Nooman and “Socialist Unity”: a malignant cult
In his increasingly undignified rightward belly-crawl from the SWP, via Respect, into a sort of incoherent Labourite Stalinism whilst playing the role of tame anti-Trot witch-hunter for unspecified audiences, Andy Nooman at least provides some entertainment this festive season. I was about to say “harmless” entertainment, but his latest ranting on his ”Socialist Unity” blog, about the revolutionary left (in this case, the AWL/ Alliance for Workers Liberty) is, by his own account “a redacted version of something I wrote for another audience.” I wonder who that “other audience” might be?
.
Above: Stroppybird’s cat
Nooman’s sub-political tirade is avowedly based upon John Sullivan’s ‘When This Pub Closes’ which is poor stuff but at least evinces some political grasp of its subject(s). In fact, Nooman, whether he knows it or not, is more in the tradition of the rank Stalinist ignoramous Denver Walker’s student union-level, scummy little tome ‘Quite Right Mr Trotsky.’
Anyway, there is much to be enjoyed in Nooman’s bile against the revolutionary left and his grovelling to the Labour/TU bureaucracy, but sadly he doesn’t let us link to “Socialist Unity,” so you’ll have to use Google, or copy/paste socialistunity.com/the-alliance-for-workers-liberty-the-dynamics-of-a-malignant-cult/
The comments are most entertaining as well, including:
* 23. How inept do you have to be in order to pen a hatchet job that embarrasses yourself more than anybody else? - Patrick Smith
* 123. EDUCATION? DEMOCRACY? ACTIVITY? What a DISGRACE to the left. A disgrace to socialist countries/union leaders/students.
I’m really glad you’ve outed them about all that sexual impropriety.m Who needs facts when you’ve got pure conjecture? I bet they’re all a bunch of filthy deviants. Oh and yes, I heard that Sheffield was particularly bad too. Need castrating, the lot of them – RHuzzah
* 142. Until this article was posted I’d never heard of the AWL, and from reading all the heated posts about occult meetings sexual impropriety and filthy deviants I only have one question.
Where do I sign up? – CJB
* 161. Ok. John [John Wight, Nooman's antisemitic sidekick - JD] couldn’t care less about someone writing for this blog or its standing among people who used to advocate for it. Andy completely agrees with him. Egal.
A narrowing of vision accompanied by a growing climate of intolerance, abuse and bullying — I for one have seen this movie a couple of times before And know well the last reel.
So no song and dance, just ciao — bella – Kevin Ovenden [former Socialist Unity contributor - JD]
P.S: Check out the attacks on Yours Truly: Nooman can’t even get this attempt at “humour” right, and work out whether I’m Father Ted or Father Jack…
Unite “bounced” into civil servants’ pensions deal
Unite has issued a statement saying it felt “bounced” into making a decision on civil servants’ pensions.
In a letter to members, national officer Mike McCartney said the TUC was asked to give a written agreement by 10am on Monday that every union would recommend its executive accept the government’s offer and that they would not take further industrial action whilst talks were in progress.
He said: “If we did not sign by the deadline then it would be concluded we rejected the agreement and would be outside the discussions. Whilst there could be a basis for agreement at some point there are still ten important issues that are outstanding.
“Furthermore I also point to an important fact that none of the three issues that made industrial action necessary on 30th November 2011 have been addressed.
“Unite’s stance is we felt we were being bounced into an artificial deadline by the government so that a statement could be given in the House of Commons.”
He goes on to say he hopes to continue negotiations but that nothing can be agreed until members have been consulted.
Earlier this afternoon, Unite said all talks with the government are off until the New Year.
The union yesterday withdrew from a deal reached on Monday after a letter from Eric Pickles altered a key element to proposals, without their consultation.
Despite the withdrawal of the letter, Unite, together with UNISON and GMB, suspended the deal saying they had lost trust in the government, which had hoped to sign the deal off by the end of the year.
Following that suspension, Unite members have this afternoon been told: “After consultation with lay membership, we have indicated to the employers that we will continue our suspension until an emergency Local Authority National Sector Committee can be called as early as possible on the New Year.”
You can read our coverage of yesterday’s developments here
Tags: heads of agreement, Mike McCartney, Pensions, strikes, Unite
Related Articles:
- Unions condemn rise to pensions contributions for civil servants
- UNISON, Unite and GMB withdraw from pensions deal
- BREAKING NEWS: Unite police workers to strike tomorrow over pay
- BREAKING: TUC pensions summit – “real progress, but no deal yet”
- BREAKING: pension deal for NHS workers “approved” by union negotiators
Unison: anatomy of a sell-out
| Read online | |
 |
|
| 20 December 2011 | |
 |
|
 A message from Dave Prentis, UNISON general secretary
Update on NHS pension schemeHealth unions, including UNISON, have agreed to consult on government ministers’ final pension proposals at the conclusion of negotiations.
Dave Prentis UNISON general secretary |
|
