MY application for membership to the Labour Party was caught up in a right wing against Militant and the broad left. The right have attempted, with some success, it should be said, to use my application against the left.
Now its a matter of prestige for different ayers on the National Execunve, DOlI une right represented by John Golding, Denis Healey al, and the Foot/Kinnock The left should (ailly. have no truck the witch-hunt. It should fight it all the way.
When Healey and co attacked the left after Hillhead, Foot realised that the hard right were breaking his consensus. It Was necessary in preserving his own position as party leader to attack them ane ne caso But it doesn't get over the fundamenta' problem which confronts the party today. That is 90 per cent of constituency parties are for radical far-reaching socialist policies and economic reforms which Socialist Challenge challenge the rule of capitalism while per cent of the Parliamentary HaDou rave sanct believers and upholders of LUC CabILdRS SYSLCH As far as the trade unions are concerned there is no organised left as such which is a big pity. I think there is room for a well-defined broad left united front inside every union. Unless the Labour left does this it will find itselt confronting innumerable prooielns This is a problem for the Labour Party whole not just the left. The SDP/Liberal Alliance committed to introducing laws which will force the unions opt into membership of the Labour av anera oor okl When this was first in troduced after the defeat os the General strike irany Labour membership in the unions dropped by 40 per cent. It you think about it, it is not a very large drop.
However, the prolonged experience of Labour in office denno aised large sections of workers and they have vet toebe won back. This slump in party membership in most of the unions would be Catasi oDe 15 April 1982 page 10 SDP .. Refreshes the politicians other parties don't want London Labour Briefing's from The Other Bookshop. Price 50p plus 20p p&p from 23 Leghorn Rd, London NW1. SDP refreshes the politicians do not want pamphlet. Available menu me allacks . O1 OCUple from ethnic minorities, attacks or SLicet assaulls.
crime in London. BRIEFING Reprinted abour Briefing April 198 LOReT
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