Opened to realignment?' by editor Nigel Williamson admitted that the 'soft left' was now the 'least coherent' group in the party and raised issues of policy over such questions as the soft left's refusal to second article was a column by Ann Pettifor, cochair of Labour Left Liaison (LLL) and member of folded rapidly.
The first step was, 68-48 vote a vote November by the soft left Coordinating Committee AGM, to reject any work with Labour Lel ason - wim ree Hain, Ken Livingstone, the NUPE representative, and LCC Scotland opposing this. This was tollowed by a Tribune column by Ken Livingstone attacking me sdec don aa en. titled 'Left must look to te tlume. us retered opposition to the witch hunt. support LIC demands of the women's conference and Black Sections opposed 1 C° the of vociile DOUC reselection in the Tribune printed a reply to this by who sip Torted The Icc member Trevor majority position.
Fisher publicly took up the policy differences with Livingstone and made F.
Cea Liesues lavoryet! the LCC were not simply Lacuical FIsher ODCHlly justified the witch hunt and expulsions and, rather bizarrely given his overall political position, accused the LLL of subordinating class issues in the politics of 'race and gender' argu'Nor is it clear that an ing: 21aece winten makes gender race politics LIC KCY AL LIC CADCHSC U1 class politics is viable.
Others weighing into battle the same December issue of Tribune WeIe Kevin Scally Stephen Twigg, LCC memoel ot the Campaign for Lesbian and call for the removal of all US bases from Britain. The Gay Rights. separate but related development an extraordinary back page column Scally publicly backed up Livingstone. He attributed his reinstatement in the party tọ a principled united campaign waged by . Ine left and made it that while he compittery oppposed the politics of Militant he was 10S0XA A11 10A 1SITDED of their supporters and the wilch hunt atmosphere it created. Twigg called for Labour's campaign bodies to leave the LLL. Blunkett in practice backed up Kin'looney left' councils and informed us: '1 am not prejudiced agaunst gays and lesbians but there is no point in trying to delude myself that I feel anything but revulsion Lne touching another male.' The differences continuec deepen in the December issue. Vladimir Derer, secretary 0I the LLL, took up Livingstone and explained that while there was not a basis for between the posat nd ted C, a proposal mooted ingstone, joint work on principled ODiCCLVeS defeating the witch hunt, gaining the demands of the ALLOR comanee Black Sections — was to be welcomed.
The LLL's co-chair Ann Pettifor, devastating column entitled 'White men ridden with JUST OUT!
Js a vital debate, the the party and within U open policy splits in the National Organisation of Students (NOLS) at the National Union of Students confernece.
What had started 'crisis perspectives' •IT • ferences over tactics, had DI December OCCOnC withdrawal trom removal of all US bases couclallul with Labour Left Liaison and the Campaign Group of MPs. • Un tne other side werę those standing for exDuls ulls. IOI voltullle the system of reselection of MPs, giving purely lip service but no practica support to the ALON Committer Black Section, opposing practical steps creating conditions for British withdrawal allowing the maintaining of US bases in Britain, and opposing any practical with cuv cialil the LLL Campaing Group. These are not 'tactical differences'. They are an absolutely fundamental split over lust about some of the most fundamental issues of politics today.
What is not yet clear is what practical conclusions the sections of the soft left favouring collaboration with the LLL and Cam •ai mrouo dre cenae draw. In addition to public polemics different sections of the soft left have started to vote against each othel - notably CLP representatives Michael Meacher and David Blunkett voting against re-opening , the issue of reselection on the NEC and Tom Sawyer of Nure anu coce naco the TGWU voting in favour reopening issue The logical conclusion would be for those sections ot the soft welcome collaboration with the hard lett' to ignore th sectarian osition: taken y the LCC and to start t carry out practical cooperation for • common objectives. Whether they will do so remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear. The divisions on the 'soft left' are not even remotely lalud. lhev arete the most fundamental questions of the day. It looks like we are in for another shake up on Luc tell
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the Labour Women's Action Committee Executive, spelling out some bases for unity and organisation on the left. Since then the political polemic has un-