Socialist Action No. 30, 21 October 1983

Socialist Action · 21 October 1983 · 12 pages, 15,439 words read by machine

The scan: 030-oct-21-1983-SA-UK.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)

Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Page 1 scan of this page

STOP THE MISSILES! US BASES

No. 30 21 October 1983 TELECOM DISPUTE: SEE PAGE 3

ACTION SoCiAlist 30p

MILLIONS

ACROSS EUROPE

SAY...

OUT!!

Page 2 scan of this page

Why Thatcher's got that sinking feeling

Socialist Action 21 October 1983

ACTion

22 October

- and after

NEXT SATURDAY'S against the missiles is likely to be the biggest ever turnout in Britain against the ReaganThatcher With cruise missiles due to arrive any day

they demonstration can be a powerful expression of the opposition of a majority of the British people.

But before we celebrate too loudly, let's remember that the 27 October 1968 Vietnam demonstration was by far the biggest — and the last of demonstrations. CND activists have to make sure that 22 October is not CND's swansong.

Up until now a big opportunity has been missed. Yes, Yes, CND is more influential than ever. But the decisive forces in the labour movement to defeat nuclear weapons have not been mobilised.

Despite the fact that the Labour Party and the TUC are. both now bureaucrats have not taken action. They have not organised industrial action - and that it can be done was shown by last week's 5-minute 'warning' strike by 1½ million German workers, which is being emulated in Copenhagen next week. They did not even produce the joint Labour Party-TUC demonstration promised for Hiroshima day.

No wonder many CND activists are dubious about orientating their activity towards the labour movement.

In the new situation after the general election, there are powerful forces organising to tone down mailateralist policies in the Labour Party, in the •nions, and alas in CND itself.

Socialist Action has always pointed out that stopping cruise and Trident, let alone unilateral maclear disarmament, means confronting really fandamental interests of the capitalist class.

That cannot be done without mobilising huge and decisive social forces — the labour movement. And it cannot be done by making political concessions to the mulilateralists by 'Freeze movement' (see page eight).

In reality, defeat. The missiles will come to Britain. To redirect movement after December, break with the EP Thompson line of whining to the SDP, and even 'progressive' Tories, to support

It means basing the movement on those active and intransigent forces that exist — the Greenham women and the youth - and reaching out to those who have the power to junk cruise, Trident and the rest.

Without such a course, CND won't die - but it may well just fade away. Your Socialist Action

OWING to a number of financial and technical difficulties since the summer, Socialist Action has been 12 pages. But starting next week we shall be back to our 16-page schedule. readers and subseribers for bearing with us during uis period. Iveverteless, keeping le paper al 10 pages is going to be extremely difficult. So keep those donations rolling in!

AcTIoN SoCialist

Join the

fight for

socialism

demonstration

plans to escalate the arms race.

already here) the VSC's major

there have been large demonstrations.

unilateralist, labour promoting the

CND has already suffered a first

we have to We thank all our Name :

Address

Tel

Age Union/CLP (irany) ...

If you want more information about Socialist Action or to be put in touch

with local supporters send this form to Socialist Action,

London N1

Sombre faces at the Tory top table THERE ARE few things funnier in politics than the press trying to be profound. Unly four months ago we were reliably informed that Margaret Thatcher's Tories were the most triumphantly popular force which had ever existed in abruptly we have the Cecil Parkinson scandal, the huge row over the National Health Service cuts, and the government pushing through an absurd bill to make local government simultaneously less efficient and more undemocratic.

The Times had editorialised against the plan to abolish the metropolitan counties.

Times spent the entire week of the Tory conference running editorials criticising the government. Tory Party has already started what we can be sure will be a long decline in the opinion polls.

What is the explanation of these events, given by the press? The word was invented in advance. it is nubris - the Greek word for excessive pride.

Allegedly the height of her power the seeds of Thatcher's errors

SUWIl due 'excessive arrogance'

Another candidate is 'luck'. According to Peter Kellner, the political editor of the New Statesman, the left underestimates role played by chance and style in politics. simply by chance, you see that luck came before the election, and simply by chance that all the bad luck came only alter une election wa. believe that you'll believe over. As they anything.

In reality the Consersent problems, as the! exploded at the lory Part conference, were easy to see in advance. For, as we have consistently pointed out Socialist Action, Thatcher's electoral Victory in June was a fake

British politics. NoW

The Financial

The

parliamentary landslide and not a real popular one.

Thatcher won. 61 per cent of the seats, but only 42 per cent of the votes the lowest real percentage of the vote won by a Prime Ivinister wiln a sale ma jority in Parliament in British history.

By John Ross

This fact of lack of mass political support not a question of trying to make socialists feel cheerful. It profoundly affects the real relation of forces, in society.

When there is nuine popular landslide say lne o 'per cent of the vote won by the National government in 1931 or the 53 per cent gained by the Conservative in 1953 - then the consequences of that reach into every town, every street, and every factory

but thạt many those

Jarrow in the 1930s voted Tory. Political campaigners and trade union

were crushed anc isolated. A government in LILOSO carry through its circumstancer policies can

dulliusl without resistance — as the Tories did for most of the interwar period.

But Thatcher's victory in June 1983 was different. The Conservative governMell Labour's weakness and

electoral system, to gain a

Parliamentary Illa jority. But no great wave of popular electoral support for the Thatcher government was generated despite attempts of the press to create it and claim

it existed

The result political campaigners, those fighting in the big cities, defending the NHS, those struggling against

did not tee invincible hordes of new orv voters on their necks. After the inevitable

SHOCK and paralysis caused by That-

victory, underlying social relation

inevitably asserted itself.

Forced

It is this social and political relation of forces which existed after June 1983 that also underiles the one serious attempt in the press to exp ain the lories sudden rash of problems. This is allegedly mounting internal Tory argument on public expenditure

Day after day the papers have beer full of statements concerning differences between the alleged 'tax cutters' Lawson and Thatcher and *spending ministers' Fowler and Heseltine. The terms 'consolidators' and 'radicals' have temporarily replaced the wels and "dries' of yesteryear.

Kicking your Tory opponents when they're down is an excellent tradition.

There indeed reason to doubt that haggling over pounds of public spending is taking place in the Tory Cabinet today — - although the real economic crunch on public spending is go. ing the 1980s and early 1990s and

There are also more Tories than ex-Defence Minister John Nott who think that €3,000 million a year would be better use reinforcing NATO than defending penguins in the South Atlantic

But what is the basis of these arguments? There are no technical problems in cutting public expen diture. never susa million could always be cut off the National Health

Service. Or unemployment

The Treasury could come

Treasury could come up with a technical answer in five minutes. ,And there would b Tory ideologues to justify

Blackpool clearly showed.

The real problem cutting public expenditure which faces the Tory Party

Thatcher has is portical. not yet gained public support to destroy the Nho or slash unemployment pay

something she would have achieved gained a real popular land

• 1 ne mounling 101) 'argument' on public spending is a political pro blem of mass opposition to the cuts and not one oi

meals lo deal with une sluduon.

These political problems however, ao require a certain flexibility in tac tics. Norman Tebbit (of all people!) was suddenly allege have become

'conciliatory' to the trade union leaders over the last period. The explanation is not hard to find.

If the Tory Party has its problems then it needs to guard. its flanks more carefully. If the Conservalves de cole to tal the opinion polls then i will be all the more important engage Murray, Duffy, Chapple, Basnett and the rest of the TUC leadership in "talks'.

Simultaneously the Labour Party, with the aid

Neil Kinnock's Co-ordinatine Committee' team should

Cacularcu move Labour 'back to the political centre' Even if the SDP-Liberal Alliance

all in the opinion poll now, as they did before the general election, they will be dusted off for the Euro-elections. They remain a fundamental British politics. Parl of

News

IN HADDI

When Neil Kinnock moves Labour as far to the right Ine ruling class thinks he can go, then they will unceremoniously jump on him from a great height. UNCt press will discover that the Alliance is the onlv alter. native to the Tories and the only wav forward for Labour is in coalition with them. Coalition

Meanwhile, Thatcher went out of her way in Blackpool be COl ciliatory in tone, but not to change policies iota Putting Tebbit in charge of Trade and in dustry, and bringing ; the monetarist freak Nicholas Ridley into the cabinet, is a dear sign or conting monetarism. The financial press want a more decisive action by , Thatcher, not a change of course.

the Tories'

however. problems do give Labour an opportunity. One of the positive things to come out of the Labour Party conference was Neil Kinnock's call in his speech to defend the Health Service. This is a campaign which the labour movement has every interest in pursuing.

It is quite possible, given the worsening economic situation, that the Tories can be sent spinning down th opinion polls. If Labour really mobilises to defend the NHS then the party's pro-

the election nex May can be strengthened That means the left should step up calls to orcak off talks with Thatcher and fight against the SDP/Liberal coalition plan.

Atter two vears whet the labour movement has had its back against the

ropes there is going to be more room to make gains

Labour should waste no time speculating aboul

the internal divisions in the

ranks. It should totally reject the coalition proposals being offered to

it by Frank Chappie, Eric

Hobsbawm others.

and

should take advantage of

political BLU-

blems to rebuild its.own base and support

Kicking your Tory op-

ponents wiel they •dEC

down is an old and ex-

cellent tradition in politics.

Page 3 scan of this page

Solidarity with the Telecom engineers

POEU leader 'Stop the lock-out'

News

Dispute

Diary

WED. 5 OCTOBER: Mercury issues a writ on the POEU and the general secretary, Brian Stanley under the government's employment legislation, seeking to force the union to abandon its industrial action against the private telecoms company and ILs DacKcIs.

THUR. 6 OCTOBER: engineers, changes, work to rule.

Others are from Central London and Aberdeen for boycotting Wireless and British Petroleum.

SAT. 8 OCTOBER: Senior BT management take control of the three international exchanges shortly after midnight.

In a military style operation involving police and private security personnel, they évict the night shift.

Workers reporting on the day shift are turned away. 1600 are locked out as lower management are locked in and begin to clear faults which, with the work to rule, have taken 50 per cent of international circuits out of action.

MON. 10 OCTOBER: engineers refuse to attend management meetings or sign a declaration of good behaviour and stay locked out.

POEU boycotts faults on lines into the international exchange. A further 850 engineers working on fitting and maintenance duties in Central London are suspended for refusing to carry out work boycotted by the union, or refusing to sign commitments to 'work as directed'

Mercury's injunction against the union is adjourned at the High

Several hundred POEU engineers picket BT's Gresham Street Headquarters in protest at the acnon laken against mei concagucs.

TUES. 11 OCTOBER: The union instructs most of the 850 inland engineers, suspended by BT, to sign management's declaration of commitment to work normally and they return to work.

Union policy of secondary boycotting of Mercury and its backers is rescinded, with the exception of the interconnection of Mercury to the public service.

Engineers on private circuit provision and telex maintenance stay break down after three hours.

WED.

POEU engineers from Outer London to scab on those suspended during the previous two days.

They refuse TO cross suspended on the spot, or akee mer way back to ulcu workblaccs.

'After union instructions to sign BT's 'good behaviour declaration, they return to work.

POEU members at two earth Goohilly, Cornwall and Madley, Hereford begin to boycott circuits linking them to the international exchanges.

THURS. 13 OCTOBER: BT continues its policy of bussing in engineers in their attempt to break picket picket cond time!

After signing management's declaration they return to work.

Strike action by Aberdeen engineers cuts off telex links to over customers including oil companies in the North sed.

FRI. 14 OCTOBER: More BT bussing involves engineers from as far afield as Hastings and Aldershol, wao are moveu mto arcas leit emply dy unosc shuttled into Central London.

left un-picketed and out of London engineers are told to do work with the entusiasm approprale to the situation'.

Over 100 workers at the North West London switching centre occupy their canteen for two and a half hours at in protest at management's action

bussing other engineers in their break picket lines. sumicos to une union

Engineers at Telecoms Tower, who have signed the good behaviour' declaration are threatened with dismissal after management scabs.

Engineers at Telecoms Tower, who have signed cause postponement of management's decisions. on sackings.

BT suspends about 50

30 at one of the three international ex-

where the union has been operating a

Mercury's Cable and The 1600 international Court for one week. peace talks

12 OCTOBER: BT management bus in

picKel are when eventually they

satellites at

All POEU members refuse to cross lines and are suspended, some for the se-

one and a half thousand building to They return to work after in-

work with

WITH THE 9 June election victory under her belt, Thatcher is moving to piratise public services and throw them to the profit sharks.

Hospital facilities, steel, rail, gas and even the coal industry are up for treatment.

industrial action to telecommunications network. They are being dragged through the courts, under Tebbit's anti-union laws for their boycott of the private company Mercury.

would give a boost to the Telecom engineers and deliver Thatcher a bloody nose on privatisation and anti-union legislation.

tory worker and all of us who depend on public services and want to defend our unions.

tative for the London North Central internal branch of the POEU and was suspended by BT management for industrial action on 10 October. She explains the issues.

The present industrial action of the POEU is a powertul signal to unite the in a struggle against privatisation. Up to now the selective action has the full backing of the Marcella Fitzgerald membership, but the hostile acts of BT management, and the first serious legal threat to the unions Under the 1982 Employment rel, mcan tnal a national trade paign must be launched.

The POEU leadership has to make an appeal for full industrial and financial backing. We are in the 'tront line the Tories' privatisation plans AT THE Post ference earlier this year an executive with a left majority elected, stranglehold by the right.

executive, for his views on the progress of the strike so far.

At a special conference of the POEU called to discuss the light privatisation in September

resolution called on the

to organise a fight

gains privatisation.

sider should be taken to lead that fight?

'The POEU fight is going force the trade union movement to take action seriously' he says.

"They can't just stand back and applaud, other unions should organise support, both financial

local government services,

British Telecom engineers have taken selective

oppose privatisation of the

Solidarity from the whole labour movement

A victory for the telecom workers would be a vicfor every miner, rail, steel, gas and hospital

MARCELLA FITZGERALD is the represen-

and they will not comoronse.

Their action politically motivated and that's how we' ve got to see Ou COUTISC How else can we fight for a public service against private profit without political fightback?

Dispute

To stay the framework of selective action gets us into a situation of sending strikers back, with arguments about lack of money. It leads to calling off of boycott action, with arguments that this jeopardises our legal case to defend our action, against Mercury.

This can Cause demoralisation and isolation. It doesn't deal with the steps we will have to take if a court injunction is served against 'politically motivated action, if union funds are seized or if individuals are dismissed or taken to court for not carrying out work demanded by manageOffice Engineering Union's con-

breaking decades-long

We asked DAVE WARD, a member of the new

and industrial, to roll back Tory privatisation plans.

As we go to press Meris in the process of seeking vent the POEU's action to pre-

them under the 1982 Employment Act.

How does Dave think the union can fight the legal offensive? 'Our belief is that the courts will rule against us.

If they prepared to defend our and industry by building trade union fight across the board.

ment. National strike action to defend the union will be necessary and now is the time to fight for it.

The Tory Party ® is shaken and doesn't appear

invincible, Labour only 3 per cent behind in

polls, and NHS Dave Ward

has already been demonstrated by the Pentonville Five that action is the only way to win. stead of talking with leb bit we've got to fight to teve into the TOes

verbal commitment to oppose the Тогу anti-union laws.'

Dave believes that the present tactics of selective action can win the dispute

Socialist Action 21 October 1983 • STUFT PRNATISATION NOT CULS are meeting with sharp opposition.

Response

The POEU has the opportunity to drive a coach and horses through the Tories' industrial strategy. beald mean 35,00 uni i because members supported by 100,000 financially that could bring Telecoms to its knees'.

Ine real problem how we prevent a national lock-out, because smash the POEU the BT board and government will be prepared lock

Another problem union is going to face is wilca buns almeu agallsi the Broad Left. The Daily Mail led the way with attacks on two Broad Left supporters last week. How does Dave think we should deal with the problem?

Switch double-edged', he argues. 'The members are seeing in practice how a left ex-

3 MIELEPHONES!

BUZBY

But to do this, it has to demonstrate members, and to the movement as a whole, that it is prepared to use the full

at- its disposal.

We can't beat the Torie with one hand tied behind our back. ecutive conducts its affairs openly and in full view of the members to involve them the decision-making process.

'It shows the pathetic level of Bl and the lones when they have to involte the gutter press in & stea campaign. Les the

media despite this Terry actuali Terry Wilde and increased his votes for the NEC.

I have signed the peal against Political Vet

and Victimisation which was launched after the Cowley sackings. The whole trade union

LUVE ment must come behind this and any future attacks on socialists at work or in the labour movement.

Page 4 scan of this page

Benn's conference speech on Ireland

IRELAND

UNFREE

THE LABOUR PARTY conference in Brighton this month took the first serious discussion of Ireland -for many years. One of the motions debated was Composite 16, which was moved by Tony Benn on behalf of Kensington CLP and which was seconded by Brent East CLP.

The motion read:

Conference recognises that the bipartisan policies of successive governments which have supported partition of reland have failed 'Conference agrees that the State of Northern Ireland was specifically established to ensure a permanent Unionist moorerence further notes that previous Labour policy has been anomalous in that while it supports Irish unity it also allows Loyalism a veto over such unity. 'Conference therefore believes that the Unionist veto on progress towards a united Ireland is itself undemocratic, represents the major stumbling block on progress towards

Conference defeater votes to 913,000.

I'D LIKE Composite 16 which is on a single issue, If conterence carries we shall end the Loyalist

The question of Northern Ireland is the most important single issue for the United Kingdom. It is our view that this resolution Composite 16 would involve conference in the most important • single decision this week. firstly, because it goes right to the heart of Britain's relation to Ireland; secondly, because it is a clear vote THE right wing in Gillingham Labour Party have decided to use the NEC ruling banning the provision of facilities for Militant' to attack and demoralise the left in the local party.

PIECE

Then to my horror

I realised that this

revolting toad was

La politician! A

cabinet member!

Socialist Action 21 October 1983 for against bipartisanship.

If we pass it, even in opposition, it will transform the prospects for the situation there.

In Northern Ireland a war is in • progress: street

warfare; violence on both

casualties including British troops; innocent people nurt: interrogation of prisoners; imprisonment without jury.

But we would make d

great mistake we

thought the consequence

of what was happening in

Northern would

not spread to, Britain

well. For the war in Nor-

thern Ireland threatens

civil iDentes Britain.

Militant expulsion

in Gillingham?

In August the Gillingham GC voted by a large majority to enforce the ban on Militant. Seeing this as an attack on his democratic rights, Bob Herley, the only Militant supporter present, continued to sell the paper at

Of the ACTION

What could I do?

He was a guest in my house. _ I couldn't chuck the blighter out!

End the

Loyalist veto!

There people now than some years ago who realise that partition takes away our freedom LOU. Conference, there

no military solution possi-

Majority

It is a hopeless, bitter, endless conflict until justice is given to the Irish people.

Our problem is that the Labour Party is confused in what it says. We came out for reunification and then said we would endorse the veto. As a party we have abdicated our responsibilities and, as a result, our responsibility to Ireland:

I want to deal with the argument about the veto because said there democratic defence of it Britain partitioned Ireland. And not only that but the veto is absolutely undemocratic, for while itlasts it prevents the people in the irisn kepabic Iron and say about their future and it excludes the British people too. And there is good grounds for believing i not ae more, of the

not a majority, of the British people

see the British problem in Northern Ireland ended.

The veto blocks off all progress for the future. the end of the meeting.

In response to this, the right-wing dominated GC executive recommend to the September GC that Bob be expelled. However at the September GC meeting,

In my own house I was forced to listen to mealy-mouthed bilge about "the family" and "market forces" and "Victorian values" and...

For the Ulster Loyalist leaders use the veto to sustain their Why should they bother to give equal rights for the minori.

community! Why should they bother to talk

they know that whatever Lic uv we can use ut veto to bring British soldiers to sustain their position?

For the veto is not all it seems. The veto is why the British Army is there. The veto is why the H Blocks are there. The veto is sus•tained by the strip searches, the Emergency Powers, the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

Dialogue

And I might add that the veto operates in Britain 100 - the veto on media discussion year after year. And when the likes of prize for shutsing in bet Nobel

Cairo and jerusalem is Ken Livingstone abused for opening the most impor-

ant dialogue

The Tories will to Ireland bring because they fear a united reall would Decorle neutral. Neither Reagan or Thatcher will allow neutral Ireland to intervene between their two countries. That is the reality

believe that the

the motion to expel Bob was referred back to the execute

Some GC delegates in the centre of the party seemed caught between fear of disobeying the NEC and the consequence to the local party that the Ignl over an expulsion would bring.

Despite the reference

back of the motion to expel, there still is a very real

langer that this expulsion

the first in the Labou Party for merely selling

Militant will go ahead.

The left in Gillingham party is organising a major

campaign against the ex-

pulsion of socialists.

British trade unions or

many of them will

against this resolution to-

day, because lney do nor

want the border raised lest

upsets the

members that they have in

the North. hat is not a

good enough reason. Composites, it wil ens If conference

en-

AT LABOUR PARTY

conference Wythen-

shawe Constituency

Labour Party was pro-

mised fair and

democratically recalled

Annual General

Meeting. on the

November. Russel

Tuck for the National

Executive Committee

emphasised that all

delegates would be in-

vited and allowed to at-

tend.

Certainly the full

by Cormac#2?

10/83

...and I told the maid to secure her bedroom door...

..and asked

cook to slip some bromide into his tea...

dorse government policy

partition. If Com. posite 16 is carried, it will not solve the problem, but it will remove the major road block.

It will make possible closer contact between the labour movement in the Republic and the North. It will gradually move uS

Wythenshawe manoeuvres

resources of the : Labour

Party apparatus seemed to

have moved into action. Union branches all over

Manchester have received

letters inviting them to at-

filiate to Wythenshawe CLP and send delegates.

By Jude Woodward

Manchester Central CLP

The Manchester Na-

tional Union of

Railwaymen No.1 Branch

received such letter

which wasn't taken up as

none of their members

lives in Wythenshawe -

fact that isn't surprising as

the branch covers Central

Manchester and Wythen-

shawe is far to the South.

The funny thing is that least five branches -which are already

filiated to Wythenshawe

Party haven't been

tacted. The last AGM was

onsaloweron basis that branch of

the shop

workers' union, wasn't

given the constitutional 28

days notice. By that

criteria the 4 November

AGM is already out of

rule!

David Hughes, the Na-

tional Agent, who is runn-

ing the suspended consti-

tuency, has not made any

attempt to get hold of the

full list of affiliates from

the officer of the district

News

from sectarian to politics.

And it will bring closer the day when there will be socialisi remedies to the one problem that still

, the Republic and the North, their common property despite their nities — the injustice done to the Irish peopie over many centuries.

who has it.

there are reports that the

electricians' union

EETPU, have intervened

to change the delegation to

"elected by the

• local union branch.

It is not clear whether

the new affiliates and

delegations will be . de

cepted or whether the new

AGM will take place on

the basis of the February

attilations.

Wythenshawe • deleg

ates are not wrong in fear-

ing that the 4 November

AGM may turn out to be

less than TAT.

organising to make sure

that all delegates are in

formed

But Wythenshawe's

best defence is the atten-

tion and courage of

delegates gained at the

Labour Party conference

That attention must not

waver and CLPs and

unions should ensure that

they receive the full tacts

of the 4 November AGM.

The constituency is still

planning to call a national

conference. whatever hap

pens on the 4 November

Details will be decided or

after the AGM.

can from

Councillor "Alf Home,

Wythenshawe CLP Chair,

39 Mullacre Ben-

chill, Manchester 22.

Page 5 scan of this page

News

Muhammad Idrish

demo a great success

WELL OVER a thousand members of the Nationa and Local Government together with supporters of the Muhammad Irish Defence Campaign marched in solidarity with the Bengali social worker last week_in

the national demonstration in support of his fight against deportation — the first time that a union has done this.

Many Labour Parties and union branches. and U ASTMS, AUEW

marched with contingents from all OVCr the Clare Short MP, David Drain presidents of NALGO S and Phil Holt spoke the platform with Muhammad.

A very interesting story came across. Muhammad is threatened with deportation because his marriage, which lasted for five years broke up. Over 250 deportations. are carried out every month.

The Tories are determined that the working class must pay for the crisis members of the Asian members the Asian communities especially depored as well as forced vulnerable, can

Appeal turned down

LAST WEEK Muhammad was summoned to

the High Court in London for his appeal for

a judicial hearing.

fice Adjudicator's evidence was incredibly

biased and a distortion of fact — his mar-

riage was not a fraud — were ignored. He

was recommended for deportation.

Court hearing. After. this his only legal recourse

is to the Law Lords

The Defence Campaign is convening

emergency meeting at the Shaheed Udam Singh

Centre, 346 Soho Road,

ingham 21 on Wednesday

7.30pm.

All supporters

urged to attend.

labour movement and

possible to block the deportation.

• Telephone Barry

021-551 1846 for further details, tasks and infor-

mation on how you can help.

(Format)

'YOU CAN cross Cecil Parkinson off the Queer list, sir. When Jak, the cartoonist for the London Evening Standard came up with these fateful words he didn't expect tion.

But angry lesbians and gay men from the Labour

Officers, Association

Birmingham.

Muhammad's trade union, NALGO, had called

onto the dole queue.

They have long been harassed by the state and police adallu ministrative bodies social 'security, health checks etc because of vicious racist legislation, some of it introduced by Labour The illegal Immigration Information Unit keeps special tabs on black activists fearing that they might help to build a fightback. The campaign still has a lot of work to do. so it you can help, affiliate your organisation or sene donation please contact: Barry Road, Handswortrobus Road, th, Birmingham 21, (021-523 8923) or Graham Reid, Bedminster Parade, Bristol 3, (0272 667933).

Muhammad's claims that the Home Of-

He has four weeks to appeal for another High

Handsworth, Birm19 October at

and delegates are strongly We must build the strongest

community protests

021-523 8923 or Ahsan

EXPRESS: NEWSPA

Labour

Campaign

FOR

RIGHTS

Campaign for Gay Rights and from Outrage! magazine occupied the newsroom on 10 October for ten minutes in protest.

This cartoon is only the atest in a long line of anti Labour filth to pour anti-Irish and antifrom the Standard which nas resulted in the GLC banning advertising with the paper.

'Smethwick

Three' fight

frame up

IN JUNE this year, a group of black and Asian youth were talking on a side road in Smethwick, near Bir-

A policeman approached and asked Amarjit to remove his car.

By Bob Smith

He asked 'Why? What have we done?' He was then asked to prove his ownership of the car.

When it came out

and the policeman saw

jewellery, Amarjit was subjected to vicious taunts and ridicule.

But he refused to be

•ed the policeman. was then assaulted by the police and pushed into a panda car.

At Smethwick police

Amarjit beaten by the same policeman and charged with threatening behaviour by his racist attacker.

Two friends who had witnessed the first police assault made a complaint at the police station the same evening. Surprise, surprise! Several days later they were charged with 'wilfully obstructing a police officer in the performance of his duty.?

The of the 'three' begins on 26 January next year Oldbury Magistrates Court. It been delayed by police illness - pity it isn't terminal.

A defence committee has been formed needs support from the labour movement as well as the local community. • Messages of support and donations to omenwick 101 Villa Road, Handswor th, Birmingham 19.

LIMITED

GAY

In attacking this cartoon LCGR shows up the hypocrisy 'Victorian values for what they are.

The ruling class and their media know that the gay ill-equipped to defend itself and so constantly attacks homosexuals to divert attention from its own moral degeneration.

PAUL CANNING (Gay Young Socialists)

condemning the government's troduce the Police and Criminal Evidence Bill.

Labour government to immediately repeal it.

The latest rumours are that the Police Bill will be reintroduced in mid-November. The details of the new Bill are not known, but it is fairly certain that it will not differ in any grcal respect trom tne version which fell result of the calling of the general election.

By Chris Guthrie

That Bill contained new police powers to: • Stop and search 'on reasonable suspicion' that you are carrying stolen goods, offensive weapons

eg a penknife or a bunc

of keys) or equipment for

ONE THING can be said

for the Tory Party.

really does believe in Vic-

torian values.

What after all was the

'crime' for which Cecil

Parkinson had to resign?

It wasn't inal ne made

love with Sara Keays*or

ne one tenus onel

relationship. No-one in

the Tory leadership

not even the farcical

John Selwyn Gummer

suggested he should

resign

crime was simply that it

publicly. Those really

were the values of Vic.

torian England.

We can't help being

reminded of piece

Wilhelm Reich wrote en-

titled What is, sexual

chaos?

• It's contracting a sex-

ual liaison for life

without any previous

knowledge of the partne it's 'sleeping' with a

'One false move, lad, and you're nicked' — a vision of 1984 if the Police Bill becomes law? THE NATIONAL Campaign Against the Police Bill received a boost when on the last day of the Labour Party conference a motion was passed unanimously

decision to rein-

The motion also committed the Labour Party to give its full support to a national campaign against the Bill, urged the Parliamentary Labour Party to oppose the Bill vigorously, and committed the next

stealing. • Set up road blocks and carry out random checks for up to seven days.

Arrest you for any offence, however trivial (such as parking on yellow lines or littering) on certain grounds. For challuc. the police believe you have given a false name or address.

Detain vou for up to four days without charg ing you if you're suspected of a 'serious arrestable of. fence' You may have no right to see a solicitor for 36 hours or longer. • Permit a police officer to carry out an intimiate body search against your Cecil's victorian values

Parkinson — whose values?

working girl because Shes nol worth more while at the same time not askinike for 'something that' from a 'respectable girl' • It's the lewdness of a life of sordid prostitution, or the excitement caused by abstinence, over the 'wedding night'. • It's making virile powers culminate deflowering • It's mentally pawing

Socialist Action 21 October 1983

Kill the Police Bill

will while you're in police

• Obtain a warrant to

you workplace, even if you're not suspected of any offence.

As the Bill has already been discussed in parliament It is nkely to nave a speedy passage this time, laking pellaps six to lel weeks That Incalls we

only three months to kill this Bill.

It Is because of this urgency that the National Campaign Against Police Bill (NCAPB), formed at a conference in May, was resuscitated in August. Fringe

The NCAPB organised a successful fringe meeting at the Party conterence it Brighton which was addressed by Jo Richardson Tony Banks, Alf Dubs and Paul Boateng. It is printing literature explaining the content of the Police

MALE

ORDER

the image of a half naked woman up and down at

and then, at twenty, entering the lists of the nationalists in favour of the 'purity and honour of women'.

punishing the young for the offence of

•alt

making the adolescents

that causes them to lose Suharaow

• It's tolerating the por-

nography industry:

• It's exciting

adolescents with erotic

films: removing the

Bill and is encouraging the

formation of local cam-

and down the

country.

A national • conference

Saturday in November

Saturday November and a demonstration from

Brixton Whitehall

CLU

planned

The Labour Party con-

terence decision will help

in taking the campaign in.

laboul movement But should not be

The debate on the Bill was saueezed into SHOT amount of time on the last dav. and manv trade unior delegates chose the debate

In addition, although the motion committed the Labour Party to suppor

the Labour Party is notorious for not campaigning such issues. It is up to activists in the labour movement to take the issues into their unions and the local Labour Parties. satin niturabulove sing satisfaction

Reich was writing about Germany in the 1930's. But things really haven't changed much for the Conservative Party and The Sun have they?

Compiled Send HILARY DRIVER. contribe

Order Socialist Action

arrive not later than Thurs day a week prior to pester tion.

Page 6 scan of this page

NEEDS THE BOMB

SINCE the new rise of CND a lively debate has taken place on the question: what is the origin of the new cold war? Against those who have argued that the arms race is about 'the conflict between the two super-powers', supporters of Socialist Action have argued thạt the breakdown of detente was fundamentally connected to a worldwide offensive by international imperialism, and in the first place by US imperialism.

In putting forward this argument, we have never believed the myths of the Stalinists and semiStalinists who think everything in the Soviet Union is wonderful, or that the military defence policy of the Union can be supported socialists.

But at the end of 1983, with the United States huge numbers of its abroad against the revolutions in Central America, in and in massive exercises in the Middle East, we believe that our argument has been borne out in practice.

It is the United States which is engaged in the escalation missiles race - with cruise, Pershing, MX and the rest. It is the United States which is extending its field of military operations on a huge international scale in the attempt to break popular movements of rebellion the word over.

nuclear policy is 'insane',

capitalism.

between the perialism,

superiority?

in Central America or the East?

By Paul Lawson

United the election that

inside the United States itself.

Soviet by by the radical right wing, volved sent US government committing

troops the 'moral majority'.

Lebanon,

the Vietnam war internationally.

fensive Was

OI the

Nicaragua, challenge authority world wide.

Socialist Action 21 October 1983

Against those who say that the US

we have always argued that it has a deadly logic from the point of view of world

In order to trace the connection world.

arms race and im -we have to look at two First, why did detente break down? Second, why in order to carry out its world wide military operations does the United States need nuclear

HOW are alteri weapons connected with the struggle

Middle Without doubt, the breakdown of connected huge political shift to the right inside the

orates, wnica cumminated m of Ronald Reagan president in 1980, and was itself the product of deep social processes, particularly the onset of economic crisis,

Throughout the 1970s there was in the United States a political offensive

which inpeople influential in the prelike Richard Perle, Jeane Kirkpatrick and Paul Nitze, as well as the various forces of

Their path to power was eased by the aftermath of

A large section of US political opinion became convinced that a new of-

taking place against American interests in the thira world. The use of Cuban troops in Angola in 1976, the overthrow of the Ethiopian dictatorship, the fall of the Shah in Iran and the victorious revolution in

US superiority and

The most direct response to the 3. It use also

new threat of the colonial revolution has been the creation of the Rapid Deployment Force, aimed at intervening with hundreds of thousands of troops within weeks anywhere in the

It has also involved a huge increase in US spending on conventional armaments.

But this escalation has of necessity involved a stepping up of the US's attempts to establish

The reasons for this necessity was summed up neatly by Eugene Rostow, head of the US Arms Control Agency when he said: 'American nuclear superiority should permit us to use military force in defence of our interests with comparative

should it become necessary'

In faet, in many instances where the United States has come close to using nuclear weapons have been in the colonial world — in Korea, Cuba, Vietnam rather than directly against the Soviet Union itself.

Schematically we can say that US nuclear superiority serves four interrelated purposes:

1. It maintains a form of economic seige warfare against the Soviet Union and its allies. While the arms race can be good for business in the United States, in a planned economy like the Soviet Union it represents a permanent drain on resources.

'The Soviet Union's economy is far weaker and less technologically developed than that of the United States. President Reagan has already openly boasted to the Soviet Union 'we will bust you'.

2. It forestalls the possibility of the use of Soviet conventional forces in Europe. The first use of nuclear weapons has been a key pillar of NATO strategy since the formation of the alliance in 1949. Since Soviet conventional forces have generally been much stronger in Europe than those of NATO, the US has always threatened the use of nuclear weapons against any use of Soviet conventional forces.

threatens annihilation against Soviet attempt improve strategic position. Whereas the Soviet Union is surrounded by thousands of miles of US military from Norway to Japan via Turkey — the US has always refused to accept Soviet forward basing'•

The classic case is the Cuban missile crisis, where the United States brought the world to the brink of nuclear catastrophe over the Soviet decision to place intermediate nuclear missiles in Cuba. The prevention of Soviet 'forwarding basing' is depen-

overwhelming superiority.

4. US nuclear superiority enables it to

conventional forces much more freely. Since the second world war the US has used its conventional

forces against the colonial revolution on many occassions.

At each stage it is necesary to defend such operations against any

potential including

Soviet Union which itselt possesses nuclear weapons. US imperialism is of necessity nuclear imperialism.

The fight against nuclear war must

also be a fight against its causes — im-

perialist world exploitation.It must

be or imperialism, alliance against such

NATO, which rely on

weapons.

US negotiator Nitze

there will be an immediate

well be a walk out of the INF (Intermediate Range Nuclear

that happens then Reagan and

beneficial arms control

posedly intended to secure. talks, presents a different pic-

been negotiated since the late

nuclear

tions.

Important measures of

Three bilateral treaties signed in 1974 (The Threshold Test Ban

the

took seven years to negotiate.

and political fortunes of US im-

The further collapse of colonial the

as nuclear

WHEN CRUISE missiles arrive in Europe in the coming weeks

Soviet response. One aspect may

might.

Forces) discussions in Geneva. If

his allies will express deep regret. The event will be presented as a serious setback for the 'mutually

agreement' these talks are sup-

But the outcome of previous

ture. Whilst several treaties have

50s, none of these have actually stemmed the arms race, let alone produced mutually agreed reduc-

"management' were agreed early '70s but things have got decisively worse.

tions.

Treaty7, 1976 (The Peacetul Nuclear Expulsions Treaty) and 1979 (The SALT II Treaty) remain unratified by the US Senate. The last of these

The reason for this is straightforward. In the mid '70s the economic

perialism took a turn for the worse

power in Africa and the final victory in Vietman indicated a shift in the global balance of forces against US

What

tall

in Ge

interests. This was borne out by a rise in anti-imperialist struggles in the 'third' world. The response of the US was to reassert its military

By Mick Archer

Part of this was to strenthen US nuclear superiority through the deployment of new 'counterforce' nuclear missiles in Europe — Cruise and Pershing Il — and the development of a new series of ICBMs -the MX missile system.

The INF talks and their couterpart START (Strategic Arms Reduc tion Talks) were to provide the diplomatic smokescreen for this new escalation. The approach was dubbed 'two track' by Reagan and his NATO allies. They would announce the decision to build these new missiles, whilst stating that neither systems would be deployed if con. cessions could be extracted from the Soviet Union in bilateral negotia-

President Reagan's negotiating team reflects this approach. Edward Rowny, his chief delegate in the STARt talks helped shape NATO's 'flexible response' policy and oppos ed the US adopting a 'no first use postion'. He resigned from the negotiating team in the SALT II talks because he felt they gave too much to the Soviets

His couterpart in the INF talks, Paul Nitze, was also a critic of

Page 7 scan of this page

they're

ing

but

neva

SALT II who argued that its proposals conferred 'guaranteed superiority' to the Soviets. Together they take their lead from Reagan's man in the Pentagon, the assistant secretary of defence Richard Perle, a keen advocate of the Reagan arms build up, who also opposed the SALT treaties.

The American purpose in Geneva is to produce a treaty which embodies US nuclear superiority. Exploiting its technological lead and stronger economic base it is proposing either a massive reduction in existing Soviet missiles or unilateral measures by the US which it will take the Soviets vears to match and at great cost to other areas of its economy.

In the INF talks, which started in November 1981, this takes the form of counterposing existing Soviet SS20s to the planned deployment of Cruise and Pershing II. Interim measures offer to limit deployment to the extent that the USSR agrees to dismantle. Moreover, in the context of insisting on supposed parity in the European 'theatre' Reagan and his allies categorically refuse to include the French and British 'independent' forces in any discussions.

In two years of negotiations the Soviets have never even conceded the principle of equating the two systems. Consequently when Cruise is deployed the iNF talks as presently constituted are doomed to collapse.

In the START negotiations, begun in July 1982, the approach is

Soviet negotiator Kvitsinsky

similar. The American proposals concentrate on apreeing cellings on land-based ballistic forces which (surprise! surprise!) covers about

force. It only effects about 25% of

(bombers or air launched cruise missiles) or sea based. Charades

Geneva talks be? One possibility is that the INF and START talks will be merged. This will prevent the public collapse of the INF negotia-

for permitted the limited invo ve. ment of Reagans allies. All good

ed at derailing the European disar-

with which last years committed unilateralists at Labour Party conference were able to dodge the issue of Polaris by suggesting that it should be put on the table at Geneva.

wil how hot and cold at the same time. Fresh proposals displaying 'flexibility' while events in Central America or

ed to justify nuclear rearmament.

such charades.

70% of the USSR's strategic missile

the US's, however, since the majority of their missiles are air breathing

What then will the fate of the

tions and might provide some scope

stuff in allaying European fears and an endless source for initiatives aim-

mament movement. Witness the ease

Meanwhile American imperialism

will be made at Geneva

the downing of flight 007 will be us-

Bilateral negotiations like those in Geneva merely mask the reality of imperialism's war drive. That is why socialists should lend no authority to

'Nuclear Disarmament and the Labour Party by Tony Southall (published by Scottish CND)

IF MARX said that repeats itself the first time tragedy, the second time as farce, then in the 20th century it's often repeated itself the first tragedy, and the second time as even bigger tragedy. Southall has done an excellent job in this little pamphlet in explaining how unilateralism defeated in the Labour Party in the eary 1960s, how unilateralist edge of Labour's policies was blunted at the 1983 general election.

By implication he shows exactly how the Kinnock leadership of the Party could begin to ditch unilateral disarmament, despite its overwhelming re-endorsement at the last Labour conference.

Tony starts out by explaining the role of Labour in government - and a sorry story it it is too. Labour S 1945-51 foreign secretary, Bevin supported the United States all the war in stoking up the cold war. Britain supported the US during the Korean war, to the extent of sending troops, and happily allowed Britain to become the forward base 'United States' nuclear arsenal.

In 1960 the Labour Party con-

Lessons of history

ference voted for unilateral nuclear disarmament. Immediately the right Labour wing started a campaign against it

Campaign Socialism history Unilateral disarmament was defeated

at the 1961 Labour Conference on the as basis of a compromise worked out by Harold Wilson and Walter Padley of USDAW. time as

Tony Reviewed by Phil Hearse

was The parallels with

proposals being put forward today in the the Labour Party are uncanny. compromise amounted

port for a 'Central European nuclea

rejection of an independant deterrent.

two things open - the use of Britain by US nuclear bases and the existence of 'non-independent'

this compromise

Ernest Labour governmen

Wilson elected in 1964 did precisely nothing about disarmament, and shed not one item of Britain's nuclear • arsenal.

for the pened to Labour's programme at the

last election, was fudged by Foot and Healey is par-

Democratic (secretary Bill Rodgers). some of the

The 1 a. n( first use decaration by NATO 2) sup-

free zone' (the 'Rapacki plan') and 3

Nucle.

Of course this compromise left

British-American deterrent. On the basis of

which • gutted unilateralism of its real content, the their

of Harold this

Tony's discussion of what hap.

and how unilateralism

Socialist Action 21 October 1983

NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT & THE LABOUR PARTY TONY SOUTHALA ticularly useful, as are his remarks o a campaigning strategy which ca

CND Labou against cruise and Trident - and fo consistent unilateral nuclear disarma

The pamphlet is a must for al CND activists interested in fightin alongside the labour movement an for the whole of Labour's unilater alist left wing.

Moreover anyone worried abou the course of the CND leadership slogans to third place, should rea relegation

pamphlet. fight th multilateralists it is necessary to know who your real friends are!

Scottish Labour CND, Sauciehall St., Glasgow G2, enclosing 50, plus 16p postage and packing.

Page 8 scan of this page

Socialist Action 21 October 1983

to freeze this

winter

WITH THE Tory general

missiles, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament faces

of the CND leadership has

demand for a nuclear

VALERIE COULTAS argues that the prioritisation of this demand opens the door to multilateralism and accepts a strategy of pressuring the

Instead we should defend the basic aims of CND -

and a complete rejection of all nuclear bombs, bases

Bruce Kent and Joan Rud-

CND, have got a big job on their hundreds of thousands of CND supporters that the campaign's

frittered away, as it was in the

Marxism Today give a thorough picture of their response to this problem and the ship's aim to 'open a new chapter

accusation against CND that it was in favour of 'one sided disarmament'.

He analyses that 'people have been

propaganda about the hearts and minds of the public, he says. 'We in CND are seen as the all-Women against cruise day of action

Finger up at each of

We don't want

or-nothing people. This must change. Without the slightest loss of vision or principle we have surely to highlight

vein in the October issue of Sanity. Rejecting accusations of 'fudging' she believes that CND National Council is working 'within the current consensus of the movement by supporting the nuclear Freeze and including it as one ot the cenanos olic.

British variety which is synonymous

'no Trident and no nuclear-armed Tornado (she does not

• in the form being fought for by the American peace movement where it is a call for a bilateral freeze between the

• in the UN call for a freeze on nuclear weapons by all nuclear states.

contribution to multilateral nuclear

between the super-powers could only come by agreement between them'.

issue of Marxism Today concurs with this analysis. He chastises not only the Labour left but also the Labour right for wanting to fight the election on the issue of 'a completely nuclear free Britain (within five years)' He is worried about CND coming

across as a Labour Party front and

argues against a too WILD National Union or tudent most 'realistic' and 'sophisticated' of them all. 'If CND is seen to give the Freeze a high profile then that will draw. in everyone along the political Anderere would support is he And there

All these contributions promising a new chapter in fact offer nothing

make Das anyt

London action. Greenin

the eatine in tide Path

NEITNER UN

conference of the Labour Party voted

unilateralist resolution proposed by

immediately set up the "Campaign for

parties was much weaker than it is

unlater aisin. preparea to carry out

than

DUsItIUll donations

unilateralism? If the

CAMPAIGN FOR

NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT

Socialism' to overturn

today. Two thirds had voted against

Tories

immediately had the Labour whip

shopworkers union USDAW cobbled together a fudge. They called for a CA LCDE 'Central European nuclear free zone',

oeterrent Leaders of CND backed the new line

The sad reality is that the CND leaders are bowing before the Tories

Harold Wilson began to get the backing of the left as their candidate for the leadership of the party rather Greenwood. More and more unions

niteralism would ose at the 1961 SPeace which made concessions to tas multilateralists. So CND's first defeat was carried through by concessions Labour Party and by the CND leaders

militating against such a repetition today. The movement is much larger.

more generally in the trade unions. international scope. Nevertheless the

Why are the CND leaders arguing for the fudged slogan of the Freeze

means 'no cruise, no Trident' — then

demands as CND, Scottish CND and the Greenham women have done so successfully in the past three years?

What is the obstacle to using these ultimate goal - the scrapping of all nuclear weapons, bases and alliances

Freeze demand in Britain does not

USA the call to get Reagan to make a

real commitment to halt the arms race America. The job of CND is to place demands on the British government. Neither is it true that accept a 'new concensus" because of

parties made the question of nuclear election and the Labour leadership

campaign against the Tories, not only in tne election but also against ine Falklands war, then the credibility of such a policy would have been put to a real test. As it was the policy of the

Healey and Callaghan, was never put

leaders are bowing before the. Tory government's parliamentary majority

devoting themselves to a 'realistic' strategy of building up broad anti-Tory alliance with those who have no

Steel and the right wing of the Labour

demand for a Freeze as a cover for

and the strengthening of the NATO alliance. And if the missiles arrive the

It's also why the CND leadership those people like Youth CND and Labour CND who are the staunchest supporters of present CND policy of

union mövement has declared itself

German trade union movement has just called a 'warning strike' of 1.5

million of its members. CND should

devote its efforts to gairing similar

forms of mass action from its real

mobilised in the battle against the

easy job, but it is the only way to stop

away

European-wide movement to demand

that missiles in place be removed and

The events around 22-23 October

will see millions of people marching

for CND to renew the campaign for

its fundamental aims — not to bury

Surplus Value

Build

Oct. 22

Youth

Contingent

YOUTH CND groups will be delighted to hear that there's to be a national contingent for youth and students on 22

For years young people

organising action.

to organise and make an impact or

SLOOU IOR Britain Out of NATO and Jobs

However, this step forward by CND doesn't alter the fact that the

make their own decisions

LOVES

tne way Il was made

To be discussed at December's

CHICCI

profile for YCND on 22 October support ups resolence pieting

where should have been in the first place.

ammer sency

owi

structure of Youth CND

The change of status from b

ing recognised as a specialist sec committee of National Counciler right of youth CND to have it's

Page 9 scan of this page

RESOLUTE APPROACH

News

ruments for

Thatcher and friends 1 be anatomy of the Boty party John Ross to develop, it offers an analysis of the trends in re-

Conservative Party.

The statistical

more than PR campaigners for the Alliance and for proportional representation.

Socialists will also find it very useful to have all the facts about the composition of the lory Party by wealth, education and occupation, and their links with finance, business and land.

very clear account of the way in which the establishment sees the role of the

8118 Social Democratic Party as the reserve Partv. able and willing to take over

DROITS

POLITIQUES

IMMIGRES

THIS IS BY FAR the best book that has been published about electoral politics for a very long time, and for socialists who are genuinely trying to understand the political situation and how it is likely

cent years in terms of the long term decline of the

work that is reproduced here throws a very different light on what has happened over the last generation than the one which is peddled every day by the establishment psephologists who have degenerated in their role until they are little

when the crisis comes and Tul county 101 while, until a re-furbished 101. Call sufficiently to resume its natural role as Britain's party of government.

This book should be stained those who are no being subjected to the press barrage designed to persuade us that abour is suitering a fatal decline, and can onIv recover if it abandons its whole position and tries to

France

the ports.

advertisement for socialism

today.

In Mitterrand's 110 propositions, his unofficial personal manifesto, the President called for an end to discrimination and equal rights for migrants - including the right to vote in local elections after five years residence. It is tragic that

Anatomy of the

Tory Party

re-appear as part of a bigger SDP and under direction

For the truth is that such an SDP is really little more than the political expression of the Tory wets, and the Liberal party will

be destroyed by its association with it.

Indeed, the challenge we face is much more fundamental than that — tor the object is to use the

Alliance to destroy Labour

Tory, guis recreaing the

recreating the old Victorian competition

between two capitalist parTes

unions and socialism can

Labour, for its part should also be planning a realignment of British politics but on a very different basis.

For as 'the right reorganises itself, so must the left, by drawing on the

radicals who disillusioned with the

Socialist government

opens door to racists

A FASCIST MAYOR elected in a small town west of Paris. Black people from Britain turned back at

Truly the Mauroy-Mitterrand government is an

to the workers of Europe! But the French Socialist Party has not always advocated the deportation of a thousand "illegal immigrants' as Prime Minister Mauroy does

if this small reform had been the fascists have ' been overwhelmingly defeated in the breux ov-ciccuol.

Although one French national in five has at least one foreign grand parent, been endemic there as it is in Alliance, and opening up a real home those socialists who have been isolated from mainstream of British politics by staying outside the Labour Party.

enough abandon the

Reviewed by Tony Benn

though that is.

We have got to extend our links beyond the trade unions, the constituencies and the socialist societies who attended the 1918 conference and drew our socialist constitution, to permit our association

represent the wide and varied interests of working people.

If the new Register was to be reconstituted in that with its disciplinary WaLe role abandoned, we could

Play the foundations for a progressive and socialist -alliance that would be politically unbeatable.

of the royalists and fascists of the thirties was out into practice by mass collaboration with the Nazi

World War Two

By Chris Bertram

During Algeria's of liberation in the fifties dozens of Algerians thrown into the Seine, others were found hanging in the woods around Paris.

Toasisthe righ yester.

'anti-fascists' yesteryear, the Gaullist party. find themselves in alliance

The present explanations for Labour's defeat in terms of a change in the

are hitle more than an excuse for dropping the policies which we put before the electorate in June, when it is clear that our programme was in fact the ab-

solute minimum that would have been necessary if we were to have made ally progress

John Ross has written a valuable book, in the excellent " Arguments for Socialism' series which Pluto are publishing, and anyone who reads it will be

SO LIC couragement for the

Thatcher and Friends

of the Tory Party by John Ross (Pluto Press, f2:50)

Socialist Action 21 October 1983 with the fascist 'Front National" showing that for

ruling class anti. fascism is a matter of tac tics rather than principle.

It is not surprising that a government one ent should be attacked by the ruling class. NORS SUI prising that racism is one of the weapons usea. bu the Mauroy does not fight that racism it tries to accommodate it and thus makes it respectable.

Having declared itself for the expulsion of so many immigrant workers

£3.50

DISARMAMENT DIARY AND DIRECTORY BIG RED PLUTO

1984D

9 the government then tries to fight facism in Dreux.

Bu a lightning ministerial whizz-kid Michel Rocard and the symbolic release of 1983 pigeons was not sufficient to convince me eectorate of the error of its ways Heartened bi the retusa of a minority of right wing ponticial. back the fascists the Socialist Party publicised their call for .... an abstention!

Racism and fascism can't be fought by government that seeks. 'national concensus' with the racists. The fascist viclory was not only aue le working , class voters turning to the Front National Many workers stayed at home rather than vote for the Socialist and Comparties whose austerity programmes de 100 4 41 2 01

Pluto 4A Press

Live Issues

ALICE COOK & GWYN KIRK

GREENHAM

WOMEN

EVERYWHERE

DREAMS; IDEAS AND ACTIONS

FROM THE WOMEN'S PEACE MOVEMENT

The famous illustrated Big Red Diary this year

celebrates the peace movement of the 1980's. Directory of over 800 radical/alternative campaigns

and groups including extensive coverage of

anti-nuclear organisations.

5293

MALCOLM SPAVEN

FORTRASS

SCOTLAND

Documents in alarming detail the militarization of Scotland

and its impact on people, economy and environment Facts on over 200 military installations. 16 pages of maps.

Published in association with Scottish CND AVAILABLE FROM ALL GOOD BOOKSHOPS Pluto Press, The Works, 105a Torriano Avenue, London NWS 2RX

Page 10 scan of this page

DIARY

These listings are free for all major labour movement and

activities: Semi-

isplay caversements Cust

per word and must be paid

Send to: Diary, Action, Upper Street, London

not later than one week prior to ublication).

CND National

monstration London, 22 •ct. Ilam. Victoria Embankment. For details acal transport phone CND ational office 01-263-0977.

Week of Action

umibia Thur 27 Oct-Wed 2

Includes march and

assemble 1.30pm Bressenden Edns (opp Victoria Stn):

enefit dance 29 OCt slington Town Hall with The Republic & Supercombo. Details of bese & other events from

PO Box 16, London

TUC Women's Action

"A woman's place is in

union'. 29 Oct. For letails of events contact your

nion, TUC region or write

Socialist Action 21 October 1983

TUC, Congress Hse, Gt London WCI, Kussel ola 01-636 4030. • Anti-Privatisation Newsletter produced by Public Service Action. rourt issue vul luw inchides material on council house sales, failures by Drivale contactors. and on

British Rail, British Gas etc. 30p each from SCAT ruoucanons Close, London EC1, 01-253 Clerkenwell

• Midland anti-racist conference, Sat 29 Oct, 11-4pm, Digbeth Civic Hall, Organised by Birmingham Campaign Against Racism and rascism. cro irauce Council, 191 Corporation St.

Speakers include Prem Muhammad Idrish and Clare Dineil, Avlal Jollal, Short MP.

The LEWIS DAVIES Memorial Lecture given by Bob Cryer (former bour MP for Keighley 'US Foreign Policy and the Labour Party'

Thur 27 Oct, 7.30pm Clarendon Building, Teeside Poly Chair: Frank Cook MP

• Labour Movement Conference on Ireland -Peace through Democracy.

Speakers include Tony Benn, Ken

International

A weekend of socialist debate and discussion

FACING 1984: THE

SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE

Saturday 29 October

• British politics: facing 1984 Andrew Gamble, Doreen Massey, John Ross, Barry

Hindess • Rebuilding the Labour Party Ken Livingstone, Vladimir Derer, Jude Woodward

• Democratising the unions

Kate Holman, John Aitken EETPU Broad Left

• Struggle for black rights Jenny Bourne, Unmesh Desai • Socialist economic policy and the AES John Harrison, Hilary Wainwright Sunday 30 October • Economic strategy for European Labour Ernest Mandel, Stuart Holland MP, John Palmer

• Socialist foreign policy Joy Hurcombe, Alan Freeman • Women and family policy Judith Arkwright, Mica Nava, Lynne Segal

Other sessions include: Devolution; Ireland.

• Rally on Sunday, 3.30pm:

Building socialism in the '80s Jeremy Corbyn MP, Ernest Mandel, Stephanie Grant

Sat 29 & Sun 30 October Kingsway Princeton College, Sidmouth street, off Grays Inn Road,

London WC1 (Kings Cross tube)

Just f5 for the whole weekend, or f4 if booked in advance. €2.50 for one day only. Send cheques/POs payablesto International c/o

PO Box 50, London NI 2XP.

Creche facilities available by prior request.

Livingstone, and Clive Soley. • Hands off Central America South London labour movement Rally 28 Oct, Lambeth Town Hall, Speakers include: Tony Benn, Alan Sapper, Moncada (FDR/FMLN) and reps from Nicaragua and renada. rurmer details/leaflets from Vauxhall CLP, 01-582 2955

action, 15-22 Oct. Many events (see above) including Tree nums al une ace cincula Peckham High St from 6.30pm, , Fri 21 Oct: Feeder maren lor malial uciu with float & steel band starts 9.30am on Camberwell. Green on 22 Oct. • Marx and Feminism. A talk by selma James to commemorate the centenary

of Marx's death. Mon 24 OCk. NorIA ConCOn Poly, Room 08, Ladbroke Hse, Highbury Grove N5.

w neerchair accessiole Further details: 01-837 7509

Nobody's Backyard:

Programme of meetings organised by North London Central America Group, Tuesdays at 7.30pm, Hampden Community Centre,. 150 Ossulston St, NW1. £S for full course or £l per meeting(f2/50p unwaged). 25 Oct 'Seeds of Revolution' film on Honduras; 1 Nov film 'Nicaragua - a

Dangerous Example?': 8 Nov. Central America and the peace movemenl 15 Nov Liberation Theology: Option for the poor:

NOT "The First Casualty' & 'Ballots & Bullets': 29 Nov Viva Centro Amenica. rurtle. info Duncan Green 01-359 3976.

London Peace Das organised by the GLC, Sat

1am, music from Carol Grimes and the Crocodiles, Breakfast Band, Mainsqueeze, The Guest Stars, Teresa Trull & • Barbara Higsbie, High Jinx and Jah Warrior. Plus New Variety from Cast, puppets and beer tent. All events tree

Peace day concert at opm at TheA Brixton with Edwin Town Hall Parade, Starr, Geno Washington & the Mo Jo Kings, Super Karla. £4/£2 concession: box office 01-737 2886.

Troops Out Day School, S November, Kings College, camorase. neeisuralul 9.30am. Cost f1, pooled fare. Creche must be booked

For details In duvalice none cambrace o

• London Gay Young Socialists meet every four weeks on Sundays at 6pm, Marchmont Community centre. WC1. Next meetings 20 Nov Marchmont st

and 11 Dec. Further details from Martin 01-263 9484. • London Labour

Campaign for Gay Rights next meeting Sun 6 Nov, opm, Marchmont Community Centre Marchmont St, WCI rartner details from Mike 01-659 2983 or Bob 01-341 0666

• Gay NUR group just

forming. For details of inaugural meeting write to Gav NUR c/0 119 Southwyck, Coldharbour

Lane, London SW9.

Party next national meeting

Sat 26 Nov, 2pm, County Hall. London Sel. Creche available. Further details

from Sarah Roelofs c/o

Gays the Word bookshop,

Marchmont St, London

WCI.

VICTORIA EM

issue out now: 'British

- the road to 1984'.

Sivanandan: Cecil

Gutzmore: Lee Bridges and

olners. Iz trom insulute ol

Race Relations, 247

Pentonville Rd, Löndon N1

Cash with order

• Exhibition on plastic

bullets at Islington libraries:

Away 11- c sex

Rd 31 Oct-Iz Nov; Manol

Gdns 14-26 Nov: Finsbury

LO NOVi

10 Dec. Organised by

Islington TOM with

Islington Council.

• Afia Begum will stay

no more deportations! Raily

Tue 25 Oct, House of

Commons, 5.30pm

Page 11 scan of this page

In the Unions

'not just for 1972 and bringing down the

He called on the labour auccultu the spirit of 1972 *rediscover when

workers destroyed the Industrial Relations Act and the government'.

Fighting

This fighting message was echoed miners'

president Arthur Scargill who appealed to the Labour Party to show th miners the same kind of SIDOOTI union had always shown the party

'If we do that' he said, 'we will not just defeat MacGregor and the Coal Board, we will help open the wal for early general election to get rid of this government'.

At the frontline are the striking Monktonhall colliery in Scotland. Their clash with the Coal Board is a symbol of the NCB assault on the industry and the determined resistance of rank and file miners.

Last leaked documents from the Monopolies Commission

The Shareholders and board of Metal Box faced militant demonstration when they held an emergency general meeting at the Savoy Hotel on Friday 14. October.

The demonstrators, who were carrying a black coffin to represent the factories MB had closed in the UK. had travelled from Bromborough, the. MB Merseyside factory to protest against MB's factory closures and its open sup-

port for apartheid in

South Africa.

The Bromborough

plant is due for closure at

Christmas through lack of

Monktonhall

IN A FIERY speech to Labour Party conference, exminer Denis Skinner. MP for Bolsover, warned that Thatcher is hell bent on revenge against the miners

ment, but for the U-turn Forced on her in 190V.-

revealed Tory plans,

decimate the industry.

butchery •won't

just affect individual pits.

Whole coalfields will go as

reduced output is concen-

trated in a limited number

of 'super-pits', where new

computerised

squeeze more profits out

of fewer miners.

This means almost

total closure for the pits in

South Wales, Scotland

and the North East and the

picking off of as many pits

as possible in Lancashire.

the Midlands. Yorkshire

and Kent. The miners'

union estimates a job loss

of at least 70,000.

Support

The Labour Party con-

ference unanimously

support for the Monkton-

hall strikers, with chair Sam McCluskie summing up the mood of total

solidarity with the quip

'Anyone against this one? There's a gallows outside!'

A delegate conference of Scottish miners agreed

METAL BOX

METAL BC OPENLYSUPPOR

PUBLIC

The redundancy notices were being handed out at the plunt while the demonstration was going on.

Several shop stewards from the MB Combine went into the EGM. which was voting on a merger between MB South Africa and ine. South African conglomerate, Barlow Rand

The stewards protested against the lack of investment and factory closures, MB's support for apartheid and Barlow Rand's racist reputation in labour relations.

Richard Lee, Combine Secretary; said later 'it was

miners

hit back

to the total one day shut down of Scottish pits on 17 October. But Monktonall

pickets outside this con-

terence thạt

their leaders nad only

denvered a token strike.

The Monktonhall bat-

tle is a test case for ever

pit in Britain Their mili-

tant stand will need to be

echoed throughout the

union if LIC fighting

Brighton words of Skinner

and Scargill are to become

a reality. Viability

To drive this through,

the NCB has changed the

ground rules for determin-

ing pit viability. Pro-

fitability replaced

evidence of coal exhaus-

impossible

geological conditions.

This is backed by in-

vestment starvation which

threatens the ability of pits

to produce good coal and

overcome difficult

geological conditions.

The new NCB chair-

DCLOUIE MacGregor

has tried these 'leaner but

fitter' tactics WALT

devastating effect in the

steel industry.

Now, he is determined

to smash the hard won

ability. of the NUM to veto

METALBOX

FIDDLE

like going into the lion's den'.

Denis Alpot, MB's

£93,000 per annum chairperson, did not allay the stewards' fears, or the anger of the demonstrațing workers.

To add insult to injury, they voted company executives preferential

Such preferences have not been extended to the 10,000 MB.

workers thrown on the

dole since 1979.

ror juriner informa-

tion contact: KJ Wills,

Chair TGWU 1/127, 22

inomas nouse, Morning

Lane. London E9.

and control management

plans by brushing aside

well established consulta-

tion and negotiation pro-

cedures.

events

Monktonhall offer a case

SUOY approach.

The dispute began when,

without

negoulation.

Board suddenly stopped a

£6 million development indevelopment is rich seam. This

crucial to the future life of the pit.

Then 63 face worker

were threatened with th sack for "lack of effort' and a 'serious breach of contract reference to the NUM and despite their high output figures.

This bullying continued when, without consultation, the Board announced that every miner over 50 would be made redundant:

When the day shift tional print union, SPENCER,

issues.

The first official approach by SOGAT '82, to take INTO membership EETPU members of the

Press branch, came in December 1982.

EETPU general secretary said that his

transfer these members to any other print union. He denied any discussions with the National Graphical Association on the question of transfer

This conflic between SOGAT '82 and the EETPU came before the TUC disputes committee on 23 August.

Prior to this, there had been an informal meeting between the genera secretaries of the

•LWO unions, chaired by TUC general secretary, Len Murray.

A press statement was issued by Murray

say lll. that he had been assured

SOGAT '82 that any EETPU members taken into SOGAT '82 would be excluded immediately and that they did not recognise any body called the

returned 5 minutes late

from a meeting to discuss

These 300 redundancies, they were locked out. By then the miners had had

enough, they occupied the manager's office for two and a half hours and the strike began.

Four weeks into the ac tion, hall miners are campaign-

inion andore broader

union the broader labour movement.

The NUM has made the strike official

- IC first time a local strike has been given national back. ing - - and financial donations are flooding in from around the British coalfield. A special NUM

delegate conference will take place on

consider steps to oppose Tory at-

on jobs and the union.

LATER THIS month, the TUC could expel the naSOGAT '82. DEREK a branch committee member of the London Press branch of the EETPU explains the

Electronic Press branch of SOGAT '82

However the disputes

SOGAiT 82 had acted in

found that

breach disputes principles and pro cedures and should forthwith exclude EETPU members, who had been taken into SOGAT '82

They reported that it was in the best interests of the members concerned to rejoin the EETPU.

Sean emerer to the a leading member London Press branch argues that there is sufficient reason to seek entry into another union with a more democratic structure

continuous opposition to branch policy by Chapple and the executive committee of the EETPU: the

union, cre che appoint-

union, the appointment of officials, the ban on members of the Com munist Party holding office, the power of veto of the EC over conference decisions.

Those of us opposing the transfer argue that this

Socialist Action 21 October 1983

Law/Lewis Merthyr

Fleet Street electricians

inter-union dispute

is divisive and is a breach

the TUC Hull and Bridlingtor agreements against 'poaching'

All members of unions have a duty to fight for full democratic rights and ac countability -their leaders. To seek a way out of that struggle by joining another union would leave those active members remaining with an Cycl harder task.

The Broad Left journal for and plumbers, Flashlight, firmly COmE FOReC to number of demands - the election of all officials; re jection of private health deals and support for the National Health Service opposition political bans: and annual conTerence which will have binding powers on the EC

Flashlight also supports members in Fleet Street who remain in th union.

If other branches in other unions decide to cut and run, instead of staying fight, flavour because the political .of the leaders is not in tune with their own, then the trade union movement would end up as two, opposing camps.

ATENHALL

JERSECURITI Monktonhall miners picketing

11,028 and

counting...

Jobs taken out of the coal industry, based on

CLOSURES ANNOUNCED SINCE

OCTOBER 1982

onktonhall (partial closure).

The increase since the last published list 3,870

The SOGAT '82 executive committee will make a decision on this in the neat future. If they fail to com ply with the TUC instruc tion by the time the TU( meets at the end of thi month, then action will be taken against them

It is almost certain that this would mean expulsion from the TUC. To lose a major union's voice in the TUC at a time when the trade union movement under Tory attack would weaken our ability resist.

Throughout this bitter dispute, the London Press branch of the EETPU has attempted reconciliation of the Fleet Street t electricians and told the EC that we will not allow victimisa.

LOIS A dangerous situatio could arise if SOGAT '8: decide to exclude the elec tricians from membership the EETPU. : would threaten the closed shor agreements, on Flee Street.

There is only one solu tion to this problem and that is for all electricians in Fleet Street to unite and continue the struggle within the EETPU.

Page 12 scan of this page

"ent may wipe the smile off Fowler's face! Hospital cuts reprieve

LABOUR movement

pressure has won the • authority,

temporary reprieve of

the Dreadnought

Seamen's, Hospital in

south east London.

By Ben Armstrong

Woolwich CLP

Last week

demonstration called by

the Greenwich Labour

Party and supported by

health service unions

brought together

people to protest outside

tne meeting or tae GreenSebscription Les. laland: 6 months S8; 1 year S15.

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SOCiA ist

ACTION

wich District health which St. discussing the closure of hospital as part of a £7.4 million package of cuts demairded by the Tory government.

The Health Authority was forced to admit the the room to watch their meeting the DHA voted to delay implementing the closure of the Dreadnought by seven yotes to six. Much applause followed. simlar monoa opposilg

For readers who take out a year's inland subscription we are offering a free copy of Hard Times, a new book in the 'Arguments for Socialism' series by Send to Soclalist Action, 328 Upper Street, Eondon N$ 2XP.

the temporary closure of Nieks Hospital, Plumstead was also carried by seven votes to four.

But the victory is only temporary reprieve. the DHA meet again on Tuesday 8 November to reconsider their position.

I we are really goins

means getting the Labour Party to organise HHfTe extra-parliamentaction like this generalise working cies. class opposition to the ' SPECIAL OFFER

Bob Sutcliffe. The book normally costs $2.50.

Alternatively we are offering Alan Freeman's book, The Benn Heresy. For new readers there is our special introductory offer of 8 issues for S2.

All subscriptions are posted first class on day of publication.

Health cuts

BRENT Area Health Authority voted this week to continue to defy the government over the demand for health cuts totalling North-West Thames Regional Health Authorify is also demanding 110 redundancies and that 216 vacant posts remain untilled. decided to continue to defy the demand for cuts, despite a letter from North-West Thames threatening the Brent authority with the sack.

Brent is one of at least seven health authorities refusing to implement the cuts. Others include ington. •Sheffield. Pad-

ingito, awest Labens,

ington.

Northumberland Stockport.

On the same day as Brent's decision the High Court upheld the right of regional health authorities

henioer on borough authorities.

There SECUN likelihood that the governcul wul dow mave Locu sure the sacking. of the rebels.

At last week's Tor Party conference Socia Services secretary Norman Fowler reasserted That cher's line that there was no intention to destroy the health service.

But the truth is that Fowler is using a number of mechanisms to seriously undermine structure and functioning of health service care. The govern'TRADE UNION rights to support members of other trade unions in dispute have been undermined and threatened by the High Court.'

tional Graphical Association Tony Dubbins, put it when he reported to the national council of the union on developments in the Stockport Messenger. dispute.

Alan Royston, the Father of the Chapel exDlalnca wilal tne alspule Is about. 'The six NGA MCHOCN. who complied : with the instruction to withdraw labour from Messenger newspapers,

in their fifteenth alc Iuv week of strike action.

By John Cutts

the Messenger Newspaper ne cisoute surrouuus

Group's retusal to accept the union presence in their typesetting house at Bury and the printing plant at

Warrington.

Before the Be of ant

directers igned a roo the was set one tion agreement to employ NGA personnel.

ployed on-union andy

employed non-union anti-union people in the Bury office. Mr Shah, the

has openly stated that he always in

Brent defies

the Tories

£250,000 per year.

The Brent authority

ment is asking for a one per cent cut in money spent on the health service

For a 0.5 per çent decrease in real growth in the health service.

Reality

This sounds a trifling amount, but the figures hide the reality. Even the Tories accept that in order to stand still, the health service needs a 1.2 per cent per yea real growth target. With arcule population, and the demands of new technology anything less will result in marked and steady deterioration of health care.

Even assuming a higher growth rate: than that proposed by the government, health provision would remain appalling. The total waiting list is now 719,000 — a dreadful total of human misery, wilich of course the rich

Print union

fights Tebbit

That's how assistant general secretary of the Na-

tended to go non-union

On ,Thursday October, members of the National Union of Journalists refused to cross our picket lines. action was taken in support of the

NGA. other unions the NGA has With the decided to step up its campaign by increasing picketing outside the Stockport office at Wellington House.

This dispute must be backed by all trade

and socialists, TIOSLS not least those • In the newspaper industry.

War

It is obvious that the newspaper proprietors see this the opening battle in war against the

backed by -the

Tôries anti-union law.

The object is to introduce new technology,

can avoid through private health care. Junior hospital doctors work at average of 80 hours WCCK And the pay many in the health service remains extrémely low.

Insult

To add insult to injury Fowler is now forcing health authorities privatise virtually every non-medical aspect of the health service - an action which will cause massive upheaval in the health service, result in thousands of redundancies and, privatisation of council services make. things will eventually make more expensive

The defence of the health service cannot be left to health authority members alone. If they are tory onslaught, it means a successfully defy 'the huge labour movement campaign support them, including industrial action the healthworkers.

Neil Kinnock's call for

a0 abory Pae coas isn

defy the cuts welcome opportunity to take the defence of the health service through the length and breadth of the move licil operated by low paid, nonskilled workers smash the closed shop and smash strong union organisation which stand in the way of achieving this objective.

Jobless

Shah has employed young jobless

workers, on a rumoured

£70 a week. to do the iobs

of the typesetters. The new

simple Lech01g) SU that in a very short time

Lali Icall operate it.

Messenger manage-

ment have made it clear

lne) intend to use

Tebbit's law to the full.

have already SUIC

taken the NGA to court

once and will no doubt be

taking the NUJ there too.

As Iony Dubbins said

in the NGA journal Print.

We need to bring home to

all members of the NGA

as well as trade

unionists, that the Higt

Court has said that

of one union

seniech

cannot, without breaking * the law, assist members of

another union who are in

dispute

Solidarity, one of the

MODERN

TIMES

Soriaritars

If l get one more joker ringing they're Cecil Parkinson I'm going to scream!!! cornerstones of our movement, is under attack and we must respond because the law says you must be a blackleg.

The picketing is now being stepped up. There are mass pickets every Tuesday betweer 8.30am and 10pm. Help is welcomed

The strikers, supported by NUJ members, are also stepping up the picketing • of the company's other offices , in Burv Altringham and Sale. Shah, and Tebbit's laws must be defeated. • Messages of support to Arthur Clarke, Graphic House, Creek Street, Stockport.

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