SOME PECULIAR things are happening in Labour's leadership readily explicable.
Peter Shore's posturing as a champion of rank and file democracy in the unions is an example of what a right wing candidate will turn to as an alibi for being defeated.
The left should deal with his objections by declaring itself in favour of elections taking place at the rank and file levels in every union and constituency party. Only those trade unionists paying the political levy should be eligible for vote. The influence of the media should be counteracted by full circulation of the political platform and as many public hustings as possible.
But other things are less transparent: the left's reluctance to Michael Meacher set himself willing to stand as Kinnock's deputy.
Some will argue that this was an unfortunate slip since Hefter had not announced his candidacy. Others was that it was designed to keep Heffer out. Whatever the case it was wrong.
We have wide differences with Eric Heffer on strategy. He believes in parliamentary reform. We believe that only a socialist revolution can achieve the transition socialism.
On individual policy questions we have difterences too. have put Shadow Cabinet collective responsibility before the necessity of calling for the fleet to withdraw from its Falklands mission.
Neither do we think that Heffer's lack of enthusiasm for the demands of the women's liberation movement fitting for a leader of the lett particularly given the male-dominated character available and should be supported fully, cluding by Morning Star and Tribune which have been decidedly coy about their preferences.
This won't do. The biggest possible vote for Heffer will be a vote for the conference policies which he has defended and Kinnock attacked. It will be a slap in the face for the right and will expose Neil Kinnock's opportunist claims to be the Heffer and join him on platforms up cess of unifying the union rank and file, Labour Party activists, the women's movement and the black movement, the mass campaigns and the youth to begin the process of rebuilding Labour FOR THE summer period until the issue dated 14 September our paper will have 12 pages. The price of the paper will stay the same because, as we point out around 85p.
We believe 30p with other papers like Tribune who charge 40p for 12 pages.
We remind our readers that the paper will not be published on the 3 and 10 of August.
Editor: ALAN FREEMAN Published weekly except two weeks in August and the last week of December Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily répresent Socialist Action's views. These are expressed in editorials.
Send all correspondence regarding subscriptions, sales and receipts to Socialist Action Distribution, 328 Upper Street London N1 2XP. (Tel: 01-359 8180) Send all material for publication (including advertising) to Socialist Action Editorial at the same address. we regret inal due to tne niga cost or postage we cannot return or acknowledge unsolicited copy or photographs unless accompanied bv a stamped addressed envelope.
Some are candidates' back Heffer for example. the trend by declaring capitalism We think that Heffer should not Meacher ought to form a pact with Such a slate can be part of the pro12, the unit cost of the production is now forward an unambiguous alternative that engages directly the left that the right will kill.
It is therefore particularly unfortunate that the Socialist Action model resolution is so ill thought out. It should have:
• spelled out the demands for no incomes policy and withdrawal from the EEC, instead granted as 'Labour's socialist policies' • put forward the demand for unilateral and the removal of all existing weapons and avoided like the plague Free Access weekend RED ROPE, the socialist mountaineering and rambling club, and SCAM, the Sheffield Campaign for Access to Moorland, are organising a rree Acccess weekend on Saturday and Sunday, 9 and 10 July.
The main events of the weekend will include the Strategy for Free Saturday 9 July and a Mass Trespass on Sunday 10 July.
The Free Access will continue and extend the mass access campaign that re-emerged last year as a result of the Kinder Trespass Anniversary celebrations.
"the Conterence will
be attended and addressed by some of the formulations like 'prevent all further deployment of nuclear weapons', which will be organisations, rambling and other outdoor clubs will be discussing ways of linking different access battles at a time when the newly elected Tory government poses a massive threat to working people's enjoyment of the countryside and their rura heritace.
It will also make plans for linking the access campaign with other, wider struggles over the rural economy and the ownership and use of land.
The Mass Trespass will be the latest in SCAM's programme of in the Eastern Peak District programme which has already brought pressure to bear on landowners, • JOBS
----- pull-quotes -----
Smaller paper next week