ACTiON Socialist INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 1987 THE NATIONAL Organisation of Labour Students (NOLS) national weekend of 28 February-1 March establishment of a new left current in the student movement. It was shown in two developments.
First Campaign Student, standing in elections on a platform of support the campaigns politics of Left (LLL), TICI democratic secular PalesLille, Has calle paigning action for grants, SOAS Labour Club received only six fewer votes than the candidate from Socialist Students in NOLS — with 18 votes for SSiN and 12 for Campaign Student. Although not elected, because of the transfer of the vote to SSiN, the vote for Campaign Student signifies that this current is here to stay - and that there is already a sizeable current support VOLS for the politics of campaign Given that Campaign Student olly been established for three months it was a remarkably good vote.
The second development was that 40 students attended a fringe meeting to hear speakers from the Committee Party Black Section and Campaign for Party Democracy supporting their own campaigns affiliation to LLL. Commitments were made Irom a numoer or Labout Clubs to affiliate to the LLL Socialist Organiser and SSIN had attempted prevent this meeting from taking place by vetoing the proposal for the LIL to nave a fringe meeting al the conference. ine suc cess of the CLPD, Black Section, WAC fringe meeting however was both a boost for unese campaigns and lays the basis to camnaign tor Nots to atfiliate to the LLL.
An unloul talll feature on the left at NOLS conference was the increasing marginalisaton of SSiN's politics in NOLS as they move towards of Militant. Following up autonomy December NUs conterence. SSiN's main contribution to the propose to delete from the motion the statement 'thal women only. can define their oppression'.
a piece the Look, Ma! I'm the world!
Tresident of the U.S.A. -!!
held on witnessed the Since this leaves only men ase oner core for defining women's opsafely infer that what SSiN meant by their call for 'an objective definition of sexual harassment' at December NUS conference was one which IS acceptable to men. Apparently Socialist Students NOLS 110 W agree with the view that women incapable being objective and that only men can be!
The debate on women was a crucial NOLS voted work closely with and affiliate to WAC and to add its name to WAC'sappeal for the women's conICE CLICE elect the on the NEC. NOLS will be an important ally for WAC in the fight. for representa tion of women in the Labour Party.
also debated the Middle East and voted down tne na tional committee mendation adopting support for two states This position which essentially argument for smaller supported by most of the NOLS national committer and by SSiN. Militant call'socialist federation' in the Middle East. But conference rejected the NOLS national committee-SSiN position by votes …LO adopted support for the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people and unconditional support for the PLO This position, practical solidarity called for in the motion, lays the basis for winning majority support in NOLS for the objective of a democratic secular state in Palestine where all can live equally; a policy which would be CONS SICHE with NOLS policy of support for the ANC of South Africa, for British withdrawal from for self-determination for the Irish people. It was a major victory that the right wing offensive by SSIN Palestine was deteated.
In other debates condecided give total support to the FSLN and to work closely with the Solidarity Campaign. It also voted to The world is on amazed by my astonishing displa of hypocrisy, cant lies and... uh-oh!! Campaign for thes bian and affiliate the Gay Rights and support the Lesbian and Gay Bill campaign debate on racism, the central point of which Labour Party Black Sec was the tion, was knocked off the end of the NOLS agenda This will be an important campaign to mount in the coming YeaNOLS ensure that 1988 conterences lakes a posinon In support of black self-organisation in the party.
Despite the agreement with abour s campaign left that these politics show, there is still majority in NOLS affiliation accults Labour Left Liaison. The Democratic Left leaderof NOLS puts its backing Kinnock. This leads to the contradiction having policies which would take NOLS into conflict with the Labour Party leadership if it was to campaign for them. Instead the leadership brought into conflict with of NOLS the membership of NUS for ies radical poCaiep refusing to campaign Campaign Student's call for NOLS to make its campaign left offers resolution contradicaiton: by consistent campaigning by NOLS in defence of those in strugthe Labour Party and in society at I've been rumbled! I've been tumbled!! WIST large. The potential of majority support for this course of action is clearly shown by the support for Campaign Student aftei only three months of existence.
In the last year NOL has been locked in a steril between the KinCHUCKLE Democrat Left on one side and SSiN ar Militant on the other ampaign Student, link › the LLL, had an imp such snort time precisely because it shows a way out of those twir dead ends. NOLS con „тегенсь clear demonstration of that.
Scam paigning NOLS which part of Campaign Forum' alliance for socialism! Listen, Ronnie, if you can't behave room!
wha' happen I fergit:
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you can take your. self off to the spare