AT FIRST sight there might seem no obvious connection between the expulsion of Tony Mulhearn, and other members of Liverpool party, by the NEC last week and the wave of racist and other reactionary material which has been coming nockite press since the 8 May local government elections. After all Militant is scarcely vanguard women's and gay rights in the party - or in society. issues affecting black people, women, and lesbians and gays, with the very right wing bureaucrats who are expelling them from the party.
But in reality the racist, anti-gay, women's rights attacks and the witch hunt are deeply connected. Militant supporters are not being expelled from the party for what is rotten about their politics - their opposition to black sections, their capitulations to racism, British chauvinist position on Ireland, their op position to the demands of the Women's Action Committee. Kinnock, or the EETPU/AEU for that matter, is extremely happy with all those positions. Militant supporters are being expelled for building thousands pool, and trying to defend services.
This is in fact why the gale of racist, anti-gay material - as well as the attacks on WAC - is coming out of the Kinnockite press.
out in the Kinof the fight for black, In fact it is ironic that on many Militant votes solidly and antitheir of council houses in LiverBecause to nearly 200. Advances were made in Birmingham, Manchester and other parts of the country as well as London. vicious racist outburst by the newspapers which support Neil Kinnock, and by individual supporters of Kinnock within the Labour Party.
This racist outburst was demonstrably interconnected and co-ordinated. It was accompanied by attacks on women's self-organisation in the party and on lesbians and gay men.
Tribune's 16 May edition set the pattern with an article under the title 'Did Labour crucial sedise chis anti-black prejudice stated: strong showing in the last week's local elections not have been aulte enougn to majority Westminster because of an unexpectedly Alllalile and some voters' showing in some aicas, apparent prejudice against black openly. gay candidates in the inner cities The editorial in the same edition of Tribune makes ine attack even baldly: *Several black Labour candidates polled less well than their white colleagues.' But these successes have been met by a ward, Wandsworth — and 112 fewer than the suc cesful Tory.
The accompanying Statesman article states: 'Racist and reactionary abstentions could also account for Labour's failure to win control in model Tory • Wandsworth where two black and one 'out' gay candidate lost in marginal split wards where heterosexual candidates were elected Earlsfield Furzedown. Veneer New Society of 16 May the same 'Enley Taylor is also black and given the existence of racism this almost certainaccounts for the fact was beaten into Soard place in tondon LOHOON borough of Wandsworth, when his fellow candidates topped the poll.
This racist rubbish is refuted by the Black Section which has pointed out the advances registered in those areas where the Labour Party went out to fight racism. This was the issue in Haringey where Bernie Grant increased his by taking on disgraceful racist Tory campaign. In other areas like Wandsworth racism was not tackled and black candidates were put up in small numbers, and in the least winnable seats, then blamed for Labour's defeats. Where fails to fight against racism it is scarcely hard to find 'evidence' it exists!
This pseudo-intellectual justification given to racism and anti-gay predoubled as a result of the Black Section's campaign judice by the Kinnockite press gives a cover for some of the most reac tionary backward elements in the Labou Party to re-emerge.
Thus, Islington South — where Phil Kelly states 'People who were not going to vote for us told me that the council had done far too much for blacks and gays' — a new right-wing emerged demanding that racist, equal Oppor -tunities, internaed by the local council because nev arenale wille Labour group Vosed 35-14 voters. Glasgow not to include lesbians and gay men in their equal opportunities policy. To call it by its proper name this is a truly reactionary camIt provides a 'respectable' veneer for prejudices whose sole beneficiaries are Labour's most implacable enemies.
Racism The Party's long tradition of panderThe number of black Labour councillors in London has more than ing to racism is now being revived by the selective presentation of cases where black candidates are standing in the least winnable seats - and omitting reference to those successes as Haringey, Brent and Lambeth based on mobilising the black community tighting It blamer black people for the failures. and racism, of the Labour Party itself.
It is ironic, but logical that Tribune Statesman, which flagships of 'realignment' on the Labour left have tried to clothe themselves ca the reflected glory of the campaigns women, black people the fighters TOI desolar gay rights, are now playing the role of front for backers' futile repellant attempt to win two or three UCI cent more voles bi pandering to reactionary ideas.
These journals sought to identify themselves the champions of a 'new style of politics' which put anti-sexism antiracism centrally its perspectives. This against forces such as the NUM or their supporters who were allegedly 'macho and old tashioned' Now, whilst the NUM stanes ov une acmanus o the Labour Womens' •Action Committee Black Section it is Tribune and New Statesman which are the flag ships of Kinnock's attempt to silence these campaigns Tony Benn has said that the only positive con tribution he's seen from "re-alignment' is the witch hunt. We can now add to its achievements' pseudointellectual apologetics for alacks on une movement of women, , blacks and les bians and gav men in the labour movement.
Platform This is not the first time such articles have ap peared. More than a year ago Tribune carried similar piece by D Cowling entitled 'A coalition of minorities doesn't make a majority. But when journal such Tribune provides a political platform for pseudo. intellectual racism it has reached a quite new depth.
'PREJUDICE AGAINST lesbians and gay society. But it has been shown many times 'Where local authorities like the GLC advances have been made. In many areas in increasing their majorities. No party which capitulates to prejudice and discrimination 'Lesbians and gays are part of labour movement and we will continue to demand against our oppression. To do anything else reinforces reaction and is in the interests of Peter Purton, Treasurer Labour Campaign •
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THE LOCAL government elections saw a major victory for black Labour candidates. The number of black councillors increased from less than 60 in 1982
Did anti-black prejudice cost Labour crucial seats?