What we think : Respect

Resolutions for Respect Conference 2004

Model resolutions for the Respect national conference

Local income tax

This conference recognises:

a) the unjust and unfair nature of the council tax, which is a flat-rate tax unrelated to ability to pay;

b) the commitment in the Respect London manifesto to replace this with a progressive local income tax;

c) the need to actively campaign for such a tax in order to present ourselves to working class voters as a party with serious policies, and a perspective of implementing them;

d) that the Government is considering a replacement for the council tax as part of their finance review, but that this is likely to take years whilst people, particularly pensioners, are suffering now;

e) that the Liberal Democrats have a proposal in favour of local income tax, which would be better than the current council tax at least for the poorest. However, it would not radically take low paid workers out of the poverty trap and could cost average paid workers more. Only a high entry threshold and tax at higher levels for the higher paid will address these issues, in combination with higher rates of business tax;

f) the good example offered by the SSP’s campaign and proposals around the Scottish service tax, which would mean 80% of Scottish people paying less than they do in council tax.

Conference therefore:

a) mandates the incoming Executive and National Committees to explore how a local income tax would work, taking into account the work done by the SSP on the Scottish service tax, with the aim of producing a set of figures and proposals by April next year;

b) to develop a strategy for incorporating these proposals into our local campaigning work.

Appeal

This conference agrees that the incoming Executive Council will prepare recruitment campaigning literature aimed at:

a) The base of the Labour Party. It should target disaffected socialists, whether they are individual activists or elected representatives.

b) Groupings such as the Socialist Party or CPB that might be won to the Respect project.

Propaganda

1. British politics is becoming increasingly polarised, with right wing media such as The Sun and the Daily Express directing blame for society’s problems at minorities such as asylum seekers.

2. In the absence of class-based counter-arguments that stress the huge and ever-growing inequality between the super-rich and the rest of the population, and that show the common ground shared by all working class people in opposition to the consequences of neoliberalism, political debate in Britain will drift to the Right, with people continuing to look for scapegoats.

3. Respect needs to project an alternative politics that has at its centre a redistribution of wealth in order to fund public services and tackle poverty, and which can unite working class people of all backgrounds in their common interests.

4. Respect needs to equip itself with the tools necessary to begin to intervene in the national and local political debates of the day, in order to build support for its policies between elections.

5. Conference resolves to make the production of local newssheets a major priority wherever this is viable. Such newssheets could be delivered through letterboxes, handed out on stalls, and distributed within campaigns in which Respect supporters are active.

6. Conference also asks the National Committee to put together a strategy for intervening in national political debate, to include a feasibility study of how Respect might produce a national monthly, fortnightly or weekly publication of some sort.

Lesbian and Gay Rights

This conference welcomes the production of a Respect leaflet for London Pride. It supports the policies outlined in that leaflet i.e.:

An end to discrimination against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people

For Equal partnership and pension rights

For strong policies to tackle homophobia in all public bodies

For an increase in public services that meet the needs of lesbians, gay men bisexuals and transgendered people, rather than money wasted on war.

Conference instructs the incoming National Committee to produce similar material for all Pride events next year and urges local groups to make sure the material is distributed at events in their area.

Conference further instructs the NC:

To allocate space on the web site and within publicity material for LGBT discussion and publicity;

To work for the maximum Respect attendance at next year’s LGBT festivals and events;

To keep up to date with LGBT events and awareness of local issues;

To encourage development of pro-LGBT policies, analysis of the legal situation for opportunities for campaigning on areas of inequality.

A Woman’s right to choose

This conference notes with concern the increasing debate in the press that women’s limited rights to control our own fertility should be further attacked though a reduction in the existing upper limit for abortions.

Conference agrees that Respect should oppose any reduction in the time limits and use the opportunity of any campaign to build support for abortion on request up to fourteen weeks.

Conference agrees that Respect should affiliate to Abortion Rights and sign up to any single issue campaign that is launched. Local Respect branches should carry material on their stalls and at public meetings. Any representatives of Respect will vote for the principle of a woman’s right to choose.

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