1597 THE PUTNEY AFFAIR The witch hunt is not dead, Although since Wilson waa
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elected party leader there has been a shift away from the methods of Gaitskell's regime, the decision by the N.=.C, to investigate the Putney party and its relationship with C.N.D. show how strong the right wing apparatus men still are. They don't have things all their own way, of course, as the defeat of their proposition to withhold endorsement of Hugh Jonkins demonstrates, In fact the endorsement of a number of left wingers who would have never got by in Gaitskell's day is .2" illustration of a changed position,
The history of the affair is interesting, The GM of Putney C.L.P. took, on the 27th of March, two decisions which enraged the local right wing. By 21 votes to 13 it decided to take part as a party in the Aldermaston march, and, secondly, by 23 votes to 11 it authorised the local Young Socialists (prodvcers of the attractive Putney Left) to carry constituency banners on the march, Next month the right wing were furthored angered, when at its soekction conference (postponed from January by order from Transport House) it adopted Hugh Jenkins as prospective Parliamentary candidate by 34 votes to 23. It did this against the right wing nominee, Tom Smith, mayor of Groenwich and official NUGMW nominee for the Deptford by-election. Hugh Jenkins is a well kno# left winger, London County Councillor, ‘founder of Victory for Socialism and an acéive unilatoralist. ’
Up till the period just after the 1959 genoral election the right wing ruled the roost in Putney, Its Parliamentary candidate at that time became treasurer of the campaign for Democratic Socialism, The left took over after a sharp struggle and today only four out of the 24 Labour Gouncillors and Aldermen for Putney are not C.N.D. supporters, Tho fight has assumed a sharp form recently, with local expulsions of right wingers (and national reinstatemonts) plus the resignation of several right wingers from tho party, That was the background when the 23 hard core right wingers complained to Transport House about the decision to take part in Aldermaston,
On receiving the complaint Sarah Barker, national agent, leapt at the opportunity to forbid the party to take part officially in the Aldermaston march, The Putney officers rejected her inte pretation of the rules and the party took part. It must be noted though, that its banner only appeared on the last day of the march along with many other C.LsF. onese The Organisational Sub-committes, the instrument of the witch hunt, thereupon called for the investigation of the pa-ty and for the delay of the endorsem ent of Hugh Jenkins until this investigation had taken place. This was done against the opposition of Tony Greenwood, Dick Crosaman and W.H. Rathbone, On going to the N.E.C. the dgcision to investigate Putney was carried but~ Hugh Jenkins was endorsed by 4 vote majority.
Wilson and his supporters are in a dilemma - they have tried to build up the myth of the party being united behind ite new laader. They have had considerable success in persuading some left wingers to soft pedal their criticisms of party policy, They do not, therefore, relish prospects..gf a new row over democracy within the party, On the other hand they aré prepared +o have a show down with the extreme right and the appara~ tus men. The left mst take this fight very seriously - the atmosphere of unity must be utilised by showing that it is thg right who are disrupting unity - defeat just prior to an election could serious long term consequences,