Reader's letter Lambeth Left

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The Editor.

Socialist Press, Dear Comrade, May I comment on your report (July 2, 1980) on the London-wide meeting called by the "Lambeth Labour Left"?

Many of us active in the "Lambeth Labour Left" had to fight hard even to get a Londonwide meeting. Some of our comrades, in particular Socialist Challenge supporters, exhibited a dangerously parochial opposition to any move to take the struggle against cuts or rate and rent increases outside Lambeth.

To get the meeting was a step forward, but its outcome was a step backwards, or, at best, marking time.

In the meeting I moved a motion which re-stated that we need to confront the Tory government with a united stand together to implement cuts in any form. This means to coordinate the struggle for this stand with a campaign of public meetings leading to a delegate conference in early autumn.

Hardly a motion with which anyone present could have disagreed, one would think? Of course straight talking" about the debate produced the "Left leadership" of people like Knight and Livingstone.

We can all argue about the "tone" of speeches, but in the end it comes down to the famous phrase, STATE WHAT A procedural motion was carried by 32 votes to 20, which prevented my proposal from going to the vote.

Some 90% of those who voted to suppress my motion were supporters of Socialist Challenge, Socialist Action Workers Action.

One Workers Action supporter had, in tact, supported the proposal in the debate for a delegate conference.

A Socialist Challenge supporter argued that the "Lambeth Labour Left" is too "weak" to undertake the initiatives which face it, and that "now is not the time"

As if the government is going to wait around while we take our time to build the opposition! This speaker opposed a regroupment by using arguments which would foster the fears as hesitations in the audience and undermine the whole struggle of the Left.

Evidently Socialist Challenge supporters and those who followed their lead in this meeting are not guided by any awareness of the pressures which the apparatus of the Labour Party is exerting on them.

They are not the first, if only they knew it, to give way to these pressures.

Do they really hope to influence the Knights and Livingstones by moderating their criticism and by keeping silent about their policy of raising rents and rates?

Let these comrades take warning. Not only does this course make them an obstacle to the struggle of the Labour Left.

They themselves will gain nothing from it, because those whom they are courting will throw them aside when they no longer need them.

Yours fraternally, Steve Stannard Councillor Convenor, Lambeth Labour Left The workshop report on the GLC manifesto began by reminding delegates of the timetable and procedures for submitting amendments. (Amendments are limited to 1 per CLP, and must be submitted by the end of July).

It was said that, wherever possible, amendments should be When the Labour Party is office there is generally le reference to Clause IV