One of the more intriguing aspects of last year’s impressive Anarchist Movement Conference was the emerging realisation amongst serious anarchists that there was at last a recognisable potential for building a proper movement. To that end it inspired a re-assessment of how anarchists choose to organise with each other, how they work together, how they communicate and express their ideas. Simply arguing a case from entrenched positions is gradually being subsumed by a practical need to work on a collective basis to create a more visibly engaging credible anarchist presence, the significance of which is now becoming a reality.

♦ One way of strengthening ties between anarchist groups in London has come in the form of the Red & Black Co-ordination Network. It brings together pre-existing anarchist, anarcho-syndicalist & libertarian communist groups to provide more formal strategies of co-operation, share resources and discuss common ground on how anarchists can effectively engage with current social struggles. Based on a robust delegate system to avoid the pitfalls of individualised and over riding personal opinion it has already forged commitments from both London Solidarity and Anarchist Federations, local Camden, Whitechapel and Walthamstow groups, Autonomy and Solidarity, Queen Mary Autonomous Group and London Anarcha-Feminist Kollective.

What the network addresses is the need for a wider, combative and more effective means of supporting ongoing social struggles, pulling together resources, people, passion and focus to get the job done, coupled with ability to respond collectively and decisively to emerging struggles.

♦ Another proposal from the capital is a 2010 London Conference set for the summer. Instigated by the people who were instrumental in organising last year’s Movement Conference, its purpose is to continue the momentum by drawing in as many people from the London area who define themselves as anarchists and libertarians to work towards making anarchist politics a real challenge to capitalism and the state. An initial meeting has been called for Thursday 21st January to start the process off at the Cock Tavern, 23 Phoenix Rd, NW1 7HB, 7pm, nearest tube Euston or Kings Cross.

♦ Although nothing concrete has yet been established the idea of an Anti-fascist conference was raised at last year’s Bookfair during the meeting on anti-fascism featuring 43 Group veteran Morris Beckman. In the light of the BNP’s escalating vote and the provocative Give Up Anti-fascism critique of current anti-fascist thinking (that not only sparked debate amongst anti-fascists but charged them with failing both politically and organisationally to challenge the dominance of the BNP), it is widely acknowledged a radical rethink is needed to confront the far-right’s foothold amongst a disenfranchised and discontented class. Such a conference would have to be bold in its thinking and merciless in its criticism. Freedom readers will be kept informed on its progress.