No change in sight as Labour's leadership plays musical chairs THE ELECTION defeat and its aftermath have clearly shown up the political and organisational weaknesses of the Labour left.
Kinnock and friends bent and broke every rule in the book to overtur democratic decisions they didn't like, to distance the Party. against the bosses and Tories, to dropal! socialist policies and to close down dis. sident parties.
All those who refused to go along with this were expelled. And all this in the name of 'making Labour electable, in which of course they failed.
While the blame for the election defeat rests fully with the Labour leadership, much of the left was not prepared to challenge them. They telt hat Kinnock should be given a chance, even if they agreed with left policies in their hearts. And many didn't want to be accused of having lost the election for 4. Labour.
Much of the left failed to seriously campaign against the witch hunt, or to Labour build a fight around alternative policies to those of the leadership in the run-up to the election. Such retreats mean the left is seriously weakened.
When the Campaign Group of Ml's decided decided no and Bemie Grant for the leadership, this was welcomed by activists as a sign that a left alternative was being put forward to the tweedledum and tweedledee contest. But the low level of support among MPs reflects the serious weakness of the Left.
While little support could be expected outside of the Campaign Group what was disturbing was the number of Left MPs who supported one or other candidate of the right. A left vote would have indicated their opposition to all those who talk of cutting the link be tween Labour and the unions and pacts with the Liberal Democrats.
But by voting for those that have sup ported Kinnock all down the line in recent years, they signalled that there was really nothing to worry about. Ken Livingstone's current support for Dryan Gould is to be regretted as a step backward from his decision to stand.
Finhting for a workers ,op--..
PHOTO: John Harts Gould has said he is for breaking the link with with the unions and in favour of pacts with the Liberals. He may not be quite so open about this in the run-up to the vote - but he shouldn't be iven any support by the let timate the weakness of the left outside parliament either, Party and the unions. Years of attacks on democracy, defeats and retreat to the right have taken their toll.
Unless the left begins to organise in a way it hasn't before, the right will consolidate its hold on the Party Smith. The haemorrhaging of activists seen in recent years will become a flood.
That's why the holding of the Leeds conference to relaunch the Labour Left is to be welcomed. It is a sign of a comganise its supporters in a way it hasn't But the years under Kinnock have shown that the left in the Labour Party can't isolate itself from the struggle in look back in wan ok back in us from the edge No ten winger. Bryan Godid the unions and around campaigns if it both in the Labour gained the upper hand cause it exploited the industrial defeats demoralisation at and the subsequent strengthening of the right in the unions. 'The fate of the Labour left does not rest just on its conduct of the internal fight in the Labour Party. It has to link under up with those organising in the unions and those campaigning against Tory attacks such as the latest anti-union laws and the Asvium Bill Stronger organisation of the Left Group to or ference is to be welcomed, effective it has to be committed to building a common movement with others outside the Party fighting for the same aims. No. 23 June 13, 1992 ture us u.. - 3000 degrees. As it continuea w New realism the the out of the Leeds con- Big
Having a laugh at workers' expense