Two contradictory processes have made unity of the left both necessary and possible. Unity is necessary because the traditional left has shown to be impotent, Nothing could be more certain than that Labour's left, the Communist Party, and other sectors of the "old left" will be unable to bar the way to Powellism and other right-wing developments, On the other hand, the success of a number of militant organisations like the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign, the fact that large numbers of young people and students are prepared to struggle, and the response to the workers' control campaign all prove that there is a large potential waiting to be organised,
We must unite or suffer the fate of the German and Italian working classes before the war. If we do unite, it is possible to envisage in the not too distant future decisive struggles in Britain which could start the process of the overthrow of British capitalism,
What then are the obstacles to immediate unity? For our part, we see no barrier to the IMMEDIATE FORMATION OF A UNITED FRONT LIAISON COMMITTEE bringing together many strands of the left. In particular, the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign has shown that such liaison can and has been taking place, Moreover, it can be irrefutably argued that the success of this organisation has lain in its application of the united front strategy.
UNITY IN ACTION
But this took place in a certain context: that of the working together of all those who support the Vietnamese people. This unity in action meant a break with those who would not take a firm line on Vietnam. It meant creating an organisation which was ACTIVE on this question and did not confine itself to resolutions and articles.
We think that the lessons of the VSC point the way towards building a wider unity, The liaison committee we have in mind would be one that organises militant and mass activity. It would be an organisation which excluded the "Soggies", It would, whilst attempting to achieve the widest unity, be a body that did not equivocate in its support for all those engaged in struggle,
This committee should have a positive programme based upon unifying principles which would seek to link the struggle in Britain with the world-wide advance towards national liberation, social advance and workers' democracy, By its very nature its strategy should be offensive rather than concentrating on meeting the attacks of the employers and the Wilson Government. Only in this way could it become a body which organised a struggle designed to lead the workers towards socialism and the taking of power,
The more difficult problem of the unification of various marxist groups would be much easier to solve after a period of working together in such a committee. Nothing does more harm to unity than an ill-conceived and ill-prepared unification. We are, however, convinced that the creation of such a committee would rapidly lead to a genuine unity