NICHOLSON, Vice-chair of the GLC Planning commitee ano member for Bermondsey, the plat form of the public meeting which launched Peter Tatchell's campaign, 'Labour is a party action, George began and showed how by taking up his favourite theme: the Docklands Development CorporaGeorge has camaround the docklands issue for many years now - and clashed swords more than once with former MP and Labour Party member Bob Mellish and his who's st John digady real Be stadding as sey Labour' in the byAfter the meeting he got together with his former colleague on Southwark Council, CAUL TURNER discuss the Dockland Duo.
much has changed did Southwark as councilors a tew vears back except that now the former Leader of the councis open oooosing Labour, instead of claiming to speak in its name.
O'Grady elegate to Bermondsey i 074 In those days in Phat's what he holds up as was moribund. 'the real Labour' in today's campaign.
There was no contact between and local people. That changed when we began campaigning against the proDosed development of massive office blocks, luxury hotels and the like in Southwark's docklands. Now, many community groups are actively involved in the party, and lots of Joca peonle have ioined over the last few years.
Has O' Grady's towards docklands changed since became memDer OT Ine LOSE Board?
Time and again the Bermondsey Labour Party local groups have come out against his sort of dockland plans - but this never affected the atOI Mellish or O'Grady.
thing on a bigger scale now that O'Grady's a paid member the LDDC Board, and Mellish is its full-time Vice-chair.
How does Peter Tatchell figure in all this?
'Grady's approach to anyone who opposes him Is Just as vicIous now when we were first on the council in 178.
was elected on a docklands ticket — a promise to campaign for development which better nousing and better leisure facilities to wie working poopie this area and one tha created jobs for local peo to replace the housands lost in Bermondsey over the years. As soon as I started to do that, he nade sure the North Southwark ComDeve oomeri Group I was working for had its council-sponsored grant removed — so I lost Tatchell Peter's run-in with Mellish and O'Grady began when he became party secretary '79. The party shambles, Peter did agood COD CLE Job getting Labour's oca house in order after years of stagnation and decline under an incompetent party secretary.
concerned The proach was. the further party asking questions and couldn't answer O' Grady became publicly hostile to the party. As you know, he deridagains poles nuncil council chamber. coming to Ges. stopped coming to As a T&G-sponsored MP secretary Anne Coltart frequently spoke against his union's policies for example, on the And during my L cam.
cam2102s pear on my public plat form.
Did Mellish or O'Grady Take action when Peter was first selected as Bermondsey's candidate?
Peter was first selectec in early Mellish had made it known he wasn't standing again — he knew he hadn't a cat in hell's chance of being reselected.
that.
That the time made his statement not enIt's never precipitated the whole It seems likely CUISOUG have powerful Party suppose threat, coming as it did at the height of the defections. Foot's behaviour disgrace throughout. been What do you think of Peter's campaign?
The media have picked Mellish and o Grady pea Dasto line that dle — that the party's been taken over by an out-ofcrowd ben boat ister and the local revolution.
party, there's no doubt that we're rooted among local people and their organisations. Peter is a aal link between party and people represents.
This bizarre between gamekeeper party. there'll be parties Our fight rightwing Parties to carry issues, ing which is a very limited the • Labour Party full nuclear In this light They call for Labour CND to launch a nationa campaign "along with all relevant trade union and Labour Party organisations' full implementation of 1982 Labour Conference deci sions.
They propose that if the document which is to form the basis for Our Communist Party Candidate, Bob Gordon, is not atcheli. He stands "against Peter Tatchell'. because it is vital to oppose the reckless nuclear war preparations and the growing emiser nat of unemployment. not a person - is what he stands against He stands for the Communist Party's consistent alternative policy for Peace and Jobs. True, on a number of issues we and the left Labour candidates are in agreement. That does not mean we must leave it to them to bring these issues clearly to the SCOTE - nor indeed that they necessarily will do so For example, our candidate will place the issue of Peace at the centre of OU! campaign, arguing of alternative But Socialist Challenge is con munist Party to against Peter Tatchell weakens the fight for precisely the policies that Joe advocates.
Today in the Labour Party and trade unions a big fight is opening up wild policies Labour will stand on in a general election paigns like CND as well as As result of camthe disastrous experience of the last Labour govern ment, the Labour Party is now committed to SUCE policies as unilateral nuclear disarmement, withdrawal from the EEC and the 35 hour week The right-wing of the Party wants nothing to do with these policies because they mean a real fight the capitalist- class For this reason they will try to dro them manifesto and they witchunting their supporters out of the Labou Party Even were Labour to be elected these elements from Healey to Golding to Chapple would rather split the Labour Party than see Labour government mobilise the working class for socialist change. Right Labour's general election manifesto does not include full unilateralism then campaign must be launched for special Labour Party conference to ensure that conference policy out by the NEC Calmed and Parliamentary leadership addition the AGM will discuss how to figh for the labour movemen to organise a campaign of action against the missiles. At the centre of this is the decision of the TUC and LP conterence organise a labour movement day -ot action 1983.
As yet no information and Trident.
Peter Tatchell may also favour this policy. Yet in the recent major Tribune article he does not mention peace at all! Again unlike our candidate, Tatchell's article makes no mentior at all of incomes policy or wages. And so ignores the link between depressed wages and unemployment.
Indeed his article ofters gramme which would lead палопа!
• growing (His only concrete pro posal is the building new industrial estates. . It is not a shortage of buildings to work in but of opportunities work the enterprises that Bermond sey lacks!)
Above all our party is for fundamental change to Of course we have no necessary for a real now their weakens the fight for Michael Foot is giving these SPers within the Labour Party cover and in effect aiding their witchmunt against me belt But an important section of the Labour Party is organi the against the TELL COURIS Party has recently denounced such Labour lefts as move right-ving in to remove right-wing and councillors.
Transport House have COnG their utmost to sabotage Tatchell's cam. paign. For the cynical bureaucrats in Transport House the lower his vote the better. They will take a a vote against the left-wing candidates and the policies of the Party conference.
For these whatever the shortcomings of Tatchell's own election material and there many, his VOLE will be taken as a referendum on STROS policies and those that support then because Street understands thi that they have run their filth campaign against Tatchell.
The Communist Party's decision to run against whatsoever has been duced by the Labour! or the TUC on this. . It is more likely than not that the SECT Murrays and Denis Healeys regard such proposals as an embarassment in a probable general election year.
But unless the trade unions and Labour Party mobilise their ranks against Cruise and Triden many supporters of CNI will turn to other means of stopping the missiles In fact only the millions of organised workers have the power to argue that such majorit Commun tha will figh have -TOT cam paigned decisiv have ever do so.
Tatchell therefor weaken, strengther Line ve which Jo jority in MPs.
But mOr ecutive Committe plains, the Februar the CP 1983 Com Joe can ice, CP up wit the sec policies order come The combine thi right-wing tionism rhetori and sec left-win trade port it Labou lef against force nuclear disarmamer on the British ruling clas But as we have seen in th direct and indirer sabotage of LCCCL dustrial struggles, fighti the ruling class is the la thing that these leader: are interested in.
Labour CND can pla a decisive role this year i helping to launch the kin of movement at the base o the trade unions an Labour that HOTC the NEC into action agains Cruise and Trident and en sure Labour fights th as the party o unilateralism.
Socialist Challenge 18 February 1983 page
----- pull-quotes -----
Nowadays, they'll be doing the same
Photo: GM Cookson Peter Tatchell, Eric Heffer and Bermondsey Party
Party TUC and Ca