["BETTER DEAD than red" = the warmongering slogan…]

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"BETTER DEAD than red" = the warmongering slogan of America's loony Right - will not be the slogan under which Michael Foot and the trade union barons launch the full-powered witch-hunt at this vear's Labour Partv conference.

sin the Socialisti 'arty E It should be. Because, the witch-hunt will gut the Party in the run-up to the next election.

Foot and his allies know this perfectly well. They are citing the destructive effects of conflict as an argument to persuade the soft Left not to resist them. But, egged on by the Tory press and scared by the strength of the rank and file revolt of the last three years, they have declared war on the Party, and plainly they are prepared to gut it to save it from the socialists.

Thereby they also serve notice on us what sort of Labour government they would run. This makes the register the most important issue at this year's Party conference.

The target is not just Militant but the Left that won — so far mainly on paper -the campaign for Party democracy. The victories of the Left scared the Right and the trade union establishment. Their problem is that the rank and file of the Party support left policies and democratisation. 83% of CLPs voted Benn for deputy leader. Therefore their tactic is to split about make no mistake about it, by JOHN O'MAHONY and divide the Left.

Militant did not head the democracy campaign. It was more often its tail than its head. But Militant is definable, distinct, visible - a soft target. They are -lyingly - presented as anti democrats and 'conspirators' . The Kinnocks and the Foots have had some success in driving a wedge into the Left. Sections of the Left have been got to support the register.

But the proposals of the NEC are a blueprint for an authoritarian Labour Party.

Under the old system of proscribing named organisations, if a grouping was not explicitly proscribed then it was likely to be tolerated. Under the new system a rank and file grouping is assumed to be outside the Party unless positively recognised, licenced, and registered.

By whom? By the powercentres of the Party - the contimue solidarity crested to mobilne industrial response if an emptine for pie 22 mi 10 an ati its members to strike in support nf a palsiculei for an ammeant tres to vee the courts spare workers who saile u section of workers. the TUT's call for a day the 22nd Prior's Lan. They are, whether the TIC leaders hit e action Septem • to thr Sor general stria campage and s patentail indeed to the ruding ciese state machine Despilt fact that is not a clear-cut call for a pay coon behing te • 24 hour They are an to yes menone nut on the 32nd. from the light to deir the Tutes Term offer our the licemen The SCiA a simor diast. Conson out fox a compteir 24 hour snike. antrunon laws can lea or that either can be sepa what it should the miners hesith workers' pross. harr * have to ux the Lame betam nom The coallenge to ther conferetice. Then ronn make thr complete as popubir and se won'

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Is Programme 82 a workable socialist policy? Will it even be tried? ARTHUR BOUGH surveys the proposals. Programme 82 proposes to reform police racism bit by bit independent complaints of plastic bullets or CS gas. system. In short, a continuation The Labour women's conference voted to condemn the Falklands "

The racist thugs of the of the present imperialist ary labour leaders backed Thatcher's fleet. But will the Blackpool el SPG will be disbanded, but policy: opposition to the use of' There are many more plastic bullets, CS gas, and important proposals inclu- Joint Labour Party conference meetWAter. CAnnOn ie anali- dad in the Proorammo - ing: SCLV and South Wales Campaign for Labour Party and Trade Union "A QUESTION OF LEADERSHIP' The film most ITV Regions wouldn't show. Showing followed by discussion including: Ken Loach [film producer], Ray Davies (film participant; Llanwern Steel Action Groupl, Alan Thornett [film participant, BL shop steward], Reg Race MP, Peter Tatchell, Anna Lunts INUPE, Health Workers for the Full Claim], and Andrea Campbell (CoHSE, Group 81).

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 5.30pm the Lobster Pot restaurant [Kingfisher Room], Market St, Blackpool. Entrance 50p.

WHAT SOCIALIST ORGANISER Speakers: GERRY BYRNE (Socialist Organiser Editorial Board, Women's Fightback Steering Committee), ANNA LUNTS (Shop steward, NUPE ANDREA CAMPBELL (Asst. branch secretary, CoHSE), WINNIE MURPHY (NUTGW). Chair:

Wendy Mustill (Mobilising Committee for the THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 5.30pm, Chamber Trade, 53 Queen Street, Blackpool.

LABOUR PARTIES AGAINST THE Conference of delegates from CLPs, LP branches, affiliated trade union branches, women's sections, YSs etc. jaturday October 30, 10am to 5pm, at County Hall, Londo SE1. Credentials for delegates from CLPs (two each), LP branches, affiliated TU branches, LPYSs, women's sections, etc. (one each), £1 each from 107 Nevill Road, London N16 OSU. Cheques payable to Hackney North and CLPs AGAINST THE WITCH-HUNT LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE MEETING Thursday, September 30th 7.30 pm THE cornerstone of Labour's Programme 82 is the economic strategy. If that fails, we can be sure that we'll be told that all else is *impossible because of the crigis' But it is about the weakest part of the Programme.

Rapid progress to the right to work for all is not even promised. The maximum hoped for is to reduce unemployment below one million in five years. This will be done by a 'substantial' programme of public spending, and selective tax cuts, financed by borrowing. The main focus will be more investment (housing, hospitals, schools, railways, etc) and current spending in public services.

It looks easy. But the financiers will make a fortune lending to the state, industrialists faced with the resulting high interest rates and the world slump are unlikely to rush into expansion, and if purchasing power does rise, manufacturers will probably take advantage to raise prices.

Controls

with sucn mulatonary pressure, demands will be raised for the introduction of wage controls. Indeed, talking about an annual economic assessment with the TUC, the Programme says this must include 'such issues as the share of the national income going to profits, to earnings from employment, to rents, to social benefits, and to other incomes.' Import controls are proposed, to stop the inceased spending just HN HARAIS going on imports. Socialists have long opposed these as trying to shift the burden of unemployment onto foreign workers. But Programme 82 introduces a new danger.

...we will avoid simply protecting inefficiency by tying protection firmly to measures of industrial planning and intervention'.

I.e., import controls will be tied to speed-up and 'rationalisation' Toothless Plans for nationalisation are very limited. Instead, 'planning agreements' are proposed attempts (and pretty toothless attempts) to make the bosses co-operate.

The only place where mnhilioatinn of tho unrhino class is mentioned is in the section on multinationals, • every assistance will be given to trade unions in their attempts to organise on an international basis.' rrugralt or uves u- Denmammo Q9 Anao include some useful proposals on positive discrimination for women and L1-a1.- DIaCKS.

But it is extremely weak in its proposals to deal with racist attacks. Racism in the police force is recognised to exist, but no mention is made of the development of self-defence groups. Blacks are to wait until racism is 'trained' out of the police.

In line with the Scarman report, more democratic control of the police through elected police authorities (including for London), is proposed, along with an fied by the phrase 'in any but the most exceptional Circumstances'. Toxteth? Brixton?

The role of immigration and nationality laws in legitimiaina rariot idleao ic обнинюшь ravdoo sucas 10 recognised and the repeal of existing laws is promised. But they will be annlaand hor герасе vy a supposemy non-racist Nationality Act, on which will be based supposedly non-racist immigration laws.

On Ireland: the Prevention of Terrorism Act will be repealed. Irish prisoners will not be given political status, and the only proposal for the Diplock kangaroo courts is to have three kangaroos sitting instead of one. The troops will not be withdrawn, and there is no statement about the use surveys the more than can be dealt with here. The following are some of the most important. •The House of Lords is to be abolished 'during the lEadime of tha Dauliomant! neume or lae гагишиень • (No mention of the monarchy.)

•A student stuaent traineesny tuninnachin for all 16 and 17 year olds, whether in full time education, at work, or on the dole. The right to a systematic education and training. •Provide a maintenance allowance for all students on approved courses, at least £20 a week for 52 weeks. •Provision for all preschool children whose parents require it. • Labour will retrospectively cancel any penalties imposed on local councillors for carrying out manifesto commitments. •In line with Party policy Britain will withdraw from the EEC.

The Programme states in many instances that "Labour will' carry out VELLDONE з0 this or that policy. But can we be so sure?

Interestingly, outgoing General Secretary, Ron Hayward, has gone into PUT AWAY TAM great length in his Foreword to the Programme in explaining the relationship JOHN HARRIS The DECK CHE between the Programme and the Manifesto. •...the priorities which will determine the Manifesto at the next election will need to be finalised at that time based on the relevance, costs, timing, and issue? legislative time available over a five year Parliament.

Weak It is amazing how fast Democracy. legislation like the Prevention of Terrorism Act can be pushed through, or how easily the Tories can push through anti-working class legislation, but when it comes to a Labour Government putting through measures in the interests of the workers there's never enough time.

Instead of the perspec1I--- I....- üve or moblising workers to challenge the bosses' property and state, the foundation of the Programme is a belief that the bosses can be per- Labour Party Conference Meeting suaded to cooperate by various clever devices.

There is a failure to come to STANDS FOR grips with the fact that the interests of workers and bosses are irreconcilably opposed.

Thus the approach to the police, security services, and civil service is to establish all kinds of Defence of Trade Union Rights]. (usually Parliamentary) checks and balances -without any evidence of any real will to operate these checks • rigoroüsly against the will of the cops and bureaucrats -rather than dismantling WITCH-HUNT these institutions and replacing them with a state controlled by and responsive to workers' needs.

There are many important and radical ideas in the Programme, especially relating to women and blacks. But even those will be worthless unless the right wing counter- Stoke Newington Labour Party. revolution is defeated and reversed: Without a fighting, organised left wing in the party, and adequate mechanisms to ensure demneraev and accountability, this Programme will THE LOBSTER POT' Market St.

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

HEALTH 12%! - NO TO WITCH HUNTS!

Against all bans and pr criptions! WITH THE WORKERS

„COHSİ AGANSE THE TORIESE

is it more than waste paper? DONE Mene cos

10 UA FORE