Wise and Richardson for NEC

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At Labour conference 1983, women challenge the platform THE approach of spring pressages meetings and conspiratorial huddi making process comes into play in the expressed over a number of years at exercise on the left and in particular slate for the women's section of the So what is happening this year?

As far as the CLP section of the NEC is concerned, this year must be one of consolidation. It doesn't appear as if any of the present incumbents are leaving, so support for the present seven seems the order of the day, particularly in relation to Jo Richardson and Audrey Wise who are precariously placed at the bottom of the poll.

It is never good to jump to conclusions too hastily, but voting in the CLP section over the past couple of years has shown a marked degree of male chauvinism (hence Jo and Audrey's present situation) and it is imperative that we mobilise support for these two good socialists.

The situation with the Women's Section is somewhat different, At present the maior vote-holders are the trade unions and the women who get elected leave a lot to be desired. However, a major breakthrough has taken place this year with the general, if guarded acceptance on the left that women should draw up the left slate for the women's section. In the past, women have felt extremely aggrieved as the views of women have been ignored and men have cobbled together slates - often with disastrous results.

This year things are different. The growth of the women's organisation and the Labour Women's Action Committee, has pressured the TORY Party chair John Gummer has demanded a meeting with the director-general of the BBC, to complain about the 'Panorama' TV programme on fascist and extreme right activity within the Tory Five Tory MPs named in the programme have also issued writs.

Most anti-fascists have long known about the anti-black and anti-semitic elements in the Tory Party - people like Harvey Proctor MP and the Monday Club.

Panorama based itself on a Young Conservatives report 50p for a single copy 40p per copy for 5 or more, and 30p per copy for 20 or more, from SUPA, 83 Peck• ham High Street, London SE15. Please add an amount for postage.

the breakout of closed es as the annual slate: Party. Concern has been the narrow nature of this at the way in which the NEC has been drawn up.

left, not only to support the principle of the Women's Conference electing the Women's Section of the NEC as a long-term aim, but to accept that, in the meantime, positive action is needed on the women's slate issue. Hence the changes this year.

One knock-on effect of this change is that the slate making process is being opened up. WAC is calling a meeting with women's groups from a number of left campaigns and organisations to discuss drawing up a slate. If a common slate can be agreed, this will be the first time women on the left have been able to influence the slates for the NEC in a significant way, and it will be extremely difficult for men on the left to oppose.

This process can never, however, take the place of a real solution to the problem' of the women's section of the NEC. Until women win the right to elect their own section through their own conference, any other arrangements will be merely stop-gap measures which cannot - even if by some miracle we sweep the board -produce the kind of NEC women's section women really want to see.

And what of he trade union, YS, Socialist Societies sections? These bastions of male power and privilege will, By Rajesh Khana highlighting the level of fascist infiltration, and looked at one of these groups - Tory Action.

This group is led by the former deputy director of MI6, George Young, and claims to have the support of two Cabinet ministers and 24 MPs. The group was set up to back Thatcher's bid for leadership against Ted Heath and Thatcher is known to have attended at least one meeting of Tory Action.

The Tory Party right wing contains within it many ex-members of fascist organisations, some of whom have been Tory Party candidates for Diary 50p whether left, right or whatever, be denied to women. Women stand for election, albeit in small numbers; how much longer will it be before one gets elected? Your guess is as good as mine. councils and Parliament.

Tory Action, the Monday Club, WISE (Welsh, Irish, Scottish, English), and the Salisbury Group are sort of Toryto-fascist bridging groups.

But why this greater interest by fascist groups in joining the Tory Party? One of the new revelations of the programme was a letter from former National Front and League of St. George activist, Richard Franklin, outlining a conscious fascist strategy of infiltration.

Franklin's plans were based on the assumption that 'the nature of the Right of the Conservative Party in shifting from Laissez Faire liberalism to nationalism' This, I believe, is the key to the question. Over the last decade or two the Conservatives have been seen by the fascists and ultra-rights as being 'soft' and not the true representatives of white racist goals. The fascist organisations offered them what the Conservatives could not.

But the Conservative government since 1979 has been one of the most right wing for a long time. It has championed the fight against black people, bringing in the Nationality Act and the Police Bill, and waging the fight against the working class as a whole.

The Tory Party is once again the main party of the extreme right, and the fascists must feel well at home in it.

Bulletin THE National Abortion Campaig taken on the recent report of th ogists (RCOG) which reveals the women seeking abortions.

The report proves precisely what working class women, and pro-choice groups like NAC, have always known - that for women seeking abortions on the NHS there are difficulties and delays which simply do not exist for those with the money to go to the private sector.

The report states: "Deficiencies in the organisation of the abortion service, especially in the NHS, make a substantial contribution to avoidable delay.". No mention, however, of the reasons for the deficiencies, which are caused by anti-abortion doctors and greatly exacerbated by Tory Government cut-backs!

Significantly, the RCOG also points out that it has no data on women who are refused abortions because of inordinate and unnecessary delays.

At present, the law aliows abortion up to 28 weeks, but in practice abortions are rarely carried out after 24 weeks, in case of diagnostic error. Already, the anti-abortionist have seized upon an RCOG subcommittee report which questions the 28 week time limit, and they are bringing pressure to reduce this limit to 24 weeks or less. In reality, this would mean that doctors would not risk carrying out abortions after 20 weeks.

Time limit Ignoring the fact that women having very late abortions are among the most desperate cases - either very young or with a malformed foetus _ the anti-abortionists are trying to restrict the time limit by the use of an Act passed more than fifty years ago, the Infant Life [Preservation] Act of 1929.

The National Abortion Campaign has already organised a conference on abortion facilities n is demanding that action be : Royal College of Gynaecoldisgraceful delays which face NHS SHORTION EVERY WOMANS RIGHT * NO RESTRICTIVE By Carol Thomson in London on Saturday 25 February.

Among other subjects, the conference will discuss the cuts in NHS facilities, the quality of Two pamphlets summing up the ideas of Socialist agi Where We Stand - 20p plus 16p postage. 'How to fight the Tories' - 10p plus 16p postage. Or the two together for 45p including postage. From Socialist Organiser, 28 Middle Lane, London N8 righ care to which black women are subject, and the treatment of young women seeking abortion. The conference will also now be used to help organise the fisht against this latest attack.

United

The Labour and trades union movements have always been allies of the National Abortion Campaign. It is essential that there is a united response, involving all sections of the women's movement and labour movement, to defeat those who seek to subject women to outdated and reactionary laws. Conference *National Abortion Campaign Conference. "Abortion Rights and Facilities - What Future?' University of London, Malet Street, London WCI Saturday 25 February, 10 am to 5 pm.

For further details contact: NAC, 47 Waldram Park Road, London SE23 or phone 01-993 2071.

* Socialist ORGANISER How to fight the Tories Labour Socint the Join & ORGANISER Fight:

for policiest

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Ballots and butchers Socialist Organiser no.166 February 16 ¡El Salvador

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of a People's Marcher "How politics were kept out by Satvinder Singh and Tony Pur til Introduction by Jeremy Corbyn, MP

Thezon Where Te we stand