Socialist Action No. 101, 10 May 1985
The scan: 101-may-10-1985-SA-UK.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
No. 101 10 May 1985 30p
PRESIDENT Reagan's decision
ACTION
embargo all Nicaragua has jacked up the US intervention against dinista revolution to vicious level yet. Just days after all the hoo-ha about Reagan losing the vote in congress for aid to the contras, off his own back, the president simply more devastating measures. The labour movement in this country, and anybody else with the least inkling of respect for elementary sovereign rights, cannot afford to stand idly by.
In Belgrade, Nicaraguan president
US hands off Daniel Ortega said that the US ad-
ministration had dreamt up the most extraordinary pretexts for its new attacks. Even though the speech embarrassed his weak-kneed Yugoslavian hosts, this was to put it mildly.
Official US comments sanctions reeled off despicable lies: the measures were a response to 'the emergency situation created by the Nicaraguan govern-
America'. It is the American govern-
THEIR PATENTED
2-D LENSES POLARIZE THE WORLD INTO EAST
AND WEST ment that has turned Central America into a battlefield, manoeuvres, massive new bases and military support for repressive client regimes and mercenary thugs.
Even the most conservative independent observers recognise that Nicaragua's military build-up, draining nearly 50 per budget, is entirely character, a response to US aggression. Nor has Reagan been able to produce one shred of evidence that Nicaragua running anybody.
Nicaragua represents, American officials, an 'unusual and extraordinary security and foreign policy of the United States'.
Nicaragua could possibly pose to the mightiest military power in the world is that of an example of a revolutionary democracy which has been shown by last November's elections to command a great deal more active support from its people than Reagan does from his.
Schultz ECHCLOUS Nicaraguans that the sanctions would be lifted if the Sandinistas agreed to negonate with backbone of the contra forces remains the members of Somoza's old National Guard, whom Nicaraguans died to rid their country of.
OF COURSE, YOU LOSE
SOME OF THE
DETAIL
Nicaragua
trade with
San- EAST-WEST its most GLASSES
decrees even
miniscue. on the with such people. of a nost
the Soviet Union'.
blocking all credit lateral
bank's supposed
application.
In any
small part of the total.
The fact Nicaragua's
manor muck worse
with its military desert their cent of its total
defensive in
AND THE SOVIET MENACE
arms
said
threat to the national
The only threat that
told the
The
COlLEAS tremendous
50,000
world.
their friends.
On port now. • HANDS OFF NICARAGUA!
NICARAGUA
THE SECRET TO MY FOREIGN
POLICY IS MY PAIR OF
Their support inside Nicaragua is
The Sandinistas have no earthly reason to negotiate anything
Nicaragua is supposed to have intensified its 'communist totalitarian rule' since the previous week's congress vote, developing 'new ties with
This is a reference to Daniel Urlega s vIsit to a waoic series of Eastern block countries.
As Nicaraguan trade minister Alejandro Martinez pointed out, the only reason Nicaragua was forced to seek aid from the East was that the US was
through multi agencies like the Inter-American Development Bank. Earlier this year Schultz had made an unprecedented intervention into that
impartiality, instructing bank officials in effect to lose the paperwork on Nicaragua's
case, Soviet aid Nicaragua since the revolution has totalled only $400 million, a rather
is the US remains main trading partner, Unless this blockade is broken it will make the already difficult economic
Reagan cannot seriously believe that the Nicaraguan people will now
revolution. The experience of the Cuban blockade imposed in the '60s suggests that, if anything, their resolve will be harden-
ANYWHERE I LOOK, I CAN SEE U.S. VITAL INTERESTS ed. But the cost in human suffering, and in the damage wreaked on the real social gains of the revolution, will be
What the British labour movement has to recognise is that the gains of the Nicaraguan revolution are our gains: the gains of working people and oppressed people all over the
We are not prepared to see these whittled away or destroyed
For 12 months in this country the miners became a focus for all sections of society who had had enough of being kicked around by the Tories and
The support on the ground was extraordinary.
international level the labour movement and its friends must now learn to see the Nicaraguan people in thine wain is the gether f grand alliance bringing together those who are fed up with being kicked around by Reagan and his friends Nicaragua needs extraordinary sup-
• BREAK THE BLOCKADE: IMMEDIATE AID TO
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further attacks on
2 Socialist Action
Action
Thatcherism
after Thatcher?
FRESH FROM the SDP-Liberal Alliance
successes in the shire county elections
David Owen has set out his terms for sup-
porting a minority government if the next
generai election should result in a hung
parliament.
The county elections showed the long-term
delcine of the Tory vote is continuing, and clearly
demonstrated the roie of the Alliance in preventing such votes going to Labour. the Tories has again become a major problem for the ruling class,
Kinnock is still not considered a reliable enough governmental instrument.
The long term decline of the Tories demands a permanent answer for organising ruling class politics - and the Alliance is that answer. It is an
indispensable safety net for any decline in That-
Owen's terms for supporting government are clearly aimed primarily
Labour Party. would have the right to exercise a veto over the Queen's Speech - the policy statement of an incoming government. The aim is to win a 'pact with the largest party on current polls — which would 'reflect majority opinion (i.e. ruling class opinion). It would agree a 'programme for national unity and prosperity. (i.e. would defend the interests of the ruling class.) Owen went on to state that if the Labour Party was not prepared to agree to the Alliance's terms they would form a government with the
Labour's left wing, and so he is also demanding that the respective parliamentary parties should led parliamentary party were to make such an agreement it would have to disown, or whip into line, its left wing and any pretence to pursue policies which would be in the interests of the working class would have to be abandoned.
Owen is, in effect, telling the ruling class that
respect they deserve. That means that they had
The beginnings of a crisis in the Tory Party and the certainty that the Tories will be unable in this term of office to ensure a qualitative shift in the balance of class forces will give Owen's
Finally the coming prospect of a major state funding crisis as North Sea oil revenues decline was explicitly taken up by Owen. In that situation government of national unity - a government which, as in 1931, would seek to resolve the crisis through attacks on the welfare state
The Labour Party must respond to these moves by a forthright and unequivocable rejec tion of Owen's position. It must make it im mediately clear that there is no question that
Alliance, Labour from office through an agreement with the Tories Labour will organise mass campaigns against the policies pursued by such a government.
The Labour Party should not enter into a coalition with any capitalist party. But the real answer to the Altiance is for Labour to develop a programme that unites all sections of the working class and oppressed, and to campaign on those policies. to the needs of the overwhelming majority of the population.
The failure of Kinnock to support the miners, the moves by Kinnock and Hattersley for a new social contract, and the failure to put forward a radical programme to deal with unemployment all open the door to the Alliance. After ail, if there
fundamental difference policies of the Alliance and those of Labour, what reason can there be to reject a pact with them? The left must take up the fight over against the 'unity renewed vigour. struggle today is that fight, or lack of it, against the Thatcher government. But the rightward drift of the leadership of the Party is vital both to that struggle itself, against the Alliance, and to the fight for a majority Labour government.
10 May 1985 The decline of
because Labour, even under The terms are that the Alliance
- almost certainly Labour and that if the Alliance were to exclude
between the
policy
behind Kinnock' line with The decisive divide in the class
the fight against
to the fight
THE LATEST proposals on Social Security benefits
by the Tories represent a fundamental attack on the
whole future of the welfare state. Thatcherite policy
dictates not only the weakening of the trade union
movement — both politically and organisationally
- but also the dismantling of the welfare state piece
by piece.
month battle, the Tories have now unveiled plans to
attack the living standards of those in work and those who depend on benefits to live.
The poor, weak and disorganised have no place in Thatcherite Britain and these proposals represent a
cynical attempt to widen
yawıng gap between wage earners and the growing pool of the dispossessed.
The abolition of the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme SERPS — would force 11 million people into compulsory pensior schemes. This will take place in 1987/8 at the latest according to press reports. Child benefit, which has previously been threatened with abolition, Te not be increased tion, , will not in line with intiation - In other words it will be cut.
A much tougher means test will be introduced for housing benefit which means people on higher incomes will stop getting it altogether, Claimants will be forced to pay 20 per
tgage interest 'The ments themse ves maternity benefit will be abolished altogether.
The row that has broken out between Lawson and Fowler and which has been publicised Ju lie press. niceties of the level of cuts,
whether to make them. Thursday's cabinet meeting decided to cut the period of consultation to guarantee that the changes become law by next year.
The Cabinet are even considering acting on some of the changes without
only discussion would be on how them.
The freezing of child benefit, which is likely to remain fixed at the present
A PEC
" Kinnock is so etect. ive on television that he
is bound to be offered a
measure o power in the
course of time, so it wil
be interesting to see just
how radical he car stay."
Tories launch
welfare state
Having taken on the NUM in a twelve rate of 6.85 despite inia-
could plemented as early as next month.
The cuts are intended as a direct attack both on those in work and the jobless and in that regard follow The Lawson's budget. Cut. benefits for homeless people are among the most savage. They will throw thousands of unemployed
people on thẹ Someless benefit will hit streets. The 180,000 of the poorest people in Britain - 85,000 of whom are under 26.
By Graham Topley
In addition to fixing levels on board and lodgLondon was 0 London, and elsewhere, the government has said y vulli people under 26 will be limited to eight weeks benefit in major cities and four weeks in other places. Homelessness will increase
a direct result of this
with many supplementary benefits claimants being forced out of accommodation.
These policies must be resisted by the whole trade union and labour moveHe HIL i ney represent an attack on the most : basic rights of whole sections of the working class. Nor ar they just ideological - a some on the left have seen Thatcherism. British capitalism's competitiveness cannot survive with a strong trade union movement hence mass unemployment and the attack on the NUM. It can-
survive, either, without massive sacrifices
the
ACTION
THIE
A television critic wrote that on a day in september in the yea of'79., His name is.
poorest sections of the population. direct sense, the working class and oppressed are being forced to pay for the crisis. I he attacks on the weltart state are all of a piece with unemployment, benefits, slave labour schemes for youth aule destruction of the education system.
Thatcher's Britain increasingly only has room for two classes of citizens. Upwardly mobile earners, cushioned against inflation by the side effects of the oil revenues, docile trade unionsts, restricted by legal shackles , looking into the abvss of mass unemolo ment and the ever increas ing pool of the dispossessed who are hit by the at-
I know, And now
THEN
Blacks, Women and Young People are most under attack tacks on the welfare state.
It is an attempt to divide and set them against each other.
Alternative
Because Lne welfare state proposals form a cen tral part of the Tories' attacks, along with restric tions on abortion rights, rate capping and so on they cannot be defeated by verbal denunciations by Labour's leadership,
Diners crave has snitca. i Thatcher in a couscious being broken YaY.
Clive James. he knows, So what?
News
NURSERI
The Labour Party develop a serious, rounded alternative to the Tory attacks, that chamcause the working class and oppress. blacks, women and young people who are most under attack and which built around the defence of the Welfare State There can't be much talk about policing ter native policy, the detence of. the existing Welfare State, with all its detects, is not at the centre of attention. The Labour • leadershin deserted miners in their historic battle. Will it now treat the hundreds OI thousands who look to it for a lead, in the same way, in the face of the new Tory attacks
#* CORMAC
i Don't you find it a little depressing that fine header radare • are Party? ' 50
Page 3 scan of this page
COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS
News
Thatcher gets a
bloody nose
Photo: JOHN HARRIS
miners' strike.
traditional power base.
However, the elections do not give a great deal of comfort to lost control in five out of councils. beneficiary from the elections was the Alliance. The majority oi the shire counties, 24 out of 39, control, the Alliance will hold the balance of power. In this regard, the elections have been demonstration Alliance's main catching disatected Tory votes and preventing them going to Labour. It is clear
Photo: GM COOKSON that there is an established
three-party system in Britain which is having a major effect. It is clear that there is an anti-Tory ma jority in the country and the role of the Alliance is either to ensure that the Tories continue to because the opposition is broken up, or that Labour
Tories
THE COUNTY COUNCIL elections on Thursday 2 May delivered a blow to the Tories in the wake of the
before the 'Falklands factor' intervened to boost their standing in the polls. The defeat of the miners has not provided Thatcher with another such boost. Instead the Tory vote declined. They lost control in nine of 18 councils. The result is that the Tories have been swept out of power in their stongest and most
Labour. They The main
vary
now overall political which means tha
clear the are
real
rule
Their previous worst was in 1981, is prevented from winning power. On the basis of these
results pollsters have made predictions on the resuits of a general election which
from a jority of 24 Times), Labour
By Pat Hickey
(BBC). Such predictions
highly suspect.
GLU and Metropolitan were excluded from elections by the abolition proposals, and it is in these cities stren te will take test The low turn-out (40 pel cent) is another important factor.
The main however is that a general election will take place in a very different
The day The
failure
with worried.
her are clear
The
LIC
Wing
Tween
trade
ment.
The second class
context.
DONS
Dal Lilal
ward a
support
it to
must share of votes
particularly
jorities
(Sunday minority governeat
The the Counties
the of the
Tore
with that the Labour's high
the
point
disaster pollical
provided neither'.
Financial Times also criticised Thatcher's
to tackle unemployment, solve the problem of public expenditure, or deal effectively
the underlying economic problems of the economy. It pointed out, as did the Standard, that Peter Walker, the Energy Secretary, represented "alternative Tory Party'.
It is beyond doubt that the ruling class is getting
There Is or course. nu serious move to ditch Thatcher. But the danger signals for
By Pat Hickey
fundamental reason for this shift is the fact that Thatcher, despite
appalling levels unemployment the tacks on the welfare state and the anti-union laws has not succeeded in mak-
qualitative shift in the balance of forces bet-
the classes. The miners' strike has exacted an enormous cost,
The reality is that to win the strike, the Tories had to rely more on the
vulcaulial' than on the power of the
and the police They were not able to impose a 1926 style settle-
with agreements forced on the union, selective re-employment, and so on. There seems little
The major of national politic
will be sharply posed, in
the issue For
Labour Party the issue will
be whether it can put tor-
programme
will win the overwhelming
of the working
class and oppressed.
If Labour is to win the
next election it is necessary for
qualitatively improve its vote. This means that it
greatly increase trade unionist's (38 per cent win a massive ma-
jority in the inner cities.
amongst
blacks, and also win ma-
amongst women
and in the youth. 1o do
that requires a radical pro-
that meets
needs of those sectors, the
oppressed and
ploited, in our society.
The leadership of the
Party is taking a very dif
ferent course The drive
now under way
policy to the right is an at-
tempt to steal the clothes
Alliance. In par-
ticular, Kinnock's support
for a new social contract
cuts in welfare unemployment
incomes policy These are
the policies which will hit
very sectors
Labour needs to win.
The last time this hap the result was a for Labour and
the working class — it gave
Socialist Action 10 May 1985
THE YEAR long battle of the miners is continuing to exact a price on the Tory government. It is not merely that Thatcher is losing support at the polling booths, she is beginning to lose friends at the top
after the County Council elections Th London Standard, formerly one of Thatcher's mos sycophantic supporters warned that the results were 'more than just a mid-term malaise'. They showed that the country wanted 'evidence of humanity as well as efficiency, from a government which, years into Mrs Thatcher's administration, has so far
will achieve
Wing class now.
They
union laws,
ticular hopes of
leadership direct confrontation
succeed the ed their of miners' strike, at- will be
prepared
face may necessary. has ings of a of table* the LORICS
will Closu that Labour government
strong
broken.
its media on unreliable and last will increase.
peal over those who are
worse, the as the exAlliance only the Labour vote. open the Alliance. and Labour suing such that prepare the
Thatcherism around
prospect that the Tories
such breakthrough for the rul
will of to ple on the pressure through the anti-
the political funds, and attacks on par-
sections. ones inflicting decisive defeat are not going to be realised. Thatcher has pursued a strategy of ignoring the trade union
and going for
If that is not going to
ruling class needs to start looking al alternatives. A safety net is necessary. In particular it is necessary to involve the trade union leadership to a greater degree. They proy.
the and they needed again before the ground can be
for the next
Moreover, if the Tory base in the country is not to be eroded even more by the Alliance a more human
SOUI be Hence the rehabilitation of the wets. Thatcher is not going to be ditched in the short term But her failure, even atter the most colossal battle for 60 years to break the working class, and her deep unpopularity in the country
provoked the crisis that will not be easily resolved.
catcher anuck all
Hattersley hope that it will
alternative to the eyes of the
clis dall. Bot thrust a
not trust
left wing of the Party is too
the
organised strength of the
working class has not been
As an election comes
closer the assault of the
Labour extremist The only
hope for Labour is to ap-
the media facing the
worst effects of the ruling
class attacks. Appeals for
incomes policy, and still
political
credibility to bodies sucl
Employment In-
stitute and its Tory and
supporters can confuse and divide
Kinnock and the right,
and now even sections of
the former left may believe
that this is the way to en
Suhat it will actually do is Labour victory.
door to the In any case, government purpolicies would
strike a demoralising blow
at the working cass anc
way for The fight policies will be
crucial for Labour.
Page 4 scan of this page
Socialist Action 10 May 1985
Amnesty!
TONY BENN used his platform at the May Day rally in Chesterfield to argue for a "complete amnesty' for all miners now in jail and all trade unionists or councillors 'fined or imprisoned under the repressive laws passed by the present government'.
A future Labour government he argued would immediately release and pardon all miners in jail and pay back all fines and sequestration funds.
"Tory laws', he told the crowd, 'have been used against decent people whose only offence has been to defend jobs.' The results of last week's county council elections gave real hope that the Tories would be thrown out at the next election.
'The Prime Minister's brutality towards the miners explains the loss of a great deal of her support."
The campaign of legal intimidation being waged by the Tory government against the NUM suffered a defeat last Thursday in South Wales.
Eight miners were acquitted on charges of unlawful assembly at Newport Crown Court. The trial, a test case, will determine whether another 31 miners will be brought before the courts on similar charges.
These charges arose from the occupation of Newport transporter bridge last August by miners to prevent the movement of coal and coke to the Orb Steel-works.
Charges of riotous assembly were dropped early in the week after the court saw a BBC film of the occupation.
This filmed record of the event vividly contradicted the statements given by police witnesses at the trial. Prosecution barristers also attempted to employ legal precedents established during trials of republicans in Northern Ireland to justify the charges of riotous assembly brought against the miners.
Judge Michael Gibbon banned all solidarity demonstrations within a quarter mile of the court. He ordered that Mary Crofton, secretary of Newport miners' support group, should be reported to the Attorney General for alleged contempt over the contents of a leaflet distributed outside the court.
Newport Trades Council and Newport West CLP have passed resolutions expressing deep concern about this ruling and its implications regaraing me democrauc rigat lo demonstiale By Phil Price When Charles and Diana stayed in the port of Livorno on 25 April, they were given a reminder of some realities. The luxury yacht Britannia was confronted by another ship, flying the Irish Tricolour with 'Coal Not Dole' emblazoned across it.
Responsibility was claimed by two of the parliamentary candidates of the revolutionary socialist organisation, LCR. Their action appeared prominently in Corriere Della Sera, the main Italian national daily.
OVER 90 Leeds on 27 April. in defence of sacked and imprisoned miners. The large number of women from the support committees were particularly determined that no miner should be left isolated in prison or on the dole.
Betty Heathfield opening the conference urged everyone to build on the political gains of the strike. She emphasised the importance of the new levels of international soldiarity and the massive commitment of women in the mining communities to take up a wide range of political and social issues.
Her final message was that resolutions are no substitute for action.
Sammy Thompson (Yorks NUM) and Dave Feickart (NUM Research Officer).
In the last session, conference decided to establish a Leeds Miners' Defence Group. It aims to publicise the cases of individual miners and offer help and hospitality to wives and children of jailed miners visiting prisons in Yorkshire.
The Group is appealing for up to date information about sacked and jailed miners in Yorkshire and seeking links with other groups in the country. • Contact Ann Jones, 245 Winrose Drive, Belle s. Isle, Leeds, LS10 3HA
TOI ies «'estrema MP
a lo slogan di prote
esta dei people attended an open conterence in
Other speakers included
Manchester
rally
TWO HUNDRED Miners Amnesty rally in Manchester on 3 May to officially launch a North West Miners Defence Campaign. The campaign established by Bold NUM at the end of the strike has for two months raised money for imprisoned and sacked miners in Lancashire.
sacked,
Lancashire miner who received
nine miners
these are member of Yorkshire
families week distributed througt
VICtimised other 1l prison
The speakers were Mark Jones (father of David Jones killed durJohnson stoke ancashine Lorraine CONSORT Women Against Pit Closures. Dennis Skinnet
and Dennis Pennwho had been released from prison week earlier.
THE NATIONAL Women's Solidarity Conference
held in Birmingham on Saturday 4 May served as a
useful gathering for women who have been active in
the miners' strike over the last 12 months. Two hun-
dred women were in attendance.
Discussions at the con-
Terence helped tocus atten
tion on the need for a na-
tional Amnesty campaign
Tol sacked and im-
prisoned miners and
prepared women fo
upcoming Labour Party
Maureen rom Kent,
miner's wife from
said that Women Against
Pit Closures their
daW
most urgent and important
Miners' amnesty
and fifty people attended a
Lorraine explained the activities of the WAPC to campaign for the release of
tunes. she spoke about the
radicalisation of women in JOHN HARRIS
the mining community during the strike. «Women have learnt organise they have stood up and voiced their opinions. I used to vote Labour but I didn't know why. Dhato.
'But not going
ty. woman has
ing and we
tinued,
the
LICH SILS women the govern-
abortion. she
ised you, you ain't nothing yet."
task as campaigning
around amnesty.
'Our immediate aim as
miners wives is to fight for
the amnestv and reinstate.
ment of all sacked and jail-
ed miners We will con-
tinue to speak at meetings.
organise rallies,
demonstrations and make
people aware this
demand.
The conference also
urged women to support
Arthur Scargill after arrest at Orgreave
ed the rally to remember
struggle of people testin
struggle. 50,000 young miners and women in the mining community it's not what they said. It's what they • did, and the came out with flying col ours.'
'The job of some of us in the labour movement and PLP is not to go climbing after votes for leadership but to defend and encourage these people. Everyone on this platform has been tested in practice it will be these people who shuncillors and for trade should stand MPs, unions positions not our striped 'suited or wooly jumper sten sau
then launched vicious attack on Marxism Today Eric Hobsbawm and Neil Kinnock, and and build NOMPAS. Doreen Humber, a miner's
a member of NOMPAS, underlined the annesy issue and explained the
NOMPAS building a national campaign around this issue
The Women's Solidarity conference called for a lobby of Neil Kinnock at the National Labour Party women's conference to express disgust at his total
lack of support miners and to press for amnesty of all sacked and jailed miners.
Members of the Labour Party were urged to put resolutions to their branches and Constituencies calling on the Labour Party to commit itself to full reinstatement of sacked miners and the release of all political prisoners
The Come enco asO registered the attacks that
being the Tory government. Women are particularly vulnerable because incy among the lowest paid workers.
women black women and lesbian womer face greater discriminatior still.
The conference urged women to give backing to
their failure to back Scargill and actively support the strike. He concluded, *the real issue is that it is appalling that the miners and their Camer and yet all the claims wehs out months through and every union talled to open up the se cond front even on wages.
'What did your leaders do? Willis stabbed the strike in the back. But if I'd been the dockers leader we snowle Have pul li pay claim and that woul have been the end of it.
After this rally the militants in Lancashire NUM and the North West Miners Defence Campaign will continue the campaign for funds and an amnesty, by. supporting and ticipating in the National Organisation of Miners
National Women's
Solidarity Conference
the fight against privatisa tion and the demonstra-
Addenbrookes hospital; fight the racist nationality bills and support the black community's battles against deportation; demonstrate against Gillick on June 24 in support of the right of young women to be allow-
contraceptive advice and to support the Lesbian Strength march on
Women Against Pit Closures Birmingham
Women's Action Committee, the National Abortion Campaign, the El Salvador Solidarity Cam. paign, Women on Ireland and lesbian women all held well attended meetings at Junch time
Maira O'Shea, the Irish arrested
wollial under the PTA and charged under the
law addressed the meeting Miners wives from Kent Nottingham, Nortr Staffs iNe wiended and Yorkshire attended conference.
They came to share their experience with women involved in other women's liberation tivities. The attendance
News
Prisoners and Supporters. and by building for the Amnesty Rally in Birmingham June with Peter Heathfield and Jack Picket Powell
'Smash the
Powell Bill'
Friday 10 May, 5.30
Manchester Business School (opposite Royal
Northern College of
Music) Brunswick St
Called by: Manchester
campaign Against
powell and Gillicl Next meeting: Wed 8
May, 7.30pm, Health
Education Office,
Hardman Street
By Pat Tough
was not as representative
the organisers had the conference in relation to the end of the strike.
But it gave a boost to the organisation of women
Birmingham and the West Midlands and provided a torum to strengthen the links that have been made among
during this dispute.
Youth Fightback
Day School Lesbian & Gay
Liberation
Sunday 12 May, llam Lesbian & Gay Centre, 291
Corporation street,
Birmingham
For more information
or a speaker at your YS
then please contact
Mark Holland, Flat 2,
10 Sandford Rd,
Birmingham B13 9BU
Page 5 scan of this page
Fraud of Israeli withdrawal
News
Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Three years of war and occupation has led Lebanon into its second civil war in ten years as Israeli forces 'withdraw" south.
Shi'ite, Sunni, reassert their control and Christians have fled from the Sidon area to Israeli controlled areas for safety. It is an optimistic time for the oppressed of Lebanon — in three years the Israelis were unable to defeat their heroic resistance.
These recent events, however, should be viewed wl d ce coo l caution. First on the quesLUlI of Israeli WILIIdrawal'. must be repeated that Israel is not
troops from Lebanon totally.
will concoue lo occupy a 55 mile 'security AVile patrolled alone the border. by Israeli and
pro-Israeli militias. They will reserve the right to terrorise the local population, strike at resistance and behave in their usual as ohey have resne in is,
have done in the West Konk Gaza and Golan since 1967
Israel's *Iron Fist' policy has not been smashed. On the contrary it is entering a more subtle, less visible phase. Financially, and because of growing casualties, it can no longer sustain heavy military involvement in Lebanon as the economic crisis deepens and Israeli public opinion against the grows.
Second, Israel's invaseededians have novadea sion
invaded primarily destroy PLO which it did not do But its dispersal throughout the Arab world has
Trade Union Friends of Palestine Conference
Saturday 18 May
'British Labour and the Palestinians, Which Way Forward?
Holborn Central Library Hall, Theobalds Road, London WC1 (nearest tube Chancery Lane or Holborn).
Trade Union Friends of Palestine can be contacted at PO Box 196 London WCIX OAT.
US Hands off Nicaragua! Stop the Trade Embargo!
Picket the US Embassy Friday May 31 Daytime Picket followed by Demonstration
NATO DAY
SCHOOL
Saturday 18 May
9.30-5.15
Polytechnic of Central
London, Baker Street
Register now by contacting
working group, London N4
NEXT MONTH will be the third anniversary of the
Palestinian and Druze forces
neutralised the PLO politically and militarily in Lebanon, leaving Lne Palestinians in a very weak position.
The Israeli's • second establish all nas lu government allied and subservient to Israel. Lebanon posed real threat in terms of revolutonary potential.
By Ros Kaplan
Broadly speaking, two
tripe and boti talede
both failed:
Phalange leader Bashir Gemayel's right wing
pro-israell and Amin Gemayel's acceptable face of Lębanese capitalism, uniting the Christian and Muslim bourgeoisies TOI a lime and looking to the Arab world for support, rather than Israel.
This was proven bankrunt. T'here can be no solution so long as Israel
LevanOl the confessional governinci bysłcı tlales divisions Lebanese society - despite reforms to allow more representation for the Shi'ite and Druze communities.
What certain sections of the Israeli government Joy Hurcombe of CND NATO +. 11 Goodwin Street,
advocated and what seems to be at present a possible outcome, is the cantonisaLOm Oceanolo cau statelets. While Canu wc Camel onpose, for example, a comIluill y the Shi'ite Muslims, who are seeking autonomy defend
despicable act.
campaign and receive regular information.
By Martine Bonadonna (NSC NEC pers. cap.) Condemn the Blockade
The Nicaragua Solidarity Campalgn organised a picket of th JŠ embass r on May 2, 24 hours after the announcement of the total embargo. The picket also marked the start of active petitioning against embargo, which is a ,good way of starting a discussion and a specific action aimed at the publication of adver. tisements to counteract the
Co-ordination also developing with the other NSCs in Europe, as it 15 likely that Reagan will pressure on the EEC members to act similarly.
MEP LODOV youl matter urgency Con«emmauon suouu lOc left simply to David Steel Ihe plockade nas a lone term on the Nicaraguan peoples' life
Therefore it is vital that material aid is collected for Nicaragua. Containers will be sent from England to cover the pressing need, as
themselves against fascist attacks, we call there can be no security so long and Maronite allies are SLUCC militarily economically and politically in a capitalist framework.
The. division of
Defend Nicaragua
AS THE latest move by President Reagan to impose an economic embargo on Nicaragua represents a major escalation in the imperialist war against the revolution, all activists must take action and conNicaragua firmy on the agenda of all meetings. The duty is to full facts must be got out through discussions and resolutions of support. Finally, affiliations to the national campaign are a priority, both to help the Last, bone. The consuly vcdl tulale! project is often a good inroduction to a debate on the situation. Start now by asking for financial dona tions which will buy what the Nicaraguans themselves request.
Blockade
Send the money immediately to NSC, with a simple mention of 'container' egate metteng an 2y delegate meeting ecutive Committee May, the NSC discussed its major event for the year Ld0 ti conference. It is confirmed for 23 November in Sheffield Town Hall as a specifically solidarity concIculc. which seeks to further support inside the trade union movement.
Lebanon into cantons will Onty benefit strengthen its policing role in the region. Syria's at. titude on this is pragmatic
whatever the solution, it must be one that will not threaten the Syrian regime. The population of Lebanon is once again be-
wany ons dre sva pathetic already to NSC and campaigning for NAL SUD port. such as ACTT and the National Union of Students. The NSC has just adopted a full time worker and is setting up a solid organising group to co-ordinate this type of action throughoul the country. All details will be published soon
A national network of women active in support of Nicaragua has been sel
at national conintenced with sc mendy ference of thos
They want to support women of Nicaragua and reach other women here, who are not necessarily in the NSC but are interested. The conference appointed a co-opted NEC niemoe agreed push for greater women's representation at the trade union con eme brigade referably but not exclusively, black and Irisl
- is being organised and a delegation miners wives is also planned. All resources on Woren in Nicaragua are being listed and pulled together Speakers are availabie. All actions must be intensified and lead to the same goals. Support Nicaragua in the face of imperialist attack. • Contact the Nicaragu Solidarit Camparor 20/21, Compton Terrac London, NÍ Phone O1 355 8982
ing moved around to suit tne necas of israet
As the Palestinians and Shi'ltes have oute ront reasserted their control around the coastal regioi of Siclon, , 20,000 Christian
are sald to have fled to the Israeli controlled Jezzine area. Ihis area.
the Christians retain control, will give Israel a corridor to the coast to strike at Palestinian and Shi'ite settlements.
Among the progressive forces opposed to Israei, unity needs to be reached. ¡t is a tragedv that Palesti nian and Shi'ite militias were fighting each other.
Campaign
The Shiites, the most oppressed 10 Lebanese allies or ahe Palesniara. the natural allies and replaced them as the mose indeed have
militant potentially Leyoanoo. British Media force Lebanon. concentration on •KhoWcirl suicide hombers obscures the fact that the Shi'ite Amal organisations - there is not one Amal but several - range from socialist/communist Islamic fundamentalist The question to be decided is which force will become the dominant one to lead the Shi'ites in the future. Wo matel in here non there can be til the Zionist until Israeli state (as opposed to its people) is smashed, the fascists are defeated and a socialist revolution takes place. At the present time,
Socialist Action 10 May 1985 5 there is no revolutionary leadersn uniting the
communities to erd tas.
Today our task
solidarity is to expose the Israeli withdrawal for
and demand labour movement support
total, 1C LONI Israeli withdrawal from the Lebanon
Picket
Risley!
THE Capenhurst Wo-
in serious
danger of being jailed.
Their crime? To pro
test at the use by
British Nuclear Fue
Ltd of illegally plun.
dered Namibian uran-
ium.
British-owned Ri
Tinto Zinc (RTZ) is
breaking United Nation
Decree No. 1 by minin
dtr lill li South
African occupied
Namibia. The uranium is
used by BNFL for
domestic and military
purposes.
Demonstrate you
solidarity with these
women who have refused
to pay their fines and in
stead sent the money to
SWAPO!
• Picket Risley Remand
Centre, Wednesday
May at 10.30am. . Further
details from CANUC
01-267 1941.
Page 6 scan of this page
Key issues for
SINCE THE end of the miners
strike a concerted drive to discredit
the so called Bennite left within the
Labour Party — the left which sup-
ported the NUM — has been laun-
ched. Patrick Seyd's
without Benn' in New Socialist,
Frances Morell writing
Statesman, and a major interview
of Marxism Today have spearhead-
ed that assault.
While some of these attacks
have dealt with real questions of
policy - for example member-
ship of the EEC — most have been
designed to obscure the
issues dividing left and right within
the party. JOHN ROSS looks at the nature of the assault on the left
within the Labour Party, at some
of thekey issues
strategy today and the basis on
which different currents of the
labour movement together.
IT WAS Marx who stated the beginning and end of all wisdom on socialist
strategy when he wrote that socialists,
'have no interests seperate and apart from those of the working class as a whole.'
In the final analysis, socialism has nothing to do with specific theories, curious (and generally sectarian) tactics, 'exposing people' tivities which Patrick Seyd and others see as so central in their against left wing of Defence of the interests of the working class as a whole, and of every oppressed section of society, is about the future of humanity itself.
macca I is orgy inrougn the role or the working class in society that the interests of humanity as a whole can be historically defended. That is socialists place themselves completely on the ground of the working class and the defence of the labour movement.
A socialist must reject with indignance and outrage not economic exploitation but imperialism; sexism and the oppression of women,
suppression persecution on the basis of sexual orientation; the degrading of human beings inrougn pornogianny, and a million of the other things that make up our rather revolting current society
But, as people with heads as well as hearts. socialists nave lo understand that only the working class has the power to secure the conditions for victory in these fields the working class takes up the struggle in every one of these spheres it will not
victory. women's liberation movement -women's liberation
no sociallst without women's liberation' - applies to every sphere of oppression of socie-
The point which needs to be added is that, of course, even socialist revolution by itself will not solve many problems - merely create the conditions to do so. The fight to create a free human societv will last tor decades. and probably centuries, after any intitial ending of capitalism.
Preservation of a free independent trade union movement, of an independent movement, organisations, of organisations of gays and lesbians, of democratic organisations, movements for liberation, are not 'quirks' allowed to exist until the overthrow of capitalism. They are a fundamental fight for the liberation of humanity Such organisation will measurably strengthened, not weakened, after any transformation of society towards socialism.
From this angle socialism has a profound moral base - and we know this
tony bell and many of nis supporters As atheists Marxists cannot agree with any idea of a god-given, moral order in society. But they totally agree with the idea tremendous moral role of the working class as the defender of gressive gain and historic interest humanity. The working class is the bearer of a superior moral order JULICLY as well as a defende material interests. On whether working class wins or loses that struggle depends quite literally the humanity itself.
Socialist Action 10 May 1985
'Bennism
in New
actual
socialist
work
Photo: DAVE DRONFIELD
, or the other ac-
the party.
why
simply
democracy;
humanity, and
labour movement.
tion of humanity fighting - and that unless racism, securing
women, eliminating
democracy 'No COC revolution working class
Led Lenin
socialism
to building of socialism is,
back the FSLN rightly works with
national
Stacks being
part of the
become struggle for
Nicaragua.
Lenin, the "leading role'
role' of the party Stalin de facto invented.
It is the same in Britain. clusive brethren'
god-based, Workers
well
01 the of where any current,
every pro-
of it stands in the
of of its the different 1
tate of example
The material, conscious, and moral role of the working class within society, and the social alliances it can create around itself, create the possibility for the working class to exercise hegemony
- hegemony in society, in the future of
in the struggle for socialism. And from that flows the relation of every other layer of society to the working class and to the organised
Whether your goal is the preservatrom nucicar wal, imperialism, chininaune the liberation of
and poverty, defending and extending
saving world's science and culture, your interests coin-
with the historical goals of the • and can only be realis-
through or in alliance with, the organised labour movement. hat is a fundamental message of socialism.
From this it follows that many forces will contribute to the building of
and to the fight for it. The idea that only socialists will contribute
as Lenin once wrote, a belief of arrogant idiots.
For example, in Nicaragua today,
every single force that wants to defend the country and oppose the horrendous at- sincere
launched on its by the Some people will cooperate only for the defence of that posed country. Others will participate in the
society But for the FSLN, as for of the party has nothing to do with the 'exclusive
- a position which
The 'exapproach of groups they such as the Milltant tendency, or the
Revolutionary Party, has nothing to do with Marx. The final test
For individual, stands in regard to socialism is not its ideas, important as these are, but where
In Inis actual material class
It is because people come to participate in the class struggle for many their in campaigning and in uniry is possible
the time of the Malvinas war christian groups opposed
the British fleet being sent to the South Atlantic because of deep-seated
religious beliefs. pacitists, who oppose any war at any time under any circumstances, also op
the war. Marxists, who are atheists and do not oppose all wars, participated in opposition to the war because it was an imperialist war.
The cooperation between groups was real, sincere and honest. It was in no way about, as Patrick Seyd puts it in his New Socialist article: 'demands on reformist socialists which
cannot meet and are designed simply to discredit reformists. campaign and struggie was to try anc prevent the British fleet going to th South Atlantic. And it should be that some of the christian and pacifists
struggle acquited themselves
corect on rais issue han so-called
correct on this so-called Marxists such as Militant who
time making up sophistical 'theoretical' reasons why they should fail to oppose the British fleet.
Similarly on the issue of the political levy, the Labour Coordinating Com-
mittee has been trying to get a central campaign off the ground. The LCC is one criticism in the pages of Socialist Action. that the LCC have not been more successful. Socialist Action wants a campaign on the political levy not to 'expose' the LCC but because winning the ballots on the political levy would be a big step forward for the labour movement.
well in a recent interview when he said that unity in the struggle of the labour movement cannot be achieved around a theory — that is far too narrow. Unity can only be achieved in action, through defending the interests of the working class and those under attack.
under attack. It has nothing to do with the fantasies dreamed up by a Patrick Seyd - let alone the scurrillous abuse from the gutter press. The point is tha Tony Benn has been engaged in campaigns which defend the interests of the working class. barrassing to Neil Kinnock because he has not.
The truth is — and this has to be faced up to by every socialist Kinnock is leading the labour movement to a disaster. policies advocated statements accept the existence of mass and unemployment. Incomes policies of the Others, type which Roy Hattersley is now so assiduously promoting are no different to those which smashed Labour's elec toral support in 1966-70 and 1975-79
Neil Kinnock is leading the Labour Party into a permanent minority position in politics. He is not putting forthese ward hegemonic establishing the political dominance of the labour movement, and a way out for society, but is instead more and more reducing Labour's role to a policing agency over the working class. This That is particularly clear in policy proposals. This role, which was originally projected as being Labour's said alone, now perhaps to be a joint Labour-Liberal policing job over the labour movement.
This entire trajectory was symbolis ed, and brought to a head, spent happened in the miners' strike. It used to be the tradition that (at least some) Labour leaders talked left when in opposition even though they moved right in office. Even in opposition Kinnock failed to support a crucial section of the
of the more frequent targets of
But on this issue, all we regret is
future
We think that Tony Benn put it very
the
fight
struggle.
Fight
That is why Tony Benn has been
And this is deeply em ment
- Neil ed
The economic
like remarkably
come on this
working strategy
'inside Equally,
judgement. the incomes
verbally conceded
Labour over what culus alices
Those miners in their
working class fighting for the elemer tary right of its community to exist. H also has failed to speak out to defen the right of those fighting for the communities through opposing ratt capping to break the law. Both hav done great damage to the struggle now and are the worst possible omen for th
Does it follow from this that the let does not want a Labour government, a Roy Hattersley recently charged.
contrary. Every section th labour movement should be united in
against Thatcher and an disunity on this field is a product o Kinnock's refusal to support those i
On this, of course, the right and centre left of the party should have n fear whatever if their views of the worl are correct. Because, if they are right then it is the left wing who would ap pear foolish after a Kinnock govern
If Neil Kinnock came to office an elminated mass unemployment, tackl
poverty, staunchly backer Nicaragua, got nuclear weapons out o Britain, and carried out a whole serie of other progressive acts then
Socialist Action would OOH foolish. They woul deserve to because they would have go it wrong! But we already know the out
If however Neil Kinnock does what we think - that is if he presides over a government which viciously attacks the
class and demoralises then it will be Peter Hain, the Labour Coordinating Committee, and the new
left' will look stupid. they will deserve to because they will have made a disastrous mis-
Either way however everyone has an interest in fighting for a Labour government.
We think that Tony Benn is dead right to make it clear that he has no in
whatever of running against Neil Kinnock for the leadership of the
Party in the present - and why those who are urging him to do so are sectarian ultra lefts who should be opposed on this
who fully supported the struggle are today a minority in the labour movement. They do not have the power to lead the
Page 7 scan of this page
the Labour left
abour Party and for them to believe mey nave the power to do so is sheer adventurism. There is a long hard fight w vc gone lirouga ocrore lnose Tully supporting struggles such as the miners win a majority in the labour movement.
Tony Benn would of course attract a support far wider than simply strong supporters or the miners. But the rela tion of forces in favour of Neil Kinnock, even if one does not like it, was clearly expressed in 1983. There is no reason to believe there has been any Fundamental shift on this — and we do not agree with those (for example the Campaign for Labour Детостасу), who say that regular use of channels for electing the leadership is
aver.
Actually a challenge to Neil Kinnock today would simply result in an under-representation of the strength of the left wing of the labour movement. Whole sections of people who do support the lett would simply not vote for a candidate such as Tony Benn because they disagreed with him but because they thought that this was not the right issue at the right time.
This means essentially that we agree with the attitude adopted Benn and the Campaign group of MPs: that a key fight today is not around the leadership of the party. Socialist Action expressed that view two years ago. The key fights are against Thatcher to put the Labour Party clearly behind those in struggle, to fight for new alternative policies which actually would defend the interests of the working class and oppressed, and to carry through the lecisive fight for the demands of the Women's Action Committee and black sections. These areas, which are entirely complementary with those of securing a Labour government at the next election, are the areas on which attention should be concentrated.
It is not because of non-existent campaigns. for the leadership precisely because the left wing of the party concentrated on these activities that it has come under attack. Taking some of the concrete areas will make the situation clearer.
Firstly as regards supporting struggles we, of course, now have an example which beats anything seen for sixty years. Ine support movement tor the miners was rightly described by Financial Times as 'the greatest civilian mobilisation since the Second World War .
smaller scale, to every struggle.
ner, and the Campaign Party
done. view paign group substitute for the miners, miners what to do. It miners - together,
activists and trade
not have been doing.
activity is regardless of whether wants it or not.
Tony
Campaign
Labour Party
being launched on them.
La priority for the entire party.
still inadequate.
but
Wing the miners' be solidated.
role whatever to play in Ireland.
ine
Naturally a movement on the scale
of that for the miners cannot be built for anthing except the greatest struggles. But the basic lessons shown by the
miners strike — intransizent leadershin basing itself on mass mobilisations and
democratically
organised support activity, real social
alliances being built around the strike
— can be applied, if necessarily on a
In that not merely Arthur Scargill, Peter Heathfield and the NUM leadership but also Tony Benn, Dennis Skin-
group of MPs gave an examole or what should be
As Tony Benn put it in an interwith Socialist Action the cam• did NOL attempt or tell the supported the still more importantly, with hundreds of thousands of
Tony belm and Dennis skinner gave an example of what Neil Kinnock should
The left wing of the labour movement has to ensure that
carried on quite Neil Kinnock Because once the labour movement stops defending the working class and its allies it is dead.
The second great issue is that of representivity of the Labour Party its role as a real mass party of labour. It is absolutely vital that the present mass affiliation which are the core of the
- the trade union affiliation — is defended against the attacks national
This means winning the vote on the political levy is
Bin degexist five key quions
Luciulis must be decided as the basis of the șocial alliances on which a popular majority for socialism can be achieved — alliances which came into existence dur-
strike in struggle but organisationally con-
The first is a negative. Labour must recognise that Britain has no positive
complete unequivocable commitment that a Labour government will take Britain out of Ireland must be adopted. Any movement for the Labour Party to mittee organise in the north of Ireland must be
Ney
BENNISH W
totally rejected. Complete withdrawal is the sole basis for Labour to make one of the most vital alliances of the entire British struggle for socialism alliance between the British working class and the people of Ireland.
The second key alliance is the inter-
working class struggle.
Labour must develop its solidarity with those fighting the United States in Central America, those fighting apartheid in South Africa, and all those fighting imperialist wars and nuclear weapons throughout the world.
The third key alliance for Labour to function as a real 'party of labour' is women. The grotesque situation where men, the trade union leaderships, elect the women's places on the NEC must be ended. It appears even more in its shameful light after the incredible role of Women Against Pit Closures in the miners strike. Election of the women's places on the NEC by the women's conterence, and the meeting of all the other demands of the Women's Action Com-
must be achieved. Women Against Pit Closures should be ac-
vialist,
ATHOUT BEN
SOCIALIST FUTURES: RAYMOND WILLIAMS
AND RAPHAEL SAMUEL • EMMA GOLDMAN
WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR MUM?
ARGENTINA'S DEMOCRACY AT RISK • FASCIST CHIC
cepted for affiliation to the Labour Party.
On black sections the situation is equally clear. The phenalia of loyalty oaths now demanded against black sections shows just how far the Kinnock machine is prepared to go.
The only way the leadership is going to be taught sense on this matter is by having a mass revolt on Whites have no right anyway to determine whether blacks want to organise themselves or not. right to do so in an organised relation to the labour movemen elementary requirement of socialists.
Alliance
Photo: JOHN HARRIS (Report)
These granting of the most elementary demands of self organisation of women and blacks would do far more to bring the Labour Partv into line with the changing composition of the work-
ing class than any
theoretical
demoralisation which is currently ador-
ning the pages of Marxism Today, New Socialist and other journals.
Fifthly the party must build a mass
youth organisation. Here the complete
inability of Militant to build on the huge potentla
young people was shown more clearly
than ever before at this year's LPYS
conference. After
greatest working class struggle outside the war for sixty years the LPYS emerged
smaller than it was before!
The reason for this complete failure
is the politics of Militant itself. Militant
loathed the politics which emerged in
the miners strike.
women's self-organisation, self-organisation, the
united
work.
The entire strike went in the op-
posite direction to that which Militant
sees the class struggle going in. As the strike intensified it saw not an increased
concentration on economic questions
but the struggle turning into a 'carnival
of the oppressed'. It saw the emergence
of a lett wing of the labour movement going far to the left of Militant. It is our
of this left wing that a mass LPYS can
be built.
The third key area for the left is that of policy.
disagree with others, of the key policies
which are being put forward by the
whole. direction
going nowhere
tatorship.
the dubious are at.
such as Tony
on the left.
grotesque pap- lent in lne being ongoing basis
its hands.
Support of their
is the most such priorities
miners, against America,
tivity.
amount of the pontificating and
and
among made by the left.
• 12 months of the
in
Taken
They hated the
the black policy non-sectarian front nature of the support
attack in societv.
stitutional ment politics
miners'
We agree with some, and the right, that
Socialist Action 10 May 1985
Campaign group of MPs. Ones we agree with are withdrawal from NATO and nationalisation of land. We do not agree that the police can be democratised — to take another proposal. But the priority given to the debate on policy at
together with support for struggles and increasing the representivity of the party — is we believe entirely correct. All socialist should participate in this vigorously — and that is in the interests of the movement as a
Finally all this poses the question of organisation of the left within the party. Some socialists are at present attemptine to set un lacross the board unified organisation in the party. We believe this is premature - IL iS no where the movement is at. Those attempts which are being made in that
— notably by Labour Herald and Labour Briefing are unfortunately
Labour Herald's analysis is one of ultra-left sectarianism — one based on the idea of an imminent economic collapse coupled with the idea we are living under some torm of authoritarian dic
• This of course does not rule out certain right wing adaptations by
campaign and, coupled with organisational aspects, indicates clearly this campaign is not a serious one for organising the left.
Ultra-left
Labour Briefing likewise has being basing its perspective on a quite ultraleft and exaggerated view of where we
The editorial statement in its May issue also seems to fall into a sec tarian project of calling for a candidate
Benn running against Kinnock. This is made clearly explicit in a letter circulated by Labour Briefing to various newspapers and organisations
The Labour Herald or the Briefing initiatives are sectarian and ultra-left on all these issues. They reflect the fac that we are not at the level or cross sea toral and cross issue organisation of the
labour movement on an
The real priority at the present time Is supporting the struggles which con tinue to break out and developing the various serious single issue campaigns and organisations which have grown in the labour movement. This of course
with defending the political levy, and building the women's. black and youth organisations of the party
There are of course many fields for
single issue campaigning. Top LOUR However defence of victimised and imprisoned
launching a mass : campaign US intervention in Central continuing to build CND building the National Abortion Cam paign, building the Labour Committee on Ireland and similar key areas of ac-
It is in these three fields - supporting all those in struggle against Thatcher, opening up the discussion in the party on policy, campaigning to defend and build up the mass affiliations to
self-organisation within the Laobur Party and labour movement — that the priorities for the labour move. ment lie and where the gains are to be
They do not lie in il lusory views that it is today possible to organise the entire left across the party
sectarian campaigns demanding that someone run against Neil Kinnock for leader of the party.
together these policies amount to the fight for the labour
put forward a hegemonic strategy for society. It is a
which can only be based on defending the interests of those under
It is a policy which transforms the social alliances created in embryo around the miners' strike, for example, into a permanent and in
feature of Labour move • and transmits them to the level of the whole of society and not just that of an individual strike.
It is precisely because during the
strike the Labour movement and working class did show elements of an alternative to the path being follow ed by Kinnock, and because Kinnock himself is going further and further to
diversions of the Ben without Benn' type have beer
Page 8 scan of this page
The nature of World War II
8 WORLD WAR II, whose end in Europe the media celebrating, set the framework of current politics. It was incomparably the greatest armed confliet in human history. But it was also something more. It was the greatest class struggle in the twentieth century. DICK CARTER looks history the newspapers don't tell.
The first problem in approaching World War II is its sheer size. nIty minon acao — tmirty mulon or them in Eastern Europe, three continents, with the greatest number ot beoble under human history it bears the same sort
strike Himalayas do an anthill.
when the great class struggles of the twentieth century are noted, you often are given a list something like Russia in 1917, Germany 1919-23, 1936-38, China in 1946-49 etc. World War Il, while absent from the standard agendas, LUNCA these in terms of its impact on world politics.
The immediate origins of the great conflagration of 1939-45 lay in the unfinished business of 1914-18. World War I the combined power of Britain, France and above United States, defeated Germany in a straightforward inter-imperialist war:
World War II was a direct continuation of this inter-imperialist struggle. this second however the two chief imperialist antagonists, Germany and the United States, were much more counterposed. Hitler rapidly crushed France and would easily defeated Britain without the support the latter received from the US from 1939 onwards. From the point of view of inter-imperialist struggle the entire period has rightly been entitled 'the struggle for world supremacy between Germany and the United States 1914 45'. All other forces, including Britain, essentially termediaries in that clash.
In Asia the United States fought it out directly with Japan. Through a war in which it smashed its imperialist opponents; Lue States emerged in 1945 as the greatest capitalist state in the world.
But at the very moment of its triumph the United States found its
Mao Tse-tung power threatened by the two fundamental forces which, hination. rapid defeat of Nazi Germany and Japan. They were the struggle waged
he L'SSR on the one hand and that : the people of Asia -
led by the Chinese Communist Party — on the other.
Indeed, in a military sense it may ie said that the outcome of War II was in a sense aiready decided in he period 1931-39. irategic dection of the war was thai a: Japan no::= crack the L'SSR from Se car e Hier simultanecesis
Socialist Action 10 May 1985
entire world
at
With
with war on
ALEIS
that the
Spain
Yet
UVCI all
In
all the
conflict
directly
have
assaulted it from the west.
by Germany. inthe more profound
•United those transferred from
army in China. was the
munist Party, that saved the
China which its armed forces.
forced secondary while its main armies were trated in the campaigns in China.
for the control of Chin Asia. But in the ple defeated both of then the crushing defeats St ed on the l
Led by the Chines saved despite the Chinese revolution , in their com-
whole post-war world. above all the The
VLLOr
revolutionary capitalism World
The greatest
Alf the the Snviet Union had been forced in 1941
almost certainly have been defeated
Even purely militarily, let alone economic and Tae Soviet divisions which in 1941 threw back the German armies at the gates of Moscow, were ed in
June castan borders of the USSR where they had previously been facing the Japanese
war in China, spearheaded by the Chinese Com-
CILIDICS USSR tom a war on two Ironis and tnereds conclusively decided the outcome of World War II. Japanese imperialism could not strike westward and northwards into the USSR because its armies were bogged down in a war in
absorbed two thirds of Even the war with the United States in the Pacific was, in terms of the forces committed, an en-
effort for Japan concen-
The war in the Pacific was waged between Japan and the United States
and -east Chinese peoWhereas fold.
the 1920s and 1930s led directly to
Lenin.
from defeat mas ve setback the had suffered at Stalin's hands in 1926-27. Out of the combined victory of China and the USSR flowed the entire course not jority simply of the war itself but of the
of the USSR Europe decisively made possible the
overthrow in Yugoslavia and the subsequent destruction of capitalist
- and installed a bureaucratic branny in the new workers' states of Easter Europe — but the victory of
USSR in walt decisively strengthened the working class movement throughout the world.
In Asia the Chinese Communist Party emerged from the struggle with Japan ruling one third of the country and with an army which succeeded in destroying that of Chiang Kai-shek in the four years of civil war that follow-
1945. The Chinese workers' state then fought to a halt the US armies in Korea.
To the south of China the initial victories of Japan struck devastating blow against the Asian
Britain, •France Holland. Out of the first victories of an Asian power over the white im perialisms of Europe rose an immense wave of crisis and revolt. By the end of the war it was clear the British
augurating 'decolonisation of the post period. By 1945 the Vietnamese Communist Party could launch the thirty years of war that led it to defeat first French and then US imperialism
The victory of the USSR, the vic tory of the Chinese revolution, successive victories of the revolution
Indochina world
allowed the revolutions first in Cuba and then in Central America to un
. World War II provided the basis of all that followed it It was an extraordinary realisation of
before In his words, analysis, the outcome of the struggle (for socialism) will be determined by the fact that Russia, India, China etc account for the overwhelming majority of the population of the globe. And during the past few years it is this ma-
that has been drawn into the for emancipation with extraordinary rapidity, that in this respect there cannot be the slightest doubt what the final outcome of the world struggle will be
World War II, and the struggle which it propelled, and which succeeded it, was the greatest confirmation in history of this perspective. The west European working class proved incapable of defeating fascism.
Soviet working class, and
working class and peasants of China and Asia, proved capable of smashing to pieces German fascism, Japanese militarism, march of the United States.
But there was perspective with shattering clarity by World War Il in addition to Lenin. This was Leon Trotsky.
In 1933, at the moment of the rise to power of Hitler, Trotsky drew two fundamental conclusions. Firstly that the victorv of fascism under Hitle meant inevitable war between Gerand Illally
state which had utterly own working class could risk war with the Soviet Union. Furthermore that this war would bring revolution in its wake The second conclusion of Trotsky, the most shattering at the time war was his conclusion that the policy o
the Soviet bureaucracy in permitting Hitler to come to power represented the definitive end of its role as an instrument of world revolution - that world socialist revolution from then the take place
bureaucracy This conclusion, which led Trotsky to launch the Fourth tional, appeared bizarre at a moment when Stalin stood at the height of his prestigrats in Britain. such as Saca prestige the Webbs, and the New Statesman last were singing the praises of the Soviet
leadership Yet Trotsky was proved entirely correct in his overall perspective -although the time scale involved was far longer, and the forms more complexithan he had forseen.
The L'SSR was World War Il not because of but despite Stalin. It was Stalin's policies which permitted Hitler to come to power, which allowed the defeat of the revolution in working finally led to the Soviet Union bein
But followed the policies urged on ir b the Stalin. rather than those of Mao Ise
Stung, destroyed
and then the triumphant the
another socialist was confirmed and Where
working class
crushed its had torsee
day the only
Interna-
when self-styled Latin America.
point,
victorious in
Spain and of the class in France, and which
Fo:
International
The Soviet Army outside the Reichstag
the USSR would have beer
It was only through breaking with
orientation demanded by the Soviet bureaucracy that each of the World War II — Yugoslavia, China,
Vietnam were achieved. the line of Stalin and the Soviet bureaucracy was followed as in France, italy, and Greece — the result was either catastrophic missed. opportunity or crushing defeat of the
The later revolutions in Cuba and Nicaragua dia not tionally take place through the Communist Parties. In Cuba the Communist Party backed the revolution only at the last moment. In Nicaragua the FSLN triumphed independently of the Communist Party
While the forms of development were far more complex than Trotsky
- in particular he ha not imagined that certain of the Com munist Parties could break with the line of Moscow - nevertheless his
historical perspective triumphantly confirmed. The Fourth International which he founded is to.
• international revolutionary organisation in the world and one with by far the largest number of revolutionaries within it in the imperialist countries well as a definite, and growing, influence in
Trotsky's perspective was confirmed in this field as well -although again on a time scale to the one he had imagined. different
But, to return to our starting
the celebrations of the press this week are besides the point. The! are largely concentrating on what was
the small campaign in western Europe waged by Britain and the United States which never absorb ed even a third of the German army. The real World War II - the one waged in the USSR and Asia - ha: only a few marginal gestures made to it in the celebrations. The sheer scale of what took place still makes it hard for sections of the left to grasp the magnitude of those years
1939-45 took place the greates single class struggle in human
. The Second World War.
Page 9 scan of this page
The Grenadian
Surplus Value
THE FOLLOWING is an open letter by DON ROJAS on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the 13 March 1979, Revolution. At the time of the overthrow of the revolutionary government in October 1983, Rojas was press secretary to prime minister Maurice Bishop. He was
member of the Movement and had served as editor of Grenada's weekly Free West Indian. It is a major contribution to the debate on the Grenadan revolution.
DEAR friends, sisters and brothers, and comrades,
March 13, 1985, marks the sixth anniversary of that glorious Tuesday in 19T when the made its dramatic entry onto the stage of world history. October 19, 1983 'Bloody Wednesday known — marked the betrayal and overthrow of ths same revolution, serving up Grenada on silver platter to the invading occupation forces of US imperialism.
Both events will always remembered as immensely significant dates world calendar. This month's sixth anniversary should be a time to celebrate the Grenada revolution's ments. to reattirm to struggle against the US occupation,
lessons to be learned by fighters for national noeramon and socialismn the Caribbean and around the world.
Six years ago, the Grenadian people, CASUIL resistance unprecedented history of English-speaking bean call of the New Jewel Movement led by Maurice Bishop ellect region's most fundamental with imperialism since the revolution in 1959.
On 19 October 1983, these same Grenadian workers. farmers. women. and youth, in another massive movement of resistance involving a third of the island's population, rose up to free their revolution's leader Maurice Bishop from nouse arrest, and were brutally gunned down under the command of the New Jewel Movement's central which had been hijacked by Bernard Coard and his gang of ultra-leftists and opportunists. This infamous act of counterrevolution opened the door for the equally infamous Yankee invasion October, which drove the last nail into the coffin of the revolution's corpse. Clear
On the occasion of this sixth anniversary we must sing out loud the manifold achievements Grenada revolution, lest they be lost in a maze of imperialist misinformation, or forgotten amidst pressures of our daily struggles. We must remind ourselves, and remind all peace and freedom-loving humanity, that it was the revolution that brought democratic rights, national sovereignty, economic justice, and social progress the working Grenada.
It was the revolution that enabled the national economy to grow by 12.5 per cent over three vears, it was the revolution that reduced ment from 50 per cent to 14 per cent, that introduced free secondary education and free medical care, and that provided scores of university scholarships for talented young Grenadians o sit doora n was merevonon that stimulated the unionisation of Grenadian workers, that called on women to step forward to take their rightful place as social and economic equals laws to protect and advance the interests or working larmels, ulal rasca the incomes of agricultural workers, that drastically reduced crime.
It was the revolution that allowed sports and culture to blossom. the revolution that built the Maurice Bishop International Airport,
Grenada
New Jewel as it is now
be
revolutionary
accomplish-
LuTe
unified the Caribheeded the
LINe break Cuban
projects.
popular mass women, youth, farmers, ren. was troops try's
committee, mechanisms to increase
then or a national revolution,
superior farce that today,
democracy in Grenada.
These are Just material achievements that
of the
the and country;
ternationalist
people of owners of their
destiny
unemploy- tionary
Bishop and his close comrades. Divide
widespread
Tammersn
that adopted
Galle
tion of giants'.
It was Unemployment now
and cupied
RAY GUN
GRENADA
that invested millions of dollars in other maior economic development yCal.
again
It was the revolution that created
organisations of and childthe revolution that established councils in all the coun-
the regular and direct participation of the people in running the country's attairs. was the revolution that involved the masses, for the first time in the history of the Caribbean, in the formulation
budget. was the in short, that initiated a
pro superior tiny camontary
palanculary propped up by Washington, has falsely laid claim to for
La few of the
joyously recall on this occasion. But and we must also celebrate the intangibles,
spiritual achievements Grenadian people: their pride in self
their self-confidence and hope; their high national and in-
consciousness; their collective sense of belonging, ot barticipating, of involving themselves in their nation's attairs, their sense of feeling genuinely sovereign, of being
country and its resources, of being masters of their
— all of which were so eloDCIsonified and inspired by the revolu-
commitment Maurice
Today, however, the workers and
longer hold power Grenada, although the spirit of their revolution is very much alive. Today, in the absence of the revolutionary
hardship, misery, nobelessness nave returned to what a Cuban friend of mine once described as 'the small na-
stands at more than 40 per cent in militarily oc-
Grenada and little no tion,
ANDS OF
Don Rojas on
revolution
economic growth is expected this
Prostitution is ramoant once Drug abuse is on the rise. Social services are deplorable. socio-economic programs of revolution, which once delivered benefits to the working people, are things of the past.
The of production that were once owned by the people's state have been sold to local and foreign CaDilallsLs. The government ment code and the structure of import duties and tariffs have been revised to make it easier for foreign capital to penetrate the economy and substandard North American imports to be dumped on the local market The much ballyhooed financial aid from the USA has resulted in millions
training and equipping military and paramilitary police and counterinsurgency forces, with only pennies for infrastructural projects
social welfare programmes Austerity is the order of the day and greater political and economic subordination to imperialism is the guiding principle.
Legacy
Herbert Blaize and the other neocolonial puppet politicians put into office through the rigged elections last 3 December today govern at the dictates of Washington. 'Restoration
democracy Reagan-style, meant increased human rights violations, the banning of democratic mass
the elimination councils of people's power, the waging of psychological warfare and anticommunist campaigns, harassment of le progressive anu pamonie loices and CIA penetration of the unions.
We could go on at length chronicl1ng ine systematic and deliberate reversal of the gains of the Grenada
the neocolonisation imposed by perialism is consolidated in the once free and proud country of Grenada.
On this sixth anniversary of the March 1979 victory, however, we also must review some of the lessons to be learned from the demise of the revolu-
important lessons for
gressive, democratic bionary around the world. Over the past year and a half, new questions have arisen the and fresh insights have emerged to
enlighten our analysis. Such a discussion is not a useless exercise in 'armchairism', to coin
against the imperialist occupation of Grenada and the escalating attacks on the rights and living standards of its people. Instead, should be seen as necessary for the clarification of political theory and for strategy on
revoluta fighting workers and farmers must be grounded.
the
take issue with those political currents in Britain, North America, Caribbean who have embarked on a campaign to rewrite the history of the revolution's collapse. I am referring to the advocates are-to-be-blamed' explanation, which purports to lay for the crisis of October Maurice Bishop and his allies on the one hand, and Bernard Coard and his supporters on the other. Such an explanation patently misleading. Those who are peddling it today deliberately distort the facts, with the real motive of rehabilitating the discredited Coardites, who are the true architects of the revolution's collapse.
Since mid-1984 these have stepped up their campaign of misinformation in Britain and North America through articles in various left wing publications, through their •WIl leaflets through speaking launched Human Rights in Grenada and Committees to Free the Political Prisoners of in Grenada with the purpose of conim- fusing and deceiving the ill-informed,
and manipulatill. timents of supporters of the Grenada revolution and opponents of the US
Behind human riglils pro- supporters argue that revolutionaries
Socialist Action 10 May 1985 Liam James, Cornwall,
Supporters
'patriotic paign for supportable. however,
Photo: GM COOKSON
head.
communists Selfish
authority
the
tion
Rupert by and revoluforces in the Caribbean and house arrest.
patriots
La phrase, or ongoing struggle
this discussion
which the present and
pracuct denied
As a point of departure, I want to
and the
of 19 October
of the 'both-sides-
equal responsibility 1983 on Coard,
captured
false and the RMC
fighting, soldiers
elements day,
Come'.
and brochures, and
tours. They , have so-called Committee
Don Rojas' the genuine sen Socialist
the smokescreen of this
campaign, Coard's Revolution.
and democrats the world over mus defend Bernard and Phyllis Coard Hudson Austin, Selwyn Strachan,
Ewart Layne, Leon John Ventour and the other traitors currently facing trial it Grenada, because they cannot receiv a 'free and fair trial' in the present cir cumstances of the US occupation
Fi of this campaign incor rectly describe these individuals as thi
political prisoners', stress that defending them is tanta mount to opposing the imperialist or cupation and puppet government.
Since all the contradictions relate to this trial are not clearly perceptibl on the surface, such an argument ca appear to be persuasive, and the cam
'human rights' therefore Such is premised on the fundamental misconception that to de fend the Coardites is to defend revolutionaries facing an imperialist frame-up. This puts reality on its
By their counterrevolutionary actions of October 1983, the Coardites have absolutely no claim to be considered revolutionaries; socialist and
judge these individuals not by their words but by their deeds, which are indefensible. What are the facts!
First of all, Coard and his gang atrested Maurice Bishon and a numbe of his key allies without the consent or
01 members of the New Jewel Movement, and against the will Grenada's working people. On 19 October 1983 the Coard faction, which had taken
NJM central committee, ordered the cold-blooded assassina-
of Maurice Bishop Unison Whiteman, Jacqueline Creft, Fitzroy Bain, and other Grenadian revolutionaries who had been taken to Fort
the jubilant masses after they had liberated Bishop from his
On the same day the Coardites massacred dozens of other Grenadian
who were gathered at Fort Rupert. The soldiers who carried out the dastard v crimes were subsecuent ly applauded publicly by Coard's so-called central committee and Revolu-
Military Council' (RMC), whose members were hiding out a Fort Frederick.
Over Radio Free Grenada on th night of 19 October Hudson Austi he unal bishop alla bic Oluel lally were killed in a crossfire instigated by Bishop supporters at Fort Rupert. He
that Bishop had ever been under house arrest, and spread the slander that Bishop was in league with "counterrevolutionaries'.
The RMC imposed a _24-hour shoot-on-sight curfew of the entire Grenadian population from the night
right up to the da! before the Yankee invasion
Moreover, while the RMC caller on the Grenadian people to lay down their lives to resist the US invasion
Strachan, James, and the others, who were all well-armed, were captout a fight. The 16 members of Yankee invaders
cowardly abandoned their troops after the first two days of
leaving young Grenadian •leaderless to heroically de fend their homeland with their live and their blood. Not a single member of the RMC was killed in battle. To-
Grenadian folk humour has reformulated the acronym 'RMC' to
'Run when the Marines
These are some of the facts. Thes are some of the unforgivable crimes.
• Reprinted above is the first part o
Next week Actin will reprint the final the goint leedeetier which teres up
"joint leadership' arguments of the Coardites and their apologists, their bureaucratic methods and examines the lessons of the Russian
Page 10 scan of this page
McDonnell: "No rate - only option"
Setback for Newham Nalgo
10 CRITICISMS OF the left leaders of Labour Councils abound in the left press because of the failure of key figures like Ken Livingstone at the GLC to put words into action and actually lead the fight against Jenkins ratecapping legislation by refusing to set a ralk.
to set a rate it's clear that not only have individual council leaders ducked the fight but the strategy decided upon by leaders of this battle was itself flawed. The key mistake made was to try and unite councils and councillors who were not prepared to fight
Labour to stay in office and make cuts the left bent to this line and replaced refusing to make a rate with deferring the decision to set a rate.
and fudge and allow the right in the councils and
now remains in the hands of the unions whether
McDonnell one of the councillors at the GLC who voted to defer setting a rate on 7 March.
Group at County Hall on 7:
We always knew it would
the
that allowed the Tories to
labour right in the group.
had held tirm we would THE FIGHT to reinstate three residential social workers sacked by Newham Labour Council for attending a union meeting, received a setback on the 1 May when a mass meeting voted by 700 to 200 that the NALGO branch should ballot on the question of all-out strike action if the three are not reinstated. The motion was moved by the right wing to undermine the strike by 200 workers who were calling for all-out action from the meeting.
Whilst actively preventing some low-paid members from attending. the council LAC majority NALGO
By Carolyn Sikorski
members paid time off to attend. This move contrasts with their refusal to she riges to meet, a rerusal residential workers which led to the sackings.
Straight after the meeting the strikers discussed their position, and censured the branch SCrECtarY putting the ballot motion before that of the branch committee which called
Speakers: Tony Benn, Kay Sutcliffe,
Socialist Action 10 May 1985 But as council after council crumbles and agrees As Kinnock and Cunningham campaigned for
The no rate option became an excuse to delay councillors to counter attack. In many authorities it Z
Valerie Coultas discussed these issues with John
WItn
Over IOw
, IEA and all oter
made in February was a se-
La budget that would bring Lien UNLO for immediate action.
It was decided to return to work rather than remain isolated, but campaign Group' to meet regularly around the sackings and other attacks on the union.
This attack оп Newham NALGO is reverberating around the local labour movement of NALGO's right to organise, and pardemand port from the Labour Parbringing political positions sharply into just around Labour group elections and reselection candidates for next years local
Labour Briefing Public Meeting
'Rebuilding the Left'
Wednesday 15 May, 7.30
Sharon Atkin, Sarah Roelofs Room 143 County Hall, London SEI
which they did
On March the GLO and I.EA would refuse to set a rate and then the
boroughs Talecapped would pass a motion, the same as Liverpool's last year, that would bring them into legal jeopardy about five or six weeks later.
Because the GLC and ILEA have a legal deadline lo set a rale we knew would be at the front line of the others. But never-
CUTS
HIT THE
ago INE elections. The majority of 'left' councillors joined in the attack on NALGO, in elections in the group elections, which the left порей, Iol Lee rounde to win the key positions of Leader and Chair of Per sonnel, plus consolidating their hold on the chairs o several other committees.
The price was the three sackings, disciplining and possible sacking of six social services shop stewards, and a total clampdown U1l the ability of NALGO members to organise. As
theless we made the agreement in February that this was the line to be pursued whatever the odds.
But wasn't the agreement that was made in February
the Association Labour Authorities (ALA) one that would unite soft councils with those that would take a hard line on a position that could be interpreted as simply putting off the fight. Wasn't there a position put there by Ted
NORE ста- CUT not go
USS MEAN WE CUN
QUE the largest and HOL OU gressive of the local authority unions NALGO would then be unable to ong. The prize would be That as a prized The prize would
for succeeding WIleTe right had failed in breaking up NALGO the key positions given to rou the would be
the left by the right.
Of course it did noi work out that way. In fact the right has consolidated its position in the crucial year leading ing 1986. Within the Party itself the Militant tendency
Knight not to refuse to set a rate but instead to defer
Ted Knight didn't tervene on this. We knew that no matter what form of the motion was agreed that it would be construed as illegal.
But isn't there a difference between deferring the decision and refusing to set a rate?
No it's completely up to
UTS
YOURS
VIE HE
SICK
has placed itself squarely in the middle of the attack on NALGO with an eye to winning, for the first time support for Militant didates as councillors
Militant has entered into an unholy alliance with the right of the Party and IALUU against the leadership of the social sermittee and the NALGO
NICE UN are the leadership. The dif ferentiation in the labour movement in the wake of the miners' strike has hit Newham with vengeance.
the District Auditor.
But no council has yet refused to set a rate have they?
The
legal challenge anyway.
Leicester, Lewisham and have set a legal rate Cancell Greewich Southwark Sheffield. Hackney Islington have not.
Hackney's legal
have gone These councillors are sur
Returning to the GLC
boroughs
taken a stand
but now agreement
Who this legal?
outlined had used last year.
Southwark
tempt to set a legal cuts rate failed.
This Labour councillors
rate capping legislation.
Southwark Council's joint Shop Stewards Committee has been reconvened for the first time in many years and organised a successful occupation of
By Eileen Stanford
the Town Hall on April 26, which prevented the Council meeting.
The Council adjourned 'tit May Day when Town Hall unions organised a mass rally with speakers from neighbouring Lambeth unions, London Bridge. Liverpool council and the NUM and then preceded to pack the Council Chamber.
from
weleration: unions, Labour Party and
Women's and Black Sections, and local com-
the 24 'scab' Labour councillors with no doubt about their treachery and demanded 'no compliance
cap-legislation, scab councillors resign!'
The arrival of Lambeth Council leader, Ted Knight, brought a standing ovation from the packed chamber while unions and left counciliors reiterated how a legal rate
News
motions.
Is it your view that when
the crunch comes a council
like Lambeth will continue
to fight on 15 May! The!
only have a majority of
On 15 May and after when
the District Audilo
decides to move againsi
local authorities a number
will have majorities in
council chamber and stand
firm
Others will have very
small majorities and
large part of the burde
will fall on the trade
LITON and the labour
movement generally to en
sure they stand firm
In Southwark the left
have fought off the right
They occupied the first
council meeting and talked
out the right's proposal at
the second council meeting
last week.
Comparing the stand of
the Labour council
against
miners against Thatcher
the halance sheet isn't so
good. Don't you have any
doubts about the strateg.
the left adopted?
I don't have any doubts
about the strategy. There
valua
but to stand and fight.
Deficit budgeting
creative accounting or ac-
WU|l
have simply meant defeat.
Not setting a rate was the
only opportunity we had
to seek to fight.
occupation stops
rate being set
TRADE UNIONISTS left Southwark Town Hall united and triumphant on May Day. For the second time in a week, the Labour controlled council's at-
was no thanks to the slim majority of 24 of whom have now capitulated after two months standing firm against
no rate 23 Labour
Southwark
opposition members
VOLeO cuts
awaited
Southwark For
cannot
support councillors
determined rate
capping, must be
building
strike ac-
other
and build necessary
tor unions.
For
coun defied
to explain
ple, firm with
council and
demanding rational
Page 11 scan of this page
News
hoto: LAURENCE SPARHAM (IFL
THE LABOUR Party National Executive Committee has continued to step up its attacks on black sections. A loyalty now been sent to members of lewisham East Labour Party's general manage-
committee, who have involved black sertion delegates in their parliamentary candidate selection process.
The oath reads 'I accept and will conform to the
programme and policy the Labour Party and the rules of the Lewisham East
ty'. Only delegates to the general management committee who sign this oath will be allowea to vote in TWO RECURRENT teachers' campaign in Scotland — both inside and outside education circles government have crushed the miners, then they'll take on the teachers' and if the miners can't defeat this government what chance have teachers got?'. The miners' strike, was essentially about jobs, the teachers' about an independent pay review. Do these disputes have anything in common?
Like the miners, teachers in England and Wales well Scotland — are in direct confrontation with the
Whilst authorities are e local authorities, purse strings are controlled by central government.
The NUM had massive SUODUTI from their membership, as have two of the Scottish teaching unions. There are four
EIS (the biggest), SSTA (secondary only), SSA (linked with NAS England) and PAT, whose only policy is never The EIS and SSTA campaign has been backed ov whelming number of
Attack on Black
Sections continues
the selection conference
on May 10th.
This move is as gooc
an advert for the Labou
as President Reagan's visit
Loe cemetery!
The NEC has deliberately
provoked this situation us-
ing bureaucratic means in-
stead discussing
political differences.
By Chris Khamis,
Black Sections Steering
Citee (Pers Cap)
Such a discussion can
be held when the NEC
WIll blacks'
involvement in the Labour
Instead we have this
ridiculous loyalty oath
Scots teachers draw the lessons
of the miners' strike
comments during the
have been 'when the
teachers who 'would never
have dreamt of going on
strike before'.
Like the miners, we
have failed • lo gel more
than token support from
trade union move-
By Sheila Maher
The teachers dispute in
Scotland is also pro-
tracted affair. It is now a
year since the action
began, and it certainly
looks like continuing. for
sule til. are reminentation in
August 1985.
So there are similarities
between the miners' and
which many I bour Party leaders could not honestly sign.
Meanwhile opposition NO s moves broadening beyond Lewisham Hast. Vauxhal Labour Party has involved black section delegates 11 the selection of a black candidate, Boreland, to stand in GLC by-election. Nor-
delay its selection so that black section delegates can be involved in the process.
The Black Section national committee has call-
on other CLPs follow the Norwood exam. ple. These selection pro COSE can be delaved unti after the October Labour Party conference to give the party chance to change its rules. But one the teachers disputes. But there are also a great many differences.
First, many teachers, whether we like it or not, do see themselves 'professionals' Their case for more pay depends on this, since they can then compare themselves other 'professional' groups such as the police or lawyers.
The miners' strike had a major unifying theme -Coal not Dole. This is not so in the teachers dispute.
Three main reasons for the dispute are emerging. Many teachers feel that 'professionals' lney should command a salary in line with other sionals and are therefore lighting for more money
second group, cluding many older teachers, have quite simply had enough. The pressure
working in a system with corporal punishment
rigid disciplines of days gone by, has combined with an enormous increase
thing must be made clear
there can be no com-
the rient of black people in the Labour Party themselves and speak for themselves.
The Black Sections national committee has also
CLPs and afcalled filiated organisations send resolutions against the loyalty the NEC and called on it to stop its mad black bashing course.
black sections should now be taken into the unions. Resolutions should be sent ions and COPs must seco support black prepare for Labour Party conference heartedly activists within the party. workload. smallest
but about
public the
cutting The
Class sizes buildings not being kept in
_parLIcular such as
dispute has united groups
Call. paign,
What done is to
economic strategy.
Only a
in NCU
political objectives?
of Commons.'
The National Communications Union Engineering Group (formerly the Post Office Engineering Union) will be holding its ballot whether its political last two weeks Above is a sample of the kind campaign the union is running to get a yes vote.
decided on a 'low profile' Calludel! based strategy of 'if we don't let the press know we're having our ballot they won't have got round to campaigning for people to vote No' So low is the prone unal orancnes were not told the week before Haster that ther had less than two months to campaign in.
And of course it was pie in the sky to think the press wouldn't notice. The vote no campaign is wel under way in the pages of the Sun and the Mail.
Many must have wondered why the allegations of ballot rigg ing in the TGWU, which nave for nearly a year, have onIv iust surfaced now. at thi beginning of many unions' campaigns on the Political Fund.
The NCU campaign to 'Keep Our Voice Parliament Is a piece of avoiding the issue. The literature put out to the membership contains not a single reference the Labour Party - to dent that the ballot is to do with Labour Party affiliation'
Instead, we are toid, "The ballot is simply on whether we have political objectives. Who we afmulate to is a separate dec ision for annual conferadhering to conference policies.
CLPD says: 'The Thatcher government is at last becoming discredited ¿ long sees of aali-social and anti-working class
is beginning to reap its bitter harvest
*Towards CIl of the miners' strike the public •opinion polls, which have long shown a seemingly unassailable Tory steady of Tory support. Many yoters were clearly put off by Thatcher's vindictive attitude, and her victory over the miners may well turn out to be hollow.
At the same time Labour's support has been picking up. However the fact that there has been little change in how people see the Labour Party — as
Socialist Action 10 May 1985
Low profile
'QUESTION: WHAT in precise terms are our
Answer: Our main political objective is to have a Voice in Parliament — representation in the House
Formally speaking this is true. But as well as being seel extremely dishonest by the memberportunity so plain one portunity explain the UCIWECI and the Labour Party, and to generally raise the ques politics in a fairl apolitical union.
answer difficult which
*The tie Party is
Party that we secure
future the
Girobank.' the activists couldn't
answer is no because 'the
(neither Conser. vatives!)'.
FOR A VOICE IN PARLIAMENT
oppose Government
campaigning and industrial action
with the third choice.
ordinator through your Branch officers.
CLPD backs miners
THE CAMPAIGN for Labour Party Democracy's May newsletter is hot off the presses with suggested resolutions for this year's annual party conference •.. and they've hit the nail right on the head! One suggestion is a resolution confirming party support for 'the miners' heroic struggle against pit closures' and demanding Labour improve its credibility by
opposed to how they suggest. that it is the government rather than the Pariamen. tary Labour Party which deserves Welli Labour's improved show''The shadow cabinet's efforts to distance itself from the strike hardly proved the electoral pooline the front bench expected. while tack on Labour MPs who stuck up for the miners merely tarnished Labour's image.
Unless the advice to the party leadership to take a clearer. campaigning stand for party policies is heeded, CLPD's optimism that the next election could well return Labour
11 Tories because they don't want us
Since the question is being raised, many people are thinking about the link between and the Labour Party would good campaign
have built on this. The ballot is a missed opportunity to get the membership more actively involv-
ed in the union and the Labour Party
Apparently we have seen cleariy that having VOCA I parnamen lesel.
much more effective than Call Daleill 'various forms' outside it Our sponsored MPs are doing a grand job, 'often behind the scenes' where of course, the membershir can't go and so needn't get involved.
Instead of educating the
membership unal in dustrial action is going to
essenta defend ourselves against job loss. the NEC tries to persuade LIS parliament we will be able that with a voice
avoid action. Rather than campaign on the real importance of the link between the Labour party and
thes try ante blackmail us that without a yes VULC we will be left primarily with the choice of industrial action'. Bridget Elton London City NCU (personal capacity)
AND YOU THINK I SHOULD VOTE 'YES
YES
In the past few years the Union has sought to
pronged canaign-Parliamentary pressure. policies with a three
Without a YES vote we will be primarily left
If you wish to help in the campaign to ensure a
YES vote, you can contact your POEU co-
government may prove unfounded.
Other suggested resolutions include:
lays em id bitempts to
lays meddle with reselectior procedures; • that votes at the weekly meetings of the PLP b minuted and made avai
• in favour of black sec tions right women's conference elect their NEC members, well as substantial HALL affiliations frot black and woments
Now's the time for pa
resolutions to this y conference. They cou
moreold st st with
L D's latest ne esiente hold copy • Copies of the newster ter • and further informa
on resolutions available from: Vladimir Derer, secretary CLPD, 10
Drive Londor NWIl; or phone 01-45 1501.
Page 12 scan of this page
against apartheid
ticularly on Namibia, South Africa's own internal stability and its international relations.
The cosmetic reforms on mixed marriages and the granting of bail on Friday to five of the opposition leaders known as the 'Durban and eleven
United Democratic Front leaders charged with treason, are all signs of this pressure.
The mobilisations of blacks South Africa, however, continue to threaten the stability of the regime.
The mass turnout of blacks occurs in the context of high levels of inflation, a foreign exchange crisis and a dramatic fall in the value of the Rand.
The result is savage atthe living standards of the black population who are being made to
Pace of the continued
continued HelenanCE military and security apDal alus
By Graham Topley
The determination of the people of South Africa
fight back has been
This must be matched by worid-wide
express the interna¡iona opposition to apartheid and increase its isolation
particularly compliant with the racist South African regime. There has been no let up in
Photo: COLIN HEADWORTH
financially or politically in apartheid, clearly shown by the visit of Kola mere a year.
Since then in response anti-apartheid activities have been stepped up. Regular pickets are being neld the South African embassy on
The Anti-Apartheid Movement nas now called a series of events based around its 10 point programme of action, as direct response to CrISiS. The actions will culminate in national demonstration on Sunday 16 June in London around
police killings and the demand the British
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SOCiALiSE
ACTION
THE RACIST apartheid regime is currently suffering a severe political and economic crisis. Under this pressure, contradictory policies are emerging, par-
The apartheid regime Dennis Worral, South African ambassador Britain claims the murders of blacks are 'inevitable in a period of reform'. Leaving aside the fact they have yet to seriously appear how can there be talk o reforms when South Africa still illegally SOLIDAR
HITH
SWAPO,
cupies Namibia and when Mandela is still in jail?
Reagan, typically, goes further and talks of want the violent overthrow of apartheid' eftective v condoning the violent maintenance of apartheid.
Now Britain even more vital that all out
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support and solidarity is shown with those fighting apartnela labour movement activists and those concerned with acting against the racist apartheid state should step up the solidarity activities and mobilising now for the demonstration June.
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Demonstrate
АЦИА
FORWARD
TO FREEDOM
TRI IN NAMIBIA AN AND
SOUTH
AS WE go to press the
frame up trial of Reg-
inald Hancock, Russell
Shankland, and Ant-
hony Williams for the
murder of South Wales
taxi driver David Wilkie
has started. It is likely
to be one of the greatest
carnivals of reaction of
the entire miners'
strike.
The facts are simple
The police have made no
investigation of who was
responsible for killing
strikers David Jones
Joe Green. There will be
no trial of MacGregor and
Thatcher — whose policies
bear the direct
sibility for the deaths of
the miners killed searching
for coal on tips during the
strike.
There will be no trial
either for those who are
now trying to make 700
SOLIDARITY
FORWARD TO FREEDOM IN NAMIBIA AND
SOUTH AFRICA!
Frame-up
trial starts
miners suffer a lifetime of
unemployment. No trial
for those who create four
million unemployed
WALE deaths,
misery, and human suffer-
Ing that go with it. No tria
Thatcher who waged children with her
cuts in DHSS and attempts
force miners back to
work through starvation.
Welsh
The only trial that will
take place is to bring the
full weight of the law
against three Welsh
miners. There the law, and
the hyena's of the media.
want their full pound of
flesh -and more
The prosecutor has
already told the jury to
'forget the miners strike'
- that is to forget the fight
of people their
Anti Apartheid calls national
demonstration
The Anti Apartheid Movement's national committee has
decided on a programme of action, ending in a national
demonstration on Sunday 16 June. The theme will be an
end to the police killings and a demand for the British
government to act against the apartheid regime.
SOLIDARITY
NG. WITH
SWAPO!
and communities, forget the brutality of the police, forget the butchery of people and livelihoods by MacGregor. short forget the real world The prosecution has already rejected a plea of manslaughter by Reginald Hancock and demands the charge of murder, It intends to crush and terrify three mind the their families, union movement. Meanwhile real mass murderers the Thatchers and the MacGregors will 1 walk the streets as citizens.
LEIS trial in South Wales is a monstrous frame up ol Class Jusuce keg inald Hancock, Russel Shank and and Anthony Williams are prisoners of the class wat They should be defended by the entire labour movement as such.
SOLIDARITA
WITH
ANG!
Defend
Newham
7!
SATURDAY 11 May has been chosen as the day for a national pro. test against racist policing and attacks on black people in Newham.
This follows the
i sprais aron of len
April W IC police brought 3000 dem onstrators to a halt outside Forest Gate police station, stopping the march reachin Upton destination Park where the racist at tacks originally occured.
Police 35
arrestel people-on that march
The headline of the Asian Times 'Britain's pigs in blue' accurately summed up the anger of the black community
A SYPHILE Ipm Plashet Park, Plashet Grove E6 (East underground) 11 May
Picket the Old Bailey, 9.30am 13 May.
← Socialist Action No. 100, 3 May 1985Socialist Action No. 102, 17 May 1985 →