LABOUR'S NEC has passed a resolution declaring it 'obliged to expel all Militant Tendency members.' The resolution passed on 26 January ratifies advice from the Labour Party's lawyers that: • Although Militant will challenge it in the courts, the NEC should expel the Role editorial board in March and than consider further cases • To satisfy the quirements 'natural justice' it must expel all Militant supporters • However the obligation to expel is 'in practice limited to all those who can be proved be members of the Militant Tendency' • Evidence of membership will be taken financial support for, in the organisation ot or the activities of, the Militant Tendency; the resolution explicitly states that the 'narrower definition of membership link. Decide ing it to a leadership' or 'organisational role' pears to be too restrictive.' • Each individual against WHOSE allegation membership is made must be given the evidence involved and the opportunito be heard before the NEC, and to give an their support for Militant. undertaking renounce The NEC may however 'determine the sequence in allegations of membership of the Militant Tendency are to be made,' and has the discretion to decide whether or not it has sufficient information to justify proceeding in each case.
The basis of the NEC's to be the Hayward-Hughes -ICOOLL to the last Labour conference, and the NEC's decision to declare the Militant ineligible for affiliation. The Register has thus been dropped as a means of conducting the In its place, however, the NEC has now embroiled itself in a wide-ranging obligation to expel anyone connected with Militant Unless they are stoppec betore the March NEC the NEC is thus launching the party willy-nilly into a full-scale witch-hunt in the middle of an election.
Labour Against the Leeds demonstration to commemorate Bloody Sunday Witch-hunt has called for constituencies to send motions to the NEC demanding that its full time officials spend their time winning the election instead of persecuting Militant - and that all actions be dropped so that Labour can be mobilised all out for victory LAW has reproduced the entire text of the NEC resolution which are available to af filiates.