1 am delighted to sen that and the Communist Parly, and COTO OT VOO TI OT KEITH RUSSELL-[Hull)
There is no disagreo Socialist Unity can play a vilal can in recomaosine tne revoil tonary left. But we haven't yet working class build Tisul La IOLA BIC NOAL 2I0190 TES Mave o nee sie uel BcKr bility in organisation at sne noment and at the next conterence to get down ta the nitts gritty of how Socialist Unity can BICARIISNDA TALVUO O organisational proclamations.
LEEDS SOCIALIST UNITY WOMEN'S COMMITTEE unemployment.
COLCAIOT pubio sponding curs, te rao p. fascism affects woman in many Locally rationally we have so far falled women from the MOHAIR DEOR MOVELCu and working class women. feminist position is integratec into the eleciton programme o POCIS UNIV H ILar Cavou people's everyday concerns in the lactory and in the home PAUL THOMPSON [Big Flame)
'An alliance of socialist ordarisatons anc militanta to exist fust around elections Is inadequate even for an effective Thore ha:
to be a continuing prosenoe of SOMalIaT UnlE We must not be the same as the rest — here for three weeks and gone, or parachuting some candidate in to an HELDSEREH SOLISEIST SUNTES groupa to bo set up. London last weekend. Duffield, a member or the Marxist Workers Group, one of over three hundred people, including observers from most of The far left organisations who were at the conference to discuss the programme, organisation and sleps for cading up to next year's munIcipal. clections and the nex General Electior The conference showed the polona o toe 30c aus CS D involve large numbers of socialis militants in united activity. On WHe INIE ICAELTeS D the debates at the conference was the way in which it was conducted socialist I within a range of general agree ment. Despite differences, T TuC aIL COTEEDEICUH serious and manner.
As Martin Shaw from Hull said in one of his contributions: Socialisr Unity should show in its OWH WOrkines the opey nema toatie structure we are comited DRAFT PROGRAMME The major debate was around the Draft programume for Socialist Unity put forward jointoverwhelming majority conference accepted this drati as the basis of Socialist Unity election addrcases.
Paul Thompson from Big Flame argued:
This programme is the beginaing of a popuiar anti-capitontst endiess fest of everything revolu prognimime: ІГ сомног ronary sociaiesr would aeree to. At election zime, jou con'r argue Jor a programame that his to be corried around in a wheesBarrow:
At the saine sime the conference recognised certain woaknesses in the draft, particularis around the question of women's oppression abd the right to self-deterenin people of Scorland and Wales. It was agreed followWing the proposal from the Lesds was Socialist Unity Women's Committee to set up a working party to consider the draft in relation the particular effects that unemplay ment, public spending curs racism and fascism have for Unity the tetanie bavy lohes af the i d made the poin! that, although the draft programme was a goou ramme, there was a need for AIS TOR HSHOE CIC IH more extended presentation TICOnCIESOE Unity campaign in pamphlet form.
This would need much more all iscussion amiong its supparte But could bopefully be finalise comradely :012 logether with the election programme, at a re-call conference Defore the local elections mext Socialist Unity ia im business co build a socialist alternative to the reformism of the Labour Party, one that bun reech out to militants and activists restricted confines of the revolu Monary Tefi. But there are thousands of people who are prepared to struggle against the policies of the Labour Government. questions of pay, unemployment, culs womeo s rights and so ou bur are not prepared yer to take the step towards such an alternative.
How to tackle the problem of support for Socialist Unity daminated the debates at the Conbe Terence.
SETTLE ACCOUNTS
Ted Coxhead for the IMO all for the return of a Labor E that Socialist Unity mü Government at the next elections Labour Pargy will only be built to the artant thef the mases ham Degun so sertle accounis with the LACTIEEE!
STRUCTURE of the Socialist of the general election tion.
beyanu the The Timal debate Go-crament.
mbat the purpose Td pandeit aet to and build the workers maLIrC Tabour possible fri hilareed prostatamic 'an alternative to the Labour Party and its inadership. * CWa.SS He went om lo explamn lnat tho organisational Labour Party in office is the most effective propaganda for the need Lot a practical socilst aller native. The growing interest of workers in struggle for the was co le.
forwarc ay the revolutionary left would be ser back by the return of a Tory an ope!
Comrades of Big Flame on the other band argued har whetber Socialist Unity called for Lh the return of n Labour Goveroment Linity. sas purely a factica problem Lia. should he decided bearer the date Te is nor a question of having o able. governmental slogan but of butic ing a socialist alternasive of the grass-roo argaed ine comrade introducing the Big Flame resolacartiet Wilh 19 Norel For and 40 The IMG resblution organisations. against, with f abstentions.
of the aflerstructure Socialist Unity should build to tract the actise involvement e all thooe who see the need to figh ngainst the policies of che Labou •The wholt conference a2t00 .DE SOCIAHS Unity was nor simply gettine the of biggest possible sote in elections. Building main ioh was to fight for by the practice that, not only is tisere a chance to build a socialist alterthe solicies ou the Patty, Dur EnaE lE 1 diflerent organi strengtbened work together araund a comenon1 was also generally aureed th rhe abjectives of Socialist Dnil ECADT ADORgDN StrUCLUEH wocld not simply spring to life for an clection campaiee and then disappent. Delegates acicomieo confidence. Socialist Unity, as a political and otpanisanonal-step towar no The differences which were expressed during the discussion centred on bow quickly this move regroumpent could structure saule present the least barrier to drawng in much wider forces While there was some contasios In the debare, one clear dange the structuré of Socialist Unity run stoichire Socialist Unity Comunittees open to all who apece wirn TOe stanone o class srugcle candidares and are prepared to actively work for soch candidales campaigning oo programnic of Socinlist Such committees will not be restricied lo aTeas where the standing of candidates 1f probA national steering comenieree CONSISEIEIL O. representatives of local commit tecs and the affibiated political WOMEN'S CAUCUSES Importantty the conference pas. sad unAnimaLs CwO TesDlulOn concerning the probleros faced h women cocurades in fully parics ocialise Unity and the necessit developing back and Asian comunitles ti was agreed to encourage Lie formation of local and national women's caucuses and to organ ise a conference of black anc STWETTE MOTAEL Socialist Unity was greatly at its finst Serene. As Hai Thonpsan said in the debate on the structare of Socialist Unity Socialist Unity Is already a1 Tractirg forces which we co develop fiather. The kindMeiy pe ure pertine sHama d spreod with caution due with approsch, If samcane cnocked AE CI04 anon mSue who won the claction - Id shul the door. We nave heard how the CHUHIRE down wagas, cuts, obc. i1 is trur The Worknn aes r35 reori: Illasions. Wio cannot dodge oul of this hy abstaining Many working Class people and activiste atill identity with the Labour Pazy bacauso sho are not aware of any allomative have a alear and definite vating Is MARTIN SHAW (Hull] 1 would argue very strongly niections situation of mounting struggia socialist unity simply elections. Soalalis: Unity should on ELIET be Involved in building struggle:
we have sutricient force 1o mao the SWP say what is in thoir hoars their politics are ciose 10 us.
Forward to a united revolution TOTY OBELS 'Socialist Unity is not e part that the only way to sare the buicira exerci99 interesta of the ciat atragdle l to sign a membershig want to group al those among InH MOre IRS BRu Ho Cc Labaur's pro-capialist policies MARTIN YARNETT (Big Flame| We have to break the hold building working class pownr and struggle and not hy cailin 01 0 BULL БA-EMRILARCSEMOESs the working class have hiever vated Labour because Labour never represented Interests; women and immigran *There are situations when you can say abelain. Dont ciosn the options now
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE, 24 November 1977, page?
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'Socialist Unity is one of the best things that has happened on the left in this country for some time. We are all going to learn a tremendous amount', is how Neil Duffield greeted the first national conference of Socialist Unity held in