Callaghan - and his right-wing cronies - got a rough ride at the special one-day Labour Party conference last May. Owen was booed when he called for the retention of Cruise Missiles and Healy mounted the platform to cries of 'Out! Out!'.
Moreover, they were also served notice that the gains in party demoracy chalked up at the last conterence were not to be played with. The Rank-and-File Mobilising Committee - launched at lunch-time - - argued the need to deepen them still further further, particularly around PLP accountability.
SHIFT The fact that the right-wing came in for such a drubbing clearly reflects the shift left among party Since the Labour leaders were unrank-and-file since the Tories came to power. There is a growing understanding that it is impossible to take on the Tories under the banner of the old leadership which lost Labour the election.
This was reflected in delegate after delegate who criticised not only the Tories but also the last Labour government. As Ron Hill (Monmouth CLP) put it: "South Wales steelworkers have been attacked by the policies of successive governments.. I won't stamp the streets for a Labour government like the last one".
Anü yer despite the radical talk - and the obvious feeling for clear alternative policies - the mass of delegates left the conference hall empty-handed. What could have been a real chance to discuss how very little to mobilise union ranks became a talking shop used by the right-wing.
WEAKNESS his allies on the NEC. Their fight for party democracy certain policies in the interests of working peoplea step forward.
But counterposing the programme of a future 'democratic' the Tories are now creating is not enough. Just how will the pro gramme of a Labour government today, the social services being political arm of the trade union to mobilise action against the Tories NEC in its sparring match with the the Tories.
This is precisely the weakness of the strategy followed by Benn and and for • clearly represent its credibility Labour government to the anarchy in 4 years time stop jobs being axed seen to be fighting on their behalf. The struggle against Callaghan has to be rooted in a fight to tur the party into a fighting unit against STEP FORWARD The lead given by the NEC in opposing Cruise Missiles like its lead in promoting the anti-cuts demonstration last year - are clearly steps in the right direction. It is actions such as these that need to be promoted if Labour is to regain The coming Labour Party conference is clearly going to be a major event. But, unless it leads to" a fighting programme here and not 4 years' hence - the victories the left win will be merely paper ones. Socialism starts now.
the party and conference decisions DEMOCRACY In an important move to extend the gains on party democracy - begun at the last conterence .. a malor new 1n itiative has been launched by the Rank-and-File Mobilising Committee.
Launched at the Special Conference last June, the committee is supported by seven organisanons moluang . une SCLV (Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory), Campaign for Labour Party Democracy , Clause IV. Institute for Workers Control, Labour Co-ordinating Committee and National organisation of Labour Students (NOLS).
The Mobilising Committee is organised around 5 basic policies. These are 1 Mandatory re-selection of MPs:
3 Noc to de inte the Maties or no change in the structure of the NEC: 4 the Party must decide the leader; 5 make the PLP accountable.
While some of the points are blurred particularly over : PLP :..runtability - the Mobilising Committee is a major step forward in uniting the left in the fight for part! democracy and should ee supported by all trade union and LP activists.
Dave McLeod (TGWU)