Socialist Alliance

The Socialist Alliance is a far left electoral alliance in England. The alliance grew out of the London Socialist Alliance and other local Socialist Alliances, many of which ran in elections as the United Socialists. These were formed by the Socialist Party of England and Wales, Alliance for Workers' Liberty, Independent Labour Network and independent socialists. The Welsh Socialist Alliance is closely allied to the SA but has separate origins.

The Socialist Alliance was founded in 1999, when other Trotskyist groups including the Socialist Workers Party and Workers Power joined. In the 2002 local elections, the alliance gained one councillor in Preston. The Socialist Alliance has fraternal relations with the Scottish Socialist Party.

The Socialist Alliance have been riven by feuds, mostly concerning the behaviour of the Socialist Workers Party, which is by far the largest group participating in the Alliance, and which many feel dominates it. Since 2001 both the Socialist Party of England and Wales and Workers Power have left the alliance.

In 2003 the SWP, supported by the ISG, led the SA into an alliance with George Galloway and other figures involved in the Stop the War Coalition to form the RESPECT Unity Coalition. A sizeable minority of the SA objected to the way this decision was carried out and argued that the SWP were using their block vote to push their line. Many of these dissidents object to RESPECT on principle, and all objected to the way the decision to join it was carried out, many of the dissidents forming the Socialist Alliance Democracy Platform.

As of May 2004, it seems unlikely that the SA will be revived and very few branches now meet or have any activity. A handful of bracnhes do continue to meet and some are standing candidates in local elections on June 10 2004, most but not all being aligned with the SADP. Of the groups listed below the AWL, DLP, ISL, and WI are all affiliated to the SADP, as are some individual.

List of organisations that currently support the Socialist Alliance

External Link

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