05.11.09
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EXCLUSIVE by Mark Watts
Trotskyist group the socialist workers party helped to re-launch “NUJ
Left” last November as a vehicle to take control of the national union
of journalists.
An investigation today reveals that the SWP was one of three political
groups behind the new formation of “NUJ Left” out of the ashes
of a predecessor body with the same name. The other two groups behind the
re-launch were: the socialist party, and workers power, which describes itself
as a “revolutionary communist organisation”.
Several inside sources have come forward to blow the whistle on the
political group that has been seeking to have its members take key positions
in the NUJ hierarchy. In addition, whistle-blowers have also leaked documents
giving an insight into “NUJ Left”.
The far-left political faction has become a hot issue in the election
for the editor of the union’s Journalist magazine after my
e-mail circular to members two weeks ago unmasked
Richard Simcox as the “NUJ Left” candidate even though he had
made no such declaration in his campaign material, including the “election
address”, that was sent via the union to the electorate. He was not
the first “NUJ Left” candidate running for an elected union position
to do this.
NUJ members have until November 16 to vote by postal ballot for a new
editor – an extension
of 10 days to the original deadline. The extension follow-ed my request
on behalf of four of the eight candidates.
The e-mail circular also revealed that “NUJ Left” was operating
as a cabal and seeking to control the union’s national executive council
(NEC).
I can today reveal that the re-launch of “NUJ Left” was
agreed at a meeting held on Sunday afternoon, November 16 last year, in the
Lucas Arms, opposite the NUJ’s London headquarters at Headland House.
Several sources speaking on condition of anony-mity identified the
SWP as helping with the meeting. The SWP describes itself as “an anti-cap-italist
revolutionary Marxist organisation” and follows the ideology of Russian
revolutionary Leon Trotsky.
In addition, the meeting was announced in Social-ist Worker,
the SWP’s newspaper, saying: “Activ-ists in the NUJ journalists’
union have organised an ‘NUJ Left’ forum in London this weekend.
“The forum will discuss what it means to be on the left in the
NUJ and how does the left and the union best equip activists and reps to organise
media and editorial workers to fight and win?”
Simcox was one of that key meeting’s organis-ers. I have
obtained a copy of an e-mail dated October 23, 2008, that Simcox sent to potential
fellow members of the political faction, in which he writes, “Just to
confirm where we are with the plans for the forum its: on Sunday 16 November
12pm-2pm upstairs at the Lucas Arms, opp. NUJ HQ, Gray’s Inn Road, London
speakers tbc.”
In an apparent reference to NUJ vice-president Peter Murray, Simcox
continues: “As Pete said, a draft ‘NUJ Left’ manifesto will
be circulated for consultation shortly and an agenda will be e-mailed nearer
the time.”
He adds: “This will be an important meeting. Please make every
effort to attend.
“Also, please circulate this to any NUJ comrades.”
According to another “NUJ Left” document, Sim-cox was elected
onto the “steering committee” of the faction at its conference
last May – along with Miles
Barter, the NUJ’s campaigns and communic-
ations officer. Murray is understood to have been a speaker at the “forum”.
Simcox, who says that while he is in “NUJ Left” he does
not belong to any political party, confirmed that he helped organise the meeting,
which he said included booking the pub. “We did have a meeting in November
to re-launch ‘NUJ Left’.”
“It was advertised. It was a diary date on the NUJ website. It
was advertised in ‘NUJ active’.”
The Socialist Worker reported after the re-launch meeting:
“It was agreed that there needs to be a strong left at the grassroots
level of the union to organise resistance, build the union, and support and
pressure the left-led national executive.”
“The meeting agreed a manifesto and elected a four-strong committee
to co-ordinate future events.”
Several sources said that the meeting was attend-ed by a small group
of more than 30 NUJ members – including some from the NEC – and
that it was addressed by speakers from SWP, the socialist party, workers power,
and a bus driver involved in a then on-going strike.
The debate centred, according to all the sources, on the wording of
the group’s “manifesto”, which was aimed at “promoting
socialist principles” and supporting its candidates for NEC positions.
One said: “Everyone there seemed to think that it was a good,
constructive meeting.”
According to two sources, some activists at the meeting complained
that full-time NUJ officials had too much control and that the NEC was simply
rubber-stamping their decisions. There was dis-cussion about including a reference
to this in the manifesto, but the idea was rejected at the time.
Sources at Headland House reveal that many un-ion staff members resent
what they see as the growing influence of “NUJ Left” inhibiting
them from carrying out day-to-day work on behalf of members.
The re-launch meeting agreed on the “manifesto”, which
set out how the political faction intends to take control of the NUJ. It began:
“NUJ Left is an inclusive coalition of activists in the NUJ who work
together to improve conditions for members and advance socialist principles
within the union, the labour movement and society at large. We are not affiliated
to any political party and membership is open to all members of the NUJ and
its staff.”
“We encourage, educate and support NUJ mem-bers, activists and
reps to recruit, organise and engage in struggle against their employers.”
The “manifesto” became the description used by “NUJ
Left” about itself on its website,
including its aims.
These include: “Co-ordinating branch activity to propagate ‘NUJ
Left’ aims and objectives, and any agreed policies, across the union.
“Maintaining regular and effective communication among all levels
of the NUJ, including liaison between ‘NUJ Left’ and NEC Left
members, to ensure senior lay and elected left officials are accountable to
‘NUJ Left’.
“Providing a strong, united voice for the left at annual conference,
by co-ordinating motions and amendments in advance and, where possible, agreeing
attitudes before and during conference.
“Identifying and targeting key elected posts and NEC seats, democratically
agreeing slates for el-ections, and campaigning for ‘NUJ Left’
candidates, to advance our influence.”
The Channel 4 news presenter, Jon
Snow, and an
army of other
eminent journalists
from all corners
of the media industry, and from across the UK and Ireland, have backed my
election bid.
Mark Watts – freelance journalist, broadcaster and FOIA
Centre co-ordinator – is standing in the election on the basis that
the new editor of the Journalist should be an independent
journalist at heart – not a politicised activist. He is not a member
of any political party or group.
Comment
on this article
‘Hanky panky’
in NUJ election revealed
Union staff campaign for ‘NUJ
Left’ candidate
NUJ extends voting period
following request
Four election candidates
seek vote extension
NUJ peer raises election issue
in parliament
Watts unmasks ‘NUJ
Left’ candidate in circular
C4 News anchor Jon
Snow backs Watts for editor
Former BBC political
reporter supports Watts
Top journalists back
Watts election campaign
More journalists
support election bid by Watts
Watts campaigns for independent
Journalist
FOIA
specialist in election for Journalist editorship
Journalistic background
of Mark Watts
Comments
on Journalist election (7)
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