New opposition needed

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June 22-26) provide enough fighting policies to produce a strategy to defend the working class against the Tory government.

Unfortunately such a strategy is not likely to emerge from the conference unless an effective opposition to the platform can be developed in support of the key left wing motions.

If the politics of the delegates reflects those of the motions sent in by the branches, there is little sign of any significant political development in the union over the last year to the left of the Communist Party -who have a very cosy relationship with the Moss Evans Some important motions however could gain wide An General motion mitted Evans in the conference. amendment to the Executive Council on support for the Party has been subby the 5/293 (BL Cowley Assembly Plant) branch, which calls upon the TGWU • to support Benn in the election for deputy leader.

This is contrary to the present position of Evans and Kitson and coula prove decisive in the leadership election itself.

The left. vote and speeches of the TGWU at the Labour Party Special Conference in January have produced a crop of motions on the cemocratic control of the block vote.

Most of them are from the right wing who suddenly object to the bureaucratic use of the block vote when it goes against them.

But it will provide an important debate on how block votes should be democratically controlled. years ago when the policy was the subject of a major debate.

There are 35 motions on unemployment, which is surprisingly few, given the mass unemployment created by the Tories and its effect on reducing TGWU membership • to well below the 2 million mark.

Several motions call for a General Strike to bring down the Tories, for the union to stop selling jobs and one for sit-in strikes.

There are 34 motions against nuclear weapons, 14 of them calling on the TGWU to maintain its policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament.

There are only ten resolutions on cuts in public expenditure. and only three them all from the Oxford area call tor occupations to defend jobs and call for TGWU support for councils who refuse to implement the cuts or put up rents or rates. equal opportunities. One motion on workplace nurseries provides the only discussion of the problems faced by women.

Yet for the first time the conference itself will have a creche. A big step forward over previous years when conference literature referred throughout to "delegates and their wives"

There are eleven resolutions on Ireland. This is more than usual, but not many given the large membership the TGWU has in the six counties. Four of them call for Troops Out -and of those, three are from the Oxford area.

An amendment from the 5/293 branch refers to the success of Bobby Sands in the Fermanagh byelection and points to his 30.000 votes as proot of the popular support for the anti-imperialist struggle in the republican community.

The voting was a farce. The chairman didn't know which was the proposal and which the amendment. The Tory councilors were nudging eachother to put their hands up to vote; one councillor asked *what have we just voted on" and another walked in half way through and was heard to say "I've just been asleep. What's happening? What day is it?"

Angry

Parents were also angry at the director's misrepresentation of the facts and immediately after the vote occupied his office as a protest.

As a resuit, a meeting has been arranged after the Easter holidays to discuss this.

Although it is unlikely to change the decision already made, it does. give the parents more time before eviction and brings us closer to the local elections on May tions in May when almost certainly a Labour majority will be returned. The Labour Party is already pledged to financing and staffing this nursery as it was previously.

In fact other Nottingham campaigners also said that they would have occupied if they'd had the same support and didn't think we were demanding enough staff.

Although no summons has yet been served, it seems certain that the council has already taken steps towards a court order.

With the elections so close it is difficult to say whether or not they will risk the bad publicity that would surround an eviction.

The question now for Beal Street occupiers is to consolidate trade union, Labour Party and community support into direct action to prevent an eviction.

Messages of support and donations to the occupation fund should be sent to: Beal Street Occupation Coinmittee, 1 Pegasus Close, Leicester.