Wu Leaders Gag Vote on Benn

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Fryer was accused of delegates were prepared A blow had certainly simply sooking popular. to support this challenge been struck at the Benn the agenda, and brushing " by Chairman Sten 'Broad Left and Com mint aside " objections. remdenon waen munit : tany: suppurters where the TOWU vote wast An Executive motion "devoted half his contri- who had-after some Labour Party. was withdrawn to ensure bution to backing Benn. debate - voted unanimous- could have influenced the Alex Kitson as chairthat amendments calling In addition the platforto ly on the frst evening to NUM and other unions. man of the Labour Party for a vote to Benn were found itself twice defeated back & challenge to the But it has been done at will no doubt be warmty simply ruled out of order from the left as the confer ruling on Benn, crumbled tremendous cost to the thanked by Foot for his by the Union's dictatorial ence voted down a motion a when it came to the crunch: Prederatip thin Thou váliant effurto to secure Otders Com- in favour of: "industrial Ar : delighted : TGWU the Benn's defeat: but as the at the success of its man- Once again the Benn the working clase Kitson do force the relation bad, supporting su bag to figh inte talk of the possibility the conflict between the colleagues will find them- • policy of occupations and oourres There was immed- nacampaign has brought out and: his Bureaucratic of the agenda. This could сола. not take place until Thurs Alt was trom this poostics Labore : conference dele; file and AIEs Tre VIINaI a To yT Uu elward moving J.=... 1a mans • leftward morno rant. and. salves in increasinois hok day. of weaknese that the evidence of TOWU, bureaucracy? ppont for Bere forted on thursday ..tO contimead to brazes out ile assempe to Lioned wéek! furn :e. mein oberach week at the : TGWU's Biennial DelegateCon401dE ferenca.

The leading bureaucrats on the platform had plainly given some kind of promise to Michael Foot thatcome what may-the Conference would not vote on Tony Benn's candidacy.

But they knew from the outset that they could not hope to secure majority support for their attempts to exclude delegates at the union's highest policy making body from the decision on how to cast the TGWU's 1.25 cas. million votes in October.

So in order to secure the dIM. 'nonIToM. Care amear: raorit thar. guantor. tho bureaucrats had to ride roughshod. over the Conference, "manipulating -order to secure a debate on emerge. ;

Healey - Denuty Leader of the Labour ma-d Party-addressed a feeble fringe meeting of 28 plus a vocal dozen left wingers attending to heckle. The meeting called to support Benn -the challengerdrew, in contrast, an enthusiastic crowd of over 300 delegates, with standing ovations for the platform which included lan Mikardo, Dennis Skinner and •Sidney Bidwell.

In the conference itself, reterences to suppoit for Benn by speakers at the rostrum diew strong Cowler delegate Bob Lis. that gag the conference and fly ‹in the face of the clear mood of the membership:

From the chair Stan Pemberton ruled in favour of the Standing Orders report that since amendments had been tabled calling for support to Benn, there was no basis for an emergency resolution.

Faced. with this barefaced bureaucratic manipulation, the only option was to challenge the chair.

Cowley delegate Alan Thornett did so: but with 4 La ai 1 une issue naving extengea beyond the question of Benn to embrace. the authority of the existing leadership, only a: few ramniion inhabino momentum at ya e nerne had Dol been s0 isuc • șs męn=÷