Manchester: to fight Tories or do their dirty work?
Socialist Organiser1981 1981-08-06Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 14 →
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THE open war that has been going on between the Manchester City Labour Party and the right wing majority of the Labour Group has flared up dramatically again.
In the past week, 17 left wing councillors have been expelled from the Labour Group and a letter has been sent to the NEC signed by 50 Labour councillors calling for an inquiry into the City This has been accompanied by statements in the press from Norman Morris, leader of the Labour Group, that Labour could lose the next council election if he doesn't get his way What has brought this latest outburst is the drawing up of the panel for next year's council elections. Because of ward boundary changes, the election is an all-out one with all 99 seats at stake.
This means that all the sitting counciliors have to put up for reselection.
The City Party Executive which has a solid left majority, has refused to endorse anyone not prepared io sign a statement saying that if elected, they would abide by City Party policy. Not surprisingly, this includes most of the present Labour Group majority.
Norman Morris thinks this is dictatorship. He says it will turn Labour councillors into puppets. But he forgets that he was elected, as was every other Labour councillor, because he stood as the Labour candidate and not as an individual, or supporter of the Labour Group, the "silent majority" OF whatever.
Budget
But there's more at stake than a fight over Labour Party democracy and accountability: Manchester faces a real crisis over coun cil spending. Heseltine has demanded an immediate cut of at least £5 million and by the time next year's budget is drawn up this could rise to £40 or £50 million.
What's involved intention of fighting. But so far the left has been on the defensive.
If the City Party are going to win support for their stand amongst workers in Manchester, and especially amongst council workers, then the real issues have to be brought out.
A debate on the policies that will be needed to combat the Tories was started at a conference last Saturday and the campaign to get the issues over to people has been planned for the autumn.
But as long as the present leadership remains in power it doesn't matter what policies you have. Part of the fight against the Tories will be the fight to remove that leadership.
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...... 4117 Socialist Organiser 6 August 1981