didates, especially in safe Labour seats.
The Labour Women's Action Committee (WAC), Section Steering Commitbeen vanguard of the fight for positive action to UVe' come this. And important advances have been made.
In most constituencies it is now impossible to discuss reselection without at least considering question of women black candidates.
ritual knee jerks fighting don't get more women or blacks innariament. the pressure is now on to turn words into action.
On women, the debate about what is to be done _ 1 the polemic between Ann Pettifor WAC, Target Government, with the issues being aired in Briefing, Herald, City Limits and, most recently, Tribune.
It is unfortunate that the debate has centred on 'for or against' Target Labour Government, for the issues involved go Many of us who suppor THE OPENING of a new round of reselections has focussed attention on Labour's pathetic record in promoting women and blacks as parliamentary canTarget LaDour Government would agree with Ann about what the cam. - that DULUE hurdles and obstacles to the selection of women and blacks.
But where it is important to disagree with Ann's article for Briefing is in the suggestion that somehow women more likely to fail the tests of policy.
On on , on black sections, on WAC's demands, P'd bet on a woman or a black anyday!
But Ann Pettifor's response to her critics in the latest issue of Tribune falls into a serious error. She suggests raising the question of Ireland as such a pollcy touchstone is simply a manoeuvre to exclude women from selection. sent do not suggest that the entire left is really as determined as it says it is to pro. mote women and blacks.
There is a real backsliding already, more clearly seen in the editorial in Labour Herald of the week ending 27 January Walca polemicised I on thi grave danger to the movemcal or promouas wome blacks who hadn't been rigorously tested to their attitude on the big class issues'. quelling fears suspicions currently rife in WAC, even amon those who voted for WAC 1 sponsor TLG.