Socialist Green Unity Coalition
Encyclopedia
The Socialist Green Unity Coalition is an electoral alliance formed by leftist parties and political organisations in Great Britain prior to 2005 parliamentary election
after the Respect Unity Coalition (which the SGUC constituent organisations regarded as little more than a vehicle for the Socialist Workers Party
) rejected requests to discuss an electoral arrangement to avoid clashes in 2005. It was established in September 2004http://www.workersliberty.org/node/3069, named in November 2004http://www.workersliberty.org/node/3493 and publicly launched in February 2005http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/elections/2005/greenunity.html. After the 2005 election the coalition continued to operate as a liaison and co-ordinating body but has not extended its remit much beyond electoral co-ordination.
The largest single component is the Socialist Party. Other participating organisations include the Alliance for Green Socialism
(standing under their own name), Alliance for Workers Liberty and Socialist Unity Network
(both standing as Socialist Unity) and the Democratic Socialist Alliance
, whose candidates in 2005 were also members of the United Socialist Party
. Many of these organisations were in the previous Socialist Alliance
before it voted to support the established of the Respect Unity Coalition.
All the SGUC member organisations campaigned on a common platform including calls for an end to privatisation, for defence of the welfare state
, an end to poverty and for full employment
. The SGUC also gave greater priority than most of its individual members to the question of the environment and building a sustainable economic system - largely due to the influence of the Alliance for Green Socialism
.
, Brighton Kemptown, Bristol North West, Cardiff South and Penarth, Coventry North East, Coventry South, Leicester West
, Lewisham Deptford, Newcastle East and Wallsend
, Sheffield Heeley, Stoke-on-Trent Central, Swansea West
, Wakefield
, Walthamstow
, Wythenshawe and Sale East.
Coalition members stood against the Green Party
in some constituencies (because the Green Party would not negotiate an electoral arrangement to avoid such clashes) but agreed not to compete with the Respect Coalition
or the Scottish Socialist Party
. It received over 12,000 in 2005 votes and did not come close to winning any seats and only succeeded in holding its deposit in one seat, Coventry North East, where its candidate was former Miliant
MP Dave Nellist
.
Alliance for Green Socialism:
Democratic Socialist Alliance - People Before Profit
Socialist Unity Network
. As of January 2010, the Socialist Party's continuing membership of SGUC is unclear as they have allied themselves with the TUSC (Trade Union and Socialist Coalition) from which other SGUC members (notably the Alliance for Green Socialism) had withdrawn.
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
after the Respect Unity Coalition (which the SGUC constituent organisations regarded as little more than a vehicle for the Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party (Britain)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far left party in Britain founded by Tony Cliff. The SWP's student section has groups at a number of universities...
) rejected requests to discuss an electoral arrangement to avoid clashes in 2005. It was established in September 2004http://www.workersliberty.org/node/3069, named in November 2004http://www.workersliberty.org/node/3493 and publicly launched in February 2005http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/elections/2005/greenunity.html. After the 2005 election the coalition continued to operate as a liaison and co-ordinating body but has not extended its remit much beyond electoral co-ordination.
The largest single component is the Socialist Party. Other participating organisations include the Alliance for Green Socialism
Alliance for Green Socialism
The Alliance for Green Socialism is a socialist and environmentalist political grouping operating across Britain...
(standing under their own name), Alliance for Workers Liberty and Socialist Unity Network
Socialist Unity Network
The Socialist Unity Network is a small network of the British left which is not affiliated with any single political party. It grew out of the Socialist Alliance in England, and was originally initiated by several non-aligned members of the SA executive in March 2004.Members of the Network are ...
(both standing as Socialist Unity) and the Democratic Socialist Alliance
Democratic Socialist Alliance
The Democratic Socialist Alliance is a left-wing political organisation in the UK.The DSA name was adopted for public political work, in June 2005, by a group of members of the Socialist Alliance Democracy Platform who declared an intention to continue the SADP against what the DSA claims was a...
, whose candidates in 2005 were also members of the United Socialist Party
United Socialist Party (UK)
The United Socialist Party is a British political organisation based in Liverpool. It was formed by a number of former Liverpool Dockers who had been active in the strike of the 1990s...
. Many of these organisations were in the previous Socialist Alliance
Socialist Alliance (England)
The Socialist Alliance was a left-wing electoral alliance in England between 1992 and 2005.In late 2005, a small group reformed with the name "Socialist Alliance", with a mutual affiliation with the larger Alliance for Green Socialism.-Origins:...
before it voted to support the established of the Respect Unity Coalition.
All the SGUC member organisations campaigned on a common platform including calls for an end to privatisation, for defence of the welfare state
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
, an end to poverty and for full employment
Full employment
In macroeconomics, full employment is a condition of the national economy, where all or nearly all persons willing and able to work at the prevailing wages and working conditions are able to do so....
. The SGUC also gave greater priority than most of its individual members to the question of the environment and building a sustainable economic system - largely due to the influence of the Alliance for Green Socialism
Alliance for Green Socialism
The Alliance for Green Socialism is a socialist and environmentalist political grouping operating across Britain...
.
The 2005 elections
The Socialist Party contested the 2005 election as Socialist Alternative in BootleBootle (UK Parliament constituency)
Bootle is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. Since 1990 the MP has been Joe Benton of the Labour Party...
, Brighton Kemptown, Bristol North West, Cardiff South and Penarth, Coventry North East, Coventry South, Leicester West
Leicester West (UK Parliament constituency)
Leicester West is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
, Lewisham Deptford, Newcastle East and Wallsend
Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend (UK Parliament constituency)
Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend was, from 1997 until 2010, a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
, Sheffield Heeley, Stoke-on-Trent Central, Swansea West
Swansea West (UK Parliament constituency)
Swansea West is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
, Wakefield
Wakefield (UK Parliament constituency)
Wakefield is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
, Walthamstow
Walthamstow (UK Parliament constituency)
Walthamstow is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- 1885–1918 :...
, Wythenshawe and Sale East.
Coalition members stood against the Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
in some constituencies (because the Green Party would not negotiate an electoral arrangement to avoid such clashes) but agreed not to compete with the Respect Coalition
RESPECT The Unity Coalition
Respect is a socialist political party in England and Wales founded in 2004. Its name is a contrived acronym standing for Respect, Equality, Socialism, Peace, Environmentalism, Community and Trade Unionism.-Policies:...
or the Scottish Socialist Party
Scottish Socialist Party
The Scottish Socialist Party is a left-wing Scottish political party. Positioning itself significantly to the left of Scotland's centre-left parties, the SSP campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence....
. It received over 12,000 in 2005 votes and did not come close to winning any seats and only succeeded in holding its deposit in one seat, Coventry North East, where its candidate was former Miliant
Militant Tendency
The Militant tendency was an entrist group within the British Labour Party based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964...
MP Dave Nellist
Dave Nellist
David John Nellist is a British Trotskyist activist and former Labour Member of Parliament for the now abolished constituency of Coventry South East...
.
Candidates
Socialist Alternative Party- Birmingham Northfield: Louise Houldey (Soc Alt)
- Bootle: Peter Glover (Soc Alt)
- Brighton Kemptown: Phil Clarke (Soc Alt)
- Bristol North West: Graeme Jones (Soc Alt)
- Cardiff South & Penarth: Dave Bartlett (Soc Alt)
- Coventry North East: Dave Nellist (Soc Alt)
- Coventry North West: Nicola Downes (Soc Alt)
- Coventry South: Rob Windsor (Soc Alt)
- Leicester West: Steve Score (Soc Alt)
- Lewisham Deptford: Ian Page (Soc Alt)
- Newcastle Upon Tyne East & Wallsend: William Hopwood (Soc Alt)
- Sheffield Heeley: Mark Dunnell (Soc Alt)
- Stoke-on-trent Central: Jim Cessford (Soc Alt)
- Swansea West: Robert Williams (Soc Alt)
- Wakefield: Mick Griffiths (Soc Alt)
- Walthamstow: Nancy Taaffe (Soc Alt)
- Wythenshawe & Sale East: Lynn Worthington (Soc Alt)
Alliance for Green Socialism:
- Brighton Pavilion: Tony Greenstein (Green Soc)
- Kensington & Chelsea: Eddie Adams (Green Soc)
- Leeds North East: Celia Foote (Green Soc)
- Leeds North West: Jeannie Sutton (Green Soc)
- Pontefract & Castleford: Bob Hague (Green Soc)
Democratic Socialist Alliance - People Before Profit
- Liverpool Wavertree: Paul Filby (Dem Soc All)
- Crawley: Robin Burnham (Dem Soc All)
Socialist Unity Network
- Nottingham East: Pete Ratcliff (Soc Unity)
- Swindon North: Andy Newman (Soc Unity)
After 2005
Following the election, the coalition agreed to remain in existence for future elections and to run a campaign in support of fair pensions. It stood candidates in the United Kingdom local elections, 2006United Kingdom local elections, 2006
Local government elections took place in England on Thursday 4 May 2006. Polling stations were open between 7:00 and 22:00.All London borough council seats were up for election, as well as a third of the seats on each of the metropolitan borough councils, and a third of some unitary authorities...
. As of January 2010, the Socialist Party's continuing membership of SGUC is unclear as they have allied themselves with the TUSC (Trade Union and Socialist Coalition) from which other SGUC members (notably the Alliance for Green Socialism) had withdrawn.