the RESPECT party

With England out of Euro 2012 on penalties the flag-waving build up to the London Olympics begins in earnest. MARK PERRYMAN explores the changing shape of sports nationalism, and internationalism.

David Hemery burning his way round the track to victory in the 400m hurdles, Mexico 1968. Mary Peters defying gravity as she hauls her frame over the high jump bar to lift pentathlon Gold in Munich, 1972. David Wilkie winning in the pool, Montreal 1976. Coe and Ovett enjoying 1500m and 800m glory, Moscow 1980. Decathlete Daley Thompson acting the golden cheeky chappy, Los Angeles 1984. Great Britain beating Germany in the men’s hockey final, Seoul 1988. Christie and Gunnell triumphant on the track at Barcelona 1992. Steve Redgrave promising he’d never be seen near a boat again after winning his fourth straight Gold with Matthew Pinsent at Atlanta 1996, before doing precisely that to win his fifth and final Gold, once more with Pinsent, at Sydney 2000. Kelly Holmes grabbing an eye-popping 800m and 1500m golden double against all the odds in 2004. Hoy, Pendleton, Adlington and Ohuruogu leading Team GB’s Gold medal charge to fourth in the Beijing 2008 Medals Table.

West Yorkshire Police will allow a controversial march by the English Defence League to go ahead tomorrow in Dewsbury, despite an appeal from MPs George Galloway and Mike Wood to ban it.

West Yorkshire Assistant Chief Constable Geoff Dodd, who is responsible for policing the EDL march, cited the Human Rights Act and the right to 'peaceful protest' by people.

However Bradford West MP Galloway responded: 'It's very clear from their previous outings that the EDL are anything but peaceful protestors. If they aren't a threat to public order then who on earth is? The police have the ability to apply to the Home Secretary for a banning order but will not do so. I think it's a grave mistake and I just hope Mr Dodd doesn't rue it on Sunday morning, because he has been warned.'

Galloway said that he was still undecided about whether to attend the counter-rally organised by Unite Against Fascism and the TUC.

The government, after repeatedly pledging it wouldn't do, performed another spectacular U-turn after pressure from a powerful group of MPs including George Galloway.

Chancellor George Osborne announced today that the proposed 3p rise in fuel duty, trailed in the 'omnishambles' budget, was to be scrapped. 'He clearly realised that he couldn't win in the House in the debate next week and rather than face defeat, caved in. It's great news for motorists and the transport industry and another massive failure by his government which is now a total laughing stock,' George Galloway said.

George Galloway was a sponsor of an amendment which would have have been debated next week and, if carried, would have ruled out the increase. 'It was clear that the Cameron government would face a massive defeat in the Commons and that our amendment would have won the day. This is yet another reverse in policy by a befuddled and completely out of touch government. It's another fine mess George Osborne has got his boss into. How long can this incompetent remain in power before the men in grey suits visit him with the resignation letter to sign?'

David Cameron spoke yesterday of wishing to end a ‘culture of entitlement’ on welfare benefits. He did so with a straight face just as he managed to claim that Jimmy Carr’s tax affairs were ‘morally wrong’ without a cheeky wink or raised eyebrow.

The utter hypocrisy of this Tory government (with a Liberal Democrat poodle yapping at its side) plumbs new depths every day. The Prime Minister’s family made its fortune from the use of tax havens. Over half of the Conservative Party’s donors operate offshore from the UK to avoid paying tax. They are the richest of the rich in this society yet do not wish to contribute to helping the society to function for the poor as well. As Gideon Osborne admitted ‘some of the very wealthiest people in the country have organised their tax affairs... so that they were regularly paying virtually no income tax.’ Cameron himself is worth over £30 million yet he claimed expenses from Parliament on his mortgage.

If there is a ‘culture of entitlement’ in Britain, it is evident among the richest. After all, how many large banks have trumpeted tax avoidance schemes yet ask for public bail outs when their gambling on the financial markets went wrong?

MPs George Galloway and Mike Wood have called on West Yorkshire police commissioner Sir Norman Bettison to call off the English Defence League march on Saturday, June 30.

In a joint letter the MPs instance the trouble caused in Cleckheaton and beyond in the last EDL demonstration in March and raise concerns that this time it may be much worse.

'This history of trouble, attacks and arrests must dispel any claim the EDL has a legitimate right to march and it also demonstrates the potential for trouble to spill out into Spen Valley, Batley and indeed Bradford as all these places are on the way back from Dewsbury, should the same hard core venture out on the 30th,' the letter says.

The text is printed below.

George Galloway is to ask Labour leader Ed Miliband to condemn remarks by Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman which imply that voters in Bradford West are stupid.

Sheerman is reported in the Huddersfield Examiner saying, 'This isn't Bradford West, we have a much more balanced population in Huddersfield. We have a much more intelligent electorate. People in Huddersfield are better informed and more integrated in British parliamentary democracy.'

Sheerman was reacting to news that Galloway's party, Respect, will stand a candidate in his Huddersfield constituency at the next election.

'Does Ed Miliband endorse these statements from his MP, that basically Bradford voters are dim? I can't believe he would. There's also an unseemly racial note to them,' Galloway said. 'I'd also like to know if Bradford South Labour MP Gerry Sutcliffe agrees or disagrees. '

Sheerman was also quoted as making a series of egregious personal remarks about Galloway's personal life. 'I have no intention of engaging with Sheerman by responding to his contemptible attack,' the Bradford West MP said. 'As my old father used to put it, “You don't want to wrestle with a chimney sweep”.' But he did point out that he had more than 150,000 followers on Twitter and Facebook, 'which makes me very happy indeed'.

Galloway also denied, as Sheerman alleged, that he had been invited to two events held by the Parliamentary Group for Yorkshire and had not attended them. 'I've already written to Mr Sheerman telling him that I received no such invitations but that I'd be delighted to receive them in future.'

In this summer of Euro 2012 and the London Olympics , both dominated by product sponsors, MARK PERRYMAN points to a third, major sporting event with less emphasis on corporate control and more on popular participation …

Modern sport isn’t simply a contest between teams or individuals. It is also increasingly an arena which corporate power seeks to exploit. During this summer of major sporting events it’s clear that the governing bodies behind the European soccer finals and the Olympic Games are following a strikingly similar agenda, one shaped by drive of business to make money out of people’s love for sport. That generally starts with top down control. Here are two examples from Euro 2012, from where I’m writing:

A World of Chaos - a talk given by Kevin Ovenden at Respect Party Conference on 16th June.

Manchester GP, Dr Kay Phillips explains why thousands of doctors like her will be taking action to defend their pensions on 21st June.

The missing billions | UK Uncut from Small Axe Films on Vimeo.

by John Wight

While millions all over Europe have been feasting on the European Football Championships this past week, Palestinian footballer Mahmoud Al Sarsak remains on hunger strike in Israeli detention in protest at being held for almost three years without being convicted of a crime. At time of writing he has been on hunger strike for over 80 days and his condition is deteriorating rapidly.

Mahmoud was arrested in July 2009 while travelling from his home in Gaza to the West Bank to train with the Palestinian national football team. He had obtained a permit to travel from the Israeli authorities beforehand and yet upon arriving at the Erez Crossing in the Gaza Strip he was arrested and taken for interrogation. He is being held under the Unlawful Combatant Law, which allows Israel to detain Palestinians from Gaza indefinitely without charge or criminal proceedings being brought to court. This means that Mahmoud has not been given any opportunity to hear the evidence against him or defend himself. Moreover, he has been prevented from having any contact with his family whilst in detention.

by George Galloway MP.


A belated admission, insouciant excuses, a stench of authoritarianism and a sluice of scapegoating.

The outlines of this government of millionaires are now being hashed out daily.

The British economy has already returned to recession - after a near flat recovery which left most of our people untouched. Now both the Bank of England and the Treasury have woken up to the threat of an outright economic catastrophe, having spurned the warnings of increasing numbers of independent economists over the last year.

This week they came up with another eye-watering £80 billion for Britain's enfeebled banks to try to stave off what could in the coming days and weeks be a financial hurricane more ferocious than that ushered in by the collapse of Lehman Brothers nearly four years ago. But the underlying dogmatism of austerity for the many and largesse for the few remains right at the centre of the coalition government's policy. Like some demented First World War general Osborne and Cameron, with Clegg as recruiting sergeant, are throwing wave after wave of working people over the top and into the canon fire of unbridled capitalist crisis.

The Respect Party Conference takes place this Saturday, 16 June in Bradford, the scene of Respect's recent by-election and council election successes. The venue is the magnificent Connaught Rooms, Manningham Lane, Bradford, BD1 3EA.

The conference will discuss the way forward for progressive politics that challenge the three major parties which all say the same things. It will also include an afternoon session on the world in chaos, with a specific focus on the further attempts to foment war in the Middle East and the huge crisis in Europe.

Starting with registration at 10am, the opening address will be delivered by Salma Yaqoob, Respect's outstanding Leader followed by George Galloway, Respect MP for Bradford West who will introduce the session on the Bradford Spring and beyond. The morning will end with breakout sessions on building branches and student groups for Respect.

The afternoon session on the world in chaos will be introduced by Kevin Ovenden, Respect National Council member and Director of Viva Palestina. This will be followed by elections and some closing remarks.

Members and non-members are welcome (though only members will have voting rights). Registration can be booked on this website or at the desk at the entrance to the conference. It costs £5 to register as a member. 

Reacting to the news that Thomas Cook is to close its Bradford operations centre and throw 468 people on the dole, Bradford West MP George Galloway accused the company of a 'heartless disregard' of the people and families involved.

'Once more we see a company put profit before people. There has been no consultation, just P45s all round. It's disgraceful,' the MP said. He called on the company, 'even at this late stage', to get round the table with local MPs, politicians and unions to save the jobs.

'Like any other company Cook has suffered through this shameful government's austerity programme. The economy needs growth, not retraction like this,' he continued. He pointed out that Bradford West had suffered the highest year-on-year increase of any of the country's 650 constituencies - almost 30% - and that more than one-in-five families were in fuel poverty. 'We need urgent action from the government to save these jobs and to grow the economy rather than stifle it. I am challenging David Cameron and George Osborne, the real people ultimately responsible for this tragedy, to come here to face the people and tell them why their job losses - and all the others suffered in the last year - are helping build the economy.'

The London Olympics 2012 is a once-in-a-lifetime event. So why, asks Mark Perryman, have so few of us got tickets?

With the Jubilee over and the England football team unlikely to provide much of a lasting distraction at the Euros, the 50-day countdown to the London Olympics is now entering serious overdrive.

Right from the start of the bidding competition back in 2005, hosting a ‘home’ Olympics was sold to the British public as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This was no idle boast: Along with football’s World Cup (which England can’t even think of hosting till at least 2026) the Olympics is undoubtedly the biggest show on earth. Spread across 26 different sports and with over 200 countries competing, its reach and appeal is enormous.

The sales pitch of the Olympic organisers was explicit: This was an opportunity to be there while history was being made, to witness something unforgettable first-hand, to bring the memories of past Games watched on TV to vivid life. The Games organisers did little or nothing to dampen expectation that tickets for the Games would there for the taking.

All of John Carlos's inspirational talk given in Bradford on 26th May.

Something deeply disturbing occurred on the river Thames in London over the weekend. While thousands had their parade rained upon as a flotilla of boats celebrated the Queen’s diamond jubilee, the scale of the attack on the poor in this society became more obvious.

To steward the event, a large team of unemployed men and women were bussed in from the South West of England by Close Protection UK. The company initially told the team that they would be paid for two days work during the weekend and bank holiday. Upon arrival in the middle of the night in London, the company reneged upon this offer. Thirty received no money at all while fifty more, on ‘apprenticeships’ received £2.80 per hour. The stewards were told to camp on the concrete under London Bridge as the rain poured.

When they woke, they were given clothes for the stewarding but nowhere to change. There were not even toilet facilities. After the parade, the group were taken by tube to Essex to pitch their tents in the dark. Another uncomfortable, cold and rainy night followed. Close Protection UK laughably claimed that this was part of the training for an NVQ in ‘spectator safety’ and, if the group did this work for nothing, they would be considered for the paid jobs at the Olympics. The question is how much are the contracts to provide safety at the parade and the Olympics worth to the company? Did the company’s bid include not paying staff and making them sleep rough in the streets?

While huge amounts of money are lavished on the diamond jubilee for a monarch who is paid by the taxpayer yet has wealth in excess of £300 million, the poorest are being reduced to Dickensian workhouse conditions. While enormous sums of money are frittered away for the Olympics, slave labour is being introduced for those without work. A government Work Programme has shown its true colours.

The Respect Party believes:

• The Close Protection UK contracts for the jubilee celebrations and the Olympics should be made public immediately. 
• The group of unemployed people subjected to this abuse should be paid the going rate for manual labour from the point of pickup until return home and they should be given compensation by the company and the government for the indignity of what they suffered. 
• The government must declare how much it knew about this abuse and whether there are any conflicts of interest in relation to this company. 
• Close Protection UK should removed from all government contracts forthwith.
• All government workfare and Work programmes should be immediately investigated.

The number of poor people in Bed and Breakfast accommodation has tripled; the number of people reduced to the charity of food banks has rocketed; jobs, wages and services are being slashed while contracts are awarded to private sector outfits that treat people in this disgraceful and inhumane way.

This is not the celebration of the pride of Britain, it is the calculated and brutal destruction of all that prevented widespread poverty. This is the scandal of government Work Programmes, for which the government should be put out of work. Our hope lies in resisting these attacks on our living standards and breaking the political orthodoxy that says austerity for the poor and bailouts for the rich.

According to the organizers, encouraging participation in sport is one of the main benefits of the London 2012 Olympics. Mark Perryman examines the evidence.

The Olympic motto “ The most important thing is not winning but taking part” represents some of the finest ideals not only of Olympism but of any sporting event aspiring to be democratic, participative and accessible. After this weekend’s Jubilee hoopla fades away, the coming summer of sport - Euro 2012, a serious British challenger to win the Tour de France, Wimbledon fortnight, overseas rugby tours to the southern hemisphere, a domestic test match series and the first, and last, home Olympics for most of our lifetimes - will no doubt test such sentiments to the full. A nation that invented many of the world’s team sports has, perhaps forgivably, some difficulty in coping with repeated defeats by the nations to which it exported them. Add in a lengthy martial and imperial tradition, and CLR James’ famous maxim ‘What do they know of cricket who only cricket know’ can be seen as essential to understanding why the British are not the world’s best losers.