[IMWU: backing for some of Benn's policies there…]

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IMWU: backing for some of Benn's policies there would be none at all. And where was the Left over the democratic reforms? They opposed and delayed mandatory reselection, campaigning either for optional reselection or retention of the Prentice system, and, by pressing for three-way parity, they not only delayed the electoral college, but managed to cut down the trade union and constituency share by 5% in the process.

And they were quite prepared to deprive the membership of another 20% (in the name of depriving it of only another 3⅓ %), and came within a handful of votes of doing SO.

It would be pointless for CLPD to unite with the Left except on the basis of a common platform, and the only way to get that is by serious negotiation between organised national groups, not at a jamboree where people effectively represent nothing but themselves.

The reason for this easily absorbed by living things. First, by plants, then by the animals that live on the plants, then by the animals that eat the plant-eaters, etc. etc. Once absorbed, the unnatural part of these chemicals, chlorine mucks up chemical machinery inside the cells of the body.

Sacred

One effects it to cause sterility in birds of prey, upsetting natural controls on animal populations (with effects on agriculture). But the CIA aren't worried about this, as long as their sacred profits are untouched.

In any case, there aren't enough scientists to run even the EEC scheme. Well, there are, but they're 1oo busy working on 'defence" , etc. ponsibility is that it is based on a delusion, the delusion that even a united Left could actually win anything. The fact is that to win in this party you must have a majority of the votes, and the Left has simply not got the votes.

Take the main planks of the Benn campaign - the alternative economic strategy, Common Market withdrawal, nuclear disarmament: these are backed by the GMWU. Take the electoral college: that is backed by USDAW and the NUR.

Those are the votes you need to get a proper majority at Conference, and what those trade unions want is a united party. The Left's only asset is that it is fighting for their policies. Without that it is nothing.

This proposal would make the Left into splitters, and simply drive those we must win into the arms of our opponents. The Benn campaign, which was effWELL OF COURSÉ, THAT WAS ALL PRE-BAMB AFTER the fiasco over what exactly is the US policy over nuclear war, more evidence that the US Department of Defence is staffed with humourless morons.

•New Srientist carried a little item a few weeks ago about an American, Herb Susmann, president of a Californian cycling club, who had invented a type of paint whose colour was just outside of the visible range of the spectrum. In other words, invisible paint! He had painted parts of his bike with it, and had been

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cialist Organiser no: 65 December 9 Writeback