BRITISH LABOUR PARTY

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27098, 22 July 1953, Page 9

BRITISH LABOUR PARTY

“MOUNTING CONFLICT” REPORTED

(Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON. July 21. Mounting conflict within the British Labour Party will receive momentum with the preliminary agenda issued today for the party’s annual conference to open at Margate on September 28. ‘

About 30 of the resolutions, mainly from local branches, are at direct variance with the policy statement, “Challenge to Britain,” published last month by the party’s executive. This statement proposed only partial State ownership or cdntrol of a few industries, but most of the 30 resolutions call for. wholesale nationalisation. To complicate the position further, many affiliated organisations have not had time since the policy statement to submit resolutions. As a result, they are expected to submit dozens of amendments —many of them hostile in tone. Altogether, 400 amendments are likely to find a place on the agenda, compared with the usual 150. Ten resolutions demand that Britain should break away from American foreign policy “domination.” One resolution claims “we are fast becoming a satellite State of America.’’ Others oppose the rearmament of Germany, call for the admission of Communist China to the United Nations, urge the withdrawal of British troops from Egypt, express concern at “racial discrimination” In Africa, and demand a speeding-up of selfgovernment for the British Colonies.

Other resolutions attack union leaders accepting posts from the Conservative Government on the new board to supervise iron and steel—the industry which the Conservatives had snatched back from nationalisation.