What is a Socialist Delegate?

The following is the Chairperson’s introduction to a public meeting held on the 12th of March by our general election candidate, Daniel Lambert,  for the London constituency of Vauxhall and it explains our attitude to what an MP should be.

Introduction to Danny Lambert's
 "Why I Won't Make A Good MP" 

It is the Socialist Party's position that parliament can, and should, be used in the course of establishing socialism. This position is based on our understanding that before socialism can be established there has to be a majority in favour of socialism, and that it is essential for this majority to win control over the machinery of government (the state) before establishing socialism. It is control of parliament that is the way to the control of the machinery of government. Since control of parliament is obtained via elections based on universal suffrage, a socialist majority can win control of the machinery of government through winning a parliamentary majority via the ballot box.

It is essential to win control of the machinery of government because the state in class society is the institution with the power to employ socially-sanctioned physical force. The state is an expression of and enforcer of class society. Being the majority and taking control of the state via elections and parliament, we can neutralise the state.

Elected socialist MP's would be mandated and recallable delegates replacing the unaccountable professional politicians.  Delegates unlike representatives are subject to recall. A delegate democracy is in contrast with representative democracy (such as Parliament). It is a distinction between accountable and non-accountable representatives.

Socialist-minded workers select one of their number to stand as a candidate to go to parliament as a socialist delegate, and such delegates are pledged to take instructions from socialists voting for them organised in the socialist political party, of which we are the embryo. The socialist delegate is backed up by and accountable to socialists outside of parliament.

Steve Clayton