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Wing. ing just such a united cam"The heavy parent: 'My dear, if the violence of those Militants succeeds in establishing the excellent principle of the deportation of the politically undesirable, well, I for one will feel that they have not lived in vain. with talk of a "rolling programme" of regional 24hour strikes after June 23.

Arbitration

But in addition to this half-hearted policy, there was agreement of union leaders to seek ACAS arbitration - and NUPE leader Rodney Bickerstaffe wel the ACAS chief - former going on than hitting : the Tories!

With rail workers having called for all-out strike action from June 28 and massive popular support for their case throughout the workers' movement, health workers must continue to press for an escalation of their struggle into indefinite strike action - with emergency cover under the conNHS union branches Claim is now available, price 5p. Donations are urgnetly needed to support this publication which has consistently fought for the perspective of all-out action in the NHS. Contact Anna, c/o 78 High Street, Atherton, Lancs - phone Atherton 877296.

A national meeting of Health Workers for the Full Claim is to be held this Sunday June 20 from 1.30 to 5pm at Manchester Area Resources Centre, 61 Bloom Street, Manchester near Choriton St Bus Station). IT SEEMS pretty likely that next week's NEC will have proposals before it recommending that Militant supporters are kicked out of the Labour Party. Already several weeks before the Tune NFf the nress had I LAIN AELINE been whipping up as much dirt as they could on the Militant Tendency.

'Calculated conspiracy' "covert meetings', "clearly subversive' and so on are all supposed to prove that Militant don't belong in the Labour Party. Yet all that has very little to do with it.

Clearly what's brought all this to a head has been the advance of the Left in general - not specifically Militant - over the last two years. The democratic reforms won at the last two annual conferences - election of the Leader, mandatory reselection - proved too much for some to stomach, resulting in the defections of some right wingers to the SDP.

However there still remains remains a strono and fichting right wing in the Party which is using the hesitancy of the Left in the Party to stick the boot in the convenient scapegoat of the Militant.

There has been a wavering in the Left about what to do next. Labour Liaison 82, which could have organised the Left in the Party into a stable campaigning force has been wound up by its own Steering Committee. Tony Benn is not going to stand against Foot for the leadership this year, though it is clear that Foot needs replacThere is a desire on the Left to be legitimate to show that they are as 'respectable' as any of the right wing Labour Party members and' this has resulted in a pulling back. The enthusiasm generated in the rank and file through the campaign for Tony Benn last year and the winning of the reforms the year before is in danger of being dissipated in the drift towards respectaouty.

Dangerous

This kind of thinking is dangerous. The entire left in the Party must stand united and firm against the right wing attacks. Militant must be defended. We need a joint campaign to do it.

In February, Socialist Organiser wrote to the Militant Editorial Board suggestpaign. We received no reply and Militant continue to go it alone with dribs and drabs of support throughout the Party.

Resolutions

The experience of the Wales Labour Party Conference where a witch-hunting motion was passed narrowly surely shows that there is nothing to be complacent about. The Left must fight against bans and proscriptions now.

All SO supporters should make sure that resolutions from their Labour Parties and trade unions condemning the witch-hunt. And the LPYS, which is also a possible target for the witchhunters must not be left to fight off any attack alone.