A checklist for Brighton

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The Campaign for Labour Party Democracy column this week is by Francis Prideaux.

THE LABOUR conference agenda is understandably dominated by topies such as jobs, arms and Ireland. But "victories" on these issues will remain as scraps of paper unless the underlying constituional issues are finally sorted out. The state of play is as tollows:

1.Mandatory reselection. Its old opponents are now busy undermining Reselection by means of the "shortlist of one" manoeuvre. Trade Union and other nominees are being eiiminated from consideration without so much as a hearing. At West Bromwich West Betty Boothroyd MP was readopted without a selec tion conference even though Cllr. John Edwards (FBU) received 8 valid nominations.

At Pontefract and Castleford the NUM and ASTMS nominees were both denied an interview even though 41 members of the GC wanted to hear them speak. • Paddington's constitutional amendment would outlaw "shortlists of one" except where only one valid nomination hs been received. This proposal must be supported, and so must the large bunch of procedural amendments demanding that it is debated. A proper Reselection Conference remains the cornerstone of MP's accountability.

2.The Election of Party Leader. Despite the huffing and puffing of the "Gang of 150" Solidarity MPs, only the UCW and a solitary CLP eventually submitted antiWembley amendments proposing to restore the PLP's former domination of our leadership elections. The TGWU, NUPE, USDAW and a host of smaller organisations have all now reaffirmed their support for the Wembley formula. And 3 unions which previously opposed it (NUM, NUR, NUTGW) have also now decided to put their combined total of 1½ million votes behind it. No contest is therefore expected.

3. The Manifesto. The proposal to give responsibility for final approval of the Manifesto to the Party 's annually elected NEC..was defeated at the 71k- 1980 conferonce bý a mere infordero hv a mere 117.000 votes. The Annual Conference of APEX (109,000 votes) has since been won over and other changes make victory at Brighton more likely. The main struggle will now be to ensure the success of the procedural resolutions and amendments insisting that this crucial issue is debated.

3. The Three-Year Rule. The 1980 Conference voted to bring back the notorious gag of the 3-year rule for constitutional topics even though the 1979 Con ference's overwhelming vote to abolish this troublesome divisive procedure had the unanimous blessing of the Conterence Arrangement: Committee itself.

The 1981 Conferencr will now be offered a choicr between an all-embracin! type of 3-Year rule whicl would apply to all topic without distinction - and more sensible type whicl would at least allow Confer ence to debate a topic it 31 or more affiliated organise tions felt so strongly about i that they made it the subjec of their conference resc lution or amendment. It :

vital that Conference choo:

es this second type if tr Party is to be able to sho flexibility in responding!

the priority concerns of i members.

PLP Democrac Alleged threats of 'UD make reform of the PL more vital than ever.

More than 20 Agenc items on this issue attest 1 the widespread feeling th the PLP must be democrat:

ed if Labour ideals are to l properly implemented.

Labour's MPs must ov their first allegiance to tl Party as a whole and not the tiny section of it whi works at Westminster.

PLP meetings shou start to be properly condi ted and have recorded vot In return, the PLP should allowed to elect Labour Ce inets as well as Shade Cabinets.

Eight 1980 Constitutic al Amendments coveri these points will come this year as part of the NI Report. Only if they :

properly debated and carri will Labour's MPs be oblig to serve the moveme which sent them to We minster in the first place.

The task of Labour's M is to deliver the goods to t movement. Anything less cannot áfford.?".

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Socialist Organiser, Thursday 3