FOR A number of years pressure groups in the Party have put out 'preferred lists' of candidates for positions on the NEC. However, last year the left decided that more drastic action was needed to save the NEC' and it was agreed to run slates in an attempt to maximise votes for the left candidates.
Consultations took place through the ill-fated Labour Liaison '82 and a number of comrades who had stood for the NEC in the past (without success), stood down in tavour of the slate.
number of people had doubts about the slates, least for the Section, but compromise was reached slates were supported. This support was LIC inderstanding that this was a 'one-off' exercise to cope with exceptional circumstances.
This year, however. we have been presented slates again, and a numse of worrying features emerge from them. For instance, who has them up? Unlike last yea:. no attempt at rank and file consultation has been made. all IL: taults, Labour Liaison '82 did atdraw LOCCLICI representatives wide of organisations on the left in open discussion that has not happened this year It appears that there is self-appointed elite on the left who nave sel 'fixing' things, which the rank and pected to accept.
Instead of discussions taking place then Slates being drawn up. unic asser the fining aks lace fixing has done, consequently, unles we want to 'rock the • 4c nave lo go along with it.
conprinciple of Ihave argariates pretenti but number oi probletas with fixed siates The first of these is lack of choice for constituencies. Democratic choice should be available to constituencies not only between left and right (or soggy centre), DUL also within the left itself.
Not all people believe the same things and it is important that comrades standing for the NEC get genuine support for their record constituencies, not blind support just because they are on a slate.
second problem is that by limiting those standing for election on the left to those who we hope will win, no candidates grass TOOLS support. In the past comrades have bullt un the support over years and as vacancies have •asse they views changed, so have been elected. This is not possibie l pressure Is exerted to stop comrades standing who are not on the slate.
example of Tente ICT the NEC.
So where does the 'extra' person the slate come from? Answer, out of the heads of the self-appointed elite who fix the Now the person chosen may be highly acceptable but that is not the point The people who should be choosing candidates file members in the constituencies.
Fix There are more general Poo instance, in ass emp. ting to fix slates in the Constituency Section anc the C, is Sectior of we are not deal ing with the real source of the problem. Left to own devices. the Consti tuency Section, as in the past, would turn up a left majority with perhaps smattering of softies.
arasional ie:
Ine move the left could make to deal with this would be Renée Short Nomen's Section by th Conferenc decision OI the could be as bad as the present situation believe it would actually b a hell of a lot better!
Howerer. far mounting ar effective Take chis =2= T me - TE Slough.
By lan MacDonald, Feltham Heston YS The result has made youth ir West London determined than ever to mobilise azalils. the Organisation standing, was on the slate.
This year • Frances ha been left off because those men on the left fixing the slate don't like her. Instead they have drawn up a slate which is a joke as far as radical policies fo women in the Party is con cerned Some of the women on that slate may be perfectly acceptable - but it should have been drawn consultation with as wide a group of women on the left as possible not by a few men Further, we need to campaign to widen eligibility to stand for the NEC. Until we break the Terence to sand we li delegate not be able to elect - except in exceptional case grass rood members to he NEC effe number of
Socialist Action 22 July 1983
----- pull-quotes -----
to campain forcefully for CHRIS
=*-2 Frang upporter of in