IN WHAT was described by one participant as 'the Ascot of the left', 200 people met in Newcastle Saturday debate and discuss Labour left and the struggle for socialism'.
The main speakers included left Labour MP Stuart Holland, former MP Audrey Duncan Hallas of the Socialist Workers Party, Alan Freeman of the International Marxist Group, and Robin Blackburn, described himself as a 'socialist scribe' and a 'supporter of the IMG'.
The event was staged by Newcastle Socialist Centre, and its organisers strove hard to create an atmosphere seeking TO LECH than pulcincs ng differences. Many of the concurred with this approach.
'the Wise, who the agreement UYC.
speakers Take unity in Discussion here see no viable alternative.
in the Wise in encourage.
• struggle who have itself": AUDREY WISE: "The rank and file have always been on the losing end of the struggle in the Labour Party.' been drifting towards the Labour Party since the fall of the last Labour government, essentially because they It was such a movement which particular sought to "I am not saying it's ai easy road', she conceded, but argued that it did offer the prospect of 'class within the Labour Party the For some at the conference the admission that the Labour Party had class struggle within it, rather than being a weapon of class struggle, would have justified their scepticism about throwing in their lot with Wise, Holland and company - - never mind Callaghan, Healey and company. Particulariy when Wise agreed that, "There's never been a golden age in Labour Party, there's always CALLAGHAN: Coming under a lot of fire been struggle and the rank and file have always been on the losing end of that struggle:' Blanket To such Freeman replied that the strategy of the labour lett. was succeed, pull a your head'.
Despite the witticisms, or maybe capital Holland.
and Wise demand this country'.
Steel rights determine the veranty (Socialist Challenge)
far Newcastle GV Cookson themselyes for Photo:
longer afterwards that has done workers' action' Düncan Hallas admissions, Alan Freeman it at first vou blanket over Labour own existence, left-wing Wing Committee seriously consider eạch Benn, be : opening management. "I want a challenge to which powerful', said But on other issues both Holland were less receptive. For demand, fithe ephe to Four lers . that, Labour launch a campaign on Ireland which will sweep the length and breadth of The reaction of the Labour left to such calls for action - and there were others made by Hallas, Freeman and Blackburn around issues such as the steel strike, the cuts and women's will to large CALCI attitude mail. militants to that left debates like that il Newcastle are important, and it is good for all concerned that a rea dialogue is now taking place between sections of the Labour left and the left. It is also excellent that the desire for unity in _action found a concrete expression in support from HOOION suggestion ot a socialist afliance campaigning on different issues.
But such discussions and alliances can only go so far; they do not by provide instrument establishing national coordinated fightback against the Tory government; they • do not. solve the term question of how socialism can be established.
In answer to this latter question, Audrey Wise argued that 'one arm is one arm WOKGR action' - which brought a comment 'Parliament's nothing but strangle solution •came - the'building of 'an revolutionary party'; while advocated the dual approach of a united revolutionary organisation seeking affiliation to the Party but maintaining its and the building. of currents the Labour Party such as the Labour Coordinat It need hardly be said that the argument will continue, particularly at the 'debate of the decade' between Holland Wise Paul Foot, Tariq Ali, and Hilary Wainwright in London on 17 March. But if there is Blackburn called vision, endeavour', the most obvious place to start is on the steel picket lines.