I have a lot of time for Tony Cliff’s widow – the redoubtable Chanie Rosenberg. In a party divided between ‘thinkers’ and ‘doers’ Chanie is a doer. When I used to sell Class War in Mare street in the 198os Chanie would often be selling Socialist Worker. The key to a good paper sale is look like you’re enjoying yourslf and stay there a long time – Chanie then in her late 6o’d did both. One day I even saw her doing a second sale up Stamford Hill.So respect to a woman in her 9os who is still a fighter.
Of course the current SWP central committee is well aware of this respect. Prior to their emergency conference last weekend there were various faction meetings. SWP rebels at one were astonished to find two members of the central committtee turn up and demand admittance to their faction meting specifically called to oppose the central committe. Even more astonished to find they had with them Chanie Rosenberg and her daughter Anna Gluckstein. Short of bringing the embalmed body of Tony Cliff into the room they could not hsve brought a more respected figure.I can imagine the shrieks of horror as news leaked out that Chanie had been refused admittance to an SWP meeting. And I am sure that is what the central committee did – imagine the horror.
Uncle Joe did the same with the blessed Krupskaya after VI’s demise.
They really are a cynical bunch of arseholes. Good fucking riddance.
The poor fucking idiots have just realised they can’t dispatch the NKVD to take care of dissidents at UCL. It’s come as a shock. Calls for discipline are going unheeded, and the hacks have nothing but empty threats and special pleading to respond with. That’s not the way a Leninist Party’s supposed to be run! Get Alex Callinicos out there, breaking a few heads! Bring back John and Lindsey as enforcers.
Apparently they’re too busy on the “fuck circuit”, Dora.