![\"Cat](\"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/th-34.jpeg\")
To the Left Unity National Council
\nFrom: Alan Story (LU Nottinghamshire), Co-ordinator of the Scots Solidarity Speaking Tour (SSST)<\/p>\n
Re: SSST Wrap-up report.<\/p>\n
Date: 3 June 2014<\/p>\n
Colleagues:<\/p>\n
This is a brief report on the Scots Solidarity Speaking Tour (SSST) that occurred in the Midlands, the Yorkshire and Manchester between 29 May and 1 June.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
a) The idea\/purpose:<\/h3>\n
In mid-March, we held discussions in our LU Nottinghamshire branch and concluded that: 1) the 18 Sept. Scottish referendum on independence was one of the most important, if not the most important, political issues in the entire UK in 2014. 2) To increase our own understanding, to break out of the Salmond\/Cameron binary on independence, and as a gesture of class and international solidarity with the people of Scotland — no matter the referendum result \u2013 we would encourage debate and discussion over Scottish referendum issues in our part of England. 3) The best way to accomplish this was to raise the SSST \u2018flag\u2019 before other LU branches here and to see which ones \u2018saluted\u2019; in the end, nine LU branches agreed to jointly work together in this branch-to-branch LU initiative.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, we contacted the Radical Independence Campaign and inquired if they would provide speakers for the SSST. At an RIC national forum, they readily agreed to do so. The speakers selected by the RIC were Cat Boyd, a Glasgow trade unionist and one of the RIC\u2019s leading speakers (https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Jlh_2GH4eo8) and Mick Napier, a veteran Scottish activist, a RIC campaigner and a member of LU Glasgow.<\/p>\n
We are also got endorsements for the SSST tour from Ken Loach, Will Duckworth (deputy leader of the Green Party of England & Wales), actor Brian Cox, Tariq Ali, one University left society, and other notables.<\/p>\n
The importance of the SSST was further increased on 29 March when the question of Scottish independence became the \u2018hottest\u2019 issue on the floor at the LU Manchester conference. (A motion to support the \u2018Yes\u2019 side was defeated by a margin of 68-70 with 20 abstentions.)<\/p>\n
b) The result:<\/h3>\n
1) A total of five tour events were held between 29 May and 2 June in Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Shipley (West Yorkshire) and Nottingham. (Two other booked SSST events in the Birmingham area had to be cancelled due to last-minute personal commitments of one speaker.) At the first three events, Mick debated Scottish independence with another member of LU Glasgow. At the Shipley event, Mick debated with the head of the Bradford Trades Council. In Nottingham, Cat was questioned by a panel including a LGBT activist, the chair of the Notts Trades Council, and a politics lecturer.<\/p>\n
2) The overall feedback we received was positive. Both the Yes and No sides received a full airing. At one meeting, more No than Yes supporters spoke from the floor. At least three of the events held an indicative vote at the end of the session; the Yes side was victorious at all of them, except one, sometimes overwhelmingly and sometimes more narrowly.<\/p>\n
3) The attendance at the five sessions was disappointing and averaged about 20 people per event with the largest number at the Leeds meeting. Some people in attendance became LU members on the spot and others expressed appreciation at the manner in which LU was openly and respectfully debating a key — and sometime emotional — British political issue.<\/p>\n
c) The conclusions:<\/h3>\n
1) The SSST did succeed well in one of its main aims: broadening and deepening the debate within LU over the question of Scotland that had begun on 29 March. At the next LU policy conference, we should return to the question of Scotland and decide what will be the point of view of LU. In particular, more people learned about the role and objectives of the RIC and appreciated that the overwhelming majority of socialists, environmentalists, anti\u2013austerity activists and the like in Scotland support the Yes side. But other views got a full airing. People also appreciated that we were engaged in a POLITICAL debate. Our Scottish LU colleague Mick Napier said he was extremely glad to have met English LU colleagues and I am sure he will take back favourable impressions to his mates in LU Glasgow (and other LU branches in Scotland that remain in formation.)<\/p>\n
2) The SSST was less successful in achieving a second aim: taking the issues of Scottish independence to a wider audience. No coverage of the speakers or the events appeared in the local mainstream media. Our own publicity for the SSST was somewhat spotty or non-existent. And the attendance beyond \u2018the already existing left\u2019 could have been improved.<\/p>\n
3) Yet, three of the LU branches (in Sheffield, Bradford and Nottinghamshire) were holding their VERY FIRST public meetings. Most LU branches have no experience whatsoever in working together on a joint issue\/campaign, neither regional nor national. Nor in reaching out to \u2018the broad masses.\u2019 Overall organisational direction was necessarily weak as this was a bottom-up, branch-to-branch initiative, essentially among strangers in most cases. Finances were meagre (and some comrades on pension were personally of pocket more than \u00a350.00 as a result). And organising this tour took a phenomenal amount of hands-on attention to detail. [As an aside, whenever Left Unity as a party decides to launch a national campaign, its first one, it is recommended that at least 5-7 experienced activists\/LU members from across the UK be specially tasked to direct it and that they be freed from other LU tasks in the interim; in my own case, for example, I am also a member of the extremely time-consuming Disputes Committee (which has a very full plate) and interim secretary of my this branch.]<\/p>\n
4) On an unofficial basis (at least on the Left Unity side!), we have built good relationships (and comradely respect) with the RIC and its top leadership. These can be — and should be —- nurtured as the RIC is currently the largest activist movement, certainly on a per capita basis, in the UK. (It has attracted more than 1,000 people to some of its events\u2026which is roughly equivalent to attracting 10,000 people to a meeting in England.) The SSST and Left Unity featured on the RIC\u2019s website: http:\/\/radicalindependence.org\/2014\/05\/13\/ric-speaking-tour-in-england\/<\/a>. The fact that Left Unity, a predominantly English-based party, was organising such a solidarity tour received wide recognition and praise on more six Facebook and other social media sites in Scotland; for a few weeks, LU was flavour of the month. The prospects for Scotland are positive.<\/p>\n 5) We have had some initial feelers from other LU branches about organising a second SSST in England.<\/p>\n