Speaking at the Oxford uver v LabouCuD Ol Friday November he salu.
'On Tuesday Wednesday in the House of Commons, the Anglo-Irish Yasi culcill Was discussed. It was a very important debate and issue Thursday most newspapers especially Liic so-called JUDS. had huge front articles vase about so-called Liverpool the the CCCISIUl Susociu District emblazoned UVCI their Jasvo.
It was an own goal of monumental proportions. I have to say I feel outragLIIC decision of the NEC and the attacks being made on LIVERPOOL NALGO Rank and File, which was formed soon after the 'cuddly left' began its drive to impose compromise solution on Liverpool City Council, has issued the following statement against the witch-hunt:
'Liverpool NALGO rank and file are opposed to the current enquiry by Labour Party NEC, into the Liverpool District.
Party on the basis that it is a thinly-disguised first step towards supporters other •unacceptable' activists.
'Whilst we condemn many of the tactics used by Liverpool City council in their budget battle against the Tories, we fully support their original stand for more resources.' ERIC HEFFER, MP, one of the five members of Labour's National Executive, has come out strongly against the witch-hunt of Liverpool District Labour good labour people who believe in socialist policies.
The papers were also full of serious charges made by leading Labour Party figures of corruption', *litera COr ruption in employment', 'intimidation'. and so on.
Charges that have been Ilaue by gulter Joullallsls CTORY agalsi labour peopie al times over the vanous ycais If there were such corruption, and people making such charges should be such corruption should be dealt with by. police action against the individuals concerned, not with the suspension by the NEC District Labour Party, made up as it is of good honest people, whose only crime want to fight the Labour rarty s pontical ene mules and get a Labour government elected.
t, torrenas been past, there has individual corruption in City Councils, as for example in the North East. Yet no one at the time suggested that the Citv Labour Parti there should be suspendCul Liverpool's pèople are being damaged, not by the Labour Partv in Liverpool, whose members have consistently fought for them, to improve lives ne cinions with the Intenuol lifting them out of their despair orouznL aooul ue zuvclllment policies, but by those in the Labour Party who spend their time attacking the Liverpool Labour Parplaying intoo the hands political enemies. It is no accident that Tory papers lli callullas loudy alc cal ing for the so-called hard left' to be thrown out of the party.
The language c, sucii ds maeeoLs azallls.
forgiveable. wonder Labour's political enemies and Sir Trevor Jones wish Norman Tebbit the party leadership well. They, of course, hope to gain by its action.
The suspension of the District Labour Party does great harm.. At the moment in Liverpool a council by-election taking Dace cuc to uc uituci death of councillor Peter Lloyd. The is also raising cash to defend the councillors in case against the Distric Auditor.
councillors threatened with surcharges and suspension OIfice, because they carried out Labour Party pollcy as laid down at the 1984 party Yet they being treated as criminals, instead of being supported Decaust LEICII wuul ageous stand would seem to me that too many in the party top level have conveniently forgotten wild party policy is. There are a almoel o vers ons ocine put forward as to what the enquiry Liverpool Neil Kinnock quoted as saying: am antagonistic to the Militant tendency. I want them out of the Labour Party. other is bv Rov Hatterslev. who is quoted as saying: "This nivesulzallul about how the people of Liverpool have been treated in the Labour Party's name.
I am opposed to witch-hunts anybody who ooserves aDour s consulu' tion. That does not mean ! agree with all they say accept democratic socialHOL-CaCOOCIU cratic centralism, which in Dl acuicc all centralism and no real democracy. 1 am afraid we getting zoo muco or loe lale the : Labour Party at the moliciil. mem bers should not allow it to hapAn investigation into real complaints thing. To suspend a party such as the Liverpool party is wrong and members all over the country should protest. mediately reinstate into full membership black sec tion supporters Amir Khan and Kevin Scally.
'Only by responding positively to these demands can Labour fully corvinice our supporters that the party is commited to the democratic right of every group and individual in our ranks to argue for socialist policies by leaders. Coordination has circulated model resolution against expulsions defence of Liverpool District Labour Party, as well as expelled Birmingham activists Amir Khan and Kevin Scally.
All readers urged take this resolution up in all %IDOlI novenen organisations.
1ne resolution reads: 1. This believes that if the forthcoming local elections as well the next general election are to be won. the must remain united. We therefore deplore the national leadership's divisive campaign against local councils District Labour Parties which fight Tory cuts. against pressure groups within the party. 2. In no case should internal political differences be used as a pretext for the expulsion individuals and the suspension of pressure groups holding views which do not find favour with the present leadership. We therefore deplore the recent expulsions of members of the Labour Committee on the black sections, supporters of other socialists within the 3. We are also concerned with the enquiry into the Liverpool DLP, which appears to be being conthrough the media, so as to ensure the District found guilty in advance. 4. We call on the ts tional Executive Cor mittee to end the s: pulsion of sociolis from the party.
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Liverpool members oppose witch-hunt
witch-hunt of Militant Tendency
resolution against the witch-hunt