Stop Tory policies now! Recall the conference
Socialist Press1979 1979-03-07Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 5 →
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TUC, Labour leaders and the Mass movement against low pay-blocked by Callaghan If this is to be avoided it is cannon fodder canvassing for a essential that a recall Labour manifesto diametrically opposed cling on to a socialist reput Party conference be called to to the policies adopted by the by claiming to offer the chance to remove the last Party conference. socialist internationalist and every union branch must campaign to fight ther manifesto for the 1979 election. now be called upon to take up practice-or stand expose Without such a conference the fight for a recall conference, pompous windbags incapat Labour Party members will be submitting resolutions to the offering any challenge tr dragged out as vote-catching NEC. right wing.
INSIDE: • Mandel's dance with Stalinism • The significance of the Transitional Programme • The U.S. SWP 40 years on Amid the indications that Callaghan hopes above all to cling on to office until autumn of this year, the need for an emergency Labour Party conference to decide the question of leadership and programme is urgent.
The months since last year's annual 'conference have been marked by a brazen refusal of the Callaghan cabinet to heed the policies adopted by the Labour Party and the TUC.
Decisively voted down on the issue of Phase 4 of wage control, Callaghan and Healey only pressed ahead regardless-using every possible weapon to block the struggles ntil 19 Last year's manoeuvre by then AUEW President Hugh Scanlon at the Labour Party conference has effectively postponed any change in the reselection of MPs until at least 1981.
Scanlon pathetically claimed he had "made a mistake" in failing to cast his union's block vote in favour of an NEC minority racommendation which he was mandated to The minority report woulq have submitted all MPs to a regular reselection procedure, and thus taken a certain step forward in making the ParliaPHOTO: John Sturrock, Report Frank Allaun mentary Labour Party accountable to the movement that puts them in office.
Scanion's manoeuvre ensured that it was defeated by 394,000 votes, instead of being carried.
In its place the NEC majority recommendation was carried, which is a half-hearted gesture offering no real change in the existing system whereby MPs linger on as candidates unless forcibly removed.
Last week's National Executive meeting rejected a move to reopen the debate at the 1979 Party conference, in order of workers in defence of their living standards-but have launched a virtual cabinet campaign against trade unionism itself.
Callaghan, Owen, Ennals, Rees and 'others have one after another leapt onto public platforms to declare the correctness of crossing picket lines. and Rees as Home Secretary has time and again laid on gangs of police to protect scabs and attack pickets.
Contempt Their utter contempt for the lowest paid sections of workers has been demonstrated by their refusal to implement the Labour Conference policy of ensuring a £60 minimum wage.
triom to give a - chance Scanlon's sabotage.
Right wingers stuck to the "3-year rule" which bars rediscussion of such policy decisions for three years.
While this amounts to a further blow against democracy in the Labour party, the reselection issue itself is by no means a panacea to resolve the crisis of leadership within the Restrictions Indeed even the defeated NEC minority proposals were Today No. 4 now avail 31, Dartmo ith Park Hill Their contempt for the old, the young and the sick has been exposed by their deliberate, savage cutbacks in the health service, social services, education and nursery facilities.
Their contempt for the unemployed is clearly revealed by their policies of "rationalisation" of industry, factory and yard closures, and all out speedup in industry, adding each day further discarded workers and youth i to record-long dole queues.
This leadership has nothing to offer the working class, and regards itself as answerable not to the Labour Party members and supporters that put them in office, but to the capitalist class, for whom they are attempting to "manage" the hedged around with restrictions designed to impede the 'danger' of a rapid movement of trade unionists into Labour Parties to call local MPs to order or drive them out.
This latest setback to the reselection fight confirms the need for the struggle to be taken up at once within the Labour and trade union movement for the ousting of the Callaghan/ Healey leadership at a recalled emergency Labour Party conference.
IRETICAL
INAL OF THE KERS SOCIA SUE January ble, price 45p , London NW5 legislation and further devasta tion of the social services and nationalised industries.
On the other hand a Labour victory on such a basis would be taken by Callaghan as a mandate to press ruthlessly ahead with his full programme pro-capitalist policies, attempting to brush aside or to crush any opposition within the Already the TÚC-Labour hreat of permanent, rigio wage tions controls designed to cripple 'voluntary" restricpicketting and further levels of class • collaboration between CBI.
Callaghan leadership and adopt PRESS PARTY sisteni, Mackintosh, IFL GWU! CE30 S MIN C say "Left" MPs who attem ipt to :ation ppose Callaghan's policies mus it be tional in as be of. the
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TROTSKYISM— TODAY
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