the only policies put forward by the Tribunites are import controls, reflation of the economy, and other measures which base themselves on an alliance with the capitalists rather than a struggle against them.
On Ireland and racism there is not one resolution which supports the positions of Tribune - which probably accounts for the fact that these issues are not even referred to in Tribune's resolution round-up. On women's rights, there are a few scattered statements but no single resolution which deals with the The question of abortion, which has mobilised tens of thousands of women and sections of the labour movement, is not even dealt with.
Mass action Contrary to what the national press has been saying, it is unlikely that this year's conference will represent a massive defeat for the rightwing Labour Government. Undoubtedly there will be a great deal of feeling against its policies, but in general the policies and orientation of the left are totally inadequate to meet the needs of the situation. But some vitally important steps can be taken, steps which will yield results for the future.
It is the fight after the conference that really matters. Success or failure can only be measured in terms of how such a fight is proposed. Above all, this means extending within the party all those cases of rank and file organisation like the Labour Against Cuts Committee, with an orientation of building sation of a class struggle opposition within the labour movement. struggle against women's oppression. mass action against the Government's policies and contributing to the organiAs the trade union leaderships collaborate in the Government's wage-cutting policies; as the Government flouts conference decisions such as last year's Composite 30 on the NHS; and as yesterday's 'left leaders" increasingly become today's right-wing henchmen - this means the need to organise an opposition in the trade unions and the Labour Party committed to class struggle politics. The fight to extend democracy in the Labour Party could be a real weapon in this struggle. If the Campaign for Labour Democracy, the national caucus of which was behind the resolution on selection procedure, took the bull by the horns and began systematically to organise all those delegates at the conference for a fight against the rightwing and its policies, then ten steps forward could be taken. A conference of all Labour Party members and delegates from branches and constituency parties to plan the fight would receive massive support.
But the danger and the most likely outcome is that the democracy issue will become a cover for not waging the fight now. The yearly groan is raised that if only the party was democratic ..... If this happens, the only people to gain will be the right wing. As the lack of democracy is confirmed, they will receive a tremendous fillip for their right-wing policies. The struggle to extend democracy at Blackpool at the end of September should be seen as the reason to begin to organise the fight against the Callaghan leadership for a class struggle opposition, and not the reason for postponing it.
2,000 MORE HOMELESS NO JAIL NO ANSH EN STEVIKTIONS HOMELESS
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