Stop T&g Anti-benn Ploy

Scan page 1

Write to 150 London SE17 Jim Denham THE supposedly 'left-wing' leadership of the Transport and General Workers' Union could prove to be Denis Healey's saviour in the Labour deputy leadership contest.

Moss Evans and Deputy General Secretary Alex Kitson denounced Benn's decision to stand as soon as it was announced. And despite a number of proBenn resolutions and the evident support for them from the majority of delegates, T&G President Stan Pemberton bureaucratically prevented a vote being taken on the question at the last Biennial Delegate Conference.

So now the decision rests entirely with the Labour Party Conference delegation, which is not due to meet until the day before the conference! They are expected to cast the union's vote in favour of Silkin in the first ballot.

And it is beginning to look increasingly likely that they'll either abstain or even vote for Healey in the second ballot (if there is one).

But to give a democratic gloss to their covert participation in the "stop Benn' campaign, the T&G bureaucrats have organised a farcical 'consultation' process with the regional committees.

Region 1 (South East) and Region 5 (Midlands) have at least contacted the branches. But in Region 5, the letters weren't received until 20th August, and replies have to be back by 11th September - making it impossible for many branch secretaries to consult a branch meeting (ever if they wanted to. Pemberton Worse still, the Region 5 letter includes election addresses from Silkin and Healey, but not Benn. Regional Office says there weren't enough copies of Benn's address to send out!

In Region 6 (North West) the Regional Committee hasn't even bothered to contact Branch Secretaries. The Committee took a vote on the matter, where a resolution to support Benn was defeated by one vote. And that's as far as their consultation went!

The vote should have been taken at th • BDC And now all the evidence (including numerous branch resolutions) suggests that a genuine consultation at branch level would come down heavily in favour of Benn - especially in Region 6.

TGWU members should put resolutions to their branches condemning this farcical consultation', demanding all three election addresses be circulated to all branches, and that adequate time be set aside for all branches to take a vote on the question.

The secret 'Stop Benn plot must be stopped!