Socialist Workers Party (UK)

Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party
Abbreviation	SWP
International secretary	Alex Callinicos
National secretary	Lewis Nielsen
Founder	Tony Cliff
Founded	Socialist Review Group (1950); International Socialists (1962); Socialist Workers Party (1977)
Split from	Revolutionary Communist Party
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Newspaper	Socialist Worker; International Socialism;
Membership (2023)	2,504 (financial) ; 6,000 (registered)
Ideology	Trotskyism; Anti-Stalinism; Revolutionary socialism;
Political position	Far-left
International affiliation	International Socialist Tendency
Colours	Red
Governing bodies	Central committee; national committee;
Website
	www.socialistworker.co.uk
	Politics of United Kingdom; Political parties; Elections;

The Socialist Workers Party (SWP) is a far-left political party in the United Kingdom. Founded as the Socialist Review Group by supporters of Tony Cliff in 1950, it became the International Socialists in 1962 and the SWP in 1977.^[3] The party considers itself to be Trotskyist. Cliff and his followers criticised the Soviet Union and its satellites, calling them state capitalist rather than socialist countries.

The SWP has founded several fronts through which they have sought to coordinate and influence leftist action, such as the Anti-Nazi League in the late 1970s.^[4] It also formed an alliance with George Galloway and Respect, the dissolution of which in 2007 caused an internal crisis in the SWP. A more serious internal crisis emerged at the beginning of 2013 over allegations of rape and sexual assault made against a leading member of the party.^[5]^[6] The SWP's handling of these accusations against the individual known as Comrade Delta, later identified as Martin Smith, led to a significant decline in the party's membership.^[7] It also led to a number of formal reviews which resulted in new procedures to support any member who experienced sexual harassment or other forms of oppressive behaviour.^[8]

On the international level, the SWP is part of the International Socialist Tendency.

^ "SWP conference 2024: Palestine, the movement and revolutionary politics".
^ ^a ^b "Delusions of 'official optimism'".
^ Birchall, Ian (1981). "The Smallest Mass Party – Part 3: Facing the crisis". Marxists. Germany: Socialist Workers Party.
^ Boothroyd, David (2001). The History of British Political Parties. London: Politicos. p. 303.
^ Muir, Hugh (29 July 2013). "Diary: Adieu, Comrade Delta. The SWP leader at the centre of sex abuse allegations departs". The Guardian.
^ Cohen, Nick (3 February 2013). "Why 'leftists revolutionaries' are not the best feminists". The Observer.
^ Platt, Edward (20 May 2014). "Comrades at war: the decline and fall of the Socialist Workers Party". New Statesman.)
^ "Procedural".

[Socialist_Worker-1] "SWP conference 2024: Palestine, the movement and revolutionary politics".

[Weekly_Worker-2] "Delusions of 'official optimism'".

[Birchall3-3] Birchall, Ian (1981). "The Smallest Mass Party – Part 3: Facing the crisis". Marxists. Germany: Socialist Workers Party.

[Boothroyd-4] Boothroyd, David (2001). The History of British Political Parties. London: Politicos. p. 303.

[Muir-5] Muir, Hugh (29 July 2013). "Diary: Adieu, Comrade Delta. The SWP leader at the centre of sex abuse allegations departs". The Guardian.

[Cohen130203-6] Cohen, Nick (3 February 2013). "Why 'leftists revolutionaries' are not the best feminists". The Observer.

[Platt-7] Platt, Edward (20 May 2014). "Comrades at war: the decline and fall of the Socialist Workers Party". New Statesman.)

[8] "Procedural".

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