[The contempt of the rightRight-wingers Eddie Lee and…]

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The contempt of the rightRight-wingers Eddie Lee and Ray Massey, in a bid to save the career of coalitionist MP Reg Prentice, took control of the Kensington branch of the party.

Officers and General Management l Committee delegates were Temoved' when 20 members (mainty OAPs), who never previously attended meetings were brought to a meeting for a 'coup' against the left-wing.

This branch leadership had not only opposed Prentice, but had fought for policies like labour movement defence against attacks by fascists on immigrants, and for a sliding scale of wages against the 447 pay limit.

The local Tory paper, the Newham Recorder was ecstatic at this victory for Prentice. Yet their next edition had to change its tune with the headline Prentice Shocker: Ward Vote Probe.

The former officers had been reinstated following objections to tbe methods used by the rightFingers.

The reasons? Not only had Do antic rars heen siven of intention to remove officers in the branch letter, as required by party rules; but a secret notice had been distributed to selected members of the branch in order to whip up proPrentice supporters where his opponents would have no right to reply.

On top of all this the meeting which saw the 'coup' was entirely orchestrated by a particularly obscure individual from Oxford -70 miles away - named Mr. Julian Lewis.

All that is known of this gentleman is that he has a legal training and was once a member of the Tory Party.

Investigations are still taking place, but this affair raises important questions for those members ol the Labour Party who wish to fight the right-wing.

What other dirty tricks are being used? Who dredged up Mr. Julian Lewis? What is his relationship to the extreme right-wing Social Democratic Alliance?

Already other investigations are in progress concerning the activities of a right-wing dominated ward where someone may have inadvertently signed up fictitious members - with the no doubt entirely accidental effect of gaining increased representation on the Newham North-East General Manasement Committee.

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SIALIST PRESS, Wednesday Ist December, 1976.

BARONE BELL SILE TRIUMPH ENGINEERING I INDUSTRIAL NEWS DIVISION The first registered dockers to be compulsorily sacked in nearly 30 years are to be effectively abandoned by the une-time militant docks deleThis is why, for instance, on Hull docks the 19 T&GWU stewards who had their credentials withdrawn by the Regional Committee lifted not a finger to fight

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wing for workers' democracy has again been exposed in Newham North-East Labour