LAW open letter o trade unionists Stop the witch-hunt!

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Bermondsey Labour Party are anxious to lay the groundwork for the election campaign before the date of the byelection is set.

like to help the details are as follows. IT IS likely that 1983 will their families. These are be an election year. Despite the very people who need a this, the Labour Party NEC Labour government comhas decided that now is the mitted to carrying out Party policies - like withdrawal time to mount a witchhunt inside the Party. This from the Common Market, will seriously disrupt the implementing the 35-hour week, full employment, chances of a Labour victory.

Last year many trade unilateral nuclear disarmament - to protect their union conferences voted living standards and their against any sort of witchhunt, while others took no lives. position at all; but delegaWant that prominent trade tions at Labour Party conference voted over- unionists are seen to take a whelmingly in favour of a stand against the witchregister of affiliated hunt. We are therefore organisations in the Labour writing to ask you to Party. It was said that this sponsor Labour Against the register would not be used Witch-hunt, and to add to witch-hunt, but we can your voice to that of the already see that the oppos- MPs listed who are supite is true. Yet again, basic porting the campaign. questions of union democracy and accountability October 30 conference, are raised by this. where more than 300 deleThe same right wingers gates, including trade who support the witch- union branches and trades hunt are carrying out councils, agreed to launch serious attacks on Party a broad-based campaign policy. Within hours of the with the aim: two thirds vote in favour of unilateral nuclear disarmament at conference, Mr Roy Hattersley appeared on TV to say that this would not necessarily be included in Labour's election manifesto. Policies like unilateralism are the very ones which will win back the support of Labour voters in a general election. Recent visions. polls show, for example, 47% in favour of removing American bases from Britain, 62% more concerned to remove unemployment than to reduce inflation, 51% in favour of withdrawal from the Common Market.

With the cooperation of some trade union leaders, Labour's right-wing are plunging the Party into civil war. The potential victims are working people and their members feel.

Party democracy, and JOHN HARRIS the near future.

Hatersley: wants to ditch unilateralism Wiese tnue Inrougrout saruary.

Sunday 23 January at Union Street, SE1.

Sunday 30 January Lower Road, SE 16. Robinson, editor,