Lambeth Labour votes to sell

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Ted Knight (left) on Lambeth anti-cuts protest two weeks before the November 1 movement confer›cal Government in Lambeth Labour together with its Ted Knight have they have 'no but to implement rory poncy and sell of - 1: -- - ---1 - -11 council houses.

This ungainly retreat is defended on the grounds that if the council doesn't sell the houses, then the government will intervene and do so directly over the heads of councillors.

Yet only a few weeks ago Knight drew a rousing ovation from the Labour Party conference when he moved a resolution calling on the NEC to coordinate action including industrial action to halt the cuts.

In his speech and in fringe meetings at the conference he made it clear that he was calling in effect for general strike action to defeat the Tories.

And he repeatedly (and not uncorrectly) • rounded upon trade union leaders, attacking their abject refusal to mount action in defence of jobs and vital social services.

Councillors could not carry the fight alone, he argued.

Yet in Lambeth it is now 150 NALGO members in the housing department who are leading the fight against the Tory destruction of council housing-by refusing to implement the council's decision to sell.

Newcastle

Like their colleagues in Labour-run Newcastle, the NALGO members are refusing to send out forms or give information on house sales-though applications are being logged.

It is this kind of action, significantly arising from the ranks rather than the leadership of the union, which offers a lead to the thousands of workers throughout the country who are frustrated belief at the refusal trade union leaders and of Labour councillors finger against the cuts.

The Lambeth conference on November 1 promises to be a large affair, drawing delegates from a wide spectrum of trade union and Labour Party bodies.

But if it is to be any more than a talk shop it must set its face firmly against the kind of compromises carried out by the Lambeth councillors, and declare all-out war on the Tory Rejected Every cut in service, every closure, every redundancy must be opposed: rate and rent rises widely used by councils like Lambeth last year as a way round the Tory cuts-must be rejected, and a full scale fight waged for general strike action to bring down the Thatcher Amendments to the draft resolution designed to spell out such a policy have been tabled by Leicester AUEW 16 branch, and supported by Socialist Organiser, Socialist Press and the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement.

We urge delegates to the Lambeth conference to support these amendments and step up the fight in their areas for action to defeat the Tories.

PLEASE BE SEATED, GENTLEMEN, MRS WILL SEE YOU IN LESS THAN FOUR HI AT LEASTIN THE OLD DAYS, JIM USED TO LAY ON A FEW BEERS.

NO NO MA'AM, YOU MAY GET US BOOTED OUT! -AND FIND YOURSELF UP AGAINST SOME UNCONTROLLABLE MILITANCY!

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JURS!