Pat Jordan
Encyclopedia
Pat Jordan was a British Trotskyist who was central to founding the International Marxist Group
. He had been a full time organiser of the Communist Party of Great Britain
in Nottingham
who had left the party with Ken Coates
after the 1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary. After a brief period working with Socialist Review Group in 1956, they joined the Revolutionary Socialist League
(RSL) briefly in 1957. Jordan became the RSL's organisational secretary, before and then leaving to form the Internationalist Group. Based in Nottingham, he launched, edited and printed a weekly duplicated magazine, The Week, at his tiny bookshop. It was largely financed by his skill in retailing second-hand books and comics.
A short-lived reunification with the RSL in 1964 ended early in 1965, partly in protest at the RSL's support for the expulsion of members of the Socialist Labour League from the Wandsworth Labour Party
.
Working with Tony Southall, Charlie van Gelderen
, Ken Coates, and a group students from Nottingham University he formed the International Group, which would eventually evolve into the International Marxist Group
. He helped build the relationship between the Fourth International and New Left Review
.
In the 1970s Pat worked full time for the International Marxist Group as its national secretary and then for the Fourth International
, when he helped in the work of the Africa Commission.
In 1985 he was struck by a chronically disabling stroke
, and removed from active political involvement. He died in August 2001.
International Marxist Group
The International Marxist Group was a Trotskyist group in Britain between 1968 and 1982. It was the British Section of the Fourth International. It and its youth organisation had had around 1,000 members and supporters in the late 1970s...
. He had been a full time organiser of the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
who had left the party with Ken Coates
Ken Coates
Kenneth Sidney Coates was a British politician and writer. He chaired the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation and edited The Spokesman, the BRPF magazine launched in March 1970. He was a Labour Party Member of the European Parliament from 1989 to 1999...
after the 1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary. After a brief period working with Socialist Review Group in 1956, they joined the Revolutionary Socialist League
Revolutionary Socialist League (UK, 1957)
The Revolutionary Socialist League was a Trotskyist group in Britain which existed from 1956 to 1964.-Formation:After the dissolution of the Revolutionary Communist Party, Ted Grant and his supporters were expelled from the RCP's successor The Club in 1950 and formed the International Socialist...
(RSL) briefly in 1957. Jordan became the RSL's organisational secretary, before and then leaving to form the Internationalist Group. Based in Nottingham, he launched, edited and printed a weekly duplicated magazine, The Week, at his tiny bookshop. It was largely financed by his skill in retailing second-hand books and comics.
A short-lived reunification with the RSL in 1964 ended early in 1965, partly in protest at the RSL's support for the expulsion of members of the Socialist Labour League from the Wandsworth Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
.
Working with Tony Southall, Charlie van Gelderen
Charlie van Gelderen
Charlie van Gelderen was a South African Trotskyist active in the British Labour movement from the 1930s. He attended the founding conference of the Fourth International in 1938, and towards the end of his life he was the last survivor of that conference.In the 1940s, he played the leading role...
, Ken Coates, and a group students from Nottingham University he formed the International Group, which would eventually evolve into the International Marxist Group
International Marxist Group
The International Marxist Group was a Trotskyist group in Britain between 1968 and 1982. It was the British Section of the Fourth International. It and its youth organisation had had around 1,000 members and supporters in the late 1970s...
. He helped build the relationship between the Fourth International and New Left Review
New Left Review
New Left Review is a 160-page journal, published every two months from London, devoted to world politics, economy and culture. Often compared to the French-language Les Temps modernes, it is associated with Verso Books , and regularly features the essays of authorities on contemporary social...
.
In the 1970s Pat worked full time for the International Marxist Group as its national secretary and then for the Fourth International
Fourth International
The Fourth International is the communist international organisation consisting of followers of Leon Trotsky , with the declared dedicated goal of helping the working class bring about socialism...
, when he helped in the work of the Africa Commission.
In 1985 he was struck by a chronically disabling stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
, and removed from active political involvement. He died in August 2001.