complete with NHS Trusts and the imposition of a purchaser-provider split, could also prove controversial. Key fringe meetings for the left will include:
• Socialist Policies for a ployed. Labour Government - Monday, 7.00pm.
• Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Rights -Tuesday 6.00pm • Campaign Group Rally - Tuesday 7.00pm • NHS campaigns -Wednesday, 6.00pm • FACE -Wednesday, 9.00pm • Socialist Campaign • Group Network - Thursday. 7.00pm.
Details of speakers and venues, with a day-to-day guide to debates and events will be published in the Daily Bulletin of the Socialist Campaign Group Network. THE COMMENTS from Shadow Home Secretary Jack Straw on how Labour would deal with "aggressive begging" and "squeegee merchants" is the latest in a long line of attempts by Labour politicians to steal the Tories' political clothes and outdo their attacks on the homeless and unemNeither on Straw's speech. nor in Labour's policy papers on housing are the causes of rising homelessness analysed. never mind addressed.
Labour's role in goververy same groups. ment is to apply a few sucking plasters over the worst signs of decay in society - in case such unpleasantness offends those Labour's front bench BIaNS New Labour 15 Interested in home owners and whose feelings and rights it is Straw's 'answers' combine lives as possible: this includes having the right to drink openly. But we also have to go beyond this and demand the right for permanent, secure. cheap housing for all - not assume that there is a category of people (the homeless) who from the rest of us, and for whom second-class accommodation will do. The big stick of increased police powers to keep "these people off the streets is a faFollowing Tories: Straw miliar continuation of Labour's right wing law and science of his middle class order theme. audience and the stick to pan. Similar policies applied in der and feed the fears of decay the USA have led to a massive and lawlessness among these increase in imprisonment -and a jail population of more At first glance the carrot than 1.5 million. seems something that should be Jack Straw clearly does not welcomed -the idea of opening agree with The Big Issue. more 'wet" hostels - where chi- which points out that the ents are allowed to drink. streets belong both to the housed and the unhoused. Better It used to be Tory MPs who Certainly socialists should had to be challenged to try be arguing for more and better living and surviving on benefit: but Straw and his Labour colleagers clearly have bo fight strongly for the right of those living in hostels to take more idea than the Tories of the as much control over their misery of being unemployed or homeless, let alone both. SPEAKERS CONFIRMED INCLUDE: Robin Blackburn, Mildred Gordon MP, Jeanette Habel, Duncan Hallas, Alan Thornett NOTE NEW VENUE: PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU. Charlie van Gelderen, Conference Centre, Congress House, Great Russell St. WC1 Doors: 6.30pm for start at 7.00pm sharp. Tickets: £3 from 'Ernes! Mandel Memorial Fund', International Symposium Saturday 14 October 1.00pm-6.00pm ULU, Malet Street, London WC1. Includes first showing of Tariq Ali's biographical film of Ernest Mandel. Tickets E7 (E3.50 UB40/NUS). For more details, 'phone: 0181 800 7460.
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 90 September 23 1995, Page 4.
Memorial Rally Tariq Ali, Alain Krivine,
LABOUR '95 7pm Friday 13 October