Note: This statement was published before rs21 was established as an independent organisation in January 2014. rs21 was founded by a group of people who had been in the opposition within the SWP and who left in response to its persistent mishandling of rape and sexual harassment allegations against a leading member.
Open statement: Resignation from the SWP
rs21 •The signatories to this statement can no longer remain members of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) following events at its annual conference on 13-15 December 2013.
We all fought for a just resolution for the two women at the heart of this crisis. We are proud of having conducted that battle. We are honoured to have worked alongside hundreds of comrades in an effort to uphold our political principles on women’s liberation.
We remain committed to socialism from below and to the need for revolutionary organisation. The SWP taught us how to fight and we are indebted to both the politics that inspired us and the individuals who made this happen.
We have resigned because our leadership failed to put our principles on women’s liberation into practice. Nevertheless many good revolutionaries who did not fail that test will remain members of the SWP. We want to work with the SWP and others in campaigns and struggles ahead.
Over the last year we began debating a wide range of political questions. We want to continue those debates. The crisis has brought out both the strengths and the weaknesses of our own political tradition. These questions will not be resolved in weeks, or even in months. But we do want to assess how we begin again to organise collectively.
In solidarity
Adam DC, Adrià Porta Caballé, Alberto Torres, Alexis W, Alice LB, Amy Gilligan, Andrew Osborne, Andy Cunningham, Andy North, Angela S, Anindya Bhattacharyya, Anne Saxon, Annie N, Arjun Mahadevan, Arnie Joahill, Bartley W, Bea Leal, Bettina Trabant, Bill Crane, Brian Parkin, Bunny La Roche, Charlie Hore, Christian C, Colin, Colin Marchant, Colin Wilson, Cris Johnson, Dan Swain, Darren P, Dave Radford, Dave Roberts, David Hollings, David Renton, Deborah M, Despina M, Dominic W, Elizabeth Dearden, Emily McDonagh, Emma C, Emma C, Estelle C, Ewa Barker, Ewan Nicolson, Fraser Ritchie, Gareth Jones, Gary M, Gill George, Graham Campbell, Hanif L, Hazel Sabey, Helios Alonso, Ian A, Ian Birchall, Ian Stone, Imelda Messenger, Imogen PB, Iris C, Isabel H, Jack Farmer, Jack T, James Cameron, James Norrie, Jamie Andrews, Jaz Blackwell-Pal, Jen W, Jo Robbins, John Walker, Jonas Liston, Jonathan Neale, Jonny Jones, Jordan Miers, Judd Osborne, Judith Swift, Kaiya S, Kath Knight, Keith Forbes, Kevin F, Kyri Tsappas, Leon Bond, Liam Tobin, Linda Nunns, Lois JC, Louis Bayman, Lukas K, Luke E, Luke Henderson, Mark B, Mark W, Martha J, Matt S, Matthew C, Michael McDonnell, Michal N, Mike Thompson, Mike Williams, Mikhil Karnik, Mireia Chavarria, Miriyam Aouragh, Mitch Mitchell, Moses Milner, Nancy L, Nathan B, Neil B, Neil Davidson, Neil Rogall, Nicholas J, Nick Cimini, Nick E, Oliver Lowe, Ollie Vargas, Owen H, Owen Miller, Pat Stack, Patrick Naylor, Patrick Ward, Pete Cannell, Pete Gillard, Phil T, Rachel Eborall, Rebecca Short, Rick C, Rick Lighten, Rita McLoughlin, Rob Owen, Robin B, Roderick C, Ron Smith, Ross S, Ruairidh Maclean, Ruth Lorimer, Sadie F, Sam James, Sam O’Brien, Sara Bennett, Sarah Pigott, Seb Cooke, Sebastian Cooke, Shanice M, Shayon S, Shirley Marchant, Siân R, Simon Behrman, Simon D, Simon Fisher, Sophie Williams, Søren G, Stella Hawker, Steve Baker, Steve Henshall, Stuart Calton, Sue Bond, Sundara J, Tara Topteagarden, Theo Williams, Tom Haines-Doran, Tommy Martin, Tony Walker, Valerie Prechner, Viv Smith, Will Stacey, William Cleary, William S, Yasmin Kenyon
If you would like to add your name to this statement, please email your details to revolutionarysocialism21@gmail.com. Please make it clear if you don’t want your full name published. List updated with 165 signatories on 27 December 2013.
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