from a special correspondent
Nine of the twelve members of the Dirmingham City Council Labour Group who voted against the municipal rents plan last month have been expelled from the Group, They had been asked to give written undertakings that they would not break the whip again under any circumstances. They were also asked to make written apologies for ther action. Three of the origins] twelve agreed to this proposal = Councillors Parton, Clarke and Greatorex, The other nine Signed a differently worded declaration dravm up by themselves which said they would obsy the Group Whip in accordance with Party constitution and policy. They pointed out that they have upheld Party policy in voting against the new rents scheme since the Borough Labour Party has opposed the scheme,
Three of the nine have recently had their stand backed by being re-adopted by their ward parties as candidates to seek re-election next May. They are Councillors Turner (Sheldon ward), Miss Williams (Stockland Green ward) and Horrocks (Graveley Hill ward), Two of the rebels are chairmen of City Council Committoes: Councillor Turner being chairman of the Childron's Committee and Councillor Miss “right is chairman of the Establishment Comnittee, Iiss Yright is also prospective parliamantary candidate for the Tandsworth division, Other ‘rebels' are Councillors Doyce, Canning, lira. laynos, Mason and Mumford. The latter being a member of the Torough Labour Party Exscutive. :
Meanwhile, as a diversion, tho Borough Party Secretary, Mr. Harold Nash has raised a hue and cry about “Trotskyists, Communists and tenants! associations planning to unseat 'loyal councillors and officers'"™ Mr. Nash who despite the opposition of his omployers — the Dorough Labour Party General Management Committee - to the rent increase, supports the right wing majority on tha Council. Ha claims opponents to the rents scheme have been organising bulk applications to join the Labour Party. (wicked things).
In a circular sent to the secretaries of the 52 wards in the City, our stalwart defender of tha Labour Party said ".....We have received a requ= est from a man who is positively a Trotakyite for 30 applications forms, and other party officers have received similar requests. “hile we welcome applications from individuals who genuinely desire to join the Party, we intend to resist mass applications made with ulterior motives given above. iny party secretary who receives a request for a considerable number of moanbership forme should report to ma so that the matter may be investigated," It is noteworthy that the City's Tory press, which has consistently backed the Labour leadership on this issue, is making a splash about this "plot.'
The tenants are fighting back and giving support to the 'roebels'. At moeting where the question of taking action against them havo been discuseed, tenants have turned up and booed the leadership of the City Group and cheered the 'rebels,' Nearly one hundred marchers took part, in pouring rain in a torchlight procossion from Birmingham Town Hall tp the’ Aston home of Alderman H. Whatton, the City Council Labour leader, to demonstrate against the new municipal rents scheme, The procession was organised by the Birmingham Tenants! and Residents’ Association, Danners saying "Not a Penny on the Rents", "The Rent Act is Immoral", "Take lioney from Financiers not Tenants", etc, were carried by the marchers.
One hundred mambers of the Shard “md Tenants' Association, msoeting at their local community centre, lobbied Councillor Simmons who voted for the rent increases. They told Simmons, who has been sdopted as the candidate for the Shard End ward in next year's municipal elections, that they would withdraw some 2,000 to 2,500 votes from him unless he withdrew his support for the right wing scheme.
A petition is being organised asking Harold Wilson to intervene in the dispute between the Labour Group and the Borough Labour Party. One of the organisers of it is Peter Morgan, well-known trade unionist whose wife, Miss Williams, is one of the 'rebols.!
» a leader of the left wing of the Belgian Socialist Party,and editor of the paper La Gauche, is.to speak at ssveral towns in Britain later this monthe Host of the meatings will be at Universities, and Handel will be well suited to spgak at these seats of learning because,as well as being a key figure in the Duronsan active left, ha is also an eminent end brilliant Uarrian economist and sociclogist. His most .recant. book: "Treatise on Marxian conomics" published already in six languages, and forthcoming in English, was described in the Bconomist by Isaac Deutscher as "thse most significant contribution to tha subject in fifty years." The timetable of his tour-.. ist Tucsday 26th November mid-day... London. School of Bconomics
Labour Society
Gvening . University College London
Lahour Society Wednesday 27th November Gvening Oxford University Labour
Club (pending) Thursday 28th November Mid-day, . Birmingham University
Labour Club
Gvening ‘Sheffield Left Club Friday 29th November mid-day . Sheffield University Labour
Club
4.30 Nottingham University
Socialist Society
To 30 Nottingham Left Club Sunday ist December Hvening .Cambridgo University
Labour Clubs Hore details will be given in the Bullotin of these mostings as they becoms available. Thers is also the possibility of one or two moro Ltisotings being organised.
"g have commented elsewhere on the split in the Comminist Party of Groat Britain. Ono of ths leaders of the pro-—Chinose group which have issued their challenge to the present leadership, Michael McCreery is to speak in Nottingham on December 6th, 5,00 at the University Socialist Society. It is also planned to hold a meeting in the avening for him under the suspices of tho Nottingham Left Club.