positions wider than the project Gay Rights, The reason the their demands. the Black supports Black Sections, members voted against the Anglo-Irish Accord for example.
In turn these key campaigns in the Labour Party are based on the most militant and most oppressed sections of society - the miners and mining communities, the women, the big cities, the thosersuffering Pose on because to ren orientation, and the destruction of the weltare state. these forces reflect themselves both through the trade unions and through the party. The key task on the left today is bringing these forces which political agenda for the left.
But behind the differentiating political current in the labour movement today lie profound social bases. These social shifts are increasingly shaking the labour movement.
inThe current is that of the Women's It has support, The Campaign whose leading black community, people of Ireland, fighting unemployment involves setting a clear DESPITE a High Court ruling.
could take action against the NEC decision to expel him, the Labour leadership is relentlessly pressing members. Mulhearn was booted out of the party in the first round of expulsions which took place at a special national executive committee meeting 21-22 May. Ian Lowes and Tony Aitman were also expelled during the same session.
Last Thursday and Fri day, 12-13 June, purge. Derek Hatton was in round two of the NEC special meeting, despite his absence on Liverpool city council business. It is likely that Hatton wil follow Muhearn into the courts to contest this decision.
The protests of Davia Blunkett reported in the press last week unal rignl wingers such as Ken Cure Charles Turnock should be 'replaced' completely hollow Blunkett and others have the slightest degree opposed to the witch hunt they would simply prefer to see it carried out with a lighter touch.
Also during the Thursday session were Richard Venton and Roger balunisiel. They were Party president Tony Tony Mulhearn District Labour Party vice president Terry Harrison on Friday who became the seventh Liverpool member to be kicked out of the par ty by the Labour Header ship The the scenes adopted by special NEC clearly For example with the exception of Felicity ing and Terry Harrison (who are likely to lose their jobs as a result of their exrepresentation at the NEC been denied hearings. At the same time though, the NEC voted to have its own legal advisor on hand throughout the proceedings.
It has been made plair to NEC members that to vote that those charged are members of the Militant tendency is to automatically endorse their expuision. With the exception of the seven who have consistently opposed witch hunts that is, Francese nurran Eric Clarke, Frances Joan Maynard, Jo Richardson Dennis Skinner ever see coe . NEC who has taken part in proceeding at is witch hunter. includes the so-called soft lett such David Blunkett, Michae Meacher Sam McCluskie and Tom Sawyer.
"The scandalous treatment of the Birmingham comrades emphasises once the leaders have transformed the NEC into a kangaroo court, said Tony Mulhearn, referring to the expulsions last week Amir Khan, Kevin Scally and Mohammed Ratique. "That is the reason that I have been to the High •Court: to stop the NEC decision to expel me, didn't allows the that . they allow me a witness wouldn't allow me lega because the ieader of the party actually introduced evidence against me, after I had left, which has beer deciared inadmissable because it is gossip in an LCC docu which is recognised as lies.
He added: "They ruthlessly abusing their authority to clear out good socialists from the party' The current round of purges have not yet been completed. A further ses sion the NEC necessary to finish off the Liverpool 1l. But the expulsions last week of the Birmingham comrade • show thạt it is not only so. called Militant supporter Liverpool who The witch hunt offensive has been broadened out by the Labour leadership. In the run up to conference in the autumn the party must be flooded with resolutions that demand reinstatement of those • 6л pelled and a halt to this purge.
Socialist Action 20 June 1986