Anarchist Underground Breaks Cover

Rasputin has recorded the 2nd L&S National Conference which took place in Reading last weekend.

The 'Liberty & Solidarity' party was only founded six months ago as a new left-wing splinter group, and has since worked to bring together class-struggle, anarchist and anti-capitalist activists, according to their statement.

The movement had been given a massive boost by the the issue of the Katesgrove Community Garden, organised through the Common Ground collective, which joined Reading Grassroots Action last year.

Here is a quick round-up of what lead to this point:
5th June 2007, the gardeners are issued with an eviction notice to allow for development of the site;
4th September 2008, the gardeners receive 'temporary garden status', defeating the eviction and agreeing the need for additional green sites;
15th January 2009, RGA agrees in principle the terms for leasing the land.

The Common Ground MySpace page provides further background. Readers can discover more ultra-local actions through the Guerrilla Gardening noticeboard.

Rasputin claims L&S is motivated by the failure of the Labour party to organise workers interests in the interests of the workers themselves.

He reports that the party agreed to formulate organising and fundraising departments, training programs and work to modernise trade union procedures. Additionally motions were passed agreeing the need for an 'organisationally disciplined, united and pragmatic anarchist international', a 'reorganisation of the international labour movement' and a framework for domestic and global solidarity action.

L&S welcomed Reading Grassroots Action into their alliance and set out a framework for recruitment applications.

Rasputin also described optimistic cameraderie of the atmosphere among those present as the discussions continued well into the night.

Oranjepan asks:
Will this new party stand candidates at election time, or are they just seeking to organise protests to build for revolutionary change?