OVER the last eight years parliament has adopted a number of anti-working class laws, and there is more to come — on housing, education, immigration, poll tax, local government finance, contract compliance, privatisation to name just a few.
The inner cities have been targeted for special treatment. The black communities are under pressure like at no other time since World War II.
Black unemo ovment has more than doubled over the last eight years Thatcherism has massively eroded the manufacturing base of the economy, removing any chance of long term job kennot o see muser cues The proposed poll tax will lead to further harassment of the black communities.
The attempt to prevent local authorities enforcing contract compliance, would Secretary Labour Party Black Section result in further discrimination against the black communities employ-. ment. Local authorities will also be unable to monitor will be in the hands of which will be of Drivale companies Kenneth Baker's 'radical' education reforms' has completely ignored. antiracism, including the different community This assault on anti-racist eduction is clearly linked to the government's repressive measures of looking after' the inner cities.
This parliament also saw the passing of another immigration act. mean further suffering and separation black families.
TEN thousand angry supporters of lesbian and gay rights took to All of these laws affect the black communities.
The task ahead for Black Sections is an enormous one.
AGM to be held in Manchester on 26-27 March will be discussing major policy DaucIs on education. immigration, inner cities. Once adopted these, and orner policies, presented ONCY CVICH The Black Sections organisation has led the way in bringing the antiracist socialist campaign to the heart of political life. This work has Bill Menis now isnt a Morris (who isn't black section supporter), the Towelera Secretary or In a Tribune article of 8 January he had this to say: 'After all, the black representation in the give us four black MPs, and • ad 'nation's consciousness of racism and discrimination. The debate on Black sections nas been described as "establishment shaking" which course has a value.
In his proposal to end the trench warfare between black sections the Labour leadership Bill has called for the setting up of a 'black socialist society', , affiliated to the Labour Party like the Fabian Society. This society would then have to fight with the SEA, Labour socialist lawyers, NOLS etc for one seat on Labour's NEC hardly giving a guaranteed voice to black people at all levels of the party.
Our response has been to welcome Bill's contribution to such an important "debate that we started five years ago. Our conference in March will discuss Bill's proposal in detail. The im portant issue is who would such an organisation answerable to - the black grassroots. or the leadership?
We should remember that Eric Hefter first suggested the 'affiliation opof a new division on the NEC sanite women youth Afro- He argued that Caribbean, Asian African peoples domiciled in Britain and eligible for membership of the Labour should form propriate groups, parties or organisations and affiliate to the Labour Party at all levels similar to Paole Zion. the Jewish Labour Such groups, parties: or organisation should then have a separate division and one or more scals Oll the NEC regional councils, district Labour Parties and GMCs according to agreed affiliated numbers. He pro posed the NEC should draft appropriate constitutional amendment for party proposal was defeated at the NEC by 16 , votes to 8 on 13 June 1985.
nat The Who is to say that the NEC will even look at Bill Morroundproposa IS S time The Black Section is still fully committed to black self-organisation within the labour movement. We conseek a change constitution which would guarantee black representation at all levels of the party. We will continue to campaign for anti-racist socialist policies that are in tune with the black communities.
We see our immediate task as one of building on 1987 AGM which set the black political agenda adopting policy positions on many key issues including policing, jobs, • education immi gration.