Socialist Action No. 162, 10 April 1987
The scan: 162-apr-10-1987-SA-UK.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
NO WITCH HUNT
No. 162 ACTioN SoCiAliKt 10 April 1987
BUILDING AN ALLIANCE FOR SOCIALISM
AGAINST THE
BLACK
SECTION
LACK
Inside:
page 8
30p • Defend Black Sections, pages 2-3 • Sott lett explodes, pages 0-7 • LPYS conference, page 4 • Israel, South Atrica and the bomb,
• Caterpillar occupation, page 11
ON THE EVE of a general election, deputy leader of the Labour Party Roy Hattersley is attempting to orchestrate a witch hunt against Black Section supporters, including prospective parliamentary candidate Bernie Grant and Lambeth council leader Linda Bellos. This move comes in the wake of the recent national executive decision to threaten the Labour Party Black Section with disciplinary action for having the temerity to organise against the oppression of Black people.
In an obvious provocation, Hattersley wrote to Grant and Bellos demanding they cancel their commitment to speak at the Birmingham Labour Party Black Section meeting on Tuesday 7 April. To make sure this bombshell had the desired, effect the letter was released to the press. This demand that Labour Party members do not speak in a city is unprecedented.
Together with four other right wing Birmingham MPs — Denis Howell, Jeff Rooker, Terry Davis and Robin Corbett - Hattersley states that neither Birmingham District Labour Party nor the city council needs any advice from you or Haringey and Lambeth councils'. To drive the message home, the letter goes on: 'if you do have spare time, you should come to Birmingham to learn how a sensible and progressive council — the largest Labour-led council in Britain — is dealing with this problem (of defending council services) instead of coming to give us the doubtful benefit of your advice.
In a separate letter, Birmingham council leader Dick Knowles has also called on Grant and Bellos to keep out of the city. 'Such a meeting in Birmingham,' he said, 'will harm the Labour Party.'
Bernie Grant, who is ill in hospital, was unable to attend. Linda Bellos spoke. In a written reply to the Hattersley letter, Bellos pointed out that 'like most members of the Labour Party I am free to address issues outside the constituency where I live.
She went on that Black people in this coun try had faced such experiences for centuries. She also pointed out her fear that opposition from Labour spokespeople to Black people meeting together would be construed as their not having the interests of Black communities at heart.
On the eve of the Birmingham Black Section meeting, Linda told Socialist Action: This letter signed by five white male Labour MPs is nothing more than an attempt to impose pass laws. It is tactless, arrogant and intimidating. I do not think their decision to send it to Bernie and me and to leak it to the press is a sound or rational judgement.'
Despite threats, the Birmingham Black Section meeting went ahead. The 250-strong audience heard Linda Bellos and prospective parliamentary candidate Sharon Atkin call for support for the Labour Party Black Section. Other speakers included a Walthamstow coun cillor who is a Black Section supporter and a representative of the Clinton McCorbyn Campaign. Contrary to press reports, Amir Khan also attended the meeting.
This attempt by Hattersley to ban Labour Party members from a city is one of the most grotesque attacks on the right of free speech in the Labour Party ever seen. Roy Hattersley has the perfect right to express his views — and frequently does so. Black party members have an equal right to express theirs. The entire witch hunt against the Labour Party Black Section, including this latest attempt to introduce pass laws for Black party members, must be thrown out.
Page 2 scan of this page
DEFEND LABOUR
2 Socialist Action 10 April 1987
SOCiAList
ACTiON
THE LABOUR movement has been stunned by the collapse in the Labour Party's support since Its 1986 conference — and above all in the last weeks. From being four per cent ahead of the Torles in September 1986 slumped to being third in the polls. The latest Gallup 9000 poll put Labour two per cent behind the Alliance and nine per cent behind the Torles. The MORI poll in the last Sunday Times put Labour 11 per
serlousness of what is at stake in this. The Labour Party was created in the first place
Labour will mean a continuously escalating assault on the unions — a real attempt by the bourgeoisle to drive down the trade unions
perhaps only six to seven million.
An equal assault would be launched by a third Thatcher administration on local govern-
Labour movement in terms of provision of sorvices for the working class, political support, the Inner cities, local councils provision of working class services will be cut drastically
This is the responsibility which faces the left. For literally millions of people a third Thatcher victory, worse still Labour being in would be, a disaster. It would mean an assault
military bulld up by Britain. The ramifications
Alliance-Labour bloc. David Owen, and David
strengthen but to weaken all the organisa-
The tasks that confront the loft in that
situation are simple. The left doos not bear the
responsibility for gotting the labour move-
ment into this mess. But It is going to have to
take the responsibility of leading the labour
The tasks which are to be confronted are
very much loss glamorous than those that one
profor
'bullding the anti-Kinnock loft',
power, 'fighting for workers government' or
any other of the nostrums fashionable on the
left. It is the brutal painstaking task of deten-
ding the trad
Labour
rebullding Labour's support. The loft has to
take the nslbility for
rebuilding the labour movement in every way.
What
truth is becoming an
historical role of the bureaucracy is to de
the bourgeolsie
movement. I was the role o
isolating the miners, Dean in sabotaging the
Wapping struggle, Go
NCÚ dispute, that
gles that could have
government and in c
toral support.
porters
these struggles and from the policies, above
won the new s
class, and Its allles, to support Labour. The
bureaucracy
the
Labour's electoral chances.
That
It has to
Thatcher
how/ and vital, policie
It is only
bourgoolsio and its
dovolon policies which can rebulld Labour's
support and Its organisational connection to
the working class. It must bo the loft that
loads that long hard struggle to defend and
rebulld the labour movement against the at-
tacks that are launched on It.
Labour has now It is impossible to defend trade
out of that situation, as
For an 'proparing for
Ons, defonding the services, under attack, and, yes,
defending and
Is that an historical mediate truth. The fend and sabotage the
strug-
It was Kinnock and which both distanced Labour
women and black people, which could
Actions of the working
sabotaged not only the direct working class but even
the left now has to overcome. every struggle against the ocause no matter
can defeat the ent. It has to
ON WEDNESDAY 25 March the Labour Party national executive committee embarked on witch hunt, with the most unpleasant racist overtones. Under the terms of the resolution reprinted below any Black Section supporter or prospective parliamentary candidate could be up for the chop if they so much as put one foot out of line with the party leadership. The ink was hardly dry before deputy leader Roy Hattersley launched the first attack, by attempting to stop Bernie Grant and Linda Bellos attending a Birmingham Black Section meeting. This witch hunt is potentially the most serious of all that the Labour leadership has yet launched. It must be rebuffed — now, and by every party member.
In its four-year history, the Labour Party Black Section has won widespread recognition as the black voice within the party. I has done so against great odds and despite repeated attempts by the party leadership to thwart its development.
As far as Britain's black communities are ed, an attack on Black Section is seen as an attack on them. They are quite right.
since is mccollull the Labour leadership has done its best to head off the
NEC resolution
ON WEDNESDAY 25 March, by 19 votes to 9,
the Labour Party national executive committee
passed the resolution reprinted below. Оп a
recorded vote, only the following NEC members
opposed the witch hunt launched by Neil Kinnock
and Roy Hattersley: Tony Benn, David Blunkett,
Eric Clarke, Tam Dalyell, Linda Douglas, Joan
Maynard, Jo Richardson, Dennis Skinner, and
Audrey Wise
The NEC deplores reports emanating from the
unofficial conference of Labour Party Black
Section held in Nottingham 14-15 March and
condemns tne statements allnpuled to lilal
meeting that imply separatist organisations and
caucuses in a way that is both divisive and
contrary to the central principles and constitution
We further resolve that any decision to
undertake separatist action with regard to
selective support for candidates or statements or
'manifestos' will result in action being taken
under the party constitution against any party
members endorsing or acting upon such decisions.
The best interests of the black and Asian
communities are served by everyone in the party,
white and black, recognising the need for positive
action and more substantial representation of the
interests of ethnic minorities in the party and in
society, but continuing to resist firmly divisive
calls for separatist organisations.
To this end the NEC endorses the positive work
of the party's Black and Asian Committee whose
status and resources have now been enhanced.
Tony Benn
THE decision taken by the
national executive com-
threatens
disciplinary action - and
possible expusion - for
those who advocate Black
Sections is the latest in a
long line of attacks upon
free speech and free debate
within the Labour Party.
Opinions differ, even
development of the Labour Party Black Section as an independent voice within the party. They knew that organisation Black members would demand a serious struggle by the Labour Party against
By Carol Turner
The first attack by the party leadership was the
setting up of the Black and Asian Advisory Committee
— now the Black and Asian
the Black com-
alllull.
munity, as to whether
Sections the
BaCK
right way of y, and ins
within the party, and it
easy casuments on understand the
both sides.
But quit
thing to hreaten those
who do support them with
expulsion, even if they are
aiming to secure a reversal
of present conference
policy which does not sup-
the issue
well
taken everybody
Liverpool Lambeth
picketing, denuncia-
tion of so-called
Committee. This was presented as a response to the demand of Black party members for action against
and for equality within tne party's owil structures. But it denied Black members the right to elect the committee that was supposed to represen them. It naturally didn't WUIK
The Section's
and
Black selfThis meant the party
towards Black
to hunt
itself to fighter Black
U1.
Dall and the main
precisely SUCI
Star as the party leadership concerned.
Neil Kinnock,
Black leaders
The
and Linda in the
forefront
of kinds, Labour's
Black
Uk com-
"looney left' councils, and
the disgraceful attack up-:
on the advocates of party
policy discrimi-
nation against lesbians and
gay this latest NEC
decision should be a warn-
to everyone that the
NEC wants total obe-
dience to its dictats.
Party members will
also notice that this
plied to those eht of our
OT OW
conference policies on
defence and disarmament
or to others who are seek-
ing to reverse our position
on reselection.
Peter Hain
IN THIS pre-election
period there should be
self-discipline shown by all
sections of the party, star
with the national
leadership and the NEC.
While I don't think
that some of the reported
statements from the Black
Black Sections 'have the Black communities behind us
hunted to deny people their
The that the Labour has
tion,' officer
'will not
We do not have separate or
All
for into
people leadership
tions are aid allow us organise
within the
'Black organisations
Labour leadership
Section conference were tactically • wise, that is , no excuse attack representatives within the Par NEC apparenty acted which on media reports alone 1s particularly disturbing
We ought to be campaigning on an anti-racist programme and ensuring
civil liberties are put at the top ol lie agenda, not al tacks on Black members of the party.
Politics Today
BLACK
CECTIONS
your voice in the Labour Park are harassed or expelled it will certainly alienate Black voters.
'The NEC must also remember that it is not a easy as it was with Militant They were on their own. But we have the Black commades besiden
'For 50 years Black peoPle havent neard ab per
present nearly 90 per Cor the Labour Party. Man hundreds of our activists have sacrificed their energies to achieve Labour victories. in dozens of con stituencies, Labour depends on Black votes.
Both * the Party Black Section the disgraceful witch
deeply to the
the core.
Ann Pettifor THE Labour leadership and the NEC have system-
atically disowned
Labour's various
tuencies the miners, Black Council leaders and not it peers,
and now people
within the Labour Party
the NEC has done nothing to pro-
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PARTY BLACK SECTION
Politics Today
THE NATIONAL executive's decision to threaten the Labour Party Black Section with disciplinary action for speaking out on behalf of the Black communities in Britain is absolutely unacceptable. have the same right as every other member of the party to organise and agitate to change Labour's policies. And we will continue to exercise that right regardless of any threats against us.
When Botha issues banning orders on the Back people of South Africa, denying their right to hold meeting and speak out against injustice, this is greeted with widespread condemnation
Labour leaders who have slapped a gagging order the Labour Party Black Sectiớn.
nune Labour Party Black Section supports the manifesto of the party, but we do not believe it goes far enough. We want to see anti-racist SOCIAIS bolicies incorporated into Labour's programme.
Black Section for a political voice for the Black communities in Britain. We have successfully promoted the self-organisation of Black party members and argued for
representation at all •Vai
oi the party. It is because that success that and
SUDDUILCIS prospective parliamentary candidates are now facing
artaBlack Section is the
Black Section organisation party through which Black members hammer out the proposals we want to see
adont. We argue that the Labour Party should be putting forward
anti-imperialist gramme and building
by the Labour Party NEC on 25 March attacking the Labour Party Black Section and threatening to mount a witch hunt
their version of events.
supporters and can only lead to greater
mote party policies on lesbians and gays and has deliberately delayed reiew the women's organisation.
show that Labour's real crisis is a
representation.
Only when the Labour Party and Its leadershin becomes representative can we expect to win.
Dennis
Skinner THE NEC's frontal attack on the Labour Party Black Section is a qualitative extension of the witch hunt. It must be resisted.
Black Section has the overwhelming support
'ThE NEC has embarked on a very dangerous and damaging colrse hurt the standing of the party in the Black CoMmunities and generally.
Black sections are nor
We
solidarity with liberation struggles internationally.
In Britain, Labour should be promoting policies aimed eradicating racial discrimination in every field: in jobs, housing, education, and in the dellverv of al local government services.
The Labour Party should Ple systematic haramin systematic harassment of Black communities by the police, and should ceany miccrake lo scrab the racist immigration laws.
By Marc Wadsworth, Chair, Labour Party Black Section
The Labour Party contains a profusion of groups with structures, right Solidarity group and the Kinnockite Tribune group: All of these act as obbyists for particular
from threats witch hunt.
Labour MPs participate in a wide variety of caucuses, including with Tory Party MPs and SDP Liberal Alliance MPs.
They do so with the blessing of the party leadership and the full support of the Parliamentary Party. Model resolution on Black Sections
This ... is appalled at the resolution passed
against Black people struggling to establish a political voice. Not only was the resolution based on false information gleaned from the gutter press, but also Labour leaders failed to ask Black party members under attack for
Such acts of undermining by the party leadership are viewed as racist by our Black
monolithic. Like women's sections, they cover a wide SOCCLIFI UCUDIC WILD political views, who are combining LICY black. The NEC's position could easily be extended to women, meeting together as women, or to Irish people if they got party.
Not only is the NEC's attack on the Labour Party
But Black Section supporters and Black Section prospective parliamentary candidates have been singled out for pecial
If the NEC is allowed to continue to threaten Black Section with will be say action, that will ing that
going to be accorded the same rights of association that every other MP enJoys.
The NEC resolution adds to the heavy burden that Black prospective Labour candidates already bear. It feeds the racist attacks which have been mounlea by lne tory ral ty and carried out by their cronies in the gutter press
Protest
This latest witch hunt threat against Black Sections comes in the eve of the general election, when
the party marshall all the resources In Ils power prevent the return of
Black communities in Britain bear the brunt of the
disaffection in inner-city constituencies where the party is dependent on Black votes to win elections. They will also have a negative effect on Labour's vote in every other constituency.
We call on the NEC to revoke its threatened disciplinary action against Black Section supporters. Instead of caving in to racism, the party leadership should mount an assault against this social evil. Black politicians fighting to further socialist policies must be supported and not threatened with expulsions.
Black Section wrong principle, also adversely affect Labour's chances in the general election The Liberals and the SDP will be laughing all the way toth rellition ths.
resolutol license to vet the election addresses every one oi Labour's Black prospective parlamentary candidates.
Il woulu ican lue LaDou leadership going through them with tine-tooth comb and that would give the media a green light to ao une same, creating more opportunities their poisonous attacks on Labour.
The NEC has no mandate for this divisive and damaging new witch hunt Every party member must condemn it and demand it is reversed.
Eric Heffer LABOUR must stop turning in on itself and must go out and propagate socialist
Top Selling Caribbean Newsgape
WE
WON'T
SHUT
UP
working But the
leadership,
the resolution against Section shows, groups as obstacle to
Tories Tory the SDP-
which can policies. Leading figures in
party should stop apologising for our policies and stop attacking our own members. Damage has beer done to the party's pro SOCCLA the weeks in particular, but also over a longer period of time beginning with the attack on Liverpool in 1985.
To tail to support the right of groups like lesbians alu cay nels azult lo ou political enemies. For Pat Hewitt's letter to refer to some of our coucillors and local authorities as 'loonie left', as the capitalist press does, gift to
Bleven
Anything for Kicksl.. Black Sections hit out at Kinnock's 'megaphone politics How the Black press views Kinnock's witch hunt against the Labour Party Black Section
munities are
They
Again from the
they to sit DaNovel while the
big sticks.
policies which benefit the
pressed this society.
side Black communities, 10| against them.
Black Sec-
Urealist
Party executive • yuu
on Black Sec-
the
political enemies.
To expel councillors and supporting Militant or any other left
ty is a gift to our political And to threaten comrades with disciplinary action, as the NEC : did last week, are members or supporters of black Sections is a gitt to our political enemies It is very wrong for people in the Labour Party to distance themselves from workers that are involved in class struggle and who require solidarity from all sections of the movement. In Darncular 1 tnink Il Is aD solutely wrong for the NEC to have taken the decision to threaten the Labour Party black Section with disciplinary action.
Obviously, this is going to infuriate Black comrades in the movement whether or not they are supporters of Section. It is going to lose Labour considerable support, as well as being
Indian Workers :
Association,
Southall.*
mittee's •to"
threaten
action against the
ment leaders.
organisation
loyally
that the Labour Party
equality in our
we •have the
Labour Party
Labour seats
been the
over
parliamentary
this
blem. unacceptable. The party should let the leadership know that they are not in
Not this kind thought control. Ken
Livingstone
THE parliamentary Labour Party is riddled with MPs
cauruses organise themselves on a regional basis, an interest group basis and a political faction basis. The idea that
Socialist Action 10 April 1987 3
aspirations c the Black
• six Thack Section meas-
bers who will become election. We forWalu, lo
Black
certain
bitter
racial convinced that only through organised
voice working within the
We üpón the
members.
an
advers effect
the
within Labou
struggle
justice
alienąte loyal supporters.
President, Indian Workers Association, Southall. this only becomes unaccep table when Black MPs meet to discuss how to defend the interests of Black people lt Britian is revealing about racism stil to be tound in institutional the Labour Party.
Even more horrifying is the knowledge that Gwyneth Dunwoody's ОДО ООО АО validate the candidature of Black
calluluale tended Black Sections con ference. One wonders what basis a person like Gwyneth Dunwoody
Thal. still consider she has any role to play in a party committed socialism and anti-racism, as she appears
opposed to both
Black Sections remain the best way of involving in the Labour Party. hose in the Labour Party who seek to block the progress of Black Sections are merely defending their white elitist power base and must be defeated.
Page 4 scan of this page
LPYS in conference
Black successes in the NUS
4 Socialist Action 10 April 1987
In Brief
NSC 'Blood Money' rally
WITH standing room only, 600 packed into Central Hall Westminster to greet the general secretary of the Nicaraguan foreign ministry with chants of 'the contras — no pasarán'.
Alejandro Bendana was speaking at a rally organised bv the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign to launch a 'Blood Money' campaign against the US
terrorists.
The appeal for solidarity was taken up by other speakers.
Labour frontbench spokesperson, George Foulkes announced that the party is organising a container of agricultural supplies to Nicaragua. He claimed a future Labour government would campaign against
the World Bank and that a programme of aid had already been discussed with the Nicaraguan government.
From CND, Joan Ruddock said that the cold war: "is an obstacle to people seeing what's really going on in Nicaragua'
NSC is appealing for all-out support for the petition campaign
Labour Women for Ireland
THE British presence in Ireland has always affected women in very particular ways, writes KATIE FOLEY.
Traditionally women have led many of the struggles against British domination.
1 agree with vour reporter's view of the Labour Women for
Particularly with this record of struggle and the solidarity which exists in the women's labour movement in Britain, it was disappointing that only 24 members attended to vote.
For many on the left of British politics the issue ot ireland appears to be just one more way of adding to their 'left' credentials: The issue is frequently presented as an dosuall acauemic debate about which it is necessal y ully lo establish the absolutely
Rail against apartheid
A PETITION demanding the release of detained South: African railway trade unionists has been launched by a Labour Party workplace branch of BR Southern Region.
It will be presented to the South African emoassv on o Mav General secretaries of the NUR, ASLEF and TSSA have been asked to
ENOS LAP
funding and for supporters to organise events and meelings around the country as nart of the Blood Money' campaign.
• Petitions and leaflets available from NSC, 23 Bevenden Street, London NI.
'correct line'.
Such debate by accident or design seems to have the etfect of largely excluding women. It is necessary for this not to be repeated in Labour Women for Ireland.
1 belleve inal Ladour Women for Ireland should wave une donly to overconic lucoc Darticis
broaden its base and involve more women it can add significantly to the campaign for British willulawa ov outus on the very considerable potential amongst women in the British labour movement.
I hope that this is the direction that the newly-elected LWI steering
. would hope also that women throughout the campaign will become
branches and that next year's AGM will see a significant increase in the number of participants.
hand it in, and there will be a demonstration outside at the same time.
The petition reads 'We the undersigned condemn the arrest and celennons or te general secretary of the South Atrican Kalwav and Harbour Workers' Union, Ntại Sello, and other representatives of that union. We demand Inal lney are relcased and that SARHWU is allowed full trade union rights.'
THIS YEAR'S Blackpool on 17-20 April, takes place in the run up to a general election. The key task facing the Young Socialists is to decide a strategy capable of mobilising the maximum number of the 6.2 million voters between 18 and 25 to turn out for Labour. everything is on course to re-enact the familiar ritual of voting chauvinistic policies which have separated the LPYS from those thousands of young people brought into• struggle over the last four years of Tory rule.
This course has reduced the LPYS to an irrelevance.
Its main claim to tame is the rotten attacks its members
against the left, like Frances
- urran's against Black Sections at last year's Labour Party COLICICICe By Anne Kane
Once again a majority of the 152 resolutions submitted to 1987 conference are full of platitudes and calls to the faithful. They contain no commitment to campaigning action.
Of South Africa, only twofrom Newark and Horsforth LPYSs _advocate action. Particularly important is the call for the LPYS to support and build the anti-apartheid ment's youth sections and national network.
Carefully separating the
those on Black Séctions has ensured yet another debate on racism devoid of any discussion on a strategy for fighting it which involves black self-organisation. The LPYS's total failure to fight racism has been a focus of allenuon unis year aue to its role in attacking the Black occuurs allu lncu uchanc for constitutional recognition.
Wine Sections have spent this year giving a
to the struggles of Black peopie. une cryo rebreser tative on Labour's national
Cavoucas. has involved herself in the
and table Black and Asian Advisory Committee. Not sur prisingly conference calls for her resignation not as body.
Nonetheless, it is likely that yet again LPYS con-
EASTER 1987 National Union of Students (NUS) conference saw 100 per cent success for the NUS black caucus three black caucus candidates were elected onto the NUS executive.
cant. He introduced himself as a black caucus candidate supported by the Labour Party Black Section and as an active Labour Party member. He stood on a platform of black self-organisation, increased black representation, and for campaigning action against the Baker Bill. Pat's campaign was a pole of attraction for the left at conference.
The Democratic Left have failed to respond to the upsurge protest and campaigning by students in response to Tory attacks, international racist police harassment of black people.
By Polly Vittorini, London NUS executive (personal capacity)
At NUS conference this upsurge expressed itself in decisions to adopt total support for the FSLN
national LPYS conference in
Instead
narrow, economistic and
ference will see Black Sections denounced and, as at
recent London LPYS conference, racism prettified as simo v a too of the bosses' rather than something with a material basis in the working class and which pervades the whole British labour movement.
At the end of an historic year which has seen NUS, the NUM, and the consultative conference of the LCC all adopting policies in support of British withdrawal from Ireland,
of unconditionally support British withdrawal
action to stop, such abuses as strip-searching. ference is likely to be na National LPYS
Model resolution on the Sawyer proposals
the Labour Party
be received by Walworth Road by 22 May.
This (insert name of organisation) notes with
to the party's youth organisation. In particular, this (name of organisation) believes that the consultation period is too short, especially as it
constituencies, and possibly a general election.
opportunity to discuss the proposals.
(name of organisation) believes that: (a) youth campaign committees would have a valuable role in coordinating campaigning, but
members are below 26 and are accountable to their organisations, and that youth campaign committees do not become a substitute for a strong and independent LPYS, nor the LPYS national committee. which is open to all black students. All
The victory of Pat Younge was particularly signifiNicaragua, to reaffirm the support TOr the right OI women students IC elect their own representative onto the national executive, to recognise the black caucu: as the legitimate voice of black students, and to commit the NUS to fighting all immigration laws and ucvoradous
The Democratic Left's line of subordinating campaigning action Kinnock's view of hoW secure a Labour victory in a genera election is at odd. with the needs, demands dill activities of the
recent toner mento and recent round tin and dispirited regional YS con ferences. Nowhere was this clearer than in London After a year of undaunted and often isolated campaigning by the Black com munity, which makes up 16 Coll population, London YS conference refused to even discuss resolutions on Black Sections.
This course, advocated as 'bold socialist policies' is not only deeply anti-socialist, it is also hopeless nom une pomt or view ol winning , young people to Labour. It puts the LYS against, or at best apathetic to, some of the policies most demanded by young people, such as suptor the struggles Black people, for unilateral nuclear aisarmament. for women's self-organisation, for campaigning action against apartheid, and for British withdrawal tron Ireland.
As a result the LPYS represents no positive alternative the electoral damage the right in the party as a whole is doing by atlacking and underallng
THIS model submission by CLPs has been endorsed by the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy,
Black Section, the Labour Women's Action Committee, Socialist Organiser and Socialist Action. All submissions from CLPs must
alarm the NEC consultation on proposed changes
The consultation should be deferred until after the next general election, to give organisations a real
Regarding the NEC's specific proposals, this
their composition and remits must ensure that all
membership of NUS. This is why the Democratic Left lost two elections at con-
However, the incoming executive offers changes the present course. The election results were because, aside from the back campaign for Pat Younge, no attractive and serious alter. native to the Democratic Left was presented.
Alternative
Socialist Students in NOLS (SSiN) in particular deepened its increasing right wing course. SSiN was •LADOUT organisation to run a candidate against Pat Younge.
SSiN's reaction to a decision by the Socialist Worker (SWSS) not to vote for SSiN sup Simor Pottinger because of his position •E. support oi a Zionist state in Israel was denounced antisemitic.
SSIN
Clearly a campaigning alternative
left policies.
Two alternatives to this will be clear at LPYS con. ference. The first is to adopt
widening Labour's and the LPYS's popular base through the campaigning policies and alliances fough for by Labour Left Liaison and the Campaign Group.
Labour Left Liaison will be campaign up
las year's campaign the Black Section on the election of the LPYS place on the NEC by supporting this year's Black Section can didate, sieve Jomoa
LLL's fringe meeting on Saturday evening will bring together speakers from the Black Sections the Women's Action Committee, Broadwater Farm Defence Campaign, the Campaign for Labour Par
Democracy and the Labour Committee on Ireland. It marks a big step forward in left unity to build the youth section.
It is marred by Youth Fightback's (Socialist Organiser) sectarian decision to run a candidate for the NEU place on the grounds that i Steve Jomoa did not pass their positive
(b) (i) trade union youth sections should be encouraged to send delegates to LPYS conference and take a full part in decision making; (it) it is inappropriate for the National Organisation of Labour Students to have an input into the election of the LPYS representative on' the NEC (c) an 'annual youth conference' could be useful in bringing youth issues to the attention of the wider movement, but it is crucial that the independent policy-making powers of the LPYS Conference be preserved. (d) reducing the age limit to 21 would have a disastrous effect on LPYS activity.
This (name of organisation) further believes that: (i) LPYS Conference, as well as continuing to elect the NEC representative, should elect the LPYS National Committee, which should include reserved places for young black and women tempes ent (ii) the lower age limit for LPYS membership should be removed.
In conclusion, while Party interest in youth is long overdue, this (name of organisation) believes thai the NEC's proposals could remove from the youth section its right to a political voice. Labour should be increasing the influence of young people in the Party, not reducing it. which, unlike the Democratic Left, does not drop action at the behest of the Labour Icaucisip. wale unlike SWSS, is able to link
with the labour movement around the Campaign Group O1 MPs, campaigning unions like the NUM, and Labour Left Liaison. and which unlike SSiN, consistently DUDJUILS the struggles national liberation movements, of black people and women, and of the oppressed world wide.
Campaign Student
INTERNATI
International Marxist Review Vol 2 No 2 (Spring
1987) is out now. Price f2.50,
workers movement, the crisis in
apartheid struggles,
from Other Books, PO Box 50, London NI 2XP.
News
vetting. This is another ex ample how Youth Fightback is increasingly in distinguishable from tant. Youth Action wilak this up with the argument for 'why socialists should support self-determination at their Sunday fringe meeting
The other alternative facing the LPYS represented by the Sawyer proposals. Ihese are an at tempt to destroy the independence of Labour's youth section and strike a blow against the whole left.
While must vigorously oppose them +
conference delegates to vote against them - any obbost tion which implies support for the record of the LPYS woma be doomed to tantre The model resolution set out below not only argues for opposition to Sawyer., more thoroughly than the LPYS itself, but also for the DUSILIVO proposal necessary to make the LPYS more representative, such as reserved national committee places for Black youth and young women. the only current at conference which, with the black caucus, consistently supported Younges election, the only curren
to Palestinian student from Bir-Zeit university along witt the General Union of Palestinian
only political view that can pro
To this end Campaign Stu dent will be standing its own candidates in NOLS and NUS elections. next yvai
material includes 'Women and work in Western Europe', the Italian
the PLO, antiand more. IMR is available
Page 5 scan of this page
NEC threatens Birmingham council black caucus
News
of the oppressed.
The current disciplinary threat to the Black Sections from the national ccutive committee or the Labour Party clear enough evidence of the in.
Kinnock. united response is crucial. Blame
In the days following the Hewitt letter blaming the Greenwich bv-election defeat on the party's lesbian and gav mehts mass panic swept through the Labour establishment. All over the party, anything remotely connected with the rights of lesbians and gay men was being quietly erased from the records: meetings were cancelled, ex-
was the beginning of a hysterical backlash even at grass fools level in some constituency parties.
But the resistance was also organised rapidly. The Labour Campaign for LesDian and Gay Rights mobilised its supporters to remind the party of the dance cemence or panic. These facts were: that lesbian and gay rights were the policy of the party, overthe register
organisations on the list several are local left wing
Labour Briefing supporters.
According to the Birmingham Post of 26 March a spokesperson for the NEC said: declaring the Summertield Group ineligible for affiliation, anyone who continues to belong to the group is ineligible for membership of the Labour Party.
The Summerfield Group was formed in the run-up to the Birmingham city council Labour group
GM in May 1986 by black councilors and prospective councillors in Birmingham, Black Section number of their white colleagues. Its aim was to fight for the implementation of existing district party policy and for greater democrac n the Lal bour group.
The response of the right wing leadership was a campaign of intimidation
Hold the line
on lesbian and
gay rights!
THE FIGHTBACK has begun to stop the Labour leadership ditching its conference commitment to lesbian and gay rights. It is being recognised that preventing a betrayal of lesbians and gay men, as they confront massive social and state repression, is not merely a question of the interests of one section of the community. It is also the front line for all those who have fought for the Labour Party to represent the interests
whelmingly carried at conference and endorsed by the whole national executive, including Neil Kinnock! That everywnere the party has campaigned honestly, it has done and that retreat will not prevent the opposition parties using the issue to attack abour On the contrary, it will only encollare them. and then Labour will be routed.
By Peter Purton, LCLGR (personal capacity)
Crucially, though, it is the clear understanding built through the dance made verween esbians and gay men, the Black Section. rights campaigners and other socialists that we have a common interest, and that an attack on one section will only be the taster for an assault on the others, that has enabled us to organise a powerful response.
RHOULD Labour left Liaison, emergency resoluLOTS ale velig organised for the annual general LONGON Labour Party and lesbian
THE NATIONAL executive committee of the Labour Party is threatening left wing councillors and party members in Birmingham with expulsion. The threat comes after the March NEC meeting which voted against the Birmingham Summerfield Group joining
of non-affiliated organisations, which was established by the 1982 party conference. Of the 58
groupings, including Iribune, Campaign Group and
using the local press and the threat of disciplinary Much this campaign was explicitly racist, Labour's loonie left. The nerfield Group a • The campaign of vilification black councilor Phil Murphy is no different that Bernie Grant.
By Mick Archer
Unfortunately the response of many of the soft left was to beat a retreat in face of this oftensive.
Confronted with the prospect of losing their positons as chairs and vice chairs of committees, they made a series of shabby compromises which just encouraged further attacks.
The NEC's decision is
and gay activists are mobilising in large numbers in order to make a big impact on the conterence. But precisely order challenge the accusation
problem, national response is required.
Resolutions have already Decl despatched from Birmingham and Bristol to Walworth Rd and the left everywhere must ensure it does the same Press statements and statements signed by MPs and parliamentary can-
De ssued m order to break the growing attempt to keep lesbian and gay rights out of the public eye and reassure our communities that the actions of the leader do not reflect the views of the party as a whole.
Above all, the labour
public support of lesbian and gay struggles with its banners and contingents: the 'Stop the Backlash' demonstration in Haringer
May is the next woollully. Alliance
LCLGR has campaigned for many years to place
the agenda of the labour
the agenda labour movement. With the firm support of the left, and the alliances DUTI wild Black Section and Womens HO Commutee we nave no intention of allowing allyulle again.
Black party members in Birmingham. the inevitable result of these But the decision
Just wildl sueDs the Kinnock leadership prepared to take to defend right wing leaderships at a local leve
For the second year running the Birminghan District Labour Party now faced with the prospect of a local election campaign based on a manitesto im posed over its head. In Sel-
Support Pride '87
hetersexual organisations.
Equal rights for all
rights'.
2SR (01-720 7139).
rights to lesbians and gay men, and the
are now being justified as legitimate 'public
health' measures. In view of the mounting
violence, discrimination and hatred being
is is imperative for this... to stand up and be
commuted.
the most widespread attendance of working
people's organisations at the Pride Carnival
parade.
of Equality for All -
solidarity behind the lesbian and gay
organisations in London on 27 June, 1987. After the successful reinstatement campaign for Amir Khan and Kevin Scally, the right wing continue to attack
ly Oak the constituency is in a protracted struggle with the NEC its right to recruit Bob Whitehead.
In Small Heath the NEC has endorsed local election candidates although the DLP has decided that short-list and selection meetings should ve rerun. Incy now 1ook sel to do the same in the Handsworli waru ol relry barr.
IN VIEW of the mounting hostility towards lesbians and gay men, the Pride '87 steering committee is appealing tor support trom predominantly
The slogan for this year's Lesbian and Gay Pride march on 27 June is
defend lesbian and gay Please pass the following resolution at your trade union branches and Labour Parties. More information is available from Mary Harper 11 Rushton House, Albion Avenue, London SW8
This... rejects the attempts of the gutter press, bigots and right-wing politicians to make use of the fear of Aids to whip up hostility against gay men. We are deeply concerned that the denial of
increasingly common calls for greater repression
directed against lesbians and gays we believe that
We support the initiative of the Lesbian and Gay Pride Weeks Committee in working for
We support the organisers' standpoint Defend Lesbian and Gay Rights and we resolve to send our banner and as many of our members as possible to march in
Meanwhile in Sparkbrook the right has taken new measures to shore up Is posinon allel lne Allan and Scally victory. As Gina Altal. Haula vice chair of the Black Section, explains: 'It's a witch hunt against the left as a whole, including Black people 'In Sparkbrook where the ledacishe Teet threatened after the events ot last vear the right 1s Ol the offensive. While the left has held onto the Sparkhill ward, the right it making sure it has overall control of the GMC.
It has packed the annual meeting of women's section and it has increased the number of right wing trade union
There are now sevel EETPU delegates from one
tions because they say they are divisive, they are pro even division in the community in
The Summerfield Group will next meet on 25 April when a response to the NEC decision will be discussed.
frame-up. ting their 'confessions.
received inducements
during the trials. oureds make notoriously bad witnesses.
Campaign
waving crowbars. animal called winston •icott. kind in 1983.
Process
nian powers for the police against Black council leaders,
Section. the
Socialist Action 10 April 1987 Broadwater Farm
a racist frame-up
THE LIFE sentences dished out to Winston Silcott, Engin Raghip and Mark Braithwaite in the Broadwater Farm trials were a travesty of justice. They were the state's revenge against a Black community which defended itself against police harassment. Their outcome was a racist
The only 'evidence' against the three were their own 'confessions' — in the case of Winston Silcott's, an unsigned one. Irregularities dominated the trials Justice Hodgson, the trial judge, not only acquitted three other juvenile defendants but also strongly rebuked the police for unlawful behaviour in extrac-
The only police witness admitted to the court that his evidence had been 'dotted with lies'. He had
- including money and jobs — from the police. A black judge from the United States who observed the trial said that in her opinion the verdict was a miscarriage of justice, which 'cannot be said to be supported by evidence presented
The trial was the occasion for a carnival of "racism. One police officer was quoted by the Guardian of 20 March as admitting openly to being anti-Black. Another, described as a 'lower-ranking of. ficer, threatened that in a similar situation to the Broadwater rarm events in tne ruture you migni find some of these coloured youths (sic) happen to jump off balconies. A third complained 'these col-
But the police bark was nothing compared to their bite. It was revealed during the trial that the police had planned their riot at Broadwater Farm for over a year. Commander Polkinghorne who was in charge of the control room at Wood Green police station admitted under oath that five riot vans might have arrived on the estate before the trouble' began at 7.05 pm on that night of October 1985 when Cynthia Jarrett had died. The police have made no charges in relation to her death, but over the next two days 9000 police were turned on the community.
The full fury of the police continued to be vented on the community in the weeks following as 343 people were arrested. The family of one of the juveniles acquitted of affray described the behaviour of the in. vestigating police as being like German Nazis. They told how the police 'came in our house 30-strong
The gutter press played the race card' for all it was worth. The Sun captioned a photo of Winston Silcott 'Face of Monster'. In a headline, it described PC Blackelock as the 'Victim of Savages. The Daily Star headline proclaimed 'Hooded Animals out for blood'. Its report read: "The series of chilling pictures on the right show the Beasts of Broadwater Farm moving in for the kill. They are led by an
Fast on the heels of the verdicts, the Tories announced a review of the Bail Act and of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. A debate in the House of Commons on the reintroduction of corporal and capital punishment saw over 30 more Tory 'hanger: and floggers' emerge since the last debate of this
Strengthening and streamlining the powers of the state is a central part of the lorv anti-workine class offensive. They have used the opportunity of the Broadwater Farm trials first to whip up a climate of racism and then to float the idea of even more draco-
state attacks on Broadwate Farm which followed the death of Cynthia Jarrett, le Labour Kaucrsulp Has remalcu sued, ral Iron protesting the trial verdicts, Labour leaders called for an investigation of the judge who had released Winston Silcott on bail prior to the events on Broadwater Farm. And the Labour Party leadership have not only gone along with the Tory racist backlast
but have even introduced a witch hunt against Labour Party Black
There are still 43 more people to be tried as a result of the uprisings on Broadwater Farm: 7 foi alleged riot and 36 for alleged affray. Of the 27 case: heard before the murder trials, 11 people have been convicted, 7 acquitted and 2 sent for retrial. It is expected that the remaining trials will take six months.
What has happened to residents of Broadwater Farm at the hands of the police and the courts is an extension of the treatment meted out to Britain's Black communities everyday by the state. The whole labour movement must stand up against this racist onslaught and defend Broadwater Farm - starting with support for a public enquiry into the police riot there and for the appeal against the vengeance sentences given to Silcotti, Raghip and Braithwaite.
Page 6 scan of this page
LCC explodes!
Livingstone's statement
Socialist Action 10 April 1987 The following statement was released on 8 April. Copies are available from the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy.
THE most urgent task confronting Labour Party members is the election of a Labour government. Such a goal re-, quires the presentation of clear left wing. policies.
For some time now I have made it a priority to campaign for unity on the left. The split between the campaign and Tribune groups in Parliament and between the labour Co-ordinating Committee and Labour Left Liaison in the constituencies has only benetitted the right. There has been no effective pressure in the constituencies to stop the drift to the right on economic policy and the constant watering down of policy on nuclear disarmament. As the Falklands war so in the zircon scandal we have sometimes seemed to be trying to surpass the lories in jingoism. press moved to attack Labour Councils, homosexuals and black organisations some in the Labour leadership have chosen to run with the hounds rather than defend the Socialist hares. Such an approach is electorally deeply damaging.
Unity on the left and in the party can only be achieved through defence of party democracy and principled policies.
Irrespective of the outcome of the next election the right are aiming for a further shift away from socialist policies and the concept of building a popular
SuLa campaigning party. They have indicated an intention to undermine the modest accountability provided by the present system of mandatory reselection - a democratic gain which gives party members for the first time some say in policy determination and whose defence is crucial to oppose a drift to the right.
so essential if we are to Party unity. defeat the Tories, is threatened by the ongoing: purge the suspension of the Liverpool party, the expulsion of Liverpool Labour councillors, and last month's attack on the Black Section. An objective of the right is to obliterate, through attacks on the London Labour Party, the memory of the GIC, the popularity it enjoyed, , and the coalition of forces it mobilised to strengthen the traditional Labour movement. Such moves are deeply divisive and electorally damaging to the party.
Campaign
In such circumstances the left needs to work for principled unity and maximise its support on the NEC. I believe that I have a good chance of being elected to the constituency section and believe my presence on this body would be a reinforcement of the left. In seeking election it would be on the basis on the policies of Brent East Labour Party.
I would like to clarify a further matter. The executive of the Labour Coordinating Committee (ICC) on 5 April
discussed candidates for the NEC. It was made clear at the meeting that an aim of some members of the LCC was to promote candidates intended to undermine xisting left wing members of the NE - notably Tony Ben ner whom the LCC refused to endorse.
Under these circumstances to agree to be on the slate for the NEC presented by the LCC would be to participate in divisive and sectarian attacks on the left in the party. I made clear my opposition to this procedure last year in rejecting approaches to run for the CLP section of the NEC against Eric Heffer. In these circumstances I decline the suggestion to be included on the ICC slate for the na. tional Executive Committee
I shall be urging Brent East GC at its
nis Skinner as well as Jo Richardson and
Abbott. I shall be consulting Brent East remaining candidate to
I believe it is possible to win power in Britain with a radical Socialist Labour Party. Too much time in the last four years has been wasted in introspection and purges. I would seek to use the NEC posifion to turn the party outwards and build the sort of mass support we glimpsed with the GLC.
Ken Livingstone
1 ABL
ÇOO
COM
THE CRISIS which had been developing publicly for some months in the 'soft left' exploded last week. The first signs of this had come in a polemic which had been developing in the pages of Tribune since the last party conference.
By John Ross
On one side Ken Livingstone had been arguing that the task was to unite the left to fight against the right wing. Policies advocated as necessitating such unity included opposition to all the expulsions taking place in the party including both in the Liverpool party and that of Amir Khan and Kevin Scally; defence of the present mandatory system of reselection of MPs; defence of the policy of unilateral nuclear disarma ment; support for the constitutiona demands of the Women's Action Com mittee and Labour Party Black Section
for pledge to Britist withdrawal from Ireland during the lifetime of a Labour government.
Left
The logical organisational conse quences were drawn from this in Liv ingstone advocating joint work betweer
MPs and the Tribune group of MPs. Thi
attacking the Tribune group for not allowing an oper ballot Cabinet - a condition demanded by the Campaign group for a joint slate with Tribune following the failure of Tribunes rightwingers to vote for Tony Benn and other commonly agreed candidate
This perspective was violently oppo ed by the right wing of the LCC groupe around the "Clause 4' organisation. They in practice advocated, increasingly openly so in recent weeks, a bloc with the righ wing against the left of the party. This started as opposition at the LCC AGM to any joint work with Labour Left Liaison
Nigel Williamson, editor of Tribune, had been increasingly openly
son published a centre spread by Stank attacking Livingstone, and also enlister
Social Democratic and Labour Party. Tribune has also printed a long attack on
Page 7 scan of this page
KI.
ATI.
Livingstone by Jim Murphy, an LCC member attached to the European parlianent. Williamson himself wrote a glowring review of Roy Hattersley's new book SChoose Freedom.
Inside the Birmingham Labour ParMy the right wing in the LCC reached a new height with LCC member Roger Murray advocating, in alliance with Roy (Hattersley, the expulsion from the ¡Labour Party of fellow LCC supporter Kevin Scally as well as Amir Khan of the Labour Party Black Section. In Tribune son 3 April Murray declared: 'Pressure had to be put on the hard left to start behaving themselves and if not, they will be replaced! Murray, defending his support for the expulsion of Scally, absurdLy declared himself to be 'very much on the left'!
Inside the LCC itself differences were sharpened by the fight over the reselection of MPs. Livingstone advocated the noresent system oi reselection bv General i Committtees of the constituency parties *
wilch is tae oly one walen mu rcauly bellows monitoring and accountability of AMPs. The LCC right wing advocated the replacement of this by the system of 'one member, one vote - the proposal orginally made for the party by David Owen, Roy Jenkins, Shirley Williams and others who broke away to form the ISDP.
It was grandeloquently announced in the Guardian that the LCC, allegedly the Margest left wing pressure group in the Labour Party' had voted by two to one in Lavour of One Member One However the March issue of the LCC , Mailing stated that only 126 people in (total had participated in this ballot, of whom 68 voted for the preferred system of One Member One Vote - - in short, support for OMOV was pathetic. Livingstone announced in Tribune, and informed others on the left, that he intended to campaign against OMOV and for the present system reselection. Michael Meacher and David Blunkett also voted in the Labour Party NEC against reopening the issue of reselection. Voting
The issue which has clearly brought to a head the situation in the soft left is the making of slates for the elections to
National Executive Committee (NEC). In line with the logic of his call for work between the LLL and LCC Livingstone circulated to the General Committee of the Brent East party before the LCC executive on 3 April a document innicating the platform on which he intended to run for the NEC and which specifically calied for support for existing Campaign Group members Tony Benn, Dennis Skinner, Audrey Wise and Jo Richardson. Livingstone had earlier publicly attacked the ICC at a meeting in London for seeking to remove Joan Maynard from the NEC.
The demand for the LCC to support the Campaign Group members of the NEC, together with the policy issues raised, clearly provided practical touchstone for whether the LCC intend-
NATIA -
TL
ed to ally with the left wing against the right in the party, or wether it intended to ally with the right wing against the left. The LCC had previously intended to use Livingstone as a candidate to undermine the position Campaign members on the NEC.
At the 5 April meeting of the LCC execulve Livingstone proposed Inal lne LCC executive endorse for election to the NEC Tony Benn and Dennis Skinner -the LCC had supported Jo Richardson and Audrey Wise.
Livingstone stated he would not stand for the NEC supported by the LCC, that the slate proposed by the LCC was aimed solely at undermining the left in the party, and that he would call for votes for Betu. richarason, briel against the position of the LCC. A public statement to that effect was issued the next day.
Base
While this explosion appears to be around individuals it is in reality around the entire future course of the party. The aim of the right wing is to eliminate support for left wing policies by removal of left wing members of the NEC. That is why the shameful campaign was carried on against Eric Heffer over the last two ycals
Any attempt to unite the left in the party required not just definite policies, although this is totally necessary, but also Vote. complete clarity on opposing the vicious backdoor campaign of undermine support for left wing candidates. Equally the right wing of the LCC, those defending a bloc with the right wing of the party, could make tactical compromises on policy issues but they could not let up in their drive to remove left wing candidates from the NEC and other party bodies.
The split over the NEC slate therefore in fact was a clash over the entire future direction of the party perspective was to unite the left in a fight for specific policies and to fight the right wing opposition to this, or wether the aim was to unite with the right wing against the left.
What is clear is that this choice is now oulined perfectly openly in front of the entire party. The right wing of the LCC, around Clause 4, have nothing whatever to do with the left in the party. They aim in practice at a bloc with the right against the left and are nothing more than a fifth column of the right inside the left. That is now clear. open. and in front of the party.
The explosion in the soft left opens the way to a political clarification of the entire situation in the party. In this new situation: what must be put in the forefront is clear politics. Because what the left does next will be done in front of millions of people and affect the lives of nunaicas or tousanas ordabour move' ment activists. What the left does now is not about petty manouevrings but about the lives of millions of people. It must raise its historical perspective to that level.
Labour Party desperate
that the
troduced into
commitment
Group Labour TURNER sleight of hand.
When this was rejected
ding the eliminating
waal such negotiations, rendered policy that has Pressures next Labour government.
the LCC, to
WedKe
lifetime of government."
whether the
Kinnock-Healey cessful outcome. Failure
spokesperson.
More
attacks on
unilateralism
WHILST ONE radical policy after anther has been junked by the
leadership attempt to sanitise Labour's programme for the for- waru a poncy theoming general election, party activists have comforted themselves in the
nuclear disarmament pledge of successive party conterences, by and large, has remained intact. But in the past few weeks a deliberate ambiguity has been in-
what tests'. believed to be a straight-forward
that all nuclear weapons and nuclear bases would
in the lifetime of the next government. CAROL unravels the latest
IN preparation for what turned out to be a disastrous trip to the United States, The Neil Kinnock announced that Labour would delay the removal of cruise pen-
outcome of talks medium-range nuclear forces from Europe. By implying that getting rid of nuclear weapons is in any the
• conditional on the outcome ot Kinnock has ambiguous conference colld be gone publicly unchallenged by the leadership since 1983.
That ambiguity hits at the very heart of the nuclear disarmament policy that generations of campaigners have fought to secure. It is a clear break with the policy of successive conferences: that all nuclear weapons and all nuclear bases would be unconditionally removed in the lifetime of the
The 1983 composite, which won a two-thirds card vote majority, specified that: 'the need to discuss the implementation of this programme with our allies ... will not
our commitment I0, or oui time table in, securing a non-nuclear detence strategy for Britain within the
the next Labour
In response to the enquiries that flooded in after Kinnock's statement, Walworth Road was at pains to stress that delaying the removal of cruise was not incompatible with removing them in the lifetime of a Labour administraLon Dewan baves oerence sookenoer son extraordinaire, attempted to render this prononcement more protound when he explained to a London radio audience on the weekend following the
visit to the White House that Mr Reagan was the only government leader in the Western world to give voice to his conviction that nuclear weapons were 'immoral'. This put Reagan on an altogether higher plane than Margaret Thatcher in Denzil Davies' opinion, and justified the Labour leadership's belief that such talks would be brief and with a suc-
Few party members listening that Sunday would have felt reassured. But perhaps it could be put down to one of many gaffs by the Labour defenc.
Denis Healey, however, is someone less likely to make a stupid slip, He too has been busy laborating Labour's
nuclear disarmament policies. Returning from the USA visit, he told the Independent that the White House press statement 'that Neil Kinnock put for-
of unilateral nuclear disarmament was completely untrue'
This was followed up with an article
New Statesman, where he expounded his view that in a 'changing situation' the terms unilateral and multilateral were 'worn-out' slogans'.
He argued for a 'nuclear freeze butressed by a comprehensive ban on nuclear the Opinion
He has continued to expound this 'reinterpretation' of party policy. The Guardian of Saturday 4 April reports an article written by Healey for the US Foreign Affairs journal in which he takes up this theme.
Guardian comments: 'Mr Healey's article gives probably the clearest exposition so far of the rationale and timetable of Labour policy.
It is consistent with Mr Kinnock's ambition to remove US nuclear weapons
lifetime of parliament. altnough it leaves open the unstated possibility that a Labour government
• persuaded away from this course if its NATO allies insisted.
'Mr Healey concludes: "In seeking the withdrawal of American nuclear weapons from Britain we shall not act unilaterally, as De Gaulle did when he
MARCH FOR A
NUCLEAR FREE BRITAIN
APRIL 25th
ASSEMBLE:1lam VICTORIA EMBANKMENT
RALLY: 2pm HYDE PARK BE THERE
Socialist Action 10 April 1987 7 expelled the NATO forces from France in 1966, or as prime minister Pierre
when he expelled America's nuclear weapons from Canada in the 1970s. In our discussions with our allies we shall weigh all the considerations they put to us with a full sense ot the responsibultv we know we carry for the unity and strength of the organisation in which is the foundation of our security.
In anther Guardian quote from
alult Healey savs withdrawal of all American nuclear weapons from Britain 'would have no time limit, though we would expect to conclude them well within our first ichi!
In the last few weeks we have seen the first clear signs that the Labour leadership as a whole - in contrast to a lew ligni wing rogues like Jim Callaghan — is preparing to abandon nuclear disarmament policy.
Since 1983, the clear-cut, explicit conference have been through a series of dilutions. Nuclear bases have been narrowly redefined and no mention has been made about the status of nuclear ships in entering British ports, to give just two examples. But the core of that policy unconditiona unilateral disarmament - has remained intact That is what is now under threat, and what must defended by nuclear disarmer in the party.
LONDON WC2
Page 8 scan of this page
and the bomb
Socialist Action 10 April 1987
ISRAEL IS putting on trial Morddechai Vananu — a nuclear technician who last year leaked to the Sunday Times details of Israel's capacity to manufacture atomic weapons and who was kidnapped by Israeli intelligence in London. Vanunu's revelations what was already known political and military circles - that Israel had been nuclear weapons for almost two decades. What is not so widely known however is that one of its chief partners in this is South Africa. In this article, shortened from the CND journal Sanity, JANE HUNTER outlines deadly nuclear relation between Israel and the apartheid state.
IN 1979 Israel and South tested a nuclear weapon. It known whether or not the test successful,
The issue did not go away. 1985, South Africa hinted that it had the ability to build two nuclear bombs a year. It has recently been ascertained that it has enjoyed continuea ac-
to Israeli technology. As South Africa's mentor, Israel has had the bomb since at least 1973 and, according to information divulged last vear by Mordecna Vanunu, the technician worked tor ten years at Israel's secret nuclear weapons factory at Dimona in the Negev desert, can build at least ten
After examining photographs and verifying the details of manufacturing processes at Dimona provided by Vanunu, presently being tried for espionage and treason in Israel, leading British and American physicists concluded possessed from 100 to 200 nuclear weapons. It had been known that it decided 'to go nuclear' during its first decade existence; estimates, • however, number of Israeli bombs at 10 to 20. On the basis of the new information the scientists ranked Israel the world's sixth nuclear power.
Built
It was France
Dimona reactor and plutonium production plant, gave technology, and left room for Israel to build a plant to produce tritium.
This the Israelis began in 1980. From
Vanunu's intormation the scientists
concluded that Israel can now build
sophisticated thermonuclear devices.
Mordechai Vanunu told Sunday
Times reporters that South Africans regularly came on exchange program-
mes to Dimona, and that
African scientists, metallurgists and
engineers had frequently
there. This disclosure lent credence to
previous reports of the testing of an
Israeli Jericho II missile (capable of
delivering nuclear warheads) in South
Africa, and the hiring in
Israeli 'safety' consultants for South
Africa's nuclear reactors — a decision
that struck some as strange, since the
plants were built by the French.
Until quite recently,
Africa's major focus had been
enriching its abundant uranium for
export and for domestic
generation. In the 1970s Pretoria had
West German help in developing a gas
nozzle enrichment process aimed at
producing weapons-grade uranium
However, according to
Spector, a nucica
ert at the Carnegie Endowment in
Washington, it was not until 1980 that
the white minority government had
the capacity to build
weapon.
One year earlier, a fleet of South
African naval craft was spotted in the
South Atlantic in the very spot where
a US Vela satellite registered
characteristic double flash
nuclear explosion
ding to the CIA, was a 2-3 megaton
"joint South African-Israeli test'.
The 1979 explosion came three
publicised
in
constructing
the
Africa is not was
In
weapons
who had nuclear
previous OUl that built the
Israel weapons
and economic
South then South 1981 of they Cola Africa would receive
and in 1 for the South
power
Suitable for weapons testin
Leonard proliferation ex-
Britain and
nuclear Israeli bomb test.
Agreed
the of - which, accor- patrol boats,
Israel,
South
Africa
and a half years after the two countries had signed a sweeping set of accords covering military, technological
co-operation. The agreements were signed in Israel after plane. a widely-publicised state visit by the
African premier • Vorste (who was jailed during World War II by the British for pro-Nazi activities).
It was agreed to combine the endowments and complement the deficiencies of each nation, in order that
international pressure to alter their policies. South
weapons and sophisticated technologies from Israel
return would put up the funds development Israeli weapons systems. South Africa would also provide Israel with raw materials, such as rare metals and uranium.
Israel was especially attracted by the large expanses in South Africa
. In 1977,
• Soviet satellite detected prepar tions for a nuclear test underway in binka by the ss, the rane
France, West Germany forced a halt to the proceedings which US officials were convinced was to be an
During the decade following the
signing of the accords, Israel has sold
missile-armed anti-tank weapons,
radar installations, and a range of
equipment from
remotely piloted planes to electronic
border fencing. Its state-owned aircraft company has helped the South Africans update their aging Mirage aircraft with the Cheetah
Ultimately, Israel licensed South Africa to build much of this equipment and provided plans, technology, and advice to help Pretoria establish a military electronics industry. Africa now boasts that it defeated the UN mandatory arms embargo of 1977 — it is indeed an exporter of weapons.
Likely
The Israelis have encouraged the South Africans to bring their wares to Israel for finishing and •re-export under a 'made in Israel' label. allows South Africa to avoid consumer rejection and to enjoy Israel's duty-free agreements with the US and EEC (for industrial goods) and has made South Africa the second largest foreign investor in Israel after the US. And while Israeli investment in south Africa's high technology sector and in the Bantustans (the so-called 'tribal reserves') does not rank with British, West German, or US investment, it is
growIng fast Western interests have been hastily departing the scene.
As military and economic links increased, so did political and cultural
between Aviv Pretoria. Since the imposition of the current state of emergency Israel has allowed the visit of severat South African deputy ministers and sent a trade delegation, its chamber
chestra, South Africa. In return Israel permitlea two cnons to parucipale I a combat festival.
Many wonder what makes Israel cleave determinedly Africa when detrimental nonaligned nations South African members) and with impor
tant sectors of the US public, in particular Black leaders apartheid activists. Possible explanations from blackmail of Israel -yet undivulged details of their nuclea collaboration benefits Israel reaps and the fact that both countries, This
pariahs, have so very much in comThe truth 110l combination of all these factors. any rate, most Israeli officials are embarrassed about the South African connection; few are enthusiastic collaborators.
Delighted
Pretoria, delighted with the relationship while has sought to emulate Israel in
number of areas.
Israeli military advisers are always present in South Africa giving tactica and counter-insurgency training. And and some of South Africa's attacks on its
neighbours have been modelled on Israeli strikes on Lebanon.
On nuclear weapons, feelings are mutual, от- short of open
possession refusal to
the first weapons to their
to deliberately
the atmosphere,
existing targets. yield in 1981, jugation
government.
fall and democratic
own dismantled.
and its top tennis stars to
South the relationship is so tions, a links with the
(especially
and antiThe South African
perhaps ove
the economic
international
probably lies in a
legislation, At
which have on the other hand, is
and apartheid several nunarco should then
Meanwhile
however,
just stopping
declaration of
In Depth
- thereby letting theii sign the Nuclear Non proliferation Treaty speak for itselt Israel always says that it will not br
to 'introduce nuclear the Middle East. But neighbours who might contemplate rallying opposition to the apartheid regime, or the Israeli occupation of Arab territory, are left with a distinct impression that their population cen tres would be at risk — especially as both countries presently dominate
regions by conventional, military, and political means.
It is also likely that both Israel and South Africa have settled on small, 'tactical' nuclear weapons. According
one analyst, the 1979 test was
ambiguous. It released only a small amount of radiation into
signifying either. a low-yield weapon or a 'dud'. Small weapons that would not destroy Israeli cities would be preferred by a country
close to its potential
Tested
For its part, South Africa might snarl and slash at its neighbours. But it must be well aware that the ultimate challenge to apartheid will come from a long-suffering domestic population. Most ominously, maps in the possession of the African National Congress appear to show that the white govern ment has contemplated • using low.
nuclear weapons on Black population centres - while avoiding damage to white areas.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has voiced fears that the Pretoria government is crazy enough to obliterate what they can no longer control. And Israel's raids on Iraq's nuclear reactor
and on Tunisia in attest to a lack of restraint. Whatever their plans for future use of nuclear weapons, the past and present nuclear
of Israel and South Africa indicates a defiant, absolute intransigence: for Israel, there is no end to territorial occupation, to sub-
the regional hostility — and for the white minority regime, there is simply no possibility of a multiracial successor
About South Africa, very little except wait for the white government to
hope that multiracial successor will have no need for nuclear weapons and will scrap them. In the meantime, Israel
prevented from helping South Africa increase the sophistica tion of its weapons. And, of course its
nuclear arsenal has … lo be
Study
In 1979 the Carter administration knew without being told that it was best to pretend a nuclear test had not occurred. In the face of the 1980 elec-
White House investigation was quietly scuttled and, despite the grumbling of several participants, it was announced that there was no conclusive evidence that a nuclear device had been detonated
Congress avoided its statutory responsibility as Israel's aid giver to investigate the detonation, and a subsequent study released in 1985 by Michigan Congressman John Convers included new government evidence that the test had occurred -but also failed to evoke any reaction. In line with the 1986 anti-apartheid
Congress will have ane them chatie this yearaeli South
implications Israeli-South African nuclear weapons collabora tion, at the end of the 180-day term specified for the president to report
"industrialised democracies? military relationship with South Africa. Authored by a retiring senator, this amendment to the anti-
bill • says Congres: consider cutting off military aid to recipients that have such a relationship with South Africa.
Few expect Congress to act - or talk about this relationship continued silence
Israeli and South African scientists
prepare the next generation of nuclear bombs can only convey the impres sion that the world is cowering.
Page 9 scan of this page
Crisis in French Communist Party
International
opposition its leadership
this opposition is
both national and local porters. ALAIN KRIVINE reports. THE background of the emergence of this opposition is the crisis that the PCF has been suffering for over two years. There are four chief reasons why this LISA has emerged openly:
Firstly
the 'Union the Left'
Socialist and tarianism.
electorall the Party,
cent)
Thirdly, the PCF
support the Soviet
questions such with Jaruzelski's Poland.
bureaucratic Malui c of Alternative
La revolution,
document could represent alter-
opposition dared to write
renovateurs emphasise they are for revolution, and
the country.
struggles the Nicaraguan South
signincantly, describe as the fights
•SUcalled socialist
Culunes. has spread throughout the Spanish state. March, and 30 other Spanish towns. Since then, the workers taking industrial action have included miners, steel workers, rail workers, health workers and doctors, and airline groundstaff. NICK ADAMS reports. THESE workers actions follow a wave of protests by students. In January and February, secondary school students filled
of demonstrations against changes trance rules. University students all over the country have also been on strike against planned changes in their study programmes
Some of the workers
been tremely militant. In the
THE FRENCH Communist Party (PCF) has been plunged into internal crisis by the emergence of an
grouped around manifesto entitled La Revolution, camarades! ('The revolution, comrades!') The best known leader of
Pierre Juquin. Entitled the "renovateurs' (renewers) the oppositión has support not only among the PCF's individual members but in the trade unions, its local council members, and in its Central Committee. The renovateurs have taken the unprecedented step, for the PCF, of organising
coordination of its sup-
by
there are of unclarity •CAample, are unclear about what the bourgeois
of reform
which is
the question Hasterr
Solidarnosc. explains that in a certain soulse puts Gor-
be. this is both because reasons; the debate
renovateurs about Jai ly can be from
significant
have They
have set
renovateurs, with from 30 departments (counties). They hold
tional are
dinations, and are
also The
discuss revolu-
will organise debates all the main towns of France, as well as internal discussions
Strike wave in Spain
A WAVE of strikes involving workers and students
On 12 400,000 workers demonstrated in Madrid
northern industrial of Reinosa workers occupied their stee mill against a proposed third cut- the 1700strong workforce were joined inside the plant by 3000 local towns people ir a successful defence of the occupation against police attacks.
Each of the struggles has particular demands, but they are linked by their opposition to the five per cent ceiling on pay rises
French Communist Party leader, George Marchais
open only to PCF members.
Despite their lack of political homogeneity this is a current going in a left direction. They CreeL unt Socialist Party as an alter-
Moreover, native. ther have declared openly in total support for the recent strike waves or students. railworkers, electricity
and workers France.
in rrance.
where all
dination.
filiation of cells
factory the east
cells
tany and communist worker
cell at
in France.
the components that make Com-
- eecle• •|ficials,
look at cies inside
senes
imposed by the Socialist Party government Felipe Gonzalez
'The renewal of work. ing class struggles presents a maior challenge to the Socialist Party government which has engaged in a public 'rationalisation' programme since its elec tion and is now proposing further anti-working class merited accompany the five per cent pay ceil
In 1984 introduced overed the ment term contracts legalising the right of firms to employ workers for just six months per vear. It ha presided over job cuts and
dards. The government is
regional leaders; trade unionists - including even some leading members of the French Communist trade union the CGT; intellectuals; and a new development various structures of the CP joining the coordination. cluding some workers' cells
The opposition has taken initiatives which inCalle themselves an alterHalive POF leadersh the used tol example the official sign an appeal for an antiracist demonstration on 15 March against the new nationality laws until a few The PCF turnaround only the march. Havocucu •ecause pressure from the renovateurs, who had declared their support for the demonstration two weeks carner.
Two other initiatives taken by the opposition threaten speed political developments. Alain Amicable has been put forward openly as a member of the opposition, with the support of cells and PCF members locally,
canadale by-election in the steelwork-
area north-east France. Amicable was previously first secretary
the departmental federation of the PCF, and is a worker who is well-known and respected for his leading role in the fight against redundancies and closures in the steel industry in 1979 and 1984. The official leadership does not recognise him as the PCF candidate but has decided not present Gonzalez now proposing to abolish
statutory minimum wage for workers aged between 18 and 24, reduce redundancy payments, extend short-term contracts ana give encouragement lo firms employing part-time labour.
their own candidate against him, which is clear indication of the existing relation of forces in the area.
In Brittany around 300 members OI the party
most of them workers and let received s, hir have not
received PCF membership cards. They have now split, and
separate Communist Party in Brittanv. with their owi newspaper, dues, and so forth. They have decided to construct their organisation locally on the basis of the renovateurs manifesto. Moreover they are officially members of the national coordination, wilch means me opposi tion is also organising people who do not blay, vi walliot stay. Ill lilt
Undoubtedly these developments accelerate
processes when the coordination is not ye well politically unclear about
its importance is clear. The crisis within the PCF will be a central feature of the decompositon
and recom position the French workers' movement. The emergence or me opposttion has created new hope tor thousands people on the left - who have become disenchanted will lue party and offers the possibility for building a really credible mass revolutionary alterNative here real climate of attente, (waiting), in France today. • Edited from International Viewpoint.
The new tide of industrial is couraging greater unity within the Spanish trade
movement. The unions in Spain are divid
along ponuca. Ines with two principle federa LUIS the Communis Party led Workers' Commissions and the Socialist Party dominated General Workers Union (UGT)
The union elections last December significant shift. towards the Workers' Commissions as well as umonisa tion of firms signalled potentially going to be a rough one for the govern ment. Workers' Commissions leader, Marcelino Camacho deserted the results as 'a plebiscite on the COll omic policy which been backed by the UGT.
Philippines have been killed in new clashes with the
750 kilometres south of Manila.
IMF.
Middle East
PLO
EEC members to an international peace
and Bourj-Barajneh.
South Africa students.
black worker
by the company to end discrimination.
Chile It
clothing and mouths, and so oi
demonstrators calling for civil liberties.
Socialist Action 10 April 1987 9
World
in action
President Aquino suggested that members
of the military, loyal to deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos, could be behind the planting of a bomb in the military academy which killed four people two weeks ago. She denounced Marcos supporters as being bent on destabilising the government and also rejected a US defence secretary's claims that her government is not seriously fighting the Communist guerrillas. Eighteen government soldiers were reported to Communist guerrillas in the Misanis province,
Meanwhile, the Philippines has reached an agreement with international banks to reschedule a $13.2 billion debt package. This means sterner austerity policies and closer cooperation with the
Israeli air force launched another air raid against Palestinian positions in Lebanon on 20 March. This air raid was the fifth against Lebanon and the third against Palestinian positions this year. The target was positons held by Fateh fighters, the majority group in the
The attack takes place against the background of an increasing deterioration of the internal situation in the country, the presence of Syrian military forces to help the shite Ammal militia fighting the PLO, thé suppport given by the
conference, and a worsening of the situation in the Palestinian refugee camps, especially Chatila
Frenchman Pierre-André Albertini has been sentenced to four vears imorisonment by the authorities of bantustan Ciskei. The sentence came as a result of Albertini's refusal to be the prosecution witness against five blacks accused of terrorist activities and membership of the ANC. He is accused of having brought money and arms to the ANC. Albertini was offered a deal: charges would be dropped if he testified against the five blacks. It's morally impossible', was Albertini's reply. The sentence has provoked a demonstation outside the South African embassy in Paris which was virtually under siege by youth who chanted 'Botha murderer, Chirac, Mitterand, accomplices'.
By contrast, a white South African policeman accused of murdering two black students and attempted murder of a third has been acquitted by a Johannesburg court on the ground of legitimate defence against the black
Meanwhile the South African Railways and Harbour Workers Union has successfully called its 14,000 members on strike against the ParaStatal South African Transport company. The strike was triggered off by the dismissal of a
accused of 'cash irregularities'.
The union now demands only reinstatement of the sacked worker but has added full pay for the duration of the strike and a statement of intent
Chilean political prisoners have gone on
hunger strike to demand recognition as political prisoners and protest about prison conditions. The political prisoners have decided to take the action in solidarity with 12 political prisoners who are members of the Manuel Rodriguez Patriotic Front (FPMR), the guerrilla organisation that claims responsibility for the assassination attempt on Pinochet last year. The strike involves more than 400 prisoners and has spread to the 30 prisons in Chile. The lawyers of the FPMR members in prison said that the prisoners have been tortured, placed in solidarity confinement, and that their families have been harassed by the security forces. The torture involves electric shocks, simulnied shootings, being half-drowned in containers of excrement, beatings, rats being put into the prisoners'
During his visit Pope John Paul called for 'national reconciliation'. As he even-handedly condemned 'violence by pro-government and popular organisations alike police ran riot against
Page 10 scan of this page
10 Socialist Action THE LABOUR Committee on Ireland AGM, held in Manchester over the weekend of 4-5 April, took major steps to establish British withdrawal from Ireland as an indispensable plank of the policies of the left wing of the British labour movement. It decided to build up a series of alliances within the labour movement, including working with the key umbrella groups in the party Labour Left Liaison and the Labour Coordinating Committee.
Two composited resolutions to the AGV spelt out this strategy. The first was
Richard Chessum, press officer of the LCI. It said:
"This conference recognises that the most urgent task which contronts the LCI is to build a broadly based campaign for unconditional British withdrawal trom Ireland on the of ending the Loyalist veto on Irish unity:
• Whilst maintaining the distinctive political standBOOL of the LCi on the need to campaign for unconditional British withdrawal from Ireland, it welcomes opportunities for joint work with all
and dividuals prepared cooperate in non-sectarian initiatives to bring about such unity;
• Specifically it believes that approaches should be made by the LCI to those wild seck d volving a constitution for a united Ireland and phrased British withdrawal within the lifetime of a parliament, with a view to organising either a national labour movement conterence or a dayschool discuss strategies TOT ending British presence in Ireland;
Welcomes the policy
adopted the January
1987 special conterence of
the LCC and instructs the Ne to approach the LCC EC immediately to
negotiate a motion to the
1987 conference OI Labour Party. The EC of
the LCI shall circulate the
motion agreed to all LCI
members and as widely as
10 April 1987
LCI annual meeting
sets new agenda
possible within the Labour Party;
By Donald Bright
To consult with other Labour Party organisations and BICOULC groups and seek the widest possible support for a model resolution to the next Labour Par-
conference along the following lines. " 'his conference calls upon the next
of mplete British political
within the lifetime parliament.
• To seek broad labour movement sponsorship for a national demonstration
British calling withdrawal from Ireland to take place on the 20th anniversary of British troops being sent to the North of Ireland in 1969.
The second resolution moved Ishington LCI. It was composited to incorporate an amendment on the LCC moved by Kevin Scally and Anita Richards of Birmingham ICI. said in
pursuit of its aims the LCI will continue seek the widest possible united achon will sections of the labour movement, including around limited partial demands. this framework, the LCI will work with and, whicle appropriate, participate in, those Labour Partv organisations, whether pallallicial y, consutuchy or trade union based, which support the dillis of the
LCI.
This specifically includes Labour Left Liaison,
senuing ooservers, anu the LCC. This joint work ПОНААТРО ФАО NAIAI on Irish policy and not to be LanCI as endorsement ol other policy.
Niall outgoing
up the theme of building the for
This national ine AUl.
the CLPs, national
Col-
LEC Union
Labour Students, well as the Campaign Group
two left
party
unions.
the trade
British last
nas to be
Success In other trade unions the tont must ba with positive developments in a number of unions lea by the soft left such as ASTMS, NUR and NALGO which is not affiliated to Labour.
The focus of the LCI's trade union work will be the LCI's
comerence employment discrimination in the North of Ireland in November 1987.
In the parliamentary field the LCI will be involved in the planned Campaign Group ot Labour
MPs delegation to Ireland alter the general election.
Whilst supporting individual demands the Campaign Group has not yet adopted policy on Ireland.
In the student field the National
Students affiliated to the LC. and the National Union of Students is committed to campaign for British withdrawal from Ireland. Student work will
priorily year with the establishment
national Students Against Repression Network.
Strategy
a major focus women Youth work will also be
Labour for Ireland will be participating
the trade union conference as well as maintain ing the high priority giver in the past to campaigning
against the strip searching and Prisoners
women British North of Ireland prisons.
It was agreed to investigate organising a national local authority councillors conference 1988 to discuss civil liberties and the implications of the recognition of the Irish as an ethnic minority and to set up another tour by Sinn Fein councillors in Britain
On the general election it was agreed to organise a
to circulate all Labour candidates with a questionnaire on policy towards Ireland and place an advert in the Irish Post along the lines Why we say vote Labour'.
Overall the AGM adopted a strategy which aims to make withdrawal from Ireland a Pat-winge aene labour
ett-wing the labour movement in the same way
questions as the demands of the Black Sec tion and the National Conference of Labour Women nave years. This is the first step towards the goal of a majority Irish self-determination in the British labour movement.
and Apartheid
He was also not alone, reflecting the growing awar cuck and avoiccid tion of different aspects of African creativity, music in particular, in the West.
'Paul Simon then decided _IO make record, 'Graceland' based on this new love of his Again, this is not remarkable. In Lne past he has borrower freely from various black and Third World musical styles, as have many other musicians. Whatever at-
Lowards such projects of cultural imperialism, or an attempt at genuine fusion of different musical styles - it is the way the record woN made that vital.
Mismatch
Simon flew to Johannesburg make Graceland. In so doing he quite blatantly broke the 1980 United cultural boycott of South Africa, boycott sup-
by all antiDOLCU apartheid organisations in and outside of the coun try.
Following the subsequent furore over the record, Paul Simon and his defenders from different quarters, have attempted to justity his ac-
tionHe did not break the
boycott, they claim
merely recorded in South Africa but did not perform As the Anti-Apartheid Movement has pointed out this is as daft as claiming that it is fine to coach a sport in South
play ng to do
not play, or academic to research bul not to teach! All his other
to bolster this point, such as paying triple union scale to the musicians are irrelevant
He also claims that you cannot judge what he did by political criteria. only from a cultural stand point. Thus his record, which contains not one reference in opposition to apartheid, should be seen
asack tempreo bri sotte
culture South Africa to world dience, that it is a valid statement against alal -theid in its own right.
The arrogance of such a claim is really astounding
NEIL Kinnock's White
House jaunt is proving
an unmitigated disaster.
And not just for the par-
ty leader's image.
In preparation for his
meeting with
Reagan, Kinnock announc
ed that Tenova of
cruise missiles would be
delaved Labour
government pending talks
eliminating medium-
Ull
range missiles from Europe.
This statement renders con-
ference policy ambiguous
and strikes at the very heart
or wilat nucical usallicis
have fought so hard for.
Paul Simon, Graceland
In 1984, rock musician Paul Simon fell in love with South African township music. In itself this is not remarkable. It is a wonderfully vibrant music, and speaks volumes about the ability of the black South Africans to create a cultural identity in the face of apartheid oppression, writes PHIL WATERHOUSE
- that Paul Simon knows better than those who lead the fight in South Africa what is good for the black oppressed! The ANC, th UDF COSATU need not be consulted, and even they offer their opinion (in oppositin to the record Lail be discounted out of hand As for broadening the audience fo South African music, that is ceralthough Calls LIC. begs. the question. music was gaining a wide audience anyway, and you can just as easily regard Paul Simon as merely jumping on the bandwagon to The ANC/AAM position on the cultural boycott is clear. They call for a boycott of apartheid, not of South Africa as such. The apartheid regime must be boycotted and completely isolated. port has to be given to that of South Africa which fights apartheid.
Anything which contributes to inal ena, and lowalas c non-racial democracy has to be a boycott of anything which does not contribute the destruction of apartheid. "Graceland' should be judged by that political standpoint, SOlt abstract cultural norm. It fails dismally. The white
'Defend unilateralism' says Labour CND
Kinnock's announcement was promptly topped by Denis Healey. Responding to the Reagan ad ministration reports on the meeting sala cialis 'that Neil Kinnock put for ward a policy of unilatera. nuclear disarmament were completely untrue.
CND believes that the leadership's statement on delaying cruise are a clear break with conference policy. • ne calling on all Labour Parpass the following resolution:
"This constituency Labour Party rejects any
News
South African broad-
system regularly Can tille plays the record. t nas i general policy of not promoting any music portraying me reanly of urbar African existence any
with social or political content. Rather their musical fare is more aimed at 'entertainment
make township life more bearable. Exactly like Radio 1 over here! Ob viously not consider 'Graceland' a problem.
many ar-
Welle
ing artists withdraw from Paul
against which
Despite what . some may believe,
parthe politics
llier to t
ANC has
ble bass mightier than the Pau
viny! disk
appears cultita on 7 April at 7pm, the London AA committee will be • there to trate their opposition, supported by Artists Against Apartheid shift away from Labour's
policy of nuclear disarma-
ment in the lifetime of the next
and reaffirms its determina
non to campaigl aulllis ut
general election on Labour
Partv nollci • ot uncondi
tionally removing nuclear
weapons from British soil
and waters.
CND's appeal, Copies Labour
, which conof composite
resolution 40 passed at 1983
annual conference and the
LCND statement available from. LOND
Secretary, Carol Turner, 25
Stodmarsh House, , Cowle
Estate, London SW9 6HH
Page 11 scan of this page
In the Unions
Despite considerable pressure from
culminating in a court order to
occupation Continues.
reports.
mass
morning to show support.
It remains to be seen
what action the Caterpillar
management will
LUW
lake They are insistent
that no talks will take
place until plant
va colled. They have been
Ealing NALGO
wins strike
their strike for London weighting.
modified demand of parity
that of the concil manual workers.
return to work conditions. OLIVER
The strike had developed into a major test of strength between the union and the council. Ironically the Ealing Labour council, which only took office last May, is Ononey leth osy the geded those branded press and Tory politicians, who delight in asking local resident Neil Kinnock his attitude Ealing's
110 discrimination against lesblans and gays policy.
Ealing NALGO has
spent the last few years wrestling with a Tory administration. Although it was relatively successful in maintaining staff levels, Ealing had become one of the lowest paying authorities in London, but with one of the highest living. xpenses Here lay the basis
UNAL TS CalE for inner London weighting, which
was already paid to staff in neighbouring Brent and to teachers in Ealing.
The first indication of the new councll s patronis ing and negative attitude io wolkels was tile Imposttion of a 65 per cent rate
Socialists within the ISC.
Labour Party who pointed out the effects of this living standards were denounced as putting forward Tory arguments.
Even so-called members of the 'hard left' supported this rate rise, being unwilling to go down the road of a deficit budget and to put the blame at the door of the Tory government.
This balance-thebooks approach is based on a pessimism about the chances of mobilising workers. unster their philosophy is that Labour councu must do things for the workers. NALGO's claim was looked at in this light.
The Labour group believed that only they had the right to decide priorities and deeply resented the 'cheek' of their workforce in placing any demands on them.
Next year the council will be rate-capped, and it was doubt quietly
11U
THE CAMPAIGN continues to save 1200 jobs at the Caterpillar plant in Uddingston, Lanarkshire.
management evict the plant against the workforce on Wednesday 25 March, the
ANN HENDERSON
meeting on Monday 30 March, workers voted by a narrow majority to stay in the plant. The decision was welcomed by many trade union delegations who had come to the plant that
shaken by the focus provided by the occupation ana want it ended so thai they can strip the plant down of valuable SLOCK and machinery.
Solidarity with the EALING COUNCIL NALGO members have won
Following a three-to-one vote to continue their strike at a mass meeting on Monday 30 April, and an occupation by 80 strikers of the council Technical Services Building on Tuesday, the council acceded to the 2500 strikers
London weighting to Lower grades will receive an immediate rise of f282 and higher grades will get the same increase over two years. Discussions over holiday and pension benefits and a no victimisation clause are continuing as part of the
NEW reports. preparing. to retreat and shed jobs. This would of course require a docile workforce. Il is interesting to note that NALGO has been targetted concils several Labour te ve adopted very similar tactics in contronting their workforces similar ends.
This attack by local councils on their own workforces is CyClI more suicidal given that everyone knows that if Thatcher wins a third term, local authorities will face a huge cash crisis. They should be seeking unity with their
attacks not dirty work for them by assaulting the Lululs When Ealing NALGO took selective action, thei council reponded by sending home workers withOUL pay. This led to walk-out by spontaneous nunareds of workers.
Subsequent mass meetings and a secret ballot produced an overwhelming. majority for all-out indefinite strike action.
Just like reactionary employer the Labour council saw this as a challenge by upstarts to their right to manage.
They gritted their teeth to defy this challenge and to put the union in its place.
Simultaneously they developed sudden SOCCE concern for the low paid. While refusing to negotiate at all over the claim for London weighting, they made small offers which would cover some of the lowest paid staff only. this way they pretended to stand in eft-wing position while at LuC sammie time trying to break up the unity of the UlU|
ked strikes victor has
blocked boosted the confidence of the NALGO members significantly strengthened union organisation, and Laurale the council powerful lesson for the future.
workforce
Thousands of
unionists turned out for an STUC-sponsored SLaLO! Glasgow Saturday 28 March and street collections around
in tousands of to brids
thousands
poulus for the workforce.
March The demonstration
marched Glasgow's
George Square where the
'pink panther' tractor. built during the occupation donated to the
alla OCOne Nicaragua stands, courtesy Glasgow district council The oçcupying workers, who built the tractor to expose the absurd logic of closing the Uddingston plant when its products are needed by millions of hungry people all over the world. have launched campaign with Wai
Mound ed e yhe e coor-
imponded the
•CUIpany's court action.
Speaking at the rally in Glasgow, Campbell Christie of the STUC pledged the continued support of the general concil
McGahey of the Scottish Area NUM said 'Caterpillar
doe belong lo le American bosses — it belongs to the Scottish people'. Focus
This fight for jobs has
Becom tre foos he
fight jobs Scotland, and its success would be a huge step forward for all of us.
Despite a major concession made by the ABU leadership in agreeing that aie lenus oi duy cas wild the Caterpillar management will be set by agreement that production would cease at the Uddingston plant, tue company still refuses to negotiate.
Management were clearly of the opinion that the court interdict would do the job of ending the occupation. They also
THE APPEALS
committee of the NUT, a
body composed
exc usive v ot nationa
executive members has
decided to uphold the
right of the National
Officers of the Union to
appeal against what they
consider to be too
lenient penalties handed
down by the National
Disciplinary Committee
(NDC) on the 50 officers
ana counch mempers or
the Innner London
Teachers Association
(ILTA).
The ILTA members
were suspended from the
union for organising
'unofficial' action on 13
January against the
which has since become
the Teachers' Pay and
Conditions law
The NDC decided that although the
members were
technically guilty of
breaking Rule 8, the rule Boves te callas or
official action, they
should suffer no further penalty than the suspension from the
union that had taken place between 7 January
and 7 February, with the
ILTA officers being
THE PEOPLE OF The PokPurther stenda hert EETPU
licaaersnlp itself from fray
where committee member, Jimmy Airlie, told that
an
valyl. will Couile
end the and
the Lambeth
THE PINK PANTHER DONATED BY THE VORKFOPCE OF CATERPLLA SCOTTISH HAR ON WANTA
NICARAGUA
en сили
ecutive on whether or not
behind the figill to relai
support
the 1200 jobs.
Tony Benn MP has the occupation and was very warmly received. At meeting with the stewards, they told him of their request that the Labour leadership picage future Labour government would lasc over une plant and secure the jobs.
Campaign
After touring the plant Benn adresser iliass meeting of the workforce
na promised suppor in
way ossible He condemned the actions of the ment Caterpillar and called Illallage for
government committed to changing the laws to prevent multi-nationals treating workers in this way
The Labour Party NEC has now expressed its full support for the Cater pillar workers - and the stewards are rightly demanding that this fight for Scottish jobs becomes a national priority.
• Messages of support, Junancial donations, etc to T Stevenson, 17 Campsie View,
Bargeddie Baillieston Glasgow (tel 0698-812921).
struggle in defence of teachers' right to negotiate their wages and conditions.
The Appeals Committee is set to reconvene on 9 April, the last day of term and just one week prior to the union's annual
The teachers have trece vet mne yue o support from the Campaign Group of Labour MPs, Durham Area NUM, Durham Mechanics and many others. • Messages should be sent to ILTA Defence Campaign, 25 John Campbell Road, London N16
Correction
IN THE last issue of
OC19. Action, we
wrongly stated that the
meeting adressed by Ar-
thur Scargill and Sammy
Thompson
DUlLI
Wales had been organis-
ed by Tower lodge. The
meeting was, in fact, call-
ed by the Phurnacite
lodge of the Cokemen's
Area NUM, which had
NONC LC e Sammy
Thompson for vice-
OrCSUCIL
Inside
The politics of the
OVER the last two weeks, the dispute over the planned future pit at Margam in South Wales has assumed national importance. Not only has Arthur Scargill's leadership of the national union been challenged but the
future and istence of the national union for all mineworkers is in question.
Since the early 1970s success vt governments have promised to sink a new pit into the rich an. thracite reserves which lie
to Margam nee works near jobstarved Port Talbot.
The coal board and the government want to return to area-bv-area and pit-by-pil negotiation.
Thev see this as a vital first SleD towaos onvasæor of the pits. The destruction of the NUM is a key political aim of the Tory government. Now cabinet ministers are openly talking of the end of national pay bargaining as part of
cheir election Dallonl Choosing South Wales the coal board has carefully Dickeo battle
grounc South Wales
NUM has a long histor ine year-loman diners strike the South Wales leadership OvCHi critical of Scargill's tactics around mass picketing
Whilst their leadership has led to disastrous job losses they are now trying to portray the nation union as blocking new jobs in Wales. In'this they are aided by an enLICICICU fiercely right-wing trade union and Labour Party leadership. For example there is not even a single Campaign Group in
Nales, one of Labour' key hartlands.
Kinnock and the trade WISCE bureaucracy have quickly rallied eNUM. Tk back South Wales Wales TUC almost unanimously backed Des Dutfield and South Wales NUM secretary George Rees in their stand. South Wales TGWU boss George Wright has threatened that his union would take up Margam if the NUM were to oppose six-day working - a luve which provoked a swift rebuke from Ron Todd • Civil servants strike THE first wave of civil service strikes started aS week Unemployment benefit offices, DHSS offices and inland clearance depots for customs have Heeltall
The action is the first in an initial six week campaign of industrial
by the Civil and Public Services Association (CPSA) and the Society
Socialist Action 10 April 1987 11
the unions
South Wales NUM
and the TGWU's national
leadership.
The Labour Party is in
the ridiculous position of
entering an election
period proudly campaign-
ing for a longer working
week. For them no price is
too high to break the
power of Scargill and the
The issue of Margam
within the NUM is about practices. South Wales in far more than
the opposition to the in
crease in union subscrip-
tions at the recent na-
tional delegate conferenc
- an increase vital to sus-
taining the nationa
union.
The South Wales
leadership have been
critical of Scargill's attitude Loware. Not-
tinghamshire saying thai
instead of fighting for
miners to rejoin the national union there should lisicau negotiations
with Lynk and
Prendergast to bring back
the UDM as a whole into a federally-based union.
South Wales dragged its feet on the Justice for Mineworkers campaign preterring negotiate secretiy with the coal board and get men into private pits. . They believe that a policy of a review for sacked mineworkers could compromise Kinnock and that the union should keep . quiet unit] after an election
South Wales NUM have attempted to link up with other sections of the uiv Oouoosc oak leadership. In the election for vice-president backed Eric Clark against Sammy Thomp son. The daily newspaper The Western Mail, of secretary George Rees
an alternative candidate for president of the national union.
How much support South Wales leadership have is open to question. The massive programme of pit closures has severe ly dented their credibility and the delegate conference vote for Margam was extremely confused Tower colliery has launched an open campaign against six-day working It this campaign can link up not i only with othe areas and pits but with supporters in the Labour Party and trade unions the six-day week can b
lefeated and South Wale can play strong and democratic pall In
union for all mineworkers.
of Civil and Public Servants (SCPS).
They are demanding 'a wage Ist OI 240 Or 13 per cent (whichever is the higher) and a shorte working week. Secret ballots by the two unions recorded votes of 69 and 59 per cent to reject the government's "final' offer of $5.75 or 4.25 per cent and take strike action.
Page 12 scan of this page
Redeployment
scheme?
LONDON TEACHERS, mainly NUT members, have been involved in walkouts, stoppages, pickets, and lobbies during the past three weeks due to the Labour led Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) adopting a policy of compulsory transfer of teachers between schools secondary education. This violates the agreement between ILEA and the Inner London Teachers Association signed two years ago which provides for voluntary transfer of teachers only. Such has been the ferocity of opposition to the parents and, school students have been mobilised - that the ILEA are carrying out disciplinary action against teachers whom they claim have incited school students — as if 16 year olds need teachers to tell them that their educational provision is being threatened!
The most co-ordinated action be called are strikes called for Thursday 2 April to lobby the ILEA 1 nis acuon may even supported by the NUT national leadership - which would boost the campaign.
ILbA clam Wal ine) wish to narrow budget deticit bv t20 millon transferring teachers. This
reducing the numbers of teachers drastically in some schools — which ILEA attemnt to justify by falling numbers of pupils. he authoritv argues that it is necessary to move teachers from schools which are 'overstaffed' to schools with vacancies.
Policy
This policy is stupid on many counts - none more so tnan Ine lact lilal ll cannot work even if it were desirable. History teachers cannot be usefully moved to schools which are short of physicists, or be expected to
fill a primary school vacanskills ror such
re-training necessary. But the provision being offered for this by the ILEA is pitiful.
The for the vances billial y schools that primary teachers have been treated
Name .
Address
I enclose chequ
Action for E...........
SOCiAlist
ACTION
What's behind ILEA's
— and identifying teachers for transfer in
ILEA's proposals In which significantly, very large numbers of particularly badly over the past period and teachers
that sector. Also there has
population primary SCHOOS. while there has been a temporary decline in SHOOTONI secondary schools. This will obviously be reversed when the pre SOiL primary school Dubulallull HUVED Un to secondary education.
By Ray Sirotkin
An important development in this campaign has heen the determination oi those involved not just to take strike action but to take the political questions involved the London Labour Party. Teachers have been demanding that cs support une leacnels against the ILEA members, and Iney have called on Labour Party members to
This dispute is serious enough in itself. But it has to be seen in a wider context. At present it represents an assault and a challenge the Inner London Teachers' Association the most advanced section politically of the NUT. It is no coincidence that ILEA's plans were drawn up while
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ILTA'S officers suspended leadership. Nor is it a coin-
officers of the union are appealing to the NUT against the ILTA executive not being punished severely by the NUT's disciplinary procedures for taking strike action against Kenneth Baker's removal of negotiating rights for teachers. Furthermore all
time when the education secretary Kenneth Baker has abolished and is preparing to impose working conditions on all teachers. Leaders
Both the leaders of the NUT, and Labour authorities such as the Il EA, are attempting to control their members and workforce. Both have failed to embark on a strategy that can defeat Baker.
leadership has so far failed to build on the tremendous moblisations in opposition to Baker. Instead it has channelled protests few marginal constituencies held by Tory MPs.
ILEA, who need to detend budget requirements could and should have mobilised teacners, suppor staff, parents and, yes, students against the government. They would, without question have been able to campaign the whole labour movement.
Meanwhile Kenneth Baker sitting back laughllig Lilt NUT
eadership paralyses ILTA
or if the ILEA succeed in their attack on state secondary education in London, then the Tories will step in and take advantage of the situation to break up ILEA. They will be strengthened in that attack by full knowledge that support for Tie cooll led ILEA is be ing reduced by its actions.
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new Margam pit opened up are totally false.
ference to accept the 'concept of Margam'
delegates arrived know in advance what vote would be taken.
After the delegate conference lodge members
not been party to that decision. since then the lages have discussed the posals. if a vote was taken
now, after membership participation, the result would siderably different.
The Coal Board are saying that Margam will not be opened unless six-day working is accepted The South Wales area leadership have capitlated this demand without a fight. That is what their recommendation to the delegate conference represented
The Board claims that six-day working on a continental shift basis will give miners more days off a rist ior injuries and the vcal. That might be true
injuries health. Miners would be working underground for longer periods that is neither acceptable nor
sat the Board also claims
that opening Margam will create jobs. But no new 10DS would be created. It would lead to the closure of other coking plants such as Marine Six Bells.
Men would be transferred and made redundant. These pits would become "uneconomic'.
The jobs argument is a red herring. The
is introducing six-day working proposals by the backdoor. Ine issue isn't The Board are trying to break the procedure of nationalSouth Wales is being used negotiated agreements to clear the path:
five-day week agreement was drawn up nationally in 1947 and is part of the NUM rule book. If this be changed it must be done by
national decision. If South Wales negotiated on six-day working, it would break a rule of 40 years standing a rule which
tought Iol many years to win.
Sammy Thompson wins -
NOW REJECT
CLAIMS THAT South Wales miners are prepared to work a six-day coaling week in order to see the
The decision of the South Wales area delegate con-
was not representative of the feelings of the rank and file. The issue had not been discussed in the lodges. Most
with no mandate. They didn't
Yorkshire was offered six-day working in Selby.
Durham was ottered a new mine with six-day working strings Both these areas turned the offers down.
By Tyrone O'Sullivan, Secretary, Tower Lodge NUM
Tower Lodge NUM has decided to launch a public campaign agains the decision of the South wares conterence This 1s not a step we take lightly but the Margam issue is ar attempt by the Coal Board to break the NUM If national agreements can be broken, the NUM will be The Board will have succeeded destroving what perhaps the best organised sed mn or otte organised section the organised working class. That would be a step backwards for all WULKCIS and all working class organisations Tower has the full backing of its members. I know that 99.9 per cent of HALER CS port the line of our campaign.
The rank and file of the South Wales NUM has got sort out the South Wales-national divide once and for all. To do this the executive must be made accountable and put under the control of its members.
The issue of six-day working should be put to a national ballot. I believe there will be one soon and that it will register an overwhelming proportion of opposed to six-day coaling Des Dutfield claims that South Wales miners can wait four years to decide. But every day the divisions get deeper. believe they will destros our union if we don' resolve them.
There are many who
is why the media has played up the South Wales decision on Margam. And The 'pink panther' tractor built by occupying Caterpillar workers for the people of Nicaragua stands idle in Glasgow's George Square impounded by the company's court action. Full report, page II.
SIX DAY WORKING
there are some in our own movement that are going along with these attacks on the NUM and its national leadership
Neil Kinnock has in terfered in the affairs of OR HON Overlie caus
if then tort lepers tor
call tor support Margam and six-da' working. Likewise TGWU right winger George Wright has said that if the NUM won't organise at Margam, then the transport workers will, although this statement is now been egore. by the TGWU nationally. Comments iike this are a much designed to attack Arthur Scargill as they are to support Margam. Conference
recent special delegate conference of the NUM nationally approved increased subscriptions on the the NUM national executive in order to maintain the national union. This was necessary after
taken against us during the strike.
This is the first stage in refunding and rebuilding our national organisation Also the election of Sammy Thompson as national vice-president is another stepping stone that direction.
Six-day working is a major issue for the Na.
Union of Mineworkers. I believe we are
Caterpillar workers fight on
JOC
Sammy Thompson election success SAMMY Thompson has been elected NUM vice. president by 34,802 votes to Eric Clarke's 25,956.
Interviewed on the radio following the announcement of his poli success, Thompson said that his election comraaed surong national support in the union for the leadership of Arthur Scargill and Peter Heathfield
Thompson emphasised that he considered opposition to six-day working to be a crunch issue. We should be fighting for a shorter working week, he said.
There was a 65 per cent turnout of the NUM membership in the Thompson's 57.27 per cent was his total following transfers from two other candidates eliminated in the count though it is understoos that he had a majority on first preferences too.
going to win our fight to maintain five-day working and uphold nationally negotiated and win it convincingly.
← Socialist Action No. 161, 19 March 1987Socialist Action No. 163, 24 April 1987 →