Disarm Labour's right wing

Scan page 3

IN 1960 Michael Foot was the leader of Labour's left wing, fighting for unilateral nuclear disarmament. in July 1981 he is one of a minority on the National Executive fighting to evade a clear Labour commitment to scrapping the Bomb He explains that he still believes in unilateralism, but wants the NEC to wait until he has talked to Brezhnev. And though Foot doesn't back the Bomb, he does back Dennis Healey - who is 100% in favour of keeping nuclear weapons. • Foot's record sums up a whole epoch of the Labour left. Gestures, days of glory, protests even brave protests - but all without any will to win.

Whenever victory has been within the Left's grasp, people like Foot have fearfully handed it back to the outraged right wing, and advised the rank and file, once again, to wait.

The National Executive decision to table a resolution this October calling unambiguously for unilateral nuclear disarmament reflected the way things are changing in the Labour rank and file.

Last conference passed a call for unilateral disarmament, but also voted for 'multilateralism' - thus giving the backers of the Bomb some room manoeuvre.

The NEC still sup-. ports NATO. But some eleven Labour Parties will be pressing at October's conference for a commitment to get out of NATO.

They wil! explain that it makes no sense for Labour to. scrap the Bomb and still to support NATO, which uses the threat of the Bomb to maintain imperialist power land, in particular, US power).

If the Labour Left is beginning to change at rank and file level, the Labour Right hasn't changed at all. They'll follow the same line as they did in the eraly '60s.

There will be sott words - why not wait, why not compromise? There will also be harsh defiance of conference policy like the Shadow Cabinet's recent refusal to oppose the Tories on defence -threats to quit, and witch-hunts against the Left, like Roy Hattersley's outcry against 'parasites' Shadow Defence Spokesperson Brynmor John threatened to resign from the Shadow Cabinet if Conference endorses the NEC policy.

In short, they will use any means necessary to tailor Labo ir's policy to the needs of the ruling class.

The NATO warmongers who stand behind Healey and the Labour Right are ready to blow humanity to bits to defend their power and privilege. And Labour's NATO men, in their turn, are willing to tear the labour movemeni to bits in order to keep it safe for imperialism.

This isn't a debate which can end in compromises and smiles all round.

Ine Left must fight to win - to beat down the right wing. And Marxists must organise to make sure the Left can do that. Foot backs Healey, mealey backs the Bomb

Scan page 4

Socialist Organiser 30 July 1981 Page 4