THE NATIONAL Council for Civil Liberties has told its Northern Ireland Officer, Pat McCarthy, that she will not be allowed to work out the notice she had given position in the NCCL also prohibited from entering the NCCL'S London headquarters.
Both these moves consequence of McCarthy's support Tribunal L HE Britain's Presence in Ireland, to be held weekend In Conway Hall, and her sponsorship of the 12 August London demonstration calling Britain to intention to withdraw from Ireland.
In addition, the NCCL general secretary, Patricia Hewitt, confirmed to Socialist Challenge that her organisation had adopted a policy of not employing those who support an withdrawal of British troops from The story behind these worrying developments began earlier this year when McCarthy handed in her notice to the NCCL because differences over the council's position on Ireland.
Status McCarthy supporter immediate withdrawal troops and of political Republican prisoners. opposes both these demands.
Despite her personal McCarthy never publicly associated the NCCL with them. For instance, her sponsorship of 12 August was for demonstration which called on the basis that Britain should 'commit itself withdrawal from Ireland' On the other hand, McCarthy has publicly associated herself with the NCCL's POSILIOn prisoners — despite her disagreement with it.
For example, she signed a letter to her full-time been London's declare Monday "Trots' immediate GIll policy of status for the Morning Star, The NCCL August 1978, opinions, NCCL, simply And yet title and policy McCarthy's August which prohibited Republican notice.
As a letter from implication interns rejected the political status demand. The letter, initiated by others in the signed •Pat McCarthy (Northern Ireland Officer NCCL).
Patricia Hewitt now claims that McCarthy never had this inclusion sponsorship for led to her being working out her McCarthy to it: I find it somewhat strange that it was perfectly in order to sign a letter the Morning Star arguing position Northern Ireland officer, but not when it does not suit.' In the letter to Hewitt, McCarthy further reveals the NCCL policy ol selective employment. She wrote: remember fairly well the when you (Hewitt) stated that if we were to have a placement student to work in the office we must make sure that the person was not a supporter of Troops Out movement "Trot":
Patricia Hewitt Socialist Challenge decision had indeed been made leadership of the NCCL has disturbed observers for some time.
An example was a delegation of the NCCL to the North of Ireland towards the end of last year.
was Dromey, former chairperson of the NCCL, and the responsible for the formulation of the NCCL's Irish policy.
During TENT delegation, the NCCL members met a host of organisations, including the Official Unionist Sinn Fein, the However it did not meet Provisiona Sinn Fein, despite, it is understood, a request delegation to do so.
Penalise Such an attitude corresponds to Dromey's personal towards the Provisional Republican Movement and his support for Sinn Fein, the Workers Party.
Dromey is also a backer of the Better Life For All Campaign, an initiative launched by the Communist parties of Ireland and Great Britain and supported by a number of trade union leaders. Hewitt support for "Better Life' was indeer NCCL policy What all this suggests is that as far as the NCCL attitudes of its Ireland is to back the initiatives of the Communist oppose all others; to the extent of penalising its own staff who, even privately, do not toe the line. meeting But now at least, decision of Pat McCarthy to make Hewitt, the COL'policies are out or familiar phrase 'No Trots need apply'.
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JACK DROMEY, architect of the NCCL's pro-Communist Party policies on published on 7
the Hewitt replying to the allegations put