With Respect falling apart around us, (shocking I know), the SWP seems to of reverted to a more aggressive state. Their national organiser nonetheless assaulted a previously expelled SWP member at this year's Marxism event (they're calling it a festival now).

The CPGB's Weekly Worker has the details.

On July 7, the second full day of this year's Marxism, SWP national organiser Martin Smith physically assaulted Communist Party comrade, Simon D. The attack occurred while our comrade was waiting for the session on 'Organising for fighting unions' to begin.

Simon was a member of the SWP for three years up to 2006, when he was suddenly expelled (by phone!) for "bringing the party into disrepute" - the catch-all charge loved by bureaucrats everywhere. In fact, all he was 'guilty' of was raising some criticisms and questions publicly and reporting on his blog - verbatum - the words of leading SWPers at a Respect meeting in Tower Hamlets. At the comrade’s appeal, led by Pat Stack and where Martin Smith gave 'evidence', he was not given any specific examples of his alleged crimes. He was subjected to a show trial with no pretence of allowing the comrade a fair hearing and then was simply turfed out.

The faster the SWP falls into irrelevance the better, Respect has been nothing but a joke, and the Socialist Alliance was doomed thanks to the utter bureaucracy within the SWP.

The Labour Party is the way forward, not a minor left-wing sect that goes around beating people who disagree with them up.