Arafat or Kelly?
Socialist Organiser1984 1984-03-01Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 6 →
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THIS month the Labour Party's right wing in Glasgow has once again been in action over the election for Rector of Glasgow University.
The Labour Club at the University had decided to adopt as its candidate the current leader of the PLO Yasser Arafat -rather than the socialist journalist, John Pilger.
This came to the ears of Glasgow city's Labour Baron Lord Provost, Michael Kelly. Having missed the gravy train to Brussels by failing to get a EuroMP nomination, Kelly, whose term of office as Provost comes to an end this May, decided that he should be rector.
Labour Club members soon found themselves caught up in a Kafkaesque world of clandestine meetings with Kelly himself and his various assistants.
Kelly's propaganda machine then got into top gear. The Labour Club had to face a hysterical editorial in the Evening Times of February 22 and a vicious feature in the Glasgow Herald of the 25th.
At the Glasgow District meeting of Thursday 23rd, the Militant and the right wing clubbed together to vote down a motion supporting the Labour Club.
The Labour Club now needs support against this bullying onslaught.
The post of Rector is largely symbolic. However a sizeable vote for Arafat would be a blow for the Palestinians and for democracy in the labour movement.
Brent AT the AGM of Brent South Labour Party on Saturday 25th, Socialist Action supporters backed the nomination of John Godfrey as CLP Secretary.
Godfrey has been at the forefront of the local attempted witch-hunt on those who disrupted the Brent council meeting before Christmas. Previously, in his capacity as chair, he spoke and used his casting vote in support of a resolution condemning those who disrupted the meeting.