have both.' IT SOON became clear the Party leadership had refused to admit the television into Monday's debate on the expulsion of the Militant editorial board.
(Delegate, Islington South CLP)
The editors, despite the brief time they were given to address the delegates Conuucicu themselves with dignity aplomb and won standing ovation from the majority of the CLP delegates.
In contrast Jim Mortimer, the general of the DOLICEOR made a shambling defensive speech which repeated over and over again that the Party leadership was not interested In a large scale witch hunt.
Peter made a fine •speech in which he confronted The Party claims that we are a party within a party. We deny it. But, yes we are an organised group fighting for our own ideas inside the Party.
1939 Aneurin Bevan was expelled the same grounds Bevan replied that an attack on organised groupings in the Party is an attack on the Party itself and fatally cripples the forces of progress.
Why not move the expulsion the Solidarity Group of MPS who organise for their ideas? not expel Frank Chapple who broke the constitution endorsing an SDP candidate! Why not expel Ben Ford or Lord Lever who did the same?
This is a political attack. An attempt to get cheap electoral popularity and to curry favour with the capitalist press.
Comrades, have been given 15 seconds to the NEC's charges for every year of my Party membership.
You can have unity and you can have a witch hunt, but you can't have both.
will be rehabilitated. We will be back. tral CLP)
morning Fairer Britain was rapidly pushed through:
week conveniently open the NEC's document on defence.
The second slash of the • Knives was against membership. Firstly the Militant five were expelled against the wishes of the overwhelming majority of CLP delegates. Then all resolutions against further witch hunts were voted down.
John Maxton MP explained: It doesn't make much sense to say "no further witch hunts" can't expel the editorial board of newspaper without taking action in split - page 4 A ROSE-WAVING Neil Kinnock accepted the leadership on Sunday night. By Monday morning the roses had gone and the knives were out. The first flash of the knives was at Party policy. On Monday the NEC document Campaigning for a • On wages the question of incomes policy is left • By the time this paper is published the first steps towards junking unilateralism will probably have been taken through the acceptance of the section of against the newspaper itself.
Jack Straw MP brought the message home those who hadn't understood We should call it a witch hunt because yet. Militant aren't the only ones vou know.
It's quite clear what's planned for the future.
Anyone with illusions that the left members of the NEC can hold it back have understand the real forces involved at this conference.
The TUC conference should have warned us -the overwhelming majorir of trade union leaderincluding the TGWU, are now behind a policy junking left policies and junking the lett.
Those still hoping for a honeymoon with Kinnock have to wake up fast. Like all the best honeymoons it lasted just one night.
Policies The result of the NEC elections and the vote on the witch hunt resolutions shows ore me ced -never have the trade union block VOLC OCCI unanimously split the COSULUCCO Left gains like the election of David Blunkett and Joar Maynard were nearly all in the constituency or women's sections.
The overall balance of the NEC has shifted little because of the way the trade union barons used their votes. The conclusion is that the attack on the policies the membership will continue 'Now that we're united we can get rid of those Mili tant bastards!
Socialist Action 7 October 1983 Sea Oil revenues to boost in electoral ILP-led Labour Party of
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'You can have unity or a witch hunt. You can't
• Britain will stay in the EEC, with 'options' open • Industrial policy doesn't mention the 35-hour
Who is Neil Kinnock? - page 6 Labour's agenda — page 7 Abortion conference ends
MODERN TIMES I PAIRER, BETTER BRANG