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Campaign for Socialism

Topic: Organization

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 3 min
Campaign for Socialism
Campaign for Socialism.jpg
AbbreviationCfS
Formation1994
HeadquartersGlasgow
Membership (2019)
1,418[1]
Co-Chair
Debbie Boyd[2][3]
Secretary
Stuart Honeyman
Co-Chair
Scott Hartles
WebsiteOfficial website

Campaign for Socialism (CfS) is an autonomous pressure group of Scottish Labour Party members and supporters who campaign for left-wing policies and candidates within the party.[4] In 2016, CfS agreed to a joint membership scheme with Momentum, a UK-wide grassroots movement supportive of Jeremy Corbyn and his leadership of the Labour Party.[5][6]

History

CfS was originally established in 1994 to campaign against the removal of Clause IV from the Labour Party's constitution.[7] By 2012, it was one of the only remaining ideological-based groupings in the party — but Gerry Hassan and Eric Shaw, writing that year, claimed that CfS "has few members, little organisational presence and has had a negligible influence on the direction of the party".[8]

CfS played a key role in organising Neil Findlay and Katy Clark's leadership bid in the 2014 Scottish Labour leadership election. Though unsuccessful, CfS claims the campaign "built the foundations for Jeremy [Corbyn]'s campaign just a few months later" by "giving many new, young volunteers experience and a network of contacts across the country that would help quickly mobilise an effective campaign".[9]

In 2016, Scottish Labour Young Socialists — founded in 2015[10] — became CfS's official youth wing.[11]

In 2017, five CfS members won seats on the Scottish Labour Party's national executive.[2] They called for the then Scottish Labour leader, Kezia Dugdale, to pursue a socialist agenda and work more closely with Jeremy Corbyn's team.[12]

CfS endorsed[13] Richard Leonard to be the next leader of Scottish Labour following the resignation of Kezia Dugdale in August 2017. Leonard went on to win the leadership with 56.7% of the vote.[14]

In the 2021 Scottish Labour leadership election the CfS endorsed Monica Lennon to be the next leader of Scottish Labour following Richard Leonard's resignation in January 2021.[15] She lost the election to Anas Sarwar, gaining 42.4% of the vote to his 57.6%.[16]

Notable members of CfS include: former Convenor Elaine Smith MSP, current Convenor Neil Findlay MSP, former MP Hugh Gaffney (2017–2019), and Pauline Bryan.

References

  1. ↑ Cahari, Eleni (17 May 2019). "Momentum Needs to Reflect the Different Regions - Meet the Scottish Corbynites". New Statesman. https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2019/05/momentum-needs-reflect-different-regions-meet-scottish-corbynites. Retrieved 17 July 2019. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Executive Committee, http://www.campaignforsocialism.org.uk/contact, retrieved 2020-09-03 
  3. ↑ Christie, Niall (1 September 2020). "Campaign for socialism unveils new top team" (in en). Morning Star. https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/campaign-for-socialism-unveils-new-top-team. Retrieved 3 September 2020. 
  4. ↑ "News from the Scottish Labour Campaign for Socialism (CfS)". 7 February 2014. http://l-r-c.org.uk/press/news-from-the-scottish-labour-campaign-for-socialism-cfs/. Retrieved 6 March 2017. 
  5. ↑ Smith, Norman (24 October 2015). "What is Momentum, and why is it worrying Labour MPs?". BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34609114. 
  6. ↑ Stone, Jon (8 October 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn's leadership campaign sets up new local activist network called 'Momentum'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 11 October 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151011181318/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jeremy-corbyns-leadership-campaign-sets-up-new-local-activist-network-called-momentum-a6686191.html. Retrieved 23 November 2015. 
  7. ↑ "Scottish Labour Left attacks London interference in Falkirk Selection Process". The Jimmy Reid Foundation. 4 July 2013. http://reidfoundation.org/2013/07/scottish-labour-left-attacks-london-interference-in-falkirk-selection-process/. Retrieved 6 March 2017. 
  8. ↑ Hassan, Gerry; Shaw, Eric (2012). The Strange Death of Labour Scotland. Edinburgh University Press. p. 259. ISBN 9780748655571. 
  9. ↑ Cook, Martyn; Kane, Tommy (November 2015). "How the contest was won". Scottish Left Review. http://www.scottishleftreview.org/article/how-the-contest-was-won/. Retrieved 6 March 2017. 
  10. ↑ ""Something Different, Something Subversive".". Young Socialists. 13 August 2015. https://youngsocialists.wordpress.com/2015/08/13/something-different-something-subversive/. Retrieved 6 March 2017. 
  11. ↑ "Campaign for Socialism AGM discusses way forward". Workers' Liberty. 18 February 2016. http://www.workersliberty.org/node/26297. Retrieved 6 March 2017. 
  12. ↑ Hutcheon, Paul (5 March 2017). "Dugdale loyalists lost out in Labour internal elections over bungled campaign approach". Sunday Herald. http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15134386.Dugdale_loyalists_lost_out_in_Labour_internal_elections_over_bungled_campaign_approach/. Retrieved 6 March 2017. 
  13. ↑ "CfS Supports Richard Leonard for Scottish Labour Leader" (in en-US). Campaign for Socialism. http://www.campaignforsocialism.org.uk/press-releases/2017/9/13/cfs-supports-richard-leonard-for-scottish-labour-leader. 
  14. ↑ Carrell, Severin (18 November 2017). "Richard Leonard wins Scottish Labour leadership in decisive victory" (in en). https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/nov/18/richard-leonard-voted-scottish-labour-leader. 
  15. ↑ Campaign for Socialism [@LabourCfS]. "Ballot emails arrive today. They will be sent from ‘Scottish Labour Party’ (labourelections@civica.co.uk) and the subject will be Scottish Labour Party – Scottish Labour Leadership. #Monica4Leader". https://twitter.com/LabourCfS/status/1359057447776710660.  Missing or empty |date= (help)
  16. ↑ "Anas Sarwar wins Scottish Labour leadership race". BBC News. 27 February 2021. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-56221768. 

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