Dear Comrades Tha South Wesk London IMG discussed the Lambeth Central by-election ang the matter of standing a united socialist candidate.
The resurgence of the defeats suffered by the J rumen end ine mineis betrayal by the TUC Grunwick Strikers, continuing unemployment. Increasing cuts and the renewed attacks the serious situation facing the working class: and its allies.
This by-election however, provide an opportuniy to snow iat inore 15 a Bocialiat alternative to LEDOU gaverinent s TORAN DOlC RS 210 A80 aVr. the left a real chance to bulid local SULAICE racism, cuts, unemployment etc A joint candidate, enjoying the support all and organisations -WaRO CanaR & unHOd light back, could be a real step forward in this area The IMG therefore proposes that the SWP organisen with Socialist Unity, other organisations and as many independent militants as possible = meeting in Lambeth Central to discuss the adoption of such a candidate. At this meeting people nominaled could put forward their programme after democratic BS0-a THC ECODe marE coulo vote tor a candidate of choice The meeting COE 0120 elect a steering committee to organise campaign Such a committee would be respons/ble who support campaign.
The IMG assures comtades of the SWP that it would abide by the majority vote at this meeting and if the comiade elected was from the SWP, or any other revolutionindependent litant, i would organisation, DUt Is Ju! resoUrceS politically and organisationally, behind the Nor would we insist on that candidate on Sociallst Unity ticket. would suggest that candidate adopted should Biand 83 a 80ci8hs1 but he or she would of course be able in the manitasto, to state what it mombers of, Next Thursday 9 March at porters in this area are holding a publ meeting in the late CanuB rorary, brixton uval.
standing candidato in the election. LIA LEONADES OELASF support the idea of having candidate backed by ail tha HICH HABICH THNH SII propose to the meeting that a speaker trom the SWP HIVEI advertised speaker, who Is Bob Pennington, a member ot па носто селпіло оп assures us that he wil prepared to give half the time AHO CO TIM TO SCHAR Pleaso contact us at the abov a0mie8s 10 lel us mick yout attitude to this letter.
regards, Lambeth Area IMG the LASTWEEK's Socialist Worker announced that we would be TanGa OI BorUCs ooil0 of Flamel, as a Flame/Socialist Worker Party candidate In TOnCOm D Central by-alection. As there will almost certainly be two other black anti-asolst candi detes standing IW.
Block and a Maoist we would the standing and our attitude to Socialist Unity, In fact we sen! 8 delegelon from the Brixion SWP Brixton on Thursday to do just that, but thanks to police intervention the meeting shambies. So we would like to dors. use thia opportunity to make ourposition clear.
The SWP has a stronger base reac- Lambeth BoOCmOnC0O wO WODEg branches] : than any revolutionary ROO NOnAR BOOn Om nORTEn struggles over racism, police narassment, unemployment. RAG N MOLSHA AS0UOs. EUI those we also share the concern of Racialist Unity supporters and of thousands of uncommitlod socialists that we should avoid splitting the forces of the left in Geretor been distubed by the possible.
Ny onsa BooraRcn0 L v-election. Take Bob Per ningion's letter in last week's 006I8I55 Gha lenge @xample. Heinites the SWP to discuss the question of a joint CorIol. Yot noony dwee! before this was printed we had already agreed to meet the IMG Nor is this the first time we have had such discussions. In the the GLC elections of last year we met the SU and SUSPO TICI candidate Piers those Chat ime wembs Cinte oul Corbyn in Lambeth Central. the Inar we intended to contest the constituency urselves at the the Parliamentary:
and we hoped that we would be able to avoid running gainst each other.
So when we agreed to meet the IMG we expected a serious BESGISSHAI WETTLI CROT7 stand. Instead we were faced with a virtual fail accompli. We were informed het the MG had already been conducting negotiationa with the West THEM BOOK ON CrEons0on the which describes Itsolf as 'social mavement" and which TREDE thair candidate with ihe SU. Tha IMG 1011 us In no doubt that they would be supporting the WIB, and theretaking the discussions any further. Anyone who attendec •TO OU MaCune In DAOn. Bd heard the WIB candidate speak could also be in no doubt that .OCEN backing.
We find this a little ditticult to understand. TOT AC also quite clear from the WIB candidaies spoach, and from teir annoncemene In WIB's politics RAG CORUSRO OR IRR CHECE be issue of black they nave nothing to say. to a on leland which was one of the SWP. three points of agreement with SU that the IMG stressed to us, the WIB comrade equaled the IRA with the Unioniste. If SU DACKS geinst the clear revolutionary position represented by Tony manouevte which will make the buliding of real socialist unily Sha MuCh maTA oCUl We were also astonished at the procedure adopted for the 'selecilon" of SU candidatas No attempt was made to find out who whether they had any connection with the area, or had any SEnOUS MENnOn Doa for the candidate selected. We noticed that nearly hall of the Tony was at the meeting current Dy-election represented, LINDA QUINN DANNY PHILLIPS (Lambeth SWP) whole procedure is a WY U nto serioi Tor the general gloction, and ir the same light we call upon the tenge in Lamoein to leke e principled position and supBogues in the meeting whether DVISIOn scottish secreler or ine Com munist Party urging & joint Not TOMONA CACTUNOO Scot: tish committees, lo discuss should the Communist Party dec ide to stand a candidete, lo aneT ComE ILSE ilher San SNP' neither the candidațe ACI BOYC right-wing Labaur LATICE H aiso a lawyer - TNS an Hie LOOT V rIC people of Garscarden on the real issues chat affect thair unemplayment. Da housing, a woman's right to choose and so on For this rason, I would