Call on Labour to Back Irish
Socialist Press1981 1981-06-04Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 5 →
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About 60 people took part in a lobby of the Labour Party NEC last Wednesday to demand backing for the H Block hunger strikers.
The lobby, organised by the Labour Committee on Ireland, was addressed by NEC members Joan Maynard and Dennis Skinner as they arrived for the meeting.
Neither speaker was prepared to state unequivocally their support for political ctatue for renuhlican nrisonSLaLUO IUL IVMUVMVUII PIION1AeIs in Long Kesh and Armagh Gaol.
But their limited stand on the question is *still streets ahead of the rest of the NEC.
Only Eric Heffer of the other NEC members stopped to talk to lobbyers. Tony Benn slipped into Labour Party headquarters almost unnoticed whilst Dennis Skinner was addressing the lobby, while Michael Foot and other NEC members pushed through the crowd tn chante of 'Sark lanCHITDITA UL WALA _TAA cannon' and break from Tory policy on The success of the lobby indicates growing awareness within the Labour Party for the need to break the bipartisan policy, support the hunger strikers and fight for the withdrawal of British troops.
But only three or four CLP banners were present, indicating the need for Labour Party militants to raise the question of Ireland and build the LCI as a matter of urgency.
We urge all Labour Party members to join the Labour Committee on Ireland and organise . to take up the question of Ireland in the Labour Party. Individual membership costs £1 a year and an application form and details of the LCI's political positions on Ireland can be obtained from: LCI,. 4 Burnhill House; Norman Street, London EC1. rosinn