walters Specifically singled out tor mention as not receivGroup of MPs and Ken arted to nave democr stated it would be finanJohn Grant, the EET fact 10 must be preferred THE IRISH POST, ty below its editorial. for the Irish abroad in 60 years.
STOP which with 76,000 readers is the biggest circulation newspaper of the Irish community in Britain, is urging its readers to vote Labour, and take part in Labour's campaign where candidates with a record of support for Irish freedom are running. We don't endorse the Post's arguments but we heartily agree with its conclusions. The alliances necessary to secure support for British withdrawal from Ireland can only be built within and not outside, the Labour Parlabour movement. We reprint THE general election on 11 June is the biggest test which the Labour Party has faced since 1945. stake is not only its stature as a party of governmen but even its credibility as an opposition. The majority of the Irish community has always been partial to the Labour Party — whether out of identification with its social and economic policies or on the NorLabour's response in the latter area has always been inadequate to say the least. But recently the direct Irish input to Labour has been considerably improved. Led by the Labour Committee on Ireland. that input has resulted in Labour now having a policy which pledges the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and an end to supergrass trials, the use of plastic bullets and strip-searching as we know it, as well as the gradual elimination of Diplock courts. Labour is committed to Irish reunification 'by consent' and to working to achieve that objective Many Irish people would wish for more from Labour. But neither the Tories not the Alliance offer anything at Irish links with Labour are, however, most of all Clare Short, who have stood with our community in good times and bad. There are about 30 outgoing Labour MPs who quality in that regard, as well as, perhaps, as many as 60 other Labour candidates. We owe it to ourselves as a community to ensure in every way possible that these people are elected. Our loyalOn the broader spectrum, Irish people must ask themselves if they wish to see a consolidation of government and the Tories will have eliminated most of the hard-earned social advance achived by Labour rule atter the ast war. Kv then it will be a Britain The shaping of society in this country is up for grabs on I1 June. A Labour victory will bring back an element of caring. Another Tory victory and it will be almost a one-party state with the relegation of socialism to a dissident creed to be barely In the main, Irish interests in Britain lie with socialism. A huge proportion of our Irish-born community is aged. Labour is also the only party which, in London boroughs especially, has facilitated and resourced Irish cultural facilities for our young. Ken Livingstone's GLC did more for the Irish in London in a few years than Dublin governments have done No matter how shifty the Labour leadership may at times appear on the Northern Ireland question, we owe it to ourselves to stand on 11 June with those in ween now and polling day we should be doing more — like working to ensure that they get elected.
Stop strip searches in Maghaberry and Durham