West Yorkshire Labour Briefing, March 1985

The, magnificent 12. month strike of th

wi

polftical . scene in Britain. The miners have b failures of the Labour, Party and the T. organise with the N.U.M. for He

The defeat is not on the same scale as 1926 the working class organised at a rank and

bigger scale than the 1920's in support 0 unprecedented organisation of supporters, inc members, lesbians and gays, the Peace Movemen Women’s Support Committees have given renewed

workers. ;

The huge_ size of the Democracy Day demonstra

e miners has chang

ed the een defeated by the U.C. leaderships to

in that the rest of

file level on a much

f the miner’s. This uding Labour Party t and above all the hope to millions of

tion held after the

return of the miners showed the willingness of the class to fight. West Yorkshire Briefing pledges its resources to Join with

these forces to fight the Tories.

ae ae ee ee ee

WEST YORKSHIRE

LABOUR

WEST YORKSHIRE LABOUR BRIEF ING APOLOGISES FOR THE LATE APPEARANCE OF THIS ISSUE OWING TO PRODUCTION PROBLEMS. CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE NEXT ISSUE SHOULD BE SENT TO THE ADDRESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.

editors of the last issue West Yorkshire Labour

Briefing have had it drawn to their attention that a short article concerning a possible conflict of interests between the director of a local radio station and some land which may possibly have had a community use, could be open

to differing interpretations.It was not the intention of the article,

drawn from previously published accounts, to impute the motives of the individual concerned. West Yorkshire Labour Briefing unreservedly withdraw any implications which could be interpreted as attacking the person concerned.

The following are the sponsors of the magazine in their personal capacities. They do not necessarily agree with the articles within the Magazine, only its overall purpose of stimulating debate within the Labour Party.

Colin Ashley

Sarah Balfour

Clir Ruth Billheimer

Earl Billheimer

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"Cllr Bob Cannell

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Clir Lorna Cohen

Wendy Frankland

Clir Garth Frankland

Gina Greenley

Terry Harrison

Clir Ann Hickinson

Ron Hogg

Sitara Khan

Clir Eric Lawson

Ian McCondrick '

Clir Ray Mitchell

Keith Nathan

Mick Pawinsky

Cllr Nan Sloane

Cnty Cllr Marie Stinson

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WEST YORKSHIRE LABOUR BRIEFING Printed and published by the ‘Supporters of West Yorkshire Labour Briefing’

c/o 21 Bennett Road , leeds 6 .

HEHE ERLE EE KEKE HEHE EH KEE KEKE KEK KKK KKK SEEK KEK KK ERE KE

UNCLE ALBERT’S SHINY MEDAL

96H HE a Ee HE HE HE He ae HE HE HE a Eb Ee aE EE Ea gb EH OE DUE OE EY EE HE a HE aE OEE ee DEDICATED TO ALBERT BARLOW - an NUM Official at

for, baubles

AW SHOW US IT UNCLE ALBERT, UNCLE ALBERT, PLEASE ! |

THEY SAY THAT IT SHINES SO BRIGHTLY IT REALLY DAZZLES THI EES .

UNCLE ALBERT SHOW US THI MEDAL, THEY SAY ITS A B.E.M. , SHOW US IT UNCLE ALBERT, THEN I WON'T PESTER AGAIN,

HOW MUCH COAL DID YOU SHIFT UNCLE ALBERT, WAS IT TONS BY THE THOUSAND AND TEN,

DID YOU GO THROUGH THAT PIT LIKE A WHIRLWIND, AND FILL FULL FACE OFF THI SEN,

HOW NICE TO BE HONOURED FOR FACEWORK, A'MEAN SEEIN' AS YOU WERE ON’ STRIKE, Pi

YOU'DHAVE THOWT THEY'D HAVE GIVE IT TO SOMEONE, WHO'D LOOKED FOR A JOB ON HIS BIKE,

BUT MAGGIE CAN'T BE ALL THAT BAD, SHE DIDN'T BEAR THEE A

GRUDGE A‘ MEAN, SHE STILL SENT THEE THI' MEDAL, ‘THOUGH THA'D SAID

. THA' WOULDN'T BUDGE,

SOME SAY ITS NOT TRUE UNCLE ALBERT, THAT YOU GOT IT FOR

SHIFTING COAL,

THEY SAY THAT YOU LOST YOUR BOTTLE AND SOLD OFF A BIT OF YOUR SOUL,

HOW YOU PUT ON SHOW UNCLE ALBERT, PLAYING YOUR UNION ROLE, BUT YOU DON'T CARE TUPPENCE IF MINERS SPEND REST OF THEIR LIVES ON THE DOLE,

AN' THA WASN'T GONNA MISS THI MEDAL, WHATEVER THEW UNION SAID,

THA WOR FREETENED SHE WOULDN'T HAVE SENT IT, IF SHE'D REALLY THOWT THA WOR A RED,

SO THA ENDORSED DEFEATISTS IN T'MEETING AND SO SICKENED OF MOST OF YOUR MEN,

THAT THEY FLOCKED BACK I' DROVES AT DENBY;

A FEATHER I' T'CAP FOR BULMER AND THINGS KEP ALL SWET FOR THI SEN,

(Bulmer is the present manager and very ambitious)

AH'LL BE THE FIRST 1' YORKSHIRE, THOW'T BULMER, PRODUCING

COALS, AH'M SURE OF A STEP UP T'LADDER; AND MAYSE A PRESENTATION,

AH'VE ALLUS FANCIED A ROLLS,

THOUGH THA'D NIVVER A‘ DARED FACE ARTHUR AND SPIT RIGHT IN HIS EE"

THA'D SINK THI KNIFE RIGHT INTO HIS BACK, A MAN WORTH TEN OF THEE

THEY. SAY YOU CONSORTIED WII1H I*ENEMIES LIKE QUISLINGS DID IN THE WAR,

WHEN YOU FIXED UP THAT NICE LITLE VISIT, FOR ARCH TORY,

MR.GILCS SHAW, . AN' HE'D HAVE A WORD WI'MAGGIE AN' FIX A NICE LIVILE

SOMETHING FOR THEE, AN WHEN THA' ASKED HIM WOR IT A MEDAL, HE SAID THA'D JUST

‘AT A WAIT AND SEE, BUT I CAN'T UNDERSTAND ! UNCLE ALBERT, AND BELIEVE MEI

REALLY TRY HARD WHEN T'SOUTH WALES LADS WERE SEEKING SUPPORTERS THA'

WOULDN'T LET THEM INTO T'YARD

SAY ITS NOT TRUE ! UNCLE ALBERT, THEY'RE LYIN' SODS, AREN'T

THEY, THE LOT ? BUT IF ITIS TRUE, UNCLE ALBERT, SURELY THIS MEDALS ILL GOT.

WITH A FOOT IN EACH CAMP UNCLE ALBERT, YOU WON'T KNOW WHO TO

CONDEHMN, YOU CAN'T BE FOR BOTH. UNCLE ALBERT, YOU'RE EITHER FOR US, OR

FOR THEM, THERE'S 'SOME*AT ELSE THAT THEY SAY UNCLE ALBERT, THEY SAY

YOU MUST HAVE SOME GALL, ESPECIALLY AS T'MINERS WERE STILL ON STRIKE, TO HAVE TAKEN

HER MEDAL, AT ALL. BOUNCE IT STRAIGHT BACK UNCLE ALBERT, SHOW T'TORIES YOU'RE

NOT PLAYING BALL, IF THIS IS THE PRICE FOR HER HONOURS, YOU'D BETTER NOT HAVE

THEM AT ALL,

YES SEND IT RIGHT BACK UNCLE ALBERT, SHOW EM* YOU'RE NOT UNDERNEATH,

TELL HER T'STUFF F'BLOODY MEDAL, SLING IT RIGHT BACK IN HER TEETH.

HOLD YOUR HEAD HIGH UNCLE ALBERT, SHOW HER YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN, :

TO BE HONOURED BY FRIENDS UNCLE ALBERT IS A FAR FINER THING, FOR A MAN. .

or what some'll do

Denby Grange Colliery

He received a BEM in the New Years Honours List 1985

PISTTEPETITITTTSTITeTTiTTirrrrrrrirrriirieer te etieeeTriririrrireeirrrrr iter eee

aici ail

eee eee ae

Dear Comrade, . Towards the end of 1984 tl Briefing appeared. The majo and largely incorrect attack its support (or lack of it) fo I therefore enclosé a brief s have actually taken to su Certainly, no other Met Count grateful if this list could b you support the Campaign Right-to-Reply Campaign, the: oblige.

Best wishes,

DENNIS WILLIAMS ,Labour Group

THE LIST LETTER:

INCLUDED WITH THIS

WYMCC & Labour Group- Support

for the NUM and its members involved in the _ Mining Industry Dispute FINANCIAL/SOCIAL:

* £50,000 for “purchase of Saverstrips to enable free travel.

* £20,000 for purchase of toys at Christmas.

* £10,000 (approx ) for

gProvision of day trips and outings for families and children.

* £12,000 (approx) to provide regular welfare and benefits advice and support.

Other smaller contributions have gone towards the provision of facilities

(including a caravan) for the collection and distribution of

donations;acts, etc. for fund-raising socials; fire-engines to attend children's parties.

All these initiatives have been discussed with NUM officials. POLITICAL/ECONOMIC:

* Production of an in-depth study on the decline of industry in the West Yorks coalficlds; a case that has won support on all sides in an attempt to boost investment and job creation in these areas.

a Regular statements at Council meetings and elsewhere Supporting the NUM case and

attacking the Government position. * Making representations to

the Government and individual

Ministers (alone and in ronjunction with other rouncils) in support of the NUM case. c

* Opposition to Sizewel] and -0 the development of further

tuclear power stations.

MOLICING OF THE DISPUTE | Regular Policy statements utlining our opposition to he’ abuse of police power.

MET SUPPORT fn ae Ss ee eae

he first issue of West Yorks Labour r article comprised an ilJ-informed upon the Labour Group of WYMCL for ir the NUM in its national struggle. ummary listing many of the steps we pport the NUM and their cause. y Council has done more. 1 would be Teproduced in your next issue. If

for Press Freedom, and the fn obviously you will feel able to

Secretary, WYMC;

* A special sub-committee} monitoring all aspects of the dispute, meeting regu. -!v

senior police officers

with Va all matters relating

reviewing

to the day-to-day activities of the police.

* Meetings with NUM officials to discuss police tactics.

* Daily attendance by Labour members at picket lines in West Yorkshire, with reports Teferred direct to the Special Sub-Committee and the Chief Constable. It has been acknowledged, and at a national level, that the genera] policingof the dispute in West Yorkshire has not reached any of the excesses common in = areas such as Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire etc. For example - no road blocks in West Yorkshire.

widely

* A West Yorkshire Conference | on the policing of the dispute open to all District] Councillors; followed by an open Labour Party meeting.

* Meetings with other Police!

Authorities and representatives to the Home! Secretary regarding the role|

of the police and the costs of! the police action. i * Establishment of 8 Working) Party to review the operation of the 1984 Police Act and the; role of elected Police Authorities.

* Policy statement on policing of dispute at Council meeting 10/1/85 stating:

(i) Official pickets should be alowed to speak to those going to work.

(ii) Policing by Yorkshire police and, (iii) Community Constables tc continue in normal duties.

West

(iv) No involvement of the Special Branch.

(v) Total number of police deplo yed limited tc

equivalent of 1 Police Support Unit(23 men) per working pit.

THORNHILL SUPPORT GROUP

MINER'S WIVES

Thornhill Support Group was set up four weeks into the dispute, it distributes food parcels to thirty-nine areas and seventeen pits. The committee of twenty-eight women give advice and support to the miners and thear families who have remained solid

Miner's Wives

To see the organisation and spirit of these women against all odds, with the full weight of the state apparatus and Propogande machine working against them, to see them suffering body blows, yet always bouncing back, stronger than ever, is a revelation.

To be stopped on the motorway and turned back, to be beaten up, arrested, dragged through kangaroo courts, to have your Phone tapped, to be charged by animals on horseback, to listen to media lies, day after day after day - all this merely serves to harden our resolve.

What hurts, and hurts far more

than the Tory jackboot, is to be sold down the river by our so-called “friends"in the Labour Movement; the half-hearted support from local Labour Groups, the

bleatings of sympathy from the

T.U.C. but even worse, the condemnation of violence from the likes of Kinnock and Willis.

SUPPORT GROUP ROUND-UP [mm

HOLMFIRTH MINER'S SUPPORT GROUP

Holmfirth Miner's Support Group was set up in October to raise money and support in the small towns and villages in the

Colne Valley. A support group had operated successfully in Huddersfield since the

beginning of the strike.

The area has some thirty miners families, mainly from Emley and Park Mill pits, who are on the fringe of the main mining communities. Together with Labnour Party activists, CND Supporters, SWP and other individuals they have organised benefits, weekly collections, supported political meetings (e.g. Tony Benn) and actively supported Picketing.

The response locally has been good, particularly up to Christmas, and enthusiasm in the group is still high.

a eae aa MINERS SUPPORT GROUP - HALIFA

RH IKKE HIS IIS ISIS SAA IAI IKEA. The miners support group in

Halifax has probably been the most successful Campaign the town has seen in recent years It

continued on page eleven

upHEEEEEEEEeES MAKING PEACE IN LEEDS 3333HHsHHEHHHHHHHHeH

Public memory is so short, if not repeatedly jogged. The man or

. woman in the street may remember C.N.D because someone may hand

them a leaflet or maybe chat to them in the market Place. they may not as readily remember Greenham women nowadays , since the media turned a blind eye to the police harassment and maltreatment that is handed out to them,

Joe and Mary Anyother would never guess that Leeds is a Nuclear Free Zone, and may wonderin any case what the term may mean exactly. They would be quite justified in their ignorance despite the fact that Leeds was one of the first cities to declare itself Nuclear Free.

Two years ago, Leeds City Council produced 'LEEDS AND THE BOMB', a booklet which set a new high standard of presentation and researched material to all other Nuclear Free Zones. It ran into several reprints since, but even at the cheap price of 30p, it did not reach EVERY household in Leeds. The Council's policy (June,81) of "adequately informing the Leeds inhabitants" fell far short of its target. Maybe a smaller leaflet, distributed free to every household, would have a wider impact , and may even have reached the happy-go-lucky Joe and Mary.

Until comparatively recently peace groups in Leeds campaigned, worked hard and struggled in the absence of any support from the Council . We could almost have been in Bradford or even Swindon for all the difference it would have made living in a Nuclear Free Zone. But, there are signs of new stirrings, and peace groups are almost holding their breath with anticipation.

Last September and October, the Council offered considerable help in the launching of Leeds Peace Festival and the Peace Film Festival. This January s

a ‘Peace Officer' was appointed. He is one of a team of four, with another appointment to come. The team will have joint responsibility of Emergency Planning and Peace Activities in the City.

But, there is considerable confusion and apprehension among peace groups on how these functions could possibly be combined. Our feelings were voiced to the Council before the appointment was made. Now after the event, we welcome the new officer, George Crossley, and look forward to period of co-operation in promoting peace activities in Leeds.

For their part, peace groups in Leeds have many specific proposals on how campaigning for peace could be improved with help from the Council. Campaigning to get rid of nuclear weapons is the best insurance policy that the city could have against nuclear war. As ‘Leeds and the Bomb'makes clear no amount of Emergency planning will help the city in the event of a nuclear attack.

Meanwhile, the peace groups in the Leeds area are in the process of organisation to co-ordinate their activities, and we all hope that in 1985 —

Joe and Mary Anyother will be happy to live in a city which the drive for peace comes from both grassroot and official

Oroaanicatiane

‘eesueserW AKEFIELD UPDATE ‘Setee###

Readers of the last issue of West Yorkshire Briefing will know of the problems of the £3.8m cuts package and the suspension from the Labour Group of five Labour Councillors who, among others, opposed the package. The five Councillors appealed against the suspension and the NEC were due to hear the appeal on 9 December 1984. The appeal hearing did not take place because of the extraordinary events of the Labour Group meeting held on 27 November 1984.

The first shock of the meeting was the resignation from all Group and Council Offices of Sir Jack Smart. Sir Jack had lead the Council, and Chaired the Labour Group since 1974 he had also been at that time Chair of Wakefield District Labour Party and of course Chair of the A.M.A. Sir Jack had not been enjoying the best of health for some months, his resignation though was a shock to most of the Labour Group. Sir Jack remains a Councillor for the Glasshoughton ward in Castleford and is still of course the Chair of Wakefield Area Health Authority.

The Group decided to elect to the Groups and Leadership vacancies on a definite temporary basis. It was decided that at the next annual group meeting in May 1985 the NEC guidelines separating the Group officer posts from the Council Leadership and Committee Chairs would be observed for the first time since 1974.

The second bombshell at the meeting was the acceptance by the Group of an amnesty for all Councillors that the Group had taken disciplinary action against or who had "cases" pending. The five suspended Councillors were reinstated to the Group and the possibility of further suspensions or disciplinary action by the Group arising from the Cuts Package fiasco removed.

The third surprise at the Group meeting was the acceptance of the District Labour Party policy on @ strategy for the 1985/86 Budget a strategy that included no job losses or cuts in services, and a commitment to detailed consultations with the DLP on the Budget.

However, it has to be said that the membership of the Group is still the same as it was in 1983 when the Cuts Package was accepted.

Labour Party members in Wakefield District have got to be wary of claims from Councillors that they have seen the light of party policy on the roads from Castleford, Hemsworth, and Pontefract to Wakefield. It is just possible that they have been responding to the pressure from the Labour Party in all parts of the Country that condemned the Cuts Package and supported the action of the so called 'rebels'. It could be that they are trying to maintain their position and status as Councillors knowing that recruitment into the Labour Party has been extensive and that most of these new members have joined to prevent further cuts, (re-selection is a powerful weapon in the hands of Labour Party members).

The new unity between the Labour Group and the party in Wakefield District is paper thin and could break at any moment. The Labour Party has got to make all efforts to preserve that unity but must not sacrifice socialism or party policy for a unity that will serve only the Government and their thirst to cut and privatise Council services.

retinol

Four Labour Councillors and others still owe the Council a considerable sum of money in Government costs arising from the occupation of Langthwaite and Sandel Social Services Day Nurseries.

Wakefield Constitutency Labour Party has

launched an appeal for the Labour Movement to

Pay those costs, donétions to the appeal should

be sent to The Treasurer, Wakefield

Constituency Labour Party, c/o The Labour Club, Vicarage Street, Wakefield. .

Dear Editor,

As one of the papers sponsors, I regret the

necessity of having to write a critical

letter regarding the front page article in

Issue One headlined "Get off the Fence",

which questioned the County Council Labour | Group's support for the NUM. Hy

Not because the Labour Group is above criticism, but because the article is factually incorrect. The comparisions with 4 the other Metropolitan County Authorities were } spurious and claims that the County Council

was not supporting the NUM are patently untrue. Unfortunately, this meant that the attempt to

then draw to the legitimate conclusion that as socialists we must be seen to adopt policies

with particular regard to the police and the

media which are supportive of our class has

been lost in the outcry.

There are three main areas of debate regarding the County Council Labour Groups' policies:-

Firstly, the inability to run a cohesive local campaign against abolition in the various comuunities of West Yorkshire similar to that run by the GLC and the consequencies of not mobilising around that sort of campaign.

Secondly, the poor relations with manual workers employed by the County particularly in Highway Maintenance and Public Transport.

Thirdly, the role of the Police Committee when our local police are used by central Government to attack sections of our communities.

t should also be pointed out that the only place that socialists can explore with any effectiveness, beneficial changes in our society today are in Labour controlled authorities. It isn't only the County Council but also all the Labour controlled District Councils in our area which appear desperately lacking in innovating changes which fire the

spirit and can be raised as standards against Thatcherism.

Yours comradely,

Colin Ashley

West Yorkshire Joint Trade Union Committee. (in personal capacity).

ee ee a a ee ieee |

PARLIAMENTARY

LR DALE

ae satey

SELECTIONS

ory

An Opportunity for Change or Just the Same Old Story ?

Up and down the country the Labour Party has

begun selecting parliamentary candidates to fight at the next General Election. ALBERT HALL surveys the scene here in West

Yorkshiresseeecees

A Gallup Poll published in January showed that three out of four people questioned believed that M.P.'s (of all parties) should have to go before their local party for reselection and, of these, 76% thought that'shortlists of one' should not be allowed and that there should be alternative candidates. Amongst Labour supporters, 63% said that reselection should be carried out by a mixture of Ward and Trade Union

representatives..

ee ee eee

rey

wine

rant WAKEFPFELD

meme mewe

KIRKDEES

coune van

This of opposition to the manoevre and the

popular support for the Left's position ‘shortlist of one' retention of M.P's accountability should be stressed on Constituency Executive and General Management Committees in the coming weeks and months, for mow that the majority of C.L.P. AGM's within the County have taken place, the selection of candidates to fight at the next election can begin; and many sitting Labour M.P's are quietly hoping for (or actively organising for, in some cases) an unopposed shortlist of one they undergo the reselection procedure during 1985.

when

The Left inthe County must take the opportunity to ensure that those selected are going to promote socialist policies and help

to ensure that the next Labour Government

does not repeat the mistakes of its predecessors. What are the prospects for this perspective,

though ? Of the 23 Parliamentary Constituencies in West Yorkshire, only 10 are labour held (the Tories hold 11, the Liberals 2). West Yorkshire has traditionally been a stronghold of the Right. It was no accident that a succession of right-wingers, from Gaitskell, Pannell, and Bacon through to Healey, Harrison, Summerskill and Woolmer, able to find seats in the region in the We've had our quota of traitors too - and Lyons. Of the forty-one M.E.P.'s only two represent West . Yorkshire seats - Derek Fatchett (Leeds Central) and Max Madden (Bradford West). Most West Yorkshire Labour M.P.'s are firmly on the right of the party.

were past. Ford, Campaign

Ginsberg M.P.'s 9 and

THE LABOUR SEATSD ——aaal

The position in each Constituency from the safést through to outlined below.

the most marginal, is

HEMSWORTH Alec Woodall, Majority -14,190 over Liberals) PONTEFRACT & CASTLEFORD Majority -13,691) These are Labour's West Yorkshire crown. Despite our humiliating showing nationally in 1983, the results in these two seats proves them to be impregnable in any general election. The two sitting members both signed the infamous "open letter" of February 1981 calling for the Wembley Conference electoral college decision to be overturned. Pontefract and Castleford © has had it's

(Geoffrey Lofthouse,

electoral jewels in the

"shortlist of one' problems

before -- in 1981 Lofthouse was placed on ? CALDE

shortlist of one by just 43 votes to 41. More recently, the Party's Regional Oganiser ha

had to intervene in Hemsworth because of allegations of '‘infiltration' of newly radicalised NUM members. Although miners have been joining the Labour Party and becoming GMC delegates in droves recently, only those who have been in membership for 12 months at

the start of the whole reselection procedure can participate. This possibly explains why Pontefract & Castleford will be selecting so early - 23rd February.

LEEDS CENTRAL (Derek Fatchett, Majority 8,222 over Liberals)

Is the safest of the Labour seats in Leeds. The successor-constituency to the former Leeds South-East , Derek Fatchett emerged from the ranks of the suspended left-wing Wakefield Councillors to displace the sitting M.P. » Stan Cohen, before the boundary changes were announced . Although himself the beneficiary of a shortlist of more than just the incumbent M.P. , Fatchett is understood to be unhappy at being on a shortlist of more than one himself. Despite his continuing support for Kinnock as Leader (Central C.L.P wanted him to vote for Heffer) Fatchett's selection clearly marked out the shift to the left in the Leeds Labour Party and his work as a constituency M.P. cannot be faulted. He has a better profile as a 'local' M.P. than Denis Healey, for example, and should be supported by the Left against a candidate of the Right.

BRADEQRD

CaLpUn vattey

KIRKDEES

Harley and Sper tia, ll Peat Bradiord North GS Laster Bradford South TW Torney Bradtord West MF Madden Calder Valley D Thompon Colne Valley RS. Wainwright Dewsbury 2 Whittald Elmet ... $8 L. Marae Halitax : K. Galley Hemeworth coco ‘A Woudsil Huddersfield seoe BS. Sherman Keighley ween GPA Maller Leeds Central toy D Fatchen Leeds East... ccs The Rt-Hon, DW Healey. MBE Leeds North East So The Rt Hon. Sit K. Joep, Be. 7D Leeds North Wes Dr K Mampon

Leeds South and Morley...

Leeds West

Normanton

Pontefract and Casttelord

Pudsey «. ~~

Shipley

Wakefield 22 The RU Hon W Harmon

MORLEY & LEEDS SOUTH (Merlyn Rees, Majority 5,854) is not the marginal that the poor 1983 result seems to indicate and a seat where the long-serving M.P. has recently announced his intention to carry on at the next election. This is not the happiest of C.L.P.'s though, with one large Branch suspended for some months because of physical intimidation and rumblings of an uncomradely nature elsewhere in the constituency as well. Whether Merlyn Rees will be challenged remains to be seen.

LEEDS EAST (Denis Healey, Majority 6,095)is not quite as safe for Labour as the pre-1983 Constituency of the same name. Of the 12 City Councillors in Leeds East exactly half are not Labour and one working-class ward is now wholly held by the Liberals (in no other Leeds ward have the Liberals got all three seats). This is a state of affairs for which the sitting member should be prepared to accept part of the blame . However, it is rumoured that Healey intends never to retire and to carry on for ever. He was challenged once before, but who has the courage to stand against (and stand up to) him this time ?

NORMANTON (Bill O'Brien, Majority 4,184) has an unhealthy looking majority for a seat of this kind. O'Brien, one of the brighter lieutenants in ‘Sir’ Jack Smart's Wakefield empire, succeeding the ailing and ‘controversial’ Albert Roberts at the last General Election. Although his selection margin was not great last time, he will undoubtedly be aided by the 8th March selection date Normanton has gone for.

HUDDERSFIELD ( Barry Sheerman, Majority 3,955) is a seat to watch with interest. Although Sheerman has a good track record on some issues (voting against Parliament for Abolition of the Lords and against renewal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, for example) he also signed the afore-mentioned Wembley ‘open letter' and has succeeded in alienating many Party members in his own Constituency. It seems very likely that he will not be the only one on the shortlist.

LABOUR MARGINALS

With WAKEFIELD (Walter Harrison, Majority a mere 360 ) we are amongst the true\Labour Marginals. With continuing demographic change this is still likely to be a dicey seat for the future. Just who will succeed one-time Government whip Harrison is still an open question, although his successor will, given the make-up of the C.L.P. , clearly be someone with left-wing credentials.

Max Madden in BRADFORD WEST (Majority 3,337) , the other Campaign Group M.P. in the County » had the satisfaction of pushing S.D.P. defector Eddie Lyons into third place at the General Election. A much more experienced politician than Derek Fatchett (he had over five years as an M.P. for the old Sowerby Constituency in the 1970's ) , he has no enemies on the Left and should be safe from any threat at the polls or from replacement by a Right-winger.

The tenth and final Labour seat was a real cliff-hanger last time. Old Tribune-ite Tom Tourney in BRADFORD SOUTH (Majority 110) , only narrowly won both the nomination and then the seat on June 9th, 1983. His political limitations(he was one of the few Peter Shore supporters in the last leadership contest) and failing health point towards his replacement at the next election (the likeliest prospect though, is that he will announce his retirement first). Again, this is a seat where the C.L.P. will be selecting a Left-winger with much firmer perspectives.

THE TORY SEATS

Se TORY MARGINALS

All eleven Conservative-held seats are marginals in a certain sense. None is held with 50% or more of the popular vote. However, four can be regarded as 'classic' marginals, with only minor ‘swings required for Labour gains.

WAKEFIELD SY

BRADFORD NORTH (Geoffrey Lawler, Majority 1,602 ) only went Tory in 1983 because the de-selected Right-wing Labour M.P. , Ben Ford, stood as Independent Labour against the official candidate, the highly popular and much-esteemed Pat Wall (who had to undergo the selection process twice - the N.E.C. did not like the result the first time). Ford, though polling only 4,018 votes and forfeiting his deposit, managed to ensure that a Tory got in instead of Wall. Some in the’ Constituency want to see Pat Wall replaced with someone unassociated with 'Militant', believing that the key to victory at the next election lies in a change of candidate. Quite apart from the fact that Pat's support is too strong for this ploy to be successful, those advocating it should remember what happened in Bermondsey at the last. election. Peter Tatchell was prevailed upon to stand down "for the sake of the Party" in favour of a 'safer' candidate - Lambeth M.P. , John Tilley. The Move failed. Labour still lost heavily to the Liberals. Even if an annoyed Right-winger stads against Wall at the next election, he or she would be unable to take sufficient Labour votes to prevent his winning the seat.

DEWSBURY ( John Whitfield, Majority 2,086) and BATLEY & SPEN (Elizabeth Peacock, Majority 870) have something in common apart from being adjacent seats: neither of the Tories here had the slightest intention of going to Westminster, and their victories surprised both of them (There has been talk of Whitfield resigning so that he can concentrate on his lucrative legal practices, though he has denied it).However, they both know that lightning rarely strikes twice and that they will both be booted out at the next election . Ken Woolmer, the 'Great Helmsman' of Labour Solidarity, a machine politician

Pa See OTe TRAITS eR nF OPT TTC EWAIOR GE Tr TE i Mel a on ae

internal Party organising but ignorant of how to run a proper election campaign , has not been forgiven by many Batley members for losing the seat , and has carefully built up such a portfolio of opponents over the years that his getting a second chance in BATLEY & SPEN seem remote. Some members in Dewsbury are also looking out for good Left candidates.

adept et

Some of Shirley Summerskill's campaign workers began June 9th:1963 believing that not only would she win, but that her majority might double . They were wrong. HALIFAX (Roy

Galley , Majority 1,869) fell to the Tories after almost | twenty years. Shirley Summerskill, always a somewhat reluctant

M.P. , will not be contesting the seat again. A seat we should win back next time , it is anybody's guess who will be selected - it's

wide open at the moment.

TWO OUTSIDE CHANCES

KCIGHLEY: (Garry Waller, Majority 2,774) is not in the Batley, Dewsbury or Halifax categories , unfortunately. Bob Cryer's 18,596 votes here in 1983 probably represented the biggest personal vote in Britain. Now that Bob is in Europe and will not be fighting Keighley again, it will be an taller order for Labour to anticipate a seat at the next at this moment

say how the

even

victory election.

in this re-drawn

A Labour victory seems unlikely, but who can political map will look in two or three years time ? With the right candidate, a Labour gain here is not impossible .

Qver in Leeds the new seatof ELMET (Spencer Batiste, Majority 7,856) will not be an easy seat for Labour to win . The Conservatives were not just victorious in the Election, they got a majority in the 1980, 1982, 1983 and 1984 city council elections as

General

well (though only gaining a majority of the councillors in 1982 ). This is largely because of the presence of Wetherby, the

safest Tory ward in the whole county. This seat should not be written off, however. In a good year it is a seat we can win. It is thought that the miners strike will have some bearing on who is selected to fight the seat.

VERY DIFFICULT SEATS In the five remaining Tory seats , Labour, in

every case third at the General Election.

came

for thirty-four years Labour managedto hold Sowerby, though with declining and slender majorities. Much of the seat is now contained in the new CALDER VALLEY Constituency (Donald Thompson, Majority 7,999 over Liberals), with Labour slumping to 27% of the vote. One of the problems in this seat is the strong Liberal presence established over many years + It might just be possible, though, in the

LEEDS NORTH-EAST (Sir Keith Joseph, Majority

8,995 over S.D.P.), LEEDS NORTH-WEST (Keith Hampson, Majority 8,537 over S.D.P.) and SHIPLEY (Marcus Fox, Majority 11,445 over Liberals) all have areas of significant

Labour support, but this is outweighed by the fact that most of the anti-Tory vote goes to the Alliance rather than Labour.

PUDSEY (Giles Shaw, Majority 5,314 over Liberals) was our worst result in the County at the General Election (only 17.8% of the

vote). On a note of encouragement, Labour came second in three out of four wards in the May 1984 Council Elections, but will have to do even better in 1986 to convince the multitude of anti-Tory voters in this constituency that it is worth voting Labour in a Genera] Election.

a THE LIBERAL SEATS SRR

The Liberal Party was seriously hoping to win

three West Yorkshire seats in 1983, but secured only two (the third target was Pudsey).

ci Some Labour activists in COLNE VALLEY (Richard Wainwright, Majority 3,146 over Conservative) more or less abandoned work over there to help neighbouring candidates like Barry Sheerman, so hopeless did Labour's position seem. We came in third, with 25.8% of the vote. Wainwright is a shrewd operator and well established , a difficult candidate for Labour to displace.

The other, and much more spectacular, Liberal victory in 1983 was LEEDS WEST (Michael Meadowcroft, Majority 2,048 over Labour) The only Liberal gain from Labour in the whole of the United Kingdom. Meadowcroft, one of the original 'grass-roots' Liberals and sometime darling of ‘Marxism Today' , has a formidable personal reputation that should not be underestimated. However,

his victory in 1983 has not been repeated in Local results in 1984 saw Labour back in the lead in the Constituency(as it was in 1980, 1982 and 1983); and, more recently, one of the few Liberal Councillors in the Constituency defected to - of all places - the Tory Party. There are now only two Liberal City Councillors in Leeds Wes" - in contrast to Labours nine. If the local pattern is maintained a Labour victory at the next General Election should not be ruled out.

Elections. The

FEEEEEVOLATILE VOTERSHRRE SEF

With probably more floating . voters around today than at any

right conditions, for Labour to come through time this century, the

in the middle and take the seat next time shift of groups is comparativeley small

round. numbers of voters between the three main ee — $$

party groupings effect on the what happened If Labour's decline even

can have a devastating results nationally. This is at the last General Election. fortunes at the next election further (although this seems remote) we will lose a further three seats to the Tories . However, if many erstwhile Alliance supporters return to Labour (as they did in the May 1984 Elections) we could pick up between five and seven extra seats in West Yorkshire. And if, as now seems likely, the British Economy bursts at the seams under the

pressure of Thatchers policies , and a collapse of the Tory vote follows, Labour might (though not necessarily, I shoul’

stress) do even better.

What all this means is that every compitted socialist should treat with utmos seriousness the coming shortlisting anc selection of parliamentary candidates (yoni: can be assured that the Right certainly is) However hopeless your own Constituency might appear, on paper, the continuing volatility of the British political scene can mean tha

todays safe Tory seat is tomorrow's marginal

If the Labour Party is to have a good, Left majority in Parliament after the next Gene Election, then those of us in West Yorkshire that standing, in ul! seats, are truly representative of tt movement and prepared ta fight, not only at the hustings but if elected, for socialism.

xxexe* VICTOR GRAYSON, ***** THE COLNE VALLEY AND SOCIALIS

KK KKH KH HHH HEHEHE KK KKK KEKE EKER &

Edward Hepworth ( preface by Peter Tatchell) Available Triangle/Valley publications, 14 Townhead, Honley, Huddersfield. £1:00 incl. p&p .

must ensure those

from Pink

workers

At a time when leaders, Labour media are denounce

Trade Unic-: MP's and tr--

competing violence and

extra-parliamentary action as something alien to the traditions of the British

working class this pamphlet is very topical . It is also very relevant to present debates about the relationship of socialists to parliamentary politics and to industrial struggles.

Victor Grayson was elected as MP for Colne Valley in 1907 as a revolutionary socialist refusing to accept the Labour Party constitution. His success was due to the backing of a local socialist organisation, the Colne Valley Labour League which has deep roots in the working-class community.His outspoken advocacy of the unemployed and his single-handed demonstration against the false priorities of Parliament won him the condemnation o

the press and the Labour MP's, and the warm admiration of workers throughout the

smuiciaaiadin- cna

aieleiaaii

Wakefield MDC have published for public consultation the plans

DUCE ieteeeeeeeeeye =WHITE ELEPHANT PUGNE YS

for the development of the Pugney's site.

The be

hotel, developed to provide a rowing/canoeing course sailing, water-skiing, sub-aqua and water-biking. A small lake be developed into a nature reserve with a holi The site will also contain an

will Caravan and camping site alongside. equestrian centre, outdoor sports, and extensive Car-parking

eGR LET OS Ede a ees eee ae eer |

facilities.

THE ENVIRONMENT

scheme costing over £50 million, done by a _ partnership between companies 'Presscord' 'Techno-Sunley' and Wakefield MDC -:-The scheme is toinclude an ice-rink and water palace, international swimming pool, indoor and outdoor’ sports area, a large lake will] be »windsurfing, dinghy

if it is implemented will

100-bed

day village,

Pugneys is in the Green Belt complex will be competeing Profit is achieved it will be and since the open-cast works with their facilities for distributed agreed stopped it has been a major Tegional events. It is even manner" (our emphasin).

stopping-off point for more difficult to envisage In fact it is difficult to see migratory birds. Many people that the complex will play a from the figures produced by put importance as a bird full Tole in national and the two companiern that a sanctuary higher than Fairburn international sporting events, profit mude. They

Ings. Its importancec in this given the large number of estimate a trading surplus of Tespect will increase as the facilities at these levels. £2.6 million and lakeside is allowed to mature. certainly haven't taken into The property development account competition from is not only jeopardising the g Internationally renowned Bethe Doncaster complex only potential of a valuable nature peathletes that can attract [twenty miles from reserve but will have oa large audiences are already that trading profit the significant environmental ff COmPlaining of too many development costs will have to impact on the surrounding f cvents- One would expect paid back first two sreas. detailed market research to Phases - that will between

To realise the income that the

two companies before the year.

Justify statements made by the £3million

£5million a

oe enpete Oe ne Council 1s committed to a visitors will be required ff TUlt-million pound white CUTS every day . The amount of elephant. traffic generated in the area Local government. under will be intolerable for local fy THE FINANCE attack. laut fifteen residents, who are. alread months more than three million suffering the effects of a viet The actual development of the pounds from large’ supermarket. Pugney's Site will be undertaken by the Buakerield MDC's budget, with development ‘provides for. at two companies ae _the the resulting cuts in services least ix times ‘hel “Sie partnership. "Prescord isa such provision of parking space of the hee Pees with no financial day-care nurseries The supermarket. acking, Techno-Sunley" is a government is trying to force subsidiary of "Sunley the Council further WHAT IS IT FOR 7? Holdings" and again Bcuts. is not the time to financially has an unsound enter neseive It would appear that it is base. These two companies will project companies intended to attract visitors enere aap. Phe reese that could, let's face it, go to the project, prouts ad Bays a pani vale bust at minute, leaving nationally, nnd ewnn I ha eg ee eae hi th unused | sports leisure internationally. there is ne BUG ck eee ane ENEY EE complex and impossible debts denying that local facilitiés eure Expect ebout £9 million Huith a Labour government 1 are needed, but will it really Cee * mith that in thetic would expect the Authority to attract people from the pockets will they heally be be able ahend with a region? interested in ; making project provide local Doncaster Council is already Fong nang day-to-day profit Boatnietics tracks, football and well ahead building a similar devel kat pp eaement of the Tugby pitches without having Sports and leisure complex, fay “erie 6 4 ffered b to rely unreliable Leeds has a regional swimming tHe Pp an cera e fia eA Private sector involvement. Pool, running tracks already £ ma tegene it wa fe onm, By

exist in the region, Wakefield itself also has Plans for a leisure swimming pool. The

MDC

the three partners. In the glossy brochure provided by the companies they say "IF a

Hit FOR A MASS DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY I!!!

saw a muddled attempt by Neil Kinnock to an extension of party democracy and allow 'One member reselection of Labour MP's. 1 believe in and support a ‘participatory membership'

This years Conference introduce One Vote'

socialist,

for the

As a democratic

of the Labour Party. It is for this reason that the issue of ‘One

Member One

terms; although there can Right of the party see extension.

For the Left, I believe that "One Member One Vote' is an important issue to be fought for today. This is not to support the call for postal

ballots and the like - we must support direct democracy as

the only way to involve more party members in the running of our party. Thus there are certain necessary practical participatory © qualifications and the ILP has’ suggested certain basic provisions such

as: those eligible to vote must have been members for at least one year prior to ballot

and must have attended at least one-third of ordinary branch meetings they are eligible to attend. Furthermore, there should be no proxy voting and Labour Party branches should’ be

required to meet at least nine times a year. Such constitutional requirements would ensure that a developing participatory democracy would actually guarantee genuine involvement.

Socialists cannot afford to be afraid of democracy; the more people involved, the more people to be won for socialist policies. We cannot support democracy only when it leads to a_ favourable outcome for the Left. Perhaps, therefore, a real issue involved in the "One Member One Vote' debate is a recognition of our past failures. From 1979 the Left, by pursuing a_ strategy of internal battles, has paid little attention to winning the support and consciousness of the working people outside of the party. As Pat Seyd has put it, "Too many of the Labour Left have a very narrow conception of political power that extends no further than winning majorities amongst the smal] number of party activists." (New ‘ncialist No.10). the Left, must

We,

their

Vote' cannot be analysed simply in Left versus Right be no doubt that many people on the salvation

lying in such an

HOW the working veined with conservative ideas before we can begin to formulate a strategy to build a socialist culture. Where we have failed in recent years is in allowing the opposition the right of primary political definition. Thus, the political climate in which we have had to operate has been favourable to- and on the terms of- the Right.

recognise class is

In opposition to ‘One Member One Vote' it is often alleged that party members will be

open to the influence of the media and other bodies of thought outside socialist

parameters. (When has this not been the case ? !!) It is true

that an active role for more party members- which is what "One Member One Vote' will mean- will not necessarily create a new body of support for left-wing policies; what

we can be certain of, however, is that a better informed and more discerning membership will begin to emerge. As Eric Preston has recently argued in an important pamphlet (1), the least the Left can hope for is a membership which has been— exposed to alternative

arguments, and will therefore

be the better able to judge = where it stands politically.

The aim of democratic socialists should not be to— disband the alliances which constitute the Labour Party;

rather the task remains one of — shifting the centre of party gravity to the Left as part of a wider struggle to shift

“working people's consciousness—

‘One— an_-

similar. direction. -OQne Vote' is

in a Member

important part that struggle = :

and will remain a vitalcomponent .in'the rebuilding of an active, mass socialist

ty. i Lebour Party Rob Minshull.

(1) Eric Preston : ONE MEMBER: ONE VOTE : ILP : 20p from ; 49 Top Moor Side, LEEDS, LS1ll

ONE PERSON ONE VOTE

West Yorkshire ‘Briefing is going to try to be a magazine’ of debate on the left not one where the editorial team have the last word. We would however like to comment on the review of the ILP pamphlet as no critical element seems to have entered the reviewers

t head. The Left do not see Parliament \. I

as the sole or even the most important element in changing Britain to a Socialist Society. They see the direct influence the Labour Party can potentially have over millions of trade unionists and co-op members as a_ real force for change. ILP see these millions as not pulling their weight in having cut-price Labour Party membership affecting the selection of MP's and the passing of resolutions.

In other words ILP have fallen P into the trap they so often

attack others for, i.e. the i Passing of resolutions

somehow changes things. The i so-called "hard-left" see the u millions of affiliated members 3 as opportunity to build a I massive army for socialism. |

A "hard-left" Labour Party NEC 5 could have converted the tens i: of thousands of rank and file activists in the miners strike

into hundreds of thousands : laying the basis for a mass > party of socialism for the I 1980's . The hard left see a t future for the socialist

transformation of Britain. f GARTH FRANKLAND

continued from page three

was set up.by the Trades Council early on in the atrike + raise money and food for our two nearest pits, Estey Hoo and Parkmill. We have steadily continued to hdl¢ requ! supermarket collections and social events, which hae helc> forge strong links between N.U.M. branches, thr women! support group and the Halifax labour movement.

There have been many obstacles placed in our path, sion as the arrest of a local miner for obstruction and tsggin. when collecting food and the refusal of the toca! | Tory/Liberal council to allow us permits to collect mawy o. the streets on more than a handful of days. t There have been no coal mines in the vicinity of Halifa: for many years, but the strength of support from working pair in the town has been overwhelming and sometimes moving. in an area which itself has a high unemployement rate, peor. sre regularly making great sacrifices to support #nng families, as they can obviously link the destruction of tie | mining industry with the destruction of the textik 3 andengineering industries in Halifax.

Young people in Halifax have also played their part, lending | their support to benefit gigs in large numbers , aith many local bands giving their services free.

Local support groups like ours which have sprung up all over j

| W.Y.Briefing, 1 feel it is my duty to pointout the goings-on in Wakefield concerning a subscribing supporter of West Yorkshire Labour Briefing, namely Mike

Chandler, (Councillor and Chairman of Wakefield C.L.P.).

Shortly after the ineugural meeting of West Yorkshire Labour Briefing, a similar organisation was set up in Wakefield, namely Wakefield Labour Left.

Prior to its first meeting the C.L.P. , Wards, and Trade Union Branches were sent an open letter explaiining the aims and the need for such an organisation and inviting people from all sections of the movement to take part and if mot they were given e@ perfect opportunity to voice their criticisms, if this was the case.

Not long after this meeting we were emazed to see our local rag , the Wakefield Express with front page headlines, "LEFT'S NEW SURGE FOR A POWER BASE" (28/9/84). This consisted of 24 column inches Of so-called "moderates" using the media to put forward an hysterical view of "their fear of a takeover by the thard-left' ".

Actually this article is not the point of issue, becouse its what we have come to expect from the media and also the —"moderates"(rightwing). But the real point of issue is a letter printed in the Wakefield Express(5/10/84) , in response to this article.

This letter was sent in by Colin Lilley (Secretary of

Wakefield C.L.P.) in conjunction with Mike Chandler (Chairman of Wakefield

C.L.P.), and the gist of the letter was:

The officers of the C.L.P. chose to attack Wakefield Labour Left in virtually the same manner as the so-called "moderates" , and one of the statements used to back up their argument that Wakefield Labour Left have nothing to do with Wakefield Labour Party, end I quote, “People who read Militant tell me that they have no connection with Wakefield Labour Left".

Soon after this letter , at my next ward meeting I brought 8 resolution, to the effect, "This ward deplores the fact that officers of the C.L.P. have stooped to attacking a campaigning group of the Labour Party through the media and if anyone feels criticisms of this group , that they should debate it within the Labour Party , and that this item be placed on the agenda of the next C.L.P. .

A delegation from Wakefield Labour Left be invited so that this issue can be discussed in @ democratic and civilised manner

Co-incidently on this particular meeting, Mike Chandler (Chair of C.L.P.) was present to give a talk on another matter, and he ruled my resolution out of order.

1 finish by asking Mike Chendler one or two disturbing questions.

Since when have Militent been an integral part of the Labour Party ?

That their views are the. criteria on which officers of the C.L.P. argue their case ? Why has this matter never been discussed at the C.l.P. oF even at the Executive committee, either before or since the letter was sent to the Wakefield Express ?

In view of the fact that this matter was never discussed , why was it signed; Colin Lilley, Secretary , Wakefield C.l.P. 7 Thus giving the false impression _ thatthe C.L.P. delegates had endorsed this letter, which is clearly not the case.

Under what rule of the Labour Party Constitution did you rule my resolution out of order ? Whilst in a ward that you are not a member of.

And finally this is the point of the whole letter.

How can you support West Yorks Labour Briefing and at the same time try your hardest to ‘strangle at birth’ Wakefield Labour Left, which is a very similar organisation ?

I await your reply. Jim FAZAL, Secretary, Wakefield | Labour _—Left.

Supporter of Wakefield Labour Left and West Yorkshire Labour

Briefing (PERSONAL CAPACITY)

MIKE CHANDLER REPLIES:

Rather than enswer the letter as fully as I could, I will restrict my right of reply to answering the “one or two disturbing questions" Jim puts to me.

1, The Wakefield Express article specifically refers to the involvement of Militant in Wakefield Labour Left. The Secretary of Wakefield C.L.P. was clarifying that this was the case.

2. The letter written by the Secretary of Wakefield C.L.P. to the Wakefield Express was on the table at a meeting of the C.L.P. Executive under the agenda item ‘correspondence’ details of which were circulated to delegates at the

meeting. No delegates chose to raise the matter for detailed discussion. The letter was therefore noted.

3. I did not “rule out of order" Jim's resolution to his ward. That wes done a8 @& pesult of a vote taken by the members of his ward at a meeting I attended. I did give my advice, which was sought by the Chair of that meeting. My advice was that the question of Wakefield Labour Left was not in my opinion a matter for debate within the Party , but a matter for individual members of the Party. It was not a, recognised organisation of the Party. I do not recall that Jim's resolution “deplored ...... Officers of the C.L.P.” It would have been most improper of me as C.L.P. Chair to "rule out of order" a resolution criticising C.L.P. Officers.

4. The purpose of the letter to the Wakefield Express was to diffuse the harm that their article of 28/9/84 could have done to Labour support in Wakefield

(I'm sure Jim will agree with the main intention of the article). For Jim to suggest that I tried to ‘strangle at birth' Wakefield Labour Left is incorrect. He might recall that I, with other led an attempt to form (with some success) a left group in Wakefield MOC to organise the challenge to entrenched positions of the Labour Right Wing in Control of the District Labour Party. That organisation folded because no agreement could be reached on specific policy issues. In Wakefield CLP and OLP I believe the aims of the group have been achieved, Wakefield Labour Left is attempting to raise policy issues within the broad left framework, I have yet to be convinced that such discussion is necessary or desirable in Wakefield outside the Labour Party organisations of Ward, LPYS, Women's Sections, CLP etc. West Yorkshire Labour Briefing is different, in that it provides a vehicle for the dissemination of information and ideas within the Labour Party.

Yours fraternally, MIKE CHANDLER

Peer rrr ree hd

REGION CONFERENCE

‘YORKSHIRE LPYS

hkdheichaiad-deiamahatamamebaiel

About 150 young Lsaksy attended the annual Yorkshire tegion L.P.Y.S. conference

in Bridlington over the 19th and 20th Jenuary .

Neturally the miners strike dominated the conference,

reflecting the role that young party members have played in strike.

supporting the

there were, however, sharp disagreements over the role of the police in the

strike. Whilst the whole conference was unanimous in condemning police violence aygninnt the working claan , supporters of the 'Militant' were still strongly in support of the ‘workers in uniform' theory, arguing that trade unions in the police force would bring many police in support of the labour movement. A large minority of delegates opposed this strategy, instead arguing that the party's youth should be campaigning against young people joining the police and armed forces, and that workers self-defence squads should be set up to defend picket lines and communities.

The question of lesbian and gay liberation has at last begun to be taken as a serious issue in the L.P.Y.S.. For several years the L.P.Y.S. has tried to ignore the question, fearing it would alienate working class youth, but thanks to continuous pressure from opposition tendencies in the L.P.Y.S., there is at least a debate now. At this conference, there were excellent speeches from all sections of the L.P.Y.S. supporting the struggle of lesbians and gays against discrimination and oppression. My own branch moved a resolution calling for wider democratic procedures to be adopted by the L.P.Y.S. . This would have ended the practice of our executive summing up for too long and recommending which way we vote. It would

also have meant the introduction of singlé transferable voting for

executive positions to allow for minority representation of the sizable number of ‘non-Militant' L.P.Y.S. branches. This caused the closest vote of the conference, but on the platform's recommendation was. defeated.

The women's debate again divided the conference, with delegates who were supporting ‘Militant’ and = ‘Socialist Action’ arguing a resolution to hold a women's dayschool with men present. A resolution from Harrogate , which was defeated called upon the Yorkshire reyion to organise a women-only — dayschool, where women could feel more at ease to debate and relate their own experiences, without being inhibited by the presence of male comrades.

L.P.Y.S. conferences are generaly fairly predictable affairs with no very close votes nor any defeats for the platform, but at regional level there are usually some good(sometimes heated) debates, with various positions being put. But if the L.P.Y.S. is going to turn into a real mass socialist youth movement , alongside action there must be much more political discussion and education.