summary and extracts from the draft programme now being discussed by the Labour Party's National Executive Committee. The programme, which will be submitted to October's annual conference, is likely to be the basis for the next manifesto.
ticles on aspects of the programme. This week ALAN FREEMAN introduces the series and discusses the approach socialists should take in the current policy debates in the If Labour published this fiogramme, which is severd hundred pages in accessible form, it would probably be very popular. 'Unlike manifesto our programme must take a longer are told.
VICW. have to ask not just how weathe Tories have tom can back apart, but kind of LUtELC do want tc build?
Brave words: the programme reples to lts own. question with a definition welch could take socialism a long way: "The broadest definition of our socialist objectives might be the freedom from opDI COUL. whether economic, sexual, racial; the oppression of poverty or ill health; the oppres sion of unaccountable power in government industry.' Most important of all, having the heavy shackles of expediency, the programme does amidst all the ver biage lav down clearcut commitments. 'We are committed to full employment of both men and women. social equality and democratic control OI the CA plains.
And 'The next Labour will ensure that no one is out of work for more than 12 months without receiving an offer of a job or training place,"
The programme defends a 'woman's right to paid and a 'right to equal pay for work of equal vaiue'; and a right to training or work for school ieavers.
Such commitments are Hibullaril than vague promises to 'cut dole queues'; they can inspire working people to struggle for their own emancipation. For millions of people under dailv threat of redundan. cy, such a commitment is proot that there is an alter. native, that unemployment is not inevitable and that they are right to fight back.
Definite demands on employers are promised to entorce these rights: fol example, , a statutory duty to provide youth training. From here it is a short but vital - step to demand trade union enforcement of these duties, instead of relying on class-ridden civil service and judiciary.
The much less definite on what governmen Will it will implement th TUC plan for public spen ding, nationalise or more clearing banks, and 'take a stake in each major sector But of its detailed arguMOST ment is spent, not on spelling these commitments, but on discussspecial government bodies which will implement them.
abour supporting industrial action against the when it gets into öffice The idea behind this which is an initiative from is to try and le down the right wing in future Labour cabinet that it cannot betray as it did before.
But it would create the for betrayal by drowning clear commitments in a sea of committees. The programme is not specific the right direction. Instead of naming companies and way. IT'S CALLED THE over employers' investment and production decisions to ensure they comp ly with social needs. This could be enforced by industrial action government backing, with the threat of nationalisation compensation as a reserve weapon.
This type of measure would both prevent employers' sabotage of plans and prepare workers to take Instead the programme proposes somethin absurd: employers will be 're quired to agree. Either they agree, or they don't. If they don't - and they won't - some mean of enforcement 1S needed. Labour doesn't face this problem, won't get past day one in office.
Socialist Challenge believes that the most important aspect to concentrate our attention on inside the Labour Party the means by which positive com memented. The most im- mitments portant means at our disposal are traparliamentary.
What we need from the next conference is not a claborale reorganisation of Whitehall, but proposals as to how the unions and party, at every level, can get : together to fight the bosses.
It is not enough to say, as the Socialist Workers painy does, hate only thing that Malici workers in action. A pre requisite tor unitv in ac tion is knowing what goals to aim tor When the Labour Party votes to ban bomb or reaffirms the right to work, it has an im pact on workers' struggles even though the Party: ¡caaersmo coes not nave an action orientation.
On hand debate on policy alone is not the answer. The Milieverything will be solved il the Party agrees to nation. the Party agrees to nationalise 250 monopolies. Bennite leadership is prone to this too.
Fight them now
organising to defeat Tebsupport redundancy Sir uses fight and the rights of YOPs employees and on; and prepare battle plans to impose a genuine socialist plan against the resistance of empioyers and their Civil Service. when comes to ottice This is the way to win.
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Over the next three months Socialist Challenge will be publishing a series of ar-
of industry,