Seminar Report on Labuur Democracy

The Labour Party and the Trade Unions must be discussed as they are. The basis of power is sinilar in both cases: a . self-perpetuating bureaucracy, who act undemocratically, and \ are subject to intervention by the Government. The Parliament~ ary Labour Party is being deprived of its power by the Cabinet edd the Presse The situation is hopeless unless we strengthen our roots in local political machinery and unless we can control such machinery. The Left should not isolate individuals in this work, but should take part © collectively in union elections, and should build up delegations to the various committees of the Labour Party. The tactics will have to be those of guerilla warfare, The Left must chease the issues, and they must include the issue of democracy, even though this may have to be done by opportunistic means, The Left must have an alternative policy, must not allow itself to be frustrated by the opposition to it, but must remain in the Labour Party and Trade Unions in order to fight for this policy. We should fight on issues when they are understood, and should not go-into them too early. The long process of education must be begun, and then the fight opened up when the issue is generally understood. Many lessons have to be learned from the situation in Nottingham Labour Perty. It is a mistake to become so isolated. Although the struggle in Nottingham started with eriticism of the City Party's position as a rubber stamp for the Council, and then progressive policies were put forward’ as an alternative, too much energy wes spent in gaining . delegateships, and not enough on building a hard political left. ‘ The performance of MPs in the House must be tied up with the resolutions of their CLPs, Parlizmentary secrecy must be removed. We must ficht on policies and be prepared to actively support them, realising that many a resolution is a beginning, not an end,