[UN AMONG the piles of leaflets and hand-outs…]

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UN AMONG the piles of leaflets and hand-outs at Labour Parwe stand ty conference this year, there is a new daily bulletin in the name of 'Labour Briefing'. Thereby hangs a sad Action turned up in force -proposed that Briefing produce a daily bulletin at Labour Party conference. Socialist Action had all the technical requirements in hand, assured the meeting. They would even have 'a word-processor and an electrostencil machine in Brighton.

In short, Socialist Action had made the preparations to produce a bulletin, and now wanted the Briefing imprint for it.

The meeting was favourable to a Briefing bulletin: But several comrades - including the people who most of the work producing London Briefing _ were worried at the idea of Briefing thus being 'co-opted' by Socialist Action and appearing in opposition to the established Socialist Organiser bulletin.

So it was decided that Briefing would seek to produce a bulletin in association with Socialist Organiser. proposal that the Briefing bulletin should not go ahead if terms could not be agreed SO was lost by vote. Two editors were elected for the Briefing bulletin -Sarah Roelofs, an invariable supporter of Socialist Action, and Jane Stockton, a central person in London Briefing.

The next week was.a vivid illustration of what Socialist Action mean when they talk about unity. SO proposed a bulletin carrying both Briefing and SO imprints. The central London Briefing people wanted more prominence for the Briefing Party Fighti policiesi!

Stoke. Coniact Paul Barnett 151 Broadway, Meir, Stoke, on Trent (328198).

YORKSHIRE AND NORTH-EAST Huddersfield. Contact Alan Brooke, 59 Magdale, Honley, Huddersfield HD7 2LX.

Harrogate. Meets every other Sunday evening. Contact Mark Osborn, 522542. SO is sold outside the market, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday lunchtime.

York. Contact 414118 (98 Hull St). SO is sold at Coney St on Saturday morning, at the Community Bookshop, outside the dole office most mornings, and at the University on Friday mornings.

Sheffield. SO is sold outside Boots in Fargate (Saturday 12 to 1) and at the Independent Bookshop, Glossop Rd. Contact Rob, 589307.

Durham. SO is sold at the Community Co-op, New Elvet. Contact Andy, 64088. Sunderland. Contact c/o Durham. imprint - which we conceded'- but agreed. Socialist • Action refused.

It was deadlock. And, of course, deadlock was just fine for Socialist Action. All they had to do now was to stall to prevent a joint bulletin, and - if the Briefing team would go along with them - they would get what they wanted.

Thus the extra bulletin. In a sense, we've got the least to complain about in this affair. We've lost nothing but the time and nervous energy consumed in the fruitless negotiations.

Comrades around the various Briefings who have given credit to Socialist Action's talk of unity have, however, reason to be bitter. They ended up being hi-jacked. And worse: in the first two days of conference, despite the much-vaunted Socialist Action technologs tate appearing and illegible or barely legible.

The serious supporters of Socialist Action should also have reason to be bitter. SA sacrificed the opportunity to put across its own politics clearly to the conference in favour of an attempt to pretend to be the great unityorganisers of the Left... and, behind that hypocritical facade, to pursue narrow factional self-interest with the blinkered,, holier-than-thou single-mindedness of inveterate sectarians.

The pretence seems to have backfired in its purpose of insinuating Socialist Action into a central position within the Labour Left: many people are now aware that the whole exereise had little to do with honest unity, much more to do with -factional manoeuvre. MANY OF the delegates applauding Neil Kinnock as he made his victory speech must have been clapping extra loud to drown their doubts and their memories of Kinnock's record.

But from all the crowds of leafletters outside the conference centre next day, there was-only one voice to remind them of those doubts. 'Is everyone happy?", , asked the Socialist Organiser bulletin. "We're not".

Some half-a-dozen Socialist Organiser supporters are delegates, and one of them, Colin Johnston from Wallasey, moved the important composite opposing further expulsions.

But the main activity of Socialist Organiser -, like much of what's most interes ting at the bonference altogether - is on the fringes. Each day we produce a bulletin reviewing the day's agenda, Ieporting on the previous day, and commenting.:

We sell the Dapex, try to introdúce Socialist Organiser to delegates and visitors who won't have come across us before, and organise meetings. This year Socialist Organiser had a fringe meeting on Labour Party workplace branches, as well as helping to organise a Socialists for a Labour Victory meeting with Ken Loach on 'Questions of Leadership', • and others. for ten.

From: N.Barstow, 165 Liverpool Road, London N1. Cheques payable to N. Barstow.

TOWER Hamlets Associa-

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How to fight Thezor Where as we stand ORGANISER for

Organiser SO badges 25p each, or £2