The following statement was released on 8 April. Copies are available from the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy.
THE most urgent task confronting Labour Party members is the election of a Labour government. Such a goal re-, quires the presentation of clear left wing. policies.
For some time now I have made it a priority to campaign for unity on the left. The split between the campaign Tribune groups in Parliament and between the labour Co-ordinating Committee and Labour Left Liaison in the constituencies has only benetitted the right. There has been no effective pressure in the constituencies to stop the drift to the right on economic policy and the constant watering down of policy on nuclear disarmament. As the Falklands war so in the zircon scandal we have sometimes seemed to be trying to surpass the lories in jingoism. press moved to attack Labour Councils, homosexuals and black organisations some in the Labour leadership have chosen to run with the hounds rather than defend the Socialist hares. Such an approach is electorally deeply damaging.
Unity on the left and in the party can only be achieved through defence of party democracy and principled policies.
Irrespective of the outcome of the next election the right are aiming for a further shift away from socialist policies and the concept of building a popular campaigning party. They have indicated an intention to undermine the modest accountability provided by the present system of mandatory reselection - a democratic gain which gives members for the first time some say in policy determination and whose defence is crucial to oppose a drift to the right.
so essential if we are to Party unity. defeat the Tories, is threatened by the ongoing: purge the suspension of the Liverpool party, the expulsion of Liverpool Labour councillors, and last month's attack on the Black Section. An objective of the right is to obliterate, through attacks on the London Labour Party, the memory of the GIC, the popularity it enjoyed, coalition of forces it mobilised to strengthen the traditional Labour movement. Such moves are deeply divisive and electorally damaging to the party.
Campaign In such circumstances the left needs to work for principled unity and maximise its support on the NEC. I believe that I have a good chance of being elected to the constituency section and believe my presence on this body would be a reinforcement of the left. In seeking election it would be on the basis on the policies of Brent East Labour Party.
I would like to clarify a further matter. The executive of the Labour Coordinating Committee (ICC) on 5 April made clear at the meeting that an aim of some members of the LCC was to promote candidates intended to undermine xisting left wing members of the NE - notably Tony Ben ner whom the LCC refused to endorse.
Under these circumstances to agree to be on the slate for the NEC presented by the LCC would be to participate in divisive and sectarian attacks on the left in the party. I made clear my opposition to this procedure last year in rejecting approaches to run for the CLP section of the NEC against Eric Heffer. In these circumstances I decline the suggestion to be included on the ICC slate for the na. tional Executive Committee I shall be urging Brent East GC at its nis Skinner as well as Jo Richardson and Abbott. I shall be consulting Brent East remaining candidate to I believe it is possible to win power in Britain with a radical Socialist Labour Too much time in the last four years has been wasted in introspection and purges. I would seek to use the NEC posifion to turn the party outwards and build the sort of mass support we glimpsed with the GLC. mittee and Labour Party Black Section for pledge to Britist withdrawal Ireland during the lifetime of a Labour government.
Left The logical organisational conse quences were drawn from this in Liv ingstone advocating joint work betweer MPs and the Tribune group of MPs. Thi attacking the Tribune group for not allowing an oper ballot Cabinet - a condition demanded by the Campaign group for a joint slate with Tribune following the failure of Tribunes rightwingers to vote for Tony Benn and other commonly agreed candidate This perspective was violently oppo ed by the right wing of the LCC groupe around the "Clause 4' organisation. They in practice advocated, increasingly openly so in recent weeks, a bloc with the righ wing against the left of the party. This started as opposition at the LCC AGM to any joint work with Labour Left Liaison Nigel Williamson, editor of Tribune, had been increasingly openly son published a centre spread by Stank attacking Livingstone, and also enlister Social Democratic and Labour Party. Tribune has also printed a long attack on
Socialist Action 10 April 1987