Socialist Workers Party (UK)
The Socialist Workers Party (SWP) is a far-left political party in the United Kingdom. Founded as the Socialist Review Group by supporters of Tony Cliff in 1950, it became the International Socialists in 1962 and the SWP in 1977.[2] The party considers itself to be Trotskyist. Cliff and his followers criticised the Soviet Union and its satellites, calling them state capitalist rather than socialist countries.
Not to be confused with Workers Party of Britain.
Socialist Workers Party
SWP
Lewis Nielson
Socialist Review Group (1950)
International Socialists (1962)
Socialist Workers Party (1977)
London, United Kingdom
Red
- Central committee
- national committee
The SWP has founded several fronts through which they have sought to coordinate and influence leftist action, such as the Anti-Nazi League in the late 1970s.[3] It also formed an alliance with George Galloway and Respect, the dissolution of which in 2007 caused an internal crisis in the SWP. A more serious internal crisis emerged at the beginning of 2013 over allegations of rape and sexual assault made against a leading member of the party.[4][5] The SWP's handling of these accusations against the individual known as Comrade Delta, later identified as Martin Smith, led to a significant decline in the party's membership.[6] It also led to a number of formal reviews which resulted in new procedures to support any member who experienced sexual harassment or other forms of oppressive behaviour.[7]
On the international level, the SWP is part of the International Socialist Tendency.
Leadership[edit]
The leadership is formed by a central committee, and a national committee. Elections to the central committee are held at the national conference each January. As of 2023 the central committee members were: Alex Callinicos, Amy Leather, Camilla R, Charlie Kimber, Héctor Puente Sierra, Jessica Walsh, Joseph Choonara, Julie Sherry, Lewis Nielsen, Mark Thomas, Michael Bradley, Nadia Sayed, Sophia Beach, Tomáš Tengely Evans and Weyman Bennett. [123]
The national committee consists of 51 members elected annually at national conference. At least four party councils a year are to be arranged by the central committee. At these councils two delegates elected from each branch plus the national committee will be entitled to attend.[124]