The other chap's point of view Press FINANCIAL TIMES Gang By Patrick Spilling

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TROOPS OUT NOW!

Join the Labour Committee on Ireland.

In a speech where Mr Steel has elevated himself above narrow. party intcrests to the ranks of a statesman, he called on delegates to shake off the shackles of the past.

"There are people who. come here year after year" Mr Steel said, "and pass fine-sounding resolutions about civil liberties, united Irelands, and experiments on animals. We can no longer afford the luxury of passing policies just because a majority of you happen to believe in them." ... 30A21 Mr Steel attacked constituency members for expecting their opinions to count at national Icvel. He said: "I always think that one of the greatest of all the Liberal virtues is a toleration for the other chap's point of vicw. In BM Box 5355, London WCIN 3XX this case it is the other chap's point of view that is going to be party policy:"

Dr. David Owen, seated in the shadows at the side of the hall, cheered in approval.

Mr Steel faced up directly to the fear that many Liberal Constituency Parties have that their SDP counterparts are a bunch of right wing fanatics who would have flocked to join Mussolini if they had been born in the right period.

He told them joint selection would mean Liberals vetoing one crypto-fascist after another, and that this could undo all the good work he has done in building up rapport with their leader.

Asked after the conference what he thought about Liberal calls to scrap Cruise missiles, abolish class distinction .by abolishing executive toilets, and giving all animals the right to vote in local government elections, Mr Steel said "It is a firm principle of Liberal membership to let the members have their little votes. That is something the SDP leadership and I are agreed on."

Some commentators said that the fact that Mr Steel's standing ovation only lasted 35 minutes against a high of 37 minutes 42 seconds in 1982 meant opposition in the party was hardening.

However a motion calling for more public accountability by the leadership which was discussed in closed session - closed, that is, to the delegates - was said by astute Liberal watchers to have been defeated. Mr Cyril Smith vanished from the Party Presidium, leading to speculation that he was out of favour.

Mr Owen addressed the Assembly and. was also treated to a standing ovation. He said he hadn't left the Labour Party to get caught up in another organisation where rank and file members expected to act like dictators against the MPs who alone had the elevation to decide what the mood of the nation was.

He pointed to the difference between the two parties on report today that he called Mr Michael Meacher "a gutless bastard who isn't fit to lick the shoes of Mr Hattersley."

Mi Kinnock complained that an article in the Mail on Sunday distorted his views: "What I clearly said was that some people might say that Mr Meacher is a gutless bastard who isn't fit to lick the shoes of Mr Hattersley."

He said: "Anyway, I thought the interview I was having with Jilly Cooper was for Tatler sundays, not for the Mail on In the interview Mr Kinnock allegedly said that Roy was a good bloke who would strengthen his hand against the left. He said yesterday that his remarks had been misinterpreted. "I never called Tony Benn a lunatic extremist. I merely said that some sane and honest people honestly believe he is/a lunatic extremist. Personally ! don't mind if my deputy is that nice chap Roy, or that gutless bastard Meacher."

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Socialist Organiser, 29 September 1983, Page