From: stevew@cs.man.ac.uk (Steve Wallis)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british,uk.politics
Subject: Re: political parties
Date: 15 Apr 92 13:46:48 GMT
Followup-To: soc.culture.british,uk.politics
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Manchester

In article <1992Apr10.003906.10903@husc3.harvard.edu> koumis@husc4.harvard.edu (Anthony Koumis) writes:
>But my real question is what has happened to all of the "loony
>left" groups that Kinnock has kicked out of Labour? DO they have
>any major support?  What are they doing?  Like what does "Labour
>Militant" do and stand for? and those other small parties?

Various left-wingers have been expelled from the Labour Party, some for
fighting the poll tax, some for opposing cuts, and some for supporting the
Militant Tendency ("Labor Militant" is the US equivalent).  In some areas,
whole wards or constituencies have been closed down.  There are ad hoc
groups, including councillors, in various cities (e.g. there are about 30
expelled councillors in Liverpool in the "Broad Left", which won in 5 out of
6 wards it contested last year).

Two militant MPs, Dave Nellist and Terry Fields, have been expelled.  They
both stood in the general election:

Dave Nellist stood in Coventry Southeast and very nearly won.  With 10551
votes, he finished 40 behind the Tories, and 1351 behind the official Labour
candidate who was imposed against the wishes of the local Labour Party.

In Liverpool Broadgreen, Terry Fields finished third (behind the official
Labour candidate and the Liberal Democrats) with 5952 votes.  This was a bit
disappointing considering that his canvass returns showed he had over 9000
supporters, but many of them switched to the imposed Labour candidate after
various opinion polls showed him with between 10 and 24%.

In Scotland, an independent organisation called "Scottish Militant Labour"
has been set up.  Tommy Sheridan, a leader of the anti-poll tax campaign
currently in jail, stood for Scottish Militant Labour in Glasgow Pollok, He
came second behind Labour with 6287 votes, followed by the Tories, the SNP
and the Liberal Democrats.

These results show that, despite the strong desire from many voters to get
Labour elected, and worries about splitting the vote, socialist policies have
a lot of support.  People have said that Militant is finished or that
socialism is dead many times in the past, but they keep getting proved wrong.
Labour's right-wing policies failed to win the election, and demands for
socialist policies will increase.  Already many left-wing MPs are speaking
out.

As for what Militant (and Scottish Militant Labour) stands for, here is a
summary taken from the "Militant" newspaper:

*	Maintain poll tax non-payment, for a total amnesty.

*	Kick out the Tories.  Labour to power on a socialist programme.
	(This still holds after the election.)

*	A job for all with a maximum 35 hour week without loss of pay.

*	A #190 per week minimum wage for all, including pensioners, the sick
	and disabled.

*	Reversal of all Tory cuts and a massive programme of public spending
	on housing, education and health.

*	A guaranteed job or educational place with a living grant for all
	young people.

*	Fight racism, unite black and white workers.  Labour movement action
	against racist attacks.  End police harassment.  Repeal the racist
	immigration laws.

*	End sex discrimination, for equal pay and equal opportunities.  Free,
	comprehensive child care with benefits covering the real cost of
	child-rearing.  Safe, free contraception.  Defend abortion rights.

*	Fight discrimination against lesbians and gay men.

*	Labour MPs and trade union officials to receive no more than the
	average wage of a skilled worker.  All union officials to face
	regular re-election.

*	Nationalisation of the 200 largest companies, including banks and
	insurance companies, under democratic workers' control and
	management, with compensation only for any shareholder in genuine
	need.

*	A democratic, socialist planned economy to end the chaos of the
	profit system.

*	No return to capitalism in the former Stalinist states.  Establish
	workers' democracy and genuine socialism.

*	A socialist world where hunger, poverty, the threat of environmental
	destruction and world war can finally be abolished.

Steve.

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