Socialist Alternatives was the British section of the International Revolutionary Marxist Tendency (IRMT), a formerly Trotskyist Pabloite group based in Paris.[1] Being a small group in the UK, it was best known for the Marxist magazine of the same name partially edited by Keir Starmer from 1986 to 1987.[2] The magazine is believed to have been produced by the Pabloist International Revolutionary Marxist Tendency (IRMT),[3] and advertised its events and publications, although one of the authors identified it as being an outgrowth of the Socialist Society connected with Ralph Miliband and Hilary Wainwright.[4] Paul Mason has called it a "Trotskyite front magazine",[5] although this is disputed.[4] The French Trotskyist journalist Maurice Najman was also cited as a key supporter.[4]
Its politics were defined by one of its later authors Andrew Coates as being "aligned to the European ‘alternative’ movements of the time which stood for ecology, feminism and self-management. These were forerunners of later radical green-left groups, Los Indignados, Podemos, the left of Labour and similar currents within social democratic parties."[6] It was described by the left wing magazine Chartist as "the human face of the hard left".[7] Peter Hitchens described Socialist Alternative's "preoccupation with sexual politics and green issues" as presaging the politics of all today's major British politicians.[8]
The magazine included articles by Michalis Raptis,[9][10][11] the leader of the International Revolutionary Marxist Tendency and the left wing Labour MP Eric Heffer, Peter Tatchell,[6] as well as an interview with Tony Benn.[12][13] There were also advertisements for Michael Raptis's "Self Management Lectures"[14] and IRMT publications.[15] Keir Starmer wrote articles on the Wapping strike,[16][17] the 1986 TUC conference,[18] criticising Labour leader Neil Kinnock's moves towards the market economy,[19] a book review of Eric Heffer's Labour's Future,[20] Trade Unions and pluralism,[21] an interview with Benn,[12] and left-wing approaches to local government.[22] The magazine was still publishing in 1989,[23] and also in 1994.[24]
References
- ^ Barberis, Peter; McHugh, John; Tyldesley, Mike (1 January 2000). Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations: Parties, Groups and Movements of the 20th Century. A&C Black. ISBN 9780826458148. Retrieved 14 March 2021 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Keir Starmer: Radical who attacked Kinnock in Marxist journal," Archived 2 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine The Times, 18/1/20.
- ^ An archive of Socialist Alternatives is here Archived 2 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b c "Comrade Paul Mason Backs Keir Starmer; on Starmer's 'Socialist Alternatives' background". 8 January 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ "Clive Lewis and Keir Starmer are the candidates who understand how Labour must change". www.newstatesman.com. 8 January 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Europe, Internationalism, Socialist Alternatives (Pabloism), and…Keir Starmer". 29 August 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ "Starmer's Socialist Alternatives". 28 May 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ "Letters: Labour's left vs left struggle | the Spectator". 3 December 2020.
- ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no1 July August 1986, pages 26 to 30
- ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no2 October November 1986, pages 31 to 33
- ^ Socialist Alternatives v2 no1 April May 1987, pages 25 to 27
- ^ a b Socialist Alternatives v2 no1 April May 1987, pages 21 to 23
- ^ Interview with Keir Starmer talking about the Benn interview on Nick Robinson's Talking politics, linked here
- ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no1 July August 1986, page 30
- ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no1 July August 1986, back page
- ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no1 July August 1986, pages 19 & 20
- ^ Socialist Alternatives v2 no1 April May 1987, pages 7 and 8
- ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no2 October November 1986, page 3, written with Alex Harvey
- ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no1 July August 1986, page 31
- ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no2 October November 1986, page 41
- ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no3 December 1986 January 1987, pages 25 to 27
- ^ Socialist Alternatives v2 no2 August September 1987, pages 15 and 16
- ^ Europe, Internationalism, Socialist Alternatives (Pabloism), and… Keir Starmer, posted on the blog of Andrew Coates an author featured in that edition
- ^ "Google Scholar". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 14 March 2021.