Socialist Labour Party (UK)

:This article is about the Socialist Labour Party founded by Arthur Scargill in 1996. See also Socialist Labour Party (1903-1980) for the defunct UK De Leonist party.

Related Topics:
Arthur Scargill - Socialist Labour Party (1903-1980) - De Leonist

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The Socialist Labour Party (SLP) is a small left-wing political party in the United Kingdom.

Related Topics:
Left-wing - Political party - United Kingdom

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The SLP is led by former trade union leader Arthur Scargill, who formed it in 1996. The party was formed as a left-wing splinter in reaction to Tony Blair's re-positioning of the British Labour Party to the centre ground of politics. The party advocates traditionally Socialist policies, such as state ownership of industry and high taxation to fund public services and initially attracted will known trade union figures such as Mick Rix and Bob Crow. Despite its declared reformism the SLP was initially entered by revolutionary groups such as the Communist Party of Great Britain (Provisional Central Committee), the Revolutionary Democratic Group and the International Bolshevik Tendency. Scargill's distrust of such organisations and dislike of Trotskyists resulted in expulsions described as the 'voiding' of membership. Scargill was initially more willing to work with more traditional quasi-Stalinist organisations such as the Economic and Philosophic Science Review group and the Fourth International Supporters Caucus although both groups were later expelled.

Related Topics:
Arthur Scargill - 1996 - Tony Blair - British Labour Party - Socialist - Mick Rix - Bob Crow - Reformism - Communist Party of Great Britain (Provisional Central Committee) - Revolutionary Democratic Group - International Bolshevik Tendency - Trotskyists - Stalinist - Economic and Philosophic Science Review

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At the 2001 general election the party took about 3% of the vote in seats it stood in. It did not contest the 2004 European Elections; its candidate for the Leicester South by-election gained less than 1% of the vote.

Related Topics:
2001 general election - 2004 European Elections - Leicester South by-election

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The party seems to be on the wane somewhat, garnering less votes than it used to. That said, they did manage to get their highest percentage share in any individual parliamentary constituency at the 2005 general election when they took 14.2% of the votes cast in Glasgow North East. However, the absence of a Labour Party candidate (they had stood aside to let the Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin have a clear run) probably assisted them somewhat in this seat, and the result is probably no more than an aberration.

Related Topics:
2005 general election - Glasgow North East - Speaker of the House of Commons - Michael Martin

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The SLP's difficulties have in part stemmed from a number of internal conflicts resulting in the resignation or expulsion of a number of leading members. Ideological conflict between those members seeking to develop a rigid Marxist-Leninist party and those committed to Scargill's original vision of a more leftist Labour Party grew more pronounced over time. This culminated in the expulsion of the pro-Stalin group around Harpal Brar who then formed the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist). While the numbers in this group were relatively small they were among the most active members of the SLP, particular in its London-based youth group.

Related Topics:
Marxist-Leninist - Stalin - Harpal Brar - Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) - London

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