WHEN NEIL Kinnock was painting his vision of a compassionate and caring society in Birmingham town hall on Tuesday 19 May, I hope he spared a thought for NUJ member Som Raj who has been fighting a battle against deportation since September 1985. The Som Raj Defence Campaign and the NUJ decided some months ago, as part of this fight, to cal a national demonstration in Som's home town of Wolverhamp. ton. The date set was 6 June.
However, issues of race clearly beginning to worry Labour politicians in Tne vidangs.
In Wolverhampton, for LUC council's financial support for the family of Clinton McCurbin, choked to death by the was largely blamed for the loss of seven council seats which has now resulted in Labour losing overall control. Ana in bırmingnam councilas iust abolishec its race relations and equal despite strong opposition from party activists and Policy In Labour-held marginals the cracks also Peter Snape, who holds wect Bromwich East votes, was amongst une fist to demand action against BACK Section supporters who spoke at the Birmingham rally Calling for their expulsion from the party, he said: "They not represent black people. sent only themselves their own ambitions. Ther have undermined us long enough. it is time they had the Buls present themselves under their own banner and policies, which are nol and never have been — those of the Labour What the specific policies of the Labour Parare on issues of race is difficult to say. Certainly they are not planning to use Som Raj's demonstration to focus national attention on plight of those faced with deporatation In fact the campaign recently by the was lulla Labour lord mayor to ask whether they would consider postponing the march until after the general election date. Ine campaign said no.
Given all this, black people's ears pricked up when Bill Morris started his speech about what the election meant to him 'as a black person, as a socialist, and a member of the Labour Party. Having discharged his responsibilily by calling on all socialists to oppose the Tories attempts to shove black people out of the mainstream, he turned to elections.
Labour's record on issues of rac Ours, he explained, 'is the party of equality. Ours is the party of freedom, of ustice. anu oursis lic bar ty of tolerance.
'But comrades, our party is also the party of non-sectarianism Our party is a party of self-discipline, not self-indulgence. That is the MALGO COUNCIL