Jonathan Brind & Sandra Reddie attended regional conference as delegates of Leyton CLP (Sandra as youth delegate). Also present from Leyton were Roger Darlington, George Saville, Frank Georges and Chris Robbins-- delegates of various unions. George Saville is a member of the regional executive committee (EC).

The first thing conference did on the Saturday morning when it opened was to ban smoking. Regional chair Arthur Latham did not mess about insisting that motions be submitted on the smoking issue according to timetable and go through the compositing procedure or any of that nonsense. He just asked for a quick vote. There was an overwhelming majority in favour of a smoking ban.

In his opening remarks to conference Mr Latham said "You don't turn us into a campaigning party by saying we should be or passing resolutions". He argued that the London party needed resources to be a campaigning party: "Not just money, "he said, "we need to have control of our own staff in London".

Brian Nicholson, treasurer of the London region, gave a very short and crisp report. The party is "brassic" (or broke) he said. But when the chair took the traditional opportunity to hold a collection in support of any cause dear to his heart he choose the Greenham protestors. The collection raised £504.l2 plus offers from several unions to buy survival sleeping bags. Three Greenham protestors attended conference.

The first composite debated was on the theme of turning the Party into a campaigning body. Campaigning seems to be the buzz word at the moment. Among other things the composite suggested that regional conference should have a full day of workshops and then a second day when the ideas suggested by the workshops should be discussed by the full conference. Sandra and Jonathan disagreed on this one so Leyton abstained (Sandra opposed it Jonathan supported it). In the final card vote the composite was lost by 351,500 votes to 353,000 votes. The closest vote of the weekend.

Eric Heffer, party chair, addressed the conference. He argued that: "This party has transformed itself into a campaigning body". He cited the example of the NHS campaign. "It has been a great success, it has been an excellent campaign, "he argued. Eric Heffer also said that councillors in the front line in Liverpool should be supported by other councils and the party. "We can't turn our backs on these councillors because next year most of you will be in the front line especially if the Government gets away with its rate capping bill, "he said.

A composite calling for positive action to involve women in the party and properly organised crèches for meetings was carried, Leyton supporting it. We did not support a resolution calling for women to have separate compartments on tube trains. The EC did support the resolution and it was carried overwhelmingly on a card vote: 502,000 for, 174,000 against. A resolution which said there should be no punitive disciplinary structure for women in prison was carried, we did not support it. But we did support a motion which called for better advertising of the morning after pill, this was carried.

We voted to defend GLC/ILEA (carried), to set up a committee to find an alternative to bed and breakfast accommodation for the homeless (carried), an emergency resolution calling on PLP and NEC to give full support to Liverpool (carried).

Ken Livingstone, GLC leader, said if he the London party choose to elect candidates for the posts of leader and deputy leader of the GLC, it would be supported by the GLC Labour Group. "I would find it inconceivable, "he said, "that the GLC Labour Group would not accept the advice of this conference as to who should be leader and deputy leader of the GLC." Turning to London Transport he criticised Dr Bright, chief executive, for saying unflattering things about GLC appointed part time LT executive board members (including Arthur Latham). "If Dr Bright can't work with the appointments we have put there Dr Bright can seek employment elsewhere, "said Ken.

Introducing David Hughes, national agent, Arthur Latham also referred to the issue of a wider franchise for the election of the leader and deputy leader of the GLC. "The rumour is this, "he said, "That you as national agent will block the consultative ballot (on the GLC leadership). If that is true we will feel very aggrieved indeed--and what's more we will still carry out the ballot."

David Hughes said there was no provision for the party to elect the leader and deputy leader. On another constitutional issue (the raising of the number of women elected as women to the regional EC from four to eight) he said "the problem is the method of election". The annual conference of the whole party might have to sort these issues out. Turning to wider issues David Hughes said:"The size of the problem that the Labour Party faces in winning the next election can not be too strongly stated. We have to establish the party as a natural party of government. . . campaigning means turning the party outwards." He said the Chesterfield bye-election was "fought by direct contact between the Labour Party and the people. It wasn't fought through the media. " He said "even that good result in Chesterfield nationwide would not give us a Labour Government and that is the result we have to aim at. "

Northern Ireland. The regional EC tried to prevent the issue going to the vote. The EC felt (correctly) that the resolution calling for troops out could not be won. The mover of the resolution would not be persuaded to remit. We voted for troops out but it was defeated by 441,000 against to 232,000 for. After which Arthur Latham said that three years ago conference had voted for "social, economic and military withdrawal from Northern Ireland". This remained the policy, he said.

Roger Darlington spoke in favour of a composite expressing concern about, cable tv. He said cable threatened the phone monopoly. We voted for the resolution (carried), for a motion encouraging participation in co-ops (carried), for the YTS motion (Leyton's was part of this composite), for an NGC emergency motion urging the defence of the unions. All carried.

Election. Chair Arthur Latham 558,500 (elected) Joan Lestor (190,000); treasurer Brian Nicholson elected unopposed.

Section Two (the Leyton section)

Anand, Vidya	9,500	elected
Bayley, H	5,000
Gerrard, Neil*	3,000
Guedella, Ms V*	8, 500
Labi, Bob*	9,500	elected
Lane, G	3,000
Pendle, P	9,500	elected
Pollack, Ms A*	10,000	elected
Rusha, V	1,000
Veness, K	7,000

* shows Leyton vote

Women's section 2
Lever, Ms R (elected unopposed)
Young Socialists Miles, K; Phillips, Ms L (elected unopposed)

TU Section (CLPs have no votes)

Barker H. A. T.	406, 500
Black, A	434, 500
Bonner, A. J.	445,000
Cherrill, C	432,000
Eadie, Ms H. S.	431,000
Evers, P. A.	476,500
Gilbey, M	42,1,500
Jackson. 0. L.	459,000
Martin, S	415,500
Philipson, Ms L	366,500
Saville, George	423,000
Spellar, X	139.500
Staden, S	455,500
Walsh, D	404,500
Wheatley, G	444, 500
Wilkinson, G	423, 500
Williamson. G	373,500

When the news that X Spellar had been expelled from the EC was realised a great cheer went up. It was either that or a belated cheer for George. "There is no cause to applaud for failure s toelect x delegates. There should be applause for delegates elected. " A delegate complained about this and Mr Latham said "I didn't mean to offend.

Frank Georges spoke in the health service debate. We supported the resolution (carried). Subsequently Arthur Latham announced "Frank Georges wishes to apologise for any offence given by the mention of brothers rather than brothers and sisters".

Later Frank Georges spoke in the discrimination debate on a composite encouraging positive action for black people within the party. The composite said CLPs should be encouraged to establish meetings of black members to consider positive action proposals and should also be allowed to affiliate ethnic minority organisations sympathetic to the Labour Party. Frank Georges said: "In the 1950s and 1960s when we were brought here we were brought here because people like you wouldn't do the jobs." He said his own CLP had twice rejected the idea of a black group. He begged delegates to go back and set up black groups. He then asked those who were prepared to do it to stand up. Some did. Arthur Latham said this was a "new way of getting a standing ovation". We voted against the motion but it was carried. A motion opposing discrimination against gays was carried. Leyton supported it. ,

We supported motions defending education as well as transport. ILEA chair Frances Morrell came in for some flack when she gave the ILEA report. National Union of Teachers members who were there as constituency delegates challenged Frances Morrell to say how many teacher jobs she was trying to get rid of. A figure of 570 was quoted. Frances claimed that in total She was trying to increase the number of teacher jobs. She was clearly annoyed,at the challenge and said: "We are actually in negotiation with the teacher unions. It isn't my impression that the normal practice of negotiation is to conduct them from the platform. "

Closing the conference Arthur Latham said: "The people out there will not know what we have said to each other through the hostile media. They will only know if we go out and tell them. I believe that London Labour is on the march back. Let's start now."

JONATHAN BRIND SANDRA REDDIE