in Birmingham. The But, at present, developments taking place without the blessing, sometimes with the direct hostility, of the parleadership. Roy Hattersley, for example declined to address the necause does not support the setung up or black sections Ladywood CLP In his letter of refusal, he writes that they would be 'a retrograde step' in his Sparkbrook consulunc of Birmingham. Yet in a in which per cent of the population we back were are olly e handful of black GMC delegates. The really retrograde step would be 1o keep inal unrepresentalive situation As Jim Thakooridin, Bedfordshire county councillor and convenor of the black section steering com mittee, said black people have remained loyal to the Labour Party and trade unions despite the fact that they have been allowed lit tle or no imput into the decision making process. rar from being black sections have positive contribution to make to the party, giving black people confidence motivating them to join and take part in the work of the party.
The fight is not simply for black representation in Neil Kinnock paramell.
talk about the possibility of six . VI SCYCL black MPs in the next but as Paul Sharma, black section pointed treasurer. Vule that figure should be thirty to take account of the size of the black poe ligion.
Rather, fight
about input into the party at all levels, from ward to the NEC. Nor can it be reduced to concentrating on questions of immigration and nationality. The problem that all black people is racism al THE LABOUR Party Black Section is here to stay. That was the clear message from the Labour Party Black Section press conference on Tuesday 29 May national conference of the black section, in Birmingham on 9 June is now set to be a major success and an irreversible step towards the creation of black sections throughout the party.
work, racism racism entrenched in the try.
Only if it responds to these involves black people in the decision making process can the party continue tc command the of black people. At the last election, that meant 12.5 per cent of Labour's vote, one million out of eight million. Narendra Makanji, Haringey councillor London Region Executive member, pointed out that black people are organising themselves to take part in politics. The party must organise itselt to take ac count of that.
On the question of unity, Billy Poh, black section THE RT HON P 9th June.
and because i up of step.
Chepstow Road secretary, replied to Nei claims tha woud b divisive potentia minefield. He noted tha the reason for such a div sion would be the racist 2i titudes of white people and society as whole. The stands is intrinsically racin Racism Now the task is! make the black section national movement. Wor is already underway in one hundred constituency ties, in London, Liver Bristol, Manchester DUUk.
Birmingham in par ticular. The national con ference coordinate these develop ments and organise a con stitutional basis for • fur. ther developments.
The Black Section can be con tacted at: 39 Chippenhar Road, London W9 tele phone 9692 01-221 7050.
KAIIEKSLEY MF inviting me not support
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HOUSE OF COMMONS LONDON SWIA OAA Dear Billy Poh, Thank you for your letter attend your National
decline, both because
Black sections which, in my constituency,
Mr Billy HN Poh Labour Party Black Section
Conference on I am afraid that I must your aims do not
certainly would be a retrograde Yours sincerely,