In light of the recent defeat of Clare Solomon in the University of London Union elections a lot of people have been bandying about a lot of the usual political rhetoric about a victory of the right in dethroning the revolution’s favourite single mother, highlighting once again the intense politicisation of the student movement in recent years. Clare’s own politicisation – which was a relatively recent development for her – has been one of the key points of contention. The ex-Muslim, ex-Mormon, ex-Capitalist, “Revolutionary” could certainly tick a few boxes in an Equal Oppurtunities application, which is why it’s kind of ironic that’s it’s her massive political sectarianism which was finally downfall. Of course, this is hardly a radical statement – it’s clear that Clare’s views are not exactly going to appeal to all shades of the political spectrum. Where she and her gang have shot themselves in the foot is that they have managed to essentially divide and disillusion the student left.
Clare and her followers have created an invisible line in the sand and anyone whose views lean any farther left of that line than her is basically a Tory sympathiser. A “counter-revolutionary”. Aaron Porter’s own vilification at the hands of the Solomonites has been a perfect example; a man whose views certainly swing a bit further left than Ed Miliband’s has basically been accused of turning the NUS into an HQ for Tory spies because he didn’t give the old nod and wink to the balaclava boys when they were tearing down public property. Admittedly there were a few more criticisms of him than that, but most of them can be attributed by some kind of need for inclusiveness and pragmatism – concept which the Solomonites just can’t comprehend. It’s become a case of towing the party line; “you’re either with us, or you’re against us” and “against us” is anyone who dares to condemn the destruction of public property or throwing cinderblocks at the police. This is perhaps the true hypocrisy of the Solomonites – they constantly throw around the word “solidarity” while setting a bar of such high extremes of political violence, both physical and verbal, that the only people qualified to take the high ground have the Gang of Four tattooed on their arse-cheeks and alienate anyone but the most rampantly left-wing. People use the word “bigot” interchangeably with “racist” nowadays, but it is actually defined as anyone obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices and this sure as hell sums up the bigoted Solomonites.
In a recent Guardian interview, Clare blamed her defeat on a “right-wing alliance” which, for her, includes Labour, Tory, Lib Dem and basically anyone who isn’t a card-carrying Socialist Worker. Even if we ignore the intense paranoia in this accusation, it is the sheer gall she has in asserting her importance in the grand scheme of things – as if the Tories don’t have better things to do. And I think that the greater left have simply had enough. The sheer nonsense of the Solomonites’ sectarianism is that students are traditionally left-leaning. Conservative students are still a rarity - if a majority kicked her out, then that’s a majority of lefties who kicked her out. Maybe not balaclava-wearing, para-militirist wannabe lefties, but lefties nonetheless. There is a large constituent of students with left-wing beliefs – probably a majority in fact – who are being ostracised and vilified by the Solomonites’ vindictive triumphalism. To label Clare’s defeat as a victory of the right is arrogant in the extreme; Clare Solomon does not represent the left, she is not the socialist figurehead, she was the head of a multi-faceted, inclusive organisation and by forcing her own bigoted, violent pseudo-Bolshevism on the student movement came damn near close to destroying it and turning progressive politics into a caricature. Her defeat is a victory for the left, not the right. The Red Flag is not flying for you, Clare...
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