Box AT ITS RECENT meeting the Nottinghamshire NUM area council endorsed a resolution submitted by the Blidworth branch calling for 'total opposition to the proscribed list of organisations being set up within The resolution had been discussed in all of the area's 31 branches, 17 of which voted for. Brian Lawton, GMC delgate to Mansfield CLP from Blidworth NUM explained wny ne moved the resoldtion.
Brian said: 'The right wing want to get rid everyone who is trying to get progressive policies of the They want push us back to the kind of policies we had under the last Labour government.' Hunter Welbeck Branch NUM summing why he sappor theres resty one 'There's only organisation in the Labour Party that should be look ed at that's the parliamentary party!' The Notts area has now raised the matter of accountability of NUM delegates to Labour Party general managemen colli mittees. As Mark Hunter explained: 'I tried to argue that this should be a mandate on our five delegates to the GMC, but I was stopped and told "you can t mandate them at all"
Mansfield Don Concannon, sponsored Labour MP and shadow cabinet member, argued NUM should ignore the decision taken by the area committee.
A resolution supporting the register was moved by right-wing delegate in defiance of his own branch Ine right wing justified the flaunting of their own union's decision by claiming the decision was somehow the result of behind the scenes conspiracy by the left, trying to prevent any discussion on the issue.
Stan Chambers, delegate from Mansfield Colliery, commented: 'It's just diabolical how the right Wing about democracy then turn round using tactics like this, ignoring the wishes of the members Concannon had the check I don't know why people who are members of the Labour Party should put resolutions through their trade unions criticising it.' 'As as concerned Brian London in reply to Concannon told Socialist Challenge 'the unions are the ot Labour Party, they found. ed it, and they should take a part in running it.' This initiative taken by rank and file In inc Notts NUM shows wha can be done to defeat the it also snow: the methods the right wing will use to clamp down on party democracy.