New twist in Heslin case? Heslin's statement answers i witch-hunters

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It is nearly 16 months since I was expelled by Oxford City Labour Party. Since my appeal against that decision, my membership has become a pawn in the hands of those who want to see the Labour Party purged of members uncompromising in their fight for socialist policies.

I have been left in a state of limbo while a series of back-door deals, manoeuvres and intrigues decide my fate. Instead of a debate on policies,; there has been a campaign, including use of the Tory press, based on sneers and innuendoes.

I protest against this and consider it an outrage that my membership for the Labour Party should have been kicked around for so long when it is crystal clear that I have committed no breach of the party's constitution and have based myself purely and simply on the political rights of the working class.

For a large part of that 16 months (including two elections) Oxford City Labour Party GC has spent more time discussing my expulsion and bans on other socialists than it Sub-committee members Ha has devoted to debate on how to fight the Tories.

It talks about fighting the Tories, but in practice has been fighting socialists. Of course a large proportion of the GC and the local party want to do no such thing and are sickened by the whole business.

But key influential members of the local party are so committed to this witch hunt that all other considerations become secondary to framing me up. ward, Heffer and Maynard I have always seen the issue as one of what policies and programme the Labour Party should have. I realise not everyone agrees with me, but what I have the right to demand is that I am allowed to fight for my views.

The allegations of infil tration (whatever that meansbecause it doesn't apply to Tories) have specifically been made to turn the party away from that vital debate over policies and towards witch hunts. PHOTO: Peter Harrap, Report It is no accident that moves to expel me came after a resolution from my union branch calling for a special conference of the party to remove Callaghan and Healey from its leadership.

This resolution was debated, put to the vote and heavily defeated. In the debate some rightwingers refused to discuss the issues and instead devoted their whole contributions to attacking the Workers Socialist League and saying I was a spokesman for the WSL.

Is the question of who leads the Labour Party and on what policies to be removed from Labour Party agendas?

My record in the Labour Party is outlined in my appeal.

No-one has ever accused me nor could ever accuse me, of not having worked to get Labour elected or of failing to carry out Labour Party work (1 continued to canvas for Labour even after my expulsion).

The McCarthyite witch hunt is illustrated by events since the Organisation Committee recommended that my expulsion be upheld.

I was encouraged by the January NEC vote to reject this and recommend my reinstatement. Why hasn't that recommendation been carried out?

Simply because Oxford City witch-hunters have been working overtime behind the scenes to use their influence to stop it!

All this talk of new evidence is nonsense. It is a second bite at the cherry that they want.

Bill Conboy, Chairman of Oxford City Labour Party, even told the GC a pack of lies about the letter he had sent (without authority) to the NEC claiming it was exceptions-generally when one of their own members is involved-union Icaders, too, have stood back and allowed the PTA to be used against Irish simply seeking clarification.

Throughout this period, the press has been used to 'plant' stories about what is happening. It is a scandal that I have had to learn more about what is happening to me from the pages of the local press than I have been told by the This Sub-Committee has the chance to put a stop to this witch-hunt and others like them. I am not too hopeful of that.

At the time of writing this, I still have not been shown the new 'evidence' against me (which I am assured is one of the rules of natural justice) and I was told that I could not have a witness with me, which is a right even anti-union employers concede.

1 appeal to this SubConmittee to recommend the NEC to reinstate me.

If my policies are as bad as the right wing say they are, then presumably the membership of the Labour Party will reject them.

Maybe they are scared that the membership might start to look more closely at them and start liking what it sees.

Heslin to determine their own future.

And the unions must be forced to take up the fight against the implementation of the PTA and to force Labour