Meacher does a swerve on polic

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A VERY dangerous situation is developing in Britain which I believe all genuine democrats must concern themselvAfter the Cowley 13 es with.

Clearly, the "blacklisting' witch-hunt, Eric Heffer of workers for their political MP, the Left's candidate opinions and who are engaged for leader of the Labour in trade union activity is on Party, warns the labour the increase, and the high movement against creeplevels of unemployment are ing McCarthyism in being deliberately used to try Britain to weaken and ultimately destroy trade union shop floor organisation.

The campaign in certain organs of the press, based or also seen other shop stewards he action of the BL manage. (not members of the Communist ment, supported by some engin- Party or of any other left wing eering and other employers' group) but because they were organisations, against the so- active trade unionists, dismissed called "left wing moles" in from employment. industry, is clearly not only The dangerous atmosphere is concerned with whether some being created in Britain, in all people filled in their application honesty not yet as advanced as forms correctly, but is designed in'the USA in the 1950's, of the to frighten off workers from need for a witch-hunt against being shop stewards and trade so-called "Reds" similar to that union representatives at their which took place in the USA place of work. The question has after the Second World War, to be asked where will it end? developed and supported by Over the years we have seen Richard Nixon and Senator the Communist Derek Robinson McCarthy where scapegoats dismissed from his job. We have were required, and which I ent believe was the reason for the judicial murder of the Rosenbergs.

Certainly we in Britain have not got to that stage yet, but the danger signs are there and this is the time for all true democrats to say enough is enough before it is too late and the atmosphere develops into one of hysteria.

The latest episode is of course the further attempts by some newspapers to undermine the Labour Party by such stories as 1,000 moles within the Party. These no doubt in addition to the supporters of the paper, Militant.

I note that some of the most right-wing reactionary newspapers have editorials concerning themselves with the health of the Party, the same newspapers, incidentally, which at no time ever supported Labour when Clem Attlee, Hugh Gaitskell, Harold Wilson or Jim Callaghan were leaders. They have always been anti-Labour in their policies and they will continue to be so.

As a socialist all my adult life, over the years I have read in certain newspapers that the Labour Party was being infiltrated, that the CLPs were Communist-dominated, or Trotskyist influenced, and that a take-over was about to take place. argue their case. Sometimes their arguments win the majority support, usually they do not. The real point is that it is our tradition to have varying groups and journals and it is a tradition that is at the heart of British democracy. If that is destroyed or undermined then we are moving increasingly towards the authoritarianism which George Orwell wrote about in his book '1984" Orwell believed in genuine workers' democracy and it is a view I also hold, and anything that tries to undermine it must be strongly resisted.

SOCIALISTS for a Labour Victory will be producing an alternative Labour Party Annual Conference Diary.

We are doing this because many organisations will be proscribed from the party's official diary because they have chosen not to register with the NEC or they would not be accepted onto the register.

We support the actions of those organisations that have refused to register for registration shows acquiescence with the witch-hunt being pursued by the NEC.

We deplore the action of the NEC in producing an incomplete and censored diary in this way.

Any organisation that would like their fringe meeting listed in the SLV Alternative Diary for Brighton should send the details to me. (Contact: ANDY HARRIS, Joint Secretary SLV, 28 Middle Lane, London N8. YOU WOULD have thought the June 9 election result w sufficient proof of the usel ness of the spirit of fudge mudge. But for some on Left, it seems, no lesson is matic enough.

Michael Meacher, the le wing candidate for deputy les er of the Labour Party, is bu ing aigut to present himself ar suitable partner for Neil ('T Royal Family is safe with n but the guillotine for Militan Kinnock. • He has gone out of his w to stress his 'broad agreeme with Kinnock. Such little mi ters as Kinnock's enthusias support for the witch-hunt, a his opposition to restoring To cuts, need cause no trouble t tween friends.

Distanced

• Meacher has distanced hi self from the campaign to rei state the five Militant editor board members expelled Labour's National "Executi Committee, saying that thinks the expulsion was wro but it would be unnecessar disruptive to push for reinstal ment now.

It is not clear where this wou leave the local Labour parties Islington South and Hammr smith — now under threat NEC disciplinary action for 1 fusing to implement the expi sions for the Militant EB mer bers in their areas.

Swerve

• Meacher has also done swerve on the issue of unilate nuclear disarmament. He si this week that he would be i inst a future Labour gove ment implementing this pol without first calling a ref endum.

Meacher still has to be si ported in the ballot. Better weak-kneed left-winger than hard-faced right-winger. But ! latest moves underline the ne to organise the most vigoro campaign possible for E Heffer, as the only candidate the leader/deputy-leader el tion offering any sort of cle break from the Foot-Callaghe Wilson lineage.