LCGR answers Labour's NEC

Scan page 10

ANGER at the Labour Party NEC's recent draft policies on gay rights was one keynote of this year's AGM of the Labour Campaign for Gay Rights (LCGR). But equally important was the determination of members to work collectively for a gay socialist future.

The last year has seen a significant growth in the activities and successes of LCGR.

For example, some Labour-controlled local authorities now specifically protect the employment of gay people because of the initiatives taken by LÇGR members. Nine CLPs have affiliated for the first time and others are about to do so.

We have written to a large number of CLPs publicising the Labour Party document, The Rights of Gay Men and Women (available from Walworth Road or from us). We know that a substantial number of CLPs have subsequently written to Walworth Road supporting the document's proposals as a starting point for gay rights legislation by the next Labour government. We are reliably informed that not one CLP responded opposing the document.

So although we regard the proposals as inadequate we were shocked by the NEC's decision not to adopt them in their entirety.

The document fails on three main counts. First, it 40p plus postage London N8 The Labour Campaign for Gay Rights is appealing for support on its objec ions to the Labour NEC's cowardice on gay rights does not deal with the specific ways in which lesbians are discriminated against. Indeed it seems not to recognise the sexuality of women.

Secondly, just as gay rights without a wider ideological basis are illusory, so socialism cannot exist without gay liberation being one of its components. Thus the document's failure to place gayness in the context socialism is a major fault.

Thirdly, as a result, the draft policies do not recognise the need to positively encourage homosexuality and oppose the institutionalistion of heterosexuality.

We decided that we would publicise these shortcomings within the Party. We will also publicise the absurd self-contradiction of the NEC's decisions, which on the one hand recognise the need for equality, whilst on the other denying precisely this promised equality by restricting the age of consent for gay men to 18 (it is 16 for heterosexuals).

However, we recognised the dangers of a reference back which would mean no policy rather than an unsatisfactory one. so we are writing to all our supporters - actual and potential -asking them to positively support the NEC on this in any vote, rather than have it defeated by the conservatives of the left and the right.

At the same time we ask them to propose amendments to motion 514, so as to endorse 16 as the age of consent, as a tactic to get gay rights. discussed at Conference. We aim tel.be present in force at Conference to leaflet delegates, and a fringe meeting with major speakers is being organised.

We decided to oppose the NEC's decision to set up a register of groups, and although we disagree strongly with Militant's treatment of sexual politics we vigorously oppose any proscription on the basis that the NEC intends to deal with the Militant.

Will Adams reports being lesbian

----- pull-quotes -----

and the Labour democracy fight for a WORKERS Socialist GOVERNMENT Orgoniser

from Socialist Organ- iser, 28 Middle Lane,