Last week we explained the impasse faced by PLP-based left. It tries to base itself on constituency activists, who are the weakest section in inner party struggles. headlong into block vote. It is forced into compromises by the which leaves the right wing a free hand.
The left can only break out by linking up with the trade union rank and file, in a struggle which is directed only right Parliamentary Labour Party but also against the trade union bureaucracy. This is what the NEC lefts, including Benn, refuse to do: which is why the 31 May conference will confine itself to tine woras without any acuon.
But does this mean Party should be ignored? It is in deep crisis. A far-reaching debate on policy and democracy is going on. fects is this having? Will new currents emerge which can break out of the old impasse? trade union bureaucracy, the the Labour What aftime the But this time much room for Cass Committee this ExtracuncomLabour Sirs and revolutionary partially Labour left join in.
Labour Party Ordinary Labour want to ghetto in which the prisoned them.
hundred attending 1ctoir, conceite in the A SPECIAL Labour Party conference will will be calling on the party to make a commitment to build and support mass action to get rid of the Tories.
Socialist Challenge also supports the ordinating Committee that direct links weaken the hold of the Labour right action, in the unions and ensure that the To do this we need to link up with activists who prepared to back us. A mood exists in the constituencies for such a link-up paigns, Party break out of the electoral the PLP has imThey want to see a That is why the initial meetings of the Labour Co-ordinating Committee have been so successful, with several each successive policies, The LCC was the only left current that committed itself to some form of between however limited. Its draft policy statement opens:
are committed to fostering rank and file action throughout the Labour movement, believing that it is primarily through local CLP shopfloor struggles, mobilisation of working people that a movement can be created to through the necessary changes.' We believe that this declaration expresses a widespread desire in the united action by the unions and the Party, against the Tories and all their which should be positive form. That is why we support the call for a lobby of 31 May, for a trade union conference to follow, and the Labour union activists should be encouraged to plan direct action.
In the second of two articles, ALAN FREEMAN looks at why we argue for links between trade unionists and Labour Party activists despite the limitations of even the 'left' leaders of the Labour Party. anti-racist These gle.
Party and trade working class chance. Force commit itself.
mand groups cuts. affiliated the block would place our ment.
Party.
That is righis, and the cras. Councils have •begun to organise or release their employees to take part in anti-Tory The Labour Party has taken initiatives to identify with political mass called November anti-cuts demo. It backs • aemos and is callng an anti-war march in June. Callaghan was even forced to come out in support of the 14 May day of action.
moves must be welcomed They add vital new forces to the strug Millions of Labour supporters can be won to take part in actions where they would otherwise hesitate But a simple question arises. Why wait for such developments?
The Labour Party commands the support of the unions. It is the only party able to forn governments or council administrations. Its presence in struggle, when that happens, gives an enormous added boost. It is wrong to leave this to say that trades unionists should fight for the Labour Party to We should use our right to send delegates to local party bodies to force it to put resource: behind our struggles. We should de that council Labour refuse to collaborate should fight non unions, like NUT anc NALGO, to affiliate to raise the same demands. We should fight to control vote, paid for by political levies and abused by our leaders without a thought for the rights or needs of their members.
Above all we should demand that the Labour Party come off the fence and jourf in a united mass movement to kick the Tories out now, without waiting until it is too late What do the rest of the left say and how do we view it? Of course there are dangers. If we give unconditional support to Labour, and simply become embroiled in a purely internal struggle to change the party.
future struggles at the mercy of the PLP once more.
We would lose vital weapons -our ability to determine the demands of the struggle and to impose them on the leaders. We would lay the ground for another social contract governThat is why the fight to discipline the Labour Party must begin from the organisation of the trade union rank must be go com promise for the sake of some inner-party or parliamentary manouevre. The needs of the working class must come before the needs of the Labour
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be held on 31 May, and a lobby of trade unionists, backed by Socialist Challenge,