By Neil Scott
I took this of the brilliant activist Violet Fox 11 years ago- I recorded an interview with Violet for a podcast. This was a time I was doing my bit to widen the SSP’s contact with important activism across Scotland- support without controlling- something I admired about the idea of the SSP- a party supporting activism, rather than hollowing it out/taking it over (like Solidarity/SWP/CWI did). The SSP identified itself as support for struggle- not as an entity that slowly took over control of those struggles.
The activist “movement” has still got groups who take control. Centralised entities who tell you what to believe and channel everything from your slogans to where you protest (the coach to London is still a huge part of how these mostly London/union based groups channel people). They select spokespeople not by how persuasive, erudite or principled they are- but on how they will protect the structure and policies organised by a self selected leadership. They bully community activists out of campaigns they want to farm for new members.
For me, left political parties should support. They should highlight. They should ask communities and activists HOW can they help. At the time I took the photo of Violet, the party I had been part of DID those things. We highlighted campaigns and stood in solidarity with people in struggle- i see many in the SSP still doing exactly that.
It is plain to me that a Scottish Referendum is on the way (certainly within the next 5 years tops). We need to be preparing for that- standing with many people in struggles that are the result of the never decreasing circling drain of money, power, land and resource from the working class and vulnerable, to the very rich and powerful. 14 years of right wing toryism has made this worse- and their tactics of division have even divided them between right wing toryism to nufascism in the Ltd Company Farage has control over. For the country we want after independence, fundamental change MUST be a priority. Our activist organisations must be democratic, kind and radical.- we can only build a kind, fair country on that foundation. Fighting divisive, angry, racist, homophobic, anti-women, transphobic, violent fascism can only come from a movement or movements that are the opposite of the billionaire sponsored division.
