.77u07TuL OF CAitDIDATOS Long-staniing left winger rejected - former leading fascist accepted
Nothing could illustrate the anti-left bias in the present system of ‘the approval of Parliamentary candidates than the the recent case of where Councillor Donis Hobden was rejected and lir. Lesley Jonos approved. This action was taken at the saiie organisational “sub-committee of the Nic of the Labour Party which rejected Ernie Robetts. We are indebted to Tribune of the 5/1/62 which has brought this shocking caso out into the open in Francis Flavius! column.
All readors who have not read the article should do so, briefly the facts aro that Lesley Jones joined the Labour Party in 1953 after 16 years connection with IMosley's Union movement. As recently as 1951 he duputised for Mosley when the latter was unable to speak at a mosting. (Tribune on its front page says that he was a branch secretary of the Union movement as late as 1959 - wo think this mst be a printing orror). In 1957 and 1958 he was rejected by tho NEC asa candidate, so no one can say that tho full information about him isn't known to the mombors of the WIC, Councillor Denis ilobden, a trade unionist since 1934, joined the Labour Party as soon as he was able in 1944 (as a civil servant he could not join before then) and has hold a varioty of jobs including Constituency socvetarye He has been given no reason for his rojection.
This question of the acceptance of candidates is no unimportant issue. In the recent struggles over defence and clause four, the Parliamentary labour party has been well to the right of the Labour Party as a whole. Owing to the undemocratic set-up of the Labour Party, the ONLY RJ3ASON GAITSKELL IS Tis LEAD IS BUCAUSS OF HIS CONTROL OF TH PARLIAMENTARY LABOUR PARTY. It is clear that he is using the mothod of candidates having to obtain approval as a means to ensure the continuation of his domination of the Parliamentary labour party.
The left must wage an all out campaign on this question. Not merely bocause of the monstrous injustice of this and other cases, but because what is at stake is the presevation of the remnants of Party detiocracy. Moreover, victory on this front would do much to tilt the balance of forces of the whole struggle. Conversely defeat on this issue would be very serious indeed at the present stage of struggle. Wo need not have any illusions about Parlaiment to see the difference between having a Parliamentary labour party predominantly made up of men of Ernie Robert's calibre and ono™ even more dominated by barristers and the like of Lesley Jonese On this issue it should be possible to make common ground with the large majority of the rank and file of the Labour, even those who have different views to the left on such questions as defence. By such a blatant move 7 the N&C have given to us an opportunity to mount a really poworful campaign and get the right wing on the run.