of her Federation, it would be inadvisable to have a debate “at the present time, when our energies could be devoted to Anti-War work, and they also think it unnecessary when we are both part of the Anti-War movement."

Our Glasgow Branch do not agree with the view conveyed by the I.L.P. The S.P.G.B. holds now, as in the past, that the issue before the workers is Socialism. This does not cease to be true because there is a war in progress, any more than it ceased to be true on past occasions when, for example, the I.L.P. urged that the workers should concentrate on removing a Tory or Liberal Government in order to have capitalism administered by a Labour Government with the assistance of the I.L.P. The S.P.G.B. is opposed to the war, but it does not for that reason cease to be Socialist. The I.L.P., while opposed to this war, does not for that reason cease to be a reformist party prepared to enter the Labour Party and support the Labour programme. It is still of vital importance that the antagonism between Socialism and Reformism should be made clear to the workers.