7 MAY 1977, Page 18

Representative democracy

Sir: We understand that the National Executive Committee of the .Labour Party is about to launch an appeal to pay for the unsuccessful attempt by two left-wing officers of Newham North East Labour Party to oppose our High Court action to ensure that the provisions of the Party Rule Book are observed. It is in our view regrettable that the NEC should see fit to aid and abet people to make major breaches in the Labour Party's own rules.

The Court upheld our three complaints of unconstitutionality concerning the annual meeting at which political control of the constituency party for the year ahead is determined. Newham North East is, of course, notorious for having been taken over by Trotskyites and other Marxists, including Tony Kelly and Andy Bevan, last year. We have launched a Campaign for Representative Democracy to fight the persistent and flagrant breaches of the constitution that have been going on in the constituency party, of which the three irregularities so far exposed are a mere sample.

We accept that it is the prerogative of private individuals to make private donations to the left-wingers if they see fit, but by the same token we should welcome any financial contributions your readers might care to make in support of the rule of law and representative democracy. Cheques should be made payable to the 'Campaign for Representative Democracy', and sent do The Secretary, C.R.D., 272 Shrewsbury Road, Newham, London E7.

Paul McCormick, (President), Julian Lewis, (Secretary), Campaign for Representative Democracy, Nuffield College, Oxford.