confronting the working class.
party organisation Itself. most. organisational. Inetficiency, Its living standards. office at all costs, according to his view.
Foot axis ansured that the 'left' remained passive.
have beer pathetic attempt lo manage capitaiism -activists should be orienting on particular issues.
question of intomal party democracy.
convened urgentiy to discuss all these issues. THE LABOUR PARTY annuai conference Is likely to be a non-event. As we pointed out in these columns last week, there will be no real debate on the vital Issues The only major crisis which appears to threaten the party is the crisis of the The perllous financial condition of the mass party of the working class and Its declining membership is no secret. Individual membership stands at 659,000, but everyone knows that this ligure Itself — the lowest since 1948 — Is grosaly Inflated. Real membership is' less than 400,000, and those who regularly attend meetings in the constituencies number 65,000 at the In reality the party's organisational orisis ia a reflection of Its political bankruptcy, It has been unable lo mobilise anyone in the face of the anti-working class policies of the Labour Govemment, It has alienated the support of tens of thousands of working class voters in by-elections In Walsall North, Workington, Stechtord, and Ashfield, It lost these seats not because of any but because of the Govemment's viclous attacks on the working class and The Labour 'lefts' have a lot to answer for in this aituation. They have defended Government policias. They have sat in the Cabinet as the Goverment moved furthar to the right. They have helped Caliaghan to tama the National Executive Committee of the party. Eric Heffer, sacked from the Govemment two years ego, has publicly argued that the main priority ls the mainenance of the Govemment. The policies of the Govemment are Irelevant to Heffer, It must be kept in Last yoar's conference passed motions calling for an 'active campaign" against the cufs. It passed resalutions to fight raciam and fasciam. The NEC refused, in effect, to Implement these resolutions, The BennBecause of this retreat, an estimated 140 motions removed from this yoar's agenda. The conference arrangements committee has trested the left with the contempt which It, quite frankly, deserves. This Is not to say that most of the Tribunite motions ware of any use. They were the old and famillar miature: reflation, Import controls, and long live the National Enterprise Board. As Ernle Roberts appropriately romarks elsewhere in this paper, this ia Just a For rank-and-file activists of the party, the message