Independent Working Class Association

Infobox_British_Political_Party
party_name = Independent Working Class Association
party_articletitle = Independent Working Class Association
party_
leader = "None"
foundation = 1995
ideology = Workerism
position = Left-wing
international = "none"
european = "none"
europarl = "none"
headquarters = ?
colours = ?
website = [http://www.iwca.info www.iwca.info]

The Independent Working Class Association (IWCA) is a small working class political party in Britain with the avowed aim of promoting the political and economic interests of the working class, regardless of the consequences to existing political and economic structures. [ [http://www.iwca.info/about.htm Independent Working Class Association - national website] ]

It was formed in 1995 [ [http://www.redaction.org/communities/declaration.html A DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE] , Red Action] by several organisations, including Anti-Fascist Action, who argued that the likely election of a New Labour government would entrench the legacy of Thatcherism and further diminish the political influence of the working class. [ [http://libcom.org/history/1985-2001-anti-fascist-action-afa 1985-2001: Anti-Fascist Action (AFA)] , libcom.org]

From 1998, the Independent Working Class Association formed groups in Birmingham, Oxford, Glasgow, the London boroughs of Islington and Hackney, and a few other areas, and were rewarded with the election of a local councillor in Oxford in 2002," [http://archive.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/2006/1/5/90385.html Leaflet slur costs £15,000] ", thisisoxfordshire, 5 January 2006] with candidates coming second in local elections in the Clerkenwell (2002) and Bunhill (2003) wards in London. [http://www.redpepper.org.uk/article635.html A class act in Oxford] ", "Red Pepper"] In 2003, the IWCA was launched as a national organisation. [ [http://www.iwca.info/news/news0003.htm IWCA National Launch] ]

The IWCA was able to raise the £20,000 required for participation in the 2004 London mayoral election and nominated Lorna Reid, [ [http://www.iwca.info/news/news0022.htm In The Footsteps of Heroes] ] a resident and advice worker on the Highbury council estate. Her campaign focused on opposing anti-social behaviour by funding youth facilities and cleaning up estates, establish community restorative justice schemes, local drugs detox centres and progressive local taxation. [ [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/gla/page/0,,850659,00.html London mayoral candidates 2004] , "Guardian Unlimited"] Reid came ninth with 9,542 (0.5%) of the first preference votes and 39,678 (2.1%) of the second preferences. [ [http://www.kingston.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/elections/results/gla_mayoral.htm GLA Mayoral Results] , Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames] In the local elections that took place on the same day, the IWCA picked up two more seats on Oxford city council. [" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/3794261.stm Labour loses Oxford City Council] ", "BBC News", 11 June 2004] In Summer 2004, the Hackney branch of the IWCA split away to form Hackney Independent. [ [http://www.workersliberty.org/node/4100 'Hackney Independent' in Hoxton by-election] , Workers Liberty]

In 2006, the Oxford branch of the party won a libel action against Bill Baker, Deputy Leader of Oxford City Council, who had posted defamatory material alleging the IWCA had links to violent extremists and Irish nationalist groups to homes in the run-up to the 2005 local elections. The IWCA stated that it would use the £15,000 it collected in damages to fund their 2006 campaign. At the 2006 local elections, they gained a further seat. [" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/4975112.stm Labour suffers Oxfordshire losses] ", "BBC News", 5 May 2006] However, they lost two of their four Oxford councillors in May 2008. [http://www.iwca.info/?p=10108]

The IWCA has adopted controversial tactics of community action to tackle anti-social behaviour. It has also campaigned on other issues of local concern such as council housing stock transfers, muggings and inner-city regeneration. [ [http://www.workersliberty.org/node/116 What should the Socialist Alliance say about crime?] , Workers Liberty] The group has also argued that many racial issues are symptoms of the wider issue of social deprivation, and for taking a stance against what it describes as multiculturalism in the belief that it encourages segregation.

According to its statement of accounts to the Electoral Commission on 31 December 2006 it had 312 members, down by 7 on the previous year. It had a total income of £17,710 and an expenditure of £9,892. [ [http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/files/dms/IndependentWorkingClassAssociationSoA2006_25790-19150__E__N__S__W__.PDF Statement of Accounts for Year Ending 2006] , ]

References

External links

* [http://www.iwca.info IWCA national website]
* [http://www.iwca-oxford.org.uk IWCA Oxford website]
* [http://www.iwca-islington.org.uk IWCA Islington website]
* [http://www.thurrock-iwca.org IWCA Thurrock website]