Socialist Action No. 115, 27 September 1985

Socialist Action · 27 September 1985 · 12 pages, 14,058 words read by machine

The scan: 115-sep-27-1985-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.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Page 1 scan of this page

WOMEN AGAINST PIT CLOSE

must back the miners!

Photo• DAVE DRONFIFI.D

IF ANYONE was in doubt about what would be the most important issue at this year's Labour Party annual conference, Neil Kinnock has cleared their minds wonderfully well. Responding to the unexpected and unwanted, news that TUC congress had supported the demands of the NUM, he put the issue faced at Labour Party conference in a nutshell: he didn't support the miners, and if conference did then the Labour leadership would damn well ignore its decisions.

Kinnock has risked the wrath of every party member with such a statement because the question of what attitude to the miners is vital to the party's whole future. Kinnock's statement, as far as accountability is concerned, begins to take the party openly back to the worst days of Wilson and

The choice posed by the NUM resolution to this year's conference is not just about the miners — vital as that is. It is a choice about what type of party Labour will be. For step by step Neil Kin• nock is taking the party down a path of going over to the fundamentals of Tory and Alliance policy. Already on a whole string of issues Kinnock has shown how far he is prepared to take the party: on Handsworth, on local government, and on in comes policy, to name but a few — but most of all on the miners.

It was the miners' strike which posed the alternatives for Labour most clearly: by the determination of the NUM national leadership fo fight and win, and in the alliances with the oppressed secnons or unis society mey ount to strenginen te strike. The miners did more damage to Thatcher in twelve monthsthan four previous years of Labour parliamentary opposition.

There is only one way that Labour can win a clear electoral victory, and that is if it fights for the support of the whole working class and its allies, by showing itself determined and capable of offering a real alternative to the austerity policies of Thatcher and her friends. And that means supporting all those in struggle against such policies now — not mouthing hollow promises about a different future under Labour whilst attacking those who are prepared to take on the Tories today.

The single most important way of showing that determination is support for the demands of the mineworkers' union: action for all those victimised because of the strike and the return of union money confiscated because of the strike.

Every Labour Party member, and every trade union militant must show where they stand by overwhelmingly supporting the resolution of the National Union of Mineworkers to this year's conference. • See p2, "Two Alliances for Labour'. • See p5, 'Why Labour must support the miners.

SoCiAlist

ACTION

DUA TRIKES EICESTEI

ARKIN OTTI

Their

JUM AREAS CUMBERE

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No. 115 27 September 1985 30p AOU-

D-DERBY DURHAM-KE

MBERLANO NC

OYSHIR" YALE

AIGN 198

Labour

Page 2 scan of this page

SOCiAlist

AcTioN

The English

Mitterand...

NO ONE on the left can be in any doubt about the road that Neil Kinnock has

There were some who thought that his deci sion to abstain in the Benn-Healey battle for deputy leader in 1981 was a tactical difference

There were others who pointed to his strong defence of unilateral nuclear disarmament and his record as an anti-apartheid campaigner and thought that he should be given a chance. Many gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Neil made his views clear by April of the strike — joining those in the labour movement who attacked the NUM for not holding a ballot

strike. He then boycotted the five rallies called by the NUM and denounced 'violence from both

- making no distinction between the state trade unionists who were responding out of self-

Scoffing at accountability Kinnock has stated that whatever conference decides he will not commit the next Labour government to release and reinstate the jailed and sacked miners and

Having already pushed Labour Party EEC and disarmament policy to the right, Roy and

right. Denouncing the Handsworth riots as having origins in tribalism he stands four square against the demands of blacks and women in his

To cap it all Neil has now spoken in favour of AUEW right-wing needed any more help!

The record of the last two years is that Neil Kinnock has moved from left of centre towards the right so fast it's devastating.

No-one need have any doubt about what kind of government Kinnock will preside over - with David Owen or without. across the ment.

•..and the French

Kinnock

JUST in case we needed reminding what nasty things Socialist government's can get up to we need only the France. After trying to Mitterand government has now admitted that French military frogmen had been ordered to sink the Greenpeace flagship, while it was moored in New Zealand.

David Lange, the New Minister who defends nuclear policy, has charged the French government with 'affronting sovereignty' by carrying out what he considers an act of war and has demanded compensation. Laurent Fabius, French Socialist Prime Minister, admitted that the affair had been concealed from an official government report authored by Guallist Bernard Tricot.

In establishing a new parliamentary commisSiOn and sacking Defence Herhu, the French government is admitting that some people high perhaps even President Mitterand himself.

Having unleashed racist movement in Europe today because of its austerity policies it has also refused to break with French nationalism and France's commitnent to an independant nuclear foreign policy. Hence the terrorist attack on Greenpeace.

If anyone needed reminding what right-wing social democracy is all about they just have to look across the sea to France...then watch Kinnock next week in Bournemouth.

Socialist Action 27 September 1985

You need just look channel at the Mitterand govern-

Greenpeace affair deny and cover the

Rainbow Warrior,

Zealand Prime government's non-

New Zealand's minister Charles

involved

largest right-wing

Two

alliances

for

Labour

TWO ALLIANCES will confront each other in next week's Labour Party conference.

two, is symbolised inside the party by Kinnock and Willis — and their bloc with Hattersley and the TUC

Labour Party to far wider forces. In particular it is a SOMELY by

makes of that

The first step declaration

leader withdrawa

economic

tionalise industries privatised • nuener The next Hat-

recreating exchange controls by

policies tha

features the

brought about by Thatcher

On the trade union

Kinnock and

1984 Union and

Acts were consciously modelled Prior, King

the policies pursued by right wing

Ine and AUEW

designed smash the

the grip of the right wing bureaucracy them, which is not inconsistent with weakening the unions overall and trying to really smash trade unionism in certail Dares or lie pllvale and public sector.

The aim of the antic union laws was to offer the trade union bureaucracy a definite, lower grade, posi-

universe The condition Was the practice of the EETPU and AUEW

ed throughout the trade

This is exactly the proWillisear's d°C congress.

Willis

and council did

'compromise with

saty capitated boots

capitulated to the AUEW leadership.

The first alliance, very much the stronger of the

But in reality that bloc extends outside the

Owen and Thatcher.

logical next step in his ma-

news deared on t

think there anything wrong, provided that there are real safeguards against loss of independence, with state finance.' ins the real safeguards against loss dependence' is completely pious what Kinnock really states that he supports the AUEW right wing in its fight with the genera

condon moupled with the

abandonment pledge to repeal all the Tories trade union laws this means that Kinnock/ Willis are now moving openly to accept that not only will „sne eccent1 eccent? economic structure of Thatcher's Britain be maintained but so also will its new framework of trade union law.

poncene data

consequences cher's economic and social policies inevitably mean constantly increasing attacks on democratic rights, and repression, in Britain itsel as well as in Ireland

unemployed blacks, the inner cities. young people and many others have nothing on offer from Thatcher. This or evitabilitv is ot

explosion inner cities, in the fight of the miners for their jobs, in thousand less publicised Handsworth, and examar from

Far explaining that rebellion and 'disorder' is an inevitable consegence of Thatcher's policies, and supporting those who revolt against them, Heate ship has thrown itself foursquare behind repression - although naturally try-

to cover themselves with mealy mouthed

declass. isn-called

called violence of the miners. Hattersley categorised the black youth in Handsworth as 'criminals' and Kinnock engaged disgusting racist outbursts

Kinnock has demand. ed COMICHOrS Lambeth and Liverpool allow social services their areas to be savaged.

While un-

On as on

law,

• a frame-

framework established Thatcher

on quesuons

welfare and

of the economy, Owen and

dinate,

all these

the ruling

damental framework created Thatcher government.

final pers! Kin-

Given that Kinnock Willis no

longer

That-

ior agree

steps but want

between

and

EETPU, figures

Graham

conside

not alter trend

from and

, Steel, Its basis is

News

tv 2i9104 Д08l8

model batny allog ori

secondary question: but to accept and imple ment the fundamentals o

has created

The second, minority. alliance will also be seen a the Labour Party conference. Its cutting edge its most advanced i point, is ine nanonal ieadersmp or the NUM. But it will also be seen in the black section of the Labour Party and in those on the left of the party who strongly sup ported the miners throughout the strike Skinner, Benn, and the Campaign group of MPs. It can be seen in Women Against Pit Closures and

dermane!

Women's Action CommitLCE. minority in other unions; and in the CLPs

It is to help promote that second alliance that Socialist Action is organislong *Alliance for Socialism' weekend in

a forum in which differen sections of the left can debate out a way forward for the labour movement. We hope all our readers will support it.

Page 3 scan of this page

Bill Morris wins — thanks to Black sections

News

The battle

for black

sections

Why Black sections?

THE ISSUE of black sections will be, after the debate on amnesty for the miners, the most explosive question facing conference. Over thirty-five black sections have now been set up, the latest in Hattersley's own constituency. Here we print extracts from the black section newsletter's hard-hitting defence of black Why do you want Black Sections Party? violent oppressive Black been South

Black

of

pons Aza-

means its its separate policies. BACK aim

of Black VULC but

people on Party all-white

For on preserves. aim to Black

encourage to LICI and generally done little to GCs,

Would!

TEACHI notable Past

pursued which have • TO. allowed INCISI con- outcome

other there LCH WUESC

tion laws Na-

LIOn.

laid the Party. rent Act.

I CLOTHE

ignoring ZOVICE Government.

Section all this

BILL MORRIS, the IGWU's first ever black and deputy general secretary, changes policy. WU E is also set 10 be the Labour

TIrst black member. Three months ago he TGWU shortlist. His rapid promotion is a backhand their unions, tribute to the relentless

pressure of the black sections on the party leadertended 10 where ship, which has chosen to

Upgrade a public opponen f black self-organisation It highlights Kinnock's struggles, black counterattack MIKE

WONGSAM replies Morris's claim that he won JUSTIC and by 'using the system'. gays and and

AT THIS YEAR'S conference the Labour Paragainst an black section will

face the most tronta

oragnise to assault from the party fight it. leadership it has yet

seen.

Aren't

Hitherto, black secJETHI daried tions have engaged reverse?

Race Ad-

when unity against the cuts was required. Liverpool

hardest,

the Party?

ed from

is how do

white They fear They racist

YULELS

15

prophecy.

The of threatens

Unles

the socialism. won't go away

stop

which exists

built basis of equality black and white This

only be by recognising Black

ideological debates, con-

supporting them have faced threat and bluster. ducader. ship personalities have tried to placate them b1 proposing black rights campaigns, liaison of-

and other such devices to outflank and incoroorae unem

By Mike Wongsam, Labour Party blaçk section national KE TILERS

These efforts have not worked. The black sections enter

CONCICIC sporting some notable successes - - black prospective parliamentary candidates who support black

366 seats, formal backing from NUPE and the NUM. black sections established in 35 CLPs.

Ironically, their greatest success is being used by the Kinnock camp as

be balance.

Black

ECs, NEC for

easy

cedures

of colour.

stantly

Party. the Isn't is

who

them. deputy the IGwU,

dru the stands the Labour

tremendous

erted on

black

Morris favour of campaigns, grammes

delegates 1aLi3111 ,

CE

need

special

people

LILS. way to the

Section

much indirectly

and

and

discrimina-

Labour to

can't

wItU the spearhead of its assault

Morris

he now

become Party's first

victory for

pressure ex-

Labour

opand will be

in

in rights

combat so But

look

LABER PARTY

BLACK

SECTIONS

The Home Office has no problem with definitions when it deports hundreds of our brothers and sisters or when it divides families Police officers have no problems with definition when they harass Black youth. So why should we have problems? If you are oppressed by racism and

identify yourself as Black then you are welcome in the Labour Party Black Section.

For us is political colour. not Black because we eat

different food, speak dif

ferent languages or enjoy different kinds of music We are Black because we suffer from a common op we will fight against all atLeillulo lU divide us into different ethnic groups.

Won't Black Sections just help Black careerists and do little in the fight against racism?

When we hear this point from white people we treat it with scorn. We would gIve the argument more weight if Black people in the Labour Party were

to develon then careers, but unfortunately

FIGHTING

...but not for black people. All-white platform at the 1980 TUC conference

real content of such pro-

The biggest test of our 'anti-racist' leadership was its attitude to black youth Handsworth, who justly revolted against a rapie Intensincanon oi police operations in the aled Hattersley and Kinnockite Jeff Rooker led the pack in calling for

Socialist Action 27 September 1985 the racism within the party

hinders this. why a be rarely hear • described as such the hundreds of white creensis In Parliament, but whenever black politiklans put themselves lor ward they are immediately denounced as careerists:

We treat this argument with more respect when it comes from Black activists who are worried about

Black careerists selling ou their struggles just Labour activists

1 all nave worried about Mr.

enegin on Party policy.

that all movements con •tain careerists Ine ques tion is how do we control our representatives and make sure they are accountable? We believe that there is more chance of controlling Black "leaders' with Black Sec. tions than with the present system where so-called representatives of the Black community rely on wire balone or me token positions of power.

Isn t ls poncy al real] matters? The Labour Par-

Will ony invo ve more Black people if it adopts policies which are attractive, not by internal constitutional change. heavy policing and denouncing 'criminals and hogligans'.

Is not enough lo make general pro-

racism. The Labour Party must recognise the true condition of black people and support them when they struggle against it. A

3

Of course it is policies thai

and whether

plemented Labour Party has to shed its history of complicity with

imperialism

and become a party which chamolot fight against racism and une. quivocally supports libera tion movements the world over. Black Sections exist and are being set up in growing numbers of con-

stituencies precisely to en-

shis that the Party does

It is trite to counterpose the need to change Labour's policies to the

organise the Party.

people are

adopt policies reflect the needs of people

Even Black

unless

Hake

will not The

in Labour's position

have about as a result people organising campaigns against

proved are

ill. past

Labour Governments

policies.

have to

happening sure that paigns racism now.

big forward : will mean that Party has

depth of racism in

, and the Black peo leadership that cannot defend Handsworth's youth, that before the law and order U1 UDLICLE itself

lobby cannot defend black youth in Newham,

Toxteth and Southall. And if they can't stand up to the 'law and order' lobby what use are they in the battle against racism? Only black people themselves can advance

needed for measure their own defence.

Despite the Jhanockr vres we are confidence our momentum will con-

NUPE is the third largest union in the coun try. int next generai elec black Mis who back black tion probably sections. The weight of the NUM vote in the labour movement far exceeds its membership We ask all

members the TGWU: does Bill Morris

black sections. If not, ther join the struggle for the TGWU black caucus now!

Page 4 scan of this page

4 EIGHTY PEOPLE came to the launch meeting of the Birmingham Sparkbrook black section on September despite fierce opposition from Roy Hattersley, MP for Sparkbrook. hoto: ANNETTE SANDY/HELEN CARR (TURC) Among the speakers were Keith Vaz, PPC for

East, black LEICCOLCI councillors from ingham and Nottingham, and officers or lne bacK sections national committee.

Godfathers Since the decision to form ā black section was taken, Hattersley and his 'ghetto godfathers' CUlC evevent the launch going they could to ahead.

Hattersley's opposiNGHIRA DOIC CYCl IIle rabid since he got wind of a Channel rour documentary alleging malpractices

his constituency. Due for screening on Thursday 26 September in the 'Bandung File' series, lne brogramme deals with the mass recruitment or asians

the party, political Jall Vilase and the marshalling of votes through the ghetto godfathers.

Photo IERNY

Hatrers e issuen unsettled described these

the allegations as 'beneath contempt .

What ai c really

LAST WEEK Clare Short, Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood, attended a press conference at the Asian Lozells Road, Chaired by Avtar Jouhl of the Indian Workers' Association it involved representatives of several and the recently Defence Campaign. ference held and why did Why was

why did you participate in it?

Because it was very important. It was a. together Asian and

LABOUR PARTY

BLACK SECTION

FRINGE MEETING

THURSDAY, 3rd OCTOBER

AT THE

WESSEX HOTEL, WEST CLIFF ROAD

Socialist Action 27 September 1985

Hattersley faces

black section

22

beneath contempt are the Hattersley and Incas ul Co his supporters have gone LU LU retain their grip on the black vote one before the

officers

Sunday

the the ticles's 1UW. to the launch

said, 'that no part in the organising such meeting, make comments the media.

In his the

mittee,

Interview with Clare Short

Resources Centre near Handsworth's

Asian and Afro-Caribbean organisations

established Handsworth Legal

Afro-Caribbean proorganisations gressive say that this malicious line that was being developed through the media - that the ]vl causo of all the trouble was conflict ween the Afro-Caribbean

hundred so ViPs like Hattersley

black held

,but who bitterly. black

'You the old story', he "they say

But also

shake hands with bankrupt and prepared have their

Wadsworth argued, like the one

Sparkbrook, IVICCHH ted a change in direction: *we are moving away from Dalronasc. yye alc movulg away from deference. We are now making demands

'We are here to stay, black and brown. We are going nowhere. We are in

Britain and we want our

stopemap teg hat ih both

Perhaps that that really unsettles Hattersley.

and Asian communities was completely TaIse seemed me that the Labour Sr alLy should be seen to behind that SuareC

conference was an-

people had been Now it's more You

: PIES had

that ULl. LVU time. fee about the

lo arrest lots o1 pcopic l order to suggest that they are in contro ot the situa tion. But in fact they have gone ior a number of strategies.

It's the view of many people, anal think i share

t, that the police basically abandoned Handsworth 1n the early part of the riot and that's why the looting took hold so badly. I don't think anyone should

of the shops that were looted had families living upstairs who were absolutely petrified.

These are families that work enormonsly long hours to make a lving. They are not rich capitalists or anything like that.

But at Zam on Tuesday, wrich was wirel Lit major thing was over, only JUbuC aTrested. There are now over

The police have been hauling young people off

streets ever since in order to try and suggest

Birmingham councillor Amir Khan is spearheading the move lo a Sparkbrook black section

that they were controlling Te cuielo And I think the odds on lots of people •CHI high indeed.

Do you think there is a real danger of racist elements exploiting about the divisions between Afro-Caribbean and Asians? For instance the

Enoch Powell Nucei U calling for repatriation and reports that the British

Party thrown leaflets from moring cars saying that it is the politicians who have supported 'the black inyasion' oi this country who are to blame for what occured?

I think there's a real contradiction here. Some right-wing elements and certainly the media have tried to run the line that the whole cause is conflict between the Afro-Caribbean and Asian communities, and indeed tried O HTTe SCh & COHER• that didn't exist. But then the extreme, crude racists come in - Enoch Powell and the British National Party — and of course at tack communities without exception.

They are hostile to both the Afro-Caribbean and Asian communities.

There's a weird irony there that the force of thei pressure could be to make the communLc understand that they have to stand together.

Do you think the events in Handsworth and the issue involved will come up at Leboar Party conference and if so what sort of line do you think the Labour

DA'

Party nationally needs to take.

It is inevitable that it will come up and be referred to in various debates. I think there is a possibility of ar emergency resolution being hat I think is really important thạt the Labour Party emphasises the fundamental precondition that leads to the troubles that massively high level of youth unemployment the area, and the vicious ascmmmaol against young black people which meaens that they have had no jobs at all.

It's important that should be said and said clearly at Labour Party conference. The attempts

›f the police and the pre: to obfuscate pretending that

something to do with hard ULUE drues - which is a lie, a simple and straighforward

ie - should be corrected debate. the Labour Party Does the Labour Party ilistive plan to take any in- locally Yes. There's been meeting of the officers of

Sahdsword, ward of the

Ladywood Constituency Labour Party, and it planning a Labour Party meeting and hoping to inBena. Tarcargi, Paul Benn, Tarig Paul boaltl3, Vishnu Sharma

aor orhe speaker ao rm

forward platform

'Fight the Tores and not

each other' and fight the socia derivation in the area and we hope that will come off within a month.

Manchester on

collision course

A SERIES of disputes between labour councils and black people have recently highlighted labour movement racism. Manchester city council looks set for another such conflict, provoked by its rejection of black demands for a race committee. TREVOR WONGSAM reports.

Tension between Manchester's black ul callsd tions and the city council came to a head on Friday 13 September , at a packed meeting called by the Ethnic Minority Rights Council. umbrella body, including West Indian, Bangladeshi,

Chinese, Sikh Moslem organisa• was formed after Manchester city council decided in January, by a single vote majority, to reject demands from community representatives for a separate race

The council opted incommittee of its equal opportunities unit, establish. ed last year with a quarter

fulfil the council's pledge

direct forms of discriminamon in tae clly.

munity's representatives in numerous meetines witr

fought for a separate race unit because of the scale

Wedge

Black people are angry that the council has not stood by its own pledge to consult ana lo take the

into consideration dispute threatens to drive g wedge between the black community and the Manchester Labour Party

"There are two kinds of racists in our society', says the EMRC : in a letter to council Trallclle Stringer, 'those who hate

Handsworth

is public meeting 27 September.

The which will be held at Holte school in the Lozells Road area will be the first forum in which the issues raised in the 'riot' can be discussed

By Mick Archer

out. One key objective will be to dispel any sugges„on ta e ro oe z caused by 'racial' tension DCLWCC. Afro-Caribbean and Asian communities. A demonstration may also be •ier o we tacic cupaign in the near future.

The idea of demonstration first publicty floated by Birmingham Trades Council. In

meeting enea be them on they proposed a march on the of *jobs for youth'. The defence cam paign rejected this pro. posal on the grounds that any initiative had to come from the black organisa

News

the blacks, and those who know what is good for the natrd council says, is in danger of falling

Refuting the charge from town hal

EMRO CualLelS

unanimous port : of demands at arge black and asian •areas

turn of meetin EMRO Manchester MPs Bob Litherland and Tony

the MPs, stressed they

LCI1 Fury The council now seems sel to reject even this com promise. fury greeting/the council's spokesperson September that LiCEul. agreed almost unanimously to break off all relations with the coun-

wee n mediate results.

The violent split Liverpool between the black caucus and the cit

ing. If labour ignores the just demands of black pec

it will shoulder the blame for dividing the movemen rese cosoa must be learned, and learned well, by all labour activists and supporters.

campaign gets going

tions themselves and would have to confront broader issues affecting their communities, in particular the issue of racisn

in the light of this stanc the proposed march wa dropped and the labou movement organisatiol

present pledged their su Paken by the defence cam any initiative paign

To organise these events, the legal defence of the black youth arrested will require extensive resources. An immediate task is to get speakers from

defence campaign around to as many labour movement bodies as possi both political and finan cial support.

writing HLDC, Heathfield Road, Hand sworth, Birmingham.

• At the time of going to press details of the defence committee public meeting

have not been confirme

should therefor KPRRerY phone the defence com

021-554 KEELEE 0026/2747 to confirm this.

Page 5 scan of this page

Why Labour must support

News

THE reason that the NUM resolution to this year's Labour Party conference should be supported

that comes from the organisation that is most closely involved with the problems. Consequently, Labour tarty Should recognise that we know

policy that will suit our reCucucus.

It is a resolution that has already attracted the support of the TUC, and we would hope that votes cast in the lUC consees intense adorne

increased Labour Party conference.

We recognise resolutions as to be supportive of us, but

ways ther could prove counterproductive.

i they are defeated, they •could and would - ge used by the media 9.

tained at the TUC. I would

that 1VUC parties would consider withdrawal these resolutions.

The question amnesty is dealt with in the first two requests listed in our resolution: a complete Tever cases miners jailed as a result of the dispute

úarantee of reinstatement

fall miners saçked for ac-

The NUM resolutions should give Labour

conterence an opportunity to unite behind what is the positive and acceptable policy the NUM. I hope for even greater support from those trade unions who abstained or chose to vote against our resolution the TUC, and on this occasion we hope that the constituency parties will demonstrate their support as indeed they did during the dispute.

disagree With the of those WEU say that

esolutions will damaged the chances of Labour at the next election.

posițive action and positive leadership has seen an increase in support from rank and file workers

One example is the activities and leadership of Arthur Scargill himself. Another is the acitivities in Labour Party Chere sicke Chesterfield Tony Benn became our

DEEP DIFFERENCES between south Wales NUM leaders and the national union emerged at the first meeting of the national council of the Wales congress in support of the mining communities.

Research officer Kim Howells speaking

ehalf of the south Wales executive,

attack socialists who. said, were dangering the chances of getting jobs back by their campaign The way reinstatment was to elect a Labour government.

South Wales, said, had opposed the NUM S coolerence labauseary conference DeLaust would jeopardise Neil Kinnock's chances. He claimed south Wales had the best record of any area in

JODS only seven still sacked, and waxed bitter

the NUM resolution calling for action on all miners victimised and the reimbursement of ali

miners clearer than ever. His statement after the success of a parallel resolution during the recent TLC congress -minister and I decide what goes into the manifesto' this, the single most important resolution at conference.

The methods of struggle of the NUM leadership are totally at odds with the sort of

why the NUM resolution is of such crucial

future of the party as a whole.

position clear, a report from the National Coal Board states theirs: up to 30 per cent of current capacity is likely to go over the next two or three years. This encapsulates the choice for Labour

and any other section of the working class prepared to confront the Tory attacks, or

of the crisis onto the shoulders of the workers. despite their viability.

Johnny Burrows

MP, the membership has increased by more than 100 per-cant.

Sitting on the fence only produces blemishes on the backside. Positive action and positive leadership

BUSILIYC results.

Deep division in South Wales

Cir Davies denial of the new area director 'secret deal' struck his predecessor, Phil Weekes, south

WHICH Wales returned to work.

Sharp differences arose over miners Shankland and Hancock, servind lite se ences oi the murder of taxi driver David Wilkie Delegates from the south west were keen to campaign against

But Ki Howells and

Dave Hartwell claimed the families were against such a campaign 110 accepted they should be in prison.

Howels and Hartwel launched a bitter attack on the lett who, ther said, were exploiting the situation. Monmouthshire area or une Ium were also altacked for their proposals

tie Cantpaigl

Ron Thomas from Bristol TGWU had to remind congress that one of campaign around victis central aims

AS LABOUR Party conference prepares to debate

union money confiscated as a result of the strike, Neil Kinnock is making his lack of support for the

I'm going to be the next prime

— sums up exactly what's at stake with

Labour Party that Kinnock wants to lead. That is

importance — because it represents a battle for the

At the same time that Kinnock is making his

Party activists: support the struggle of the miners

capitulate to the Tories' project of forcing the cost

JOHNNY BURROWS, an NUM delegate to party conference and chair of Chesterfield Labour Party told CAROL TURNER why support for the NUM resolution is vital, while NUM leader JACK COLLINS explained exactly how the Coal Board plans to proceed in Kent — by closing all the pits

MINERS are at a loss to understand the reasons for present board policy. It is yet another exBoard's double-talk.

The Board has said that irrespective of the efforts of the labour force at Tilmanstone, they will close the mine. Referring 1o an alta al Tilmanstont called The Fives, where coal Di Cooilty mined, the Coal Board bosses said a couple of years ago that: "the development of Five would access to an with 10-15 seams and in about five years' time we could be looking into lower seams That is seam no 7.

suasion by this anion

persuasion this union the Board agreed to drive two tunnels into a lower seam at Snowdown. During that period Board area

Led miners.

It was left to representatives of victimised Phur nacite workers, and Penrhiwceiber NUM, who are fighting closure put forward action proposals to congress. Both asked it

THE THOUSAND miners at Coventry colliery in Warwickshire were virtually solid when they went out on 24-hour strike last Wednesday in support of five of their work

The five went to an industrial tribunal after being victimised for supporlilig the Not sycar-song strike. They won their case with the tribunal, but the Coal Board refused reinstate them. obvious that the Coal Board

'Coal Board double-talk'

director, Rawlingson, said that as far as no and no 8 seams are concerned "they

no 7 seam,

area

Ine seam

and what's

low Those

qualities

concerned

with the of the

between Canterbury

and extends into the channel going

to campaign for support. Speaking tours were set up

West Country.

1hese initiatives trasted sharply with the South Wales NUM policy, which whilst supporting an

Coventry strike reinstatement

does not want to take back miners who defended their communities and fought for their jobs.

By Hanna Khamis

One of the victimised miners, Dennis Evans said: 'none us thought that we would get so much support for what we were doing This was the first strike over reinstatement

country. shows that we were wanted

the lads. The DaLk strike was supported

who worked throughout the year-long

the miners

Snowdown

Instead of talk about closing the coalfield, they

be expanding he Board could turn both these pits into brand new

at a cost of about f3 million. All the structures are already there. Sacking men at Tilmanstone

will cost

It's possible that these seams are being held back till the Board's big busi-

friends come along; and it's also possidie lal the Board wants the Kent

Coal Board say there are tremendous losses but tne are sitting on top millions of tons valuable coal and not working it. We're talking about 100 square miles o coal, and there aren't

Seals of tha thickness.

individual lodge closure, has done little to campaign or build for sup-

Whilst south Wales

their present course clashes with the national union appear certain.

strike shows that coventry Dil Ipe only Warwickshire pit which

militancy is still strong.

The industrial tribunal compensated the men, but the Coal Board is under no obligation to give them their jobs back.

Colin Wall and Nev Beli, two otnel sacked miners from the pit, said,

*e want our was base.

The issue is reinstatement

we wit lose our pensions. It would be like we just started on the job.

Socialist Action 27 September 1985

Kent - branch officials thrown off NCB property This he of of

Eight of the in This information in this

box was compiled from the June/July pilot issue of Pitwatch, 9 Poland St, London WI

Scotland - large scale sackings

TWO HUNDRED and two miners have been Albert Wheeler, until TECHLY IC DEERI Area director, has refused to reinstate any miners.

5

The branch secretary those still sacked Charged with a breach of the peace he was tound not guilty a Edinburgh's Sheriff Court

Of those dismissed in Scotland 83 per cent •Have only Deth chargel with breaches of the Deace. not damage to

as claimed b the media and the NCB Forty three per cent of those sacked held and a further 28 per cent are known to have played an active role in the strike.

Notts — unfair dismissal miners.

Crown budged, knowing that Ken was very committed to the strike. His case is awaiting the outcome of an industrial tribunal.

Page 6 scan of this page

tcher and the anti-soci

Photo: JOHN HARRIS

WHAT DO you think will be the key issues facing this year's conference? I think you've got to start. with two sides of the picture. One is what's actually happening. The government is losing support very widely in the coun try because of the policies they are pursuing.

Therefore there is a genuine desire, and belief, in the possibility

government. think movement's feeling is that we have moral responsibility to do everything we can to win. That's the first thing.

I think the second thing is that there are issues we've got to be clear about. We must stick by the miners. We must

by Liverpool and Lambeth counSACK cil. We must stick by our own people.

My guess would be - I can l forecast exactly but my guess would be — that there would be very widespread support at the conference for a resolution of the type put to the TUC on the miners — whatever the NUM come forward with. There will be a strong commitment to Liverpool and Lambeth.

I think if you look a bit further ahead, as the prospects of the election get nearer, we've got to ask ourselves very clearly what we're going to say to the new appeal which the establishment are promoting, that we want a hung pallanel.

I think we've got to say to people quite openly what a hung parliament would mean. It would mean a paralysed parliament. I would mean compromises and shifts. It would mean that power would rest where it does rest

with the civil service, anyway media, the companies, the banks and so

on.

We've got to warn people against a hung parliament. The reason that this is important is that the hung parliament is the end product

Thatcherite' campaign.

If you say we must concentrate on

Thatcher, and say we've all got to have

an alliance against ¡natcher, you ic

playing for a hung parliament. And a

hung parliament would not give us the

power to do what needed to be done.

A couple of other aspects stand out

— if I review the whole area. We've got

to think very very carefully about what

would happen when a Labour govern-

ment is elected. What pressures would

be put upon it, how it would deal with

what its

would be with the banks, the city, the

multinationals, how we'd cope with the

treaty of Rome, what would happen vis

a vis the Americans and so on.

something I would call preparing for

victory.'

The last point, which is on the agen-

da, and which is of great importance, is

about the nature of the party itself.

Because with all the problems we've

had in the past, and all the disappoint-

ments there have been, the Labour Par-

ty is the only vehicle for social transtor-

mation. It potentially contains within

itself everybody who would be needed

to make that transformation. But it is

too narrowly based.

Therefore the question of black sec-

tions, the question of women's rights,

the question of further affiliations, the

question of undemocratic expulsions —

which is an attempt to narrow down

our base still further — all these are on

the agenda. I think the conference, if it

is to be successful, will need to give a

lead and come to clear decisions on all

6

these matters.

İ don't think anyone wants a personal attack on others. I don't think the personality side is whatever in internal party politics, any more than it has any relevance in external party politics. we say has got to be a principled presentation of a point of view.

That means there are no circumstances between ye Labour, Labour Party Alliance?

No circumstances whatever.

We talk about the Alliance but the only true alliance is the Owen-Thatcher alliance.

We've got to be clear on what we are about. We're there to protect our people. And you cannot protect your people if you dilute your policy in an agreement. That was what paralysed us during the Lib-Lab pact tributed very substantially to our defeat in 1979.

I think that if we'd said we are going to Dul forward our policies, anyone brings us down they election on the issue on which they brought us down, then we'd have done much better in the subsequent election the than by going along with a diluted

policy, and disillusioning our own people.

There seems to be two contradictory processes in British politics. On the one hand there is no doubt that there are right the Tories sind the SP pressures merely from the but within the labour movement. The EETPU and AUEW are consolidated right wing forces. But on hand you have consolidated left wing minority, but at the same time are much more combative than anything we've seen for a long time.

How do you see the situation?

I think there's something in that. But when you look back at the post-war Labour government it wasn't a minorty of right wing trade union leaders, it was a majority union leaders.

During the Gaitskell years, which I remember very well, the parliamentary leadership was a very right wing leaderendless

ship. And it was protected ference after conference the

antirelations

That is Socialist Action 27 September 1985

praetorian guard of right wing trade union leaders. So I think you have to have a reasonable historical sense. relevance

the labour movement may be a minority strain. But I don't think it is. I think Therefore whatever that it's a majority strain. But I don'

think that the majority of people in the Labour Party what's tended to be a very personalised form of left critique. agreement and the deed repelled, by the idea that the left's

who's betrayed us and identify them

distrust of all personalities in politics,

'look, if you're telling us to back the miners we're with you', 'if you're tell-

ment, that's millions of new jobs, we're and COll

pointing the finger of scorn at whoever the last person is to have shifted to the

and if right, then we're not with you. And if

face an you're asking us to engage in an inter-

How do you assess the significance of what happened in Handsworth?

I think Handsworth is an example of the end product of Tory policies. It's a day the riots broke out in Handsworth 'bankrupt, and disquality the Lambetn

the other

the media covers things. They absolutewhich are now ly ignore pressing problems. I think on-

ly thirty out of two hundred and eighty

and articles in the papers examine it.

of right wing trade

at con-

driven out of political life, ing played a large part in it.

Community policing,

clever policing,

you send

strike, at now used in Handsworth these factors come togetner

Tory Party

up Steel, Thatcher alliance. the wets,

know something has

tional situation. ment about South Africa?

DAVE

big investor in South Africa

is to present You say that the radicalisation of something that

doing something using crude language. would go along with

and

Because the will to win, plus the

against individuals then

government decided to surcharge,

West Indian youth in Handsworth hac been able to get jobs in the last twelve

It's only when you have a riot that miners,

What Handsworth shows is what we know. That if a democratic, socialist, labour movement political alternative abolished, if the Metropolitan councils

capping's introduced, councillors are hounded and tempts are made to destroy the miners — if you try to remove the democratic option then you will get, put crudely,

People don't plan a riot. A riot is the product of a straw that breaks the

I think there is no doubt that polic-

which is no solution to the problem but which is

was abandoned favour of the riot type policing. And if

force whenever anything happens — practiced in northern Ireland, in the miners?

Greenham Common, and - then all

What it indicates to me is why the

and the establishment are terrified of Mrs Thatcher. Because at a certain stage if this got out of control then they think there might be, as there would be, an overwhelming landslide to Labour. So that's why they're building

building up Owen, building building up the anti-

Because the purpose of the hung parliament, the coalition, proportional representation, the SDP and so on, is to fend off a Labour victory. But they

gol change because riots of this kind really are very, very frightening to a government. Just to take some aspects of the interna-

What do you think needs to be done by the labour move-

I think you have to step up the pressure for a break in diplomatic relations and

I think you also have to relate it to

what's happening at home. Britain is a

- because

they've made a big profit out of it.

One of the most hypocritical things

as if it were the 'Afrikaners' were the blacks. It's actually we're doing to the black! with the help of the Afrikaners - I'm

It's a British problem as well. If you were to tackle it properly you would have to tackle the way in which capital in Britain has made a profit here and

were keeping ine trade umolis

where bigger profits could

has been exported from every man, woman and child in Britain since Mrs Thatcher came to power. It means you tighten your belt in accordance with what the Treasury say, and make a profit for your employer, and he sends it to South Africa. He then brings it back as dividends which he gets

I think a lot of our arguments now

burns £207 million worth of food. They spend £500 million on the Falklands

They decided to highlight their hostility Defender' exercise — and expel Soviet people from the London embassy. Because when you connect otnerwise disconnected issues they come together in a way that gives people a new percep-

I think apartheid should be put in its proper connection, and linked to the fact that Namibia provides the uranium to go into the nuclear power stations that the government wants to build, out of which comes the plutonium that goes warhead that goes to Greenham Com-

1918

the cold war and so on. If you can con

nect these up — and it's not a difficult

an envelope in which your argument is

contained which registers with people

we've got to do is get rid of Mrs That-

cher and all our problems are solved."

That has tended to be the way in which

some of these arguments are presented.

That is a great danger because it ends

spas a for part are wand to public

support for what you want to do therefore no • backing when From the criticised and pressurised from boardrooms.

One very sharp issue at this year's cor ference will be over the question of black sections. How do you see that? I'm one hundred per cent in favour o black sections. When you look back at

when the laborty wat founded in its modern form -trade unions and the Independen Labour Party were affiliated. Paol Zion affiliated later, , as did the Fabian Society. . You can see that what happe ed in '1918 was that the progressiv forces of one type or another, togethe with the unions, came together to forn a socialist party

If you had a founding, or refour ding conference now, which i think w should have, then obviously the bia sections would be a part of it. might find Indian Workers Association would want to affiliate women would demand greater righti

progressive groups migh want to affiliate

Many so called 'registered' group which were only invented in order t justify expulsions, would be recognise as legitimate strands of opinion, an would be affiliated.

And at some stage Labour Party will have to bring itse into line with the nature of the suppo which it wants by changes in its ow constitution. Of that I'm pretty sure

You stressed very much the necessity t link issues at present. There have bee quite a lot of attempts by people t create different types of organisatio on the left of the Labour Party at th present time. How do you see those And how do you see the role of th Campaign groups of MPs in relation those?

It's a good question because during th deputy leadership 198 thère was the Rank and File Mobilisin Committee set up, grouping of people around a particul question: to follow up the electoral col lege with a candidate who was commil ted to party policy. That ended with th hairsbreadth defeat the 1981 ference.

There are a wnole range organisations in existence trying to d this.

My own view is that the best way t

unite people on the left is around issue I think that if you are campaigning fo something Cycl depi

leadership was a discrete issue in th

sense that it was a campaign that ende

with a particular vote and that explai

Page 7 scan of this page

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8 Socialist Action 27 September 1985

IRELAND

UNFREEI

Dunnes workers to address Labour

Party conference

A KEYNOTE speaker at the Labour Committee on Ireland's fringe meeting will be Mary Manning, one of the eleven strikers in Dublin who have made South Africa's cause their own.

By the time Mary arrives she will have been on strike for one year and eleven weeks. The strike began when shopworkers at Dunnes' buoua store relusea to nandie curspan oranges

of the decision by their union, IDATU, to boycott South African produce as part of an active anti-Apartheid policy

Management suspended Mary indefinitely and, with full union backing, the shopworkers set up a picket which has been outside in Henry Street ever since.

The picket line has achieved world fame and has been visited by, among others, Arthur Scargill, Bishop Desmond Tutu and Gerry Adams.

Last week the strikers won an important victory when Dunne's management said it would 'phase out' South African goods from all Irish shelves. But management refuses to concede the issue on which the strike began, namely the right of shopworkers themselves to refuse to handle soul Alcan produce, m une wan walon policy.

The strikers have many lessons to offer the British labour movement - not least their refusal to accept the May Labour Court ruling protest in some other way.

The Labour Committee on Ireland fringe meeting will also launch Ireland After Britain, a collection of articles on Ireland's future by prominent authors and edited by Martin Collins. It is followed by a social

In addition Labour Women for Ireland are holding a meeting on Tuesday, featuring Sinn rein councilor bodie NeGuiness and other women speakers. Dodie is also speaking at the Target Labour Government meeting on Sunday night.

Labour Committee on Ireland Fringe Meeting 5.30pm Wednesday 24 September Chine Hotel, Boscombe Spa Road Bournemouth

CHABOUR

& IRELAND

Dunne's Strike

FFIC 'RAD SPUT

"THIS CONFERENCE calls on the next Labour government to break off

He dELIN South Africa and impose economic sanctions until

vestiges of the apartheid system have been

By Alan Freeman

Derby South's resolttion to Labour Party conference bluntly sums up the only acceptable policy: complete severance economic, diplomatic and all other relations with the racist regime not "reform' it but to bring it down.

• Britai apartheid's

it created it. It ran over a century lends South Africa half its money and owns half its investments with 1,200

Come Hes operating there. And

surprise - it is SuE DISC. the only Western power opposing sanctions.

• Britain makes superprofits from African sweat and blood. In 1983 an African in manufacturing

THE ANC (African

National Congress) the largest, and most important, political organisation engaged in the struggle against the apartheid regime in South Africa.

Prior to the widely publicised meeting between the ANC and South African business leaders in Zambia last week OLIVER TAMBO, president of the ANC, gave an interview to Newsweek magazine outlining the organisation's goals.

How important is the current crisis in South Africa to the ANC? It represents a heightened level of resistance to the apartheid system such we have never had before. It is a great leap forward toward our goal of ending apartheid and replacing 1l with a new South Africa.

Have you

intensity the tult demonstrations?

Yes and no. I have been

laYe endured so long, in spite of everything the regime has done to stamp out the pro-

On the other hand

what happening noW follows naturally from what went before. The jailings, the tortures, the Sharpeville and Soweto killings have given people no choice ou lo escalalt the struggle even further.

Many of the present demonstrators are very young, even children. Can you control

At this distance we cannot control events on an hourto-hour

But we have called on the people in general to make the

countl ungovernable and

Naval theid unworkable, and what is happening is a response to that call We can't tell our children that what they are doing is

They are ycly udlikeivus. sustained by a hatred of the system.

Will the Botha ment give in to economic

got 360 rands compared

1,429 a white worker. In mining it is

The four million whites enjoy one of the highest living standards in Oliver Tambo

ANC leader speaks

and political pressure or

I have

but already

but then

break the regime. This

ALEt deman-

that 'the wealth poly

shall

for these

very but that wealth is

and perhap of the wealth. blacks have

whites are excluded well

and these

there will plenty of IUU1l! for enterprise.

the ATTICAD starvation, decisions

come,

targets?

We're not

children

sideration but is the

political one?

Both sides

is an

aim is to

SCCIAl

Break all links with apartheid

world. For the 19m

people Dover homelessness, disease and social deprivation of every kind are the norm.

in

extend the

to

Does

that's

throw when on I police

civil-

are

We have

attacks, struggle

economic

of the Our military damage the

• Britain defends, and even coss moe mo Da. baric repression and denial of the most baisc numar rights. 700 Africans have been killed and over 2,000 has been almost helpless over the last year. It na. failed to end the struggle.

weapons?

from the socialist principally the Union

African and from individual

COLL tries. give us : would

weapons gesture of

Your critics

into with the

you tinall

your We are grateful the Soviet

tries like and

trade with future.

alone,

best But

: hour

those

pect uS give them

International

jailed last year. Torture is widespread and prison conditions horrific.

• The policy 'constructive disengagement' trying to per-

white racists will reform themselves

• wo days atte Pretoria's vanuted 'reforms' were announced Botha went on public record to explain that thes wouldn't make any prac tical difference Not one "retormer' accents the on sustice to African peone step needed

For one person, one vole

governe s bear a heavy share of the blame Dast involve ment Apartheid. In 1975 Wilson tried to sack Heffer from the cabinet for even daring to speak out against naval exercises around Britain's South

bast Simonstown. Black people nighty have no conndence that Labour, when in of fice again, will take the necessary steps complicity with this bar-

Conference barc regime. has to ensure it takes the first step now

release Nelson Mandela? I believe they will have to,

« don't knov WHICH We have to put enough pressure on the regime toI inem to see lial Il Is their interest release him. " think Britain America could be very imDUl Lall achieving his release, but they won't use their leverage, perhaps because they think it is not in their interest.

Is there still time to negotiate a gradual transition to majority rule? I think we would be less than natural to demand anything less than to be tree now. Nobody wants to endure pain for a mo. ment longer than they have to. There is no ques tion of a gradual transition to maiontv rue, to make l

gra cale continue nake

crime continue The only negotiations we would see would be about the mechanisms for an im mediate change to majori. ty rule.

When will that come? In months, , years, decades? This will be just a guess. It certainly won't decades, and I'm not even sure it will be one decade. We will aim for less than a decade.

Do you think the American believes that change is al hand?

I think the administration finds it very difficult to ac conagement hand i constructive •cleve it rulercare ple are far ahead of their

understanding what is going on, and we hope administra tion will take heed of the democratic will the

people tuitical break their alliance with this racist regime.

Do you support sanctions

South Africa?

Your critics say blacks wil be the first to be hurt. If our people are preparec to die and go to jail to enc apartheid, you really think they will worry tha

which Sancuous know hurt the regime, wil cause them l a illlie more nunger and lose some di them the miserable jobs LICY are now allowed to have?

Page 9 scan of this page

Labour must support women's demands

News

Put abortion on

the agenda

By Valerie Coultas

THE FORTY FOUR Labour MPs who voted for Enoch Powell's so-called Unborn Child (Protection) private members bill, restricting research, are given a hard time in the six resolutions presented under the title 'reproductive rights' in the conference agenda. Each CLP is outraged at

woman's right to choose.

Such strong stutt is to be welcomed. Labour must develop NOCK Harrow East CLP, angle and not from the traditional family structure. Labour must also repeal the Gillick ruling and ensure free contraceptive advice is available to the under-Jo's when it comes lo power arguei Taubton CLP.

Watford and Taunton CLP's along with others denounce the free vote - the central probiem that pro-choice campaigners in the Party have faced — urging Labour MP's to vote for a woman's right to choose 'and leave the matter of conscience to the individua woman concerned'.

Such sharp points are summed up nicely by Ruislip CLP's Instence should be formulated by Labour leaders in 'con-

organisations within the Party'.

This highlights the argument that the women's organisation have the automatic right to present five resolutions to party conference. In return it would be an excellent gesture if members of WAC made a priority of helping pro-choice campaigners to get this debate onto the agenda of this year's conference.

A challenge to

the left

Leonora Lloyd

THE NATIONAL Abortion campaign has had an eventful year, what with the Gillick ruling and the Powell bill, not to mention attacks on the time limits. As we come up to our tenth annual conference, we are faced with the certainty that there are many more attacks to come.

Till now, Tory ministers concerned with health (Sir George Young and Kenneth Clarke) have at least been reasonably sympathetic and supportive on the question ot abortion. Catholic Balley Hayhoe is in charge of heale, following mallers His junior minister John previousty a government Powell Bill gave advice on procedure to Powell's supporters. Both have a record of voting consistently "pro-life'

Before the Government changes, it was expected that Kenneth Clarke would introduce a Government Bill along the lines of the Warnock

until 14 days, in order to pre-empt another Powelltype bill.

With the new health team, it is unclear what will happen. Mrs favour of such a bill, but even if one were introduced, it is unlikely to be steered through the House with much enthusiasm by the two ministers, even though they are in theory not going to vote against a Government Bill.

The appointment of Hayhoe is also likely to affect Government attitudes to the under-16 contraception. the DHSS appeal in the House of Lords, then there is ukcly to be do acuon on lne matter Irom le Department of Health, unless it is to re-inforce the decision by directives to doctors.

If she loses, then it is likely that a Private member's Bill to outlaw advice and treatment without parental consent will get active or tacit Government support

The provision of family planning services to women generally, research into better forms of contraception, improvements in the availability of abortion on the NHS adversely affected.

These are the issues that the National Abortion Campaign will have to tackle at its conference on 26/27 October. It will be one of the most impor tant we have held. have to build the campaign, new numbers of affiliates and increasing our output of information and propaganda, if we are to begin to counter the attacks that are now taking place. (The NAC Newsletter, price 75p including Desaige, that, and the cole ere ce, cares time- will be available in ed from NAC, Street, London WC2B SAX)

embryo

this bill agalist a

'a positive policy based in the War-

'from a socialist

wollan s Liese Issues

members and women's Ly. government

Major was wup and aurig the Thatcher is known to be in

at

of If Victoria Gillick wins - all these are likely to be

Over the next period we will

winning significant

two weeks time.

Wesley House, 70 Great Queen

THE DEMANDS of the Women's Action Committee, so controversial a few years back, are still on this year's conference agenda. They haven't gone away - and the main reason for that is that they simply haven't begun to be met. eclipsed though, in media terms, by the demands ot black people for self-organisation within the party.

DIANE ABBOTT, WAC activists, explained to CAROL TURNER why Labour women are still fighting and why the issue of black sections is part of the same fight. WOMEN'S Action Committee supporters have put

of OURING resolutions to this year's Labour Party conference We are making three basic demands: the right of the national women's 401ference to put forward five

ference; the right of national women's conference to elect five women direct-

the national executive: and that at least one woman be on

CyCl parliamentary shortlist.

The fundamental aim of WAC women in the Labour Par-

Although there is an Conterence Labour women, it has no

doesn't even report to annual conference. We want

women's conference a real

At the moment women on the Labour national executive are elected by annual conference that means by the trade union bloc vote. Year after year wonder like Betty Boothroyd come tor the poll for women's NEC places but they simply don't have the support of women feminist, and they aren't

accountable to women in the party. women were directly elected, wen tney fight for women's interests

The same goes for women parliamentary candidates and MPs. In over 300 selections that nave already taken place, at one point there were only 12 women selecica. tuency after constituency had all-male shortlists.

No one's saying local parties have to select women or demane

least one be on the SHOELISI is, in tact. modest. We're saying 'give women a chance' AL DIC sent it looks as if there aren't to be any more women in parliament after the next general election than there are in this.

These are the reasons why women's demands are a big issue al tis year . conference. Because it's VILY Ip-scl vice paid women's rights — and that includes all sections of the party: the left. the ront and the centre. This most clearly shown in the scandal how few women parliamentary candidates have been chosen so far. And that even goes for black candidates, who are all men.

The argument against positive action for women 1s that peode say they've *socialists ot as it there

were a conflict! As if men were "more socialist' than women. hev oring un ex. amples such as Shirley

They have been

Westminster councillor and

Williams to argue that women are somehow less reliable than men. Nobody brings up David Owen, o1 the multitude of other unrelable men.

endless list of white men who've sold out the Labour Party.

In one sense the fight the same as the fight ol black members. At the end pose de demands or JUDE the demands women are the same peo. ple who oppose the demand for black sections At the heart of it, they are about protecting their own individual power.

Bureaucracy

There's no way that we can empower women and black people without takite more Capitalism and power from

Labou Party bureaucracy can always afford to have a few token •blacks or women. Look at America, there's been black congressmen since the '40s.

If it was just a question of individual: women

wanting advancement we wouldn't need to raise autonomous organisation. None of the leading WAC supporters have been selected. Sharot

and myself are hated by white men. There are easier ways of getting a career than upsetting the establishment.

I was already a councillor before I became involved in black sections. I black section to become a councilior, did bed use lies a political

wanted political Dase DaSe wasn't with being token, I wanted to involve black people in the political process.

Ît is these issues, and for these reasons, that WAC will be organising again at this year's party conference. organising just through resolutions but also with a fringe meeting on the Monday of conference, and our review on Thursday.

We want to draw more and more party women in o what we're doing an what we're fighting for

NAC Fringe Meeting

Whitehall Hotel Exeter Park Road (next to International Conference Centre)

Lunchtime Tuesday 1 October

Speakers invited include Socialist Health

Association, NOLS women's officer, NAC

Women at the 1980 party conference: little has changed

By Carol Turner, Secretary Labour CND (personal capacity) WHEN Labour published its defence statement last year, Labour CND 100k a position of neither supporting nor endorsing it. We did that because it conflicted with CND policy of withdrawing from the NATO alliance, and because of the ambiguities created by that simultaneously promised unilateral nuclear disarmament and 'full support' for the nuclear club.

But one thing the statement has done is raise

the CUIISUILUCHL activists the whole issue of NATO membership in a way that hasn't been seen for There are enough resolutions and amendments on this year's annual conference agenda to ensure that this issue is debated out.

Not that anyone is expecting to win the vote, however. There likelihood that resolu tion calling for withdrawal will find favour among the trade union bloc But there is every indication that it is an issue finding more and more time on the agenda of local parties.

Whilst the vote is excluded this year, raising the debate certainly isn't. That's why every party activist and every trade union militant should fight to ensure tha debate is given the prominence deserves

Socialist Action 27 September 1985

Labour's NATO debate

LABO

JOB

order to start a real discussion within the party and within ine labour movement as a whole

That's with a view to decisively winning the vote

future. That's also why Labour CND

fringe meeting on the subject of NATO withdrawal on the Tuesday evening of conference

Fighting to maintain a clear commitment to unlatera nuclear disarma ment is still on the order of the day Raising the question of NATO is part and parcel of this fight.

In a recent interview for the END Journal Tabour spokesperson on defence and disarmament, Denzil Davies. said that in "time of crisis' he thought Labour would cruise and other NATO nuclear weapons back into

Recognising the pitfalls of taking such a clear Neil Kin-

9

UR

Labour CND's march before last year's party conference

Knock denied this interpretation.

Nevertheless, Labour CND's effectivelon was rathe not de defence statement was and still ambiguous The doubts have to be cleared up before we go in to the next election - and they have to be cleared up on . the side of unilateral nuclear disarmament.

• 'Why Labour Should Withdraw From NATC LCND/Dumbarton CLP joint fringe meeting, 8pm,

Auese Hotel, Bath Road.

Tuesday October include Ion)

Benn and Eric Heffer • 'Labour: Campaigning For Unilateral Nuclea Disarmament', LCND fr inge meeting, video and many guest cluding Peter speakers Heathfield in.

of the NUM, 6.30-11pm Angus Hotel, Bath Road, Thursday 3 October.

EVE OF CONFERENCE RALLY

organised by Labour CND 'Labour: Fighting for Unilateral

Nuclear Disarmament'

among the many speakers are:

Turkish Peace Movement, Greenham Common, NUM and

Women Against Pit Closures sunuay zy sentemeer 3pm till 4.45pm Merryk Park (approx ¾ mile from the conference centere)

Page 10 scan of this page

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Page 11 scan of this page

News WHILE THE Tory assault on Liverpool is grabbing the media headlines their equally serious attack on Lambeth is still going on. Thirty two Labour councillors are threatened with surcharge.

of the council, about the situation in Lambeth and the emergency resolution government going to Labour Party conference.

Why did Lambeth refuse to set a rate?

If we had set a rate on the government's would have meant major cuts in jobs and s SCIVILE H Lambeth. 1,500 jobs

gone. In area of high unemployment and major inner city deprivation there Labour councillor Lambeth that could compromise with such dictates

the Tory government.

Labour Herald says this week that the unions will continue to run the Ser vices under workers' control if elected councillors are remoyed undemocratically.

The joint trade union committee in Lambeth has said that if Labour councillors are disqualified they will refuse to operale services under Tory council which would take over as a minority council. They

them workers' TUN until Labour council elected.

But how will they get paid?

Photo: GM Cooksor

Lambeth stands firm

Socialist Action spoke to TED KNIGHT, leader

defence of local

They would not get paid. It would be for only before a by-election retúrned the Labour coun ch to powel. have no intention of allowing councillors to fice. They are going to use disqualified from their maximum industrial strength. The government nas reanseu uncy going to force their policies through the coun cil chamber, they are

the district trving to use auditor to remove councillors from office. The unions are also planning other actions in suport of the council, including demonstrations and strike action.

What are your contacts with Liverpool?

As councillors we are in contact WItn Liverpool and the trade unions are in contact will They're supporting each other. i'm speaking platform with Derek Hat-

What support have you

received from the rest of the labour movement and

Ted Knight

the leadership of the par-

CLPs and trade unions have giyen us both financial and political support. They've been contributing

€100,000 fighting fund Case through the courts.

Labour Party NEC has supported fighting fund The Labour leader nas taken a simula. stand as the miners' strike, where ne wa not

heavily in support. He's

expressed exer stand He don told us we should obey the law and implement the cuts in his "better dented shield than no shield at all speech. 1U1 councillors quoted him against his battle What do you want party conference to do?

First, we ask them to sup port the fighting fund so we can go into the courts and defend ourselves. Sewe want them to

An

Alliance

for

Socialism

Socialist Action is co-sponsoring a weekend of discussion, debate, and

agitation on the theme of 'Building an alliance for socialism' on the

weekend of 16-17 November.

Speakers include:

Diane Abbott, Tony Benn, Jack Collins, Jeremy Corbyn, Vladimir Derer, Betty Heathfield, Peter Heathfield, Stuart Holland, Ann Pettifor, Russell Profitt, John Ross, Marc Wadsworth, Jude Woodward, Doreen

Weppler. plus speakers from Black Sections National Committee, the FDR of El

Salvador, and many many more.

Venue: Sir William Collins school, Charrington St, London NW1 (near

Kings Cross Station)

£5 for weekend, £3 each day

Tickets from Socialist Action, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP

support the councillors in Lambeth Liverpool and others who have

Tory acner LE C ment. Third, we want the next government committed introduce retrospective legislation to remove the penalties 11l1posed on Labour councillors and to compensate for any financial losses im-

those coun postu cillors. We see ourselves alongside the miners as those who have been victims of Tory oppression.

Socialist Action 27 September 1985

A defeat

for the NUR

GUARDS SACKED during the driver-only dispute return to work this Monday. The rail federation council and the British Rail Board have agreed to a bartering arrangement sacked guards reinstated in return to driveronly operation.

The board also said no disciplinary action will be taken against OuCI rail

By Rose Knight

workers who took dustrial action, like the guards al

Kings Cross.

Glasgow Central, Immingham Margam and Llanelli who have got ineir Jods Daci will find that in six months time they lost them again as driver only is

For four month period some guards will be used to check tickets on trains others used "productively on other work' They will then be

offered voluntary reci dancy or a transfer to a different another depot in their area

Their grade and rate of pay will not be protected

they agree to

transfer. The agreement makes it clear that other

11 workers including drivers will also be displaced as a result of driver only operation.

Guards' jobs will eventually be eliminated as BR begin to use staff of lower trains ready for use and to commercial duties. Drivers will work to do on the trains in return £7.32 a shift, about £5.00 after tax.

In his letter to NUR

explaining the terms of the agreement

KnaDD. Genera Secretary agreemen had be negotiated "from a point of weakness'.

But he is partly respon sible for the balance 0f

forces which came down ir BR's favour, even allowing for the situation arising from the miners' defeat.

ported repeation I0 at tis

ballots before national industrial action? union

policy, and he continties to!

insist" that te was right!??

Knapp also argued at the

special genera meeting

against calling

reinstatement sacked

guards before any negotia

tion over driver only could

begin. Instead he and th

NEC allowed the sackec

guards jobs to be bartered

in return for productivity.

Page 12 scan of this page

Labour must stand by Liverpool

South Africa

South Africa's white liberal opposition, the Progressive Federal Party, has formed an alliance with chief Gatsha Buthelezi to fight for what it calls 'the dismantling of apartheid by non-violent means'.

The Convention Alliance, as the new called, was launched at a 150-strong conference in Johannesburg last weekend.

Buthelezi's chief contribution to non-violence his Inkatha movement in armed vignante squads to attack and break up anti-apartheid demonstrations and strikes. he is one or South Africa's most hated DECK coma donaters the apartheid regime.

Buthelezi was responsible for widely pupaused attaçks on Cape Indians last WELC conducted at the behest of the South African security wedge between Indians and the black resistance to apartheid.

the white Progressive Federal Party (PFP), with 27 MPs, now claims 20 per cent of the WHILE vote South

By Valerie Coultas KENNETH BAKER, the Environment Secretary, has slammed the door in Liverpool council's face. He has made it clear that they cannot borrow the f25 million pounds necessary to keep the city's services running. money will be available to pay the workforce.

strong council workforce have backed Liverpool city council's call for strike action against the Tory cuts. The largest anion — the GMBATU - have backed the call for strike action as has UCATT. But NUPE, the NUT, the NAS/UWT have voted not to even put the proposal to their members. The EEPTU members have said no to the strike. VALERIE COULTAS reports.

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ACTION

Enter the liberals-

exit democracy

body is

Africa. It is best known abroad for the work of susman. JULE celebrated South Africa's lone white VUpositionist MP. Rising support for the party is a product of growing ealisation among whites verkrampte' hardline, apartheid's days are numbered The PFP is therefore looking for new ways of protecting white privilege.

Helen Susman clarified

her party's objectives in a frank interview with the Daily Telegraph published last week. muto-raci policy 'Our is for governineal and not simply for transter of power trom a rotten white minority Soon the council will be bankrupt and no

As we go to press 10,600 members of the 30,000

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black majority government', she said.

Set aSUC outrageous racist assumption inat black government will be 'rotten' and the PFP's objec-

- to preven black people securing their rights through the overthrow of apartheid. This is why the long publicised in the West as a reacon of progressive opposinot to apartneid, Mas chosen this exact moment to forge links with aDal theid's most detested colEqual

The notion of multiracial' government in 'multi-racial' as ODDOSed

'non-racial', society rightly overwhelmingly rejected by opponents of apartheid concedes the taise orinciple on which apartheid is based. namerv that South Africa, its parliament, its government, and its socie-

The GMBATU regional office tried to stop their members votine for the strike because "im-

questions about the state of the city coun cil's finances remain unanswered.'

This was the theme of disussion last Monday

DELWCCI seven senior full-time officials of the public service unions and Labour coun cillors.

Several top trade union otticials in Liverpool are attempting Wednesday's strike call. to babular,

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ty, should be organised on a racial basis. The black opposition increasingly and rightly asserts the vien that South Africa is one Africa consists in a unitary nation. solution South state which citizens have equal rights.

Helen Susman's pro-

clear just how important these principles aic. She 'constitutional devices to protect minority groups ... we have what is known as the minority veto whereby cent of MPs consider a Bir is destructive of their interests they can exercise a veto against it. ' This con-

that the white minority could vote down any measure not to ineir nking. A minority, and not the majority, would determine the policy of the country. t is a proposal which is the very opposite

Susman finally gave the game away, and showInstead appear

ningham line urging all Labour councillors to stay in office and make cuts necessar. Militant dominated council is being

questions' persuade to increase the rates, raise council rents or use existung assets to necessary the £25 million

council is unlikely to back down and make working people

13 Mandela St., NW1 01-387 7966 ca ner true concerns, In ner explanation for a large

that large percentage of black opinion clearly equates capitalist system with apartheid'. "The fact that young blacks today believe

apartheid and capitalism go hand in hand is, of course,' she explains 'a misconception'

Why is it, the niberat that South Africa's defenders of capitalism are unable to tolerate the total dismantling of apartheid? today is the chie butres The truth is that

capitalism in South Africa Any thorough destruction of apartheid any real fight for one per-

vote, will be framework not simply for

assault white privilege in South Africa but also for an assault on capital.

And both are com-

unacceptable Mrs Suzman her antidemocratic liberals. and her black collaboraters and allies.

pay for Tory cuts. Derek Hatton, deputy leader, has dismissed the Kinnock line and said that all creative accounting options are rulea our in Liverpoo

But Liverpool has considerable obstacies in taking on the Tories this year Every other major council

of Lambeth has backed

and used *creative «OWI accounting' avoid confrontation with the

National Demonstration

MARCH AGAINST

APARTHEID

Saturday 2 November Stickers, posters, leaflets from: Anti-Apartheid,

Tories. lan Lowes, the chair of the council's joint shop steards committee, hailed the GMBATU vote 4,345 for a strike and 2,934 against as a victory but looking to other results h made it clear that 'We will not go it alone. We will only strike if a majority of workers are voting favour'.

In June Liverpool

council passed a crate but

budgeted for f80 millior more than that would pro duce. A week ago council workers, aware that the money was running out stopped the council issuing redundancy notices by locking the councillors out

and preventing the meeting taking place.

GMBATU members alone can bring the counci services to a halt because they do the essential work of keeping the city and the schools clean and safe

If there is a majority for this : strike call the en-

movement should behind the

demand that the Tories give Liverpool back the money they have stolen from it.

If this said Steel's strike sabotaged threat to take the court

against the counthrough "rapIdly will almost certainly be carried out. Any attempt

administration beleagured city must be opposed by strike action of Tory commissioners.

Whatever • happens

mediately week the laboul movement and the conference — must pur its full weight behind Liverpool. See page il • Lambeth under attack