contest The outcome of Labour's policy review, and the tactics of the party leadership, are now absolutely clear — not that its intention was ever disguised. The aim at this party conference is to get through a policy document Aims and Values which explicitly abandons socialism as the goal of the party and, in line with that, to put through an economic policy abandoning public ownership. The aim at next year's conference unilateral nuclear disarmament. While huge pressure forced the NEC to back the NUS, support for most workers in struggle has effectively been abandoned - as the lamentable display of Robin Cook and Neil Kinnock around the nurses dispute confirmed.
The consequences of that are clear. First it is going to reduce the possibility of a Labour government — because it allows the relation of forces to accumulate in favour of Thatcher. Second it means that if there is a Labour government it is going to be exceptionally right wing and demoralise its supporters.
This is really what is at the core of the leadership contest. It is obviously not about personalities. Nor is it about internal party matters. It is about how to defeat Thatcher and to secure a Labour government which actually delivers something for its supporters.
That is also how the leadership campaign has to be conducted. The view that it would damage Labour's standing in the polls is already shown to be false. What has to be done is to get the issues out into the open. Kinnock and Hattersley's supporters want the key policy issues — above all Aims and Values and the economic policy documents to go to this conference — not to be debated. For the left the most vital issue is that they are debated - and that should be fought for as the first priority at every union conference and in every CLP.
•From that the tactics of the left should be clear. They should argue for a vote for Benn and Heffer, in the first round - they are the best candidates. The are the only ones clearly opposed to the present course of the party.
They should argue for a vote for Prescott in the second round. Meanwhile they should point out that Prescott supports Kinnock for leader, supports Aims and Values, and no-body knows what his position is on economic policy.
The aim must first be to gain votes against Aims and Values and the proposed economic policy - and to win votes for Benn and Heffer.
Second to defeat Hattersley and the right.
policy out into the constituencies.
very carefully is to abandon once again But the key first step is to get the debate on