IF EVER there was a single measure that could lose a government an election, if it is exploited correctly, it is likely to be the poll tax. But if Labour is to lead the fight against that tax it has to have a very different apThe Labour leaderhip is planning a purely parliamentary opposition. But that has about as much chance of success as the charge of the light brigade. With a parliamentary majority of parliamentary opposition. Worse still if Labour waters down its oppostion to rely on 'revolts' by Tory wets such as Heseltine, Heath and Biffen or to 'unite' with opposition by the Liberals, the to deliver a severe blow against thatcher will be lost.
The poll tax is vital because it affects not just those who have to pay it but the entire communithe poll tax is to make local authority expenditure so unpopular that there is a public outcry for it to be cut back in order to reduce the tax. That would result in massive loss of jobs for the local government workers.
It is for that reason that the local government that struse Actions takers at the unions labour movement not simply for parliamentary opposition to the poll tax but also demonstrations and other actions against it. mand of the labour movement must be for strike A decisive weakness of the struggle against rate capping was lasted, it was waged simply within the council chambers. There was no real involvement of the local government unions, let alone the communihas in its sights a deeply unpopular, and unjust, tax. The entire labour movement can be mobilisBy placing high among its priorities a fight against the poll tax, and not confining that fight to parliament but undertaking mass demonstrations and strike action against it, Labour can protect working people against an unjust tax, undermine Thatcher's popularity, and build its should be drawing up plans for that fight.