Vaux Populi

If you can just glance to your right on the screen, you will see in the 'Worth A Gander' section that I have added Vaux Populi, the campaigning blog set up by Socialist Party members as part of their (our) commitment to contesting the Vauxhall Parliamentary Constituency in the forthcoming General Election.

It's early stages but it's hoped that as the phoney war of the impending General Election transforms itself into those four weeks in Spring when Blockbuster does a roaring trade in video rentals and every second house has a sign in its window with the words: 'Hawkers, Double Glazing Salesmen and Religious Fundamentalists Welcome: Political Canvassers Piss Off, and Close The Gate Behind You Whilst You Are Doing It', that the blog will be able to build up a head of steam* to the point where people reading it day on day can get some sense of the impossibilist socialist tradition and how it can actually relate to the politics of everyday life.

That is the nub of the problem for all those ideologies that fall within the description of 'non-market socialism.' I've lost count of the number of occasions where people have mouthed the words: "It's a nice idea but . . . ." (I have a habit of finishing the sentences for them nowadays.), and in age when there is such a high level of cynicism about politics and politicians in general, then perhaps - just perhaps - there is a space opening up for such politics and leftfield thinking to gain an audience. I say perhaps because if politics has taught me anything it is that I should temper any preconceived notion of what might happen with the realisation that something completely contrary will sneak up and throw you a curve ball. It's a good lesson for life also.

What do I expect myself from the Election Campaign? Well, I got to be candid I'm not really looking forward to it. The election campaigns of the past when an SPGBer pidgeonholed Winston Churchill to tell him why he should be a socialist, and George Orwell popped into the Election Office (is that me showing my age or the Party's?) are long gone. Sadly most members share the apathy and cycnicsm of so many workers today about politics and will vote with their feet this coming election by switching off, but christ how many Adam Sandler comedies can you borrow from Blockbuster before the fire in the belly starts up again?

Watch this space.