Ireland is timetabled for debate.
Four deal with discrimination in employment in northern Ireland. They reflect the major impact of the MacBride principies and or lie Labour Committee Ireland's on this issue in the trade unions this year.
The LCI hopes that this year's conference will commit Labour to a campaigr against employment discrimination, which will majority for the MacBride principles in the party in the future. At present, Targe number of unions, particularly those with members northern Iciana, are nol preparea to take a clear stand for acca measures arals employment discrimination and still less on the question of Irish unity and self-determination. TWELVE CONSTITUENCY Labour Parties have submitted resolutions or amendments on Ireland to this year's party conference. This should ensure that This includes the Transport General Workers? whose northern organiser, John Freeman, prominent opponent the MacBride ciples. In a letter to the September issue of Marxism Today, Freeman categorically opposes the principles on the tradiional grounds used against «iLdiscrimination measures that they would reduce job opportunities.
He argues that: 'In Belfast, unemployment is concentrated in the north • the Protestanbs are in the cass.
Protestants Belfast are more likely to experience labour market, disadvantage Those who live in East Belfast. This difference more significant than those betweet Protestants Catholics in West Belfast.' This attempt to dissolve the discrimination " that results in over 30 per cent unemployment amongst Catholic males compared to over 12 per cent for Protestants, does not hold wate The US C of geography precisely trace the lines of the nationalist and loyalist communities and are periodically reinforced loyalist intimidation.
of industry in loyalist areas LUCI systematic discrimination by public and private secemployers against individual Catholics to esolone Labour Party conference, SheffieldHillsborough Tottennam CLPs, aim commit the next Labour government to a policy of withdrawal Ireland within the lifetime SUDOUrI Committee Railwaymen establish British of policies U120 the LCI itself at this year's AGM, to push up the vote for British withdrawal the 400,000 it received at last year's towards the one millionplus votes which issues like Black Sections. remova ot US bases so regularly secure.
Unfortunately the resolutions tie the call for British withdrawal in the lifetime of one parliament scrapping renegotiating the Anglo. Irish Accord. laudable in itself, this may obscure the increasing support being won for the
AFTER THE deputy election in 1981 the left took the decision, which I think was correct, that it should play its part in trying to win the election and concentrate on policy.
Second the miners became touchstone. view you have future of society, if you a there when the going gets you are of no use.
These steps were followed by the article in Socialist, nism without Benn' signalled not just a realignment but some sort of break in the left.
The Campaign Group has confirmed the views it took when we decided to go along with the miners and printers. We have also attempted to reopen the debate on policy in the party. For this reason the Campaign Group has produced three major pamphlets - the third of which will come out this week.
The first was A Million Jobs a Year - to tackle the question of how you restore full employment. The second was Ben Lowe's pamphlet arguing for withdrawal from NATO, for peace and for non-alignment. The third is on the trade unions - with a forward by Jim Mortimer.
Board But it is clear that there must be a more general policy response.
Therefore the idea was developed Group, by the Socialist Society, br members the Economists, by Jim Mortimer and people of that type, that we needed a conterence which would Socialist Action 25 Sept 1987 TONY BENN announced earlier this month that the Campaign Group, the Socialist Society and Conference of Socialist Economists would be holding a November, to discuss socialist policy.
Socialist Action asked Benn to explain how he saw the role of the conference, and also his views on one of the key issues that will be discussed at Labour Party conference — proportional leadership the British people, tion about socialism.
Whatever
about the the worktorce, unions 'Ben- about the role of the unions. which ties, tion. Strong necessary OlIC might Labour Party.
Owen has now, merger deal.
Campaign
Socialist inflict further look of Tory plication will be that if you can lift the cold war fear from the minds of then you left from both of them and us an inhibiThe second will be about the shape of the economy, the changes in technology, the centralisation of power, the shifts in the nature of about how organise in entire areas which have been neglected. There will be a great deal of discussion The third conference is on the question of state power, civil liberdemocracy, and discriminaWe considered that if you are going to defeat Mrs Thatcher you have to attack the clutch of ideas that are behind her. This is all the because of the vacuum that has opened up in what call the 'centre' of British politics — and also in the If you take first the 'centre' probably, split three parties - Labour, the SDP and the Liberals (because a section of the radical Liberals won't go along with the merger). Mclennan, the new SDP leader, has insisted that the new party's support for nuclear weapons will be part of a That whole initiative has collapsed - except insotar as the fragments that are left can be financed, used, and supported to damage the Labour Party. That was what they were about in the first place.
Second you have from some Tony Benn at the Notts miners gala. With him are Raquel Dixon from Nicaragua and Ray Chadburn, Notts NUM
----- pull-quotes -----
conference at Chesterfield, in representation.