LAST WEEK we printed the letter from the Labour Committee on South Yorks Day of Action shows ine way as The Photo BETRAY SOLS LAID this.
posal Jor will an utter disaster. Not merely Is in comes policy economically wrong but it will drive millions of skilled and better-off workers into the hands of the Tories as it did in 1979.
Incomes policy has to be totally reiected. Apart from its economic consequences no British government has ever won an election after using an incomes policy.
• Someone is going to have to By Thatcher and the process if lift Thatcher and the process of industrial reconstruction which is need. ed. There are only two candidates for The first is Roy Hattersley's prothat better-off workers should be taxed and subjected to in comes policy to finance lower paid workers. That will lead to economic because it won't worl usable practically. Politically it won't work because it will lead to a huge division of the working class and to a crushing Labour defeat.
The only other possibility is that capital must pay for the crisis. A pro gramme of economic reconstruction must be financed and developed by economic attacks on capital and a maexpansion of public ownership This must start with measures such as the nationalisation of North Sea Oil to create funds for industrial investment, nationalisation of the banks for the same purpose and public ownership of the growing and profitable sections of manufacturing industry to expand the economy. Unless this is done a future Labour government collapse amid an economic debacle and political defeat of a scale which would make even 1979 or 1983 appear mild.
We believe it would be possible to get a framework for debate in the Party, and at least some measure of unit! on the left, on the following basis (a) Turning the party outwards to campaigning Thatcher government defending the Labour Party against the financia and other attacks being organised b!
(h) Richt now running against the leadership provided no qualitative steps are taken such as turning Labour io a coalition with the Alliance, dumping unilateralism, or starting a witch hunt.
(c) Reinstating those expelled and ending the suspension of parties, ing the bans on publications and taking all the necessary steps to end the witch hunt.
(d) The official spokespersons of the Labour Party in Parliament must.
counse explain official policy but every member of the party. both right and lett, must have the right to campaign within the party for the policies they think right.
In that framework a discussion can lake place about policy dif ferences, without damaging the ParBut obviously all the points stand or fall together. If there is a purge and policies like unilateralism are junked then a fight will, and must take place Then the left will have to take up the cudgels en behalf of the policies ! believe: and for right socialists to put forward their viet: the Labeer Party.
mean wasting energy resources in an interr? dispute which would divide the par. That would be a tragedy not just for the left but for all the Labour Part! because it would come at a time wher Labour has a real chance of turning the tabies on the Tories.
We look forward to your reply to the above points and look forward to discussing these questions with you