EXETER's right wing were disappointed last Friday when the general rule out of order Labour Briefing.
After receiving a copy of a letter Tony Benn. support of th editors. Exeter's "soft left' chairperson was persuad ed to rethink Labour Against the Witch Hunt The result? Briefing was abproached in a tine spirit of compromise:
the name, we'll rule out the expulsions. This the editors did, agreeing to rename the bulletin Devon Briefing. The technical niceties were forgotten apwithdraw all untenable position.
argument that 'Exeter Labour' was the sole property of the local the original grounds for expulsion - just didn't apply to the joint Labour Parties of Devon. what's in a name? Now the Exeter bulletin can look forward to building on its short period of notoriety -welcome addition to the Briefing fold.
Dear Mark, eter Labour Briefing.
ana are widely such — hence Labour Herald conference policies.
CLP on the basis of recent decisions, your expulsion and reinstate you all party now working together so well, You can, of course.
avert this problem before it arises. Yours fraternally, Tony Benn I was concerned to hear that the executive of the Exeter Labour Party are recommending to the GMC, on 15 June, that you and your two colleagues be expelled from the party for editing Exing are published in different parts of the country, As you know various editions of Labour Briefbroaden the discussion of problems facing the par- because they help Labour belongs in any legal sense to the party as Nowhere has it been argued that the name There are many groups inside the party which use the word Labour in their title, even when some of them support policies that are at variance with er! at conference i! was made unsolutel: clear. by ine zenerai secretary, that his has not going lo oc interpreted he the NEC, as any sort of official approval tor expulsions based on the views or activities of those who held minority opinions in any If by chance the GMC were to expel you, and your colleagues, from the party on these grounds, it would be open to you all to appeal to the NEC Were you to appeal i am almost sure that the NEC would disallow But of course the best thing that could happen would be for the GMC not to proceed with the mo. tion to expel, when it meets on 15 June. With the not want to damage our prospects of Victory in the we really do next election by starting a series of expulsions sending a copy of it to John Sheppard, as a coutesy quore this letter and 1 am to him and the officers of the Exeter party, many of whom I have had the privilege of knowing, and working with, over the vears. I am also sending a organiser, in the hope that they may be able to help natonal agent and the regional
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committee heard chair- person John Sheppard
resolution to expel the three editors of Exeter