Joy Hurcombe
Socialist Organiser1983 1983-05-12Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 5 →
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and you see the need to dismantle the paraphernalia of that war machine.
There's a strong Labour element in CND - especially on this year's Council - but they're loth to support Labour overtly. Labour CND isn't creating a struggle in the Labour Party that isn't already there, but it's working to bring CND's politics into the Party, and organise that struggle to put _pressure on the leadership.
Specialist
Labour CND is a "specialist section"' of CND: it has its own AGM, but its constitution is ratified by CND, and CND funds it. We don't have members of Labour CND as such, we encourage people to join national CND.
But our support is much wider than just our 3,000 named supporters and it is growing. At last year's AGM we had 60 people, ai this year's we had secretary of Labour CND, spoke to Jenny Fisher 350. People came to fight for the policies they wanted Labour CND to adopt.
One of the most contentious issues was the Register, and I'm glad we decided not to register, though wẹ do think the Register is not the main issue now. .. Our main task at the moment is to provide information on the section of the Campaign Docament on nuclear disarmament. This information is needed by activists in the constituencies.
It's very difficult, as we haven't got a full-time worker -unlike Christian CND, who have had one for two years. We're appealing for funds for a fulltime worker at the moment.
We want more campaigning.
* NUPE and ACTT have beginning to hold disarmament meetings, and we're getting more and mure requests for speakers. But it's pointless the Labour Party passing resolutions it it leaves all the action to the peace movements.
Massive
The Labour Party Conference decision was a massive victory for Labour CND. We had been working to co-ordinate votes at regional level and in the unions.
The immediate reaction from the right was to issue disclaimers in the press and on television! So we wrote to CLPs asking them to send protests to the NEC, and demanding that Foot make a clear statement. To our knowledge, 100 CLPS made those protests, and we'll continue to press for the implementation of Party policy, with no fudging!
The Campaign Document is very good in that the leaders have acknowledge the support for Party pelicy. When they say 'close exisung bases, abandon existing and new nuclear weapons, refuse Cruise and Trident, it's a victory.
But we must recognise the PHOTO: JOHN HARRIS sive alliance. It's committed to a first strike objective.
The immediate concern for Labour CND is the manifesto commitment on Polaris. There's no way that Labour Party conference voted to use Polaris as a negotiating tool. If Polaris is a negotiating tool, then you're We must be realistic and understand there have to be negotiations on the mechanics of removal. But consultation is one thing, negotiations imply you can concede semething.
Discuss the timescale, not the issues.
We're working hard to see that the bases will be closed in the lifetime of a Labour government, not merely negotiations completed. Frank Allaun has unsuccessfully tried to get clarification on the Programme's unclear statement.
Despite our lack of funds and a full-time worker, local Labour CND groups are proliferating, and campaigning in their own areas and regions. And support -for Labour CND is moving CND to a politically realistie point of Labour is the only way to get disarmament.
The will of the women at affects the international working Greenham is spectacular. class and the Labour res- There's been nothing like it. The ponse to it shows up the other labour movement should nationalist elements in the encourage and welcome such Labour Party programme. It's activity: at the same time workcontrary to international social- ing class and working women must be actively involved.
Campaigning against NATO's It's wrong to denigrate the nuclear policy is also a campaign women's movement: but we
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view: vote Labour: CND existing as a broad grouping is OK, but