Momentum splits before its first Committee meeting

The far-left umbrella organisation Momentum has had more than it's fair share of teething problems since it's transformation from a group set up to get Corbyn elected. Every Trot group under the sun has been heading to the Labour Party in some shape or form even the "big two", the Socialist Workers Party and the Socialist Party have been forced to make some kind of accommodation so as not to be left out in the cold.

This has "forced" some of the more traditional Labour left to disown attempts by members of the SWP or the Socialist Party front the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) from entering Momentum's ranks. Lansman has been working hard to ensure that all positions are held by "Labour Party" members only.

Combined with strong allegations of bullying amongst some of the younger Momentum members attempts to formally establish Momentum as an organised grouping have now floundered with the group now cancelling it's initial National Committee meeting due to be held this weekend.

There are two camps (at least) within Momentum that wish to develop the group in quite different directions. John Lansman and his cohorts from the Labour Representation Committee simply wish Momentum to be a "ginger" group within Labour to force socialism on the party and purge deselect MP's who do not toe the comrades Corbyn's correct line. In order to achieve this he thinks Momentum should only accept Labour Party members.

However the younger members want to build a much wider organisation opening up links with amongst others the Green Party and others to create a much broader social movement. This of course would mean that Momentum would almost if not entirely become an organisation incompatible with Labour Party membership. It remains an expellable offence to stand against or support candidates from other (or no) parties who stand against official Labour Party candidates.

The other area over which there is substantial disagreement over whether Momentum should be a "delegate" organisation or a "representative" organisation.

The momentum is fast being lost and such infighting is adding to the problems faced by the far-left already in place around Corbyn. Socialist Action want to keep the MP's on board on a "steady as you go" piecemeal approach whilst others like Fisher want to push forward the Corbyn "revolution" at a faster pace.

Considering the basis of "socialism" as I understand it is "mutual aid and co-operation" the comrades seem (as usual) of acting or (shock, horror) "compromising" even amongst their own on that basis and falling out big time.

No change there then.

The 57 varieties as they were dubbed in the seventies have changed little. Unable to learn from the lessons of the past as everyone is hell bent on having the "correct line" shows the road to failure merely reflects a historical trend.

Meanwhile Corbyn fails to impress the voters Labour needs to win with his weak and ridiculous comments on everything from shoot to kill terrorists, negotiating with ISIS (the IRA comparison is blatantly absurd) to having Trident submarines without missiles whilst placating every tin-pot aggressor from Hamas to Putin. People quite rightly do not trust this man with their security in an ever dangerous world.

Sadly this left turn will result in another decade or more of Tory government. If that happens then it us ordinary folk who will lose our rights at work, our council homes, our NHS and our futures to the posh boy in number 10.

Corbyn and his supporters are the Tories best friends. But then so long as their "principles" remain intact the rest obviously doesn't really matter.

Time to reclaim Labour from this rabble of incompetent ideologues.