You're really back to the Dundee conference of the TUC in 1883 when Henry Broadhurst, who was the general secretary of the TUC, and a Liberal, bitterly criticised Keir Hardie. The TUC in Dundee passed a resolution condemning *irresponsible men are causing dissension in our rank' -which was Keir Hardie.
The attempt to bring about the Representation Committee, which ultimately succeeded, was the product of a great deal of debate within the trade union movement. And I think we're not just refounding the Labour Party and reconnecting with socialism during a very deep crisis of capitalism we also rediscovering the relevance of a political role for trade unionism — because if you have nonpolitical trade unionism then you end up in the sort of mess that the trade unions are in at the moment. And for twenty five years in parallel with revisionism in the Labour Party you had of course a depoliticisation of whole chunks of the trade union movement and that's why we're in difficulties. So I think there is an historic refounding to be undertaken.
We've discovered that welfare capitalism, administered by nOnpolitical unions in conjunction with a non-socialist parliamentary party is a cul de sac.
Phat. CM COOKSON it has not only failed over a long period to change the structures of power society vis a vis capital and labour, but has failed to reflect the fact that women are a majority and are especially disadvantaged as a result of a whole range of factors. There has to be an element now of positive discrimination in order to correct it and in order to build the alliance which we're talking about. Which will be the broadly based alliance that will replace the Conservative Party and eliminate the SDP. I think that is absolutely the major consideration. I do think that is right.
Socialist Action 4 May 1984 FREELE THE
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