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File of miscellaneous papers relating to proposals for the establishment of an electoral college for the election of Labour Party leadership; include:
Material relating to the activities of the Campaign for Labour Victory; including:
File containing wide range of material relating to events leading to the David Owen's split with the Labour Party and the Limehouse Declaration, including:
Copies of trade unions' evidence presented to the Labour Party Commission of Enquiry into the organisation and constitution of the Party; includes papers from GMWU, Electrical Electronic Telecommunication and Plumbing Union (EETPU)and the Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff; some bear David Owen's annotations.
File containing copies of papers, motions, amendments and memoranda concerning proposals for the widening of the franchise in the election of the Labour Party leader and deputy leader; prepared by members of the Parliamentary Labour Party; the Manifesto Group of Labour MPs and the Campaign for Labour Victory: include detailed proposals for the `one member one vote' system; some MS annotations
Loose transcripts of reports of speeches made by David Owen on membership of the EEC (1 Oct 1980); need for nuclear deterrence (Oct, 1980); need for James Callaghan to take firm stand as leader (2 Oct 1980); election of the Labour Party leadership (24 Jan 1981)
Includes three copied extracts of essays on realignment by Ivor Crewe; information on Labour Party voting trends, 1900 -- 1974, sent to David Owen in 1976; copy of memorandum: `Amendment to Clause VI of the Labour Party Constitution', with David Owen's annotations.
File containing correspondence between members of the Social Democratic Alliance, including Dick Taverne, Stephen Haseler, Roger Fox and Douglas Eden, and David Owen concerning David Owen's stand against the Left wing trend in the Labour Party, particularly proposals for an electoral college for Labour leadership elections, and the formation of the SDP. Includes some SDA campaign and policy literature.
The papers in group D 709 2/17/2 include draft papers, correspondence, news cuttings and other material relating to the events surrounding the production of the Limehouse Declaration by the `Gang of Four' and the establishment of the Council for Social Democracy, dating from Jul 1980 -- Mar 1981.
The papers in group D 709 2/17/2 are arranged as far as possible in chronological order
Includes annotated drafts, correspondence and copy correspondence concerning open letter sent by David Owen, Shirley Williams and Bill Rodgers to the Guardian calling for need to establish socialist alternative to Conservative policies.
Copy of David Steel's open letter to for publication in the Guardianto the members of the `Gang of Three' urging them to reject the Labour Party and begin talks with the Liberal Party
Includes drafts, with some annotation, of the Limehouse Declaration of David Owen, Shirley Williams, Bill Rodgers and Roy Jenkins.
Various drafts, some annotated, of the Limehouse Declaration of David Owen, Shirley Williams, Bill Rodgers and Roy Jenkins.
Includes copies and drafts of key documents relating to the formation of the Council for Social Democracy; including:
Various drafts, some annotated, of the Limehouse Declaration of David Owen, Shirley Williams, Bill Rodgers and Roy Jenkins.
Group D 709 2/17/3 contains files of correspondence including copies of out-going letters from David Owen, and letters from colleagues, supporters and critics, relating to the Labour Party's internal disputes and David Owen's decision to leave the Party and establish the Council for Social Democracy; dating from Jan 1979 -- Jan 1981
The papers in group D 709 2/17/3 are arranged as far as possible in chronological order.
File of copies of outgoing letters sent by David Owen to constituents, colleagues etc in 1979, on subjects including future of the Labour Party, the dispute over election of the Party leader and the Campaign for Labour Victory; opinions on trade unions and strike action; letters to Victor Matthews of Express Newspapers Ltd concerning attack on David Owen in John Junor's current events column, May 1979; letter to Henry Kissinger concerning events in Rhodesia; etc. Also includes transcripts of speeches, statements and letter to electors by David Owen, during 1979 election campaign, particularly concerning Plymouth constituency issues.
File of copies of outgoing letters sent by David Owen to Labour Party members, constituents, colleagues etc in 1980, predominantly on issues relating to the Labour Party's internal dispute: include letters on promotion of /fund-raising for theCampaign for Labour Victory; compatibility of EEC membership with socialist beliefs; opposition to an electoral college for election of the Party Leader; views on possibility of a new party being formed; letter to Shirley Williams discussing amendments to the `Gang of Three's' open letter to the Guardian, Aug 1980; formal letter sent by David Owen and Bill Rodgers to Michael Foot expressing concern at demonstration in the House of Commons on 13 Nov and Roy Hattersley and Michael Foot's part in it; David Owen's letter to Party members explaining his decision not to seek election to the Parliamentary Committee, Nov 1980 etc.
File of letters of support/opinion mainly from Labour Party and ex-Labour Party members on the stand made by David Owen, Shirley Williams and Bill Rodgers against the `left-wing' of the Labour Party; calls for a new `centre' party.
File of letters labelled `Labour 80 letters. letters which have had the envelopes addressed' : support/opinion mainly from Labour Party and ex-Labour Party members and supporters on the stand made by David Owen, Shirley Williams and Bill Rodgers against the `left-wing' of the Labour Party; calls for a new `centre' party.
File of letters of support, opinion and advice, mainly from Labour Party and ex-Labour Party members and supporters on the stand made by David Owen, Shirley Williams and Bill Rodgers against the `left-wing' of the Labour Party; and support for the newly-formedCampaign for Social Democracy, with copies of David Owen's replies.
File of letters of support, opinion and criticism, mainly from Labour Party and ex-Labour Party members and supporters on the divisions in the Labour Party; the stand made by David Owen against the `left-wing' and Militant Tendency; his resignation from the Shadow Cabinet, Nov 1980 etc. With copies of David Owen's replies.
Group D 709 4 includes material relating to some of the organisations in which David Owen was involved, independently to his political associations, including the Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues, the World Security Trust and the Independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues, dating from 1972 -- 1993
David Owen was engaged in Oct 1972 to work part-time for the World Security Trust a small group founded by John Strachey, David Astor and Duncan Sandys, composed of people involved in UK public affairs whose general purpose was `to seek to identify and to promote new conceptual approaches to the problems of international security' [memorandum, World Security Trust]: he remained working for the trust until 1974 when he became member of the new Labour Government, although he remained involved in the group. His task was `to stimulate ideas and to act as a catalyst for the group's activity' [memorandum on David Owen's work for the Trust]. His work included the preparation of working papers to be used as the basis for discussion at dinner meetings of the group, as well as undertaking foreign visits to explore the ideas of the Trust with others experienced in the field of international security.
David Owen became a member of the Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues on its establishment on 13 September 1980, becoming actively involved in creating a sound financial base on which the Commission could operate through appeals to international foreign ministers and others. The Commission was chaired by Olof Palme and composed of an international membership. It described itself as `an independent international body with the objective to seek to identify security and disarmament measuers that can contribute to peace in the 1980's and beyond'. Following the assassination of Palme in Mar 1986, the group became known as the Palme Commission
David Owen was also a member of the Independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues from its establishment in 1983, a group set up in response to a resolution of the UN General Assembly as `part of the continuing seach of the world community for a more adequate international framework to uphold human dignity and rise to the challenge of colossal humanitarian problems arising with increasing frequency in all continents' [Independent Commission on Interantional Humanitarian Issues booklet, [1983], p.1]. He was later to establish and become chairman of the charity Humanitas to build on the findings of the ICIHI.
The papers in group D 709 4 are arranged into the following groups:
The group D 709 4/1 includes David Owen's papers relating to the Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues, later the Palme Commission, including transcripts and summaries of meetings; correspondence, papers prepared by Commission members, press releases, news cuttings and publications, dating from 1983 -- 1993.
Summaries of meetings of the Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues; also includes copies of letters to Commission members; copies of papers for Commission meetings, including final draft of the Commission's work programme, 12 Sep 1980; some papers have MS annotation by David Owen.
Transcripts of proceedings of meetings Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues; also includes copies of press releases; programmes for meetings; copy of paper submitted to the Commission by David Owen etc
File containing summaries of proceedings of meetings Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues and press releases; memoranda; speech transcripts and letters to Commission members relating to Commission meetings
Letter to Commission members and agenda relating to a `follow-up' meeting of the Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues at New Delhi
File of David Owen's correspondence with foreign ministers/leading ministers of various countries, fund/foundation directors and Commission members relating to his efforts to establish a financial base for the Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues; include copies of David Owen's annotated drafts of terms of reference for the Commission, Aug 1980, to be sent to potential donors
File of papers relating to the financing of the Independent on Disarmament and Security Issues including report sheets of contributions received and invested; correspondence between David Owen and Executive Secretary of the Commission Anders Ferm concerning the Commission's finances; copies of annual auditor's reports, 1980 -- 1982; etc
File of general correspondence and other papers relating to the Independent on Disarmament and Security Issues including correspondence between David Owen and the Austrian Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Peter Jankowitsch discussing reasons for the Commission's postponement of its meeting in Vienna due to reservations associated with Kurt Waldheim, Nov 1986 -- Jan 1987; correspondence concerning the production by the Commission of a final report, 1988 -- 1989, draft copies of a final report, with some MS annotations by David Owen; letter from Hans Dahlgren to David Owen concerning the winding down of the Commission, Dec 1990 etc. Also includes copy of ICDSI leaflet with terms of reference and membership list
File containing papers prepared for the Independent on Disarmament and Security Issues and other reports/publications on the use of nuclear and chemical weapons and issues of disarmament
File containing papers prepared for the Independent on Disarmament and Security Issues by Commission members, includes copy of paper and transcript of article submitted to the Commission by David Owen
File containing copied news cuttings and other papers relating to the report of Independent on Disarmament and Security Issues, Common Security: a programme for disarmament, Jun 1982, also includes press releases concerning the publication of the report, an `unofficial summary' of the report produced by Jonathan Power; copy of David Owen's introduction to the British edition; etc
File containing copies of press releases on meetings and statements of Independent on Disarmament and Security Issues, including press release on the formation of the Commission, 13 Sep 1980; copy of a report of the Commission's Workshop on Disarmament and International Security, Tokyo and Hiroshima Sessions; etc
Originally loose papers including English translation of the memorial ceremony for Olof Palme, 15 Mar 1986; copy of Inside Sweden tribute edition to Olof Palme; (No2 1986 Year 2); biographical publication: Olof Palme edited by Dagens Nyheter
File containing papers relating to the Palme Commission Review Conference, held at Ditchley Park, 13 -- 14 Nov 1990, including some correspondence, provisional programmes etc concerning arrangements for the conference; papers on nuclear weapons issues prepared for the meeting; report for the conference by Barry Blechman on the Current status of the Palme Commission proposals; draft summary of the conference by Edward Kwakwa with David Owen's MS comments, Feb 1994; rough MS notes made by David Owen, possibly record of the conference
Report of the Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues. With introduction by David Owen
The group D 709 4/2 includes material including correspondence, memoranda and reports relating to David Owen's involvement with the World Security Trust, dating from 1972 -- 1975.
File containing papers relating to the World Security Trust and David Owen's involvement with the group, including correspondence between David Owen and David Astor discussing possibility of David Owen working for the Trust, Jul 1972, and discussing meetings/proposals of the Trust, 1974 -- 1975; papers/memoranda setting out the history and work of the Trust, and David Owen's involvement; various papers prepared for the Trust on issues of world security etc.
The group D 709 4/3 includes a publication relating to the Independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues, c.1983.
Booklet setting out history and terms of reference of the Independent Commission on Humanitarian Issues and containing biographies of members, including David Owen