ways This year's Conference of the National Union of Journalists was the first presided over by its new right wing General secretary Steve Turner.
He believes that the union executive. is dominated by a far left conspiracy.
On policy, however, the conference was a mixed affair for the left, condemning the Gulf War and the conduct of the Western powers in its aftermath, but rejecting calls for British withdrawal from Ireland. Supporters of the NUJ Left were successful in union elections, and won support for industrial action against union derecognition.
One bizarre incident pefhaps sums up the contradictory nature of the event: a British Army recruitment stall was established outside the conference hall, neatly sandwiched between the SWP and Pergamon Press strikers. Perhaps they had been encouraged by the servility of so many joumalists during the Gulf conflict? AS WE ARE bombarded by media images of the African famine, one of the major causes of this disaster - the debt burden on the countries concerned - is scarcely mentioned. Our response to this situation - and the only one which will have a long term effect - must be 'Solidarity not Charity'.