["That's enough, boys! You can both pretend to…]

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"That's enough, boys! You can both pretend to Labour Against the Witch-hunt is organising an advertisement in Tribune on March 4, with a statement to be signed by Constituency Labour Parties and supported by trade union and 'We are committed to a Labour victory at the next General Election on the basis of the policies agreed by Annual Conference. Any witchhunt would endanger the Party Unity required to achieve such a victory. We therefore call on the right-wing majority of the National Executive Committee to halt all disciplinary measures against Party members, groups of members or Constituency Labour Parties.

Should the NEC persist with disciplinary measures or disaffiliations, we give notice that we will not recognise any such actions. We will not expel, nor recognise the expulsion of any Labour Party mem ber or group of members arising from political disagreement with the Get your CLP, union or Labour Party branch to support this, and write to LAW, 11 Wilderton Road, LONDON N16, by 25 February, Islington.

The Party also took the initiative in launching a mobilising committee for a local Peace Canvass with other local parties, tenants' associations, trade unions, and CND.

So, an active campaigning party, which has worked hard to bring socialist ideas to the forefront of Islington politics, enjoyed massive electoral success in 1982, and is already preparing its campaign for the General Election, finds its very existence threatened by the decision of the NEC to proceed with expulsions which Conference never rocked "CALL off this whole squalid business' , said a letter on the witch-hunt JOHN HARRIS from Tony Benn to other members of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee, designed to be circulated before this Wednesday's NEC meeting.

But Labour Party chair Sam McCluskie refused to circulate the letter. agreed to. Most members The letter was meant to of the party recognise that go out with a questionnaire if the expulsions go ahead, sent by Benn to, and comthey could represent the pleted by, the five membeginning of a much wider bers of the Militant editorwitch-hunt against other ial board whose expulsion left activists. the NEC majority intends Last month we agreed to to decree on Wednesday. support the ad which will The completed questionappear in Tribune on naire is, in effect, in quesMarch 4: 'Should the NEC tion-and-answer form, a persist with disciplinary statement of the Militant measures or disaffiliation we give notice that we will EB members' case against not recognise any such the witch-hunt, and the letaction. We will not expel, ter sums up by pointing out nor recognise the expulsion that 'the present NEC... of any Labour Party mem- has spent more time on ber or group of members such diversionary attacks arising from political dis- than it has in preparing for agreement with the NEC" a Labour victory"

be the leader of the moderates.

Labour Party branches:

NEC:' enclosing £3.