THE THIRD national conference of Labour Party Black Sections was the conference of a movement that has come of age. just an issue to be debated and voted on — we are an established Black sections can every forum, campaign and platform of the Labour left — and increasingly we are.
Black Section is now a recognised and substantial component of the left. an irreducible fact which must be reflected on every slate and campaign within the party. Indeed it will only be a matter of time before the Campaign Group of MPs conHones WIEN the need to take an unambiguous posion the question black sections.
The last year has seen the black sections moveand its supporters starting to play a leadership role in the left of the The selection parliamentary candidates is a measure of the ascent of the movement over the last three years.
The almost certain election of black section supporters like Bernie Grant and Diane Abbott will bring the struggle of black people into parliament for the since Shapuji Saklatvala was elected in Battersea In 1922. These black section MPs will also have a major role to play the Campaign Group of MPs itself, at the moment the Black sections are no longer part of the left of the Labour Party. demand to be represented on only credible national leadership which the left in the party has.
Black Section National Committee (personal capacity)
Black section porters have been amongst those councillors iod firm the local government dispute amid st the general collapse of resistance on the part of the majority of Labour administrations. Black seclion too Has ica te iell ll to the LPYS, to challenge the domination of MiliMarc Wadsworth Linda Bellos Kingsley Abrams' campaign for the youth place on Labours national ecutive has marked a first intrepid step of the left as a Whole into the Young Socialists. His candidature is already receiving broad support.
It is no accident that the purge underway in the Labour Party involves leading member of black sections, Amir Khan. The black section executive has taken principled campaigning stand on the witch-hunt against Militant, illustrating its mature abie despite on lious ship role despite ferences with Militant.
This significant advance on the part of the black section movement was reflected at its recent annual Lambeth Not altogether surprisingly, the two previous conferences were dominated by internal matters. But this year's was dominated • by external business. All of us there had the clear impression Ilal we were parlicipaling the annual ot an integral and genuine body of the Labour Party which black section is, in all but legality. Reach Thus the women's and youth committees addressed reports to conference. Ana conference volca on 20 resolutions from local black sections dealing with issues of policy, campaign. ing in the trade unions, constitution, etc.
It 1S the leadership team - ine black sechol national executive which has to be accorded the credit of achieving this Hitchid stabilisation of establishing the move. licit as a coloulcul ball of the Labour Party. left. The manner in which it has responded to the many came against during the last year commendable the uprisings Brixtor Tottenham, the witch-hunt, etc But a disappointment of conference was that not one of the executive posi tions up for election was contested. Posts with more than nominee saw nominees withdrawing at
ABOUR
the conterence. This in cluded Khan, nominated for treasurer suspended BirminghamSparkbrook : Labour Party as of the leadership's campaign of A big blow have been struck the riallersic witch-hunt if conference had overwhelmingly voted Amir Khan as an officer of black section national committee.
There many debates still to be had and tactics still to be settled within the black section movement. But in • our three short years fighting for black people's right to self-organisation in order to hammer out and confront the party as a whole with our demands, the black section and its leadership already shown the key role we have to play.
Black Sections