this year's umber of resolutions will demand more say r women in the Labour Party.
With the possibility of a large number of the legates being women, it promises to be an portant conference. immittee of the Campaign for Labour Party nociacy has been ganising for this.
Many of the issues raised are highly coniversial VN PETTIFOR, the cretary, about them.
Labour Party conference a The Women's Action heavily involved in JUDITH ARKWRIGHT spoke to action committee JA: What are the main issues on women's role in the nary which wil be coming up?
AP: Well, we have five basic demands; firstly, that women's conference be allowed to send five resolutions automatically to annual Labour Party conference; secondly, that NEC be elected by annual thirdly, that there be at least all shortlists; fourthly, that women's conference clect executive: and fifthly, that the women's organisation should be run by women.
The first of these demands SARS good chance of getting through about women electing their CACCELIVE places on the NEC are the It's all very well getting resolutions passed but cannot go out and fight and campaign for them in INCEDOLT movement the women's conference itsell is powerless and ig How do you see the organisation of the party developing? What kind of organisation should it become?
I would like it to be like the Women's Labour League from 1906 to 1918 when it dynamic and camFAIR DEAL women can fully participate.
But what the COOLE Labour Party role as a 00H00519 CUTECHSO tion to reach out to other women?
Yes. this is very important our le gas o pe run by women to achieve this and i has to nave power But I do disagree here Surely. year's 105L conference the platform of conference was composed of women but thev didn't agree with us.
Yes because they accept the role that's been thrust upon them I think are quite happy with the dea that women's sections should just make tea.
You know, women's sections are drawn along polling districts, cather than on the lines as Labour Party branches and I'm DUES that this is because they were used in election times to write envelopes and so оп.
But political differences exist between women not just the struc But we can't have any policies without power we don't lust want to tak to ourseives.
Why do you think there is so much resistance to the demands you are putting forward in the I think men feel threatened. Even a leading left-winger I spoke to said he thought the demands would reduce the chance for men and give women more chance on shortlists ete.
Do you see it as part of left/right struggle inside the party? Surely they're also threatened by the fact that Labour Party woman's conference passed lett wing motions on issues like think could see WITHH-HUHE towards women's organisation because of that.
Yes, possibly, I think that some women on the right 250 care tae ene of women in the party as unjust I think many understand that the conference of Labour women was radical because of happening to women under Thatcher. I think all sides of the SITELLY OH political divide are more sympathetic to the plight of women.
If the resolution to ensure tat tive resord tions go from Labour Party ference to Labour Party conference passed what issues would you like to see prioritised?
I think the main priority would be women's unemployment and the division of labour between men and women in the workore 3603 31913 women to be shed from the Secondly, would come the role or women insioe the trade union movement and fighting to increase that Thirdly, the disarmament question and tinally the issue of the welfare state and the health service in particular, these priorities i would sel The Women's Labour League took up issues like PETE the poor law education of and girls and the boys had a very effective campaign around school dinners.
How far does the Labour Party programme which is being voted on at this year's conference cover these issues?
Well it's a big step forward because women are mentioned in all areas of the programme still things left ou for example STATULI minimum wage is not menPeople argue that you couldn't enforce it and that there's no point in having a law but the Phe political will to feate political will to fight for these things have to be organised to fight.
At present women are denied that poweriul political pressure