the press headlines in the last weeks.
the Labour Party and to SDP-Liberal Alliance.
wing inside the TUC.
An interesting feature of the EETPU-Eddie Shah no-strike last week was the direct role played selling I Bor the SDP. two members Lord Harris of Greenwich, a director of Shah's Messenger group and an SUF member, arranged the meeting between the and Shah through John Grant ex-Labour MP, the EETPU's press officer, and a fellow SDP Michoer The SDP also moved in rapidly to the CADIUIL breakaway from the NUM in Notts. It won two local vall uy-cicciu Mansfield LL U1 Ashfield, following Lynk's Cl1° OI the breakaway. The SDP's policy Wch clear support for Lynk the breakaway.
Finally the also jumped immediately into the fight in the TUC over postal ballots. On Tuesday last week, following up the story of that in the Financial which appeared Times THE BREAKAWAY in Notts, the no-strike deal between the EEPTU and Eddie Shah, and the row in the TUC over the AUEW's acceptance of government funds for postal ballots, have been the rightwing moves in the trade unions which have captured But the TUC's right wing is not just putting forward a policy for the unions. It aims to change the entire relationship of the trade union movement to open up the way for political collaboration between the unions and the JOHN ROSS looks at the political strategy of the Alliance and its links to the development of the right point programme calling industrial attack on pation, an on the political levy ano the in troduction of compulsory secret ballots yeat SDP issued 'Green Paper calling addition for compulsory DECIELDUSI DALIULIOT all internal elections LIDUISUIY ballots before strikes.
In addition to backing these measures long utilis EETPU right wing, the SDP also clearly prioritised a long term strategy of making links with certain leaderships. The SDP recruited as officer Halmos — a member the red. lohn Gran the John Grant MP the same Grant who later set up the deal with Shal became chair of the Association of Socia Democratic Unionists. Grant was long term personal friend of Frank Chapple Duffy and Hammond SINESS SUMMARY should Cand luesday July David Owen Up defel /quot de that he was accepting L post of vice-chair of campaign Earlier 1982 the AUE had considered altering i rules so that it could gi financial backing to no Labour Party MPs.
The most open call all for unions 1 weaken their links wil Labour, however Cone. a centre-page article wr for The Time Jur 1983 with Chapple, usual, being prepared| blaze the way for other:
Chapple argued th the introduction of pr portional representatio would probably mean thi • a socialist - bov erected never elected and that: "I am convince that it will not be lor • before some rank-and-fi members start suggestir G that instead of giving ol to no-hop Labour party, ; donate it to the cause ‹ tion ortonal represent Chapple conclude that "both wings of th movement will have to b mure Hue idc l oerr and that: 'If Lau ul veu consel ly tied to the our members to vote SD or Liberal if they had beller chance of winning Over and over again oL loyalty to Labour let th Tories in on 9 June.
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Electricity prices "to fall steadily'