2Ry On a war footing WITCH-HUNT

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STOP THE iced together will a cas Data. Tataholl The decision of the Organisation Sub-committee to refuse to endorse Peter Tatchell shows how the Right are hitting back at every democratic aspect of the Labour Party.

That Michael Foot, who in the past has suffered more than most from press trials. and Party machine witch hunts, should lead the attack is a cause of sadness to some members; but to others it is the inevitable consequence of his role in the last Labour government and his determination to 'defend' the Parliamentary party.

Watershed

The Brighton conference was a watershed for the party. Policy decisions of a maior nature were taken by a huge majority - leaving the EEC, unilateral disarmament, nationalisation. But a skilful use of the media, the block vote, and St. Ermines Hotel dining room meant ly defeated and the NEC that Tony Benn was narrowchanged political complexion.

We are now witnessing the Right's fight back from the only place where they have any support the Parliamentary Party and Tory or Social. Democrat journalists in Fleet Street.

Since Brighton, there have been calls from those on the Left for a 'soft pedal' and slowdown in the interests of 'party unity".

These arguments are as spurious as they are dangerous. It is more vital than ever that the Left in the Party should be organant of demands: 10I mo fan tha Party to campaign at all levels on conference policy; the election of left wingers to the NEC in the trade union and constituency sections; to defend the right. of any constituency party to select its candidate for Parliament.

For those on the Left who advocate a holding back on policy arguments are ignoring the most glaring inconsistency of all the Parliamentary party are quite deliberately not following conference policy.

For example, Denis Healey has already threatened not to serve in a government committed to unilateral nuclear disarmament, and Michael Foot attacked Tony Benn for speaking in support of Party policy in the North Sea Oil debate.

Interference

The logic of retreat on these questions of Party policy is the latest attack on constituency parties.

Over the coming weeks, we will see an unprecedented media interference in the affairs of Labour Parties.

Hornsey Labour Party has received an application from Tariq Ali to join the Party, something that socialists should welcome. But veiled threats are being made via the media that by some mysterious power the NEC will stop him joining.

Bermondsey Party are now being put through the mill, and it is vital that Labour Party members throughout the country show every possible means of support for Peter Tatchell and his constituency party.

If we do not stand firm at this crucial time, the future of the Labour Party will be a return to the intolerance of the '50s and the failure of Labour governments in the '60s and "70s. Michael Foot by Jeremy Corbyn (Hornsey Labour (Hornsey Labour Party and London Party and London Labour Party Regi al Executive, in personal capacity) me' , John Roxburgh reported to a packed London Labour Briefing meeting on the Tuesday night after the Organisation Sub-Cttee refused to endorse Peter Tatchell. 'If we stand for this, we'll stand for anything:

There was little doubt from anyone about the need to organise to go on the offensive, to mount a fightback. Reg Race told the meeting: "There's an imperative need to organise a united left. If anyone doubts this, they're living in a different world from me?

And the message from the meeting to Reg, and to Tony Benn who had 'come along to listen' , was: we need leadership.

Some discussion centred on whether to treat the Tatchell affair purely as an issue of democracy - the rights of local parties - or strongly for the need to go beyond the purely democratic aspect - and not just talk about extra-parliamentary action but go out and lead it.

Care

*The Right have already given up on the next election. They know all this is destroying the Party but they don't care' , Ron Heisler of Hackney told us.

And Tony Benn echoed the point: "The right's strategy is to minoritise the left, throw us out, and then go into coalition with the SDP to re-create another Callaghan government.' By the end of the meeting, the London left was put on a war footing. Plans were laid for:

continued Locally we've fought on