<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr">HI again <br><div><br></div><div>Some feedback / update from my recent interactions with the PAAA. </div>
<div><br></div><div>In addition to my liaison with John Rees I have now, following the signatories meeting earlier this month (where I raised, with quite a few others in support - including some from unexpected quarters - crucial issues of participation, democratic diversity support for horizontalism and 'the vision thing' etc) made good working links with Romayne Phoenix (who chaired the meeting) Pilgrim Tucker (a female activist who works for UNITE and interested in promoting real democracy and fixing the political system) and another sister on the inner PAAA organising committee. All three of them have shown themselves to be vocally supportive of the more alternative / Occupy-like approach in signatories meetings. </div>
<div><br></div><div>And, as referenced in the earlier mail following recent meetings of the PAAA Committee (inner circle) and signatories (outer) the next signatories meeting will be on 7 Dec and will be open to one rep from each PA group across the land.</div>
<div><br></div><div>The 're-call' document which the meeting will be asked to consider (along with any other resolutions we can get to them) is going to be substantially the same as the one set out below at 1. with a 'slight change to delegate numbers'. As you will see we have been successful in getting mention of the horizontal approach and other aspects of people's critical feedback and we op you will feel empowered by this to take the ideas forward further in your local PAAA engagement work or otherwise.. Thank you for your support in this and please do continue to send feedback and suggestions to myself direct or via your local rep, including comments that you have made before but still await action on. Also any specific feed back on how the reps are being chosen (for Dec 7 Signatories and local Reps meeting, see 5 below) and / or suggestions about how delegates for the actual conference should be or actually are being proposed / chosen for the re-call conference by local PAs is most welcome. </div>
<div><br></div><div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:bold">1. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:bold">Electing delegates to the recall People’s Assembly </span><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;font-family:Calibri"></span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;font-family:Calibri">The founding conference of the People’s Assembly on 22</span><span style="vertical-align:super;font-size:9px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;font-family:Calibri">nd</span><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;font-family:Calibri"> June agreed that we would recall the People’s Assembly in the first few months of 2014. This recall Assembly will be a decision making conference and it will be delegate based, reflecting the growth local People’s Assemblies around the country and of support for the People’s Assembly among trade unionists, students and cross the anti-austerity movement.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;font-family:Calibri">What follows are a set of basic arrangements for organising an effective, working recall conference. This is not intended to be a final constitution or even a basis for calling future conferences. Those arrangements will be made at the recall conference itself. This is just meant to get us to the recall conference in a way that reflects the state of the organisation as it currently exists. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;font-family:Calibri">In order to send delegates a local People's Assembly should be affiliated to the national People's Assembly, and we encourage them to operate within the national guidelines circulated recently and re-issued alongside this document. Delegates should be elected, and any resolutions to the conference should be discussed, at a properly publicised meeting.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;font-family:Calibri">For the process to be democratic we also need to ensure respect and support for different organising approaches and demonstrate a commitment to transparency and accountability. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;font-family:Calibri">To ensure the different currents in the Peoples' Assemblies movement are treated fairly and able to play their full part, where practical we welcome local Peoples Assemblies sending delegates from all elements of the movement: the variety of anti-cuts campaigns, the trades and student unions, the Labour Party, Green Party, the horizonalist organising groups, the revolutionary left and, most important of all, those who simply oppose austerity and are in no organised group at all other than the People’s Assembly. So, in the delegate entitlement of 10 for a local Peoples Assembly, please try and reflect the diversity of traditions in the movement.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;font-family:Calibri">Please attempt to involve as many groups as possible (if, say, hacktivists, or pensioners, opposed to austerity are not included, please contact them afresh). Perhaps groups like Liberty or the Haldane Society would want to be involved. We hope the event will also be live-streamed so everyone can observe and where technically possible respond on-line so that we can take advantage of the new media to develop a new model of political convention. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;font-family:Calibri">This structure is not set in stone. It can be altered by the recall conference and future conferences after that. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent;font-family:Calibri">With this in mind, here are the delegate entitlements:</span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li dir="ltr" style="vertical-align:baseline;list-style-type:disc;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt">
<span style="font-family:Calibri;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Every local People's Assembly is entitled to send a maximum of 10 delegates. </span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="vertical-align:baseline;list-style-type:disc;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial">
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Local and regional union trade union organisations, including trades councils and student unions, are entitled to send 5 delegates. </span></p>
</li><li dir="ltr" style="vertical-align:baseline;list-style-type:disc;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt">
<span style="font-family:Calibri;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Local anti-cuts campaigns that are recognised signatories of the People’s Assembly are entitled to send 2 delegates.</span></p>
</li><li dir="ltr" style="vertical-align:baseline;list-style-type:disc;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt">
<span style="font-family:Calibri;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">National organisations (unions and campaigns) are entitled to send 5 delegates.</span></p>
</li><li dir="ltr" style="vertical-align:baseline;list-style-type:disc;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt">
<span style="font-family:Calibri;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Individuals who are financially supporting the People’s Assembly are entitled to attend as observers without speaking rights.</span></p>
</li><li dir="ltr" style="vertical-align:baseline;list-style-type:disc;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt">
<span style="font-family:Calibri;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The delegate and observer fee will be 5 pounds each.</span></p>
</li><li dir="ltr" style="vertical-align:baseline;list-style-type:disc;font-size:15px;background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.1500000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt">
<span style="font-family:Calibri;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We should agree a Conference Arrangements Committee to take this work forward.</span></p>
<div><span style="font-family:Calibri;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></div></li></ul></div><div>Additionally I wrote the following draft text (at 3) for the PAAA as Romayne Phoenix asked me to write a welcome message on their front page. She's suggesting the extract at 2 .is used on the front page and I hope they will link to the rest of the document. However I imagine it won't fly with them however, so I'm posting it here in case anyone can think of it might be useful (obviously subject to a few amendments) in any other context ie coming campaigns work or whatever..</div>
<div><br></div><div>2. <span style="color:rgb(80,0,80);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">"whether you are coming from a traditional socialist background or the new politics of participation and horizontality, your local Peoples Assembly should be a welcoming and supportive space where you can take your work forward as an integral, valued part of a greater movement"</span><br>
</div><div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote">3 <br><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div>Welcome to the web-site of the Peoples Assembly against Austerity!<div>
<br></div><div>We are a UK-based movement aiming to support all people, trade unions and other campaign groups wishing to challenge the government's austerity agenda. We are determined not just to resist but also to formulate a real alternative to our unjust, undemocratic and unsustainable political and economic system. We are committed to supporting people from all walks of life and established organising traditions so that everyone, without exception can work together in a transparent, democratic and inclusive way. </div>
<div><br></div><div>In addition, we are committed to making links with similar movements internationally. This is because we see ourselves as part of the wider struggle against a global capitalism which cannot be defeated by one country alone. By working together nationally but also for one shared struggle worldwide we believe capitalism can and must be replaced by a democratic global system which puts people and planet before money, both here in the UK and elsewhere in the world. </div>
<div><br></div><div>So whether you are coming from a traditional socialist background or the new politics of participation and horizontality, your local Peoples Assembly should be a welcoming and supportive space where you can take your work forward as an integral, valued part of a greater movement. </div>
<div><br></div><div>We hope you will get involved in this important struggle, and help us to find ways of uniting the left in a democratic, non-coercive way! </div><div><br></div><div>In solidarity </div>The Peoples Assembly against Austerity </div>
<div dir="ltr"><br></div><div>Finally I have proposed the following at 4. as a resolution for the 7th Dec meeting to discuss but I don't know how far I will get with it </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
<font color="#000000"><b>4. It is proposed that the December Signatories (and local Delegates) Meeting agrees the following statement</b> making clear that, in the interests of increasing democratic participation in the movement and in the UK generally those responsible for convening local Peoples Assemblies should ensure <br>
</font></div><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><div><font color="#000000"><br></font></div><div><font color="#000000">- requests for specific and ongoing inclusive horizontal decision making assemblies, events and activities are actively supported </font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">- that in the absence of such requests, active efforts are made to invite local Occupy and/or similar-minded groups or supporters to develop a participatory strand to the local Peoples Assembly work so that both traditions can operate in parallel, learning from one another and securing a genuinely inclusive local movement </font></div>
<div><font color="#000000"> - that a healthy balanced mix of approaches to process and full transparency in decision making is seen at every local Peoples Assembly as a sign of health and vitality in the movement</font></div>
<div><br></div><div>[rationale: local convenors are asked to recognise that local Peoples Assemblies should reflect the community as a whole. A way has to be found to bring in the wider class of precarity: young people, minorities, the unemployed, service users, tenants as distinct groups. They need to find a voice in the Peoples Assemblies and this has to be a conscious effort involving a welcoming, inclusive form. The time between now and the spring conference should be spent building these links and developing democratic forms of representation at local level. Where possible local peoples assemblies should also spend time discussing how to widen their perspective. What are they for? What's the vision beyond coming together next spring. What are the aims? How do we get beyond austerity? How if at all do we wish to add to or amend the founding statement of the Peoples Assembly against Austerity ? What is the alternative to neo-liberal capitalism and what is the role of local Peoples Assemblies in making it come to pass ]</div>
<div><br></div></div></div><div dir="ltr">5.</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div>
<hr><div><b>From: </b> "People's Assembly" <<a href="mailto:office@thepeoplesassembly.org.uk" target="_blank">office@thepeoplesassembly.org.uk</a>>
</div><div><b>Date: </b>Wed, 30 Oct 2013 13:23:47 +0000</div><div><b>Subject: </b>Nov 5 and next signatories meeting</div><div><br></div><div dir="ltr"><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Hi all<br><br></div>November 5th is looking very good - we now have actions set up in over 40 places across the country ranging from leafleting with action for rail to roadblocks and occupations / sit ins of banks, jobcentres and post offices.<br>
<br></div>In London we will are assembling at Jubilee Gardens and marching to Westminster Bridge. We are focusing this around energy prices and encouraging people to bring their bills to burn. <br><br></div>Please do all you can in the last few days to spread the word through your networks. The London facebook event can be found here: <br>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/210482052457970/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular&source=1" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/events/210482052457970/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular&source=1</a><br>
<br></div>And all the national actions can be found here: <a href="http://thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/5nov" target="_blank">http://thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/5nov</a><br>
<br></div><b>Next signatories meeting 7 Dec</b><br></div>At the next signatories meeting, we will be inviting one representative from each of the local People's Assembly groups. This will take place on Saturday 7 December from 11am - 1:30pm at Unite. </div>
</div></div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div> <span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">OK that is where it's at from my side at this stage - will be sure to keep you posted and as I said please do share any insights concerns or (God be praised) actual progress you are party to as and when</span></div>
<div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></div><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Cheers </div><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></div><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">
Mark</div><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><a href="http://www.peoplesassemblies.org">www.peoplesassemblies.org</a> </div></div></div></div>
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