Tribune Anniversary Meeting in Frestun

The scan: The Week v7 no11.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive, opens at this page)

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200 people attended the 30th anniversary meeting at the Coop Hall in Preston last Friday, 10th March. The meeting took the form of a public brains trust, which was chaired by Frank Allaun M,P. The panel: was made up of: Ron Aitkins M.P. for Preston North, Albert Booth, Barrow M.P. Russ and Ann Kerr M.P.'s and David Owen Fylde, prospective candidate. Sydney Silverman was due to appear but was unable to make it. The questions showed the deep concern felt in the Labour movement about the role the Wilson Government has played since coming into office. All the speakers reiterated socialist principles, and publicly warned the Government that it was the left which was being loyal, not the Government. Ann Kerr felt that we should all pull together on the -uestion of Vietnam to get the Labour Government to dissassociate the British people from the atrocities being committed in the name of "Freedom" by the U.S.A. The audience praised the sezmen for their struggle last year, attacked the incomes policy and expressed solidarity with those sections of the working class which move into action against the reactionary policies of the Government. There was a collection which came to £28, Theweakness of the meeting was that no call to action, other than "join the Labour Peace Fellowship", and, of course, "get your copy of "TRIBUNE". This was rather odd. This was the biggest political meeting Preston has seen for a number of years, yet the panel seemed content to allow people to go home and watch T.V. for another five years. There were indirect allusions that they should join the Labour Party and help win the fight for the policies put forward; but no organisation was offered to help them or to integrate them into local or national struggles. There has been discussion on the meeting in the local L.P.Y.S. and CND and it was generally agreed that it was a roaring success. This, of course, vindicates the proposition that there is a left, but it needs encouragement and an organisation, one that will organise discussion and action.