The value of winning
Steve Cohen
Dear
Friends I am pleased that Andy Newman has made such a comprehensive
response to, critique of, my document “Solidarity not Pity” on the (mis)use
of compassionate grounds in anti-deportation campaigns. The document
was written precisely to be provocative and to provoke responses. I
don’t claim any franchise on the debate but would just like to make a
few simple points in return:
First, the
state itself is quite clear that it wants to confine campaigns to the
political dead-end of compassionate grounds – rather than being based on
opposition to all controls. This is what the whole adverse publicity to
the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns was about. The Home
Office (through the lottery) was prepared to fund NCADC to launch as
many campaigns as it wants – provided that it does not challenge
controls themselves.
Second,
Andy completely over-estimates the role of MPs in fighting deportation.
In fact he seems to concur in their own self-image as being influential.
MPs are simply a letter box to the Home Office. In my experience it is
utterly irrelevant as to whether an MP is supportive or hostile. The
idea that campaigns should be tailored to (reformist to reactionary)
politics of the local MP is manifestly wrong
Third, it
is important for all of us, Andy included, not to indulge in
triumphalism. In most situations it is simply not possible to say how a
case was “won”. Campaigns may or my not have a role in securing
victories. Some campaigns (e.g. that of Anwar Ditta) quite clearly
influence the decision. Other campaigns have no effect( e.g. many of the
cyber campaigns which seem to consist simply of on-line petitions and
have no public presence)
Fourth, I
don’t understand the point about skilled workers. I thought we were
against wage differentials – just like we should be against the
hierarchy created by compassionate grounds.
Fifth,
though “winning” a case is central to a campaign it is not, as
socialists, the only issue. The issue for us is to build up a movement
which can challenge controls physically and ideologically . Three
decades of campaigning on compassionate grounds has not seen any such
movement emerge. This is why some of us have produced the
No One Is Illegal manifesto
against controls. It would be good if Socialist Unity could reproduce
this and throw it into the ring of debate. click
here
Finally if
anyone is interested a No Border group has been set up in Manchester to
discuss these issues amongst many others. Our next meeting is Tuesday
September 28th, 7.30pm at 24 Lever St in the city centre.
September 2004