Labour's right wing rides out

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AS WE 20 to press, the Guardian reports that stopped by legal hassles is foolish —_ rather like els, menacing Hornsey Labour Party with dis AS WE go to press, the Guardian reports that But Militant must be defended with no less pressure is beg mountea side we Labour rary uninking tar the capitaust estabusnment woula panament ana nolaing over bermonasey Labour vigour. The issue is not whether we agree with leadership to water down even the hardly inspiring be deterred by fine points of law from using its Party the threat to impose a candidate in place of Militant's politics, but whether socialists have a pledge to reduce unemployment to one million in claws against a Labour government which took right to organise in the labour movement for serious measures against their wealth and There is no legal obstacle whatever to the idea, "A majority of the Shadow Cabinet believes this already mooted by Labour MP Frank Field, of Socialist Organiser calls on all readers to give is an attainable target, but some of Mr Foot's At its meeting last week, the Organisation Sub- suspending or restricting the Labour Party Young full support to the campaign of 'Labour Against closest advisers are urging him to modify the committee was stymied because lawyers said its Socialists, in which Militant is influential. 'No the Witch-Hunt' to win Constituency Labour Part• pledge to a more general commitment... attempt to expel individuals, without a hearing, ies and affiliated trade unions to non-cooperation If this is happening even on such a pledge — not under a clause of the Labour Party constitution Militant's evident support for the notion of tak- with expulsions, up to and including defying disvery dangerous for opportunists, for after all five which deals with outside groups affiliating to the ing the Labour Party NEC to court must be critic- bandment of CLPs; to defend Horsey, Bermondyears gives plenty of room for excuses - imagine Party, could open them to court action. (This apart ised. Our objection to 'using the capitalist courts to sey, and the LPYS; to support the LSCAW's regthe fate of more immediate crunch issues like uni- from being outrageous on democratic principle, decide the affairs of the labour movement is not ional rallies on November 27; and to urge maxilateral nuclear disarmament, incomes policy, and that it won't sometimes throw a spanner in the mum unity of the two campaigns against the witch.

But the sub-committee instructed general secre- right wing's works, but that it is wrong in prinThe drive by right-wing Labour leaders to shape tary Jim Mortimer to prepare a new report for the ciple. A socialist labour movement which aspires And we say: together with the fight on demothe next Labour government into the mould of the National Executive Committee next week. We to replace capitalist rule by working-class rule cracy, keep up the fight on policies and the fight to last one is the other side of the coin of the drive ag. don't know what new tack Mortimer will try. must develop its own democracy in its own ranks, build mass campaigning local Labour Parties linkainst those who have fought for accountability and But lawyers are as common as pot bellies and higher than capitalist democracy and prefiguring ed to the direct class struggle. For the witch-hunt left-wing policies, and in the first place against alcoholic flushes among the Labour right wing. In the future socialist democracy. It must educate is in essence a political, hot a constitutional battle;

La battle over points of law, the Right will win - every worker in fierce hostility to and mistrust of and it will be decisively defeated only by a resolute The double drive has deep roots: the Labour sooner or later, with greater or lesser difficulty. It left wing fighting boldly for the complete transEstablishment is riding out from its redoubts in may even be that the legal snag will have the effect The sectariari behaviour of Militant's 'Labour formation of the Labour Party into a mass socialist the trade union bureaucracy, in Westminster, and of escalating the purge, by persuading the NEC to Steering Committee Against the Witch-Hunt' - party capable of creating a workers' government around Fleet Street, to repel the offensive mount- go straight for proscribing Militant and decreeing cold-shouldering the 101 CLPs who set up a 'Lab- that will take decisive measures against capitalist ed since 1979 by the Left and the campaign for the expulsion not only of the so-called Militant our Against the Witch-Hunt' committee. last "inner core' but of every Militant seller. month, and instead inviting them to gather round To think that the Labour Establishment will be Meanwhile, the witch-hunt seeks other chann- Militant's rostrum — has also caused problems. five years. public spending.

Militant.

democracy in the Labour Party. THE Labour Steering Committee Against the Witchhunt produced a statement the day after the Labour Party NEC Organisation Sub-committee meeting, warning that the delay did not' mean that the witch-hunt had stopped.

The committee agreed to support the fights being waged by Hornsey Bermondsey Labour ies, and to publicise views.

Though Militant supporters blocked the criticism (proposed by Nik Barstow) of bringing legal action into the labour movement, the statement also stressed that it was the fightback by ammad a land Labellank supremacy. which would hardly worry them).

Labour Party members

which could defeat the right wing.

In preparation for regional conferences to be held on November 27, it was also agreed to continue opposition to the register. The campaign has already urged other groups not to register. foolish - rather like Peter Tatchell: capitalist intervention.

The committee agreed to try to widen the involvement in the conferences -approaching MPs, councilors, and trade union activists and organisations.

Ernie Roberts MP, chair of the Labour Against the Witch-bunt organisation set up by the CLPs' conference on October 30, Hornsey Labour Party with disL.11: false confidence should be our motto. has agreed to speak at one rally, and an effort will be made to achieve the greatest cooperation between the two campaigns.

Unfortunately : Militant supporters on the Labour Steering Committee Agal STATEMENT from 'Labour Against the Witch-hunt':

It is now crystal clear that the register of non-affiliated organisations unworkable. The NEC must now realise that a protracted legal battle in the courts would be very damaging to the interests of the party one year before a general election. We trust that the NEC will now drop its divisive campaign to expel individual members of the party.

But Militant distinctive views. power and privilege. ainst the Witch-hunt blocked an exchange of delegates, but it was agreed to seek joint involvement in building regional confer епсев, especially in London.

Nik Barstow/Vidya Ananc ›peal ment to Hornsey Constituency Labour Party because of an individual membership of the party is quite wrong. This crucial marginal seat must be won at the general election if we are to have a Labour government. Threats to disband the constituency party can_only assist the incumbent Tory MP.

Ernie Roberts, chair of LAW, added: These specific proposals from the organisation committee show the urgent need for the Labour Party to stop the witch-hunt now - before it undermines Labour's chances of beating the Tories. We can assure the NEC that a purge will be opposed by LAW and ail those in the party who want to unite to defeat the Tories.

*Labour Against the Witch-hunt, 11 Wilderton Rd London N16 (802 1709). PETER Tatchell last week said it was completely unconstitutional: for the National Agent of the Labour Party to instruct him to stand down as Bermondsey: Constituency Labour Party Secretary and to cease all public activities on behalf of the Labour 'First the National Executive Committee overturned my democratic selection as the Labour candidate for Bermondsey. Now they want to overturr my democratic seiection as constituency party secretary. The National Agent has no right to stop me campaigning for the Labour Party and I' shall continue to do so. ' "Three weeks ago, Bermondsey Labour Party unanimously reiterated its

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