Stick to Manitesto

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RUNNING LONDON -OUR WAY a working conference of Labour councillors June 19 County Hall by Jo Thwaites MANY Labour Party members are looking to Islington Council as the next Labour Council to take on the Tories. It has the solid backing of the people of Islington as 51 out of the 52 councillors are Labour (and the 52nd (SDP) councillor only won by one vote!).

Pat Longman, one of the Socialist Organiser supporters on the Council, opened a discussion at the Islington Socialist Organiser group last Sunday, 30th, on how to keep the Council to its Manifesto commitments.

Pat pointed out that already, only weeks into the four year life of the council, there are signs that Labour councillors aren't as keen on reversing the SDP and previous Labour cuts as they should be.

The conflict arises between those who are willing to operate within the current SDP-fixed budget and see their role as fitting in as much of the Manifesto as they can into that tight framework, and those on the Left who see their first commitment as carrying out the promises they were elected on.

First test The first test of the Council was over the cuts made by the SDP. Labour candidates had promised throughout the election campaign that they would reverse these cuts.

At the first Policy Meeting, Socialist Organiser supporter Alan Clinton proposed that all the cuts should be reversed. This was carried - by one vote, and at the price of a great cutor aiterwards about the committee's 'irresponshility then went to the Labour Group, where the package was voted on item by item and the vast bulk of it got through. ut the problem of making sure that the sticks to its Manifesto remains.

In the three Islington constituency parties there is a fairly thorough system of •accountability. Their joint Local Government Committee has a system of quarterly meetings with the Labour Group to elect Group officers and decide what stance the Group should take on the major issues coming up.

This is not strictly constitutional within the Labour Party, but is the only way of making sure that the Group represents the policies of the Islington Parties.

The next of these meetings is due at the end of July. At the Socialist Organiser meeting we decided to produce a discussion document for GMCs and Wards, arguing that we should not see ourselves on the Council as being administrators bound by the restrictions imposed through the SDP budget.

The : Socialist Organiser councillors are keen to make sure that all the Council documents are available to the•local Party, Pat Longman and that the rank and file members are absolutely clear about what's happening on the council.

As Pat pointed out: "All too often, it's the Council officials and the people in the know, the excouncillors, who can put pressure on the Labour Group. We want to see the pressure coming from the rank and file of the Party"

Accountability

It is through rank and file control and accountability, through campaigning, public meetings and a clear view of what the Council is doing that the Labour Party will recruit and provide a basis for a determined fight against the Tories.

That's also the only way that the Islington Council can counter the attacks from the press that have already started - not through lying low and playing it cool till times become more opportune for the implementation i'M,, the 'Manifesto.

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Socialist Organiser, Thursday