'WE ARE all aware that the decisions taken at the 1982 conference and the Party's success in achieving greatly influence Labour s prospects.
of the Tories and the Liberal/SDP Alliance, and the election of a Labour working majority' these words of Tony a new body in the labour movernent to be launched January 'Labour ason 1982' Is meani lo 'democratic forum De a representative of the Lett in the Labour Party, trade unions. the parlamentary Labour. Party and the Regions Socialist Challenge welcomes this. It marks a 'first' in the history of the Labour Party in proposing to organise the fight TOT socialist policies the unions.
big question for the left in the Labour Parthe de the ride which is which possesses a real base in the class and social movements and what it inlo ao that base.
Will the left challenge the parliamentary terms of battle being insisted upon by the right wing! Unity Tribune has already given its answer: prostration in front of ine rigne Talk of low profiles' and 'unity' are just other terms for capitulation lo rigni policies, abandonment the democratic gains of the last year and collaboration in disorganising and disuniting the ranks.
The blocking of Bermondsey prospective can didate, Peter Tatchell, inreatens to be ronowed by challenges to the demoCancel nominated BOD Clay of Sunderland and Pat Wall of Bradford.
The decision tant promises mayhem in the constituencies as this is witch-hunts just code-word against all currents of left political No more Wilson/ Callaghan governments unity around those decisions will 'Our prime objective is to secure the defeat Government with a opinion in the party.
The misnamed 'Solidarity' group of MPs is openly campaigning for Call calls.
SDP The meeting right wing Trade Unions for Labour Victory (TULV) this week threatened to cut off funds to the Labour Party from IDe unIons refuses to give up the fight against biese allahs.
This sort of unity is the beloved the ofUniC ficials and lop leaders of the movement. They lake the genuine sentiment for working class solidarity 10 confront ane and use it against the desperate neeo one cass odoro gramme and leadership that is capable of actually winning against the Tories and SDP-Liberal Alliance.
Not victorv against the SDP is a re-run ments, that is, a Labour government on SDP policies? No, only answer is to drive deeper and deeper into the moveleadership.
We cannot be diverted by charges OI chillers The right have been the main culprits for splits in the Vast. They will ao everything in their power to rétain control and then split they The weaker them has already started this process in forming the SDP The success of the SDP undermined by discredited policies.
Party which is Labour seen to be combative and boldly embracing decisive answers to the key quesof the day (ols Lal. polarise the base of the Liberal-SDP Alliance.
Left policies can inThis is the lesson of the masses people anti-missile movement. the trade union and Labour leaders senous y organised mass campaign aroma comerence policy for unilateral disarmament, the SDP-Liberal Alliance would be sharply The Denis Healey's this would also be more than a little miffed.
The strategic orientation Labour left must be to deepen its base in the trade unions. deputy leadership contest showed just how suitable a for constitutional case reforms the unions are.
LSE Fine words don't even scratch the surface. The Laurence Scott dispute has been at the sharp end of the struggle to democratise making them responsive lo the needs of workers in struggle Engineering union oificials, Boyd and Duffy, attempted WIlO sabotage the LSE strike have been seen by over 1000 union branches as a power no removed Bennite left must make this strug Early in November, the Scottish Labour Coordinating Committee in Scotland set itself Ine target of ending 'nonpolitical trade unionism ls amn was lo persuade hundreds of thousands of inactive members of trade unions to fight for Labour conference policies It seeks to establish Mass unemployment marches such as in Liverpool '81 show potential for building base in the unions Party worko act branches as well as the democratic exercise of the block vote at and Labour Party conferences This is the background to the Labour 1982 campaign invitation to the Broad Lefts in the unions.
However this runs counter to the approach of many CP type broad lefts which are tied to the tor tunes of top union officials.
vstyle is brogured ars new-style broad which will take on these leaders as part of the fight Bennites must deepen roots of mass campaigns in trade unions for democracy, accoun tability and a socialist programme Job How organised should the new campaign be? This will depend how seriously it takes its job of combatting and defeating the right wing in the labour movemenl The right are permanently organised from top to bottom of the trade unions and Labour Party. Any effective struggle against them needs equivalent organisation.
The strength of the British labour lies organisation wnich can be brought the side of the Left through affiliation campaign for example.
The Labour Liaison cannot remain callas at the level of those invited at this point, but must go win and party branches. women's tions, and so on.
It should be open to all currents the labour movement.
Its first task must be to • Assisting Labour's political and industrial against sucu Issues rights.
• Defending reselection and extending ramamentary Labour rarty party.
in the workers.
and others have been invited La•our co-orainatine commice meet the witch-hunt, no Poor bui by excuse for finding excuses recall Labour r conference Already the tional executive hav received hundreds of pro test motions from consti tuency parties and uld unions.
Challeng sunions es from he rad will January conference look forward to rebuildin the sort of momentur behind left policies tha almost brought Benn li the depu!! leadership contest.
Five priorities are laid out for Scam LiberalsO attacks wages i UT unions, local councils, social security and women's • Implementing Labour's policy on disarmament, the alternative economic strategy, public ownership and control. public spending and the Common Marke' the electoral college and mandatory accountability the • Reversing the right's gains in the national executive at this year's party conference and preparing for possi ble contests for the leadership or deputy leadership • Working tor an atmospnere or tolerance witnin tne ganisations in alteing here rade unints, the Brity Broad AUEW, health electrical and plumbing, post office unions In addition a number of national organisations such as Tribune Group of MPs National Organisa tion of Labour Students. Militant, Socialist Organiser Labour CND and the Labour Abortion Rights Cam Socialist Challenge 7 Jandary 1982
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