candidate to replace sitting MP John Silkin. But the local black section had agreed to withdraw from the selection procedure, under pressure from part of the local left', after agent Kath Butler threatened the party that it would not be allowed to proceed with selection otherwise.
Silkin himself announced in July that be wold ITUL be standing again, after a three-year battle to remove him.
Local black members are convinced that he was driven into EITS when he realised he would face massive. opposition from the black community.
'His announcement came directly after he was closely questioned on sections Drake ward in July,' explained Man Mohan the black section. Mohan said the Deptford black section does let the local party off the hook We are challenging the local party, just as East Lewisham is challenging the NEC, he said. "Do they mean what they or are they also racialists?
withdrew the selection but now we want what they have to offer black people.
'Fine words are not enough. Our local government committee circularised all branches regarding nomination for the pane for the 1986 elections. said "the LCG requests branches blacks, ethnic minorities, and women". So far we have seen none. We are testing 1o see how much our wnie comrades nical what they say'.
So far only four constituencies have selected (plus 20p p&p).
to:
2XP black candidates without a challenge from Walworth Road. At least five more NEC threat because their black sec10HS are involved in the selection procedure.
During the 1982 witchhunt, it was only because local parties stood up to NEC threats of disbandment that witchhunters were forced into a temporary retreat. Growing pressure from sections of the 'left to capitulate to NEC not onliy weakens local democracy but leads them to turn their fire on the party's black members.
'We'll never get the transformation to socialist said national black sections vice chair Mark Wadsworth, bones conne agents in overriding black SELLIONS rights sake of bureaucratic housekeeping.
A New Socialist Action pamphlet, price 50p Bulk order rates available on request. Write NUM pamphletaPO Box 50, London N1 brother to the taken to Plaistow police station. When aunt tried to visit Gerald at the station, she allowed to see him, and he was only Fine that his later to that his brother was dead.
The police brutality continued in the weeks that followed, and Gerald was re-arrested December 18th, and charged with affray. He was con tinuously denied bail and only releast on Januat. 7th, under restrictive bail conditions.
The white murderer, on the other hand, was only arrested after considerable community pressure and was given bail almost immediately, the grounds that it would be wrong him prison over Christmas.
The bail conditions imposed on Gerald since
----- pull-quotes -----
DEPTFORD LABOUR Party's black section is ask- ing for an all-black short list when the party selects a