THE REASON tor tne ferocity of local government is not just economic. It is because local government is one of the areas where Labour has built up notable that a higher proportion of people for in local elections than in national ones. In particular local government has been an area where Labour has built support against Lue the Tories, in many big cities, have become fringe group. The evidence is that Labour's support is more readily built up by radical left wing polices than simply. competing for the middle ground.
mean 11UL councils simply projecting a nebulous 'left image' by doesn't cut any Ice. means councils developing clear specific policies and making it clear they intend to carry them through.
Nothing confirms this lesson more strongly than ine most impollant exami ple of radical Labour local government Thatcher the GLC. Indeed much of sent assault Kinnock's complicity in it, designed smash the legacy of the GLC. So it is vital to be clear how popular the GLC was and how much it changed perceptions favour movement.
First the GLC itself directly popular Voting in London tradi tionally matches pretty ex actly national figures. Bu' the GLC consistently built up Labour leads in Lon far exceeding anything nationally.
By September 1984 Labour was four per cent Denunu the Tories tionally, but 28 cent ahead in London Throughout the last uwu years of the GLC its support consistently ran ten to twenty per cent ahead of Labour nationally in the polls.
This support built up.
before the fight underway Ine election the swing to the Tories as whole was 5.2 per cent. In England it was 4.2 per cent. But in the GiC area the • swing was kept down to 3.8 per cent.
other issues pread inte han simply the popularıt of the GLC itself • BI September 1984 support for disarmamenl unilateral nuclear stood at 39 per • tionally but at 44 per cent in London. • Support for subsidised public transport was 10 per cent higher in London than nationally • The view that crime should be dealt with by blems that the social problems cause it was supported by Sl per cent in London compared with only cent tionally. • The 19 per cent national majority in favour of the government's anti-trade union legislation was reduced to seven per cent in London • In London five per cent more thought Labour kept its promises than the national percentage did. Six per cent more people gave their reason for supporting Labour in London as the fact that they liked Labour policies The GLC received support both from inside and outside tradi tional base. Traditional support was shown in the difference the London view on the anti-trade union legislation and the national view There was also remarkable sup Bur Labour also ens deeps. among pensioners into the 'yuppie' vote Alliance had tried to pick up Among 18-34 year old white collar and skilled manual voters, the Tories averaged 28 per cent sup port nationally in But the popularito thetic transomen situation between Labour and the Alliance Nationally 40 per cent of this the Alliance and • 39 per cent supporting Labour and only 30 per cent for the Alliance.
The policies of the GL.C, in short, built on, but did not replace Labour's traditional support. The GLC maintained or increased support on such as fares, opposition to trade union laws disarmament. But also won whole layers which other parts of the country went to the Alliance.
It is this combination of support which explainthe The GLY of the GLC GLC proved support was built more by radical and left wing policies than by simply competing tor right wing middle ground Tished is he Tea that abolished the Thạt is the political reason she is determined to smash popular local government.