Miner's plea

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I am 62 in a few weeks'time. and I feel rather sad, When I look at this crisis world, I'm sure we've all gone Filthy lucre is the God ruling our Universe. Wealth should be a blessing, but it's turned into a curse.

The leaders we've elected to rule this world in peace Keep us all on tenterhooks, their wranglings never ceas Two world wars and millions dead is not enough, they think How can we blame the young ones who rely on drugs or We have Reagan in the White House, Thatcher in No. Andropov is in the Kremlin, icader of his billion men Castro is in Cuba, Mitterrand he is in France. The heads of state everywhere have their own war dance.

Take Britain, look around, see what's happened here Four million people unemployed, the workers live in fear Redundancy is on their mind every working day They dread to see their P45 each time they draw their pa Tebbit's advice to the unemployed is, Get on your bike, Riots in our inner cities, men die on hunger strike. Nobody worries the Tory gang, not even the CND, The police shoot innocent people. Is this a democracy? The employers and the unions are now ruled by Whiteha Maggie's team has faced the unions' power and she has t Even the militant NUM retreated from the test She's convinced, she says in husky tones, Victoria's days Please God I'll see a changing world before the day I die To konnie, Maggie, all the hypocrites, let us say goodbye Nuclear power and bombs should vanish, sabre-rattling m Deterrents no longer needed, the world will live in peace.

Could be spent much more wisely on food, homes and he The common man's voice must be heard to speak in every squib has a nasty habit of staying alight and disturbing those who chose to ignore or manipulate historical fact?

The LCC AGM was an unremarkable affair. Much time was taken up discussing what had already become the 'red herring' of the register (as opposed to the serious issue of expulsions about which the ILP has never equivocated), rather than important areas of policy, The ILP had tabled two such motions. One, on a cuts strategy for local government, was allotted a totally inadequate five minute slot at the end of the meeting. The other, opposing the Tory Youth Training Scheme and raising a major issue on which the left should be campaigning, was not even reached.

As for who voted whom, on what ... ILP indicates that he considers the number of some significance and is incapable of understanding those who vote according to the logic of their own position rather than in support or opposition of one guru or another..

We 'are concerned with the issue under discussion, not looking round to see who puts their hand up with us. We voted against compromise with the present Labour leadership, which the amendment called for, because we are opposed to such a surrender. If others, including John Bloxam, choose to vote with us, we would hardly suggest a 'grouping', would you?

Less laughable is John's accusation that my letter is 'blatantly dishonest' . What exactly is he suggesting?

My point on the LCC Executive was that voting patterns both for the executive and on the issue of the As for Audrey Wise's position: if John was aware of her inability to attend executive meetings, then he was privy to information not available to the executive itself, for she had never raised the matter there. It may well be that John Bloxam is aware of more LCC executive goings on than are its members.

Certainly the lone ILP representative was intrigued to find himself part of a grouping. He has always pursued an independent line based on ILP perspective which differs both from the ultra-left posturing of Socialist Organiser and the left reformism of many in the LCC.

But it does seem that being on the 'right' side is something of a paranoia on the 'left' • Though unity on the left is important, surely what you are united about is paramount.

Back in the days of the drink?

them all, best.

cease, The arms race wealth, land Advising the leaders how understand We're all members of the brains, Please let us live in should be abolished, then every nation's to behave and make them human race, with a heart, harmony as long as this world remains. Danny Hampsey, Yorkshire NUM