the media thought Labour Party national executive committee was the villain of the piece at Blackpool, Eric Heffer had news for them. He acknowledged that it was the constituency Labour parties which had made the running. to run as fast as we can to keep up. Heffer said.
Manifesto It was the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD)
Rank and File Mobilising Committee which organised the constituency parThese bodies must be kept qoina and strengthened prior to the January special conference.
But there was a second, and probably more decisive, reason for our victories. This was the beginning of a fight inside the unions, which Benn exploited to the full in his summary on the manifesto issue. But there are major problems.
We can't win in the union leaderships alone. must be organised and linked up with the party rank and file. This. call was notably absent from the speeches and perspectives of nearly all the PLP left leaders.
that 'We have had and the The union rank and file we need a commitment connection between and Duffy at spelled out: he The sold out SCIS 'OUT this lead? He has tories.
working cement the hour of need.
recognised the far organisation is Socialist TONY BENN: his failure to call for industrial action against the ty. Despite Benn's joking attacks on the splintered state of the far left, they were decisive in the conference vicOnly those who place trust in the organised strength of the class alone, and dedicate themselves to Its complete victory, can be relied on to stay with it in its this fact prevents wider layer of Dy a lar militants is the continued disunity of left itself. Socialist Workers Party had been present with ts industrial weight added to that of Challenge and if Socialist presented their lines through a single paper single organisation their Years.
The underlying its torms is in being sintered into tribune the LCC. chaos, CLPD, groups — Challenge and Socialist Organiser had • virtually identical and a instead of two, Benn's jibes would have fallen on deaf reality would then have emerged: parliamentarism in all crisis, disarray and wing the countless other little with the only clear basis for tary a real re-unification offered by the programme and perspectives of socialist dards of our social services and health 'But above all those challenges have to be based on a socialist objective to change and transform this society and to bring an end to the system which creates unemployment and poverty in the midst of plenty?
Bob Wright at a Labour Co-ordinating Committee meeting, 30 September Benn 2 'IF we look at the history of the post-war years those who have defended themselves most successfully, regained their freedom or fought anti-colonial battles most successfully have not been those with nuclear weapons.
"They have been where determined citizens have banded together and resolved, by guerilla warfare, to resist, attack, and break free.' Tony Benn at LCC meeting, 30 September Skinner I WANT the manifesto carried out. That is a very moderate aspiration.' Dennis skinner at a Democracy meeting, 28 September Clarke 'WHAT we are up against is blind loyalty. People say: "I know better than you because | have been in government." They say they know better than you because they are on a platform - and then you have to wash out the platform they walk on.' Eric Clarke, National Union of Mineworkers and NEC, speaking at CLPD meeting, 28 September Foot 'I'M sure you asked yourselves what is that old bugger doing sitting on this platform? What is he going to say? I must admit I asked myself the same questions.' Michael Foot, speaking at Tribune meeting, 1 October Benn 3 'THIS country is, in my opinion, run by the Prime Minister, one or two other ministers, plus the permanent officials, plus the military, plus the security services. The power they influence over cabinets, as well as parliament, make parliamentary democracy something of a charade. Tony Benn, speaking at an Institute of Workers' Control meeting, 28 September Soley 'THE unfinished business of the House of Commons is the creation of a united Ireland. That is also the un. finished business of the labour movement.' Clive Soley MP, at a meeting called by the ParliamenLabour Party September Socialist Challenge 9 October who have Photo: GM COOKSON (Socialist Challenge)
Campaign for Labour Party Northern Ireland Group,
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government can undermine his victory gle left in both the unions and the Par-
Photo: LAURIE SPARHAM