[WHERE: Lanchestel Poly, Priory Street, Coventry. WHEN: Saturday…]

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WHERE: Lanchestel Poly, Priory Street, Coventry.

WHEN: Saturday March 6, 11-4.30.

INITIAL SPONSORS Socialist Organiser Alliance and London Labour Briefing.

WRITE TO: Democr acy Conference, c/o SO, 28 Middle Lane, London N8. to campaign in an acrimonious and divisive fashion.

Two years àway from a General Election, that seems perfectly reasonable. But do the issues to which the CLPD has given priority over the next year necessarily need to be divisive?

The answer must surely be 'no'. The major issues which actually alter the balance of power in the Labour Party - mandatory reselection, the electoral college and control of the manifesto - are now, for the time being, out of the way.

The 'shortlist of one' issue is surely nothing Jan.24: Iran"- what has happened and what's happening now?

Feb. 7: Women's liberation. Feb.21: Afghanistan and the Soviet invasion.

ISLINGTON: meetings every other Thursday from January 28, at the Florence Florence St.

SOUTH AFRICA Broadsheet on the Car Indus try in South Africa, publish. ed ' in an effort to extend the campaign to win basic rights for South African workers' by the Welsh Anti-Apartheid Movement - 33 Romilly Road, Cardiff.

Socialist Forum for Southern Africa Solidarity (SOFSAS): next meeting, 3pm, Saturday January 16, at Caxton House, 129 St John's Way, London N19.

Richard Carver on Zimbabwe since independence. THE struggle to democratise the Labour Party has sharply exposed the lack of democracy in the trade unions. Tony Benn's deputy leadership campaign was met by a refusal of most union leaders to consult their members, a farce of a "consultation' exercise by the TGWU, and evidence of the failure of NUPE's left-talking leaders to translate their words into rank and file involvement.

Industrial struggles more than a 'tidying-up' of the existing rules; positive discrimination is not exclusively a 'left' issue (except perhaps by default); PLP democracy is at least partly sapported by people like Giles Radice and Philip Whitehead, and even had the support of the nowdeparted Mike Thomas; public ownership is not even a constitutional issue.

That leaves only the issues of local government democracy and the extension of recorded voting. The latter is merely a mechanism of accountability rather than a shift of power, and local government democracy is almost a MARXISM London Workers' Socialist League classes on basic Marxism: alternate Fridays. next class January 22 on the Communist Manifesto. For details of registration and venue, write to PO Box 135, London N1 ODD.

Critique conference: The New Cold War? January 15.16, at University of London Union, Malet St, London WC1. Registr.

ation £3 the weekend or £1.50 per session from Critique, 31 Cleveden Road, Glasgow G12 OPH.

'The Socialist Society':

Foundation Conference, January 23-24, Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1.

More details c/o 7 Carlisle St, London W1V 6NL. too show the need for an accountable leadership. At BL, eleven General Secretaries stepped in over the heads of the Joint Negotiating Committee to fix a sell-out. And AUEW leaders flouted their union's rules to withdraw official support from the Laurence Scott fight in Manchester.

Meanwhile growing numbers of working class . women have taken up the demand that the labour movenon-starter on account of the moribund nature of the CLPD's Local Government Action Committee.

CLPD's current programme of reform is, then, moderate and unexceptional. There is no reason why it should be part of any 'deal' or 'truce"

But the conditions which CLPD expects to be part of any basis of unity could not have been spelt out more clearly. If they are not met, then all bets must be off.

More problematically, if the right-wing did agree to stop insisting "on their right to sabotage Party policy", their track record CoHSE Broad Left inaugural meeting. Saturday January 23, 12 to 4 at UMIST, Sackville St, Manchester.

WOMEN Women for commui ism' .

public meetings. For urthe details phone Carol, (061)

226 4559.

Action Committee for a Woman's Right to Work National Organising Conference. Feb.20.

Contact: 181 Richmond Rd, London E8.

Sexual Politics Conference:

Feb. 6-7, at Edinburgh University. Sponsored by NUS Scotland. Open to all interested. Starts 10.30am Saturday. More details from Glasgow School of Art SRC, 041 332 0691. ment be transformed to meet their needs.

The conference called on March 6 by Socialist Organiser and London Labour Briefing will discuss these issues, exchange experiences, and work out a common platform.

Labour movement organisations are invited to co-sponsor the conference or send delegates. Individual observers are also welcome. Credential fee f2.

HARROW