'WHAT WENT WRONG at the general election?' is the central theme running through this year's Labour Party conference. For many delegates a major factor will be that demonstrated a lack manifesto and its own rank and file.
ing that the defeat was brought about as a result of Labour surrendering the political stage to Thatcher during the whole four years of the Tories term of office.
conversion leadership patriotic When did speak policy. have been the Their failure to for sellout struggles which place train drivers paved the show the election result rules out this policy once and for all. But the TUC answer is, if you cannot get what you want by sitting still then move - to he right! In the name of recognising . the democratically elected government' we get talks with Tebbit and a refusal to oppose anti-trade union legislation.
Tories 'right to govern' becomes a license target. Backtracking on policy, SUCI with the links with the Labour Party. The stage is set for talks with the SDP.
the leadership of faith both in its own But underlying this judgement is a growing feelpath with spectre of on the Now at the working We must stop driving If the right the somelning of left 4101 general Wak the right defeat themselves.
ing _the acindividuals. attempt organise the right. regrouping around a new strategy, the left also has a duty to learn mistakes. We need to build a united left opposition CN.D.
is prepared to organise from the ranks of the labour movement upwards, in both the Labour the unions.
overcome be the wielding change in the voting system moves seriously cannot hide merit The leaders of of vote' Organising Committee criticism aimed decision vote for done should members the highest industrial, wvect leadership questions.
superficially easier road of weakening the role of the union vote the left has to say in Shift shift.
Office LIC of but if it is to is a dinated across the HOIS BLOC is a the breaking that standing (sic) agree"politics'.
the which left and rank unionism. by to let underway sink in. an with out with much More transe Labour lept How can the Labour win the confidence of the ranks if it is unprepared to organise against the right and build towards mass ac-.
defence of _our Our potential strength was shown in the solidarity organised defence of the healthworkers weakness in the inability of of the drivers to organise after the sell-out decision of the TUC. practice the importance of the Tory attacks on i attacks should be ooposed• show. ing in practice that the Tories not invincible and that it is possible to stand and fight.
will not be easy. We need to organise at all levels, from the shop floor to the TUC General Coun cil, ward branches to the NEC No single current can do this. Only by uniting the left can we build such a movement. It means learning from our mistakes Above all we have to learn that, on issues such as or is not enough carry resolutions at Conference. Good sentiments will not save the NHS. We have to be prepared to go out into the population building CND, workers fighting jobs Labour behind the fight of health workers to defend their service. Only be building a united left opposition can we put these tasks on the agenda. • Greg Tucker is one of the delegates trom aux hall to the Labour Party writing in a personal capacity.
- Fringe meeting THE NATO QUESTION A DEBATE with Jo Richardson MP Denzil Davies MP Bob Cryer and Mary Kaldor Starts 5.30pm on Thursday 6 October at the Royal Albion Hotel HiL Personally, I think they got out of the Maze because they couldn't stand to watch the Labour Party conference on TV....
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
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MODERN TIMES