character against the Tories through as an of policies socialism Jim Callaghan is right to say that the proposals to increase Labour Party democracy are an attack upon his leadership. They are, and that's exactly what is needed, because Callaghan's policies did not prove capable of fighting unemployment and inflation, of extending democratic rights. They did not prove capable of defeating the Tories in the That would be reason enough to get rid of him but there is a more important reason still. •Callaghan stands in the way of an effective fight. Proclaiming their 'democratic mandate', he expects the labour movement to sit back for five years whilst the Tories walk all over us. Well, Jim, we cannot wait five years — the fightback must start now alongside the engineets.
Nor can we fight the Tories with the rotten Callaghan defends. Championing unemployment daily struggles of working people, and political life.
Unions have a similar disdain for Grip will catch no-one's imagination (particularly if the Tories backtrack and impose their own incomes policy). In place of social-democratic (that is, pro-capitalist) policies are needed measures which can be fought for in the and which challenge the capitalists' control over the economy Callaghan is not alone in the labour movement. In the unions the Callaghanites are many. They too democracy. They conclude agreements such as the 'twelve month rule' in the TUC General Council after Congress has rejected incomes policy. They refuse to allow a might lose. They must also be defeated.
control of the labour movement. addressing themselves.
The vote at Labour Party conference is no small victory. It shows that the desire for a change in leadership is strong. It shows a refusal to accept a repeat of the last Labour Government. It reflects a desire on the part of the rank and file to regain But it is just the first round in a longer battle. The internal party inquiry will mean that the issues raised this year remain undecided — and they will not be decided in the constituencies aione. The fate of the leadership will be decided in the course of mounting a fightback against the Tories. In the process of that an alternative leadership must be built at every level of the labour movement. That is the task to which Benn and his supporters should be