Defend Militant

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'BEYOND THE WHITE HEAT: a weekend conference to debate socialist strategies on science and techno10.30 Saturday November 27 to 1pm Sunday 28th, Manchester Business School, Booth Street West, Manchester 13.

£5 (£2 unwaged), creche available; details 01-437 2728. Organised by British Soc. for Social Responsibility in Science I AGREE with Alan Campbell (SO 108) that Militant is "an ossified sect, incapable of any creative application of Marx's tradition to today's problems"

However, he is totally wrong to suggest that socialists should not defend Militant from the present witch-hunt in the Labour Party: Campbell confuses support for Militant's right to exist in the party with support for their politics.

The offensive by Labour's right wing against the left and against democracy in the party has chosen Militant as the easy target for its attacks. Nevertheless the witch-hunt is an attack on the whole left, including Socialist Organiser, and it is crucial that socialists oppose it and defend its initial target: Militant.

We need to declare that the left, and the rank and file of the Labour Party, will not accept expulsions or. proscriptions of any sucialists, including and them: with expensive oilfired " nuclear plants?

Why have they not installed anti-pollution equipment in coal-fired power stations?.

Indeed, what are the relative costs of producing electricity from coal, oil and radioactive substances?

The answers to these questions remain shrouded in secrecy. Though the CEGB is supposed to belong to the people, we still have to struggle to impose accountability on it. .

A good start would be to shake up Labour's energy pulicy.

* Heat efficiency is the percentage of heat produced by the burning fuel which is used. The H.E. of a coal fire is about 2%!

P.S. Im going to the BSSRS conference [see advert!. How about you!

logy in the recession. especially Militant.

Despite our political differences with Militant, we do support their right to exist in the Labour Party. It is a basic act of solidarity with a working-class grouping under attack from the agents of the ruling class.

Comrade Campbell should learn the lessons of the workers' movement: together we stand, divided we fall.

If Militant choose to take a sectarian stance towards the fight against the witchhunt, that is their decision. Socialist Organiser is not sectarian. We will take a principled position of defence of the left as a whole against the right.

Socialists will be judged by their actions, not their theory, If Socialist Organiser were to stand aside while Militant is attacked, we would rightly be condemned as irrelevant sectarians.

ANDY DIXON, Stockport.