LABOUR PARTY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 31 January 1936, Page 5

LABOUR PARTY

NO ROOM FOR COMMUNISTS APPLICATION FOR AFFILIATION REFUSED NO DEPARTURE FROM PREVIOUS DECISION (United Pres* As"ociation— By Electric * Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 31st January, 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, 30tli January. Again the Labour Party has refused the “Communists’ affiliation. The secretary, writing to the Communist leader, Mr Harry Pollitt, remarks: “No circumstances have arisen to justify a departure from the 1922 Edinburgh decision refusing affiliation by 3,800,000 to 201,000 votes. It was then the opinion that Labour’s democratic policy was irreconcilable with the Communist policy of dictatorship. It is true that Fascism has conquered various European states but the executive is of opinion that the victories of the Fascist dictatorship were in part facilitated by the preceding campaigns for Communist dictatorships which effectively split the working class movements and rendered possible their overthrow. The executive cannot fail to note the proclaimed fact that affiliation was not sought to promote Labour’s programme but” on the contrary to utilise the party facilities to displace its essentially democratic and socialist character for a programme based on Communist principles.”