No Move to Labour Groups

Scan page 6

Why did the LCDTU dwindle after the struggles of the early '70s, by Steve Macarthur A MOVE at this year's conference to extend the franchise for the election of Labour leaders in local government now seems out of the question.

A National Executive Committee sub-committee on Model Standing Orders for Labour Groups' has instead suggested that quarterly meeting be held between Labour councillors and local Party delegates to discuss progress on the implementation of local manifestos.

Consensus The sub-committee wants these meetings to reach consensus whenever possible' and thinks Council Groups from those of the Tories, causing previous Labour supporters to stay away from the polls.

The balance of Rowlands' comments on industrial militancy is one-sidedly to stress its limits and the danger of it being "seen as selfish, disruptive and unrepresentative"

He goes on to support wage controls - provided they are "flexible, voluntary, kept under constant review and based on mass support from below [!!] rather than on policing from the top" • He also demands that wage controls should be linked with reforms like controls of "profits, prices and dividends"

The Alternative Economic Strategy supported by the LCC has alréady been dealt with in Socialist Organiser, so I do not intend to go into it in detail.

On union democraçy, we come to what I consider to be the most revealing and the most disgraceful statement in the pamphlet. Faced with false accusations from the Right in the Party and the unions about the Left being anti-democratic, the LCC publishes the 'should accept' the conclusions reached.

However, the Parties are to have no new powers to increase the chances of manifesto commitments being met by Town Hall leaders.

Views The recommendations are based on submissions from local Labour Parties and Council Groups, whose views were asked for by the NEC last autumn.

Out of the 237 responses only 58 supported new arrangements for electing Council leaders, while 91 wanted no change at all. The remaining responses called for small and largely cosmetic changes.

Most CLPs failed respond.

The formal deadline area and put too much emphasis on the election of officials".

The fact that there happen to be a few 'lefty' officials who are appointed at present does not alter that basic principle.

The demand of the Left should be 'Elections for all officials on a yearly recall subject to instant . Anything less smacks of the type of democracy in the Labour Party before the Wembley conterence.

The pamphlet ends with a shopping list of campaigns and demands which nobody to the left of Lord Thorneycroft or Jim Callaghan could disagree with, but the ways to carry out these campaigns need spelling out more clearly.

To make the trade unions a force for socialism, we need a new leadership committed to mass action. Before we can hope to get anywhere, we have to begin to aim at the mass membership, not just shop stewards and upwards. They are in the final analysis the only people who can change anything and keep it changed. submissions has now passed, but the NEC wants the subcommittee to continue meeting. Party members who want to see more accountability to the local Party and manifesto should press for submissions to be prepared.

Copy CLPs, District Parties, or Local Government committees may still send resolutions or detailed proposals to Walworth Road. A copy of the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy submission can be obtained from Neil Nerva, 48 College Road, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 8RJ. Send 20p plus s.a.e.

----- pull-quotes -----

OrEi AND ASSISTA following, "It is all too easy to sloganise in this