The Oxford Radical Forum held a conference from 29 February to 2 March at Wadham College.
On the Saturday, there was a panel discussion titled “Where Now for the Left?”
Panelists were to include Alex Callinicos, Gilbert Achcar and Peter Tatchell. Indeed, the event was publicised on the Oxford Respect website.
But then the SWP’s main theologian, Callinicos, pulled out of the discussion saying he would not share a platform with Peter Tatchell. Local SWP activists said the Callinicos pull-out was because Tatchell is deemed to be an “Islamophobe” and “pro-imperialist.”
So, is this now SWP policy? That people on the liberal/left who dissent with their take on world affairs are the same as “fascists”. Indeed, another idiot-left totum, Bob Pitt, once described Tatchell as “objectively pro Nazi” for protesting Iqbal Sacranie’s homophobic statements.
This new “no platform for all who disagree with us” is so idiotic (yet so typical of the SWP circus) that one can only conclude that Callinicos was – in reality – too afraid to actually take on Tatchell face-to-face in front of an audience. Then again, it is a thankless job being the apologist when your party lies down with misogynists, homophobes and antisemites. so maybe we should cut Cde Alex some slack.
