LAST WEDNESDAY saw a significant advance against Labour's witch hunting right wing, when the new Post Office Engineering Union executive voted 10-7 not to renominate John Golding MP to the Labour Party NEC this year.
This decision follows a motion calling for renationalisation without compensation British Telecoms is sold off by Thatcher's government.
boln unese moves give hope that the union's new Broo en coater executive means business.
It represents a strategic gain for the left in the fight for socialist policies.
Since his to Labour's NEC in 1978. Mr Golding has been the chief architect of the right's ofTensive be a blow for their plans and morale.
In a letter to POEU branches. also issued as a press statement, the POEU executive point out that Mr Golding will condale roTe a spoll sored MP. But the deciSOnI represents cica. break with the union's complicit support for the witch hunt.
No Labour Party NEC nomination has been made this year and the same letter points out that a full report of the executive wil be made the union's reconvened annual conterence Photo: ION SARRON'A November.
At the same time a proposition will. 'be put delegates allow the membership to decide the union's nomination to the Labour Party NEC in the future.
(POEU, London West Branch)
The decision Golding is a bold one by the new executive. tacıng a frontal fight with the Tories on one of their central policies - privatisaLOn.
Support Constituency Parties and POEU branches should send letters of support for this decision, should urge the new POEU execuave to confirm its implicit opposition to a witch hunt by:
• supporting anti-witch hunt resolutions this year's party conference • submitting an amendment to this effect • supporting Heffer and Meacher the ship/deputy leadership.
the only candidates opposed to the Mass meeting of POEU engineers discuss fight against privatisation — see page 4. witch hunt Ousting Mr Golding is the first important step in the left tightback policies and against * Labour's own ranks. Such undercover lories in is a vita.
tion of the candidates' manifestoes. published this weike toes manifestoes tribute little to clarifying the choices in front of the Neil Hovelicall Kinnock regards withdrawal from the ComMarket as 'last 111011 resort, favours strong national security by conventional Dal Hick. declares himself in Pavana with of Britain ridding itself of all nuclear weapons.
By the Editor He has invented a new euphemism for incomes policy calling it 'a reasoned and practical policy for ewards However the message is that he will con'tinue to play a Foot-type balancing role as leader, while revising certain of Labour's key policy positions.
Roy Hattersley demonstrates his manifesto why he would be a natural successor for Healey in the role of Deputy bcauer nike medev ne would aim to have an effective veto over Kinnock, continually helping him or his road to the right. manifesto, mixture of radical verbiage on democratic rights right wing policies, calls straightforwardly for all defence spending, welcome. what he calls Kinnock's 'conversion to accolauct step forward.
of suppor should be sent to POEt Executive, Greystoke nouse, Brunswick Road, Ealing, London • W5.
IT IS THE MARK of the apolitical character of the leadership elections in the Labour Party that the result was a foregone conclusion before the publicamembership.' . He also aims sideswipes at his right wing rival attacking Peter Shore's strategy of 'borrowing out of the crisis.' Shore, not in serious contention for either leader or deputy leader, himself with decrving the advances in constitutiona reform and policy made by the Labour Party over the last period, and calls for an offensive against those who have chosen a revolutonary strategy.
The only candidate with policy to take the Labour Party forward is Eric Heffer. His manifesto deplores the expulsion of the editoria calls for DOCTO defence of the status quo constitutional cucs tions in the On policies Heffer calls for a nuclear free Europe, but in his objection to the Common Market does not make it clear whether he objects to the institution as such or merely the of Rome. which elsewhere he has called to be renegotiated.
There are mountainous deficiencies in all the manifestoes. None address problem Labour Party is going to act alongside the «non movement and all those fighting the Tories, to get rid of hatcher betore she has a chance to intlict five years damage on Oul basic rights. None have the John Golding Neil Kinnock perspective of building a mass campaigning that can do it. But becaus The effer santand ins Switch hunt defence of the constitutional policy gains made by the left of the last three years, the left must • Organise alla campaign behind him.
It is mistake for Michael Meacher, the only candidate among those for deputy Standing une leadership, fail to himself Heffer's campaign: Meacher will not be able to co-exist with Kinnock unless he declares his col ours beforehand - thal includes declaring long loud his preferred choice of running mate.
How often must the Labour left fall into the trap of thinking that winning office is the key thing, without regard to the pro blems that await the VIC tor?
The Heffer/Meacher slate should be discussed and supported throughout the entire rank and file of the HOVCHCEL That the way to politicise the trade membership. That is the way to start to rebuild the its policies to fight the Tories And it is in that discussion that the revolutionary socialist alternative, which is missing from all the candidates manesives, can be put forward.
Socialist Action 22 July 1983
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Why the left should support Heffer / Meacher