24.09.1998

Compromise solution

Simon Harvey of the SLP

Last week I reported that Socialist Labour’s annual conference had been cancelled after a bureaucratic mix-up by Arthur Scargill. Our general secretary had apparently forgotten to make the preliminary arrangements until it was too late for the timetable regarding motions, amendments, etc to be adhered to in accordance with his own constitution.

Comrade Scargill’s attempts to ignore its provisions provoked a great deal of anger and resentment within the party. Branch secretaries were particularly incensed that they were expected to issue a notice to members calling a meeting, agree a motion or amendment to the constitution, and ensure it was in the general secretary’s hands - all within four days of receiving notice of the congress. Not surprisingly, the September 12 national executive meeting decided that it had no alternative but to call it off.

But the NEC was in a quandary. If it abandoned any attempt at consultation with the membership, it would be left with a leadership whose term of office had expired. Therefore a compromise solution had to be found. When the NEC reconvenes on October 3 it is expected to give final agreement to arrangements for a delegate conference to be held in Manchester on the date originally reserved for the ill-fated congress, November 11.

No motions will be taken from Constituency SLPs, sections or affiliates. The main purpose of the conference will be to elect a new executive and national officers. There will also be discussion around three or four urgent questions - primarily next year’s Euro-elections and the SLP attitude to the campaigns against the anti-union laws: Reclaim Our Rights and the United Campaign. It is not clear whether any amendments to the leadership’s proposals on these questions will be taken from the floor, or even whether they will be voted on at all.

The October 3 NEC is expected to confirm that representation at the conference will be on the basis of one delegate for each CSLP, irrespective of size, although each branch will cast its vote for the NEC elections in proportion to its registered membership. After the furore caused by Scargill’s outrageous use of the North West, Cheshire and Cumbria Miners Association’s 3,000 block vote at the December 1997 congress, the influence of this phantom will be limited this time to the trade union section in the NEC elections.