Militants look forward to new Socialist Organiser

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Godfrey Webster, National Committee of the Labour Committee on Ireland.

"With the new upsurge of struggle initiated by the H, Block hunger strikes, the question of Ireland has once again been forced to the centre of British politics.

The greatest contribution which socialists in Britain can make is to challenge the existing policies of the labour movement and commit the Labour Party to a policy of withdrawal of British troops and self determination for the whole Irish people.

The LC1 has taken up this fight and has naturally incurred the undying hatred of the fascists, the mass media and the right wing labour bureaucracy. * Socialist Press and its supporters have been among our staunchest allies. I hope the new weekly Socialist Organiser will both continue the tradition of reporting the struggle in Ireland and Britain and will find space for more analysis of the history and prospects of the fight for a united socialist Dave Murphy, chairperson of thei Winsford Council .of Action in Cheshire said:

"Socialist Press's consistent coverage of international politics. coupled with its detailed treatment of labour movement struggles. has made it an organiser of the first importance.

I wil expect these qualities to be carried into the new weekly Socialist Organiser.?

Jo Thwaites, Joint Editor of the new youth paper Class Fighter and a member of the Steering Committee of the National Left Wing Youth Movement:

"Class Fighter and the National Left Wing Youth Movement arose as the ideas of Socialist: Organiser supporters.

While I think it is important that there be a separate youth paper, it is also impor tant that there is a link made between youth and older workers. Socialist Organiser can provide that link.

Of all the left press, Socialist Organiser gave the best coverage to the antiracist work in Coventry of LPYS and Labour Party members which led to the formation of anti-racist defence squads.

The National Left Wing Youth Movement will be fighting to apply the lessons of these struggles in every area where blacks face racist The merging of Socialist Press and Socialist Organiser is a great step forward and will undoubtedly help: us build the National Left Wing Youth Movement. Rowland Sheret, Secretary of Stirling and District Trades Council. told us:

"Socialist Press won my support because of its coverage of struggles of working people and the way in which the political meaning these struggles was analysed.

With all its limitations on resources, Socialist Press gave political leadership, by Rowland Sheret placing theoretical analysis always in the context of the class battles and the problems facing working people in struggle.

I am sure that this will continue in the 16-page Socialist Organiser. In particular 1 want to see the new paper expand its background analysis of the developments in the unions-such as the emerging role of Alex Kitson in the TGWU, for instance, or the leftward moves in the NUR." Anne Mckinley, nursery campaigner and member of the Steering Committee of the National Child Care Campaign:

"I think the strength of Socialist Press has been its detailed coverage of struggles even those that have seemed to some to be small or less important.

And the paper's campaign for solidarity with the Irish struggle has been particularly good over the last year Or so.

But I also hope that news about the struggles of women won't be relegated to a token "women's page" like in the capitalist press. I want to see the demands of women raised centrally throughout the paper.

And hopefully the Socialist Organiser's wider layers of supporters in the Labour Party can also help us broaden the base of the National Child Care Campaign."

John Bioxam, organiser, Rank and File Mobilising Committee for Labour Democracy.

"Socialist Organiser was the paper that first put forward the proposal of organising the maximum unity both to defend and extend the democratic gains won in the Labour Party.

The Rank and File Mobilising Committee for Labour Democracy came out of that proposal. Throughout its by the joining of forces between Socialist Press and Socialist Organiser."

Anne-Marie Sweeney, Longworth Hospital Occupation Committee: and anti-cuts campaigner.

"Socialist Press is the only paper 1 know where you read not only what's happening in the struggles of the working class, but also in each situation gives guidelines and an insight into what is needed in order to win.

Socialist Press shows always that it is possible to struggle and succeed. It is never demoralising or pessimistic, always pointing to willingness of the workers to fight; and above all it has a unique understanding of the present leadership of the working class which betrays the struggle for international socialism.

The new paper must continue and develop this, keeping the blend of industrial news, international news and features."

Ray Davies, Lianwern Steel Action Group, Labour councillor.

"Socialist Organiser has played a vital part in the campaign for democracy in the Labour Party, and it's largely as a result of Socialist Organiser and other left wing with what Socialist Organiser has done we recognise that there is still an uphill We're confident Socialist Organiser will play „a vital part in the campaign.

Rachel Lever, Steering Committee, Women's Fightback.

"Socialist Organiser helped us get off the ground. It put out the call for a campaign in response to Prior's first threats to maternity rights (which later were put into the Employment Act).

Women • who supported Socialist Organiser got together and planned the first Women's Fightback conference.

Together with the women comrades of Socialist Press who will now be working with us, we will be trying to improve the coverage of the struggles of women against oppression, and to develop a real debate on women's liberation and socialism."

Jim Denham, victimised TGWU shop steward, BL, Longbridge.

"Socialist Organiser supporters have been active in the Longbridge BL plant for number of years, intervening at the Joint. Shop Stewards (ommittee, at mass meetings, producing a regular factory bulletin and arguing for their politics day-to-day on the shop to publicise the issue.

Of the other papers on the left, Socialist Press gave us our most valuable publicity and support, and we received considerable advice and information from Socialist Press supporters at Cowley.

The decision of Socialist Press supporters to come in on Socialist Organiser is most welcome, and should qualitatively • strengthen our intervention in BL.

i certainly hope and expect that Socialist Press's impressive coverage of industrial and trade union affairs will be carried over into the new Socialist Organiser."

Bradford Labour Movement Campaign for Palestinian Solidarity.

"Our campaign has always been impressed by the high profile given to international topics within Socialist Press and the consistent principled support given to the fight of the Palestinians.

The need to direct anti-imperialist work into the labour movement and present a socialist perspective has always been evident in the paper.

The Bradford Campaign sends its fraternal greetings to Socialist Press, for the new Socialist Organiser which we are confident will continue that fight.

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Thursday

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principled fighting socialist paper, and our best wishes