Review of the ailing Morning Star, It was the first time in decades people acause the party of heing in a crisi that this vote could halt the decline of The aim the first day ISCHAEC the Draft.
LIKE BOD CETE TO BEYE was not forgotton.
nan, party secretary, set the tone in his He emphasised the dangers to the party sed by the Fre enchite splitters"
*the welcome such splits. This theme was taken speaker after speaker, arguments as break-away New Communist Party supporters.
McLennan also dissociated the leadership from the concept of Eurocommunism. He declared himself as loyal to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union as any other CP ler in Europe. He declared in a carefully statement that the CPSU vorld-wide movement for progress.
voiding any ideological challenge to zhnevite wing. McLennan argued th DELEGATES to the British Communist Party's 35th Congress cheered and clapped at last Sunday evening's session when a majority of 193 to 137 delegates won the right to a wide-ranging But when a debate membership had DODIE WEPPLER and OLIVER MaDONALD argue below Dran, but Bicomfield mark new problems for the incoming executive. The leadership will emerge from Congress with its Draft almost unscathed but a deep-rooted frustration still remains 48 in opposition. amongst CP members as to whether the executive will be able to the Party in of the Congress DIDOCOM were either orthodox Marxism, But the need to executive from the full-blooded Road.
Gordon Me- fuss about?
HOTRICE strong action isolating needed strengthening The first debate the main pro-Moscow speaker the issues He amendments would should form 1979. and Congress, Gium locks at Congress top table. Gordon McLennan is on the right.
defeated their leadership. for failing to produce Once its practical work.
Ives the points they contested in the new Draft For else they the party. appeared in previous versions of the British He seemed to say What on earth is all the Parent newling et executive felt on weak ground — notably on the leading role of the Communist Party in the mass movement and on the need for against possible military majority delegates - the executive declared the Draft The following the intro the man pro-Moscow speaker past ch more ume to discus but said that more 2n0o already submitted. Bloomfeld argued the that the Congress debate on amendments The basis of a new Draft to be In the the only existing programme could be adhered to Iris conciliatory gesture seemed to indicate has supporters would not split atter the Jeorge Matthews replying said the part and right for its monolithic internal rules Many alternative to the unamwerable: how could anyone produce an alternative in the 390 the amendments began debated. the consequences of the inahilit of delegates to provide complote alternatemerged. Mclentan was the only Others in the parry who had coherent alternatives were unable to take squal time to develop their before Congress.
The abscoce of noy righe to tort politica. tendencies on an equal footing with the of party's execurive lefi without clear belween alternative strategies. The lack of party democracy did not stop there mendments also gave a free hand to the new executive to do as it wishes with ove 1300 amendments: they are accepted to be redraited at the discretion olf the executive.
designated for debate at Congress CONTAILL C containing the 'sharpest" formulation of the differences, This meant delegates -CHOSE CLIC Draft. amendments which were often the crudest extreme formulations. all Congress with large majorities. to be The debate on of the party and with a multirude fraternal greetings from other Communist Kunayer, Politbure member of the CPSL The first theme of debate democratic alliance' role of the executive committes, attempes to balance different wings of the party. This concept anti sonopaly alliance which was THOSCICHEDY CHECHEN WISH WAS introduced. Not so at Congress.
HEROIS After delegates argued furiously merits of the new concept — Jack Woddis of the executive stepped in to declare the executive was in favour of both concepts! The whole debate had been a waste of tine, could since tne new icam — c огодо остоста alliance was in fact replacing the old one of hroad popular alliance, not the 'antiby The executive does not have to appear as an open majority tendency own views darice ibe ore-Conaress dehate So the membership was left in this debate on alliances — and others - harling away.
upstaged by footwork the Congress. The deed her storer a l party" received even shorter shrift. amendment from the Eurocomatunists spelt developing a British 'communist equality of each Communist Party". Their potions are a far cry from the traditions of voles were mustered bebind this resolation against the executive.
inc pracnical work of the many will not be altered by Congress deliberations. The central question facing the working class -the wage restraint of the social contract -Fi even are a men relation. Instoad, Genersl Council bE the TIC. - scaned tha unemployment was the numher one ponpern of workers today, covering up for the role of the Communist Party in apposing strikes the last alternative: the TUC has the policies, he said, "because 1 moved them. Now we just need to implement them'.
The dehare on racism and fascism pa sartly directed agains: the so-called cmpr laganeering of the ultra-left No platform for fascists" slogar supported its inclusion if they had bad the oprion. Other resolutions on the party's practical work — even burning issues like thac of Ireland - were carried without deta flight of the impact which ihe the new Draft waS Dinmukbamed the broad women's movement jac shed light on the in defily berween the replace "the was seen an an ICECFCALC party. The women's liberation.
the new Draft further than developing its platform at the tradition, there movements' amendment howled 'Out of order" waited TWo member of the delegate our the The maver But a namber of speakers said they would have question mark declining fortunes.
Party in Crisis. Communist Party has made in the women's [beration movement. no asrounding teamare of the Congress was the tiny number of women delegates, a mere handful of those who sooke as well as the lola absence of iny debate on a strategy for building th The fight for women's Giberation is Doc cated as integral to the struggle for socialism by the leadership. Hat even in the Dehare on the sostem of alliances where the question of the women's movement appears the Druft, an off-band two sentence was the only menon ol the existetce of the sovement.
equally evident that the wolDen themselves have been unable to make any dont in the programmatic positions of the were ether ended bail o/ere on / liberation By Sarurday evening outside observers to the Congress would have had the impression that the party was peacefully sorting out - without much worry on the part of the executive. But the conference suddenly came to life when a central aspect oF the parties practical work was put abde che spotlight: the debate on Morning Saur Editor Tooy Chater's remarks went little This publis appeal for the $187,000 deficit and to reverse the annual loss of 2,000 readers, printed two weeks ago in Morning Star. But the genuine dissaris Laction with the paper provided R TONs JOi discontent from all borners.
A fiery concluding speach from executive membor Gerry Cohen, appealed to party loyalty, and then in desperation claimed difference hetween the amendment and the emergency resolution.
Bur when Cohen made an unprecedented plea on tbe floor of the Congress - - backed up by Chairperson MeGahey — te remit the delegares As M. Page from expinined; We have already our reply Morning Star resolutions remitred at the wide range of suspestions carne forward on how to journalistically improve Le paper and much coberete experience from industrial militants in selling it. Every - Including the executiv membership enressed concern. But th remained unconvinced that the executive can halt the decline of the party in such a The vote foe the amendment represented frustration, but not a hard-hitting alternarive stratogy for bullding the party's press with implicacions in all spheres pal couges of tie commune learny the intervention Nevertheless. he marked less by a reunited Party around a new programmie and rather more for the delerites bisced leadership's ability to reverse the party's Oliver MacDonald was the author of last week's Battle of Ideas: The Communist
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 17 November 1977 page 7
----- pull-quotes -----
Forty w7e recammendes as non-scept- COgnated reddie comes or