The incugral meeting of the New Loft Club in Nottingham, held jointly with Sast Midlands Negional Committee of 100, was attended by some fifty poople despite a chain of events which almost amounted to a saga. Originally the mesting was to have been held in 2 small room in a pub but when it was learnt that Georgo Clark was in the region it wis decided to move to a bigger mecting place.
It is no casy task to got a mosting place at a day or so's notico all tho more when one is booking it in ths name of an organisation liko the Committee of 100. Numerous places were tried and either wore not available or not willing, lventually, Nottinghansposhest (or poshest but one) hotel the Blackboy agreed to let tho organisors have 2 room. Circulars wore sent out, tho grapevine was set in motion, members of the trade council, young socialist branches, etc. roceived the circulars. Thon tho comrude who had booked the room reccived a tolegram saying that the room was no longer available. He immediately contacted tho mamgement and was told that they were not prepa..d to have the mesting there, there wis np political bias, buteesebiuh, blah, bluh. The manayjexr also mentionod that he had an opinion from the C.1I.D. that the moesing should not be held ‘hero. As the mecting had beon advertised in one of the papers the Blackboy management felt obligisd to put in adverts saying that ro mesting would be held and thit thoy had nothing to do with the Committees of 100. Thoy also issucd a statement to the press. Our comrades also issucd a statement to the press which reccived plenty of publicity.
Fortunately, a room at the Friends liveting House was available but it required all the resources and ingenuity of tho comrades at this lato hours to ensure that evoryone knew of the new mceting placo and how to got theree Tho next step was to picket the Blackboy Hotel on the night of the meeting again,the pross wore informed and there was a big write up in one of the papers.
When after all this, tho meeting finally took place, George Clark.a leading member of the Committee of 100 who had been sentenced to 9 months for, organising a domonstration to the American embassy (tho sentence was later squashed but another of three months confirmed), spoke on the implications of the trinl and the next steps in the anti-nuclear fight. He outlined three plans of action, all of which were favour bly received by the audience. However some of his remarks provoked some controversial discussion on the question of the Labour Party. Howovor, as tho chairman remarked the discussion had demonstr.ted the need for the New Left Club. Officers were elected and intitial proposals worked New Left Club had a much publicised and vigourous kick-off. That it will not be morely a debating club was also demonstrated.
As p rt of the week-ond of activity against the Government's colour-—bar Immigration Bill being orvanised by the Young Socialists and Labour Students up and down the country, thvre was a march through the centre of town Saturday 24th February and a meoting in tho Old Market Squcre, Nottingham. Some 30 to 35 people took part in the march, but more people wors picked up on the way and when the demonstrators arrived in the city centre. Noarly 2,000 of the 1i.c.F. leaflots on the Bill wore distributed on tho way and during tho moeting, Young Socinlists, Labour students, Labour Party mombers, Y.C.L.ers and membors of tho Afro-Asian West Indian Union took part. The Trade Council which had promised support waz unable to sond a speaker owing to another conference. The Communist Party which had promised to send two speakers failed to show up but a Y.¢.L. spoaker wag fixed up at the mooting itself. Although there were some oppusing elomonis ii bho Square, generally speaking the oudionce (small because of the bitterly cold weet’: er) was sympathetic and people were contacted who wanted copies of the leaflet ond more information about the Young Socialists and Afro-Asian Wost Indinn Union. Although some people were disa,pointed about what they called the small turn outy considering tho nature of tho issue, the woather and other factors tho affair was a success and thousands of Nottingham's citizens will havo boen made to think about the implications of the Immigration Bill, HLUERGLNCY RESOLUTION AGAINST OLD BalLisY SHNTENCS
At its moeting on Wednesday the 2lst of Februcry, the Nottingham Trades Council passed an smergency resclution against the sentencos, It took this action after a local supportor of the Committco of 100 had discussed the matter with tho chairman. Other actions against the sentences have included: a march by 200 Leods University students on Thursday, Feb 2end3 a resolution by the Park Royal Vehicles, Shop Stewards! Committeeg one by the Kings X N.U.R. No.l branchg and one by the Sherdlow sngineering works C.N.D. groupe