confront the union and in doing so to confront directly the central problem of the crisis of working class leadership.
What we must now ourselves to, therefore, question of resolving the problem of
inadequate representation Trade Union women at Women's Conference which, though increasingly recognised by Constituency Labour women, has tended only formally raised at Conference right wing union bureaucrats using it as a tactic to attack the demand for Labour Women's Conference given political power within the Party (e.g. the right to send resolutions to Labour Party Conterence, to elect the 5 women's places on the NEC, etc.).
The process of seeking to resolve this problem will inevitably lead to Labour women having to confront, some of them for the first time, the struggle for union democracy (including of course the fight for appropriate measures and structures to ensure proper representation for women within unions) in attempt to avoid simply bringing into Labour Women's Conference bureaucratically controlled block vote as it currently operates at Labour Party Conference.
If greater representation for the unions is secured in some form would seem inevitable in the next few years if we are to avoid the unions pulling out altogether - then in order to ensure that Conference maintains its commitment current radical policies, policies will first have to be fought for and won within the unions. It is almost inevitable that during this process, a shift to the right in Labour Women's Conference will However maintaining olicies should not be seen as the primary goal.
It should, after all, be remembered that nearly every resolution we pass - most immediately concerning the ownership of industry, the minimum wage, working conditions, pay, etc. should we win them through Annual Conference, with its block vote, will ultimately only be brought into effect and remain effective as a result of the practical mobilisation of the working class — i.e. industrial action. being forced to win these policies at Labour Women's Conference through winning support within the unions rather than through bypassing them, really means being forced to take up the battles organisations that will really count.
bureaucracies, address is the of Labour — a problem be to by to be the right an the union - as By JENNY FISHER to its these LABOUR Left Co-ordination is dead - Long Live Labour Left Co-ordination. - long live Labour Left Liaison, as he newly empowered Crown occur. Princes see it radical co-ordination, and instituted the liaison? And, does it matter? consequences will be felt in the labour those movement for many months to come. As NHS, public for how it happened, let us begin at the beginning. equal umbrella body, unity in action between various campaigns and journals on the left. Its strength lay in will only the way it was able to unite such bodies identify the journals and pressure groups Thus that were covering the same ground as the international various autonomous organisations of the specially oppressed, and to initiate the liaison and co-operation that campaigning work by prior organisation and support. the in Socialist Viewpoint No. 13 July 1986 p23
"No, it's Labour Left Liaison, Neil, not Larry's Left Liaison..." A Labour Left byany other name... or, rather, It develop programme What is it then, which has torn apart the single participants around Well, it does matter very much, for the didn't make have been You will remember that the LLC was an various seeking to co-ordinate most participants. different around practical initiatives; to and campaigns activity Conference; would strengthen eradicate not joined The political basis of involvement in LLC was clear enough: it combined all
those who were continuing to support the kind of left policies the Labour Party leadership were moving away from -those who were to be the target, directly or by implication, of Kinnock's speech at 1985 Annual Conference in Bournemouth.
The political limitations were also clear. well no be pose
comprehensive of platform, because the issue campaigns amongst its brought together activists those issues who would not necessarily agree on political questions outside those issues and which, therefore,
such policy. Any kind of "programme" for LIC would have had to
thrashed out between the left publications, and carried through on the basis of mass abstention by
Still, single issue campaigns can - and did - support initiatives which advance the cause of those Kinnock wishes to drive out the Party; and some of LLC's achievements are listed in the statement printed with this article.
LLC's highpoint in terms of successful
came at the Bournemouth and the campaign to it began shortly after.i Supporters of Socialist Action, who hadi
Tin activity with LIC at' Bournemouth, now arrived - with their
suitcases and their Youth Paper.
One of their first actions was to suggest, nay demand, that they have a place on the
Ta small band of comrades responsible for sending out the agendas of meetings and to whom the performance of certain tasks arising from the meetings, such as sending out agreed press releases
Brooms for meetings, delegated. The "functionary" nature of the Secretariat was explained: no matter,
Tit would be wrong to exclude them politically.
It was pointed out that the Secretariat representative to the meetings, so they could see the nature of its work and how it participating organisations present. complaints about the Secretariat were not envelopes in a politically different way; but were made because they
different kind
They wanted to see the existence of a grouping on the left which would attack
Cof Kinnockism SA thought best. Respecting the autonomy of single issue campaigns or
subjugated to political agreement first on strategy and tactics on where the lett as a whole should be going. The quest for unity
Othe need for organisations involved in such activity at the same time not to compromise their own political identity or programme is sacriticed to the alternative goal of carving out a distinct political niche, organising initiatives on the basis of that
If SA had just wanted to establish coordination with other forces on this narrow political basis, fair enough. The problem ies in the fact that they smashed LL in the process. Either they felt their grouping should exist rather than LLC; or they felt the only way of establishing their grouping • was by metamorphising LLC - and hang
Cof killing it off. Either way, it is a cynical opportunist way of getting your own politics across at the expense of any other necessary political
The method used by SA is also worth commenting on: for it is one of the oldest sectarian tricks in the book and one which will be depressingly all too familiar a memory of the past to many supporters of Socialist Viewpoint. It relies upon identifying those you want to make into your allies; nagging at them that there is a conspiracy to silence your/their views; mentioning the word "democracy" many times... until you have whipped up enough people into believing that there is a conspiracy so that they don't look at the facts and draw conclusions from them any more, but will bend any facts to fit the conspiracy theory. As the victim of this
method, you may produce facts to prove your innocence till you're blue in the face; all you are doing is adding to the weight of
evidence against you, for the conspiracy
theory is always there first.
So, May 31 was the last LLC meeting.
CLPD had presented a paper, hailed by
SA as a more democratic structure for LLC, because the Steering Committee was represented "big forces"; regardless of the fact that, by the inclusion of SA, Socialist Organiser and one seat for Briefing on that Steering Committee chosen on a specific political basis. It also ignores the fact that when you appoint a Steering on a political basis so that that Steering participating organisations, removing power from the hands of the
attended by all participat
Even affect "th for mont! the work in nut
away from campaigning for the sacked and jailed only); the Labour Committee on Ireland (where their representation, mainly newlyjoined to the Committee, voted to dilute incidentally, blocked with the soft left Labour Co-ordinating Committee to stop LCI affiliating to LL); and the National
consistently been arguing for the Conference to be a one-off ... The undersigned delegates observers to the Labour ordination regret its winding up as an umbrella organisation for the left campaigns and tendencies in
In its one year of existence the LLC was able to co-ordinate united activity and campaigning around a number of vital issues: in support of the debate on lesbian and gay rights at "85 annual conference; supporting positive action women and Black people in the Party; opposition to the witch-hunt; a joint bulletin at annual Confegine nd oint ten winess
All these activities were made possible by the goodwill of its par. ticipants and their preparedness to act on a consensus basis as equal participating organisations. Untortunately a minority of organisa-
- Socialist Action, WAC. CLPD - insisted that the LIC could not proceed unless it changed its basis into a two tier structure with
organisations comprising a steering group and organisations relegated to a subordinate role. The composition of this steering group was arbitrarily con-
Wto include some campaigns and tendencies but to exclude others. As no consensus could
Socialist Viewpoint No. 13 July 1986 p24
campaign — whilst one of the first tasks of the new Labour Left Liaison has been to lay the ground for the kind of national campaign against the witch hunt which will campaign selectively, and under the control of SA).
Perhaps the clearest example of SA's political direction at the moment on the question of challenging Kinnock. There was disagreement in LLC as to whether it was tactically wise to challenge Kinnock at 1986 Party Conference: but SA stood out in being against any challenge to Kinnock in the forseeable future. It is quite clear
necessary to back political views.
however, just whether to challenge Kinnock as leader: but also, how to challenge Kinnock's political drift
SA have made clear what they intend to do.
The LLC made an approach to the Campaign Group of Labour MPs earlier this year, with the idea of co-operating in some form of regular communication with CLPs. At the time, the Campaign Group Were sign franchise to any let paper, after getting their tingers burnt on the Herald issue: Socialist Action had alsc made clear that should the Campaign
they would stop publishing Socialist Action, in favour of selling that be found for resolving this difference, all organisations of the LIC agreed on its dissolution.
For our part we remain convinced of the necessity for left unity and co-operation wherever and whenever possible. We will continue to work with others on the left around definite objectives and issues, particularly around opposition to the witch hunt. We would urge all the campaigns and tendencies on the left to continue such co-operation through democratic and non-exclusive Davy Jones, former LLC Secretar Walter Woolfgang*, Labour CNI observer Nadine Finch, Target Labour Government Theresa Conway*, ICLGF delegate Jeremy Corbyn*, Campaign Group of MPs observer Narendia Ma deleg, Target Labou -Anita Patel*, Black Section delegate Basil Hinton*, LCI observe Steph Grant*, Labour Women fo Ireland delegate Jane Prust, Labour Briefing Jane Kelly, International Jenny Fisher, Socialist Viewpoint *in a personal capacity
conducting a feasibility study, SA Vladimir Derer of CLPD (in a personal capacity approached the Group with a feasibility study for a paper - which they took some mention to others in the LLC, and which resulted in Campaign Group News.
Campaign Group News is continuing production, still with the heavy support and involvement of the two who made the initial approach — at the expense of any united left involvement with the Campaign Group. Further to this, the Guardian has now reported (June 17) a new umbrella group being set up -Campaign Group, the forces in SA's new Liaison Committee - and the Labour Left Co-ordinating Committee. Its projects will include continuing and expanding paper, and various other activities.
SA is clearly taking the organisational steps necessary to back up their political views — and to make sure any opposition to Kinnock is wiped right off the agenda. Any forces supporting SA's new venture
- in any of its various wings and guises — should be clear about the nature of the project: it will involve any challenge to Kinnock, or Kinnockism being on the basis of SA's political views. That is what they mean by "a more democratic way of operating" Is this really the best way forward for those Kinnock attacked at Bournemouth, and whom he is now trying to throw out of the Party? Friday May 23 SO what was special about Meete and or one cal complement may well ask.
It was the great day in the city when Lloyds celebrated its last hours in its old premises before the move to its bizarre new headquarters. And, in expectațion, you could hardly cross a road without bumping into a television crew.
Strangely, however, nothing whatever appeared on the screens about it, nor was there even a line in the Financial Times to mark the event. Why was this? One curious trade unionist rang up a friend who works in the area and asked if the whole thing had been a flop. Not so. Very much the reverse: the event had been one which put the football hooligans in the shade!
There were city gents (and almost everyone in the city,
Tand Campaign steps to not
F11/01/1111 LOOK NANCY! JUST UKE IN THE MOVIES... between the
Othe THE 5th European Nuclear Disarmament Convention was rather smaller - 650 participants from 38 different countries - than previous City lets it all hang out
except the lowest orders, is a gent) literally lying drunk in the public gutters. Others were their shirts, panties and tights. Underwriters were squirting paints; more were letting off fireworks, mainly in a horizontal units). a balcony by some other gents; and sundry others wiled away a assaulting women in public places. not going to build. If - even at this distance in time - you can detect the rustle of the crisp and crinklies as they pass from hand a very good guess as to why the media were totally mute over such a great day for the city.
END Convention
participants. parading around dressed solely in anyone and everyone with aerosol direction (which resulted in some new business for hospital accident
One gent was dropped 30tt trom
years. few hours sexually harassing and
Of course enough "champers" was flowing to float several of the ships that British Shipbuilders are to hand, you have probably made Socialist Viewpoint No. 13 July 1986 p25
Conventions.
It was planned that way -mainly because of the weakness of the French CODENE Peace Movement, which has been attacked by both the French Socialist and Communist Parties. who argue for the French independent nuclear "deterrents".
At the same time there are no US bases or prospective Cruise or Trident missiles in France, protests against which have led to the mass Peace Movements growing elsewhere in Western Europe.
The main theme of the Conference was supposed to be 'European security "'and Europeanisation. What this mean: was not clear to our corespondent DAVE SPENCER, or to most other
One basic argument seemed to be that we should use our influence with our "partners" in the socialist Parties and Trade Unions to make Europe independent from the USA. to undermine NATO and the EEC from within, as it were.
Most activists seemed utterly bewildered by this argument, however, since it flies in the face of their experience over the last five
The crucial point is not to put faith in our "partners" in government or in ruling positions, but to put so much pressure on them by extra-parliamentary activity, that they are forced to carry out their promises.
This is particularly the case with the British Labour Party coming up to a General Election.
However, much useful and important information came to light during the Convention itself: a number of the key issues are summarised in Dave's