SIXTY STUDENTS attended what turned out to be a don. DL, the 'soft left' current which leads NOLS and the NUS, held its conference following the 'left unity' statement issued by leading figures of Labour Left Liaison and the ICC, including Ken Livingstone, Peter Hain and Joan Ruddock.
Both the build-up, and the conference itself, were dominated by this discussion on what political and tactical alliances should be forged on the left. The 'unisupporters before the Concice.
The keynote speaker on Saturday, Keith Vaz, under the theme of 'Left Unity: The Way Forward or sune sulev As he explained, Vaz is a both the Tribune Campaign Groups. He gave his reason for supporting a principled unity on the left and aiming for a common agenda. The failure to agree a joint slate between the Tribune and for example, that shadow cabinet was a poor reflection of the make-up or the PLP, he explained.
While noting some bad ommissions from the unity document particularly on lesbian and gay rights and a Welsh assembly Maz concluded by saying that he hoped it would be supPorted the eins cited the GLC perience SOL positive campaigning which achieved by a united left and as perhaps the only successful Labour administration there has been' Despite this very IMMEDIATELY AFTER the Thatcher announced that education reform would white paper, Higher tober or November 1987.
The bill proposes replacing the preseni University Grants Council with a new 'Universities Funding Council' ; replacing the National Advisory Board with a 'Polytechnics Colleges Funding Council'; forcibly transferring 90 polys and colleges out of the control of local authorities to this new body.
Both the UFC PCFC are intended to be appointed by the secretary of state for education and composed of 50 businessmen, with 'Dem Left' discuss left unity positive contribution, the consensus of the meeting was unfortunately against the statement. Against some voices support trom the floor, leading figures of the DL opposed usually the MOSu spurious grounds.
No coherent critique or alternative was argued tor. Simply it was claimed that the statement was ullily 'purely negative, was antileadership', necessary because alliance with the Liberals had ever been mooted. It was also said that we must firstly carclully what we mean by 'working Cass and even that the statement must be rejected because it was 'macho' It is ironic that this refusal to support a Vill cipled unity of Labour's lef so take the high ground in arguing for the same in the student left -was set against reterences throughout the weekend to the crisis in support for and problems with the image of the DL. The most telling point was made by leading OL figures who contrasted their weakness and the position of the "soft left' in the Lavour rally. speaker anel speaker referred to the DL's tailure to keen support due to having a purely negative undemocratic, electoral Students and the attacks on education general be targetted as a first priority. Now Kenneth Baker's Education Meeting the and curbs on advertising, parallels the 'opt-out'. scheme for schools in move to destroy local democracy.
Kings College, London The changes proposed represent a continuation of government attacks on the strength of the NUS.
In 1981 the nent changed the funding of university student unions from being a direct OI students machine with NOLS and NUS.
The political alliances being built by some of these figures of Labour's 'soft left' are in sharp contrast to the isolationist stance taken this Moreover the centre of gravity amongst students, as seen in the turn-out for demo after demo, is way to the left of that in the party.
It is hardly surprising that such disillusion Sul round the DL. The policies NOLS support lor British withdrawal the Women's Action Commit tee, for unilateral nuclear disarmament. for the south African liberation struggle, defence of the Nicaraguan revolution, and other democratic left policies — place it firmly in ine with the politics of the Campaign Group Left Liaison. Yet the who lead NOLS and NUS reject the unity salemiell Wildi Wildi would mean for students.
Students can hardly fail to draw the conclusion that there are those within the DL whose support for these •oncies Is vascu luic u the conceite siN weigh they succeed in doing) that a desire to ensure they are implemented most successfully.
Nonetheless, NOLS' policies stand. Sunday's converence took anemare contradictory decision. should be argued agains and reversed in the interests of students and the left as a whole.
testing at 7, 11 and 16, the result of these proposals if implemented will severely restricted access higher education for WUlK' It will GUSLIY than students. perennial sideration.
been consulted white the widest mobilisation possible.
national precisely the THE BARRAGE of legislative attacks by the Tories on sidies to housing, Education Authority, and ratecapping — are designed not only to economically squeeze local government, but also as a major political attack on the labour jor metropolitan areas in the general and local elections. The Tories have progressively been driven back unionism.
In her first two terms of office, Thatcher concentrated her offensive on driving down trade union rights and tried but talled to cul off trade union funds to the Labour Party. A key goal of Thatcher's third term is to break up public sector trade unionism base in like the NUT, NALGO, the CPSA and NUPE are all in front •alongside cuts in government grants destroy the break up Populat call paigns can be mounted T.ne whose vices are be degraded.
for defeating rebuilding the GLC.
attacks the Labour black and a organisations.
Unfortunately the response of Labour councils has been accept Tory cuts - ruling out the possibility of building up a breaking up the Inner London campaign against them. Instead they are preparing to implement cuts and not campaigning against them Council leaders such as Margaret Hodge, who Statesman that services will 'be defended by attacking jobs, conditions wrong deeply divisive. The only beneficiaries of councils the effects attacks onto their worker will be the government.
By Terry Luke, Islington NALGO Executive (personal capacity)
Similarly, attacks on the NUT by the Inner London Education Authority undermine rather than strengthen the necessary united campaign of teachers, parents and pupils against the break up of ILEA That council leaders like Steve King and Martha Osamore in Haringey, who unsuccessfully tried to win policies of no cuts in jobs and services to unite the council, the workorce and une com munity, have to be supported.
Unfortuately, the London Fightback conference on 20 September, whilst being a welcome initiative to broaden -sistanice TeNance on London level, did not take an adequate approach.
Labour councils carrying out cuts. and talled to provide framework for a campaign against the Tory which we fight for Labour have l counci leadersmos temselves to participate in.
While Laboul council cuts have to be totally opposed this by itself is too narrow a framework for the fight to defend local government against the lory attacks. The frame LONe against the poll proposals, and all attacks on local government.
Local government workers facing cuts have to link their fight to defend JOUS the defence of local government as a whole. A campaign council-imposed cuts will • Dall of this overa! fight.
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sharply contradictory 'Democratic Left' (DL) con- ference over the weekend of 19-20 September in Lon-
Challenge, originally published in April 1987, looks set to go to parliament in the form of a bill in Oc-
local government and the inner cities — introducing the poll tax, outlawing contract compliance, and sub-
the cities. Unions
movement. The Tory Party was decimated in the ma-. and defeated in the inner cities. At the same time local government is a major bastion of public sector trade