BRITISH LABOUR PARTY IS TO RE-STUDY ITS POLICY

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 May 1950, Page 5

BRITISH LABOUR PARTY IS TO RE-STUDY ITS POLICY

Important Conference To Take Place In Secret At Week-End

LONDON, May 16 (Rec. 6 pm).—When the leaders of the British Labour Party and Co-operative Movement meet in secret conference at tho Beatrice Webb guest house, Dorking, Surrey, this week-end, they will not only consider reports by party organisers upon Labour’s loss of ground at the general election, but will make plans to recover that ground. MhlPO Inn olnt»finn nn innvnnc* ' ————————————————————

hince rhe election an inereasing number of members of the Labour Party have urged the. need for a clear and unequivocal restatement of the aims and objjectives of British Socialism, and have expressed a belief that the party’s road back to success lies neither along a path of appeasement, nor of extremism. There has been considerable criticism of the ineffectiveness of the party election manifesto in February and a call for more realistic recognition of the fact that if Labour is to regain a working majority it must win a number of marginal seats in which voters are neither exclusively middle, nor working class, and neither rural nor urban. While the left wing of the party, led by Mr Aneurin Bevan, still contends that Labour lost ground because it is not sufficiently Socialist in its programme, a considerably larger section believes with Mr Herbert Morrison that moderation and consolidation will have a most important influence in the marginal seats. There is, , however, a third section which, while it largely shares Mr. Morrison’s views, is convinced the time has come for a much bolder approach to the electorate. It believes, for instance, the party should state plainly that a number of Governmental controls have come to stay, and challenge the Conservatives to show that they can be reduced or discarded. It also believes that State ownership of the existing nationalised undertakings must be strongly defended without committing the party to any further large-scale acquisitions. The chief difference between the extremists and moderates is that Mr. Bevan and his friends want the party to advocate further nationalisation, including cement, chemicals, water, sugar and wholesale meat distribution, while the moderates want to complete nationalisation of iron and steel rnd then call a halt. The argument about nationalisation is likely to be one of the chief issues at the Dorking conference, but behind it will be a still wider issue—whether British Socialism in the future Is to temper its policies to a mood of caution and restraint, whether it is to consolidate its gains and at the same time firmly reassert its Socialist convictions, or whether it is to proceed relentlessly and undeviatingly to the full and final objectives of a doctrinaire of socialism. Apart from discussing the broad issues of future policy, howeves-, the conference must consider measures to replenish the party's eleclion fighting funds and also the general state of its election machine. Its conclusions and decisions will be embodied in a new draft party policy statement, which will be prepared and issued in due course by the national executive of the party. Thpre will be no opportunity for a full-dress debate upon this, policy statement by the Labour rank and file until the annual party conference in October. If, therefore, an election takes place before October the Dorking conference and the party executive may well have the last word on the subject. The Dorking conference will not only be attended by all members, of Cabinet, but by Trades Union Congress executives, and leaders of the Co-operative Trading Movement. These last, it is reported, as dissatisfied with the place given to their movement in the councils of the Labour Party and may urge that they be given a fuller representation in the future. Trades union leaders are also likely to take up with Sir Stafford Cripps the difficulties they are encountering in maintaining the T.U.C.’s backing for the Government's wages policy. Out of all those arguments the party leaders will not only have to hammer a new policy, but will also have to ensure that it is ready tor presentation to the public whenever the need arises. Special N.Z.P.A. Correspondent.