REPRINTED here is an open letter which was produced and distributed by Socialist Challenge supporters West London at public meeting addressed by Tony Benn on 6 October attended by over 800 people. Socialist Challenge endorses its proposals.
Dear Tony Benn, TWO YEARS AGO your campaign for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party inspired militants in the trade unions and the constituency Labour Partics. Tnen we were still reeling trom the deteats imnosed by Jim Callaghan and Denis Healey.
Now; many of the policies fighting for have been won, and the mass movement is finding its feet again at last. Labour is committed to unilateral disarmament, to full employment, to withdraw from the EEC, against incomes policy (just about) and for social justice for women, black people and youth.
The tremendous demonstrations in support of the health workers have shown we have the capacity to fight the Tories. A Labour victory is within Yet with this victory in sight, last week's conference saw a right wing NEC imposed on the pardenied greater representation: leaders like Hattersley rushing to the media to denounce conference policy. divisive and destructive purge launched against those who defend socialist policies in the Labour Party.
ranks of the Party and unions for these attacks by the right wing. We believe that if they are challenged - and we intend to challenge them — unseat the right wing leaders like Sid Weighell and prevent another Healey-type of government.
Moreover. challenge can be made hostage to 'confidence in Michael Foot' as a leader. We must begin now to stop the witch-hunt by refusing to accept any expulsions, supporting the Hackney Conference on October 30th and create a national network of parties and unions who will resist disaftihations.
alliance, Labour MPs formed Labour unions, to defend socialist policies and organise action to secure them. And we believe you should put your whole weight behind such moves.
past.
whether to act on them. If we wait until after the election, by then it may well be too late. The aim of the present right wing offensive is to destroy our gains before the next election, because they are terrified of having to implement the policies to which the party is now committed. We refuse to accept. We're fighting back.
fight. The media will say it is a challenge to Foot's leadership. If we succeed, we will be challenging Foot's leadership. totally insane to allow this fact to deter us from defending what we have won and fighting to ensure that it is put into practice.
fight on its 'existing policies, existing leadership, and its existing membership', contradicting yourself. This leadership is attacking the membership, and when it has finished with the membership it will destroy our policies. So, which are you going to put first? The membership? The policies? Or the leadership?
were then And more important of all, We don't believe that the support exists in the - we can we don't believe that