Delegate meeting discusses Benn campaign and weekly SO

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To make Socialist Organiser a real campaigning paper that can organise the left in the movement, it needs its own organised activist support - and money. Local supporters' groups have been established in mos big towns to build a real base tor the paper. Supporters are asked to undertake to sell a minimum of six papers an issue and to contribute at least £1 a month (20p for unwaged). So becoming a supporter helps build our circulation and gives the paper a firmer financial base.

If you like Socialist Organiser, think it's doing a good job, but realise that it can't possibly do enough unless you help, become a card-carrying supporter.

Fill in the form below and send it to: Socialist Organiser I want more information•/I wish to become a Socialist whole."

The rest of the report is little better. It makes a commitment to a united Ireland, but the working party's united Ireland is more like never-never land.

Firstly, it respects the Unionist veto over the will of the majority of the Irish people by talking about the need to achieve the consent of the majority within the sectarian Northern Ireland state.

To get there, the report says, power-sharing will have to come first and as that is not now possible, direct rule will have to go on for the time being.

Despite the call for 'troops out' being "reflected in the evidence received from constifuency parties and branches" ', it is rejected out of hand and instead the report calls for support for the RUC.

The report only came out a fortnight before the last date for amendments to NEC documents and it will be moved separately. from the main debate on Ireland.

In order that Labour Party conference can give a clear opinion on the document, the Labour Committee on Ireland is calling on all CLPs who put resolutions amendments on Ireland to support the emergency resolution printed below.

Pressure If your CLP has a resolution gei your GMC or EC to accept the emergency. lE Standing Orders Committee refuses io accept the emergency, the original resolutons Will stand, but it is Name Addre CLP. c/o 28 Middle Lane, London N8.

Organiser supporterO …Phone..

MacArthur

Last Saturday delegates from 14 SO supporters groups met in London. Apart from local work, there were reports on St Mary's Hospital Lint dispute, on Ireland, Turkey, paper sales and special launch meetings to mark Socialist Organiser becoming a weekly.

The meeting also discussed the libel action brought against the paper by the WRP, which is progressing slowly, and will continue to be a strain on our financial resources.

Benn Campaign There were reports on work done to support the rail unions and some discussion on what kind of contribution SO supporters could make to strengthen the left in the wake of the settlement.

The main discussion was on the progress of the Benn campaign and the Rank and Hile Mobilising Committee for Labour Democracy. The meeting was reminded of ine limitations of the Alternative Economic Strategy, yet dele. gates decided that energetic support for Tony Benn should continue and that the left should remain united behind his campaign and the struggle for extending Party democracy.

Committees

A proposal was made and accepted, urging SO supporters to organise local committees, with pre-conference public meetings on trade union support for Benn and further meetings after the conference to consider the way forward for the Labour Left.

Arrangements for the Labour Party conference were discussed. A daily SO conference bulletin will be issued, and there will be a fringe meeting on the Thursday evening and a 'social' Several SO supporiers are going as constituency delegates.

Problems

Quite a number supporters are being 0I ated 10 stand for Council in next year's loc Our ainnoil lertions. It was thought that this presented a number of problems.

For example: should SO supporters stand despite inadequate manifestos? What should we do when the majority of a Labour Group ignores or abandons the manifesto? How can councillors improve relations with the trade unions?

It was agreed to call a meeting for all SO supporters who have been nominated, along with comrades who are already councilloIs plus a delegate from every group, to consider these problems.

It was also decided to run an article in the paper to 'kick off a debate on the issues involved.

Contributions

There was a proposal to help meet the shortage of funds by raising the minimum contributions that SO supporters are asked to make. However, as the paper is dependeni upon larger and completely voluntary contributions by the most active supporters, an increase in the minimum of limited importance. The meeting compromised and decided to ask supporters for at least £1.50 a month (an increase of 50p), but no increase for Meetings A number of further organisational changes were agreed by the meeting. It was decided that in future there would be six regular delegate meetings a year, with provision for extra meetings if they were needed.

Notice of meetings and agenda will be circulated well in advance so that groups can discuss the issues and brief their delegates as they think fit.

It was agreed to hold a conference every year to discuss the organisation and politics of SO and decide who should work on the editorial board. Meanwhile it was decided that the Secretariat needed additional members, and four supporters; Dettle Clinton. Chris Hickey, Steve MacArthur and Chris Brind Were elected.

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