party"
IRELAND: C.P. policy to the right of the There was a vigorous debate on Ireland. The executive committee's emergency resolution stopped short of calling for the immediate withdrawal of British troops. Indeed its general line was that of legitimising their presence and the power of Westminster to take political decisions in Northern Ireland. Etienne Arnholz, moving a lengthy amendment, understood this: she condemned the resolution as being vague just where it was imperative to be precise-on the question of whether Britain had a right to rule part of Ireland.
The amendment, which itself was not clear on these questions nor on the attitude British socialists should take towards the anti-imperialist struggle in Ireland, was lost by 62 votes for, 262 against and 11 abstentions. This vote was approximately the same as on other issues where the Surrey opposition challenged the leadership. However, some of the most interesting aspects of the debate on Ireland came out in the speeches of majority supporters in the debate. Jack Henry stated that British troops should only leave after there was democracy in Northern Ireland. Bernard Panter denounced talk of the withdrawal of British troops weakening British imperialism as purely adventuristic, sidestepping the issure of creating a united North as a first stage. Jack Ashton claimed that the immediate withdrawal of British troops would mean the annihilation of the civil rights forcesa similar argument to that used by IS in 1969 for not calling for immediate withdrawal. In his reply on behalf of the leadership, Jack Woddis supported and repeated these rightwing views and added, "The slogan to withdraw the British troops forthwith was unrelated to the fight to change British Government policy." Paradoxically enough, the Morning Star of November 18, had an editorial calling C. P. LEADER JOHN GOLLAN Wants to turn Britain Left by an alliance with the Right daunting to leave the party and undertake the job of building the basis of a new party this is the only road open to them. The International Marxist Group though much smaller than the CPGB has shown that it is possible to combine principled revolutionary politics with fruitful day-to-day work in whole range of activities. On Ireland, Vietnam, unemployment, in Women's liberation, in stell and in other fields members of the CPB and YCL find themselves working with the IMG and Spartacus League on political positions opposed to those of Gollan and co. (not to speak of French and Johnstone). After the 32nd Congress these comrades should think out their position and see if it would not be more logical for them to join in building the basis for a revolutionary party in the traditions of the CPB of the time of Lenin and Trotsky.
Editorial note: The Red Mole would be pleased to publish letters or articles on the issues raised in the above article by CP and YCL members.
-Pat Jordan SPECIAL FROM RED BOOKS :
TWO CLASSIC REPRINTSThe Third International after Lenin:
Leon Trotsky. Price: £1.25.
The Jewish Question: by Abram Leon (with an introduction by Ernest Germain and Nathan Weinstock).
Price: £1.15.
182 Pentonville Road, London N.1. 01-837 9987.
The Red Mole 29th November 1971 Paze 11