I can’t adequately express the sick, sinking feeling that almost consumed me during one of the motions debates. We were talking about fighting racism and fascism, stopping the BNP. And there were delegates there who thought that fighting fascism had nothing to do with fighting for LGBT liberation.

It seems that people have forgotten that LGBT people were persecuted in the Holocaust. That LGBT people were marched into concentration camps never to leave. And that the Pink Triangle we are so proud to have reclaimed now, was once a badge of terror and a death warrant.

The following quote from Pastor Martin Niemoller is famous, and often cited, but it really does sum it up for me:

"First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing.

Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing.

Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist.

And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little.

Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me."

The election results for the two officer positions are interesting. I cannot commend Kat Louis enough for constantly standing up for what she believes in as a passionate and political person – and yes, we do disagree, but it’s the fact that we can debate that is important.

Ben has been a fantastic officer all year, and LGBT officers and groups on the ground overwhelmingly agree. The campaign of lies that was run against him is appalling. If people voted for James-J because of his policies, politics and beliefs then fair enough – the right officer won.

But if they voted in a cynical, anti-politics, anti-collectivist manner? Well, you reap what you sow.

James-J may well have politics – and he will certainly have the chance to display them over the coming year – but many of the people who voted for him do not.

I fundamentally disagree with anyone who claims to have a belief in independence – that’s not a belief, its an electoral ploy.

Well, as the current National Secretary has proven, and as Ben put it in his leaving speech: people got the independent candidate they voted for.

Independence is neither a value nor a virtue and is, in fact at all times, a lie. We cannot achieve anything as individuals, and that is exactly what an independent is.

By all means call yourself ‘non-factional’ if that’s what you truly are, or even ‘non-party-affiliated-factional’ which is probably an accurate description of many of the “independents” on the NEC.

But if you are political, stand up and be proud of it.

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