THE LETTER FROM the LCC Turn the Party Outwards raises three points.
The first is a call for the Labour Party and the Labour left, to turn outward to the fight against the Thatcher government and not make the framework of its activity the struggle within the Labour Party. This should be supported 101 per cent. Building the campaign to defend the NHS, defending the Metropolitan Councils and the GLC, opposing deployment of cruise, opposing the invasion of Grenada are the top priorities for the Labour Party today. They are also the way to build the base for victory in the Euro and local government elections ano lo win the vital votes on trade union political funds, well building the big increase in individual Labour Party membership which is necued.
The second point raised by the LCC is the question of the Labour Party leadership. It is not, in our opinion, a priority for the Labour Party, or the Labour left, today to have a rerun or tne leadersno elecuon• LCC's formula that, 'It does not mean giving the leadership a blank cheque. Rather it giving a priority to other matters could be accepted, provided that it is clear what this means.
Small The first question is the witch hunt. This is not a small matter for it sets the tone of the whole debate in the Partv. A dispute over policies. even a leadership election, like last summer, is one thing and need not be damaging to the Party. A debate over policies which one side proposes to resolve in its tavour Dy expulsions, bans on publications, and suspension is a fight over survival it inevitably develops a most venomous tone and He He baraya The attack on the Militant, for example, turned the Labour Party inwards etonitel energies that could and should have been directed to outward campaigning. Any senious quagement must De that Michael Foot's original attack on Peter Tatchell helped lose Labour the Bermondsey seat.
Furthermore significant aspects of the witch hunt are still going on and have not been stopped. te pan on the sales of Millar is an attack on free speech in the party that is unacceptable. Wythensha# Labour Party is stil suspended. laro At has been expelled. There are aiso local attacks on Party members.
It is not possibie simply to avoid the real concrete issues of witch hunts generalities. The formula of future witch hunts' is only useful as a phrase if it includes now coming out MOTHERE CO нІТ У PRECDON GET ME FREE!
----- pull-quotes -----
week John Ross replies on behalf of the editorial board of Socialist Action.