NEIL KINNOCK has provoked a lot of anger in the Labour Party throughout the miners' strike.
nearly every crucial stage.
triumphs of disrupting Parliament and forcing a debate on the strike, are now discussing how the anger of the ranks in the Party can be built into a constructive opposition to that right-wing drift.
Neil's recent pIece sound advice to the NUM, that commercial should Sectalous taken into account in the closure of pits, is the latest in a long line of attacks on the Scargill leadership Ine NUM.
Whether it was for the hallot. against violence on the picket lines, against the ¿clicial silikc al calil Dulli he aided the campaign of the ruling class to isolate the miners.
Now he is singing a difterent the same song. in the battle to save the cities.
Last weekend in Birmingham, the Local Government he avoided backing the SlalICC LilC 10llcompliance of the threatened authorities.
'Public dramas' 'exciting excursions' not what was required he said urging councils to stay In power al all costs. belHe has thrown his lot in with the right-wing at The Campaign Group of MPs, fresh from their ter a dented shield than no These statements have LODe KOOKCO in close association with the policy ICUICAL that Neil's are trickling into Labour party policy They didn't get away with overturning reselec tion at the last party conterence but vou can be sure they'll have another try at the next.
they have been ANO successtul watering •OWE ment to withdraw from the seriously cut defence spending, return to full employment All this has been achieved in the name ot in. creasing winning the wobularily. next general election.
Yet as many a rank and file party member knows Labour was higher in the opinion polls in the summer unan It is today.
A very large number of just do not believe that the stance of the Party leadership in this strike has been correct.
Indeed the overwhelm. ing feeling at the Labour Partv conterence last veal went in the opposite direcI HARRIS Kinnock The Labour ranks were the heart soul.
Illics They wanted the leadership to be there with them.
Neil may be pleasing the press but he's not season of the Labour Party begins March the rank file will once press their vious to extheir views on performance.
The Campaign Group of MPs, which has made no secret tion and support the leadership of the NUM, is organising meetings every regional conference jointly with the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy and Labour Briefing.
If these meetings create the kind of alliance that we Skinner saw come to fruition at between the left, miners, the ratecapauthorities, women, blacks, and gays and the nationalist minority in the North of Ireland will certainly eclipse Tribune meetings Indeed both Parliamentary at grass roots level Tribune's decision to distance itself criticising the Kinnock leadership throughout this strike has meant losing any credibility as a left force IT's Careign en is wants strengther links with the rank and file of the Labour Party by encontact between MPs, Councillors and activists through forming local groups and by the possible production o a Parliamentary newsheet that would inform CLP activists of the work of the Party in Parliament.
The such organisation is clear - the left of the Party is not going to allow the victories of the last five years to be overturned wi ranusa fight the with whole new influx of miners and women from the mincommunities want Labour government that will implement different Photo: • policies than the Tories and the SDP, not the same dressed up different clothes.
Steps by the Campaign Group organise their support followed through will be with enthusiasm En Party at this time.
Socialist Action 8 February 1985
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