page spread in their latest issue carries a detailletter of application to Labour Party secretary.
the left, including many Militant supporters. It will be read as a signal that Militant wants to strike a deal the legitimacy to the idea of a register.
But the decision won't change much. If Militan!
ad not applied, the NE vould still have expelle people.
And it will do this unless a struggle is organised against expulsions. This is why the conference on 30 Octobar. organise resistance to expulsions, is SOLDO Tal attitude might be taken to the repister bv different cur rents on the left, unity is essential on the one question, which will determine whether or not the register eteve whether or not people get kicked out.
Will Militant be taking part in the 30 October con ference? Until recently its editors denounced it claiming it was counterposed to their own September rally even though the conrerenei organisers mobilised support for the rally sayin that the two events served different functions.
Militant's leaders now declare they will support the conference. But thes are sponsoning a monon which argues should dissolve, instead of setting MILITANT HAS APPLIED to register. A four Jim Mortimer, The decision will be seen as a big blow for NEC. It also gives up a campaign, and send their vay to get unity Terence serves a different DurDose to committee. It is designed to establish a broad united based bodies of the Labour movement, unlike the Militant's steering com more: And the 30 h mittee which porters. tober conference aims tant but the whole of the left - indeed, the whole parthis is not to deny the importance or legitimacy of the Militant's own committee and rallies, which must be backed. But these cannot substitute for the Job or bulding a broad united front. Militant should join the new body and work with it to build own November regional rallies as well as a network of supporters and affiliates to the new paign. This would be an excellent working relationwhich could evenPat Wall, parliamentary candidate for Bradford North. The NEC will try to remove all Militant's PCs against the wishes of their constituencies tually lead a single united body. But are there deeper for Mili leadership's reluctance to join in united front activity?
It unfortunately thinks that it, and only it object of the NEC's attack, and that the best wa to react is to build the Mil tant. This doesn't ICEVE much role for people who don't happen to agree with to defend it; and it doesn't do anything at all about attacks on the rest of the left.
Worse still, they hav raised building Militant to such a principle that they are ready for a wide layer of Militant supporters to 1050 Labour membership in advance of a struggie.
At emerous meetings of the spear at they made it they think would be better for Militant supporters threatened with expulsion to leave the Party rather than provoke a confrontation with the NEC which might lead to disaffiliation This is a disastrous ap proach. Of course, • at the end of a struggle it may be necessary, because to accept a particular expulsion. But this is not the same as giving up before the fight starts.
It is like going into a strike for a 10 percent rise an announcement cent if it's offered. more expulsions the right are allowed to get away with, the more they will be tempted to make. Only if each and every expulsior provokes bitter battles will they think twice about what they are doing.
Indeed the right wing, led on by Militant's own hesitations, are said to be nice leaders then Militant's This would a tremendous blow to the wnole lent, as wen as in Militant. The job of the 30 October conference is to ensure that every consti tuency where a Militant sul deer is threatened deliver a cast iron backing not to acceot them expulsion, and that the rest of the Party bali deliver a guarantee to back them up This is a battle that Militant must be involved in as part of a united labour movement campaign.
Support the Healthworkers Monday 8 November 10.00am Friends Meeting House Euston Rd., London N1 Mass meeting of transport workers Arthur Scargill. president NUM
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