Socialist Action No. 42, 27 January 1984
The scan: 042-jan-27-1984-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.
Page 1 scan of this page
IF THE TUC adopt Strategy for the Future when the General Council meet this week it will deliver a big blow to the labour movement.
It is a document snuggling up closer to the Tories and distancing the trade unions from the Labour Party. When it talks about strikes causing damage to 'the community' it strengthens the demand of the Tories for no-strike agreements in the public sector.
The document's moralising about the unions doing more on welfare and employment rights rather than using their muscle for pay rises Is a DIl SICK The TUC's cowardice in 1982 failed the health workers and
No. 42
TUC
PLAN FOR
SURRENDER
weakened the defence of one of the most important sections of the welfare state.
And considering that it has not given senious any workers striking against sackings and redundancies, the TUC's talk about employment rights rings absolutely hollow.
The latest retreat by the TUC rams home the process begun at last year's Congress when the right wing headed by Chapple made their turn to "realism'. The movement away from the Labour Party is also echoed by Roy Hattersley, who has decided 'that the unions are going to diminishing force political and industrial life'
27 January 1984 30p
SociAlist
ACTION
as he announced at a Fabian conference a fortnight ago.
and worried backing to dwindling membership, TUC bureaucrats share Hattersley's pessimism about their future and have become ever more desperate about the threat to the cosy relation unions have maintained with post-wal cramas
At a more bureaucratic jobs are threatened, expenses are less generous, union cars will have to last trade longer, and the 'personal' relabe tions with local businessmen British will no longer be so 'friendly'.
wages.
Intimidated by the Tories
about their
the trade
explain
personal level ing the summer
TUC
Faced with this threat the
What
TUC is entertaining the absurd delusion that it can strike up a new partnership with the Tory government. The reality is the complete opposite. The TUC's proposed document is only going to encourage Thatcher to go further. What is worse is that working people will pay for this policy by more job losses, less welfare, less democratic rights and by the erosion of their real
At the end of the process the assault on the unions will be even worse than before.
The left wing in the unions has to have a clear goal. This infamous document has to be rejected. The left wing on the central council has to go back among their membership and
why Strategy for the Future has to be thrown out.
The most urgent task dur-
terence is to throw out this
"strategy'. The unions have to win the ballots on the closed shop and the Labour Party affiliation - those are the real tasks for the unions.
means
of for the cur
MODERN
TIMES
One down, one to go! the
THIS WEEK THE TUC decided to circulate a new 28-page document called Stategy for the Future. Written -10 provide the theme for the preparation at the next TUC Congress in the autumn the document is another step towards 'business' unionism.
Although written by the 'bright' researchers on the staff the document bears the unmistakeable imprint of Len Murray. It is aimed at getting through at the level
policies the organisational gains made by the right wing at last year's Congress.
• The document calls
workable compromises' between the claims of trade unionists and those of other groups. It explains 'the essence of accommodating industrial change through collective bargaining is the need for compromises reflecting both union objectives and those of the employers.'
This and other sections of the document, are a barely disguised plea for an in. comes policy.
• Tipping its hat to past services from Labour governments the TUC document says: "While the role of Labour governments has been a major factor in
achievement of trade union economic and social objectives, the basis of the current TUC involvement in government owes much to Churchill's war-time and subsequent Conservative governments.' This opens the way to collaboration with the Tories on pay and redundancies.
• It then hastens to add that most trade unionists *have never been been on strike - well that certainly applies to Len Murray -but says when strikes do oc-
they not only hurt business and the community, they hurt the workers involved. These are words that will gladden the heart of any Tory Minister of Labour.
• Strategy for the future wants the unions to influence governments to advance welfare and employment rights rather than use so-called bargain. ing muscle to promote pay deals for their own members. This gives any government the right to insist that the welfare state is paid for out of future pay rises.
• The document talks about unions proving 'their fitness to play a continuing role in the future but accepts that this can only be done in collaboration with
Tories and the employers.
Page 2 scan of this page
Euro-Socialism
2 Socialist Action
SociAlist
ACTiON
Crisis in the
Morning Star
THE CRISIS of the Communist Party took a major new lurch forward last week. First the Communist Party Executive Committee voted that Chater, and his deputy a te. Morning
'ought not to continue to hold' their jobs. They should be replaced by supporters of the present line of the Executive.
Then on Thursday the Morning Star replied publically stating that, 'The shareholders at the annual general meeting held last year in seven centres across the country expressed their confidence in the editor with a massive vote for his re election to the management commitee.'
Simultaneously the Morning Star has taken steps to increase its financial from the CPGB by buying a new 2650,000 press with which it can carry out commercial printing work.
Unless the Chater and Whitfield in the People's Press Printing Society - the reader's co-operative which legally owns the Morning Star munist party is on the verge of losing control of its most important public political asset
Given that Chater and his supporters won a similar struggle last year the chances of the Party Executive do not seem very bright. The CPGB is today closer to a split than at any time since the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956.
What makes a tremendous difference compared to that situation twenty eight years ago however is the quality Communist Party. had 40,000 members. national trade unions. under the impact of the Hungarian events many of those who left went into the left wing of the Labour Party. tions. Out of the splits in the Communist Party was born the whole 'new left'
Today ninety per cent of those leaving the Communist Party are going to right -the one thing that unites the different factions is their common view that the working class is not the force which is going to resolve the political crisis either in Britain divisions are over who, other than the working class, are going to strike the decisive blows and give the crucial political leadership.
For old style Stalinists of course the answer is obvious. The Soviet bureaucracy crushing workers in Poland, taking a tough line against Reagan, encouraging or holding back industrial militancy — is the force to back.
For the Eurocommunists of Marxism Today it is the European imperialists of the EEC who have the answer. Hence the need to remain in the Common Market, back a nuclear freeze, and form an alliance with the SP and Liberals.
Charter seems to favour a rather electic mixture of the Soviet bureaucracy and patriotic sections of British capitalism with a union militancy mixed in for good measure.
One thing is certain however. The removal of the CPGB as a political force is an outcome to be wished for. The quite enough of Marxist professors who go from apologising for Stalin to apologising for the SDP.
We trust the Morning Star's split will be deep and rapid.
Without
comment The Home release on Sunday.
The Home Secretary resence in the United Kingdom of Stokely Car michael (Kwame Ture) would not be conducive to the public good.
In addition to demanding Kwame Ture be allowed in the country immediately we ask if Leon Brittan is conducive to the 'public good'?
Editor: ALAN FREEMAN Published weekly except two weeks in August and the last week of December Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily represent Socialist Action's views. editorials.
27 January 1984 editor independence
CPGB Executive can outvote
then the Comof the forces left in the
In 1956 the Communist Party
It controlled two major When the CP splintered
A few joined Trotskyist organisa-
in Britain.
go over to the some very far to the right indeed. In fact
For internationally. The
whether bit of trade
workers movement has had Office issued the following press
• has decided that the These are expressed in
Launching a dream ticket LAST SUNDAY Neil Kinnock gave an hour interview to ITV's Weekend World'. He took the opportunity to spell out three key policies for Labour.
conventional armaments. It would scrap Polaris. It would not pledge to reduce unemployment below one million. In fact unemployment might still be above two million at the end of a five year Labour government.
JOHN ROSS asseses Neil Kinnock's interview. Neil Kinnock accurately Brian Walden's Weekend World as a big issues man (sic)'. That is to say that politics is not made up of a hundred minor together to make a coherent policy.
•Politics always revolves around two or three cenua ucsons al any luc The task of a politica leadership is to get a firm grip on these Isses organise the rest of the Party's WOlK around them. Political activity must then be based on the key social forces that are driving towards these goals. All secondary ques-
ElUS DC strictly LAST FRIDAY'S miners ballot to replace general secretary Lawrence Daly, retiring early through ill-health, was a close-run result. secretary of the Derbyshire miners, was ahead of the right's strongest candidate, John Walsh from North Yorkshire, by only a few thousand votes.
Heathfield, figure in the NUM. known winger and supporter of the current
Walsh, little known outside his
OWIl alca. on an anti-Scargill ticket.
By Carol Turner
Walsh's vote is seen as
vote against present union policies. The media heralded the result as a moral victory against the overtime ban.
The will give heari employment minister Tom King. But a breakdown of the result bi areas leaves room to doubt King's joy.
Kinnock's
A BRIT
Labour government would spend more on
described himself on
questions which can be stitched
organised around achieving these primary objectives
Neil Kinnock carried out this policy very well with Walden. It is also being implemented in the Labour Party itself. In fact the Walden interview was the most coherent expres sion so far of where Nei Kinnock taking the Labour Party.
No committment to
NUM Setback
Peter Heathfield,
Heathfield polled well in the traditionally militant coalfields Scotland, South Wales
- but also had unexpectedly strong sup port trom the moderate' areas, the Midlands, Durham and shire. He did badly in his UWEl alca and Yorkshire.
Far from reflecting any widespread antagonism to the OVC-LINC Dall the results are more an indication of miners' Conceil over the future of their industry and their jobs. In al cas most anecica by pili
Heathfield's result was good; poor in areas relatively untouched at present.
JOHN
Photo:
full employment. Less emphasis on nuclear weapons More expenditure on conventional ar-
This Halicals gramme, down to the small details, is the policy
the European imperialist powers — the maJor West European capitalist states that make up the EEC.
It necessary to specify that what is involved is the European imperialist powers. For Neil Kinnock's policy is not at all the programme of the United States. Indeed it is out of these differences of policy with the US that Neil Kinnock is hoping t generate popular support for Labour.
Directly
The US administration today is directly stepping up its military prepara tions for war in areas such Peter Heathfield supporting health service workers
The ballot shows
fight for its future
The question now fac-
as Central America and the Middle East. To back up these policies a major section of the US ruling class wants to be in a posilon lo make a credible threat of, or even win, nuclear war with the Soviet Union.
This is why the United States is developing tirs strike' weapons such as the MX missile and the nev 'Star Wars anti-missile technology.
But West German, French or Italian capitalism want no such nonsense. They prepared to give open support or if that fails a 'nod and a wink' to United States involvement in the Middle East, . Central America, and Grenada.
But the West European powers today do not want
risk war with the
The 'first strike' weapons which the United States is developing al c not considered necessary Ideas of a nuclear 'freeze' enjoy wide popularity even among European capitalists.
Obvious
The reasons for that are obvious. Reagan may talk of a imited nuclear war' in Europe. That is fine for United States capitalism But hopeless for West Ger-
manne Waste.
West European powers are theretore mov. ing to a military strategy which relies MUCH HO C heavily on conventional armaments and nuclear weapons. Hence
Kinnock's well nuclear defence policy'. ing Arthur Scargill and the union's militants is how to regain the initiative after the so-called moderates
News
On the field of economic competition, however, the West Euro
capitalist countries are engaged in a ruthless struggle with the United Stales High US interest rates, the colossal US Federal Budget defecit, United States larrils on special steels, a bitter farm war. All these US move have hit the West Euro-
the United economy is now far above that of the EEC countries. Conflict
In these circumstances Western Europe has no
talk 'full employment'. It is austeri-
altpolises news are
attacks on welfare
which the order of the day Labour government pledg ed to full employment has no chance whatever making alliances 'progressive West European capitalists
Follow Neil Kinnock's speeches carefully the weeks to come. He will attack violently the United States. There will be no such attacks on Western
Europ or demands
vithdrav from the EEC Not only the campaigning
but also the content Labour s policier being moved towards the 'Eurosocialist' •Darlick of France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy.
The two million who Neil Kinnock now announces WIl be left without jobs under Labour government will just be the first victims of that policy. fillip? The ballot result shows the fight for unity against pit closures has yet to be won.
Page 3 scan of this page
Labour and Eric Hobsbawm
News
LAST WEEK TONY BENN BEATRIX CAMPBELL interview author of Sweet Freedom and a journalist on the weekly City Limits. It dealt with major questions strategy for the Labour Party, the women's movement, and the unions.
Socialist Action is reprin- -ting the first part of the interview as we think it deserves a circulation well outside don.
Beatrix Campbell: You've said on several occasions that you're aware of why movements emerged outside Labourism like disarmament and feminism. argued that now is the time for them to return to their natural home, Labour.
Tony Benn: No, I've never said that. Absolutely never said that. What I said was these movements ought to be able to affiliate to us, like the miners or workers. The idea of an alliance of the labour movement theme I've been on for 15 years. I've never said anybody should close down an organisation and join the Labour Party.
BC: I didn't suggest that — the reason I ask is because people in the Labour Party see it as the centre of alliances.
TB: The labour movement is. BC: But the labour movement and the Labour Party represent corporate interests...
TB: What do you mean? BC: The Labour Party is the creation of organised workers. TB: Yes.
BC: Its function was to represent them at the political level. who was in those organisations?
It's only a particular stratum of the working class. changed radically not least... TB: This is the Eric Hobsbawm argument. I personally think all this analysis of a fundamental change which everything is different, is designed to demoralise and defeat. This idea that a statistical examination of the change in the makeup of the working class, including the entry of women into class organisations, has somehow changed the ball game, is wrong. BC: It's interesting down to Hobsbawm. Feminism is a force on the left, it's formidable but it's had to fight for its life in the labour Hobsbawm may clock on about, as it happens he's not a notorious supporter...
TB: He's a bitter critic of the Labour left...
BC: Hang on a sec...
TB: The truth is he's a member of a party (the Communist Party) that candidates against the Labour Party. He's covering a shift from the left to the right.
Then he says maybe we've got to do is join with bitterly anti-socialist people, the SDP, in the guise of an anti-Thatcher alliance. And then this whole idea of Thatcherism in Marxism To-
to
London
of Lon-
You've
transport
But
That's
TB: Well of course she is,
that
working
you put it
movement. Sun all over the place...
what it's
but they do them voluntarily. what Times rolled into one and Times
they killed it...
Sun?
Labour women campaign for democracy day is a complete mistake. What's wrong with Britain is capitalism
BC: But isn't Thatcherism a par-
Heath was a member of the SDP - they've governed Britain since
BC: But it's a different kind of
BC: But what does that tell you? TB: That for the first time in many years we now have a party
them. Instead of sending the Army all over the place, send the
BC: But the workers buy the Sun. People may do the wrong things
TB: Actually, the entire British
BC: Does that explain why Joe
TB: But take the Daily Herald, it had a circulation as big as the
the Telegraph, and the advertisers wouldn't advertise so
BC: But why do people buy the
TB: They can buy what they like but the fact is the Sun is financed
BC: I don't know times I've asked you now why
if we don't know why then there's a terrifying distance between us and them. TB: But what you haven't turned your mind to is that the Sun is a subsidised newspaper, and if it
proper cover price they after ere 1944 Educatin women. Act, have experiences qualitative-
long tradition fought for by our own working class movement for
TB; It didn't fight for it, that was the inherited tradition...
BC: That assumes they were only victims of their own past. Can I
BC: That being the case, we have
policies it produces. If you believe a women's place is to bring up babies, then you don't believe in
TB: But who believes that in the
…know yOu haven't met them, maybe because you never talk to them about those issues.
TB: Of course I've met them. But if you accept that the conflict between women's interests and interests of the old male trade union movement is so fundamental you are splitting the only force that could beat the major system and simultaneously other questions.
BC: We're already split. TB: Then we're finished. BC: So how do we change it? TB: By supporting the women's movement and party. That's what we've BC: We have no party which has policies that, policy, our social security system and our wage system, adquately reflects class. There are power-holding another problem the left has is that the working class is a subordinate class...
TB: But that motivated the Labour Party in the four years '79 to '83. we were not leaders of the elected by a secret ballot of the Ine male-dominated Labour Party. We were going to let everybody the constituencies very things which go to the heart of the matter things support.
BC: And how does this bear on the problem of how we create politics within the working class
Socialist Action 27 January 1984 we Have IU clean
Led...
BC: Why
breached.
take on these
gulf.
outside the done.
in terms of social
changes in the working
formidable
institutions, but
very question
We decided prepared to have
Labour Party
Parliamentary
- the unions and
- vOle. These
these were the iRELAND:
Hobsbawm says lost us
3 that transforms it from a subor-
had no control over who their
BC: The trade union block vote was still rolled out like a B-52 to
the question: is the problem with
unions shouldn't have such in fluence, or that the balance with
that the trade unions have a less sensitive democratic mechanism?
TB: Isn't the process that went on in the Labour Party something we
trade unions? That's beginning to
my lifetime. But you have to keep your spirits up, if you don't have hope they won't try and if they don't try we're finished and the
would be if they could persuade people that the labour movement was so racist and sexist that it
TB: Well you have to keep hope
BC: We're having a sort-out in the moment and it's a sort-out
have, we've got to up the movement. Democratisation of the Labour Party was part of that.
TB: It you're saying there's an inescapable gulf that can't be bridg.
use the word inescapable? People might be saying there is a gulf and it can be
TB: Well I never said there isn't a
BC: Let's change tack.
City Limits -
The Art and
Soul of London CIY
LIMITS
IM INDOORS
Every Thursday 60p
Page 4 scan of this page
'Silicon Glen"?
4
IRELAND
UNFREE
Irish Militant
witch hunted
I HAVE heard it said that if somebody farts in a Belfast pub some joker will try to pin the blame on Dominic McGlinchey maverick and 'Irelands' most wanted man'. However the most unlikely place for MeGlinchey to hide is in the Dublin headquarters of
Irish Militant republican outfit if ever there was one.
Yet it was in search or Mcclineney wal Ine Southern Police justified the raid on the Militant's offices last week. Stranger still they restricted their search to cabinets. Cynics have suggested that a more likel! explanation lies in the political Special Branch trying to help find documentary evidence useful for the Labour leaderships' attempt to purge Militant from its ranks.
une emote bunde cones before Labour leaders line up in the Dail to give Hit subut to alouici proposed by their coalition partners As a Militant ask that faces not how to expel socialists from its own ranks; but how to break from policies of Dr Garret Fitzgerald.
Motions
Motions currently before the Administrative council of the Labour Party are staggering for their directness known as the 'Militant', otherwise the 'Militan or association with such group, or support of, propogation of,
Militant Monthly, any related publication principles or objects of the Labour Party and for the purpose of association, support or propogation shall be deemed as injurious to the Labour Party.'.
Council
This proposal is linked with the existing powers of the Administrative Council which can 'refuse to admit or at any time cancel the membership of any existing member if they consider his or her activities are injurious to the party or inconsistent with its principles or objects.'
Labour leaders are Militant's activities right at present as discontent with Labour's policies grows. Major union conferences this SCENTL withdraw their affiliation fees from the Labour Party and invest them in a more productive enterprise.
Expel
With the so-called Workers' Party hankering after the anti-republican working class ticket, a decision to expel Militant might well prove damaging to the cause of the Labour Party bureaucrats, after all, the Militant is one of few remaining sources of faith for the theory that the 26 county Labour Party can be transformed into anything eseful.
Labour's Youth organisation and is strong in the Dublin Members Ireland, and have some support in Loyalist areas in the North where they want to join the British Labour Party.
Whatever the policies of the Irish Militant with their frenzied hatred of the anti-imperialist movement. the witch backward step for the workers'
Ireland, it is a direct attack on democracy in the workers' between the repressive forces of the state and the Labour Bureaucracy in this case, must be exposed and resisted.
• Latest: In embarassment over the Gardai raid, Labour leader Dick Spring withdrawn the action against Militant saying it will be represented before conference.
Socialist Action 27 January 1984
military
La vehemently anti-
rifling through documents and filing
just one week
anti-working class budget Fine Gael.
She Labour movement in Ireland i 'the
the monetarist-Thatcherite
'Membership of the organisation otherwise the 'Militant Reader Group',
For assistance in the publication of, Mutant Molly s is inconsistent with the this article, such membership, particularly tetchy about
are discussing whether to present is the leading current in
scattered around
hunt, if successful, would be a movement
movement. The obvious collaboration
has temporarily
THE THREATENED CLOSURE of Scott Lithgow has again focused attention devastation of Scotland. general election Thatcher was claiming a Scottish 'economic miracle'.
The Scottish enocomy was supposed to be rebuilt out of the new 'sunrise' industries of electronics and computing. behind the Tory rhetoric. 'At long last Scotland is a
part economy and is about to lead this country out of the
said Scottish Secretarv George Younge in last autumn's House of Commons debate Scotland economy.
Thatcher boasted during last year's general election campaigr that Scotland 'has turned its back on the past' and that with its new industries it is
whole the image roasts
whole Illas future'. She made news with the claim that the 'sunrise' industries Scotland 'are now employing more than shịpbuilding, coal mining and
S I ASSUME, DEAR FATHER, THAT AT CHESTERFIELD YOU WILL ONCE AGAIN BE RALLYING ROUND THE FLAG OF THE 4 SDP/LIBERAL ALLANCa
on the industrial Yet as recently as the
BRIAN HERON looks at the reality
steel put together.'
The same claim is being put forward by business leaders and in the press CBI President Sir Cambell Frazer closed the CBI annual conference held in Glasgow last November by holding Scotland and Glasgow as 'glowing examples of the way forward for Britain. He urged his fellow directors 'Remember, as you return
your companies, the sparking example that the people of the city have set you,
The Glasgow Herald, a
difficult to work out which are articles and which are advertisements, positively
THE
AS YOU KNOW, MY SON, I LIKE TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND ON MATTERS POLITICAL - BUT 1 DO & THINK IT IS VITALLY TO STOP THAT MAN BENN FROM RETURNING TO PARLIAMENT:
glows nowadays about 'silicon glen'. Maurici Baggot on business page said Scotland is 'one
the leading computer
of manutatutig celle. the world'.
Has Scotland, the area of the Tories greatest unpopularity at the last election, paradoxically become Thatcher's economic success story?
The reality tells a very different story the myths Thatcher and Younger. ine ena ol November Labour MP George Foulkes asked the Tory Secretary State aboul charges in lne elec tronics industry Scotland. The
answer revealed a 22 per cent drop in jobs in this 'sunrise' industry between 1970 and 1981.
The 1981 census statistics revealed a total of 74,000 workers employed in Scotland in all aspects of steel. Some 39,000 are shipbuilding and steel. employed in electronics.
SUDS
During the last ten years ine raaluonal shed 9,000 workers. Electronics lost nearly 11,000 from considerably smaller total.
The unambiguous reality of these figures dicates that all Scottish in dustry Is decline. And the rate of decline of jobs in electronics averaged out cove considerably faster than for traditional industries.
The only area of serious expansion of Scotland over the last ten years is the relatively small productior force employed on North Sea Oil and the far ciate service guired sector required prime the oil industry Four fifths of all Scottish 'exports' are now ac counted for by North Se oil. There has • been a 4u per cent absolute decline in manufacturing in Scotland over the last twenty years.
The latest recession simply accelerated the trend.
The Scottish economy
Wythenshawe
suspension ends
THE SUSPENSION Wythenshawe constituency Labour Party ended on 15 January 1984. Nationa Agent David Hughes and local right wingers finally held a meeting they could win.
By Chris Jones
By 60 votes to 40, clear right majority was elected executive Committee and officer pusts.
November's attempt to reconvene une local part! failed when the right's manoeuvring was ed, and delegations proved
National Council Meeting EVERYONE - FROM THE OWNER OF THE SUN TO THE OWNER OF THE
THAT HE IS A MENACE TO DEMOCRACY - A THREAT TO ALL THAT WE HOLD DEAR -
News
is now completely lopsided in its development and virtually totally dependent the single commodity of North Sea oll. Ihis is the only maio industrial sector which to. day has an organic natural base the Scottish economy.
The sole reason for minimal investment in new industries outside North Sea In massive state funded regional grants. These pay up to 40 per cent of start up COSt industries. On average the covernment odys licula tional companies roughly £11,000 per job created in Scotland The figures on job losses show many companies have taken the money and Dasscu Current Tory thinking on ulassive Cuts 1r regional aid will make Scotland a wasteland Scott Lithgow another turn in the vicious spiral of industrial decline in Scotland. of irregular. One delegate to
that meeting admitted he wasn't even party member.
This time Hughes had done his homework. But February will annual general meeting. Former Alf Home, , is optimistic the situation can be reversed ed. Already, several union delegations have moved left.
Despite the right majority Huroconstituency delegation re OUC to the l month eligibility
to hold the balance, winger Newman could well be selected.
Labour Against the Witchhunt
Saturday 11 February registration: 11.30am business starts: 12
creche available Further details Keith Lichman (Sec) 11 Wilderton Road, London N16 (01-802 1709)
BY BORMAN
LET'S FACE IT, DEAL FATHER, YOUR " MIND WAS NEVER OPEN 4 IT WAS SIMPLY
VACANT!
Page 5 scan of this page
Defend the cities!
News
During the parliamentary recess, happened at Leith which exposes the nature of the Thatcher government. A number of police were found on a local rubbish dump.
They or mindividuals
individuals Halic who frequented a ticular centre in Edinburgh. Not criminals -"ordinarv citizens. of whom were political activists. It appears the information was collected for Special Branch.
This incident should not surprise anyone. The law-and-order brigade in
Partv. par-
chela lave earph assed.
cher, emphasised that more money is being spent on the police force.
There increasing surveillance of political activists, are thought to be potentially 'dangerous' The police are active trying to keep the lid on the capitalist system.
Gavin Strang (a fellow MP) and 1 have asked for a meeting with ine Loulan and boraers police, to find out what's been going on. Whether we'll get another
We're witnessing a build-up of the police
this Slaler allu niciacill highlights what's going
In fact, it's only the tip of the iceberg. The party has to take this up, among the many things lor Labour to ao this year.
The Tories dre
and more indecire ne
ana more vindictive saw with the NGA
SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL
Services Worth Saving
Labour's
challenge in 1984
By Ron Brown, MP for Leith, Scotland
dispute, and we see it again with the Rates Bill now going through parliament.
This is a very important issue. It's the death knel of local democracv.
People's basic righs under attack from the Bill.
It's all very well that Ted Heath and others are
BOUR F
protesting from the Tory benches, but it's really a gues involved bourside
involved outside parliament. What's lacking is a positive lead on Ine issue.
This = 5. Labour. real challenge And that brings me to Tony Benn's selection for Chesterfield
another challenge for
For the media, Benn personifies SOCaus element in the party. They'l They'll use all for the jugular.
of dirty tricks thell in Bermondsey. DUILD did with Peter Tat-
The capitalist class and their newspapers are concerned that Benn's campaign will rally the working class But we shouldn't see Tony Benn as some sort of superstar
wouldn't want
ng our place and paki
ciples into the working class. It's in the interest
the whole the Labour Party to support Benn. will get tremendous response from the rank and file.
Everyone must go to Chesterfield, go out on the doorsteps. It's not a Tony Benn campaign,
Canvad about the working class: their future, their jobs, their living standards it's about all the basic issues.
There are no guarantees, hut we can win - and win handsomely media. We aespile shouldn't apologise for explaining what the Labour Party is really about. Labour is not consensus party, it's a socialist pally and if it's not, it isn't a party in the interest f the working class.
From this week, Socialist Action will be carrying a regular parliamentray column.
Tories' plans to destroy local government. the guise of defending the rate-payer and streamlining local administration, the government is planning a huge attack on jobs and services, and a crippling blow to the Labour Party.
First they must attack local democracy. Not, of course all local democracy. But certainly wnere It leads to tne relurn
administrations.
Thẹ Greater London Council the metropolitan counties are
stonghold tOT Labour: And they have been consistent opponents of the government's policies.
By Patrick Hickey
The Tories have little prospect of winning these councils. This is why they are to be abolished.
Removing them will weaken Labour nationally. It will open the door to the Alliance, and so help replace Labour the 'natural' alternative to the Tories.
The so-called streamlining ot GLC and metropolitan counties will lead to the creation of over 120 new, non-elected bodies rag-bag of quangos tainly increase costs. Sayings can be made only by cutting services, by onvalisation and by in creasing user costs. Claim
The Tories claim local authority spending is 'out of control'. Soaring rents and rates have lent credibility to this.
Between April 1978 and April 1983, rates rose by 128%; the Retail Price Index by only 71%. At the same time there was a cut in the government's Rate
wores. soaring rates are due to the
CULS Colla government aid to local
Far from being out of control, local government spending has declined from 15.8% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP in 1975, , to 12% in 1982. This reality has been masked by the failure of most Labour councils to wage a
Socialist Action 27 January 1984
Under
real fight against Tory cuts.
Raising rates to defend jobs and services amounts to a tax on working people means authorities taking the blame for Tory policies. the new attacks are to be defeated, Labour must fight
Unfortunately, many labour leaders have failed to grasp this point. Laboul Weekly's line is hopeless: the Tory revolt on the Rate Capping Bill much more significant than the
vole majority (Patrick Jenkin) gained for his rate-capping bill'
OPERATIONAL STAFF
and the GLC are operational.
2% of the total GLC wage bill.
public health and safety workers.
14% between 1978 and March 1983.
COUNCILS UNDER THREAT
Greater London
Greater Manchester
Merseyside
South Yorkshire
Tyne and Wear
West Midlands
West Yorkshire
WHERE THE MONEY GOES
Spending per head of population by the
metropontan counties.
police
roads
buses & trains
He DEAT
waste disposal
planning
other services & admin (& airports)
5 even more beam when that 'Labour must hope that these cuts begin to bite, the blame for them is placed firmly where it belongs on the Tory Government and not on Labour coun cillors... We need more than hope!
We need action. The January 24 day of action was a big step in the right direction.
Much more needs to be done. The party leadership, local authorities, and local Labour parties must join with local government unions to build a cam. of industrial and walsl pollucal action to defeat this attack
The tables given in this article taken from NALGO's Local Govern ment Briefing pack.
Most staff employed by the metropolitan counties
• Administrative and managerial staff amount to •only 7½ % of total GLC staff and account for only
• Over half of the GLC's staff are firefighters or
• Full-time staffing in the GLC (excluding the transfer of housing staff to the boroughs) fell b
Population Rateable Debt
6,608,600 1,921m 2,095m 2,575,400 331m 139m 1,503,000 195m 14m 1,292,000 138m 59m 1,135,500 128m 184m 2,575,400 411m 126m 2,021,700 216m 100m 3,340m 2,847m 24
£136
Page 6 scan of this page
Tof Evil attacks on the USSR Presidential election year.
But, as usual, actions speak ader than words. Behind the
BACK IN 1977 Maxwell W Hunter an aviation engineer then on the pay roll of the Douglas Aircraft Corporation wrote a paper called Strategic Dynamics Laser Weaponery. No longer were space wars to be restricted to sci-ii, Mr Hunter proved the game could be played for real.
Hunter's paper recommended that the US government should equip earth-orbit satellites laser weapons which he reckoned would wipe out Soviet spacecrait, created a minor sensation and got an immediate enthusiastic reception from a number of American politicians.
The Republican Malcom Wallop pointed out that combat laser some fantasy. Wallop insisted the elements of the system already existed and all that was needed to put it together was money and will. Well there was some will around and the capitalists always have money for war. So a number of experis all employed aerospace corporations volunteered to help out.
Despite the initial however, prophets don't always get beeded in their own land. The Pentagon snubbed Wallop that the Department of Defence
quite capable of deciding what
best for the future of the US
Then in 1981 the Department of Defence published its own study which was more or less the same as Hunter's paper proposed. Pentagon claimed that the balance of forces could be transformed if the US space laser arms race. To do this, according to the Pentagon, combat laser stations must be put into space and then not only would America's defences be secure but it would take a decisive lead over the USSR in offensive warfare.
Following the Pentagon report the Heritage Foundation — a rightwing backed research organisation
published High Frontier - A New National Strategy. This docupent made even the Pentagon's proposals look rather pacifist. The Heritage Foundation making outer space into a US fortress. Not only did they want laser combat stations in orbit but they were enthusiastic supporters baaaching devices which generate tromagnetic pulses, ballistic missiles. Heritage proposed to send up 432 satellites which could carry microwave, laser and other defensive weapons. ap this armada they proposed the extensive use of manned spaceships and orbiting stations.
This escalation of military terror proposed initially by and then supported by the Pentagon and the Heritage Foundation found an enthusiastic Ronald Reagan who in March and July 1983 rhapsodised in famous speeches about 'presence in space' saying the US should'... capitalise on the tremendous potential offered altimate frontier of space.' Reagan's former advisor Clarke pointed out Reagan. sen keen on laser weapons for a 6
Star Wars
JOHN and Space
with senator
were not
by big
support
- saying
long time. understandable The
completely
won the
100
proposed committee
Reagan's ideas on space wars.
laser guns of technologically. would elecready for action. for attacking
One SHei
Altair two-stage rocket To top hit space targets. these planes Virginia and Washington.
Hunter
trolled by the lan in
America's ministration.
these weapons by the As
William of air borne
has
Socialist Action 27 January 1984
nuclear strategy and at US intervention in El Sałvador. ROSS outlines strengthening of the US military bases in the third world" UNITED STATES
Mind you that for one-time Governor of California. That state is the centre of the US military-industrial complex and those giant firms hadn't put their money into Reagan's election campaign chest because they liked his old movies.
The top military brass were also delighted with their new 'toys'. As. Colonel G Rye from the National Security Council said: "The President has recognised that we are entering a new era in space.' Kahn one of the USA's leading strategists talked about Reagan making a 'revolution' in strategic thinking. Anxious not to waste any time Secretary of Defence Caspar Weinburg immediately set up an ad hoc
for elaborating
As of the beginning of 1984 the
aren't quite ready But the anti-missiles and anti-satellite systems are being built and will soon be
sostell 1S nearly finished. This combines the Sram-
and the F-15 fighter which it will launch to
Squadrons of will be stationed in
Just to make sure that civilians don't start meddling in things they shouldn't, these planes will be con-
Space Defence Operations and this body will take the space shuttle out of the control of NASA the civil air space ad-
Given the opportunities which
open up the airospace corporations have inundated the Pentagon with a diversity
destructive systems.
The idea behind all this is for the setting up of a new military wing of
THE X-RAY
SHALL NUCLEA
the the US services — a US space force - and to help this patriotic cause, the big corporations are only too willing to sell the US government the necessary hardware.
Needless to say some people, even in the US are a bit dubious about the so-called defensive intentions of these weapons. Brown, a former US Secretary of Defence thinks the space gramme might turn out to be nightmare'. Simon Ramo American physicist asks will 'this technique be used only to knock out missiles in the sky? If its such a good technique, why not use it to knock out things on the ground?' Ramo is right. The real function of these weapons is offensive.
Washington's claim that they are meant to repulse a nuclear first strike' by the USSR is nonsense. Most US experts reckon that the present level of technology not allow for the building of any anti-Ballistic Missile system that can guarantee absolute protection of a country against a first nuclear strike.
The orbiting laser guns however may not be able to stop the first strike but they are not being built at
BATTLE STATION 12
A 21ST-CENTURY
SPACE ARSENAL
Futuristic laser-beam weapons offer the possibility of making ballistic warfare obsolete, but the technology is costly and complex -and it does not yet exist
colossal expense for nothing. they have their defensive weapons they have their enormous advantages as offensive weapons.
The US military star war weapons for the purpose of the so called pre-emptive strike.
Harold While the laser and space systems could not knock out a Soviet attack pro- they could deal weaker response after an American first strike. Orbitting laser guns are another dreadful step by American imperialism along the path towards a third world war.
But they should also remind us of one thing. The United States is the greatest technological power in the world.
It is also the only country in the world ever to weapons in war.
States ever
does technological superiority over the Soviet Union defence to unleash a nuclear war without itself suffering retribution then the US ruling class would launch that war without hesitation.
If anyone should just study military thinking.
ICBM's is Intercepted and destroyed by U.S. X-ray-iazer battle stationa. up the
has been If and
deficiencies as
wants these Deployment
with the much United States
tries
undergoing
economic and
mediate
have used atomic
If the United
obtained
and military escalation'
doubts that, they
present US tage.
REA
STA
antone
US-
Work
Parallel with its nuclear arms build
United States has been rapidly expanding its conventiona armed forces. In particular the US
expanding the number quality forces ready for fighting foreign wars.
By 1982 the US had 543,400 troops stationed abroad. A further 440,000 are stationed in the United States but attached to the Rapid mobile armed force For interna Force highly tional emergencies'.
By the beginning of 1983 the
had 1500 foreign military bases in 32 foreign coun-
Since the late 1970s however United States forces have been
systematic reorganisation. This was originally based on Carter's creation of a Rapid Deployment Force for im-
intervention overseas.
Under Reagan US military strategy has become based on Secretary of Defence Caspar Weinberger's doctrine of 'geographical or horizontal
Under this policy the United States must prepare to rapidly expand any military confrontation with the Soviet Union into any area where it may be able to:gain advan-
Simultaneously US forces must be made more mobile for
Page 7 scan of this page
LAUNCHING SITE
ENEMY TERRITORY
cop
apid intervention into "flashpoint' evelopments such as merica or the Lebanon.
In order to carry through this olicy it is not simply Us forces in he United States itself that are be ag made more flexible. cular United States forces Vestern Europe have been made nore mobile and available for use n other areas.
Under US-West greement of March 1982 90,000 nembers of the West German armd forces are to be permanently employed on duties uick deployment of US military Orces. As of 1 January 1983 Israel, ebanon, and Syria were officially Haced within the area of operaions of US Military urope. Among its other resources
Command has at its disposal
GAN'S
RWARS
weta
weapons in Western Europe.
southwards and
East and East Africa. 1200 in Lebanon.
Central
Facilities
the United States in
in par-
in
Rapid Deployment Force.
German
tatorship of Zia in Pakistan. aid of $3.2 permitting
four fifths is allocated
wardy ba 'forward'
Command
Pacific. There
Key United States bases abroad the approximately 7000 US nuclear
US Military Command Europe Pousan. is in turn backed up by the United States Second Fleet in the Atlantic and the Sixth Fleet in the Mediter-
In order to extend its forces
eastwards trom Europe the United States, since the late 1970s, has begun to drastically expand it permanent deployment of forces and bases in the Middle nuclear
among
The memorandum On Strategic Cooperation signed by the United States and Israel in November 1981 gives US armed forces unlimited rights to the use of Israeli military bases. Under the Camp Dayid Accords the United States has at its disposal the Etzion and Eitam air bases in the Sinai Peninsula and the Sharm-El-Sheikh naval base to its south. The United States also has bases in Egypt at Cairo, Ras Benas and other areas. There are in addition 800 US troops in Sinai and
In Africa and the Middle East
1980 signed world. military agreements with Bahrain, Oman, Somalia, and Kenya. These will all provide facilities for the
To the south of the USSR the United States has put particular resources into propping up the dic-
US billion has been designated to Pakistan of which declares
tor armaments and military expenditure.
completing the US system, are the United States military forces in the
are 42,000 •US troops in South Korea including
major land naval and air bases al Osan, Kounsan, Kou, Seoul and
Approximately 700 nuclear weapons are also stationed in South Korea.
There are a further 50,000 US troops in Japan. Recently both the Japanese and South Korean forces have been reinforced with advanced F-16 fighter-bombers. These can be used both for conventional weapons delivery and for
attacks. The F16s the most. advanced planes in the world and are the same type of aircraft as used by Israel for its precision attack on the nuclear reactor in Irag.
Deployment
Supporting the forward US forces in South Korea and Japan are the B-52 stategic bomber base in Guam and the American Seventh Fleet — whose areas of deployment is the entire Pacific Ocean.
The American military system forms a perfect arc around the Soviet Union. It is also suitably poised to intevene in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. The US base system is the most powerful advanced military structure in the
If it is remembered that in 1962 the United States threatened world war because of the presence 01 Soviet missiles in just one country - Cuba, then the real role of these US forces is obvious.
The United States today maintains a strategic military presence througout the entire world.
Many other country that seeks to get the same capacity is engaged in 'aggression'. No other purpose than preparation for wars can be served by this system of bases. The greatest single threat to peace in the world today is simply the United States.
IN 1981 the United States carried through a major reorganisation of its forces in Central America and the Caribbean. It established a new regional command to establish new bases in the area and coordinate existing United States Panama, Puerto and the Guantanamo base in Cuba.
The background to this was not simply the Nicaragua and Grenada but also the rising civil war in El Salvador.
In El Salvador itself 35,000 people have been slaughtered in the last five years. The US has beer supplying continuously the regime of gangsters and murderers such as Major Roberto d'Aubuisson.
Now the United States has announced a major stepping up of the right wing against the Salvadorean guerillas of the FMLN. the United States establish 10 to one superiority of government forces against the FMLN. This will use up nearly all the f400 million of additional aid which the Reagan administration is proposing to send to El Salvador in 1984/85.
The Reagan
relatively acknowledges that the Salvadorean regime can hold on only by military means. As one Reagan source put it, The Salvadoreans enough troops enough guns to prevent a collapse and maintain the stalemate'. This 'stalemate' at 37,000 troops. 'Victory' that elusive thing the Americans us-
US
US
are war
US peace plans
in El Salvador
least
forces in army.
Rica, Bermuda
'advisors'
revolutions in
recent
Salvador.
dictatorship's war ship
The stated aim of
now to tion grow.
in the field
posed Salvadorean
administration openly
still have and still have take
present requires
- that's in El Salvador.
Socialist Action 27 January 1984
ed to keep promising in Vietnam -needs an army in El Salvador of at
80,000 according to US sources. There is no way that the Salvadorean military could train and adequately staff such a large
So as the Salvadorean army increases so will the number of US shades of Vietnam. Kissinger in his once again evoking
report, thinks the Salvadoreans will need more advisors than forseen at present but, just as he lied for Nixon over Vietnam and Cambodia, so Kissinger cheerfully lies for Reagan over El
Kissinger declared victory would 'only entail a slight increase in the number of advisors.' In reality the Americans intend to
even more sophisticated weapons into El Salvador so also will the need for direct US interven-
Then comes the real crunch. US planners are scared that their pro-
expansion the might not materialise and even worse some are dubious that it will not turn the tide in any case. So what happens then? Does the US get out of the country or do they increase their own involvement? It does not take much imagination to decide which road a Reagan or Kissinger will
The road the US military trod in Vietnam is also beginning to open up in the same ominous way
7
Page 8 scan of this page
New goals for Socialist Action fund drive
8
IN DECEMBER we set some pretty ambitious targets for Socialist Action. The idea was to put an end to our асcumulating debts in the New Year and start to get the paper on a sound financial
footing.
We campaigned among supporters up and down the country to raise their commitment to the fund drive and at the same time started drastically slashing our weekly expenditure.
So far we have promises from regular contributors to step up fund drive payments by £350 week. We calculate that when everyone has made up their minds, we can expect extra £500 above the weekly totals in 1983.
Reducing the size of the paper to 12 pages, regrettable though was. has saved
DIARY
These listings are free for all maior labour movement and campaign activities up to naimum of 50 words. Semi.
Never serenes CUSt Ep per word and must be pai
advance Send to: Diary, Socialist 328 Upper Street, condon N/ 2XP
not later. than Thursday, one week prior to oucation.
International
• The Politics of Health in Zimbabwe Hour long video available for meetings or
. £I0 (pavable in advance). Send to Books for South Africa Fund, PO Box 0. London NI • Sri Lankan Research & Information Group will arovide speakers on the —ment simadon inere lor
Write to 9 Grays inn Buildings, London EC1.
No interventon Central America (NICA) is 3 broad based coalition of
aghts orgs, aid agencies and
More details om NICA 20/21 Compton Terrace, London N1 01-226
• From War in the Third World to the Third World
new pamphlet
Solidarity Campaign, 50p. Order from ELSSOC, 29
ACTION 1 Socalist
Join the
fight for
socialism
Socialist Action 27 January 1984
ing.
of achievIn the
cutting everything
which
essential.
That we can
tackle the
both individual
supporters big
companies. We reckon
labour and
paper
dare leave
front.
We
advertising and all
looked at How
many or ac-
tion have
nalists not got
their cavelloca
From we
Islington Park St, London N1 01-359 3976. ELSSOC have also produced a 1984 calendar showing scenes from life in the liberated zones, t3 from same address.
Caribbean A series of open educationals with videos and speakers at Peckham Labour Club, Lansbury House, 41 camber we drove London SES: 31 Jan Grenada; 7 Feb Evening of Central American culture. Admission £1/UB40 free. Organised by Sth London Central
cullial!
details • Guatemala benefit with new num abour Jualelaid and an eye-witness report from Nicaragua by Stanley cuntor-Davis • Kio cinela. Dalston. Thur 26 January, 7pm
unionist Rose Rivas speaks Mount Stuart Primary School. Adelaide St. Bute Town Cardiff. Wed 1 Feb 3pm. Other speakers Jaylor Lerall Laoul! councillor, Tommy Hanley National Union of Seamen Organised by Solidarity with Central America.
Nicaragua benefit and cabaret Sat 28 Jan, 8pm St vallews ve race.
Brixton Hill, London SW2, Brixton tube. £2 on door. Urganisea Dy Not • Concert for Chile with Jazira. Sat 28 Jan
Union, Malet Si, WC1, 7.30, bar, food. Tickets £3. • Palestine Solidarity
28 January, County Hall,
Name
Address
Age Union/CLP (if any) If you want more information about Socialist Actiot or to be put in touch with local supporters send this form to Socialist Action,
must ask that all
speakers get paid, even
in London where paying
a fixed rate means that
supporters in towns like
Aberdeen do not have to
the full cost
themselves.
This is just one ex-
ample of our tightening
Little things, big
things - nothing is ex-
empt from the economy
drive. We are looking for
tenants to take
over the lease on our
Let's get
ready too
London, Waterloo tube, 10am-брт.
25 Years of the Cuban Revolution
• Britain-Cuba Resourc Centre Information abou activities, subs to Granma week v review ano newsletters from 29 Islington Park St, London N1.
Womens study tour of Cuba 4-20 April,
from BCRC, 29 Islington Park St, London N1.
Ireland • Day school on Ireland Sat
Chetwynd Room, Kings College, Cambridge.
Organised bv Cambridge and Norwich Troops Out Tel
Upper St premises. As soon as this happens we Will move into a new building.
It's very nice having premises in Islington, but we cannot afford a threatened doubling of rent.
Of course, the full costs of moving will be enormous, but it is notjust in the next year that savings have to be made backe ur to made. want
IN REVIEWING THE BUDGET, SIRE,
I FIND YOU HAVE ALLOCATED
BILLIONS FOR DEFENCE AND
NOT ONE PENNY FOR THE POOR
216
NATIONAL BOOK
SALE
14 January - 4 February
at
The Other Bookshop
328 Upper Street London N1 Open: Mon Tue Sat - 10-6
Wed - 12-7 Thurs Fri - 11-7
Movement. Creche available.
County Hall, London 28 Jan Organised by Labour Committee on Ireland.
Agenda: Republicanism and socialism; Republicanism and feminism: irish and Keith trace niel movements; British Labour • Open to LP and LC rally. v. svam-sol Tickets at £l from LCI, Box 136 Kingsland High Koad. London co • Labour and Ireland day school for budding writers, workshops will tallica journalists. London, Feb or March, £l. Write to Labour and Ireland, BM Box 5355, London WCIN 3XX. • The Cause of Ireland film showing at Rio Cinema, 107 Ningslana mign si, Hackney ,f2 and f1 (UB40 and OAP), Thur 2 Feb, 7.30 Lesbian & Gay Liberation • Nottingham Labour Campaion for Gav Rights meets monthly. Next meeting Salutation Inn Maid Marion Way. Delals.
Chris Richardson, Devonshire Promenade, _Lenton foul lovil • London Labour Campaign for Gay Rights new office at 39 Chiopenham key lAH 01-286 9692, open Tues-Thur 11am-7pm. (Westbourne Grove tube. Bad access, help available).
Labour Movement Lesiais is a new
page paper - which we do then we have to think about balancing that budget in the years ahead.
Just as soon as the current books are balanced we will be asking our readers to help us with funds to move. Of course, money you give now won't be wasted. We are opening a special fund for the move which will be kept for just that purpose. organisation of lesbians in Ine labour movement to support each other and organise initiatives on issues unal arrect lesolars . INex meeting 28 Jan, A Woman's Place, Hungerford House, Victoria Embankment London WC2, 2pm. Further information from Sarah c/o
Hungetford House, Victoria Embk, London WC2.
Miscellaneous • GLl workshops Employment and training for the future. 26 Jan ureater London training Board; 9 Feb Greater London Enterprise Board; 23 Feb Cooperatives. Black women's centre brixion. 41A Stockwell Green London, SW9, 7-9.30 pm • Theatre workshops at the
= Aaversement
New pamphlet: Polities
in the 1980's - The
British Crisis.
Articles reprinted
from Socialist Action
and International -
John Ross, British
politics in the 1980's;
Alan Freeman, How
Labour Can Win; Steve
Marks, the 1983
Election; John Ross,
Facing 1984; Alan
Freeman, Rebuilding
the Labour Party.
Available from The
Other Bookshop, 328
Upper St, London NI,
price 35p.
Yiddish lessons. Learn
the language of the
Jewish labour
movement! Beginner and intermediate classes
commence weekly in
January, Central
London. Teacher, Barry Smerin, organised by the
Jewish Socialist Group
cultural and anti-fascist
project. Further details
from JCARP, Southbank
House, Black Prince
Road, London SE1.
We are asking our readers two things:
• If you do not make a regular payment to the paper take out a standing order by filling in the form on the back page. If you regularly give money to the paper - have you raised your contribution since December?
• Do you have a larger sum you might consider using to help WHAT'S THE EXPLANATION?
Drill Hall, 16 Chenies St London WC1, led by actress Effie Arestides . Start Fri 20
6.30-8.30pm. Every JalI 1984
Booking tel: 01-387 9639.
Anti-cuts campaigns • London Health Service Campaign. 34 Dalston Lane,
ondon E8 3AZ 01-249 8086. • Hayes Cottage Hospital Occupation Citee, Grange Rd, Hayes, Middx 01-573 5593.
Civil Rights
• Campaign against racism In braarora schools. Dubic meeting, Thur 26 Jan Queens , Morely St.
Bradford, 7.30. Info about
Starry Plough, 6 Edmund St Bradford 5
INTERNATIONAL
Price 75p In this issue:
between Britain and the States
left
Chris Palmer on Grenada
plus reviews Order from London NI or 137 Digbeth, Birmingham.
Diary
us move, or know of anyone else who does?
Don't hesitate to phone and discuss what's possible.
Remember that however bad your finances, the Tories will make them worse, and worse and worse. It is only through building up the strength of the left that the rot can be stopped We think Socialist Action is vital to that struggle.
CEBELLION COMES WHEN THE I'LL BE READY For a Reagar-free Caribbean •Reagan Free Caribbean badges in yellow, black and red. 25p each (plus
0 05, 1203200
each.
PO Box Kingsland High St London E8. • Cheques/POs payable to Hackney Book Club.
International Volume8 NoS 75,
THE ATLANTIC ALLIANCE UNDER STRAIN November-December issue out now
Andrew Gamble on the 'special relationship'
Ken Livingstone, on a strategy for the Labour
John Ross, on why the left must reject unity with European imperialism against America
Jude Woodward on sectarianism towards women
• The Other Bookshops, 329 Upper St,
Page 9 scan of this page
Can Labour win the votes of women?
Surplus Value
THE BRITISH Party has an historic opportunity in the coming EEC elections. A 'gender reversal' has taken place voting patterns. tionally, women have been more likely than men to vote Conservative. women are more likey to vote against the Tories. In the 1983 general election, 56 per cent of women, pared to only 54 per cent of men, cast votes against the Tory Party, according to Gallup Poll.
VALERIE COULTAS looks at women's patterns in Britain America, and how the effects of the recession and women's changing position in society account for their shifts in attitude. In a future issue, we will look at how the fight to transform the Party of Labour men into a Party of Labour and men should be conducted.
Amidst the doom and gloom that followed Labour's 1983 defeat, there has been stoney silence on the positive feature of women's voting patterns. Between 1945 and 1974, men favoured Labour in nine out of 10 elections, while favoured the Conservatives in seven out of 10. In 1945, 1966 and 1974 -when Labour won - more women voted Labour than Conservative.
The pattern was clear. won the vote under a Tory government. In general women favoured the Conservatives since. In 1979 something changed.
Even with the first woman prime minister, the number of women and men voting Tory was the same. In June '83 this trend was confirmed. This time less women than men voted for a Thatcher government. Fiftyfour per cent of men and 56 per cent of women voted against her. The anti-Tory majority reveals just undemocratic the first-past-the-post system is, because it puts a minority government in power.
The reason for Labour's silence
women's voting pattern course, that there's bad news as well as good in these figures. Many women decided against Thatcher but didn't vote Labour. There was a 21 per cent swing to the SDP/Liberat Alliance, 12.8 per cent from Labour. The Guardian figures showed women's votes split equally between the Alliance and Labour.
The 'newscaster feminism' of the Alliance appealled to women. They fielded 64 women candidates. pared to the Labour Party's 70 and the lories' 30 - a high proportion relative to their size. This indicates an awareness of positive discrimination, something Labour still resists.
Ironically no Alliance were remined o parlamell. there are ten Labour and 13 Conservative women MPs. Out of a grand total of 650 members, 23 are women and one Tory MP is black. So much for representing the people!
Across the Atlantic, voting patterns reveal a similar gender differentiation. Women under 45 are more likely than men to go out and
niental greater hostility Reagan American men. Between February '81 and '82, Reagan's popularity dropped 15 per cent among women, but only egul per cent among men.
Labour
in
Tradi-
Today,
comvoting
and
Photo:
women
election
women
Women
have CyCl
Photo: SHEILA
how
of anti-Reaganism.
Is, Republicanism.
tions, were per cent of men's.
Republican
Dole and Margaret Heckler, Dosts In
ministration.
women
But there has
thirty years.
recession, American
CADICS.
than
home.
Women are consigned to part-time and low paid jobs
WA
British and American women oppose the war-mongering policies of the Thatcher and Reagan administrations.
This simply can't be dismissed as
antiIn 1978 a majority (53 per cent) of women were voting Democrat, compared to men (49 per cent). In the 1982 congressional elec-
58 per cent of women's votes Democrat, compared with 52
fears prompted Reagan to give two women, Elizabeth
cabinet 83. He also ap pointed his feminist daughter to advise on how to 'create a dialogue between women and the Republican ad.
An analysis of women's position in society provides the explanation for the changes in traditiona voting patterns. Both in Britain and America,
been a dramatic rise in women's employment over the last
In Britain, under the impact of the
women's unemployment has been rising more rapidly than men's since the mid-70s; and their pay has been declining since 1977. single and married women have clung to their paid work as far as possible, preferring low pay, worse conditions and cuts in hours to no job outside the
Although female unemployment declined by two per cent overall bet-
in welfare benefit. ween 1978 and 1981, part-time female employment two per cent. The tendency to hold onto any sort of job is explained by several factors.
1945 +8 1950 +8 1951 +6/4 1955 +8 1964 +5 1966 +7
Conservative Labour Liberal/SDP
An increasing number of women - 500,000 — are the sole source of household income, because 'typical male jobs have been disappearing rapidly. Only 18 per cent of all men in the labour force now provide sole financial support for their family.
Women are turning to their trade unions for answers to the problems of low pay, declining employment and cuts
and 1979
Textiles Railways Metal & Engineering construction Local Govt & Education Health Banking & Insurance Distribution Misc Services Public Sector Manufacturing Private Services Manual White-Collar Male Female Total
One in three marriages today are expected to break down. In addition, the late age at which some women are starting to 'illegitimately', implies a conscious
Percentages of more (+), or less (-), women than men voting for the Tory Party. (Gallup Poll)
1970 1974 (Feb) 1974 (Oct) 1979 1983
Voting by sex in 1979 and 1983. (The Guardian)
Men 1979 1983 1979 47 46 46 39 30 39 13 24 14
choice of single motherhood. In 1979, 12 per cent of all dependent children were from single parent families. The reality of women's lives explains their attitudes behaviour.
In Britain and America, the ma-
Socialist Action 27 January 1984 Employment and Union Membership (Thousands), 1948
1948 Emp TU 862 476
535 475 3514 1914 611 1241 861 522 221 737 2089 326 2001 106 4637 3278 3720 4578 665 14027 7056 6243 2062 13485 7468 6785 1650 20270 9118 Source: George Sayers Bain and Robert Price, 'Union growth: dimensions, determinants and destiny' in Bain, ed., Industrial Relations in Britain, Blackwell 1983.
Reagan
have children opposition to
documented.
are
+2
+4
-3
Women
1983 43 28 28
01 an women. and voting
9 1979 Emp TU 474 283
209 204 3809 3034 141 520 2880 2232 lOIC 721 2872 428 262 6297 5190 4138 7284 1215 12035 7577 11652 5125 13979 8866 9708 3837 23687 12702
jority of women are critical of the political priorities of the Thatcher and
administrations. Women's cruise missiles is well In America, over the Korean war, the Vietnamese war, and now the war in El Salvador, women
critical of American militarism. In March '82, 65 per cent of women, compared with 61 per cent of men, opposed American intervention in El Salvador.
Consigned to low-paid jobs, and bearing the brunt of welfare cuts, women can see that war-mongering l paid for by cuts in community and social services. British and American women have turned to their trade unions for answers to these problems.
In Britain, the Labour Party based on the trade unions - has a unique opportunity to offer women a political focus for their demands. To do this, old attitudes and hostilities to
If Labour's new leaders set their teeth against positive discrimination they will lose this opportunity. If they repeat Labour's mistake on women's suffrage, they will lose the allegiance
entire new generation
Coming soon: The Forward March of Labour Women.
Page 10 scan of this page
Ford strike for jobs
10 Socialist Action
CONVENORS Ford plant in Britain -
Dagenham foundry.
the 200 foundry workers.
Just 24 hours later the
correctness of the strike Call was underlnea Irom an unlikely direction.
Engineer, the seekly magazine for •i ucc leurduaecuicul ran a lead story confirming that the Dagenham engine plant Replacement for the o ic would not
overhead camshaft car engine.
Instead Ford will spend £100 million in Germany on its new 'world' engine. This will replace existing Онс petrol engines Sierra cars and Transit vans.
The effect on the engine plant, which presently produces OHC engines, would be catastrophic. Half 3500 workforce would go
top of the 2000 jobs threatened in the foundry.
together these macasures spell the end of the Dagenham estate as a comprehensive manufacturing unit. It would be reduced sembly and diesel engine operation employing bare-
10,000 shopfloor compared to 25.000 in 1979 and 17,000
oday.
Ás many as 7000 jobs Would be lost and union strength reduced both through loss of numbers and ine strategic power thar the workers have as DaTT ot a compiele Cal manufacturing operation. This is no accident
Recent Ford of Europe
thai company policy is to avoid duplication operations. The exception is Britain, where Ford
trying to gain the whip hand by dual sourcing chose products and operarons where the unions are strong.
In the campaign to stop the foundry closure, the unions show how the plant has been starved of
while €961 LAST WEEK the National Graphical Association National Council agreed to call off the campaign
arrington.
JUDE WOODWARD
R Ra chesteber of the NGA National Council
Manchester.
Counsommendation was hew lzı aispute would O KIOS £30
Picture •allics. ones, Financial this as only ea aler-
Emancial
the TLC TaSDOn-
coating.
27 January 1984 and officials representing
from manual and staff — are calling for all out strike action from Monday 13 February to stop the closure of the
This decision, taken on Wednesday 18 January, was promptly endorsed by an overwhelming vote of
million has loaned from Ford UK the
American
Dal call CUlllpany.
By Mick Drake,
Ford Dagenham
In the campaign to stop
the foundry closure, the
unions show how the plant
mas ocen slaveu olluvest•
ment while £961 million
has been loaned from Ford
UK to the American
parent company.
But new investment in itself will not save jobs. Ford has ploughed money into a new diesel engine hine, automated car body stamping lines, body welding and paint spraying robots. But every, instance the aim of this investment is to eliminate jobs.
Even in the least affected of the Dagenham plants The assembly plant - the combination ot new technology ana constant job-cutting in the
of efficiency have name slashed the workforce to 4039 from over 6000 a few years ago.
This is why militant
shop stewards are fighting for as policy of no more job loss whether through redundancies or
'efficiencies' This is the best way to rally the whole workforce behind the fight to save the foundrv and to stop Ford using new investment to cut jobs.
Mass meetings in every Ford plant will be voting on the strike recommendation this week. Far more than the future of the foundry hangs on the outcome. Ford has cut its national hourly paid workforce from 59,000 to 43,000 in the last four years.
successful strike could reverse this trend.
NGA forced to retreat
siast Eddie Shah's Stockport Messenger Group in
spoke to ARTHUR
from the Wembley conference. It made arnicul tor une NUA to continue the campaign without backing from the TUC
'The Labour movement now faces a very dark time. lhe emplovers will undoubtedly take strength trom wildi saD. pened to the NGA. And if
Tory allalk. U1.
Ine closed shop and the political levy go through, it will leave Line Labour movement with complete I* itv defence, pollicany or trade union wise.
"It dark tunnel from. nOW to September when we have to change the policy of the TUC. The
Foundry workers demonstrate outside Ford HO And Ford workers have the power to win the money made from them by the company, its share of the UK vehicle market and the intense competition are the workers' strengths.
If all goes well at the Lilass muccunes. IL Is vila for Ford workers
the We picalc SLUIKe should launch a fighting NGA circulating ICO LLOd omer executives and this has to go out through all the branches.
next September has to be clear to the TUC that the labour movement walls lo ligal une legisla• tion with industrial action.
'On the positive side the NGA's fight has raised consciousness , among rank and file trade unionists about just how pernicious this legislation is and what kind of lead is needed from the TUC.
'We have to see the law in the way that the Tolpuddie martyrs saw it and be prepared to fight back in-
'The Stockport Six acscept the decision, although they are remaining on the bicke line The North Wes TUC have yet decide whether they are going ahead with their march on 28 January.
Jord
BAYSWATER
HOUSE
FATUKD ENGINE
IS IN YOUR CAR
NESHOULD MAKE T4
NO CLOSURE
fund, draw up picket rotas and activate international links to make sure that the company cannot cover losses here by increased production abroad.
At the same time, we must turn outwards to other and WUlKDlacs the Labour Party and anyone else prepared to lend a hand.
Police at Messenger picket line
If we strike it won't be only for the foundry or 17,000 Dagenham jobs -Ford even 43.000 jobs
nationally. Ford fighting worker wilt for all those in the components maustry Unicaleled by the rundown of car manufacturing and for all who don't want a future on the dole.
MOLES
EYE
VIEW
Toby McQueen?
TORY MP Toby Jessell
has been watching too
many of those Steve Mc-
Queen car-chase films.
After leaving a dinner he
Rover
TOln‹ nis
hemmed in. Now that
might daunted
lesser mortals.
Toby is an in-
trepid lad without
ueS LauOl he drove
car over a kerbstone bar-
rier into Hyde Park. Mr
Goldberg prosecuting
Jessell at Bow St said
then took place what I
can only describe as a
chase which went on at
times up to 55mpl
Bird Cage Wall
The US can stop
THE US top brass are a
bunch OI pragmatists
who rather naively
believe the evidence of their own eyes They have seen what the San. dinistas did to Somoza and his state. CARLOS AUCUST CLARITA what the MILN are soe They can ing to the state and the
capitalists Salvador. So acting on this purely empirical evidence the. have poured billions of dollars into wars against these
Good for who?
GUINNESS have C 00duced a highly offensive calendar this year depicting images of women in highly stylised and stereotyped drawings.
Bad enough, but the words depict a 'Guinness. man as not Deing clever (or 'man' enough) Pleventh bore WHAT A DRAG the new Channel 4 series on women's sexuality I ne nrst or lne six pro grammes in the Eleventt BOU SOL OOGV L
called 'Who do love? Was a real disappointment
A lot of the language used would have gone down ok in a class oi final-year social science students. Families became 'units', , and trying to follow the thread Or any point lal was De ing made was nearly impossible.
Only one consolation, it can't gel worse But what a terrible waste
In the Unions
the police tried to stop him by using a police van
•a bloc. DUL wiln a
quick turn of the whe
100 slipped round.
Finally it took 12 police cars to block the MP's way as he battled to get to the House of Commons.
OK it might have terrified you you had been _crossing the street
. Mr Jessell's that night. However you must realise he was going to the House to vote to keep the Prevention of Terrorism Act and you can't have road laws getting in the way of that!
worrying - official
HOenens
But only they would read Martin Thomas Socialist Organiser they would meanse expenditure of money and life was winecessary
Martin employing method far
superior Io observing reality writes: EI 'In Central America present bourgeois revolutions are in progress'. So now you know Mr. Kiss. inger, imagine that it's all been for nothing!
MALE
ORDER
to take the woman who is ava Please send letsers or
Please send letters COJ Ill AarLAl Guiness, Son Co., Park Royal, London NW10. And how about a Noycoll or the product! Putting your politics where your mouth is, eh? (Sally Edwards)
of opportunity and resources
Another programme .on C4 this coming Friday (27 Jan) that does look worth Felines e •...Mixed Feelings • Starting at 10.45pm, it looks
the experiences and feelings of women about abortion, with women wao ve experienced abortion speaking out ior unc se ves
Compiled HILARY DRIVER. Please send conwwutous Male Vrier Socialist Action, 328 Upper St, London N1 2XP to arTIVI WetL Delor publication.
Page 11 scan of this page
BLOC must campaign
News
THE Broad Left Organising Committee for 24 March in Sheffield can provide a major opportunity for the left in the unions to combat the right-wing course of the Labour leadership.
unions and the Labour Party is clear. Tories deepen their attacks on the labour movement
political funds — the Murray leadership of the TUC
is conceding without a fight.
The latest move from the right-wing dominated Finance and General Purpose COHOLICC tained in document Strategy For The Future.
This document argues for 'workable compromises with the government. The NGA dispute shows what 'workable compromises' mean.
By Pat Hickey
The NGA dispute also shows that there
active minority SHONE which can be organised to fight this course of the TUC. BLOC must direct itself towards this minority if it is to meet the challenge from the right.
So far, BLOC has failed to measure up to this
task. Little nas been aone
since its last conference.
Lane
have seen linking up of the
letts in the unions in main-
ly organisational terms.
an annual meeting, a steer-
ing committee, occasional
along with pro-
Circulars.
THINK OF
Conference
ON 14 JANUARY the
Telecom union,
against privatisation.
This was open to other public sector
Labour Party.
The conference was a
valuable opportunity
share experiences of the
against
privatisation. Greater
Council leader
Ken Livingstone was the
guest speaker and papers
were presented from
wide range of unions from
rail, health, gas,
transport and British
Telecom.
A statement was put
for a vote by the platform.
This got a majority but
delegates
vague platitudes and said
that it offered no concrete
way forward.
They also criticised the
reliance on the
its working within the law.
These contributions got
TRADE UNION conference called by the
The need for the left to organise at the base of the
While the
through the anti-union laws and the threat to
posals for rule changes.
This is not going to meet the challenge.
The conference of BLOC needs to set itself a central political task around which the left in the unions can campaign. such a campaign should lake on ine rignt on une major planks of its new policy.
There are two issues which we could start on immediately. One to support the NGA motion crucise General Council's failure to fight the lebbit Laws ana restore the decisions of the Wembley Conference.
Support
the left in the LP up
with the left in the LP defend the polltical levy and the political funds.
We urge all Socialist Action supporters to support the conference. Send resolutions organisers calling for BLOC IO
PRIVAMSATION
against privatisation
London region of the the POEU, held a conference
workers.
MARTIN EADY a member of the National Union of Railwaymen was delegated from Ealing-Southall
He explains what happened.
prolonged applause. But greeted the comments of two platform speakers that failures lay with the rank and file and not with the leadership.
The only platform speaker be DUSILIVe about strike action was wake from the Public Employees Union mentioned the successful hospital catering strike against private contracts in Barnet.
But he said that unions should participate in the tendering process so that Socialist Action headline 'Mugger's charter'
which was inappropriate.
Left must challenge the conspirators of the right
these issues. Delegation -up to five per body - is from Broad Lefts, shop stewards committees, and trade union branches
HAVE YOU THE
COURAGE?
wages, conditions and
union negolialllig
form part of any private
contract.
Delegates explained
the dangers of this
proach Dave Benlow
Wandsworth NUPE
NOLI
said that they had learned
from experience not to get
involved
tenders.
must start at
the time tenders are asked
for: A Vilal ingredient to
resist priatisation is na-
tionaliv coordinated in-
dustrial action he explain-
ed.
The general approach
of the platform 'all
fight together and wait for
the TUC' But the
delegates were for firm ac-
tion now. This shows that
in the ranks at least there is
a will to take on the Tories.
apologises to readers tor the
appearing on Police Bill article on page 3 of last week's issue,
SIMON* KILLARNEY is 17. He started "Development in Contemporary Skills' Youth Training Scheme in Birmingham last September. In January, he was sacked, and a month's money withheld.
Now he faces the possibility of his dole being cut as a result. He told Socialist Action about the dubious practices of the DCS managing agency.
I'm really into computer operating programm-
in Contemporary Skilis
Skills YTS managing agency
promised to 'place you in a in'. It seemed an ideal op- were interested portunity gain perience
But since I've been on
the scheme haven't
found suitable place-
ment. DCS did not keep
their promise.
I've just learned that
managing agencies for
YTS are supposed to have
job placements already
waiting for trainees. I ex-
pect the majority
trainees don't know this.
Amazingly, the DCS was to look
through Yellow Pages and
ring firms to see
would take on trainees. A
considerable number
trainees haven't found
suitable placements.
Many a time I found
myself in that office let-
ting fingers do the
walking'! looking for
For few
alenlalyes
months
phoned to see if I had an
interview.
I did get a few, but I
soon discovered that they
weren't genuine computer
jobs, more like office-boy
YTS: The hatchet job
Youth protest at YTS swindle jobs, with computer located somewhere in the building. One said: 'You may get to go on the computer in your lunchtime.'
I got more and more discontented WIll the scheme. After long period or lu told my supervisor I fearer they would never find me a suitable placement, said I wanted to leave the scheme. of He made an agreement that, if they hadn't found
'a genuine placement' by January, _ would leave the scheme. I had another interview, just others. But I was still in-
continually terested, phoned DCS for a week,
if I had been accepted.
They kept telling me to ring back later, they didn't KnOW: Finally asked them to contact me. But
Socialist Action 27 January 1984
GREAT
they didn't.
I felt really frustrated and over Christmas and new year. Then I got a letter askin me to phone, which I did But the conversation got heated wnen my SHOC visor began accusing me of sent tea
few days later, friend on the scheme that from had been sacked and months money witheld. was told I'd been sacked for not phoning in.
That's what I call a hatchet job. There was a clearly-stated procedure to The followed before disciplinary action could be taken, including proper warnings and the facility for me to put my side with
witness present. DCS threw the procedure out the window.
They simply axed my
11
THE
M.S.C
place on the scheme, and my money. DCS pay £25 a week, monthly. I've discovered this is illeg according to documents,
It means we work a month in hand, so they
ting the money I should have been paid before was sacked - about £100
Birmingham Trade Union Resource are hoping to defend me in a test case. But I'm in ar awkward position as haven't been officially informed of my sacking The only contact I've had with DCS is through a friend, still on the scheme.
Even if I lose, it's important to publicise my ex perience and warn people about YTS. Being on YTS
bad enough cowboys like DCS making things harder.
Page 12 scan of this page
SUBSCRIBE Newham 8 victory
What
NEW FIGURES published this week by the Financial Times have revealed the full effects of the decline of British manufacturing industry under the Thatcher government. economy suffered its first balance defecit on manufactured goods since the industrial revolution. But it had been popularly presented that this trade deficit was concentrated in specific areas such as cars and video-recorders.
The new published by the Financial Times on wallary however show the full range of the industrial col lapse.
British Trace in manufactured goods mov-
STO IT surplus of £2,600 million in 1981, to a surplus only €233 million in 1982 and finally
massive deficit of £4,900 million in the first 11 months of 1983.
As the Financial Times put it, "The decline in exports raises a basic ques tion about the future of the British economy. How do we pay our way when the oil trade surplus disappears in the late 1980s.
The al cas which catastrophic declines competivity have taken place over the last
across virtually every category of manufactured goods.
They passenger cars, commercial vehicles, chemicals, construction
equipment, aero engines,
and scientific instruments.
The balance of trade
these sectors worsened by
£2,600 million in the first
11 months of 1983 alone.
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economic
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It was already known that in 1983 the British
of payments
Nigel Lawson and Margaret Thatcher have claimed since the General Election that economic recovery is taking. place.
These new studies by Bri-
Sectors in
decline
Products in which the trade balance has deteriorated significantly in the past year include:
PRODUCT
Passenger cars Commercial vehicles and parts Chemicals Construction equipment Textiles Aero engines and gas turbines Piston engines Scientific apparatus and photographic equipment Electronic components Agricultural equipment Pumps and compressors Total * Decline in trade balance in first 11 months of 1983 comnarea win wnole orryor Overseas Trade Department of Trade.
I enclose cheque/PO payable to Socialist Action for £ ....
Send to: Socialist Action Subs, 328 Upper St, London NI 2XP.
tain's most authoritative business newspaper however show the exact op posite. In the last year the decline British manufacturing industry. been speeding up dramatically. figures Hese new deserve to be given the wides1 publicity labour movement counter the rhetoric 01 Thatcher. 'Hard truths on Britain's industrial aecune appeared in the Financial Times 28 January. £m*
519
226 213 206 181
107 100 97
2582
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More than 3,000 people demonstrated LAST FRIDAY, the four Newham 8 defendants found guilty of affray were sentenced to 50 hours' community service. The concession on how they would carry out their sentence - in the service of the Asian community was made by the judge at the defendant's insistence.
This is a victory for the campaign, and vindicates its strategy. The defence demand, for an absolute discharge, was unlikely in Britain's
STOP 8 SEARCH.
COMPLETE
H.M.P.
racist law courts.
Affray is a charge which carries heavy penalties. The promise verdict publicly discredits the police.
By lona Aronovsky, Newham NUT
The defending solicitor said: if the police had been in the dock, they would have been The results of the trial uphold the rights of the black community to de-
UNLIMITED ARREST
POWERS.
CONTROLON
London on Saturday against the Police Bill fend itself against racial violence.'
The campaign was correct to make this the nub of the defence. defendant who admitted hitting a policeman was one of those acquitted.
Firmly based on local Asian community support and the network of black defence and anti-racist groups, the campaign has scored its success by the national publicity and labour movement support it fought for and
won.
Newham Council is committed to an enquiry. The campaign is now in a position to demand the enquiry be made publicly accountable, and that the Labour Party in Newham takes a firm stand against racist policing.
The next step is the development of concrete policies to fight racism in Newham's schools, and in all areas of local council provision.
← Socialist Action No. 41, 20 January 1984Socialist Action No. 43, 3 February 1984 →