After laying down the law to the Scottish party at the local government conterence in January, Kinnock's speech to the Scottish not even mention the poll tax, devolution or the election result in Scotland.
There was also frustration with the inability of the Scottish Labour Party to take the initiative in the campaign against the poll tax. Constituency activists all over Edinburgh, called for stronger stand.
Gavin Strang MP called for an effective, collective calli paign, without ruling out llegality. Dick Douglas MP, who resigned earlier year as chair of the Scottish PLP, met with an overwhelming response mom concience waen ne said: 'Kinnock says pay. I say no!' The conference endorsed, by statement on how to fight the poll tax, proposed the Scottish executive. The executive itself had narUWIV adopted the state ment by 17:14 against op Donald Dewar.
The executive statement effectively headed off the expected confrontation over tactics in the poll tax campaign agreeing support the 'Stop campaign designca lo Irustrale une registration process, and deferring decisions on a mass non payment campaign and il legality until special recall Scottish conference THE SCOTTISH Labour Party conference, 11-13 March in Perth,showed the growing discontent and anger at Neil Kinnock's public attempts to dictate how to fight the poll tax to the Scottish party. The conference was dominated by the debate on the poll tax and the crises facing Scottish Coal and the NHS.
in the autumn. However, une scollisn execuuve nave already ruled out the most elective way stop the poll tax which is for councils to refuse to implement it.
resolution APEX, ruling out illegality at the present time, was callice Lauc block votes, though it had been defeated on show of hands.
There is undoubtedly widespread opposition Scotland to the poll tax. It appears that thousands of people cities like Glasgow Edinouron nave nor reasiered on the electoral roll because they think guarantees they will end up on the poll tax register.
It is clear that the Scottish Labour Party will have tinue avoiding the issue or to place itselt at the head of the resistance A sign of the unrest in the Scottish party was the launch of a new group called Scottish Labour Action which i Lies activists.
activists.
This group had circulated all party organisations In Scotland with a statement which says: *We are resolv ed to campaign within the party for a strategy aimed al making Scotland ungovernable without the creation of an assembly. To this end we call on the Labour Party in Scotland to:
Effect Scotland's right to self determination on such a basis as tne people themselves decide.
'2. Adopt the argument that the Conservative Par-ty- has mandate in• Scotland and to campaign on this basis.
'3. To support a policy of tactical nonCoDe duol with une government in the conduct of Scottish business in the House of Commons.
'4. Urge the party to place more on initiatives launchcu Scotland, where the Tories al C cuudlassie minority rather than Westminster where they enjoy suppore mass ci Support mass civil disobedience in Scotland as a legitimate means of 1Us the people.
i6. Support, in par ticular, obstruction civil disobedience in ine implementation of the poll tax leading to a mass campaign of non-payment and to seek early public declarations of intent no to pay from leading figures party and beyond 7. Encourage the early establishment of an alternative democratic forum in Scotland.
'We realise howeve that for the party to be credible in this platform before the Scot tish people then a much greater autonomy must be sought for the Labour ParScotland must itself. The nave the right to appoint its own full-time officials must enjoy full policy and organisational Purunch. the party's Scot. tish front bench should be elected the group of MPs and not chosen by aCos McLean, one of Bob the group's organisers writes the group's 'We veneve the Scotiss a straten are group lacks a strategy.
disappointed that the Scottish executive have not exerted a greater influence Similar concerns nave been raced leading figures in the Scottish labour movement in storetary of the STUneral cluding the He goes on to say: We respect Neil Kinnock, his achievements to date, and support him as the leader that will take the party into the next general This perspective, however, is essentially influenced by the England. We understand his position on th poll tax. Civil disobedience over the English poll tax would lack moral force and democratic credibility argumen Walworth Road the parliamentar caucasue Scotish for recognition of the dimension the internal party devolution that should flow from it!
The new will hold founding conference in Glasgow on March.
Throughout the weekend of the Scottish many calls were made for higher profile action for a Scot tish Assembly By far the largest fringe meeting at Scottish conference for the third year in a row, was the Campaign Group (Scotland) meeting attended by over 250 people. 40 people attended the LCC meeting the Campaign Group meeting John Mulvey, leader of Lothian Regional Council, put forward the case for resisting the poll tax and for the Scottish Labour IC place itself in the leader. ship of that campaign.
lonv Renn said there. was an alternative way in which the Labour part. can build up its support He said that the party had to support the obviously popular opposition and resistance to the poll tax. He explained was damaging the NEC had LaNCi all ambivalent titude to strike action by health workers in defence of the NHS.
The Alton bill was the subject of much debate at the Resolutions committing the Scottish party to oppose Alton and for the defence and extension of the '67 Act were overwhelmingly carried.
Margaret Stewart, Stirling wonters council stressed that although MPs had their on abortion: "They are not entitled vote that personal view In parlia ment, making laws tha will deny thousands of women the right to exercise their conscience when th time comes?
Women under at every level movement. There is only amongst the 50 Scottish Labour MPs. Scottish WAC are calling for more representation for women and for the 2: Labour MPs in Scotland 14 per cent of the Sco ish PLP -vote against the Alton bill to be faced with this question Maria Fyfie MP, speakin during the FAB meeting, distanced herself from the call for a three line whip and from WAC's campaign on reselection.
The adoption by Scottish positive policy on abortion was a big step forward.
Overall the party conference showed the growing frustration in the with aroshowed effectively.
the dis satisfaction within the strains this is creating. it the Scottish LCC dominates its leadership These issues, as well those raised by the policy review and specific weaknesses ot the Scottish party itself - such as its under 1c vicoclitaLIol women will dominate Scottish Labour this year.