is that it will therefore be dropped by default.
However, the restrictive nature of the recommendations in the third special report or mus commitee, and Wilson's letter to the Women's Right to Choose Campaign (see Red Weekly, 17 July), indicate that the ground is being prepared for the introduction of new restrictive legislation in the next Parliamentary session.
It is a foregone conclusion that such legislation - in all probability sponsored by the Government would not make the same stupid mistakes as White made in his Bill. The aim of new legislation would, however, be the same - to restrict the grounds for abortion. We will therefore be faced with a situation in which the campaign is in danger of being divided by this legislation into those who would be content with apparent 'improvements' in the current abortion legislation, and those who see the need for a fight against all restrictive legislation and the establishment of a woman's right to choose' and 'free abortion on demand on the National Health Service A way to avoid this division is to make sure that all those active in the campaign, and under its influence, understand what is meant by a woman's right to choose and how this fight is an integral part of the fight against women's oppression.
This is why the NAC conference 18-19 October at Imperial College, London is so important. It will be the Campaign's first real chance to get to grips with problems of its aims, policies and strategy at a national level.
The conference is being billed as an action conference, and is not just a forum. It will try to plan out the strategy of the campaign which will take us from a situation of impending further restrictive legislation along the road towards an end to all restrictive legislation and the provision of the material resources needed to enable women to exercise a free, informed choice.
report from the steering committee and a discussion around resolutions for future activities. followed by workshop discussion on these proposals with the voting on these closing the Saturday session. Sunday will then be spent working out how to implement the decisions taken the previous day. evening will be a public hearing of the International Tribunal of Crimes Against Woman.
NO SUBSTITUTE ber demonstration, it has been implied that the IMG is counterposing the conference to a demonstration and trying to substitute the one for the other. This would clearly be impossible. A conference could not mobilise for or extend the campaign in the same way that a demonstration could.
conference. Unless clarity is established around what a demonstration is about the campaign will not go forward. The conference must therefore be seen as and fought for as a priority. It is only a democratically organised conterence The morning session will have a This will be changes.
Saturday
In the controversy over a Novem slogans?
The opposite also holds good. A demonstration is no substitute for the So far Scotland, Tyneside, Bristol and Birmingham are holding regional country activities are being organised These actions combine building not only build a very big conference, Wing Committee.
----- pull-quotes -----
The Select Conmittee set up to examine evidence on James White's Abortion (Amendment) Bill have been unable to make a final report to Parliament, and the most likely fate of this Bill