How bizarre

The Progressive London conference 2011 takes place tomorrow at Congress House in London, a meeting which aims to contribute to the building of a broad-based coalition against the Tory-led government's planned cutbacks. Nothing wrong with that concept although it is a bit hard to see how a motley crew of SWPers (Weyman Bennett), Stalinists (Kate Hudson and Andrew Murray) and Islamists (Ismail Patel and Dilwar H Khan) can, with some help from Ken Livingstone and Jeremy Corbyn, construct an alliance capable of giving Cameron and Osbrone sleepless nights. I could be proved completely wrong, though I seriously doubt it.

However, what really grabbed my attention was the inclusion in this meeting of another individual who would not exactly spring to the front of my mind when one would mention the word 'progressive'. His name? Mitchel McLaughlin. Yes, that's right. Mitchel McLaughlin, the Sinn Fein MLA for South Antrim. Progressive London states on its website that it is an organisation that exists to promote the kinds of progressive policies which have made London such a success. It lists the protection of the environment, the improvement of life for young Londoners and keeping the city safe from crime as three of its main concerns. How odd then to invite a man who was a spokesperson for the Provisional republican movement at a time when its military wing considered the bombing of horses in Hyde Park, the firing of mortars at Heathrow Airport and the slaughter of Christmas shoppers at Harrods to be 'progressive' contributions to life in London. Of course, Mitchel McLaughlin had no personal involvement in any acts of violence during the conflict. As Cedric Wilson once remarked in a rare moment of wit, Mitchel has a reputation as a sort of draft dodger within the republican community.

But let us not dwell on the past. Regardless of whatever massacres in London the Mitchel of yesteryear would have been willing to defend, the Mitchel of the present day can hardly be considered the man to advise the British left on fighting the cuts. As the Socialist Party's Joe Higgins observed a while back, the Shinners have something of a partitionist policy on cutbacks – against them in the south, implementing them in the north. Indeed, one really has to question just how serious they are about opposing cuts in the Republic. Sinn Fein representatives have spoken openly in the past about their willingness to go into coalition with conservative parties in the 26 counties. If they can stomach taking harsh decisions in a coalition administration with the right-wing DUP you can sure as hell bet your bottom dollar that they would not hesitate to make similarly harsh decisions were they to be in power with Fine Gael or Fianna Fail.

I suppose when you're speaking at event alongside people who are members of organisations like the Friends of Al-Aqsa, the Islamic Forum of Europe, the ambassador of Stalinist Cuba and a couple of folks who reckon North Korea is a fine example of actually existing socialism it is not all that difficult to see how Mitchel McLaughlin could suddenly appear to be a shining symbol of radical progressive politics. Then again, that could also tell you something about just what a tragic mess a section of the British 'left' finds itself in.