Labour Briefing no. 65

Labour

Briefing

July 2nd Kingsway Princeton College Details: see page 12, page 6 Debate, Discuss — and Organise!

OUR PARTY!

Millions of people in Britain are ing to notice that

be:

perl mentary politics in this country have become stagnant and that the inter-party arguments have gone completely stale.

This is because a new Front Bench Consensus about policy has been quietly developing, partially obscured by ritual exchanges of personal abuse across the floor of the House of Commons, and carefully concealed beneath clever advertising techniques designed to keep up the pretence that fundamental differences remain.

This bipartisa creeping into many key policy areas. The list grows longer every day, and already covers shared front bench attitudes towards:

@NATO and its nuclear umbrella

S bases in Britain resent high level of arms

PHOTO: Leese Herbert

‘©The Common Market, moving towards a federal Europe

@The British occupation of Northern Ireland

@The irreversibility of privatisation

©The entrenchment of market forces

@Legislation to control trade unions

©The continuation of the House of Lords.

And to that list we must now add:

©The retention, by Britain, of nuclear weapons, which Labour apparently is to be

asked to support. Given such wide areas of all-party agreement, it is no wonder that so many become cynical about politics.

by Tony Benn

eft must write fight the Tones

Tony Benn addresses the Second Socialist Conference

A major new realignment in British politics has begun to take shape. This could lead to a complete transformation of the Labour Party as we have known it, in which its trade union base and socialist perspectives are virtually abandoned.

Since the Party was first formed, by the trade unions and others, and adopted a socialist programme, the British Establishment has always supported the right wing within it.

But in the early 80s, the Establishment changed its emphasis by backing the SDPLiberal Alliance, in the hope of destroying Labour altogether, and replacing it with a new Conservative party which would provide a safe alternative to the Tories.

However, when the Alliance collapsed, and splintered, the Establishment shifted its attention back to the Labour Party, It is now actively supporting the present attempts to ditch socialist policies and hand the Party over to Labour's front bench — attempts which are backed up by the block votes of the trade union General Secretaries, with trade union members having little say.

It is obvious why the Establishment wants this to happen. There would then be no threat to their power or their privileges. Even if the electors did put a Labour government into office in the future it would be quite safe and harmless — from their point of view.

This is the reason why so many Tory commentators (who will never vote Labour) are now praising the Labour Leadership, and demanding even tougher measures against those who want a democratic Party where the membership choose the Leader and decide policy.

Without a Leadership election this year, the authoritarianism which we are now witnessing would have gone unchallenged, and the Labour Party, as we have always known it, could have been changed out of all recogni ithout Party members being offered any opportunities to give their views on the matter.

No wonder the Leadership wants the rules changed to block future elections.

At the second Chesterfield Conference we discussed how to put socialist ideas back on the agenda of British politics at a time when the injustices perpetrated by the present government need to be challenged much more strongly than they have been by the Labour Leadership over the last five years.

If we do not mount a successful challenge soon democracy itself could be destroyed in

hour Briefing No. 65 June 22nd-July Sth 1988 page 2

Campaign Round-up

Another week in the Irish War

Another week in the ish war began on Sunday June 12th, when Billy Totem, 8 Catholic from West Belfast, was killed by a Loyalist death squads.

By Geoff Bell Hackney North & Stoke Newington CLP

Neither Margaret Thatcher nor any government Minister commented upon his death; nor did any ‘member of Labour's front bench.

‘On Monday June 13th, Justice Ruane ruled that the lish government had presented a “fatally flawed” case when it and the British ‘government demanded that _ political prisoner Patrick McVeigh should be handed over to the British.

‘One of the arguments used by MeVeigh’s lawyers wes that among the offences fisted in the warrant for his extradition were ones committed when he was in prison.

iraj Mendis

Mrs Thatcher and her Attorney General angrily ‘denounced the freeing of MeVeigh. So did Labour's Shadow Attorney General

and. its Northern Ireland ‘Spokesperson Kevin McNamara

‘All have great faith in the British judicial system for dealing with Irish political prisoners. There are those, Such as the Birmingham Six and Guildford Four, who do not.

Next, on June 15th, six British soldiers were blown up by the IRA in the gar fison town of Lisburn. This led to an unusual development: Labour's Leader. Neil Kinnock. mentioned Ireland in the House of ‘Commons.

He had not done so when Billy Tottem had been killed, when three other Catholics had been killed by Loyalists in the Avenue Bar massacre on May 15th, or when the SAS had gunned down three unarmed IRA volunteers in Gibraltar.

But on this occasion Kinnack voiced his agreement

High Court sides with Home Office

The High Court has tu ed down Viraj Mendis’s appeal to stay in this

country,

‘They have backed the Home office decision to deport Viraj back to Sri

Lanka — where, as a supporter of Tamil rights, he would be in great danger.

The High Court also refused leave to appeal to the House of Lord: Howe! i will be peti “ioning the House of Lords

jetty, asking them to hear his appeal

Graciously

Home Secretary Douglas Hurd has graciously an-

By FINN JENSEN

nounced that he will not be sending police into the church where Viraj_ has been in sanctuary while this process, expected to take between one and two months, is underway.

Waited

Hurd felt, however, that the Home

Office | had

his own. many more black people under threat of deportation are looking to the Viroj

ulf War d

Over 500 people marched past the Iranian and iraqi em: bassies on May 28th, condamning. both” governments for continuing the Guif War.

‘The “demonstration called for ail navies to be removed from the Gulf and an arms en bbargo against iran.

‘The demonstration wos organised by Iranian socialist, women’s and refugee grouD8 ‘nd Iraqi groups.

‘Banners showed .the sup port of many sections. of the British left and organisations

such asin Haringey Feefugess Forum. However, offcist Bonners from Labour Parties and trade unions were largely absent. indicating that the Gulf War needs to be taken into these bodies by the left

CARI, the Campaign Against Repression in tran, wit ‘have anew bulletin out nearly Jaly, "which can be ordered now. They are also preparing a factsheet for the trade union movement.

with Thatcher and deplored the killings of the soldiers — as did Kevin McNamare.

The following day, the British government an: nounced that it would use force to extract genetic fingerprinting in Northern Ireland. This will mean forcing uncharged suspects to open their mouths and ramming tweezers or 2 similar implement into their mouths and extracting samples of saliva.

Kevin McNamara in the House of Commons supported this move. It was later denounced by the

British Medical Association as ‘against medical ethics".

‘The same day the father of one of the soldiers killed on June 15th said it was time all British soldiers were “‘brought_home"* from Ireland, Thatcher, Kinnock and McNamara are united in their opposition to this.

‘So ended another week in the Irish war. End ToryLabour bipartisanship! ‘Troops out now!

Mendis Defence Campaign as_an inspiration in their

‘The announcement of the appeal decision was followed by a rally at the church, and a meeting of the VMOG, at which future plans were made.

+ Push

\Viraj has called for a further push to broaden out ‘the Defence Campaign to Include as many activists

as Contact. the VMDC to find out details of latest plans:

‘c/o North Hulme Centr Jackson Crescent, Hulme,

Manchester M15 SAL; tel 061 234 3168.

policeman

Sensational news broke over the Bank Holiday in Chapeltown, Leeds.

Police Superintendent Elis has been removed from his post and sent to Wakefiold!

The “Ellis must go” campaign immediately claimed the surprise

development as a victory.

Promotion

But the promotion to Chief ‘Superintendent which accom Danied the transfer is 2 confi. motion that racist behaviour 's Jot Only tolerated but positive

/AYR

ANTAP- STHEIE

Gscorrisue

ANTI

i aki Marching in Glasgow

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~ GRO s

nit MANDELA

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ge Mandela march in Glasgow

© scorTisur ANT APAETHED, Bsc

riuity

‘Freedom at 70!’’

June 12th saw one of ‘Scotland’s biggest demonstrations for years.

20-30,000 marched through Glasgow to 2 mass ‘Anti-Apartheid Rally to launch the Glasgow-London Nelson Mandela Freedom March.

The demonstration was ‘swelled by publicity surrounding the “Free Mandela” concert at Wembley

‘But Socttish A-AM had been building the march for months, ed its work was reflected in large numbers of trade union and Labour Party banners.

The growth of the Women’s ‘Committees of the A-AM in ‘Glasgow was also evident. Having recently staged a benefit for

SWAPO. women which at ed 250 women, they gathered a large, lively and

ly endorsed in the police force. West Yorkshire Chiet Con:

stable Colin Sampson hes

pledged his total support for

the man st the centre of what

has ‘become known asthe tape row

Investigation

Aten month investigstion by Greater Manchester Police has now been shelved by the Police Complaints Authority, Ostensibly because it was refused vital evidence, Le. the tape recor Ging. of Elis saying thet {5,000 West indians are very Gifficult to police and thst they Create all sorts of problems, in- ‘cluding drugs and prostitution.

Mc Omparkash Sharma, the mao who recorded. Ells's Temarks, and President of the

By Allan Green Maryhill CLP

vocal contingent around their banner

"The speakers at the rally included Susan Baird (Glasgow's Lord. Provost), Oliver Tambo (ANC President), Janey Buchan (Labour MEP for Glasgow), Dr Allan Boesak, Trevor Hud:

General of SWAPO).

Susan Baird pointed out that Glasgow was the first municipality to. award Nelson Mandela “Freedom of the City" and has changed the street fddress of the South African Consulate in Glasgow (0 "Nelson Mandela Place” Glasgow's City Chambers New the ANC flag throughout the ay

Asian United Organisation, ‘aid "I have not co-operated in Submitting the tape 0 the investigation because | do not believe that it has been in dependent. It has been a total whitewash.”

The Manchester police only took. statements. from Elis Supporters. They never spoke to any. members of the Chapeltown Action Group. No wonder community activists have so little tath in official procedures that they never foaged # formal complaint

Attempts

AAs one person with personal

experience commented, All you get is ¢ really pretty little letter back saying there 's not enough evidence to prosecute,

The last CAG public

In an emotional speech, Allan Boesak contrasted. Glasgow's Support with the actions of the Butish government... On. the State of Emergency in South Africa, he said:

“The black people of South Africa can take on Pretoria but they eantiot take on Pretoria and Bonn and London and Washington and Tokyo. What false needs to happen. in_my ‘country for Reagan and Thatcher and Kohl to do what is Fight? How many more children must diet”

Oliver Tambo defended the ANC from Tory altacks, and pointed tothe terrorist nature of the South African regime, saying: "If fighting for your rights makes you a criminal, then I'm 4 bloody criminals well.”

“The rally drew (0 a close with a tremendous send-off for the 2s" Glasgow to. London marchers.

Ellis leaves peltown!

15,000 West Indians remove laughing

meeting, held at the Mandela Contre, announced the result of forensic examination of the tape recording. The Man chester Investigating Team ‘was invited, but they refused

Inquiry

Now the Ellis inquiry has been ‘dropped at least for a while we ean look forward to Some peace in Chapeltown, and not some cop who thinks making racist remarks ea way of ite

Elis is the second top cop to bbe put out to grass from Chapeltown, At the time the Police Complaints Authority statement and promotion an ouncement were issued Supt. Elis suddenly went on ‘an’ Unexpected holiday. and Rad no comment to offer

Labour Briefing No. 65 June 22nd-uly Sth 1988 page 3

Editorial

The Emperor of Walworth Road has no clothes

Events in the Labour Leadership contest are 19 rapidly.

Following his endorsement of the rule of market forces, Kinnock went on television to renounce unilateral nuclear disarmament (as predicted in Labour Briefing long ago), then got the NEC‘s Organisation Sub-Committee to move the goal posts to obstruct future Leadership challenges (and for good measure to stop Mandy Mudd standing as the democratically selected candidate in a Haringey Council by-election).

Kinnock's strategy is to raise the stakes in the Leadership contest — so that he can claim a mandate for a sweeping right wing transformation of the Party after the October Conference.

But things haven't gone to pian. First, the TGWU Executive refused to endorse the present Leadership. Then Denzil Davies made his latenight foray into the headlines. Ron Todd made his first public criticism of Kinnock since the end of the miners’ strike. And to top it off, David Martin, Kinnock’s favourite, was dumped by the Labour Group in the European Parliament.

The widespread discontent with Kinnock's autocratic opportunism (and dismal failure to dent the Tories’ opinion poll lead) has come to the surface — provoked by the socialist challenge of Tony Benn and Eric Heffer.

Already, their decision to stand against Labour's quisling misleaders has been vindicated. Already, their campaign has scored victories. They have shaken the tree, and it

BRIEFING

TADOUR — TAKE THE POWE

doesn’t matter that in the short-term others may gather the fruit (notably John “I support Neil Kinnock”’ Prescott).

‘As Tony Benn points out (see front page), momentous issues are involved in this Leadership contest: nothing less than the entire future of the labour movement.

The Benn-Heffer campaign may have got off to a late and faltering start, but in recent weeks it has entered a new, dynamic phase.

Local and regional Benn-Heffer campaigns need to step up their activity, raise their profiles, and make sure these crucial opportunities are not wasted.

‘We now have @ chance to hammer home our socialist message to a wide audience — and three full months before Party

Yesterday’s Men?

John Edmonds’ cheap jibe about Benn and Heffer being “’geriatric’’ was not only offensive to millions of working class pensioners; it was also based on an amazing distortion of historical realities.

If @ commitment to anti-trade union laws, the free market, NATO, nuclear weapons, and the British occupation of Northern Ireland is innovative and modern, then Max Bygraves ought to be top of the pops.

Marx’s adage about history repeating itself — the first time as tragedy, the second as farce — springs to mind as 800n as the names of Gaitskell and Kinnock are coupled.

Has Edmonds forgotten in Place of Strife? Has

he not even read about the National Government of 19317

‘A Policy Review in which government cooperation with the CBI appears as a novel proposal, and from which such questions as nuclear power and acid rain, local government reform and police accountability are absent can hardly be described as pointing the way into the 1990s.

What counts, of course, is not chronology, but| ideas and actions. The rights of women, black people, lesbians and gays, and other oppressed groups — anathema to Kinnock, Hattersley, and for that matter Prescott — are built into the Benn-Heffer platform, as is a radical and longoverdue critique of Britain's undemocratic state.

The idea that Labour's supporters are passive consumers, not productive (or potentially productive) workers, capable of playing an active part in the collective transformation of society, is the same old hat which turns up every time the movement suffers severe defeat — and its leaders look for easy options. This is, the old, outdated approach — one which Benn and Heffer utterly reject.

The Benn-Heffer challenge has generated grass roots enthusiasm up and down the country. People are exited by the chance it offers to protest against everything that is rotten, in our world, and even more by its positive and unapolgetic vision of a society built on democracy and equality. The demand for a socialist society is the only answer Labour can give to Thatcher; and it is the only answer that can win popular support.

Second Socialist Conference in Chesterfield

Building from the base up!

‘The second Socialist Conference at Chesterfield was a chaotic success. As 2,000 people jostled through too narrow corridors, good-naturedly struggled to find and get to their workshops, battled through the usual barTage of sectarian cant, and queued interminably for cups of appalling coffee, 2 movement was, un-

mistakably and inexorably, coming to life and taking shape. ‘The new format — based

By Paula Watson Westminster South CLP

Tons, the diversion of arms expenditure to production for need, building and exten. ding the infrastructure, a shorter working week and life and the needs of women in the labour market.

The future shape of the movement is chus beginning to emerge as a continuing series of workshops, policy groups and conferences 10 Produce a socialist alternative (0 Kinnockite neo Thatcherism and to formuilale demands and issues around. which campaigns

on workshops, with plenaries confined to the ‘opening and closing sessions — was a considerable improvement, enabling wider participation and more detailed discassion.

Inevitably the quality of the workshops varied, but almost all came up with some positive suggestions for future work and continuing discussion.

Arising from the debates, plans now on foot include a number of single issue con ferences on the Poll Tax. local government and the structure of the British state

internationalism and can be built democratic rights The movement will be Campaigning priority will based firmly on local and

be given to the Poll Tax with ational struggles, so that calls from the trade union the issues on which struggles workshop for it to be based take place and the ex- ‘on a policy of mon- perience so gained can be abcompliance. sorbed into the policy

The economic workshops discussions. The demands were, perhaps predictably, and ideas emanating from the least positive, but even the workshops will feed into here suggestions emerged. and enrich the fight on the

Policy groups are to con- ground. sider and produce pamphlets“ The interlinking processes fon the need for public of policy formulation and

‘ownership (this may become 8 Briefing initiative), possi ble structures for_ workers’ control, the multinationals and. strategies for international co-operation. Immediate campaigning conferences.

demands should concentrate Even in the less hopeful fon a takeover of the City arena of _traditional and, the financial institu- theoretical conflict, light is

Struggle will nourish each other and help to push for- ‘ward the bounds of socialist demands, The third lez will be the regional organisations evolved in the wake of local

beginning to break through — more than justifying the Conference's usefulness as a forum for socialist debate.

In this the sects are, perhaps unconsciously, acHing as catalysts. Their reiterated, intransigent positions are ‘helping the more thoughtful majority to understand that the classic dichotomies between international and national struggle, macro and microeconomics, autonomy and class struggle are largely

‘The different strategies are not mutually exclusive but complementary. National struggle can only suc ceed in the context of inter national struggle. Microeconomics in a capitalist State must lead to. everincreasing demands, and strugeles for, a restructuring of the — macro-economy. Autonomy, by motivating and giving self-co the oppressed, will lea into the class. struge which in turn provides the only context in which their fight can succeed.

in all this Briefing played on the witch-hunt, Martha an outstanding role. Easily _ Osamor on self-organisation fone of the largest, if not the of the oppressed, and Mike largest, group present, our Marqusee on Briefing itself, ubiquity’ was noticed by proved a gratifyingly suc friend and foe alike. cessful draw

Tn contrast tolast year our “However, since nothing is presence and contributions perfect in’ an imperfect to all the policy workshops world, here are a few conand plenaries were well ference gripes. Organised and co-ordinated. The trade union represen. The fringe meeting, tation was well down on last although held in one of at. This is an important Tnaccessible parts of failure which must be the campus, was packed and rectified.

overflowed into. the _The treatment of women's corridor. issues was, as usual, un- ‘Our cast, John Wilton on satisfactory. Too often the

Benn-Heffer, Mandy Mudd” women’s workshops were

Sit JOCIALIST CQNFERENCE

PHOTO: Leesa Herbert

Be Participants in the Socialist Conference

works to sustain and support workers’ struggles by forsing links between the regional organisations, the poliey groups and the fight on the ground, We must build from the base up.”

We must ensure that the emerging structures. are open, democratic and accountable. At national level greater flexibility is needed to enable groups like Brief ing and parties like the Socialist. Workers to affiliate. Both have worked extemely hard for the success of the conference and this should be recognised.

held at the same time as the other policy groups, preventing many women from con. tributing to the general debates,

The organisation was bet. ter than last year but could still bear some improvement. It was often extremely difficult 10 find out where particular workshops were being held and even more difficult to get there

What of the future? Mandy Mudd showed the way in her words to the final plenary session:

“We have to ensure that the “Socialist Conference

Labour Briefing No. 65 June 22nd-July Sth 1988 page 4

Trade Union Briefing

National meeting for Health

Campaigners

The next National Health Emergency meting will be weld on Saturday, July 2nd from 1.30-4pm at the Polytechnic of Central London. 35 Marylebone Road in Room 326, opposite Baker Stret tube station. We hope to produce @

Please send any contributions to the London Health Emergency offices, 335 Grays inn Road. London WC1 before June 23rd.

Please affiliate: we need some money! Rates: £10 local bodies, £30 regional bodies, £50 ‘national bodies, £5 for individual sub. Send money to LHE at above address.

strike ends nity Ww

PHOTOS: Finn Jensen

For three weeks mountains of Stinking rubbish fidled the Stroets of Machester as 850 TGWU and GMB refuse éollactors went on stnke, Semanding proper starting fovel x vs The strike was 100% so, and soldanty was spreading {0 other trade unions, when NUPE and GMB organised a joint meeting fora! Counc By 9 2-1 vote the stikers decided to retorn to work

From Socialist Action Manchester Bullet

‘despite the Cay Counci’s etusal to meet their ‘Gemands.

the strikers had won it would make it more difficult for the City Council to Impose staff cuts in other departments. But more Strikes are likely when the Cuts really begin. to, hurt

Ina postal ballot Inst November, a clear majority of the members of both ASTMS and TASS voted to merge the two unions.

The new uijon — MSF (Manufacturing, Scientific and Finance Union) — its first annual confereace i Boumemouth on June 11-45th

Tt was special Rules Conference, “intended to construct the MSF rulebook.

“This was always going to be & itil task” ASTMS. (anon Division {of MSF) always fad a telatively” democratic tradition,” with branch-besed Sonferences "of over 1,000 Selegates, independent funding for branches and regions, and 2 high level of mistrust ofthe NaSonal Executive Couscl (NEC) by branch acuists,

By Glenn Suthertand MSF Conference ‘Observer, Charing Cross Branch

Ti contrast, TASS (Known as Division A of MSF — there's

ferent industrial sectors of the

‘union, with motions also being

Submitted on a regional basis. ‘Not surprisingly, criticism of

the TASS Executive by the 160 ‘delegates was rather limited by the fact that almost all of them were, in reality, selected by the Broad Left organisation

This year's NALGO Conference will not launch the militant campaigns that are needed to fight back against the Tory government's attacks ‘on health and local

_ government.

In the Local Government Group meeting, the NEC made it clear that it ‘wanted to drop the union’s anti-cuts strategy of in: dustrial action against cuts in jobs and services.

‘The group also adopted a strategy against privatisation which has no bottom line. This means that branches will give in fone by one to in-house tendering, and branches like Westminster will be defeated through isolation.

‘The campaign against the Poll Tax endorsed by Conference will leave it up

MSF Conference

‘‘New Wave’’ union beached by lawyers

‘And it’s hello from Ken, and it’s good-bye from Clive

In the event the rule book proposed by the MSF NEC — now politically, if not numerically, controlled by the Broad ‘Lit — avoided the snotty of integrating the two traditions while sill re- ‘maining in control of MSF by Keeping most of the former files of ASTMS and TASS

‘The NEC claimed that the timetable imposed by the Ce fication Officer was too short fully to integrate the new rule book.

Predictably, the proposed rules attracted a record 2,200 ‘amendments. 2,000 of these were from ex-ASTMS (Division 1) branches and mostly sought to bring the whole of MSF in line with the democratic struc

sion A (TASS) delegates would vote in 2 solid Block for whatever the NEC proposed, While the 400 Div, 1 (ASTMS) Gelegates — in the best traditions of ASTMS conferences — ‘would be organising and voting 400 different ways! In the event, much

0 the con-

By Fred Leplat ILEA NALGO Conference delegate

to individuals to return their registration forms. The mass action by local government unions to make the Tax unworkable will not be built.

The NEC is pushing NALGO towards damage limitation and the very dented sheld of “new realism’. Industrial action, the traditional and effec: tive way of defending jobs, pay and conditions, is slowly being dropped in favour of lobbying and better insurance and travel of fers for the membership.

But there is a mood of defiance and —_ anger ‘amongst the delegates. At the Universities Group

NALGO Conference NALGO NEC contains

militant delegates

cera of Ken Gill, and his newlyconverted accolyte Clive Jenkins, chings worked out rather differently.

Some of the Craft (blue collar) sections of Div A had ‘become fed up with their sights being trampled on by the Staff Sector-dominated TASS Ex. cutive over many years, and

to vote for some

mS

Early in the proceedings, ‘Conference voted for regions 10 hhave their own independent finance with the support of some Craft. Sector delegates (Gnostly metal mechanics).

in spite of the “Broad Lefi"* attempting tc whip their forces into Hine outside’ Conference, this was followed by a vote for 10% of subs 0 be held independently by branches.

"An amendment removing the right of the NEC to issue regula tions with the force of rule was ‘only lost by a handful of votes

"The scene was set for a series of crucial votes on rules 16, land 18 which deal withthe éom: Position and structure of Anfoal Conference, Imagine the

meeting, the platform was defeated on a major aspect of the pay award. In the Local Government Group meeting, a motion for in: dustrial action against cuts won 40% support.

Against the advice of the NEC, Conference lobbied John Moore, who was ad: ressing a conference in an adjoining hotel. 1,500 went on the lobby, and Conference started 30 minutes late on Wednes: day morning.

‘A. 24 hour general strike in defence of the NHS was voted down; but the Gebate revealed a strong mood for militant action.

The mood of anger of these sections of the Conference must be tured in: to action. Unfortunately it will have to be up to

delegates and branch activists to stop the retreat in

feliet of the NEC when, after “legal advice”, all amendments proposing an integrated branchbased conference were ruled out of order!

‘The MSF “independent"” solictors, showing an unering Sense of dramatic timing, hhad some three months t0 con sider the proposed rule, and at Teast a month for the amend ments. However, the advice was only. given (or’ taken?) ‘when some ofthe amendments looked like being ca

‘Aer having the moat impor tant debate of Conference ruled out of order, the mood of delegates chariged to. resigned Guiescence. No other important YYotes went auainst the NEC.

in spite of some victories at this Conference, MSF has to wait (at least) one more year Defore debating a unified siructure. No doubt the NEC (and the “Broad Left") will be preparing for 1989 with some

Members of all sections of MSF who care about democracy in the “new wave Union" will now have to. start thelr own, preparations for 1989. Alliances Imust be built across the two divisions in order to impose the members’ will onthe Unrepresentative clique which Jeads the union

their own branches and districts.

The NEC is not pushing forward for a national campaign which includes. industrial action on the key attacks from the Tories. It is leaving it up to each branch to fight on its own. This will lead to further defeat and demoralisation as branches go down one by one.

It is possible to turn the situation around and fight back on every issue. Organising solidarity tor P&O strikers and action in defence of the NHS, and to gain small victories will build the confidence of the membership.

Labour Briefing No, 65 June 22nd-July Sth 1988 page 5

Trade Union Briefing

On the Railways

British Rail is proposing to do away with the

guards’ job form.

This Is in preparation for the introduction. of Driver

Only Operation throughout the country.

Management has tried to sell the package to. its employees through letters and leaflets over the last 18 ths. But very few guards will be better off, and many will be worse off.

By NUR Briefing supporters Other staff willbe

threatened ‘with redundancies as guards begin to take on a wide variety of duties BR is dividing the workforce and making proposals that ould seriously undermine Salety on trains.

Until recently, the National Executive of the National Union of Railwaymen had rejected the proposals. Suddenly, the union has call ed for a ballot of all guards = and called on members 10 accept BR's offer

‘The unions gree that nothing ‘has ‘changed, that the proposals do not protec: the ‘grade of guard. (and therefore our jobs), but they think the membership is not prepared t0 fight

Proposals

So rather than openly oppose the proposals and campaign for a no vote, the Union executive is trying to have its cake and eat it. A yes vote would endorse their Gall; a n0 vote will be seen as f Tutile protest against both management and the union.

‘What lies behind BR's proposals (and. the many other changes in the industry over the last decade). is preparation for privatisation, British Rail is no longer a “service” or even. “the railway industry”, itis The Business.

The NUR and the drivers’ union, ASLEF, have allowed management to play one Section of the worklorce off against another. Every time there are proposals to take some form of industrial ac tion, only a section of the workforce is involved

They. allowed. the’ train drivers to be blackmailed into submission by the TU 1982. The workshops have closed one after another with no call for support

from the rest of the workforce.

Sealink and Travellers Fare have been hived off And all the time the workforce has declined

Giving in to management’s "proposals now, without a fight, will not halt this decline, Just the opposite: it will allow British Rail to push ahead with its drive to. make the industry “profitable”

Tm most other countries railways. are. subsidised by the state, yet British Rail sists on handing back public ‘money while it puts up fares and keeps wages down.

‘As we g0 10 press, the NUR’s AGM. has ” just started. The ballot result will be announced there. It will be no surprise 0 activists if there is a majority to accept the proposals (although, ‘with a proper campaign and Appropriate Leadership, a Nao” vole was a real possibility).

The AGM will then vote to accept the deal and once again the membership will be blamed for not being prepared to fight

Whatever the result, acLivists will continue to Tight management and the union Leadership wherever necessary, I's our jobs that are on the line.

Footnote: British Rail has introduced two new statutes into the Rule Book (which every employee has to sign) without any discussion with the unions.

The effect of these new rules isto “gag” staff. One states. that "an employee must not... make or issue any. statement likely to be made public and which may damage the — Board’s business.”

The second rule states that “an employee must not do any act nor take part in any action which might lead to a disruption of work or damage ,, the "Board's

Both rules have serious implications for activists. ‘You will understand why we have omitted our names from this article.

Support P&O strikers!

London Demonstration in support of sacked P&O seafarers

Wednesday June 29th

Assemble 12 noon Hyde Park corner We will march to P&O’s headquarters in Pall Mall and Picket

March called by London Support Groups

All Briefing readers are urged to attend, and to publicise this demonstration in labour movement bodies and campaigns

NUS — members in war” strategy being pursued that money for the strikers Glasgow and Aberdeen BY Pete Cooper by the NUS Leadership. and their dependents is sent sacked” “for taking Trade’ Union Briefing Furthermore, money from directly to all the support

the fund set up by the TUC — groups.

Dover P&O strikers tem. Hull NUS members posing is not getting through to the Support is building for the “iy case as a Rugby Club travelling support groups whom it is June. 29th demonstration

porarily occupied their on the Pride of Kent found® supposed to benefit. The called by the London Sup-

union ja High {Bat the most clementary strikers have only just port Groups and coaches of

questrated figh safety procedures are not be- received a payment from this strikers and their supporters

Court. ing adhered to by the scab source. will be coming from Dover.

“These members were sack- crews. Tt is therefore important Be there! ed by Seslink and other Exits to emergency staSperaors asa vesltof tit ons "were loca, and zi week long national. ‘many crew members said d P&O eee that they had fd no Bfeboat windon “They were left high and drills, acy “when. the General Asked what he would do Sclrary' "Sam McCluskie in an emergency, one crew Called off the action in the member said that they had uppor roup Sais hope of purging the been told to report tothe inUnion's contempe formation dest The Herald McChuskie, speaking at of Free Eaterprise ook three . NALGO Conference, sated minutes 1o go over. Solidarit work that the picketing will con- ‘The TUC has actually nue pte hg cared publ leat in sup fim of pursuing this dispute port ofthe strike! But don't se ents ae reatens Tharondoatedy dete Meoluionary oat to impressive solidarity. of ita cartoon depicts a the pikes and the depth of | Sealink ferry full of happy bureaucrats’ Support for them within the passengers and crew passing amen rational. Over 400 Snempy P&O ven! plted pickets continue to turn out by a dejected Geoffrey Ster!- f t = veces | comfor cy Jue spay of Sno Some | a tt ive dey Scion BT Ark, Swindon Supporters Extinct up's Commit, ee tee to organise soldiarity an i ee ae, divisive’ a

Money is needed urgently by ail the activity “with the P&O “The unusually scrmonious Women’s Support Groups working with | WS" iciale weren't dates tha subh ashy 95 the sacked seafarers and their families. | joy °,eon on tine ut that sround the PAO dispute ie Contact these groups. Couldn't. find. any 4ttfest tothe small cota of Aylesham WSG arguments against it. working class time-sorvers 61 Castle Drive, Whitfield, Dover Wem na ee who Rave managed to" sive seitorer cn Faced with the threat of ‘inte a politcal Canterbury WSG succenttl act, WIN in Dri might breathe Ife into. this "We belleve thet Swindon eee rina body, the office Trades Counc should be, 3h Ga. their best. to. warn active organiser, addressing Deal WSG Everybody else" ageinst the problems which the local Magness House, Mill Hill, Deal repeating labour movement faces, such bir cilia commmfice’ continacs, with campeigh to halt the tend Dover WSG Sefoctions every two weeks fommae the growth of non 210, London Road, Dover imthe town contre, “P&O Union firms.

: ‘ Workers must be taken roune ve Bonn-Heffer cempaign Thanet WSG Se Seal tavour moversont, in panicuar coud be used 90 147 High Street, Ramsgate Sha the pols of the anputs_ develop. new contact the

Siscussed, not least the role of unions whe could ergenise to bureaucracy. But Stalinist into an actve force 7 Tennyson Place, Folkestone Chair Ted Poole tried to shut" The P&O Support Commit0303 51997 pa delegate when he spoke tee cen. be. contacted. on

about the role of MeCluskie, 46816, 46681 or 613592.

‘Labour Briefing No. 65 June 22nd-uly Sth 1988 page 6

Briefing AGM paper

The year ahead: Briefing’s role

Labour Briefing’s 1988 AGM takes place on July 2nd. Details of the event are in the Labour Party or trade ofa local bulletin and cling Your Paper

5 op ; unions is not enough. The (and contributing 0) printed on page 12 of this issue of Labour Briefing. ie Se ee These tasks belong to all Here we print the main document which will be discussed at the AGM. It is Solstion and fragmentation Labour Briefing. Briefing supporters — not

agree Nt ee just the Editorial Board or the culmination of much collective discussion. However, we have tried to keep only the left but local and groups exist to forge the {he office staff, Briefing

‘the document short and concise, addressing the broad thrust of our politics national struggles of all links! Wes iae te are

rather than drawing up “the perfect shopping list”! kinds can only be remedied = ee ee ee ‘Amendments are welcome, and will be debated — though we would ask you i 2callecivesffortto forse Briefing in the make demands and” con-

to bear in mind the nature of the document! Please try to send in to the office and build a broad current Unions tributions accordingly.

in advance, or bring along on the day, 250 copies of any amendments you ‘which can make unity in ac- Briefing aims to build Benn and Heffer

may have. tion a reality. jespread political and

practial solidarity with all Briefing was a leading ad-

2 = Sdf-Organisntion Workers instruggie. Wesup- vocate of a Labour Leader-

The Tories SPUTangap Tebow” | TEM 2 national iting SeU-Ore sp port the work of the Trade ship contest, and has been a iy going movement in many years. 1g encourages self- Por TRE Tank Oi dnework, consistent, constructive sup-

{Im her ninth year in power, Briefing National organisation of all oppressed Uwi0n Sollsarity Mit erict, porter of the Benn-Heffer

Thatcher's ambitions are i " Briefing’s Role ‘groups — particularly within sper ‘Campaign.

clearer than ever: to disman- Steering Committee = the labour movement, and 2 Supporters work to buil ‘Briefing supporters

the the Welfare State, break Labour Briefing — as a democratic, active, open left

Timely thevahisorPary SOU, Belting, en among, ‘Brice supporers Sorrents that cay’ halenge sOwd —selze the oppor

up the public sector, and members to speak and act as jn the labour movement — the New Realists organise. tunities offered by this

restructure’ the British 22 h 3 alte ih SOcialists are being curtailed so Selb aalt ett fences 3 iocally and pote challenge” to. Labour's SS Tiss end Sic cere: eters et feecss Local ering See area seri sleadership to argue for capitalism. com P- inside and outside ‘Gus Socialist poliees, to. activa

Tn paruit of thse aims. ES” ater "opportmany, Gate ea eae ne The Paper the left af local level, and to the Tories will continue to [UM _afier | opportunity. unions, and in campaigns. Local Briefing Groups are :

Counter’ Thatcher with a ‘"Weseek to’bulld this unity the heart of Labour Brief. The fortnightly national forge inks between sirugules tacky Socanion righ), SONETERL socialist sion? around consistent class ing. ‘They should be non- pAPerisanor-setazanpla- and Getween activists, and the rights of black peo- Age, SUPPOTt, ‘struggle politics, from which sectarian, flexible, and im- ‘8; Chesterfield

tain workers or the oppress- ne ‘native. Existing Briefing @¢- It is forum for socialist Ne peed press all the struggles of the op- aginatve. Exiting Briefing etare—paricalaly im- Briefing has taken the

Hats win ae OED OP Review. Through coverage in the pressed sections of society. ‘The paper is a news paper, participation by local SR ber suncr Stet bulletin for the left as a groups, support for regional Hoot ee whole. People should be events, Briefing will conJoye reine ae able to turn to Briefing to tinue to nurture the seeds of (fos ennai eovaee find out what is going on in a socialist movement sewr bese sitet esd the class struggle — Chesterfield. Proce Wa mcmeltahcieeys something they cannot find Chesterfield offers Briefa ears oe oe publications. policy-making and solidarity ie eee ee supporters. Socialist Conference develop Eee ake anda? ‘Above all, the paper ina flexible but democratic Gore champions clear, consistent pees that = he

side of all those in struggle against the ruling class. Briefing — defensive struggles. Sea- Commissions Se ae arate Difficult Challenges The Briefing Commissions workers, textile workers, efing, Commission erm Briefing needs urgently to 0% trade unions, women, pees niyo ae fxpand i range of con. Youth ete. need fo be reviv- ‘Mass ‘campaigns have EMbutors in parulan, e & Suppotes interested in emerged in response to needs to increase contribu- 4 Particular ee Alton and Section 28. The tions from outside London, eed to meet to discuss ane Poll Tax and social security ftom women, and. from organise actives and make cuts have provoked mass in- trade unionists. regular contributions to the dignation, sparking back- ‘We need improved links Pape

mich Tary revolts. with’ and coverage of a ‘ bagi hie umber of international The Steering

attack democratic rights

: - solidarity campaigns. We Committee

New Realism fb Secinlecond aac Tou Notions weengeoe

isolated, fragmented, and = bookshops, at public events, political interventions. It

intransigent, confident & campaigns). that decisions it takes can be

with the vacillating, timi = improve production, ~ It needs to improve links

labour movement leadership

could not be clearer. readability, and presenta: with local groups and com-

andy Mudd, selling Briefing and distributing lestiets at “alist Conference in Chesterfiold tion. Links between the jions, and raise Briefuid not be clearer soar Mandy Mudd, selling Briefing and distributing leaflets at the Socialist C thesterfield tior ye

a " aper and local Briefing ing’s public profile (by has strengthened its grip od in struggle? Knock That- pressed — in Britain and groups should seek to widen PAS! coal Be ing’s pl p a eer DC ee Te ey | Gomi ic werkt aie tee iattiemces Where | Stumesed srenetnening. ongaclsing publicly, Eveniy failure to" confront’ the have failed on each count.” separable. We aim to build groups do not exist, Briefing _, reine neces maior We fringe meetings, ete.) Giplovers’ offensive, ‘to Throughout, they have mass fesistance to the readersshould attempt tosec Tease im inoome if ts 00 It must become an active complgye, offenses, 10 Tarougtent,, thy, Neve. et ge chalicag: and icarepe tating osomccouee. eve thote seal. SAPs, body whit repeennts as Frere i ei ae ceine wade uioaidly displace the Kin- existing left bodies, such as tg tuts lcalbefing Groups

Brera action to force the A panes = ae Realist Pape pats Te must all be increased. It too must forge the links! Geli inet: edict cleeste ty "| ot “ork, witha the largest Benn and Heffer Badges and Cards promises with the -scab the dead hand of the LC’ Building the Left possible circle. oe ee ee ee ee {Business unionism” of the the constituencies Briefing supporters work fof A local Briefing Group Pale tark edie nang perme The Left’s Response emocratclett in thelabour "ga forum for discussion, Shogo postal ores Yor bees and cage. tt

Kinnock’s Failure The decision of the Cam- movement. Such a left can- Given the failure of the

‘After Thatcher's third elee- paign Group to challenge not be built by top-down Labour Party to. offer Name tion victory the Labour Par- Kinnock and Hattersley edicts or caucus-room deals. political education and the

ty Leadership has continued marks a new stage in what It must find its strength in increasing restriction of Lesa

to toy with glossy re has been, until now, a the grass roots of the labour debate within its structure,

packaging: launched 2 ma- limited fightback by the left. movement and be this function is vital Fisase send me!

Jor drive against basic - The Bent-Heffer Campaign democratically accountable "gan organisational vehicle

Socialist policies — and in- draws @ necessary, fun- (0 is supporters. It requires ro bring together activists badges for é deed against any policies damental dividing’ line combination of political from different spheres, 10 single badge: 35p; 20 badges: £6; 50 badges: £13; 100 Gitich “Hullenge Tharcha’s throughout — the labour principle with organisational build solidarity with trade #dges: £23; 200 badges: £40

“counterrevolution’'; at- ‘movement flexibility; open democratic union struggles and other postcard packs fo | Eo tacked the tink wih the "Ttispart and pare of he debate in conjunction with Campaigns, and\t0 "co Pack o ‘@2ch; 10 or more packs: £1.50 each lnions; further concentrated attempt to revitalise and unity in action Ordinate. left initiatives Tyee! money enclosed 'e power with the Walworth unite the left through the ‘ = within CLPs. sida itching Sacked Gah

Road bureaucracy; and in- Socialist Conference — the Forging the Links ‘@a source of information “4'Nore' We are panne & further pent run of badges. Please

tensified the witeh-hunt, At first, serious attempt to To be an individual activist. — through the publication make sure you put in your bulk order for, summer sales now.

Labour Briefing No. 65 June 22nd-luly Sth 1988 page 7

Labour Party

Heffer v Prescott

Instant mythology exposed!

was put by one speaker at Chesterfield, to ‘organise a better piss-up in the brewery”

But, in the end, most people vote ‘for or join a Party because of its policies, not

ie has ‘the slickest

would give my full support to Neil Kinnock as Party Leader.”

Wf anyone is thinking of voting for John Prescott for Deputy Leader, that >

statement should be *“vertising campaign.

rough to make hi or her _,, Tas tesderstip cempelon 6

rink 2 ‘sonalities, and the ability of Unfortunately, there are dividual comrades to provide

some left comrades who think Prescott has 3

ieedersnip for the movernent has tobe judged in the content ofthe patties! recore Proscott's record over the past few months is damning Standing by his sponsor, Sem ‘MeCluskie, ho has been party to the sel-out of the NUS ding auainst Esc Hetior apd stare Seana in contrast Eic Hefferhas a ES tong history of class struggle

By Joan Twelves See pee

London Campaign for Sant years tomers, print Socialism

workers, nurses, sesfarers,

ard Liverpool's” surcharged Tf Prescott was seriously and witch-hunted Councillors.

standing against Hattersley, Our Campaign for Socialism

he would have refused to will go on after this October's

stand down earlier this year

He only changed his mind

Porey Conference. tis 8 campaign for socialist polices about standing when Tony re

Benn and Enc Heffer declared

ota beauty contest. Its certainly not about finding

their candidacy and opened a

real Leadership battle

‘middle-aged white men prefer That incident should be

fable to “old white men. remembered when Prescott

‘Of course, it would have been good if there had been talks about democracy and Socialism on telovision over

women andlor black comrades the next few monthe. if he

of sufficient. standing con were elected Deputy Leader,

testing the Leadership. or

Deputy Leadership. And the the would bene more than Kin: were as ‘noek’s errand boy.

were asked. But comrades are Not that he will et elected

not yet ready to face that Challenge — nstitutionalised ‘The people who count in the sexism and racism donot electoral college — the trade “disappeat overnight. And nor, Unions — know (as Kinnock itis apparent, does ageism knows) that the real battle A vote for Prescott is 3 vote isn't between Hattersley and Prescott, but between Benn-

chance of unseating Hat

and are therefore supporting him.

But Prescott isn’t. standing

for Kinnock, for a continuation of class collaboration and opi

Helfer and Kinnock- rion poll polities — politics Hattersiey-Prescott — bet- which don’t. even win ween left and right. elections

Tes anillusion to believe that Kinnock is being held hostage by Hattersley and his chums. sosieilam end an end to Te ite'an Musion to Dellve that fale os Prescott will push Kinnock to

the left.

‘while Kinnock has witch hunted” socialists — "trom Uverpoo! to Sharon Atkin and Mandy Mudd — Prescott has kept silent, _ As. Kinnock presides over the greatest at empted revision of Labour's policies "since — Gaitskel,

‘A vote for Tony Benn and Erie Heffer is a vote for

On June 6th | went to a Froscote refuses to ence | Imegting of _ Birmingham

Labour Group as a Party

‘And as Kinnock joins the i observer.

Atlanticist establishment teady to trade missile for | Strange how life pans out missle, rather than force an | _ On June 6th 24 years ago | fend 1 the nuclear terror, | waslanding in Normandy. And Prescott stil promises thé | Im stil not sure who the real

amy is, after years of s0falled socialists named Gait pull any strings. Kinnock (with | sKel, ‘Prentiss, Rogers. and fhe backing of his triends in | Owen the LCG) has done it all | At the Group meeting it was without his help. proposed to put 9 three line ‘whip on Labour Councilors to tle to say on policy other than | vote down a Liberal resolution that more Party members | 0 Keep open Martineau should "be involved inthe | House, 3 holiday home for Policy Review. He goes along | disabled children, in Bognor. with’ Kinnock’s Aims and | Richard Evans, Bournville’s Values document. newly elected Councillor, said ts to build 3 || he couldn't vote to support this closure. After hardly any

Leader “full support Hattersley hasn't needed to

So far, Prescott has had it

He says he mass, campaigning Party”

‘The struggle against the ccuts in Haringey in North London continues — and the local Labour right grow more intolerant undemocratic, and

power-obsessed by the day. Mandy Mudd,

Briefing

fight the by-election caused by MP Bernie Grant's resignation from his old ‘Council seat.

Mandy had been nominated by her Women’s Section, approved in secret ballots ‘at Tottenham GC and Haringey LGC, and had already seen off one attempt to get her removed from the by-election panel,

By Mike Marqusee

branch selected her by a convincing majority.

Mandy received 12 votes, another local Party “member Tecrived three, and the single fiercely pro-cuts. right wing candidate (one of Mandy's ac

agent duly filed’ Mandy's ‘nomination. papers and plans for the campaign were drafted.

“The prospect of Mandy winning 2 seat io a by-election that ‘would inevitably Rave been seen sa referendum on the Labour fight's cuts strategy (one third ff all services expenditure and ‘over 2,000 jobs gone in less than ‘ine months) terified the local LCC the organised backbone of the Haringey right

Having failed to get their way through the Party's democratic procedures, there was oly one hope left’ for Mandy's opponents: would the NEC step

Mandy had been selected on June. Ist. On June 6th, the NEC's “Organisation "Subcommittee voted to instruct the Haringey LGC Executive (which just happened to be

By Len Mason Hall Green CLP

Tobate_ a Orestne whip wae approved

The next day | sat in the public gallery and watched 20 ESbour Councilors abstain on the Liberal motion. which won by only one vote. Straight away. every Councillor recerv 2d sip saying there would be S'special Group meeting.

V went along and heerd Councilor Sir Stan Yapp cal {for the suspension of the 20. 31 comrades spoke for and ‘against. Brian Bird said he had had‘ bollyful of idealists.

‘Chris Kirk asked why Group officers put pressure on.certain Councilors yet only chastised one Councilor who

Haringey Witch-hunt Mandy Mudd removed; right wing hack impose

resting that night) not t0 ea dorse Mandy, because she was “under investigafion”. OF those present at the Sub-commitee, Snly Dennis Skinner voted

The LGC Executive has been the bulwark of the local right, meeting regularly with the ‘Couneil Leadership to carve up local jobs and services — and to ‘ensure the Party and the public remain. as iliaformed as possible

fis not the normal business ofthe Organisation SubSommiciee 10. discuss or even {ake note of local Council bylections, no less meetings of LOC Exteutives.

‘Of course, the whole affair was a blatant stitch-up. The Party's London regional officers are nothing but paid agents of one Party facBon, and behaved accordingly. They issued an “instruction” (0 the LGC Executive, and the majority of the Executive obeyed with alacrty. They refused to ‘Endorse Mandy.

‘Neat, they had to find a candidate to impose on the rebellious anti-cuts Branch ‘This was more difficult. For ward stepped lan “no job too diny” Willmore, member of neighbouring Hornsey & Wood Green CLP, TGWU Research Officer, pro-cuts fanatic, and face witch hunter.

He immediately filed his nomination as. the “official” Labur Party candidate. He was, however, unable t0 find ten local Party members to sign for him, and had to secure backing from non-members resident in the ward.

“This move was denounced by

the “Tottenham Constiuency EC; which called an emergency cc. Ta the meantime, Mandy, after consultation with the local eft and the Briefing National Steering Commitee, sought legal advice. After some delay, solicitors and barristers urged her to apply for an injunction against the LGC Executive in the High Court

Sudge Vinelont

refused 10

grant the injunction — and his fling has ominous implications for Labour Party democracy. He acknowledged that Mandy was properly selected under the ules of the Labour Party, but

He said the charges against Mandy were “serious” (though she has as yet had no opportuni ty to answer them, and fodeed

Birm m Labour Group

Rear-gunners needed!

had physically assaulted him. Richard Evans said he saluted the 20 who abstained and that the most important thing was that Martineau was saved for the kids

Teresa Stewart, Trudy Lv ingstone, and Lin Jones took 8 lot of personal abuse from the tight, Teresa said that i seem fed the Group officers’ main ‘sim was to stifle debate.

As the meeting wore on the Group officers seemed to be getting. less confident, but Sinen the vote wes token the 20 were suspended.

tm beginning to think i's not observers that are needed but rear-gunners to protect the Dacks of comrades who are prepared to make a stand for Eocialism,

-_

PHOTO: Lease Herbert

Mandy Mudd addresses the Briefing fringe meeting at the ‘Second Socialist Conference in Chesterfield

totally denies them) and gave Mandy or lan Willmore. ‘grounds for the national Party's ‘The Tottenham GC_met in

emergency session on Tuesday Sune: 14th, following the High ‘Court ruling, and voted over- ‘whelmingly 19 condemn the process by which Willmore had become a candidate. It asked him to ‘withdraw and allow

when Mandy fo. her. nomination by. the Women’s Section, Vinelon ask-

section” and commented

might. be. “diseriminatory". Mandy to stand. as the This choice wittism was democratic choice of the local greeted by deferential laughter Party.

from the members of the LGC With the smug. arrogance

Executive. Shame on them for iss his trademark, Ccolluding with such sexist tripe! The Judge awarded costs

against Mandy, on the extraor-

Party's wishes, made no. attempt to excuse his behaviour,

Ginary grounds that as both and. issued fresh threats of Parties ‘inthe hearing were disciplinary action against ‘fraternal members of the anyone who disrupted. his Labour Party” they could sort campaign.

‘Mandy, to save the local Par. We are waiting 10 receive the ty from suspension, withdrese LGC Executive's ill, Help will her nomination the following certainly be needed —send che- day. Ques to Haringey Against the If we do not__have Witch-hunt, ¢/0 23 Esrlsmead democracy within our own ParRoad, London Nis 4DA. ty, she asked, “how can ve © The legal action was always pect to build a more democratic conceived as one part of a wider order in society as a whole? political campaign against the ‘She then called on local voters ‘itch-hunt. The purpose of the to support the Labour candidate High Court application was to in the Bruce Grove by-election give the local Party a choice — which will be held on July th,

New Campaign Group

‘The Exeter and East Devon Campaign Group has been formed to cover the Exeter, Honiton, and Tiverton Constituencies.

“The forces involved are:

© Labour Briefing, which has all its supporters in Exeter and dominates the Exeter lett:

"2 smell Miltart group:

‘8 the numerically largest grouping, the CLPD-nspired Bennite left, Desed in the Honiton and Tiverton Labour Parties.

“Thre main tension is between Briefing and Militant on the one hand, who favour class politics, and the majority left-reformist and. “bureaucracy-orientated’” CLPD grouping on the other hand.

‘The immediate task of the newly formed Campaign Group is, to support the Genn-Heffer challenge to the Kinnock Leaderhip of the Labour Party. Its clear that in doing so and by sup. porting the struggles of oppressed groups and by backing left policies, the Campaign Group will come into conflict with the Fight wing Leadership of Exeter Labour Party

‘Peter Bowing, Devon Labour Briefing

Message from Black Sections

‘You may be aware of the manocuvres of the Labour Leadership against National Black Section, Due to these manoeuvres, the Black Section will be hard pushed (o get a debate at this year’s Labour Party Conference.

ifthe Black Section falls (o get a debate, this would easily be interpreted as a victory for the right wing Leadership of the Party. The National Black Section urges all the organisa hat support us to give priority, at Ward and GC levels, to Black Sections resolutions. A. defeat for the Black Section would only mean a defeat for the left.

it out among themselves.

Kingsley Abrams, National Secretary LPBS

‘Labour Briefing No. 65 June 22nd-July Sth 1988 page 8

Feature on Lesbian and Gay Politics

Recognise the oppressor — to break the isolation

For most of the straight left, the question of the

is pretty much 2 non-issue.

Many acknowledge that ‘the patriarchal family will be

dispensed with in a classless society, slong with the bourgeoisie andthe

bourgeois state.

However, there is little attempt to address the question of how this will be brought about.

The prevalent line of thought, even amongst. socialist feminists, is that under capitalists there's no alternative to the family, and that any attempt to create alternative social felations under capitalism is doomed to failure

It follows that. those who make this attmept ean” be dismissed “for "indulging i Tifestyle polities”, The implication fis that the struggle for Hiberation “is tobe waged through political and economic demands.

For out lesbians and. gays, ‘and many others in society, this ‘question is not academic.” For many of us, the possibilty of living in @ family, or something that remotely resembles a fami ly, is not an option.

‘For us, “indulging in Sfestyle polities” is central to our peychologial survival. Without

Families, many of those who are not able to create the alternative Social relations necessary. 10 rect a bare mizimum of emotonal need begin to disintegrate psychologically

By TOBIE GLENNY

Because of This, “building community" has always ‘been fentral (0 lesbian and gay Politics. In fact, the struggle to build alternative social relations hhas tended to be prioritised over

al and economic

Those of us involved in taking lesbian and gay politics into the ‘workplace and. into political partes have always. been ina finority amongst the politically fctive. sections of the lesbian ‘and gay communities,

For most activists the primary focus has been setting up cen

tivisation of our _ emotions Talking, exchanging ex: periences, sharing our pleasure And our pala.

"The guesiion of pain is

focal ours, | colstve ore. Ths what we hd

“The process of *"coming out” emaing the central dynamic of the struggle for lesbian and gay liberation, Comigg out is the means. through which we become consciously aware of our oppression ee

ti the means through whic we’ begin to act on that awareness — by asserting our Sexual identities, In this context coming out is an ongoing pro- ‘cess — not just an initial phase.

“The means through which we ‘come out is through the collec-

to hide Our emotions, suppress four desires, and bury our, ac- ‘cumulated pain

Only. bs. saps ‘our painfut pasts are we a because we as individuals are in Adequate, but because we live in which ts organised ‘of mainuaining our

‘oppression. Eollectivising our emotions ives us the consciousness that

my labour campaign

eum for lesbian and gay rights

Join LCLGR!

Read Lesbian and Gay Socialist!

PO Box 306, London N5 2SY

‘Stop the Clause demo, Apel 30th

enables us 0 strugle for our fiberation, That struggle, in ‘tum, gives others the confidence to begin coming out

“The process of coming out in~ volves transforming emotions Of self-hatred into emotions of anger, Instead of oppressing ourselves, we begin (0 ex Perience "society as the oppressor, and we begin to express ‘ur feelings at this realisation

‘Learning to bridle our anger and use it creatively Is often a ifficut task; but itis the driv ing force of our srussle

The question of dealing with

: re difficult for [ebians than it is for 33s, because the source of their pain runs so much deeper. In the proGoss of collectivisng their emo: tions, lesbians unbury stuff ‘around gender as well as sextalicy. Some of itis incredibly hot — stuff around rape, incest, Miolence in the home.

These have become big issues recently not becasue of Esther Rantzen, but Because of those ‘groups of women, mainly les. fians, who have been willing £0 break the taboos and collectvise their emotions, and have then

The problem with the ff i cluding. the socialist feminist left 6 the degree to which it has sontistently. failed 10 engage ‘Seriously with any of these ques tions. You may get the odd artiSeon the family, rape, oF whatever — but when it comes down to questions of organisa tion, then the left would rather ‘make demands of the state or the bourgeoisie than confront the Family directly.

begun organising on the bass of, this collective experience When socialist feminists (euainly heterosexual) condemn radical feminists. (mainly lesBian) because of their ideas, they fail to understand that the sis of these ideas is not “ideology” but “‘materal reali. ty" — Le. struggles around | social relations. Until the left begins to take these issues seriously, lesbians and gays will be left to organise in isolation

Lobby of Haringey Council” April 25th

The Histor

initia

The issue of lesbian and gay rights was first raised long before the current_movements began to take shape in 1969, But to begin with, it was done in an closeted and reformist manner. The few writers who took it up hid behind heterosexual covers. Everything else was heavily supressed.

in June 1969 everything changed. Under the in: fluence of May 68, the Stonewall Riot exploded i New York in response to incessant police raids. Several days of struggle succeeded in beating back the police. From then on, a movement grew rapidly. The first Gay Pride March was held in commemora tion on the first anniversary of the Riot in New York, and it has been an annual event ever since.

In Britain, the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) was founded in the autumn of 1970. The first march was in August 1971, and London's first Gay Pride: March was held in June 1972. The GLF grew rapidly, and groups sprang up in most major cities, At the same time, similar movements started in other countries.

‘The GLF had a very different standpoint from th previous highly discreet movements. It believed that Lesbian and Gay sexualities were inherently: good, and was founded on the idea of autonomy — liberation of the oppressed by their own efforts —) inspired by the women's and black movements] Many of the ideas also reflected Maoist notions o self-criticism and “‘conscidusness raising’.

There were, however, huge weaknesses. T movement soon split along sex lines; its mal dominated nature made it uninhabitable for le: bians, who preferred work in the women’s movs ment.in spite of the heterosexism lesbians e

Labour Briefing No. 65 June 22nd-Iuly Sth 1988 page 9

Feature on Lesbian and Gay Politics

bian and Gay Pride demo

JP, D!

countered there, they played a big part in its

mobilisations and conferences. Throughout the movement divisions soon developed over relationships to the struggles of the

working class. Various early attempts to build a

class-based approach (such as the Gay Working

Peoples Campaign) largely failed. Meanwhile,

organisations such as the Gay Activists Alliance

(GAA) took forward the struggle around the trial of

Gay News in the late 1970s, which was the theme

of the Gay Pride marches of the time. In 1979, the

size of the march reached 10,000.

"The early 1980s saw the emergence of the Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Rights, along with campaigns in NALGO and other white collar unions. Left Labour-led Local Authoriites, notably the GLC, began to support lesbian and gay ‘organisations, and included ‘sexual orientation” (a bit weak this) in equal opportunities policies. GLC funding made possible the setting up of the London Lesbian and Gay Centre and various other projects.

Solidarity movements such as Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, the actitivies of LCLGR, and the support of the Labour Left, led to policy decisions at the Labour Party and TUC Conferences in 1985 and 86.

Every year since 1972 there has been a lesbian and Gay Pride March. Although increasingly commercialised and ‘‘non-political’’, it has reflected the issues of the time — the Gay News trial, the police aids on the Gemini Club, solidarity with the miners. This year Section 28 will be a major focus.

Despite wrangling amongst the organisers, Lesbian Strength, and Lesbian and Gay Pride remain essential dates for activists.

MARK FINDLAY

Challenging invisibility

L-E-S-B-I-A-

spells Lesbian!

Queen Vietoria, so the story goes, did not believe lesbians existed.

‘We were therefore left out of the 1885 Criminal Law (Amendment) Act.

‘And when in 1921 the Commons tried to rectify this glaring omission they ‘met with complete opposition from the Lords, ‘who considered that to make lesbian sexual relationships an offence would risk spreading the knowledge of lesbianism and thus encourage its practice.

‘There was outrage that the House should even have to

declared:

“Ifyou accept. 2 Sophisticated society in a sophisticated city, I would be bold enough to say that of every 1,000 women, 999 have never even heard 2 whisper of these practices.”

He thus displayed a level ‘of ignorance and prejudice fon the issue which has become traditional in the “Upper House”

‘This pretence of nontexistence and the doctrine of invisibility is perpetuated today, even on the left. First, there is the question of language. Words are important. They are part of the way society oppresses us.

“The words lesbian and gay are important. Lesbian ‘comes first — because otherwise it gets forgotten. The term “gay” has traditionally been, and continues 10 be, exclusive not inclusive, like the word “‘man". Moreover, many people, indeed some whole groups of people, seem to have great difficulty even articulating the word kesbian.

Second, there is the way lesbians are seen as a kind of sub-group of gay men. This indiscriminate lumping together can be quite blatantly ludicrous, asin this statement from Out, Proud and Fighting — A Socialist Workers’ Party Pamphlet:

bour and Section 28

April 30th Stop the Cleuse demo

“The majority of lesbians and gays are working class who are neither out or proud but in all likelihood married and at best try a bit of illicit ‘gay sex in the local cottage.”

How many lesbians have you met that cottaged?!

Marginalisation

Often, it is more subtle and insidious. It leads to the complete marginalisation and omission of lesbians, Our issues and perspectives, from political discussions and strategies. It must be stressed that lesbian ex istence is locked into the reality of women’s oppres sion and cannot somehow be

perceived br understood via gay men.

This tendency to collapse lesbians into gay men is particularly significant in the wake of Section 28, The law is not going to affect all sec tions of the lesbian and gay community equally

Those most dependent on the public sector are those from the most vulnerable sectors of the community: black and ethnic minority lesbians and gays, working class lesbians and gays, lesbians and gay men ‘with disabilities, and lesbians in general — especially those with children.

Lesbian groups and projects will also be particularly susceptible as it is only gay men’s projects that are

Speak out against the Section!

The massive campaign ‘against Clause 28 has BY Terry Conway led to a change in the Islington North CLP position adopted by the

Labour Leadership.

on April 30th in the largest demonstration for

Initially, Cunningham lesbian and gay rights and Rooker colluded with aver seen in Western the attack and Europe, they have been undermined Party policy, forced to turn tail, ‘won at Conference in ‘condemn the Section, and 1985 and 1986 (largely commit the Party to its

| through the work of the repeal Labour Campaign for {tis vital that this year’s

Lesbian and’ Gay Rights). Party Conference passes the Bice Wik. motion againet the Clause atted by the Labour mobilisation that was a ag oa Ultimately to bring 50,000 Gay Rights by the most tothe streets of London overwhelming vote possible.

Existing policy needs to be developed and strengthened. Itneeds to be taken into those areas of the labour movement that have remained untouched by the arguments:

‘The size and dynamic of the campaign against the Clause shows the potential for doing this. It ie of course fot the J0b of the Stop the ‘Section campaign to demand new resources from Local ‘Authorities, though many of the activists in thet campaign are people whe have gained Confidence and strength from Soing precisely this and wil ‘want t0 be involved in this type of activity 2s well UCUGR can certainly draw in

whole new layers of people through this process

In the current climate of backlash we need urgently t0 reiterate that positive images fre 2 vitel part of the nights Of lesbians and gay men. We ‘should remind the labour movement that thousands of lesbians and gay men, deprived of such support, will ever be able to be open ‘about their sexuality

We should remember those who commit suicide in Isolation, deprived of any positive models to help them ‘carry on. We should point out ‘hat within the labour movement itself homophobia Still needs to be combstted

Both the object importance of the attack that Section 28 represents end the breadth of opposition to it should be sufficient to bring the issue t0 Party Conference. However it would be foolish to be complacent

‘Briefing readers should make every effort to get their EPs and Unions to consider submitting either the LCLGR motion or an amendment to it This fesue must debated at this year's Conference.

“The debetes around the policy review will make it harder than usual to get motions from CLPS and trade Unions debated.

PHOTO: Marine Stead

perceived (erroneously) as doing work around AIDS and thus able to seek protection under sub-section 2 of the Section. AIDS work is, of course, considered to be directly ' beneficial to, heterosexuals.

Autonomy

Lesbians need autonomy, both within the lesbian and gay movement and the women's movement. The lesbian and gay movement has only recently become that, and remains very much male-dominated.

The women's movement, though, perhaps the cradle of lesbian liberation, remains over-conscious Of its image and all too often anders to. prejudice. “Loony lefty lesbians” give the ‘movement a bad name — and it seems easier to deny our existence (again) than deny the bad name.

The argument around political autonomy is geting to be like reinventing the wheel every six months, but the concept remains’ an essential one. The organisation of autonomous lesbian and women’s groups in the campaign against the Clause/Section” has encouraged maximum involvement and ensured that Specific’ issues facing. lesbians, such as child custody, are not forgotten. Ithas also produced ‘some spectacular results

Lesbians have hit the headlines with invasions of both the Lords and the BBC. Now we want to make similar inroads. into. the Politics of the let!

Labour Briefing No. 65 June 22nd-luly Sth 1988 page 10

Speculum: a midwife’s musings

Features

Fertility and ee

1 was going to write about Food Addititives this time, but | decided that I ought to conclude the Breastfeeding Saga with weaning.

it has also been sug gested that | mention the retum of fertility and suitability of contra

3s for breastfe

Perhaps | could illustrate the importance of this by mentioning a phone call | received recently:

Hello: is breastfeeding club’ “Yes. haw can |help you?’ ="Well.. Ivery hesitant)

it's a bit personal.”

"Don’t worry. What's the trouble?"

“Well... con you get preg nant wh youre breastfeeding?”

"Yes, you can. It's impor tant to Use @ rekable con traceptive even while you're breastfeeding, because slthough you're less likely to get pregnant, you stil can.""

Deep sigh of distress from the other end of the phone "Do you think you're preg: rant, then?”

“Well,"| suppose | must be.

How old's your baby?”

“A. month. And | haven't had a period, so 1 must be pregnant...

Cong discussion follows on how long it takes for periods to. return when” “you're breastfeeding. Woman ts not convinesd.

“Tess is left wondering how ‘much longer women will con tinue to be ignorant’ of the ‘workings of their bodies — Drobably til "Speculum" gets 2 column in the daily Briefing.

T'was also cross because this ‘woman hed clearly left hospital without being given any advice about contraception. This Is essential when a woman has given birth. Pro: ably no one had mentioned ex, either

the

A lot of books about birth sey that penetrative sex shouldbe ‘avoided during Pregnancy. This 's nonsense, Unless you have suffered 3 miscarriage in the past, or if You go into premature labour.

"Typical "missionary | pos ton’ sex is uncomfortable in late pregnancy for obvious feasons, but couples can & eriment! Somme women dor feel like sex. when they're pregnant anyway.

Sex after delivery is 2 matter ‘of personal choice. It's proably wise to wait until any sbtches have healed, and if you've had s Ceesarean sox Ean be quite painful. Most women suffer with haemorthoids after delivery, too, and this doesn’t help.

By Tess Kewley SRN, SCM

‘All women should discuss contraception with the doctor for midwife before discherge home, and the responsibilty rests with the health professionals to bring up the subject.

The combined pill s contra: indicated uring breastfeeding, because it reduces the amount of milk Produced. The mini-pill” is Suitable, ‘and canbe taken within five days of birth. Remember to use ® sheath for the first 14 days of the first packet

"The sheath is the only safe ‘altemative to the mint-pil. The Cap should not be used unt after the six week post-natal ‘check-up because it will be the ‘wrong size, and should be re fitted.

The Coil can also be used, but, again, it should not be fit: ted’ until the six week postnatal check. The Collis less ef fective ss 8 contraceptive once you've had a baby.

Postpartum steriisation can be carried out. Yet again, {you usually have to wait sic ‘weeks for thi.

‘The reason for the six week wait Is that all the organs of Pregnancy, particularly the

With England in Germany

Football

becomes a convenient scapegoat

T hear all hell has broken loose in England.

T hear of calls for the England. “team | to be withdrawn, ~ calls for members-only schemes, calls for passport, withdrawals. All irrelevant!

We spent a few days in Stuttgart with 10,000 other England supporters. We saw very little violence — what violence we did see was not connected with the football itself: drunkenness and vandalism, a problem not peculiar to football fans.

Young, white English ‘males are constantly causing trouble abroad. There are currently 272 English “holiday rioters” in Spanish prisons.

Aller tne tire ys. tngland game the Director of Police said there had been less trouble than at a normal League game.

“The place is crawling with “news” reporters (besides the sports correspondents) from every national British

By our Special Correspondent in Germany

newspaper. These people have got to come up wit stories to justify their expenses.

‘There is, of course, a violent minority looking for fights — and finding them. ‘The fascists are here, leafletting in the open, and engaging in racist attacks on black people. Nazi salutes are a ‘common sight.

Official

What is clear is that the official attempts to control the problem don’t work — first, because they are based on a misunderstanding of what it is, and second, because" of sheer incompetence.

The violence is not specific to football. The ban ‘on English clubs in Europe

has only , succeeded in distracting ‘the authorities

pected Unptgl wetch! koa hag tre dele, Fre ky te ce with You ?!! you natdelt See es -

uterus, take six weeks to feturn’ to. thelr _pre-pregnant state, Also, any stitches ‘should have healed by then. Breastfeeding undoubtedly reduces your fertiity. Many ‘women don't have # period Until they wean the baby. If you're battie-feeding, you will Probably have a period within

‘err pode Havent eta, You cou easly owt ard Treas mitt ‘oating! Theis why good coacepson's esse = anne of SSiae you don’ tring geting Cn oti var pete to

from developing relevant solutions. No one is address ing the real question: how to eal with "traveling" thugs Sd fascists

“The ticket allocation and vetting by the Authorities Was inept and left several Thousand fans going without tickets and. decreased crowd control

Tn the end, tickers were available on the day of the England vs, Eire game — which ed to" poor Senresation |

“The hype led to much of the wolenee. German papers played up the violent nature | Of the English fans for wesks |

before the competition — which encouraged __many German and Dutch fans to come to Stuttgart and Dusseldorf for a fight. It wasn't hard to find.

‘The politicians call for “reports’ and appeal to the fans to remember that they represent England. This, of course, is just what ‘the fascists here think they are doing.

return (which may not be for: year or more), you may actual ly_be having “enovuletory cycles” in other words, your body is fooling you You're not ovluating, despite the “monthly expense of senitary towels.

Even if you're taking your temperature to check whether ‘you're ovulating, research has Thown. that entirely false

‘are obtained in Breastiesding women,

Tiknow this to be true from personal experience. | had fovely charts, showing sup- ‘posed ovulation, but falled to Conceive until | weaned Jo. ‘Once she was weaned, | wes pregnant within six weeks!

‘Weaning is 9 very important

and it can cause @ lot Of distress. Recently # woman ‘phoned me because her Heslth Visitor had advised her to give her beby ‘some beby fice, because the child weighed Talos. How old was the hapless baby? Seven weeks!

"The mother was reluctant to introduce food 0 early. She ‘saw the Health Visitor when the child was nine weeks old; fand was scolded for not hav: ing started the rice. She was also told thet the baby would ‘get fat on breastmilk slone.

@Breestmik contains il 3 baby's nutritonal re ‘quirements for the first ten months of lite

‘® Early introduction of solids leads to allergies, fat babies {and cen cause fatal choking if the Baby is younger than six months.

‘eThe first foods offered should be ordinary family food, liquidised. “Baby foods’

'2 waste of money, and en- ‘rely unnecessary. Read Anna Haycroft's Natural Babyfood for simple recipes.

‘@Rica is nots suitable weanlng food. The fist foods offered could be: mashed ‘avocado pear, pureed fruit or Vegetables, “finger foods” ‘Such 9 bread and butter with the crusts cut off

"SA suitable time for the in. troduction of food is about six months. Babies will be. in terested in food, and will be able to cope with chewing it Younger hebies have difficulty in eating anything other than very sloppy food,

‘@Bsbies cannot got fat on ‘breastmik. They mey indeed bbe tubby, but as soon gs they crave and walk, they'll lose weight. You cannot overfees 2 breastfed baby.

@Don't_wory if the baby doesn't show a great deol of Interest in food to start with Milk will provide all the child's needs unt sihe starts 10 Giscover new tastes. Be pa ent. if the baby doesn’t want or ike something. take it away Quietly, and reintroduce it tater.

‘@Breastteeding can continue for as long as the baby

Doni't forget to cing 01 778 4769. for breasttooding ‘aavice.

British Arms Equipment

Exhibition

Britain colludes with invading

AUSTRALIA

From June 27th to July ——————————_—_ ‘1st this year, the British By Carmel Budiardjo Army Equipment Ex! TAPOL

tion (BAEE) is taking 750-000

place in Aldershot. There cen be few countries

This is the biennial arms anywhere. which have. sulbazaar to which military delegations from all over the world flock to take look at the latest weaponry available from British manufacturers. et Fretiin, with prop |

Many of the countries ‘thousand orm: represented at this year's enioys fair are run by vicious dic- Widesoreed ‘poplar. suppor, tatorships with appalling 89d continues to wu human rights records. at sommes

The BAEE is always the a a focus for protest action by the Compaign Agsinst the Arms

‘but this time. round CAAT ie focusing "on the Gangerous practice of selling frme to human rights viola Such as Chile, Turkey, indones

Indonesia's trade with Britin's loading arms menutac. turers has flourished, Togerdless of the fact that the ingonesian. itary dictator ship is currently. engeged in ‘we colonial wars. One is be ing waged against the people ‘of West Papua (see Peter Tat chell in Labour Briefing ne 63.

The other ie being waged joences, for, the export so oe cage ne ea an en ‘Timor, 2 tiny country. which, nti December 1875, was British Aerospace has a

‘Xenana. el land four months later the ut withdrawn, though the

War continues unabated ‘The British government hi

‘sufficient to grant Hicences for’ the export of

moving confidently towards lucrative trade with Indon independence sfer centuries worth about £340 milion. It of Portuguese colonial rule. has already sold the regime

‘On December 7th of that twenty Hawk ground-attack year, tens of thoussnd of altcraft, and is now supplying

Indonesian troops invaded. tens. of millions of pounds! But Indonesia's hopes for a worth of Rapier missiles.

rapid vietory were tolled by rhment the Revolutionary Front for an ‘ight

Independent East Timor in Eastern Europe, but (retin) which has be smains silent about "the Tooding the armed resistance atrocities committed by ever since. military dictatorships ike

indonesia’s warhas brought Suharto's in Indonesia. It is widespread tragedy, with the high time that events like the ides of some 200,000 lives, BAEE became 8 focus for proneatly @ third of the pre test by the British labour invasion population of about movement.

is an organisation campaigning for human rights in West Papua, East Timor, and Indonesia

Contact TAPOL at 111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR4 8HW 01771 2904

Labour Briefing No, 65 June 22nd-July Sth 1988 page 11

Features

Lesbian and gay _ rights in China

Liberalisation and repression

In the last two years, homosexuality has been acknowledged and discussed for the first time in the People’s Republic of China.

This new public visibility of tongxinglian — same-sex love — hhas occurred in the more liberal and democratic atmosphere following the ost-Mao reforms.

The position of lesbians and gays in the People's Republic still, however, remains ambiguous - and precarious, e

AIDS, which the authorities have largely attributed to hhomoserualty, “has helped make homosexuality 8 legitimate subject of conversation. But"-ansiety. has aso fostered traditional anti-zay views. which have tended to lundetmine the first signs of of ficial enlightenment.

By PETER TATCHELL

een on

pote Shee laa

16 the decades of ofl lence “tyough official attudes are confused and contradictory, (Ge stascepbere is Chics bs pracrally Secontng tore

ees Ee steel spp tas beaters pare ee

ye eee eae es bomen erent ‘Qin Zhong", a 26 year old issues like lesbian and gay rights.”

Fe ror et "Qin Zhong”, Chine Student

id ‘that nies attitudes are “Homosexuality is much more widespread than the meee eee authorities admit. the social pressure to remain

Tere ist a Jot of unmarried till after completing college, there's qui

misunderstanding and preFei ke ones ‘of homosexual experimentation among studes

recogmtsed that gay people exist “Qin Zhong", Chinese Student and the subject is no longer so Outline of China and mass rally in Tien An Men Square, Beijing

Sensitive and taboo, Thats ab

Sep forward: after to, mang This view was reiterated by vative social attudes towards

years, the ‘Chinese delegation to the sexin general. This makes tdi. “The housing shortage means The first signs of a new World Health Minister” Sum- ficult to haves concept of that people have to share with

tolerance came in late 1988. The mit on AIDS in January heterosexuality, let alone of extended families of parents

a lot

Semiofficial monthly magazine thisyear. homosexuality, grandparents, brothers and

for students and young people, Even worse, in October 1986, "Another source of dif. sisters. It's impossible to sleep

Qingnian Zhiyou (Faends, to the Korean Times reported the ficulties is the strong. social with your lover you are living

Youth), published aleter from ewiy-appointed "head ‘of pressure to marry and live in in a room with two or three

‘teenager sccking advice about China's AIDS Risk Prevention large extended families. other people

his homosexuality. Bureau, Dr Cao Qing, as stating i Most ays live very discreet ‘eThis provoked a flood of — that “Chinese homosexuals wil Opinions lives, Few are open 10. their

correspondence, including, lt be exposed to increased repres families or friends. I only know fers from other gay people, S100"" {0 stop the spread of, _ “Positive opinions of gayness one person who is out. His €oPet coun umberci tat AIDS. fare almost. non-existent. No workers tolerate his ifestyle, Tour months. Some of the The paper also referred to at- public figures are openly gay. but don’t really accept it.

heterosexual” correspondents t#cks. Inthe official Chinese Homosexuality is rarely men- “During my first long term were hoatle to gays, but others Dress on “sexual freedom in toned in the media. There are relationship, which lasted for very sympathetic Capitalist countries” and ad. 0 gay bars, newspapers, of eight years, we never Knew a

he publication of these let- vocation of the ‘climination’” counselling agencies.

ters was quite breakthrough? Of homosexuality, promiscuity, “This makes it very difficult

Prostitution and drugs to defeat to develop a. gay identity,

Journal the AIDS epidemic ‘specially 2 positive one. Many

r: What is 1 like to be lesbian gays don't. accept their

ound the same time, and. ‘gay in China? “Theva homosexuality and some. are

another Chinese journal things are slowly getting bet. driven to suicide by a sease of Popular with young people. ter,” says Qin Zhong, “it's sill shame and isolation With "the advent of foreign Duzhe Wenzhai, ran a majot fepressive compared to the “Even those who accept their tourism, the big. international feature on homosenualiy, and. West sayness face lots of problems. hotels. These places are referred Chinese TV broadcast the Hong “the problem is not just Gay couples are rarely able 10 as "Palaces

Kong serial Wu Zetian about homophobia, but also conser _ live together. of Culrure™

thellife of the Tang Dynasty em. “In Beijing.”” according to ress, complete with is tales of Qin Zhong. “Tian An Men

Romosenual affairs’ wi imperial court

in Zhong also points to the

Sex. Education Manual

—— Square, formerly the site of the ‘eat mass rallies ofthe Cultural Revolution, is now 2 favourite ay cruising area.

“As with ilicit heterosexual activity, there are periodic Chinese students Police round-ups of gays found {eitering or having sex in public places. Sometimes they are beaten by the police, especially if they don’t confess to cruising ‘or having sex. Those who read! Ty confess are usually released after a stern warning, though a

ld

It takes quite a progressive and broad-minded view. All the ‘and. facts about

such as the Kinsey Report, are summarised in a fairly objective and. non- ‘moralising manner. It states that homosexuality’ cannot be sradicated by suppression or

criticism or imprisonment Nevertheless, in the last cou Know of a gay person ple of years a few informal ‘employed by the Ministry of groups of Triends have come Culture who was given an of- together in the main Chinese ficial reprimand by his head of cities to discuss gay issues and department. His homosexuality organise discreet social events in ‘war recorded on his work people's homes,

homophobia.” stern warning: though 2 dossier, which ie referred to. "According to The South ‘With all publishing overseen —— ae whenever a person applies for a Ching Morning Post, August

by the state iti highly unlikely fa theory, homosexuality is 0b or housing." 1986:""In Beljing and Shanghai,

that this view of homosexuality set sate tix tev sda many Chinese sources confirm

Js unaccepuable to the Eentemaete ars socoiow Struggle large lesbian and homosextal

authorities. apd ‘communities existing among in Less. positively, Chis {women illegal punishabie The strugsle for lesbian and tellectuals. and the

ga) tights Chios is barely mn daughters of {ie infancy. "We are sill con- official

{bu August 10xh 1987 saying that sent ey Rive etfeod wing cemed with getting the govern; "One lesbian community in AIDS wil wor bes probiee ta ee ce ad hemmed econ China ‘becaie “homosexuality | One of a set of 8 postcards produced in support of the Stop the | A te ctlence may be epored acknowledge our existence," members... These women have

Health Minister Chen Minzhang was reported in Beijing Review

by several years in gal. ‘However, in. practice the

and casval sexual relations are | Clause campaign. Available from good bookshops or trom Cath | to a person's wath um or 5295 Qin Zhong. ““A gay con- founded a society of members both against the law and con- | Tate, PO Box 647, London SW2 4JX at £2 the set icheques | neighbourhood committer. Fur. seiowsness and community is through which they meet, find tary t0 Chinese morality."” payable to Cath Tate). only just emerging.” partners and socialise.

ther offences could mean public

Labour Briefing No. 65 June 22nd-July Sth 1988 page 12

Building Briefing

Raise your morale at the...

Labour Briefing AGM

a chance to debate, discuss — and organise! The Briefing AGM: to build a non-sectarian, united, democratic left

Saturday, July 2nd. Kingsway Princeton College, Sidmouth Street (off Grays Inn Road), London. Near King’s Cross Station. Details of Arrangements: Creche: Available on advance booking only (we want the creche participants to enjoy themselves as

much as the AGM-goers, so we want to plan for the exact numbers). Phone Paula Watson on 638 5308.

Refreshments: will be on sale all day (tea, coffee, snacks)

Pooled fare: we will operate a pooled fare, so that comrades from outside London are encouraged to attend!

Bookstall available at the meeting

Signer: We have not booked a signer as we have had no requests for one. If you would like to attend and

‘2 signer would be helptul, please ring 01 733 7016 as soon as possible and we will see if this is still

Access: The Venue is groundfloor. and easily wheelchair accessible. There is adjacent car-parking which {ne can reserve for you with notice. We have not yet been able to carry out a detailed site inspection, so for further details please ring 01 733 7016.

10,00am Registration

£5 waged, £2 unwaged (payable on the day). Anyone interested in Labour Briefing is welcome to come along, listen and participate. Voting is open to Briefing Supporters. Supporters cards for 500 Club members will be available for collection on the day. 1988 Supporters Cards can also be purchased on the day (£10 waged, £3 unwaged).

10.30am Introduction

The Tradition of Briefing — Graham Bash

11.00-12.30 The Year Ahead: Briefing’s Role

Open discussion. The paper which will be discussed here is published in this issue of Briefing (see page 6). it will be introduced by Jane Kelly and Mike Marqusee. Amendments to the paper and will be fully debated. They can be submitted beforehand or on the day — but please try to submit or bring 260 copies!

1.30-2.30 Lunch

2.30-3.30 Workshops :

Local Briefing Groups

How and why to start up or build a local group. A chance to shore frustrations, ideas, gimmicks, etc.

‘The Paper

How is the paper put together? How can you contribute to it? How con we strengthen links between the paper and local ‘groupe? A chence to complain about the paper. make Suggestions, and get involved.

‘Send snippets and info to Greg Bassett, Periscope Column: Labour Briefing. PO Box 457, jondon SW2 SUZ

Mi Diesel Disaster

the Haringey delegation stopped by in a car and ploked up the stranded MEP.

German Green MEP Friedst — Unluckily. the treftic was 20 ‘Wolff must rus the dayhe bad he missed his plans met the comrades fom anyway. Haringey Tabour As he left the Haringey comBriefing. ‘rades waiting patiently on Gomrade Wolff, one of the the hard shoulder of the ‘keynote speskers at the Ml, Prieder observed: closing. session of the “sometimes, when one is beSocialist Conference, ing collective, mistakes heeded 8 Uftfrom Chester’ can happen.” field to London (where he This was accepted meekly by had to catch a 1.80pm the Haringey gang. flight to Brussels) andthe However, the discussion

Haringey gang were pleas- on ‘who ‘was responsible ed to offer him a seat in for wasting 810 worth of thelr var good diesel on a petrol

‘A quick stop for petrol and they were off. Only the petro! waen' petrol — it Waa diesal (anyone oan be that stupid, at least once) and the van conked out mald-motorway.

Frieder, 8 veteran ‘and many struggles since, took the mishap with good humour snd, to. while away the wait for the AA. Joined in a vigorous but Unoompetitive session of singles out Labour Briefings fr Who Am 1? Inge meeting for an exes dose

Luckily, another section of of verot,

riven engine goes on.

Not-Very-New

Statesman

1968 The second iste of the newy-

Taunehed New Searesman and Society contains 3. nasty and rather mindless actack on the recent” Chesterfield Con {erence by Stephen Howe, wino

Howe clits ow meeting dd Perhaps such information,

‘onoe revetved, is instantly Giscarded. Surely Convery: te not lying. After all, he

Tbouthow shehadbeen labeled would not supply false in~ the "enemy within" by the formation to the Data ProLabour right ~ and how she tection Registrar!

Felised (co be slenced by the The difficulty is that Kin

‘ensang weech nant Rook's - little darlings won't say how they are

Boring the titbite and Slanders they collect on the likes of us. Maybe they use a plsin old card Herter index, like the Economic (Of course. there were attacks on ‘League, which supplies Kimock & Co (Ths was's bosses with lists of

militants

Information kept manually ‘is not covered by the Data Protection Act. ‘The little Garlings should therefore

prado get Stlsestown up and admit that’ they disegree “wih their former secretary. Less than Michael Mescher, who Hes celled for masiual in Perfect Spies Sexes to bo. brought

Kinnook's fan club, the within the remit of the ‘Labour Co-ordinating Act.

Committee, nas confirmed that it stores persons! is Wiadimir Ilyich

formation on computer

en But eccording to LOC ? Sceuary Paul Convery Reagan?

ris Gnt8 clues Getlltin hs mew ound ech for

Nacee aor on’ cameeamianeemes

supporters.

Which raises a lttle question. What is the Labour Cateerists Committee doing with the information they are collecting trom thelr gupporters about other Party members?

Barller this year the LOC ‘asked its supporters to Supply tho naine, address, and. phone number of thets loeal GLP Youth and Student Officer and ‘whether the ¥BO is “LOC Ocher democratic left

eneral, Reagan hat taken t Leni

guocing

Apparently, the Pres (2 profer ‘Gonal red-baker from way back) discovered Lenin's New Economie Policy (NEP) and some jucy bas about the role of prvace enterprse

“The ever-ngient US press poune ‘ed on the iibriefed Pres His Sefence: Gorbachev "actually ‘vocating some of che Ching Oat Lenin talked. about chat were not ae rearictve and

ined 2 Sein wat. A teoe copy of ur Briefing sum

‘Militant - Other ultra-lett "mer special for dhe best genuine (please specify) - right quote from Lenin. answerng jing other (please Reagan's lately dcovered speci) centiasm,

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Labour Briefing No. 65 June 22nd-luly Sth 1988 page 13

Reviews

Pamphlet Review

the

North-East

‘Nissan and the Single Trade Union Agreements: the road forward or a dead end?, Tyne & Wear CATC. £1.00. Available from Tyne & Wear CATC, c/o 4 The ‘Cloth Market, Newcastle ‘on Tyne, NEI IEA.

This pamphlet examines the origins and implications of the agreement between Nissan and the AEU covering the Washington plant in the North East.

It shows how the agreement fits into changes in production methods introduced by Nissan,

“Traditionally, car manufacturers have operated. & system of working called Just in Case, where there is intensive specialisation of labour and where large stocks of components are carried ‘just in case” they are needed — because of any breakdown or disruption to supplies.

By Brian Elkington Hull

(Nissan introduced the Just in Time JIT) method, where there are small. stocks of components and parts. are delivered when they are needed — i

| The workforce is treaied in a similar manner, moved to the point and assigned to the job where and when needed. A “core”

workforce is added to by the hire of temporary, casual or agency workers — again ‘Just in time” — if needed.

JIT should mean. that workers are more skilled, more knowledgeable, and have less repetitive, boring jobs, butt isa contradiction Of capitalist methods of production that a method which Seems to give more “job satisfaction” can only be realised In conditions of increased exploitation.

Workers have tobe prepared to move from job {o Job and net to use their Knowledge of the production process to defend themselves by disrupting it. The deal with the AEU is designed to provide this flexibility and Prevent disruption.

‘Nissan and other Japanese firms have introduced JIT in other plants either by running open shops, or by using company Unions. Washington was a problem because it would be in an area of traditional trade union strength, in an industry ‘with a’ history of

WASHINGTON

trade union struggle.

The deal was a way around this. Recognition was in effect put out to tender to any union prepared to accept the firm's basic condition = — maintenance of the JIT system.

Though the AEU won, it is worth remembering that they were not the only union to tender. As a further ‘guarantee the agreement allows for non-union workers representatives, in effect, elements of an open shop.

‘The pamphlet. estimates that between 10% and 25% Of the workers are members of the AEU; and other unions do not organise the 75.90% of —-non-AEU members,

Representation

‘The need for representa tion is shown by the story of ‘an agency worker who was eventually fired by Nissan because his face didn’t fit. There were no specific charges against him; no disciplinary procedures. No one had asked him to join the union. No one talked about it.

Although the pamphlet Dats the agreement into perspective it does not give any answers to the problems raised. In some ways this is fair enough, since no one else has tried to tackle the issue, but it does show up some things which should be addressed.

Example

For example, it is clear that the deal "only exists because the AEU is able to hide behind the Bridlington Agreement and because the ‘other unions are prepared to stand by and do nothing,

If the other unions are so concerned about the company union role which the AEU has taken on, they should give their backing to any. alfempt to organise workers in these firms and argue clearly the need for real trade unionism.

But of course, since so many of these very unions are caught up with similar deals elsewhere, or also hide behind Bridlington, they re- ‘main silent.

The issue has to be taken up. And the starting point is to look at the sort of organisation the working class_needs. Otherwise, the criticism of the AEU must be simply that its tender was too low

Cononlttes Go Ireland anf\ triad! whch they ce lve National Organisation of be sony ‘oley’s ie Labour Studens, AS looks tthe elec of pation pamphlet, £0.50. apy

| Fees nese re scs ee Case Against the throaghout ieand and Prevention of Terrien Ot orn Acc ntrodecdon by Kevie , aueg pene ieee ica ene retimdgg ie e ee ee Sea oes 24pp, AS, £0.60. Emergency Tiveaty years ago, The PTA was rough in by Catholics the North stae poseecet nts

| search presence i

Music Review

Artists Against Apartheid

‘and the Disspore. | was | Nelson Mandela 70ch lucky enough to catch Salt (Birthday Concert, BBC2 —Seita (from Mall) ond 'TV, Saturday Jump 11th. Youssour N'Dour (from Senegell backed by those Aibig success, think. hardest of herdened RidYouthe polls aifire dim sections Siy ‘x’ Robbie faity tuted, trom what | {from Jamaical, followed few Van catch al of BY 29 uncompromising fessons Til explein musical statement tater Brinsley Forde of Aswed. "Yes, alot of the 80,000 Later, | also caught the peopls were there just for Mahotella” Queens and the music. Mehiatin’ from. Soweto But it was still 2 big itself, who overcame 2 bit morale ‘pocster for ant’ of initial stagefright to get apartheid sctivists. the dancers in the crowd really moving:

By our music

correspondent MAJOR UNREST

‘Some of the artists pull- ‘ed.no punches in their condemnation of apartheid ‘and its multinational backers; but some did, and

ener right to condemn the BBC away. Well, | said, when

censorship resulted from ; ‘ “4 a8 | Folie ober {or promoting terorsm! the fight comes hare ast rete pene: Terrorism my lifetime, I'll be there — a pares Siteanerd , even though | hate the’ profile a Fine people to be talking Violence and go queasy at ‘Apartheid Movement? | about terrorism, Isaid, and the sight of Blood. The betmay be wrong, but from asked him whether he ter we prepare for it, the asking see people who didn’t think oppressed jess bloodshed and the less sew most of the event, it People had the ‘right to pain for all Seema there was no A-AM take up arms against their "the upshot of all this pepe: aed oppressors. No, hesaid.he was the TV didn’t go on the need for orgenised sc: believes all violence to be Until he went out. [thought ampaigning agai 1 missed almost immoral about taking lit Pine

everything else as! was Lengthy debate ensued. jimaginary) Repidtite = making some music with ¢ He was arguing the pacifist Handgun’ | always’ carry Realise friend at his parents’ position of tuming the with me, demanding that

house. His parents, itturns other cheek, even to the the TV be turned on and

1 realise that A-AM out, re Christian extent of giving up your Saying “stick that in your wasn't organising the Scientists. land, a people's basic peace pipe and smoke it!” event, so it may not have means of subsistence, t0 But | decided that the joke been up to them, and I'm Mandela an aggressor rather than Wouldn't go down "too

sure literature was defending yourself. wor distributed to the crowd. So what? Well, during _ Try telling that to the Let’shope they will beable tunch | asked my friend South African masses, | to build upon the interest which bits of the Mandela said. | was arguing the

generated, especially Concert he wanted to see revolutionary Marxist amongst young people. so we could plan our perspective, that no ruling ‘One thing for which the music-making around class. gives up pows

organisers should be par- them, at which point his without a fight. ticularly commended was father said he thought the Ah, he said, it's all very the many black artists they Tories and the South well arguing that when the booked, both from Africa African government were fight's thousands of miles

Pamphlet Review New pamphlets from LCI

ined and be Cee for Sas ase uk

British Disengagement, by Northern state, the poot and ‘Conor Foley, Labour ‘oppressed look to a new

marched for civil rights and* —smetgency response to the justice. Today a Catholic is 1RA's 1974 bombing

mph campaign. Its passage ushered a ois we Mi tobe n'a new era of repressive

unemployed as 2 police powers, surveillance of

Protestant. the Irish community, denial of ‘On the streets, a repressive Gil liberties and

version of law and order is ‘riminalisation of dissent.

cnforced by an occupying In 1988, chese temporary

‘army, police, and loyalist provision have been made

aramulitaries. Permanent

This pamphlet — the Labour From LCT press release Committee on Ircland's submission to Viscount

‘Justice is dispensed with Colille's recent review of the plastic bulles, assassination Act — dissects the legislation

Squads, arbitrary arrests, and and shows bow it has been

‘no-jury courts. Women tsed to attack the Irish The two appendices who have suffered detentions prisoners are routinely sexually community and stifle legitimate written statements (0 the Under the PTA — provide a arrassed through the strip ‘Spposition £0 the British National Council of Civil graphic account of how the

Ireland. Liberties made by LCI officers. Act works in practice.

Labour Briefing No. 65 Sune 22nd-huly Sth 1988 page 14

International Briefing

As Soviet Party Congress gathers: Where is Gorbachev going?

The forthcoming 19h Party Congress of the

‘Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) will be

decisive for the future of Glasnost and Perestroika. To find out where Gorbachev is going, PHIL HEARSE spoke to OLIVER MACDONALD, one of the editors of Labour Focus on Eastern Europe.

‘What is Gorbachev's. pr gramme for the 19th Congress? ‘News is coming out in bits and pieces. It appears to comprise a new system of accountability inside the CP, some clement of autonomy for the Soviets, and some clement of the “Yugoslav” system of decentralised control of economic decisions, with the local Party ay aratus taking a much more back seat" role in economic administration. My guess is that such reforms would make little difference to the political life of ordinary people in the Soviet Union, but would aj peal greatly to the intel sia and technocrats This “liberalisation” would still not anchor political decisions in any form of popular sovereignty. It will create big pro. blems for the Leadership in the medium term, because it tends to destroy the myth of Party infallibility, without at the ‘same time ‘giving. the masses the power to make their own decisions

Can the Gorbachev liberalisation work in the Jong run?

It is not merely a question of ‘what goes on in the Soviet Union, but of the whole Gorbachevite international project. Gorbachev needs international political space to

enable his economic project to succeed. He is saying that the

world’s major problems don’t run down the divide between capitalist and noncapitalist states, or between the working class and the ruling classes of the world, and that therefore we can have a new era of co- ‘operation, what you can call an “historic compromise on ‘a world scale".

Will the international bourgeoisie accept this? Hogwash! For the world’s capitalist ruling lites this kind of thing is a_nonstarter, which constrains

should do everything possible to encourage — this development, bearing in mind that the prospects for democracy and economic advance in the Soviet Union also depend on political events inthe capitals

If the Reagan-Thatcher offensive continues in the ascendant, the chance of there being political and economic space for Gorbachev's international project are slim, and this will re- ‘bound on’ his economic plans at home.

If, on the other hand, the capitalist. rightwing are pushed back internationally, then Gorbachevism could be more fully tested out, which could well lead to a crisis of the system at a later date, but with a more favourable balance of forces between the working class and the bureaucracy

‘Some people are saying that

Sorbachevism indicates Isaac Deutscher's view that the Soviet system can be reformed, and that revolationary ‘change not needed. Isaac Deutscher’s writings are vital for understanding the Soviet Union, but they don’t lead to the conclusion that Gorbachev has the answers. One thing Deutscher stresses is that you have to understand the Soviet Union in terms of fundamental social forces and not take a soft of “*Kremlinological”” view.

1 would counterpose Deutscher's political pro: ‘gnosis t0 Lukacs' view, just before his death, that only a qualitative break with the ast will provide a solution.

For Maraists, “tdemocracy"* does __ not mean liberalism — formal

democratic rights — although these are important, It means the rights of the mass or ordinary people to make fundamental deci sions about the allocation of social wealth, the institu

Europe, in the 1848 revolutions, which led Marx to develop his notion of “per- ‘manent revolution”.

create a dynamic for radical democratisation — or give rise to forces that favour it.

There are many bureaucrats who fear for their own positions and ‘others who fear for the survival of Party institutions.

In confronting the Gorbachevites, the old Brezhnevites have the advantage of not wanting (o at tack the social gains of the working class. But we simply don’t know the strength of the contending factions.

“The Ligachev wing retains strong base of support in the Party factory organisa tions. But this is not universal.

For example, _ when Yeltsin was overthrown there was a flood of protest in Sverdlosk in the Urals, where Yeltsin comes from. They had to close the post office because the flood of letters was so great

How important is the mational question in the Soviet Union’

‘Very important, because there are a number of unresolved national _problems in the Soviet Unions, ‘and because the Soviet oc” cupation of Eastern Europe directly poses the national

Soviet orbit by any nationality or Eastern European country. If it looked as if that was going to happen as a result of Glasnost, Gorbachev would be in serious trouble.

In light of recent events in the “USSR, Poland, and Hungary, is there now a generalised crisis of the Eastern European system’

Yes, there’s an historic crisis of the whole set-up. The social mechanisms of the Kruschey and Brezhnev

Reagan and Gorbachev: sharing more than a glass of wine!

Gorbachev from the outset. On the other hand, we have to awail the outcome of the struggle inside the Party and in Soviet society. In principle, itis not impossible for Gorbachev to score some economic successes. The really decisive thing for us is whether a eft wing will ‘emerge in this process. Socialists in Britain

tionalisation of /—_mass popular power Economic liberalism

always ends up undermining the ecopomic wellbeing of the masses. But, paradox. ically, its political expression always generates forces that want to go beyond mere for mal political rights, into the ‘economic sphere.

That’s what happened in

period have fallen into decay. They gave the work. ing class basic welfare and social security rights but with an absolute prohibition of any independent working class polities.

In the end, these mechanisms failed io deliver the goods economically. To get the economy going again, Gorbachev's wing of

All politicians can kiss babies!

the bureaucracy has decided to introduce more freedom in intellectual life, market mechanisms, and more ‘economic “rigour”.

This means undermining some of the basic rights of the working class — for example, subsidised food, housing, transport, and above "all guaranteed employment.

It also means a turn away from the seige economy first instituted by Stalin, towards more trade and co-operation ‘with the advanced capitalist countries.

‘What does this mean in the international sphere? Gorbachev and his team are trying to create a political balance of forces which will force the capitalist world to trade and co-operate on a reasonable basis. The problem for the Soviet leadership is that they have taken a series of actions (Hungary 36 and Czechoslovakia 68) which have done immense damage to the Soviet Union's support in working class movements.

So. they must look elsewhere for support, and that means a deepening of a “popular frontist” interna tional policy, a continuation Of a policy’ started in the 1930s of developing rela tions with ruling class, political forces.

‘Of course that doesn’t mean that they will

necessarily end all support for third world revolutions, which enable them to put pressure on imperialism. But Hf they find it convenient, they are quite capable, for example, of abandoning Nicaragua to its fate.

‘What are the internal tactics of the Gorbachev group? Gorbachev's tactic is to try to create popular support for a trade off — more freedom (although within definite limits) in exchange for economic austerity

This is reminiscent of the Dubeekites in Czechoslovakia. Gorbachev is trying to create a bloc of the intelligensia, the Technocrats, and some sections of the working class He also wants to downgrade the power of the Communist Party structures in the factories. While these were never independent organisations of the working class — far from it — they have acted as a channel for the transmission of working class discontent

‘What does the Soviet Union gain from the INF deal? And why should the ‘Americans be interested in this kind of deal?

Gorbachev has strengthened his position by showing that he can make deals with the US. As a symbol of the

USSR’s world role, the deal is politically useful both internally and externally.

The Soviet military regards the removal of Pershing missiles as a big victory. The numbers of missiles removed from each side is not the key; the key is the quality of the mis

Pershing missiles could hit Soviet targets in a few minutes and give the Soviet Leadership no time for a calculated response. So removing them is a big plus,

The INF deal has opened up a new political process with the West, notably new relations with | West Germany.

Finally, the fact that the American Senate, in defiance of a very’ powerful domestic right wing, is prepared to ratify the INF deal shows a potential for new economic relations with the United States, and for the USSR that is vital

‘The US hasn't abandoned its attempts to militarily and economically pressurise the Soviet Union, but it does 50 in_a situation of declining US economic and political power.

‘With a new Soviet Leadership taking many initiatives, the US government has to respond. If it doesn’t, then others, like the West Germans, will, and this affects the economic competition between Germany and the

Is.

Labour Briefing No. 65 June 22nd-July Sth 1988 page 15

International Briefing

Workers

move

towards unity in struggle

‘The biggest stayaway in South African history. involved over three million workers in protest against Botha’s Labour Relations Amendment Bill.

It followed -2 joint call from COSATU and NACTU, the country’s largest trade union federations.

Figures released by. the Labour Monitoring Group show that manufacturing was hardest hit by the strike, with nearly 80% of workers’ stay ing away over the three days. Retail was also hit hard.

The strike cost. South African industry over R500 milion and led Manpower (sicl Minister du Plessis to hint that the Labour Relations Amend: ment Bill might be changed fand that the COSATU leader Ship might be invited for talks.

The strike was centred on the Pretoria WitwatersrandVerenniging triangle. The scale of mobilisation in the Black working class surprised many, since Botha’s ret clamédown on many trade tunion leaders.

"The strike exhibited 9 high degree. of ‘co-operation and tunity between the two tade Union federations. This follows important developments st both the Cent special COSATU conference and the precedented meeting in Har between the ANC and

- NACTU.

The COSATU Conference passed @ motion to invite all Organisations fighting aparthelid to its next Conference, including NACTU an Ofganisations like the Pan-

gt Congress and the

port the Freedom Charter. We Say that this is incorrect.” “This is an important change in ANC policy and allows the Black Consciousness and Freedom Charter wings of the liberation movement to work ‘more closely in the future

“These moves should be supported by all Anti-Apartheid ‘ctivists and trade unionists in this country. At its November Conference, the AntiApartheid Movement should therefore adopt 3 policy of solidarity “with all forces fighting apartheid, rather than just one current in the libere tion movement.

French elections

Now beat the fascists on the

streets!

‘The second round of the legislative elections in France produced a major upset for the Socialist Party.

‘They had been expecting a majority of 100 seats.

In fact, the _ snap parliamentary elections left the Socialists a dozen seats short of an overall majority.

Political pundits were quick to ascribe the record number of abstentions to. “election fatigue” or else “overconfidence” by the Socialist Party @),

itis true that Mitterrand had said that a landslide Socialist ‘majority would be bad. for French politics, and called for ‘an opening out io the “centre”, In eoalty, a large Socialist majority would have caused problems "on Mitterrand’s eft ‘within the PS.

"The Socialists relied on a patriotic campaign appealing 10 traditional “Republican values and calling for a “United

‘The improved performance of the Communist Party, defy3g. commentators’ predictions that it would be virtually wiped ‘out, is a sign of opposition in the’ working class (0 the rightward drift of the Socialists

‘Although the right wing parties are in open disarray, their

By Mike Phipps Woolwich CLP

Share of the vote remained high ‘They gained few seats, because of the electoral system and Siscussion on electoral pacts ‘withthe fascists

For the first time, the UDF has more seats ‘than the Gauiliss, but now faces fragmentation, with iis Social Democratic Centce component poised to give conditional support to the Socialist government.

’A. government led by right wing Socialist Michel Rocard is Unlikely to command permanent support from either the Communists of any part of France's centre right. The lack ofa clear parliamentary majority indicates an unstable period of government and increased pressure for institutional reform Of the Gaullist state structure

‘The National Front’s loss of all but one deputy in the new parliament was due 'o changes fm the electoral system, nota ectine in support. Silenced in the “Ascembly, Le Pen has already declared his intention to {ake his movement to the

‘The principle task _ for socialists and militant workers in France is now the preparation Of the broadest united front to SGefeat the fascists and defend ‘workers’ and democratic rights.

CPSU Congress discusses:

Gorbachev’s

stagnant revolution

“There is a real danger of a guif opening up between words and deeds,”’ writes

programme.

While Muscovite trendies can now eat fast food and buy their clothes from Benettons, daily life for most ordinary citizens has deteriorated in the three years of Gorbachev's new age.

‘According to the Theses to be submitted to the forthcoming Party Congress (which ‘opens on June 28th):

“The failures to meet targets for the preferential ‘growth of consumer goods Production are particulary in folerabie. Difficulties remain in the population's food supply ‘The targets for increasing the production and improving the ‘Quality of coneumer goods and Increasing commodity turn ‘over have not been fulfilled.”

By COLIN MEADE

Meanwhile, nationalist demonstrations in the Caucssian Republics have hinted at 2 future in which @ volcano of long-sunpressed | conflicts could blow Soviet society apart

“Gorbachev's answer to the growing eras i 2 united Party ‘which can lead and control the processes of economic and political lberatisation. His fest Obstacle is the faction of die hhards which believes that the only thing todo is tonal the id Back on.

‘Although the Western press constantly presents the “Conservatives” as 8 power ful organised force opposing the new leader, in reality Gor bachev can assert his own position by pointing out that Serewing. the Bd) back on means first’ of all “uniting Behind him and his programme.

The purely individual discomfort of _particulsr ureaucrats cannot be placed above the general interest of Protecting the system as 2 ‘whole.

‘More serious is the danger from people who take hetoric about 8 democratic revolution Seriously, and will not for ever accept the gulf between words and deeds. Here Gor Dachev is dealing with the first tender shoots. of massive social discontent, not the sel interest of 2 few.

‘To some extent he cen threaten the democrats with the danger of “after me, Ugachev’" But i he becomes too like Ligachev himseif, this ‘approach loses its impact.

"The method thecefore is to attempt to integrate the bulk of democratic activists, while

‘isolating. and if necessary ‘smashing, the most strident ‘and unruly

‘While ‘supporting diversity ‘of opinions,” the Theses state, "the CPSU Central Committee stresses that debetes are “fruitful (only) ‘when ‘conducted on the basis {and in the name of socialism.”

‘Remember. in Stalinist ‘delogy socialism’ is iden ‘ified with the fusion of Party ‘and state

‘On the economic front, free enterprise will act 98 an “an {idote to monopolism, stagna on, and. conservatisen”, while office holders will have to face re-slection every ten

Gorbachev brings “market”

‘This will, itis hoped, reverse ‘2 situation whree "3 section of leading workets came 10 perceive their posts as posts for life, became accustomed

working people.

‘Mass pressure on the Party has ‘been a feature of the delegate selection process for the Party Congress, end in some aress — such es the Far Eastern island of Sakhalin may have led to changes in the Compositon of the delegation.

Further indications of strug: gle around the Conference are the interview given to the Western media by Borris Yeltsin and the letter sent to levestiya by 2 number of leading. reform intellectuals calling for the postponement of the Congress.

However, Gorbachev sharply distanced himself from Yeltsin's remarks, and the let ter did not get published.

Meanwhile, an attempt to ‘Set up an opposition organisa tion, the “Democratic Union in Moscow in early May got ‘short shrift. The meeting, 3 tended by 3 wide range of political and social groups, Called for “economic and ‘Spiritual pluralism, @ multipar ty system, a free press and fgg trade unions.

Since it took place just before the arrival ‘of Ronald Resgan, the meeting was allowed to go ahead, but fs proceedings were disrupted by police intervention and the of ficial Soviet news agency TASS accused the DU of engaging in “slanderous, ant Socialist activities.”

in a nasty article in the supposedly radical reformist Moscow News, one Yury Ban: dura described how he spoke 10 one of the organisers of the meeting, who had told him that "Western society is ‘becoming @n orientation point for many of those present in @ considerable number of areas ‘and for some of us — in ab Solutely all of chem.

‘Bandura then compares the Democratic Union to those whom Lenin denouncd in 1921 as people who “have clearly warned “democracy” and. freedom’ into. slogans leading up to the overthrow of ‘Soviet power.”"

Furthermore, Bandura ex plains, the DU are objectively

reforms!

in alliance with the conser vatives. “For those who took cover under the wing of Nina ‘Andreeva.” he says, roterting +10 8 well-known opponent of glasnost, “the oppearance of fong-awaited “enemies of the people” — not imaginary and Openly admitting this isa timely one indeed.””

For their part, Western governments work hard st turfing opponents of the Bureaucratic system. inthe East into @ clientele which can be used to put pressure on the Soviet Union.

Breakdowns in relations can be expiained on the basis of continuing denials of human fights by the Soviets, while the switch-over to open ‘col. laboration canbe. justified when the Soviets make @ few Spectacular beralising gestures, such as. letting Zionist Jews emigrate or gran tung concessions to organised telgion, especially dest to the heart of Ronald Reagan.

For the soviet bureaucracy, itis useful to be able to claim thet. their" most persistent erties are the agents of out side powers.

Socialists in today's world

must expose and undermine the diplomatic abuses of the lack of democratic rights in the Soviet Union. Neither ideological confusions on the part of Soviet demerats nor the democratic rhetoric of Mikhail” Gorbachev should divert us from expressing our unequivocal support for real Unfettered democratic rights in the Soviet Union.

Westen Marxists algo have a specific contribution to make fo the process of socialist Fenewal ‘in the Soviet bloc: analysing "the real trends ‘within Soviet society and ex posing the real contradictions Sf the bureaucratic sel feform, and refusing to sup: Port the construction of a “seltimiting” consensus around the new leader.

‘One theme remains notably absent from. the reform ideology, and. that is. any criteism ofthe notion of “Socialism in one country which, "promoted soy. both Stalin ‘and his. victim’ Nikola, Bukharin, was the Key justification for the consolida tion of the bureaueratic dic tatorship and its. terroristic

TURKEY

Stop Evren’s visit!

General Evren, President of Turkey, has been invited to the UK for a state visit in July.

We are organising a campaign to prevent this visit

General Evren, who has ‘been in power since the military coup in 1980, has been fesponsible for the arrest of ‘over half a million people, thousands of cases OF systematic torture, and hundreds of deaths

"As part of our campaign to highlight these violations of basic human rights we are organising a labour movement Selegation to wisi military prisons in Metris, Mamak, and Diyarbakir.

“The delegation will also meet human rights activists, It wall consist of Jeremy Corbyn MP, Bernie Grant MP, and Louise Christan, lawyer

‘We need money 10 cover the

expenses of the visit. We believe this visit is central ur campaign, so we require your immediate support

Please send messages of support and donations to the Organising Committee, at Liberty Hall, 489 Kingsland Road, London E8; cheques patie (0 “Organising

(ee to Prevent General

Evens Vist wo UK

‘We can be telephoned on 01 249 6930. The Organising Committee are: Anatolian Cultural Center, ATIF, Revolutionary Left, Revolutionary Path, International, Turkish Community Centre (Halkev), Union of Turkish Progressives in Britain, Turkish Students Federation in the UK, Kurdistan Workers Association, Rizgari, Left Unity, Sosyalist loci, Turkey Solidarity Campaign (TSC), TKKKO Sympathisers, Vatan Party, TDKP.

PHOTOS: Leese Herbert

riefing No. 65 June 22nd-July Sth 1988 pase 16

Benn-Heffer Campaign round-up

The Campaign spreads a socialist message!

As Tony Benn and Eric Heffer get round the country, reports are coming in ‘of large meetings en- ‘thusiastically welcoming both them and the policies they are putting forward.

Report compiled by MARK SEATON

‘made by Nicholson, North West Con-

Here is a selection of ‘tum the Party into a campaignbrief reports. Why not ing Pare. Mt for sociales to write in and let us know gee

what your Benn-Heffer ‘campaign is up to? ;NAL@O, On June 15th over ‘000 people packed the big fringe meting ever held at \LGO Conference to hear Tony Benn.

He was joined on the pia form "by ‘Carolyn. Sikorski {Newharn NALGO and Labour Briefing!, Paul Holmes (Broad Left NEC member), and Tony Chater (editor of the Morning MSF. About 150 delegates Stan). to the MSF Conference (out of

defence, on trade union rights:

Jeremy Corayn. for atrium phant ‘ally on the Saturday hight of the two day Conference.

“The confidence and campalgning spirit engendered by the Benn-Heffer challenge was evident, a8 was the Briefing Benn-Hetfer badge, sported by many at the Conference

yet, so we cannot print access Setais!

ePreston. At 3 public meeting in the Students Union Eating SouthalLabow Pee ‘on dune Sth, Tony Benn sal

Manhdeece teens nenmar Back geen on of cians | ead ice pce, Sethe then as tans

and gay. men issues, Tony Benn and Eric Heffer advance firm socialist poli ‘said CLP ‘Spokesperson.

"On the other hand, Neil Kinnock and Roy Hattersley

has given overwhelming backing to Tony Benn and Eric Hetfer.

Following discussion in alt the Party's branches, the General Committee voted 10

I i r a

ominete Tony. Benn for are ebandoning policies (eader by @ majority of nesrly agreed by Party Conference thec-to-one over Nell and leading a shift to the right

Kinnack

In the vote for the nomina tion for Deputy Leader, Eric Hetfer defeated both Roy Hat tersley and John Prescott with Support of more than four ff the antunion laws, they are: the of the delegates. how. abendoning "unilateral

"The Ealing Southall Party Puciear disarement. and they believes that the Party should oppose giving women and be. campaigning. vigorously Black people their due and pro2geinst Tory’ government per representation in the policies on the economy, on Party

The last Leadership contest?

didate would rise to 20%, ir respective of the level of support from CLPs and. trade Snions, which together comprise 70% of the electoral allege

Had the proposal been in force in. 1983 during the last

‘They are increasingly aligning themselves with Tory policies.

"They have dropped. the ‘90a! of full employment. they ‘mil not reverse privatisation oF

i ibe i i

‘An emergency fesolution, calling on the UCATT delegation to Labour Party Conference to back Benn and Heffer. was moved at the union's annual Conference by the Brixton branch and. defeated on a show of hands by roughly two to one. ‘the. resolution,

Kevin MacDermott of Hornsey Branch urged the conference t0 "look at the policies of our Union and decide who are the ‘candidates most Bikely to pur She ou poles once elected ‘te ced UCATT pokey on tenationalising privatised inGusties and nationasing the

‘vote for him and Eric was only a first step. We should all Carry out socialem in our dally lives and campaign outside

Leader. ‘in 1983 the nominations for Leader were as follows (out of 209 members of the PLP): Kinnock: 48 (23.4%) Hattersley: 37 (17.7%) Helfer: 23 (11%) Shore: 14 (6.7%)

jinnock’s proposals to ‘amend the rules for future Labour Leadership el

tions have been slammed by Jeremy —_ Corbyn, Secretary of the Campaign. Group, who said in a letter

Said Kevin. "We must stand Up as 2 real alternative to the

to Larry Whitty that the Leadership election, there Those on the left who, | Tories — and campaign proposal “reeks of would neve been no valid uniike Labour Briefing, did not | unashemedy. To start this authoritari WG@hination for Leader other favour @ Leadership challenge | campaign | urge you to sup-

this year, and edvised the

‘thon that of Neil Kinnock, who Campaign Group to postpone

‘would thetefore have ‘been lected unopposed. There ‘would have been no. valid ‘nomination at afl for Deputy

port Tony Benn and Eric fer. who over the years ha fought for the miners and supported — local democracy Sgsinst central government.”

mand is “absurdly restrictive”. Under the proposal, the

‘minimum number of MPs ce ‘Quired to nominate 8 valid can-

prehensively wrong,

Campaign d

June

24 Getesheed, Jom, Leisure Centre (Benn, Cisy) 25 Teeside, 10.30am, Polytechnic (Benn, Ciey) 26 NUM, Great Yarmouth

27 COHSE, Blackpool

29. CSEU, Llandudno

5 East London, 7.30pm, East Ham Town Hall (Genn, Heffer, Banks)

6 South West London, 7.30pm, Batterses Town Hall (enn, Heffer)

8 Nottingham, 7.30pm, Rainbow Rooms (Benn) Medway (Heifer)

1 Watford

Southampton, 7.30pm, Cental Hall Hetfo) ‘Bradford, 7.30pm, Westbrook Hall (Benn)

18 cepien 7 So huskin House (Benn, Hetfer) 20 Reading (Helfer)

22 Oxford (Heffer, Wise) 29. Coventry (Benn)

August 23 Dumfries (Benn)

24 Dundee (Benn

25 Fife (Benn)

26 Glasgow (Benn, Heffer)

27 Dumbarton (Bean, Heffer)

30. South Weles, Bridgend (Benn, Heffer) 31 Bristol (Benn, Heffer)

September 1 Bee

(Benn) couth (Hef Stoke (Skinner 2. Birmingham (Benn, Heffer) 5 TUC, Bournemouth (Benn, He 7. Trafford (Hotter

3 Wirral (Heffer)

13. North Wales (Heffer)

14 St Holens (Heft

15 Rochdale (Heffer)

16 Manchester (Skinner)

19. Sheffield (Bonn, Hefferi?

21. Bury (Hetfer)

23. Central London (Benn, Heffer) OCOTBER 1st

Blackpool! — eve of Conference

Local Contacts

Scotland

Alex Falconer

23 Church St, Inverkeithing, Fife KY11 1LH 0383 419330, 0383 418617

Ann Henderson

8 Annette St, Govan Hill, Glasgow G42 041 424 3727

North West

John Nicholson

33 Birchall Lane, Longsight, Manchester M13 061 225 5356

Northern

Bill Dodds

12 Norwood Avenue, Heaton, Newcastle NE6 SEA 091 265 6971

Yorkshire (South)

Annette Taberner

St Ronan's Road, Sheffield S7 1DX 0742 583502

Yorkshire (West, North & Humberside)

Jim Wilson

8 Heathfield Place, Halifax, HX3 OBX 0422 66898

West Midiands (Birmingham & West)

Phil Paxton

26 Antrobus Road, Handsworth, Birmingham 821 9NZ 021 551 4969, 021 507 0850 West Midlands (Coventry & East)

Pete McNally

51 Ashby Close, Coventry CV3 2LN 0203 28884, 0203 454338

East Midlands

Tom Vallins

clo Labour Club, Saltergate, Chesterfield, Derbyshire 0246 39077

Wales

Gareth Howells

15 Garnwen Terrace, Nantyffyllan, Maesteg, Mid Glam CF34 OET 0656 730457

South West

Meg Crack

43 Paulton Road, Windmill Hill, Bristol 3.0272 661672

London

Joan Twelves

3 Blades House, Kennington Oval, London SE11 01 582 2955

Southern

Geoff Cutting

6 St George's Cres, Cippenham, Slough SL1 5PA 06286 62926

Eastern

Jon Lansman

c/o Jeremy Corbyn MP, House of Commons, London SW1A OAA 219 6173

OE RE EONAR ANE Published by Labour Briefing, PO Box 457, London SW2

SUZ Printed by East West Graphic (TU), London