LESBIANS & GAYS the party.
The central direction of the party, its policy and administration, must, under its own constitution NEC which is elected by, and accountable to. conference. since conference is the only link that the have with political decision-making 3. The PLP must be integrated into the party, the NEC and conference; a. by integrating PLP standing orders into the party constitution b. by channelling all through the NEC, government funds (which would then be used by the NEC for PLP work); and all TU funds (leaving the unions with the right to earmark their own money, if they wished to do so, for certain purposes — including the support of the PLP). c. by providing greater accountability of the parliamentary committees, and the cabinet (when Labour is in office) to conference, perhaps through annual election by the same electoral college a: now elects the leader and deputy leader.
4. The need for win.
Policy-making has a major role to play in the present deepening crisis, where the government has Labour must be able to respond with a considered socialist alternative that has been discussed, agreed and, put to conference for decision as soon as possible.
The 1983 policies, too radical, are likely to prove quite inadequate to deal the situation that the next Labour government will inherit, which will be so critical that we shall almost certainly be forced to consider the development of stronger policies to deal with it. We therefore intend to submit anotner paper to ine which will COlICCHLIaLE policy. 6. A socialist dialogue purge.
The Labour Party is the principal political insturment for working people in Britain, having been established by the trade unions for that purpose, and having consciously adopted socialism as its objective. Here and world-wide. the socialist debate is rich in variety and experience of successes and failures and we must be able to learn from both, and then build our own brand of socialism, based upon social morality and a deep committment to democracy and human rights.
There are a number of different schools of socialist thought in country, many organised around their own newspapers or magazines, and attracting a following of a few hundred or a few thousands. None groups are capable either of taking over, or of replacing, the Labour Party, and their contribution should be seen as a part of the on-going discussion about socialism. Nor is there any evidence to suggest that any of them are actually planning the overthrow of democracy brian. engaged preparation of violence.
Most of them, are made up of de. cent and serious people who work hard for the labour movement and whose arguments deserve tion. If such people, or organisations, put up candidates against Ine Labou Party then they are ineligible to join us, but that should be the sole criterion by which they are judged to be eligible to join the party.
Any policy by the NEC of seeking out, and then expelling them, or more generally of attempting to isolate what the media choose to call the 'hard left' - whatever that may be — is a mistake falsely remain with the bish, membership tionally, cut walt means.
PLP finances including all range of ethnic communities, evidenced Luis dic Socialist policies to initiative. crucing, ethnic seriously consider trom being past.
party membership, Ine NEC future instead of a He ence If these tional conference, acceptable party nov support this ning the next situation, of these next century.
the that is can discharge, years ago.
serious considera Conclusion back to the NEC Tony Benn Eric Heffer May Day 1985 Socialist Action a. it suggests to our opponents - quite that the deeply penetrated by a whole lot of violent revolutionaries whose secret objective is to destroy Britain's democratic insititutions — which we all know is rubb. it diverts the party, locally and nadefeating the Tories and the SDP. c. it gives the impression that we are frightened of socialist ideas, but are unable to answer. them and prefer to them organisational 7. Extending affiliations to the party The NEC should recognise that a whole political issues, organisations, have emerged since the was founded 1918. More recently the women's movement, the , the peace movement and a mass of other special interest groups have come into existence, by the long list of registered groups within the party itself and by the campaigns for greater rights for women and blacks within the party.
Many of the most active people in these new movements and organisasocialists, or Labour sup porters, much as they are in the trade unions. The issues and policies that the party takes up are designed to meet the needs of many of these groups, inFor course, wollen community we should • opening up affiliation to allow those that wish to do so to join, on the same basis as the unions and the socialist societies did in the This would broaden the range of help us to escape .. largely legitimate - charge that the party is dominated by white males, and help to make us the instrument for all working people in this generation, as we were in the past. There is, therefore a strong case for establishing a committee to exarine this possibility, to report to the NEC in time for the 1986 conproposals were acceptable there would be, later, a major constitulike the 1918 conference, to which all appropriate and movements groups would be invited, with a view to their affiliation to the party, basis as the trade unions and socialist societies are now affiliated 8. Organising for victory All the organisational changes that the makes should be geared to this alternative view of our future. We believe that this would also offer the nep sector, by so win.
showing ourselves to be sensitive to the ner the new issues and the new structures emerging in the politics of Britain in the eighties and nineties leading on to the The time has come for the Labour Party to look to the future, dare to have a vision of 'Socialism in our time', have the courage to re-shape itself so , for this genera tion, the historic task that the founders of the movement dreamed of so many The national executive is invited: b. to refer it to the appropriate c to refer it to the appropriate comc. to consider it again when they report
Socialist Action
----- pull-quotes -----
Photo: GM COOKSON The PLP must be brought closer to the