Alternative Notes from Labour Party Conference

Packed Labour Against the Witchhunt Meeting Hears Chris Williamson MP condemn the ‘antisemitism’ witchhunt

Alexei Sayle

Having arrived too late to attend Jeremy Corbyn’s meeting at Liverpool’s Pierhead on Saturday night, I went straight to a meeting at the CASA, Liverpool Labour Movement’s pub in Hope Street, Liverpool. The CASA was set up as a result of the failure of the strike of the 500 Sacked Liverpool Dockers in 1995-98 which was sold out by Bill Morris and the TGWU leadership.#

It was the venue for the unveiling of a plaque to the 47 Liverpool councillors who defied the Thatcher government and refused to set a rate in the 1980’s.  This was a Council which built more homes for working class people than every other Labour Council put together.

LAW public meeting last night - standing room only

Audrey White who compared the proceedings

The labour movement failed these heroes and Neil Kinnock scabbed on them with an infamous speech attacking them which led to the walking out from Labour Party conference of the late Eric Heffer MP.

Speakers included Tony Mulhearn, one of the 47 and Len McCluskey, General Secretary of UNITE.  They were introduced by Audrey White, a veteran working class fighter who went on strike against sexual harassmAurnt at work when she was sacked in 1983.  She is also active in the Liverpool  branch of Labour Against the Witchhunt.

Chris Williamson MP speaking at the LAW meeting last night

I began the day early handing out leaflets and giving out Palestinian flags at Labour Party conference.  In the afternoon I helped give run a stall at Momentum’s misnamed The World Transformed at the Black E in Liverpool’s Chinatown.

The Black 'E' where most WTF events were staged

I say misnamed because the World is not that transformed that it can find space to include such subversive organisations as Free Speech on Israel, Jewish Voice for Labour, Jackie Walker’s The Lynching or Labour Against the War. WTF is the ‘radical’ face of Jon Lansman who is careful to ensure that his pet organisation keeps to acceptable political boundaries.

For example Anti-semitism is the subject of morning sessions but Israeli Apartheid is not acceptable!   

Jo Bird spoke first from JVL followed by Alexei Sayle who was on his humorous best.  Tony Mulhearn spoke next and described the treachery of Neil Kinnock’s attack on the Labour Liverpool councillors back in the mid-1980’s and his hypocrisy in attacking a council that had stuck to its pledges. Tony emphasised that retreat was not an option. 

Len McCluskey Audrey White with Tony Mulhearn speaking

I spoke next and emphasised that the ‘Anti-semitism’ witchhunt was not about anti-semitism.  It was about removing Corbyn as Leader. 

Chris Williamson gave an excellent speech ridiculing the witchhunt and emphasising that MPs are not doing a job.  They are representing or supposed to represent their members and the Labour Party. 

Chris pointed to the Orwellian nature of the witch-hunt whereby Black was White and White was Black.  Chris received a standing ovation. Last of all was Bob Walker, one of the Garston 3, a group of 70+ pensioners who had been expelled without so much as a hearing, because they had attended a meeting of the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition. Bob’s stories was extremely touching and described the callous way in which 3 pensioners had been treated.  He too received a standing ovation

There was a vigorous question and answer session afterwards before we retired to the pub!

Tony Greenstein