THATCHER SAID she needed 'a second, and maybe third' term of office to complete her programme. The package of legislation being served up in this week's Queens Speech at the state opening of parliament makes it clear that the Tories aim to use this decisive blow the workers movement to strengthen policy judicial powers and to weaken the state sector of the economy.
Norman Tebbit will bring forward more trade legislation. While the more extreme idea of ending funding of the altogether is being dropped, measures" very dangerous to the Labour movement being introduced.
Ballots will have to be held every ten years or so whether the should have fund to help finance The Tories will try to ensure that a 'conpolitical levies is introduc- tracting ed.
These measures could lead either to whole unions having to aro affiliation to the Labour Party, or to a big reduction the number of members payIng the political levy.
Either way, the plan aim:
o strike a body blow at the financing of the Labour Police powers will make it easier to scab on strikes Other items of union legislation will include compulsory ballots for strikes and an attack The closed shop TELE the DoES privatise British Telecoms Bill is the fundamental attack into buildings; the ability to hold suspects in police stallolls for UD IO four days and demy suspers a Ltd.... up road blocks for as long they want, even as whole communities think ===70.:
ion and search, includir he age-old right of habe corpus tis were 20: had ed, which will be even 11101. repressive. The Jellicoe Report suggested restrictions the right to demonstrate as well.
A rapid confrontation with the Post Office will develop as the Tories push forward their plan. As POEU members have been reported sent home already for refusing to link up the state system with the private Mercury system The offensive against the nationalised industries will be extended to include ownership of British Airways and parts of the National Bus Company, towards privatisation any part of the transpor system which might be • profitable. A new Housing Bill will be introduced as a • further attack on council - housing WIARD of this pro gramme was not contained the manifesto. With just 42 per cent of the vote, Thatcher has no mandate to launch this fundamental attack on the workers movement liberties movement resistance must include an immediate cam .paign against the police bill and support for POEL resistance to Respectable parliamentary resistance will Do:
S:0D
F YOU ARE speaking about who can speak for Socialist Action 24 June 1983 «DEPENDENCE — SCOTLANDS FUTURE
----- pull-quotes -----
period of government to strike a