NOT FOR a long time has the left the Labour debated itself to the extent that it has been doing in the last couple of months.
The use of the term 'lett' in this context is widely applied. It ranges from Neil Kinnock to Reg Race, from Tribune to Socialist Challenge and Socialist Organiser.
The issues at stake in this debat were stated firmly by Neil Kinnock writing in Tribune on the eve of th. Labour conference. Kinnock two pages to explain why he could no vote for Tony Benn in the deput! contest. 'The Labour Party is now ir a seriously weak position', he argued and he blamed this on 'the particular I0Im Ol divisions in immeasurably worsened by the nature and conduct of the deputy leadership election campaign.' Party allu tool recent years, deputy leader in of other conference o what te Eric Heffer Ul zallisallull, Race and others. surprising.
Party LaDuul initiated the should also be conclusions THIS weekend saw the second of the Labour 'Trade Union and First, it was clear from the speakers and contributions at the conference that the LCC nas little relationship workers fighting the None of the major the WICH CU struggles going Laurence or Robb WORKON are fighting redundancies. "hat Tribune should cal tor a cease-fire is hardly surprising. Its own even its newspaper threatened by the campaign of Reg more that the Campaign for Democracy, who democratic reform • the Labour Party, coming to a similar the albeit from a different Scotland, went out of his way to defend Alex Kitson, TGWU acting general role he scuicial y, the Vlaycu Bob Wright, assistant secretary AUEW, one of the other main speakers at the concalled on the left to discipline itself to allow the Labour Party to win the next election.
Reg Race viewpoint.
Writing in Socialist Organiser Vladimir Derer of the CLPD that organisation's executive had decider the 'CLPD should decision. First, 'the need to restore to Party the credibility crucial unprecedentedly narrow electoralist approach was present throughout the conWithout suppor he one ten the Plans and encouraging Tories then the pans outlined at the conference, launch bulletin trade union activists and to promote the formation of workplace Labour Party branches, will come to nothing.
These failures were continued at the LCC annual general meeting the on the economy and the Ign agalist une culs were voted down or remitted.
reactionary policies of Thatcher are to be successfully challenged in the next general clecuon.
Second 'the this Labour will credibility as long as it appears to be a hopelessly divided One of the difficulties with this argument was illustrated in the House of Commons last Thursday. course of the debate on the Queen's speech Denis Healey declared he was said the LCC would not b month election campaign', The only reservation about this, expressed by leading the LCC Michael Meacher MP, cabinet Labour Party front bench should reflect policy as decided by conference BOLI the LCC trade union conference and the AGM recognised the threat posed by the right wing through its attempt Militant supporters. AGM unanimously called on the Labour execulive lo SIOt the and to recognise Pat Wall, a Militant supporter, as the parliamentary candidate for Bradford North.
Britain conference organised expulsion Church the Field called Militant.
'the members The policies any wider labour are organising perform necessary.' Kinnock beer sources realisation acuull c this WIll the In the majority leaders. Aucticall Dasci would contribute to Here, Healey was openly defying and attacking the decisions of the party conference which did adopt a unilateralist position and called for the closing of US nuclear bases in whatever the left may choose to do, the right in the party does not intena to cease aerying policy. Moreover, the right in the Manifesto Group is now taking un the battle te such an extent that it has called for the Militant newspaper.
It is not just the right wing as identified in the Manifesto group who Is on tne wilca-nunt ural. in a letter l Guardian on 8 Frank another anti-Benn Tribunite upon national executive to launch an inquiry into Field's suggestion was that this inquiry should aim at kicking out hard of Militant party while allowill! enthusiastic supporters of Militant to If nothing else, Field's call for a purge underlines what Reg Race and others have been saying: that the old Tribunite left is LUW as 'church' as the Labour Party itself conclusior that alternative form of left organisation in the Labour Party is necessary. How that lett should organise and on wha Socialist Challenge return to in subsequent issues.
This view has, •since mmen been spelt out more firmly by such MPs a ‹eg kace ana Boo cryel Reg Race told a fringe meeting at the end of the party conference 'A majority of the Tribune Group has always resentec attempt to try and make the vroup reach movement to contact CLPs and trade unions. In the present circumstances where ine rent wing Fi ... it is absurd to say that the Tribune group could possibly the kind of role that Race saw a new group coming out Committee and the Benn campaign represented bv Benn These suggestions have in turn alacked ITON variety On 23 October Tribune Eric Heffer maintained 'the left mus alvide its lorces' He insisted, 'Concern over Labour's chances next which are threatened by the : present divisions has made the need for party unity an urgent priority even at the cost of entering into compromises with that wing of the party which is led by the For virs and trade union