RESPECT The Unity Coalition
Leader	John Rees (National Secretary)
Founded	25 January 2004
Headquarters	9 Club Row Whitechapel London E1 6JX 1
Political Ideology	Socialism, Environmentalism Islamism
Political Position	Left-Wing
International Affiliation	none
European Affiliation	European Anticapitalist Left
European Parliament Group	n/a
Colours	Red/Green
Website	www.respectcoalition.org
See also	Politics of the UK Political parties Elections Respect the unity coalition Logo This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... John Rees John Rees is a British Trotskyist political activist and a member of the Central Committee of the Socialist Workers Party. ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community. ... For the psychology topic, see Environmental psychology. ... Political Ideologies Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      This article is about political Islamism. ... The European Anti Capitalist Left (EACL) is an informal network for European anticapitalist left wing parties with a certain representativeness. ... Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 625–750 nm. ... Mossy, green fountain in Wattens, Austria. ... Politics of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland take place in the framework of a constitutional monarchy in which the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government. ... This is a list of political parties in the United Kingdom. ... The United Kingdom has five distinct types of elections: general, local, regional, European and mayoral. ...

RESPECT The Unity Coalition is a left wing political party in England and Wales founded on January 25, 2004 in London. Its name is a pseudo-recursive backronym standing for Respect, Equality, Socialism, Peace, Environmentalism, Community, and Trade Unionism. It is often referred to simply as Respect or as the Respect Party. In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms that refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially but not exclusively in the American sense of the word... Politics of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland take place in the framework of a constitutional monarchy in which the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government. ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... A recursive acronym (or occasionally recursive initialism) is an abbreviation which refers to itself in the expression for which it stands. ... A backronym or bacronym is a portmanteau of backward and acronym[1] coined in 1983. ... This article is about the attitude of acknowledgement. ... Social equality is a social state of affairs in which certain different people have the same status in a certain respect, minimally at least in voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, and property rights. ... Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community. ... A peace dove, widely known as a symbol for peace, featuring an olive branch in the doves beak. ... For the psychology topic, see Environmental psychology. ... A community usually refers to a sociological group in a large place or collections of plant or animal organisms sharing an environment. ... A trade union or labor union is a continuous association of wage-earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment. ...

Policies

Many mainstream commentators present Respect as a single-issue party focusing on its opposition to the war in Iraq and has become a front for the Socialist Workers Party^[1] . However, it claims to "provide a broad-based and inclusive alternative to the parties of privatisation, war, and occupation" and have a broad socialist agenda. A single-issue party is a political party that only campaigns on one issue. ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or — especially in India — disinvestment) is the process of transferring property, from public ownership to private ownership. ... Belligerent military occupation occurs when one nations military occupies all or part of the territory of another nation or recognized belligerent. ... Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community. ...

Some of the policies on which it has also campaigned include:

• Renationalisation of the railways and other public services.
• Opposition to the privatisation of the National Health Service and the education system, including opposition to university tuition fees and support for pensions increases linked to average earnings.
• Raising the minimum wage to the European Union's "decency threshold" of £7.40 an hour.
• An increase in income taxes on the rich to fund social welfare programs and close the income gap.

Respect Candidate, Ghazi Khan with someone dressed as Tony Blair, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, at the 18th March Anti-War Protest in London

• The repeal of the industrial relations legislation brought in by the Conservative Party in the 1980s.
• The defence of the rights of refugees and other asylum-seekers.
• Opposition to the "stability pact" that the European Union seeks to impose on all those who join the euro.
• Support for the Palestinian people and ending British tolerance of various Israeli policies regarding the Palestinians.
• Support for Kashmiri self-determination and recognition of the status of Kashmir as an unresolved or "Unfinished business of Partition" or a merger with unionist Pakistan^{[citation needed]}.
• Support for the British environmental movement.

In their founding constitution the founding parties state their overall aim as to "help create a socially just and ecologically sustainable society", giving a definition of social justice that includes "the organisation of society in the most open, participative, and accountable way practicable based on common ownership and democratic control.^[2] Nationalization or nationalisation is the act of transferring assets into public ownership. ... Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly (through the public sector) or by financing private provision of services. ... , the information in this article describes the current English public health service. ... Education encompasses teaching and learning specific skills, and also something less tangible but more profound: the imparting of knowledge, good judgement and wisdom. ... The minimum wage is the minimum rate a worker can legally be paid (usually per hour) as opposed to wages that are determined by the forces of supply and demand in a free market. ... An income tax is a tax levied on the financial income of persons, corporations, or other legal entities. ... ... Economic inequality refers to disparities in the distribution of economic assets and income. ... Image File history File links GhaziandBlair. ... Image File history File links GhaziandBlair. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and is the second oldest extant political party in the world. ... The Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) is an agreement by European Union member states related to their conduct of fiscal policy, to facilitate and maintain Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union. ... “EUR” redirects here. ... The term Palestinian has other usages, for which see definitions of Palestinian. ... For other uses, see Kashmiri (disambiguation) Kashmiri is a Dardic language spoken primarily in Kashmir, an Asian region now split between India, Pakistan and China. ... Kashmir (or Cashmere) may refer to: Kashmir region, the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent India, Kashmir conflict, the territorial dispute between India, Pakistan, and the China over the Kashmir region. ... This page gives an overview of the complex structure of environmental and cultural conservation in the United Kingdom. ... Sustainability is an attempt to provide the best outcomes for the human and natural environments both now and into the indefinite future. ... Common ownership is a principle according to which the assets of an enterprise or other organisation are held indivisibly rather than in the names of the individual members. ...

Composition

Respect fringe meeting at the 2004 ESF

Respect allows its members to hold membership of other political organisations.
It includes: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1733x1216, 1506 KB) Summary Respect Coalition fringe meeting at the European Social Forum in London. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1733x1216, 1506 KB) Summary Respect Coalition fringe meeting at the European Social Forum in London. ... The European Social Forum (ESF) is an annual conference held by members of the alter-globalization movement (also known as the Global Justice Movement). ...

• George Galloway, Respect's sole Member of Parliament, expelled from the Labour Party.
• The Socialist Workers Party.
• Members of the Muslim Association of Britain and Muslim Council of Britain.
• People of no other political organisation

Other notable supporters include: George Galloway (born 16 August 1954) is a Scottish politician noted for his far left and socialist views, confrontational style, and rhetorical skill. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in England, Scotland and Wales. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... MAB logo The Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) is an Islamist group in the United Kingdom established in 1997. ... The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is an unincorporated association founded in 1997 with the following aims: To promote co-operation, consensus and unity on Muslim affairs in the UK. To encourage and strengthen all existing efforts being made for the benefit of the Muslim community. ...

• Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS).
• British television and film director Ken Loach, who is an elected member of its national council.
• Playwright and Nobel laureate in Literature Harold Pinter.

The coalition also has the support of: Mark Serwotka (born 1963) is the General Secretary of British trade union the PCS. He took office on 1 June 2002. ... The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) is the sixth largest union trade union in the United Kingdom. ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... Ken Loach Kenneth Loach (born June 17, 1936), known as Ken Loach, is an English television and film director, known for his naturalistic style and socialist themes. ... Nobel Prize in Literature medal. ... Harold Pinter, CH, CBE (born 10 October 1930) is a British playwright, screenwriter, poet, actor, director, author, and political activist, best known for his plays The Birthday Party (1957), The Caretaker (1959), The Homecoming (1964), and Betrayal (1978), and for his screenplay adaptations of novels by others, such as The...

• The national council of the Socialist Alliance (before its dissolution).
• The International Socialist Group.
• The Socialist Unity Network.
• Socialist Resistance.
• The Communist Party of Great Britain (Provisional Central Committee) [CPGB].
• The Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) [RCPB(ML)].

Although the leader of Respect is listed in the register of political parties as Linda Smith (until November 22, 2004 Nick Wrack), George Galloway is often assumed to be its leader by the mainstream media. In fact, Respect does not have a leader as such and is run by an elected "national council", a full list of whom can be found on their website. The party was originally launched by The Guardian journalist George Monbiot and Birmingham Stop the War Coalition chair Salma Yaqoob who is said to have thought up the coalition at her West Midlands home. The Socialist Alliance was a left-wing electoral alliance in England in existence between 1992 and 2005. ... Socialist Outlook is the quarterly magazine of the International Socialist Group The International Socialist Group (ISG) is a Trotskyist organisation in Britain. ... The Socialist Unity Network is a network of left-wing activists in Britain which is not affiliated with any single political party. ... Socialist Resistance is a monthly Marxist newspaper produced in the United Kingdom by the Socialist Solidarity Network, International Socialist Group and some individuals. ... The Communist Party of Great Britain (Provisional Central Committee), which commonly calls itself the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB), is a British Leninist political grouping, which publishes the Weekly Worker newspaper. ... Logo of the RCPB-ML The Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) (RCPB-ML) is a British communist political party. ... Linda Smith is the leader of RESPECT The Unity Coalition in Great Britain. ... November 22 is the 326th day (327th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nick Wrack is the registered leader of the Respect coalition. ... George Galloway (born 16 August 1954) is a Scottish politician noted for his far left and socialist views, confrontational style, and rhetorical skill. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... George Monbiot. ... The city from above Centenary Square. ... The Stop the War Coalition (StWC) (informally just Stop the War) is a UK anti-war group set up on 21 September 2001. ... Salma Yaqoob Salma Yaqoob (b. ... The County of West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a population of around 2,600,000 people. ...

In its 2005 accounts filed with the Electoral Commission, it noted it has three paid employees including John Rees, and had 5674 registered members on December 31, 2005 (2004 - 3751). It has 25 branches, and had a total income of £434,654.^[3] The Electorial Commission is an independent body with powers in the United Kingdom, which was created by an Act of Parliament, the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. ... John Rees John Rees is a British Trotskyist politician and a member of the Central Committee of the Socialist Workers Party. ...

History and electoral performance

Respect campaigners decorating a bus in Manchester for the 2005 elections

The coalition sought to challenge Tony Blair from the left at the London Assembly and European Parliament elections in 2004, and gained a quarter of a million votes. This is the best result, in aggregate, ever achieved by the socialist left outside of the Labour Party. The party claims that these votes have been achieved primarily by capitalising on the 2003 anti-war protests and by attracting the votes of "Old Labour" supporters who feel Blair has moved the party too far to the right of their socialist beliefs. The correlation between the performance of Respect and the Muslim population of an area suggests that it has succeeded in attracting the protest votes of some Muslims who feel alienated by Labour's support for the war. It almost immediately had a councillor in Preston, SWP member Michael Lavalette who was elected as a Socialist Alliance candidate in 2003, but subsequently voted with the majority of the SWP to wind-down the Socialist Alliance in favour of the newly formed party, who was joined by a former labour councillor, Steve Brooks. Download high resolution version (1024x768, 120 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 120 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... This page is about the City of Manchester in England. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... The London Assembly is an elected body that supervises the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London. ... The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary body of the European Union. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in England, Scotland and Wales. ... This article is about protests concerning the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ... The term Old Labour is used in British politics to describe and differentiate the British Labour partys policies prior to the creation of the New Labour ethos under Tony Blair. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Left-Right politics. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... Michael Lavalette during a Make Poverty History rally Michael Lavalette is a RESPECT national council member and councillor in Preston, England who was elected as a Socialist Alliance candidate shortly after the Iraq War. ... The Socialist Alliance was a left-wing electoral alliance in England in existence between 1992 and 2005. ...

2004 Elections

Respect candidate Lindsey German came fifth in the 2004 London mayoral election. Its largest constituency vote in the 2004 assembly elections was in City and East London, where it polled 13.46%, reaching third place. Lindsey German Lindsey German is a British Trotskyist politician and member of the Central Committee of the Socialist Workers Party. ... The latest election to the post of Mayor of London took place on June 10, 2004. ... An election to the Assembly of London took place on June 10, 2004, along with the London mayoral election, 2004. ... City and East is a constituency represented in the London Assembly. ...

In their first European Parliament elections (also in 2004), Respect's proportion of the national vote was 1.7%, and they failed to win any seats. Their best result was in London itself, with a relatively strong 4.8%, and their worst was in Wales and the South West, with 0.6% and 0.7% respectively. Their strongest borough was Newham, London, with 21.41% of the vote. This article is about the country. ... South West England is one of the regions of England. ... The London Borough of Newham is a London borough in East London. ...

The results at the Birmingham Hodge Hill and Leicester South by-elections in 2004, were 6.3% and 12.7% of the vote respectively — enough to retain its deposit in both seats (which requires a minimum of 5% of the vote). However, in Birmingham Hodge Hill the "anti-war" vote was split between Respect and the Liberal Democrats; anti-Labour parties claim that, as a result, the Labour candidate won the seat. Hodge Hill constituency shown within Birmingham A by-election was held for the United Kingdom Parliament seat of Birmingham Hodge Hill, on July 15, the same day as the Leicester South by-election. ... Leicester South constituency, shown within Leicester. ...

Respect won its first election on July 29, 2004, when Oli Rahman won away a ward from Labour in Tower Hamlets. The election was called after a Labour councillor was expelled for alleged corruption. In September 2004, Respect candidate Paul McGarr stood in the Tower Hamlets Millwall ward by-election and came second, pushing Labour into third place [1]. July 29 is the 210th day (211th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 155 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Oli Rahman (born July 7, 1975) is a football player from Ghana, who was a member of the Mens National Team that won the bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. ... The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames in East London. ... Paul McGarr is a Socialist historian, author and political activist. ... Millwall Docks Millwall is an area in London, on the western side of the Isle of Dogs, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. ...

2005 general election

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Surprise win for RESPECT Party in UK 2005 General Election

In the 2005 general election Respect ran candidates in 26 constituencies and it secured its first MP in George Galloway, who overturned the large majority of Oona King in Bethnal Green and Bow. It came second in three constituencies: Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath, East Ham and West Ham. By far their best result outside London was in Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath, where Respect candidate Salma Yaqoob came second with 27.5% of the vote. Again claims were made that the anti-Labour vote was split by the Respect vote allowing Labour to keep the seat. This is consistent with the mathematics of the results as the Liberal Democrat and Respect vote would have beaten the Labour Vote - assuming that all those who voted for Respect would have voted for the Lib Dems or vice versa. Image File history File links WikiNews-Logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... George Galloway (born 16 August 1954) is a Scottish politician noted for his far left and socialist views, confrontational style, and rhetorical skill. ... Oona Tamsyn King (born October 22, 1967, in Sheffield) is an English politician. ... Bethnal Green and Bow is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... East Ham is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, in the London Borough of Newham. ... West Ham is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, in the London Borough of Newham. ... Salma Yaqoob Salma Yaqoob (b. ...

2006 local elections

Respect stood a limited number of candidates nationally and concentrated on Tower Hamlets, where it stood a full slate of candidates and managed to win twelve seats. Although Respect defeated several high-profile Labour councillors including council leader Michael Keith and Cabinet member for Housing David Edgar, its performance wasn't as good as the party had hoped and the council remained in Labour control.

The party also had a full slate in Newham but won only one ward there despite winning 26% of the total vote, a greater proportion than that gained in Tower Hamlets. In total Respect gained fifteen new councillors including Salma Yaqoob in Birmingham who won 49% of the vote.^[4] Respect narrowly missed winning another council seat in Preston by seven votes where they already have Michael Lavalette as a councillor, some members noting that a Green candidate in the ward had taken 82 votes, possibly splitting Respect's vote.^[5] Other second places were achieved in Preston and wards in Sheffield, Bristol, and several London councils. The party achieved some strong results in areas with a limited Muslim population; for example, Jerry Hicks, standing in Bristol Lockleaze, came second in a ward that is 4% Muslim.^[6] In politics, a full slate is an offering of a candidate for every single position available in an election. ... The London Borough of Newham is a London borough in East London. ... Salma Yaqoob Salma Yaqoob (b. ... Michael Lavalette during a Make Poverty History rally Michael Lavalette is a RESPECT national council member and councillor in Preston, England who was elected as a Socialist Alliance candidate shortly after the Iraq War. ... View from Cumberland Basin of the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Avon Gorge Bristol (IPA: ) is a city, unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, 115 miles (185 km) west of London. ...

2006 by-elections

Respect stood Dave Ellis, a trade unionist who organised one of the largest continuous strikes in recent years at Huddersfield Technical College, in the Greenhead ward by-election on 27 July in the district of Kirklees. Ellis got 3.9 percent of the vote, coming fourth and narrowly beating the British National Party's candidate who finished last.^[7] Dave Ellis can refer to two people: Dave Ellis, a guitarist and former leader of the band Astra Dave Ellis, a computer game designer and author This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Huddersfield Technical College is a technical college located in Huddersfield, in the English county of West Yorkshire. ... A ward is an electoral district used in local politics, most notably in England, Scotland, and Wales, as well as Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and many cities in the United States and the federal district of Washington, DC. Wards are usually named after neighbourhoods... A metropolitan borough (or metropolitan district) is a type of local government district in England, covering urban areas within metropolitan counties. ... ... The British National Party (BNP) is a far right political party in the United Kingdom. ...

In the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley Worsborough by-election on 16 November, Respect polled 91 votes, 5.5% Barnsley is a metropolitan borough of the metropolitan county of South Yorkshire, England. ...

In December 2006, Respect gained another councillor in Birmingham, Abdul Aziz, who defected from the Liberal Democrats, bringing their total in the city to 2. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

In February 2007, Respect picked up another councillor when Councillor Wayne Muldoon in Loughborough defected from Labour.^[8]

2007 local elections

In the days before the elections Respect lost Tower Hamlets Councillor Waiseul Islam who returned to the Labour Party, saying "I reject the notion of dividing the local community for political gain, which is what I believe Respect are effectively doing."^[9]

Respect only stood 48 candidates out of a total of 10,500 seats up for election in 2007. Only three candidates were elected, Mohammed Ishtiaq in Birmingham Sparkbrook, Ray Holmes in Bolsover Shirebrook and Michael Lavalette retained his seat in Preston Town Centre.^[10]

Future prospects

Respect has suggested in the recent past that it may stand for the Scottish Parliament in future if the SSP's internal crisis continues, which now seems likely. However, the new party Solidarity founded by Tommy Sheridan, former convenor of the SSP, has the backing of Respect's prominent element, the Socialist Workers' Party and the Socialist Party, in the past a critic of Respect. As of November 2006, Respect has not commented on these developments. Meanwhile, George Galloway has also suggested he would like to stand for the Scottish parliament in future having stated that he will not restand in his current seat personally (Respect obviously still will, possibly with a local candidate).^[11] For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) (Scottish Gaelic: ) is a radical left-wing Scottish political party which campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence. ... Solidarity (full name Solidarity - Scotlands Socialist Movement) is a political party in Scotland, launched on September 3, 2006 as a breakaway from the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP)[1] in the aftermath of Tommy Sheridans libel action. ... Tommy Sheridan (born 7 March 1964, in Glasgow) is a Scottish socialist politician and a leading figure in the new Scottish political party Solidarity. ... The Socialist Party is a Trotskyist political party active in England and Wales and part of the Committee for a Workers International. ...

There has also been suggestion from some in the party of standing the party against far-right parties' target seats because some feel that they can make sure that any anti-establishment votes that will not go towards a mainstream political party, go towards a left-wing party rather than a far-right one.

The party's policy of standing in only a few seats per area is likely to stand, however branches are more likely to stand in every area in which they operate. Galloway has suggested on his radio show that he thinks in the next general election Respect will win several inner city seats both in and out of London where they currently hold a seat.

International affiliation

While Respect is not part of any international organisation and has no formal links to any party from other countries, it does have fraternal links with various organisations. Respect participates however in the European Anticapitalist Left. The European Anti Capitalist Left (EACL) is an informal network for European anticapitalist left wing parties with a certain representativeness. ...

Respect is registered as a political party in Scotland but have claimed that this is just so no one else uses their name in Scotland. They have not stood in Scotland and have in the past urged voters to support the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP). Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic)1 Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime...

In 2005, Respect took part in the second congress of the European Left. Respect's participation in this event was welcomed by the Left Party's chair Fausto Bertinotti in his closing speech.^[12] The European Left party is a political party at European level and an association of socialist and communist political parties in the European Union. ... Fausto Bertinotti Fausto Bertinotti (born on 22 March 1940) is an Italian politician and leader of the Partito della Rifondazione Comunista. ...

Criticisms of Respect

Democratic process

Critics of Respect such as the Socialist Party, as well as the Alliance for Workers' Liberty and Workers Power, former members of the Socialist Alliance, claim that it is undemocratic and has an overly London-centric, top-down approach, its initial programme having been created largely by negotiations between the SWP and George Galloway. Similarly, The Alliance for Green Socialism (AGS) has been extremely critical of Respect and shares the view of some other leftist groups that Respect is primarily a front organisation for the Socialist Workers Party.^{[citation needed]} Respect has countered this claim by stating that it is simply false, that the Respect programme was formed as an "emergency response" to the June 10 European and local elections, and that a full constitution will be developed democratically through elections at its annual conferences. Respect's policies were fleshed out to a large extent at its first national conference which took place in 2004, the resolutions passed can be found on their website. The Socialist Party is a Trotskyist political party active in England and Wales and part of the Committee for a Workers International. ... [[Category:]] The Alliance for Workers Liberty (AWL), also known as Workers Liberty is a small Marxist group based in the United Kingdom. ... Workers Power is a Trotskyist group, affiliated to the League for the Fifth International, which it was a prime mover in founding. ... The Socialist Alliance was a left-wing electoral alliance in England in existence between 1992 and 2005. ... The Alliance for Green Socialism is a socialist grouping based in Leeds in the United Kingdom. ... There are various Socialist Workers Parties throughout the world. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ...

Equality and gay rights

Respect has also been accused of abandoning the left-wing issues of women's rights, gay rights and fighting homophobia in order to attract Muslim support. While Respect included opposition to discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation in its founding declaration^[13], critics claim Galloway has tended to avoid Commons votes involving equal rights for gay people - although he did vote to lower the age of consent for gay people in England and Wales to sixteen in 2000, earning him an invitation to open a new Lesbian and Gay centre in Glasgow. He has also praised New Labour's record on improving gay rights, and says of his absence from one vote that "there was never any doubt about the passage of the civil partnerships [bill], I wholly support it".^[14] Respect's 2005 conference resolved that explicit defence of equal rights and calls for the end to all discrimination against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people would be made in all of its manifestos and principal election materials.^[15] The gay rights movement is a collection of loosely aligned civil rights groups, human rights groups, support groups and political activists seeking acceptance, tolerance and equality for non-heterosexual, (homosexual, bisexual), and transgender people - despite the fact that it is typically referred to as the gay rights movement, members also... Homophobia is the fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Equal Rights can be: One of several groups called the Equal Rights Party. ... ... Transgender (IPA: , from trans (Latin) and gender (English) ) is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies that diverge from the normative gender role (woman or man) commonly, but not always, assigned at birth, as well as the role traditionally held by society. ...

Respect and elements of the LGBT community have clashed on two other notable occasions. In November 2005, Respect's largest single financial donor, Dr Mohammad Naseem, was accused in an article by Peter Tatchell of being homophobic due to his senior position in the Islamic Party of Britain, which he claimed advocated the "banning of gay organisations" and the "execution of homosexuals".^[16] Naseem, however, stated that the Islamic Party was now little more than a thinktank, and furthermore, disagreed with the statements on the Islamic Party website which Tatchell pointed to, stating his views on homosexuality as follows: "These things are a matter of personal choice...I am not concerned with what people do in their bedrooms."^[17] Naseem was also present at Respect's 2005 conference, where the vote to reaffirm Respect's support of LGBT rights was passed unanimously.^[18] Dr Mohammad Naseem (Image copyright: Birmingham Mosque Trust) Mohammad Naseem, born in 1924, is a former GP and the chairman of the Birmingham Mosque Trust Birmingham Central Mosque, one of the largest and most prominent Islamic places of worship in the United Kingdom. ... LGBT rights Around the world · By country History · Groups · Activists Declaration of Montreal Same-sex relationships Marriage · Adoption Opposition · Persecution Violence This box:      Peter Gary Tatchell (born 25 January 1952) is a British human rights activist, who is best known internationally for his attempts to perform a citizens arrest... The Islamic Party of Britain was formed in 1989. ...

In January 2006, an article attacking Tatchell's opposition to the party was written by Respect member and journalist Adam Yosef. Writing for Desi Xpress, Yosef accused Tatchell of Islamophobia but was attacked by gay organisations for "encouraging violence against Tatchell" and for using "xenophobic" and "homophobic" language. Yosef also used other articles to attack same-sex unions, describing them as a front for "tax fraud". Tatchell called on Respect to expel Yosef but the party responded with the following statement: "Adam Yosef has the right to voice his own opinions in his own column – they range from an ecstatic review of Birmingham’s gay pride to venting his thoughts about Peter Tatchell."^[19] Adam Yosef (Image:News Team International) Adam Yosef, born 6 September 1981, is a journalist, community worker and political activist in the United Kingdom who writes a regular column for national entertainment weekly Desi Xpress. ... Desi Xpress newspaper Desi Xpress is a national UK weekly entertainment newspaper published by Urban Media, who also produce The Asian Today. ... Manifestations Slavery · Racial profiling · Lynching Hate speech · Hate crime · Hate groups Genocide · The Holocaust · Pogrom Ethnocide · Ethnic cleansing · Race war Religious persecution · Gay bashing Pedophobia · Ephebiphobia Movements Discriminatory Aryanism · Neo-Nazism · Supremacism Kahanism Ku Klux Klan Anti-discriminatory Abolitionism · Civil rights LGBT rights Womens/Universal suffrage · Feminism Mens... Same-sex union can refer to: same-sex marriage -- the civil or religious rites of marriage that make it equivalent to opposite-sex marriages in all aspects. ... This article contrasts tax evasion, tax avoidance, tax resistance and tax mitigation. ...

Communalism

The British journalist Nick Cohen, writing for The Observer, has accused Respect of attempting to exploit in the Muslim community what he sees as "the sectarian identities multiculturalism inevitably promotes "^[20] by affirming prejudices, particularly about Israel, which have widespread influence across the Islamic world. As an example Cohen cites the declaration by Respect's candidate for the mayorship of Newham: 'Israel has been formulating and directing UK and US foreign policy.'^[21]as affirming beliefs in a conspiracy theory. Nick Cohen is a British journalist, author, and political commentator. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Sectarianism is an adherence to a particular sect or party or denomination, it also usually involves a rejection of those not a member of ones sect. ... Multiculturalism is the idea or belief that modern societies should embrace and include distinct cultural groups with equal cultural and political status. ... The London Borough of Newham is a London borough in East London. ... A conspiracy theory attempts to attribute the ultimate cause of an event or chain of events (usually political, social, or historical events), or the concealment of such causes from public knowledge, to a secret, and often deceptive plot by a covert alliance of powerful or influential people or organizations. ...

Similarly, in the 2004 Euro elections the Alliance for Green Socialism was particularly critical of Respect for placing Anais al Tikriti (of the Muslim Association of Britain) at the top of their list of candidates in Yorkshire & Humberside - claiming he was a religious sectarian and reactionary who was anti-socialist and opposed to basic left/progressive principles such as gender equality and secular civil society.^{[citation needed]} Elections to the European Parliament were held from June 10, 2004 to June 13, 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom. ... MAB logo The Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) is an Islamist group in the United Kingdom established in 1997. ... Yorkshire and the Humber is one of the nine regions of England. ... Sectarianism is an adherence to a particular sect or party or denomination, it also usually involves a rejection of those not a member of ones sect. ... Feminism is a social theory and political movement primarily informed and motivated by the experience of women. ... This article concerns secularity, that is, being secular, in various senses. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Civil society is composed of the totality of voluntary civic and social organizations and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society as opposed to the force-backed structures of a state (regardless of that states political system) and commercial institutions. ...

Jacob Middleton, responding^[6] in the Socialist Review, notes Respect's success in certain areas with very small Muslim populations, such as Councillor Elaine Abbott's Respect campaign for the May 4th (2006) local elections in which the Respect party achieved second place by around 150 votes in the solidly white working class area of Riversway, Preston. They also came second in the Bristol Lockleaze ward in the same elections, in an area which is 86% white. He points out that even in Newham and Tower Hamlets, where Respect were most successful, Muslims form a minority, albeit a large one (24% and 36% of the population respectively) according to the most recent census. The Socialist Review is the monthly magazine of the Socialist Workers Party (UK). ... Preston is a city and local government district in North West England. ... Lockleaze is a area in the northern suburbs of the city of Bristol, England. ...

The Green movement

Respect co-initiator George Monbiot, a left-wing writer and activist, resigned from Respect before its launch, because Respect intended to stand members of its party against existing Green Party members of the European Parliament (MEPs). Respect had offered to form a pact with the Green Party to stand down in each other's favoured seats, but this was rejected by the Greens. This may have proved problematic as both groups favoured standing in London, where Respect has received its highest votes and the Green Party holds seats. George Monbiot. ... “Leftism” redirects here. ... The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) is the principal Green political party in England and Wales. ... A Member of the European Parliament (English abbreviation MEP)[1] is a member of the European Unions directly-elected legislative body, the European Parliament. ...

For the 2004 Euro elections, an attempt was made by Respect to present a joint slate with the Green Party as articulated in a letter by Michael Lavalette in the Guardian (5 May 2005). However, the response from Prof John Whitelegg (Guardian, May 6 2004) claims that this would not have been legally possible as electoral law does not allow for joint slates. The Greens have also said that they had selected their candidates months previously by postal ballot, and were sceptical of the SWP influence.^[22] In a newspaper interview Hugo Charlton, Green party chair, said that he had "... always argued for some sort of understanding with them, not least because we are both "fellow travellers" on the left"; however he also noted that "any agreement at a local level, in the Green spirit of devolution, is up to local parties, but a formal, national alliance is out of the question".^[23] Elections to the European Parliament were held from June 10, 2004 to June 13, 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom. ...

After the 2005 results, Peter Cranie, the Greens' election co-ordinator - impressed with their results - had called for further discussion about how to further build the left of Labour vote, but did not advocate forming a Green-Respect alliance.^[24]

The Alliance for Green Socialism also criticise Respect for being unwilling to discuss the avoidance of electoral clashes with Green Socialists whilst being prepared to offer such an electoral arrangement to the non-socialist Green Party.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Stop the War Coalition

The Stop the War Coalition (StWC) (informally just Stop the War) is a UK anti-war group set up on 21 September 2001. ...

References

2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (114th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... May 13 is the 133rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (134th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... May 13 is the 133rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (134th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (114th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (114th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (114th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (114th in leap years). ...

External links

• Respect official website
• Election 2006 home

Respect publications

• Peace Justice Equality: the Respect manifesto for the May 2005 election 727 KB PDF document. Retrieved 5 May 2005.
• Where now for Respect? 435 KB PDF document. John Rees, Respect National Secretary. 22 June 2004. Retrieved 5 May 2005.

Articles May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (126th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... John Rees John Rees is a British Trotskyist politician and a member of the Central Committee of the Socialist Workers Party. ... June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (126th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

• Mc Shane, Anne. Reformism from above?
• Bynon, Huw. Drawing class lines
• Fischer, Mark. Abortion: make the position clear
• Manson, Peter. A strange amalgum(sic), Gerrymandering, exclusions and the farce of three- minute democracy
• Tatchell, Peter. Bizarre, upside-down politics
• Grzincic, Natasha. Respect where it's due?. Red Pepper. April 2005.
• Molyneux, John The Necessity of Respect. Socialist Review. February 2004.
• Neira, Manny. Socialism - the final shibboleth. Weekly Worker. January 2004.
• O'Toole, James. British Labor rivals wooing fast-growing Muslim voters Iraq, immigration policies put incumbents on notice. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Page A 6. Wednesday, May 04, 2005.
• Rees, John, Respect win is only the start. Socialist Worker. 14 May 2005.
• Sell, Hannah Islam and Socialism. Socialism Today. October 2004.
• Bird, Nick Respect can be a real advance for the radical left. Socialist Unity Network. May 2005.
• Reports of 2nd annual conference, Celebrate success, but face the next challenge". Socialist Worker. 26 November 2005.
• The Respect Coalition - Reactionaries in Progressive Clothing?
• Cohen, Nick. Bigots, racists and worthless buffoons - so why do they keep getting elected? The Guardian 7 May 2006.
• Middleton, Jacob Respect and the Muslim Vote. Socialist Review, June 2006