Camden Labour Briefing, April 1988

lesbians and gays for the Greenwich bye-election defeat; refuses to call for a strategy of not paying or 26 April ee collecting to defeat the feet tax in Scotland; did not condemn nuclear power after Chernobyl; and refuses BENN & HEFFPER: to be seen dead anywhere near a

that’s the tickets! picket line. Roy Hattersley's contribution to

the fight against Alton's Bill has

The Labour leadership contest has _ ' been to say that women who died put socialism back on the agenda. from back-street abortions before

1967 had a choice The present Labour leadership's 4 response to two general election Waite cue Gpperen sa ct, Sepnane.

dateatechaa been ar awitoh, too Siew Heffer will denounce the contested

lection as a distraction realism' - a philosphy which si 2 reflects the failure of the Labour Bere ec nO anna BUemeDe leadership to recognise that the should see it as an opportunity to key to a real political victory over Pee ieee oe een ne Panes

Thatcher lies in the mobilisation to give support to people in

of all the most oppressed in our struggle outside parliament and to society. put socialism back on the agenda.

The totally undemocratic ‘policy Jill Entwistle review’ and stunts like Labour Listens acknowledge the arguments of Thatcherism about individualism, ‘efficiency’ and the market economy ~

- they are unlikely to give people = the confidence to fight back. _ MEETING TO LAUNCH

It is possible to win victories - it was the action of the BENN & HEFFER Manchester nurses, not the parliamentary Labour Party's

CAMDEN "CAMDEN LABOUR In a bid to be ‘respectable’ the Kinnock leadership refused to condemn police violence in the miners' strike; did not disown Patricia Hewitt's letter blaming

ELECTION CAMPAIGN

interventions that forced the NHS FOR. CAMDEN to the top of the political agenda. The response of the new TUESDAY = MAY, Spm realists was to turn their backs on Tewn Hall ee the health workers by rejecting the All welcome.

Campaign Group's resolution to the NEc that supported the strike action.

STOP THE CLAUSE

Camden's Lesbian and Gay unit, a significant number of library books, plays and shows being performed in Camden, funding for voluntary organisations and the rights of Camden teachers are all under threat from Clause 29 of the Local Government Bill currently going through parliament. The clause threatens a full-blooded return to bigotry and Victorian values in its claim to outlaw the supposed ‘promotion of homosexuality’. 2

STor THE CLAUSE NATIONAL. DEMONSTRATION = SATURDAY =O

Assemble Embankment ia. OO

Rally and Festiwal in Kennington Fari SOLIDARITY WITH FALEST INE .

DEMONSTRATE OM: SUNDAY 11> MAY ipm at the Embankment

A WOMAN’? S RIGHT

ON 29 MARCH 180 teachers in five TO CHOOSE ...

secondary schools in Camden took % 5 ‘

day's unofficial strike action in pee zoe hoya e he which seeks to reduce

response to the compulso pom mp Hd the time limit for legal

redeployment of 43 'surplus' teachers. Despite the lack of set ahve Rca Riba approaches its third

Support by the NUT and ILTA. It was particularly successful in eee re ehee that the march was supported by patacaininants n-ne over 200 parents, students and Gert te ae non-teaching staff. consciences as to how At Camden School for Girls, an ag. belos eae emergency public meeting on 28 aaldageieds March was attended by over 500 Dapecy canner ue ny repeciae parents and students who expressed neyeigg anche Ss their dismay and anger at the ee: cuts. These cuts are a disaster eevee being eae Cy for children - classes will get a aoe bigger, whole subject areas will esa aon no longer be offered, and support Sere eo ae a) oe for children with special ee educational needs will be a ee drastically reduced. Across Camden ee eee special educational needs and Eeeiiy Se ae a English as a second language has Pheriioiete ci to

been halved. further attacks os urthe: cks. n Camden School for Girls If labour MPs had

Russian, sociology, classics, special needs and PE have been were Sek tee Feet drastically cut. At Hampstead wonie: bare 20ee eh. sad School there will be no Sond eet Se information or design technology pe sa ee oe ae _ in the lower school. It will be pniol ga Rapp a yrs F working class and ethnic minority Ss ‘children who will suffer the most - ; BROS E Seeeus 2 : - so much for an equal -.- HOT A LABOUR MP'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE! opportunities policy.

The effect on teachers has been devastating - hence the inclusion of non-union members on the strike, despite low morale and punitive measures threatened by ILEA. It has not escaped attention, the fact that a disproportionate number of union activists have been victimised - in Camden three union reps, 2 assistant officers and a committee member. With over 1,000 ‘surplus’ teachers and only 50 retraining places, many teachers will be forced to leave teaching.

Una Doyle, Camden NUT.

* Write to Labour MPs calling on them to vote against Alton.

* Lobby the NEC, Labour Party HQ, 150 Walworth Rd, on Wed 27 April 9am - 10an.

* Demonstrate on the eve of the 3rd reading. 5 May Malet St, outside ULU. 6.30pm.

* Contact Camden FAB for further information. Gill 387 6557,

S0cCT ALT ST CONFERENCE

380 people from all over North London met on the week-end of the 16 & 17 April at the local Socialist Conference. Tony Benn adressed the conference with his message for the Party leadership election : support workers and oppressed in struggle against the Tories, develop a programme to meet their needs and re-assert traditional socialist ideas. The conference was unanimous in believing that there was nothing new or realist about “new-realism". Reconvened Socialist Conference in Chesterfield on the 11 and 12 June. For details phone Davy Jones on 607 9729.