Polish Solidarity Campaign
Encyclopedia
Britain's Polish Solidarity Campaign (PSC) was a campaign in solidarity with Solidarity (the Solidarność trade union) and other democratic forces in Poland
. It was founded in August 1980 by Robin Blick, Karen Blick, and Adam Westoby, and continued its activities into the first half of the 1990s. The campaign was not named after Polish Solidarity (of whose name the founders became aware only later on); rather, it was inspired by the Chile Solidarity Campaign and the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign
. A splinter-group, Solidarity With Solidarity (SWS), was formed in December 1981.
Most of the PSC's early members were ex-Communists and other socialists, and the original aim was to support the strikes called by Solidarity in Poland. Some Labour Party
members and leftwing Polish exiles, including members of the Polish Socialist Party
In Exile, joined the group. Within the first year, centrist and right-leaning exiles and other right-leaning individuals also become members of the PSC. Some trade unions became affiliated as well. In 1982, the group managed to resist a takeover attempt by the Trotskyist International Marxist Group
(IMG).
The campaign met with opposition from the Communist Party and some within the Labour Party. The PSC called for British trade unions to cut their links with state-run trade unions in Eastern bloc countries, a demand which was oddly resisted by the IMG. It also called on the Labour Party to discontinue its policy of inviting Eastern bloc Communist Party members as delegates to the annual Labour Party Conference. (At a 1981 meeting of the Labour National Executive Committee
, only three people supported changing this policy. In 1982, following the imposition of Martial Law, a narrow majority on the Executive voted to discontinue the invitations. The policy was later changed back again to some extent.)
After the PSC picketed a TUC meeting in February 1981, the TUC International Committee agreed to send assistance to Solidarność. Afterwards, the PSC and the Committee enjoyed good relations, and Solidarność delegates began to get invited to TUC conferences.
In April 1981, a march in support of Solidarność was organized by the Hands Off Polish Workers campaign, a group linked to the Labour leadership of the Greater London Council
. The PSC participated, but was uneasy about the ban on "Cold War slogans". Giles Hart
, official historian of the PSC, argued: "If this meant anything, it seemed to mean that one could say 'hands off Polish workers' but one could not say anything about whose hands were threatening Polish workers." Nevertheless, a Communist counterdemonstration also took place.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. It was founded in August 1980 by Robin Blick, Karen Blick, and Adam Westoby, and continued its activities into the first half of the 1990s. The campaign was not named after Polish Solidarity (of whose name the founders became aware only later on); rather, it was inspired by the Chile Solidarity Campaign and the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign
Vietnam Solidarity Campaign
The Vietnam Solidarity Campaign was originally set up in 1966 by activists around the International Group with the personal and financial support of Bertrand Russell....
. A splinter-group, Solidarity With Solidarity (SWS), was formed in December 1981.
Most of the PSC's early members were ex-Communists and other socialists, and the original aim was to support the strikes called by Solidarity in Poland. Some 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...
members and leftwing Polish exiles, including members of the Polish Socialist Party
Polish Socialist Party
The Polish Socialist Party was one of the most important Polish left-wing political parties from its inception in 1892 until 1948...
In Exile, joined the group. Within the first year, centrist and right-leaning exiles and other right-leaning individuals also become members of the PSC. Some trade unions became affiliated as well. In 1982, the group managed to resist a takeover attempt by the Trotskyist 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...
(IMG).
The campaign met with opposition from the Communist Party and some within the Labour Party. The PSC called for British trade unions to cut their links with state-run trade unions in Eastern bloc countries, a demand which was oddly resisted by the IMG. It also called on the Labour Party to discontinue its policy of inviting Eastern bloc Communist Party members as delegates to the annual Labour Party Conference. (At a 1981 meeting of the Labour National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
, only three people supported changing this policy. In 1982, following the imposition of Martial Law, a narrow majority on the Executive voted to discontinue the invitations. The policy was later changed back again to some extent.)
After the PSC picketed a TUC meeting in February 1981, the TUC International Committee agreed to send assistance to Solidarność. Afterwards, the PSC and the Committee enjoyed good relations, and Solidarność delegates began to get invited to TUC conferences.
In April 1981, a march in support of Solidarność was organized by the Hands Off Polish Workers campaign, a group linked to the Labour leadership of the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
. The PSC participated, but was uneasy about the ban on "Cold War slogans". Giles Hart
Giles Hart
Giles Vernon Hart was a British engineer and trade union activist.-Early life:Hart was born in Khartoum, Sudan, when his father was head of English at Gordon College...
, official historian of the PSC, argued: "If this meant anything, it seemed to mean that one could say 'hands off Polish workers' but one could not say anything about whose hands were threatening Polish workers." Nevertheless, a Communist counterdemonstration also took place.