Party of Non-Apologetic European Socialists: why the name matters

By Carl Rowlands

After some confusion over the name of the Party of European Socialists and the group it is affiliated to, it appears the PES will keep its name.

Alex said on this site that he wouldn’t object in theory to the PES changing its name. I would. I like the fact that joining the Labour Party enables me to become a PES Activist and connect with socialists around Europe.

Being a Labour Party member is not much fun these days. As Alexei Sayle says, it appeals to a particular type of person. We don’t have festivals on May Day. We don’t really have parties, unless you count a few branches where the people actually like each other and meet socially. A lot of our friends and comrades have been driven out of the Party – by the Gulf War, by a failure to nationalise the railways, the failure to make membership matter – oh, the list is long.

Being a PES Activist might allow you to make your political involvement more fun, to meet people from different countries, to appreciate different perspectives. Our run-down Labour party doesn’t care about building grassroots links with our sister parties. But PES Activists lets you do this for yourselves. It means you can travel, be exposed to different ideas, even make new friends. It is an education, and a release from our national and local difficulties.

I’m glad the PES is keeping its name. It means it wants to renew socialism – not abandon it. It means that the social basis of its manifesto and its aims will not be totally diluted. The manifesto in 2009 was the product of a wide consultation exercise, and within the limits of the EU, contained radical and innovative ideas.

I note that the Labour leadership did not promote this manifesto in the recent European elections. I also note that the Labour leadership is backing Barroso above a socialist candidate for the Commission President.

Personally, I am proud to be a European Socialist – the work of renewing socialism will continue with our sister parties around Europe. Under the leadership of Poul Nyrup Rasmusson, the PES will continue to be the PES – a bright spot in a dark political landscape and the closest thing we now have to genuine social democracy as Labour members. So I welcome the cast-iron confirmation that the PES name will not change. I urge everyone to offer their support by registering as a PES Activist.

The Central Europe branch of Labour International continues to support the PES in its work and will deepen our co-operation with our sister parties at every available opportunity.