THE SEVEN members of the Labour Party national executive committee who walked out of the meeting on Wednesday 26 March did so because it was absolutely clear to us that the hearing wasn't going to be fair. ment at the time, charges was not given in writing to the 12 called before the NEC to answer those charges.
Neither NEC WATC given full transcript the judge's ruling and comments the previous before the NEC 'trial' began. So after about two hours, we left the meeting the point when the first of the Liverpool 12, Felicity Dowing, had asked (TO) time to consider the charges because it became evident to us that natural justice was being denied.
It has been said that we claimed the 12 had not been Charges. We made no such written claim.
But it must be pointed out original charges were pretty unclear. Great contusion arose because the charges the 12 had received were at the meeting. because the legal ruling the previous day had indicated tal charges vasea on confidentia! evidence went against natural justice.
On appearing before the NEC, Felicity Dowling was told by Larry Whitty LO CrOSS charge, that she would be charged instead with this paragraph that paragraph a large dossier. There was total confusion, as was clear the response.
The way the comrade was treated sparked off the walk-out. The first up Eric Clarke of the NUM. The rest of followed.
But I assure all comrades that this was not just an emotional response to Dowling was treated. Before the As we pointed out in a written statea clear statement of the revised Eric Heffer tions were put to the national executive defeated 9:20 The first, myself was that before the NEC Coll sidered the charges the full judgement and comments the judge should made available to members. from Tony Benn, was that hearing the charges should be deferred and reconsidered We walked out only after two hours spent attempting to ensure that the procedures adopted by the national executive were fair.
Our action has been attacked as 'infantilism such like. language which the leadership should be US ing, publicly, against other There ese honest diy.
There honest ferences of political view To resort to such personal attacks reveals the political wednes • lI our opponents case.
Now it appears that the standing orders of the national CACCULVE will changed in an attempt to press ahead with these unfair disciplines. Every following annual yvai the new executive discüsses standing orders the coming year. I have never known the quorum or any other standing order to be changed in the middle of the year.
This is an example of what some of wıl co when they find that the rules and consulunion or our party do not operate in their tavour - and it is a vert dangerous practice. It indicates the growing trend towards everytaing on. whereby everything determined by small group within the rather than by the party as a whole.
The day following the NEC, Thursday 27 March, saw the first meeting of the coordinating committee set up by the national executive ipen ding the reconstitution the suspended Liverpool District Joyce Gould, the meeting Chaired full-timer was attended by delegates all the Liverpool socialist societies, some unions who had been asked to send delegates appointed directly, tel genera secretaries. By a vote of 19.0, thal meeling cleclea Tony Mulhearn as its chair.
By electing one of the 12 to chair this committee Liverpool members. have shown what they think of the so-called charges made against local members and have proved that they are overwheimingly the district leadership they had until the national executive shut down the party.
It shows too that those in the Labour Party who are pushing for expulsions are out of tune with the membership.
• See page 5 for more on the witch-hunt. STALIN TO