Discussing how to increase Labour involvement in anti-racist fight.
Labour Party activists from a number of branches throughout London met on December 17 to discuss organising opposition to the Tories' new racist nationality proposals.
The meeting was called by Labour members involved in the Campaign Against Racist Laws (CARL), which has been spearheading action against racist immigration controls over the past year.
The letter which went out to London Labour Partv branches advertising the meeting, was also signed by Black and other part! member noted in an FIGHT-BACK 7. A.!. t chaired the meeting. CARL acting secretary and Finchley CLf member Mike Rodne: explained the develos.
signed io neep Blacks our of the The new proposals, he said, will affect millions of Blacks both here and abroad.
Bob Swart, secretary of South London CARL and a member of Streatham CLP, pointed to the ngat-back going on agamnst lacist attacks. The highpoint of this was on November 25, 1979, when 20,000 people - mainly Black workers - took to the streets in a CARL march acainst attempts to tighten immigration curbs.
While this demonstration had succeeded in mobilising Blacks, however, Swart went on, the labour movement as a whole had not taken up the struggle. without suen m volvement, the attacks canno: be detested ne: che baboo: moremer:
UNTI The meeting discussed specific means by which the Labour Party scult he surred awards and mobitionality proposals. Circulating CARL's newsletter "Here to Stay" and putting out a Labour newsletter explaine une issues al stake welc some of the ways proposed.
Most importantly, the meeting adopted a statement outlining the way forward. through examples of the increasing attacks on Black people and the growing resistance that is developing. It went on to explain that "there has been a lack of involvement in this crucial area by much of the labour movement... Thi situation needs to be changed..."
Rees/Socialist Acton It argued that "if the Labour Party cannot defend the most disadvantaged sections of working people, it will not be able to defend any working people from the Tories' attacks on our democratic and human rights, wages and living conantions.
"Racist sentiments would continue to be fostered and wreck the abilitv of the labour movement to organise the strongest possible fight-back against all attacks on working people. We cannot allow any section of our class to be PROPOSALS Calling on the Labour Party to fight the nationality proposals, the statement indicated how this can be done:
CARL and other ing against racist immigration controls to party meetings; affiliating to and sending representatives to CARL; passing resolutions agalnsi the new proposals and supporting the national demonstration late:
ists around the struggle against the proposals.
such aims should contact Bob ine la- Swart, c: o Lansbury House, 41 Camberwell Grove, London SE 5.
Continued from Page 1 identifiable minority ne statement went Grant labour".
FIGHT-BACK pino workers. inviting speakers from groups campaignRudy Narayan creak LABOUR All those interested in supporting ... defend black rights