Socialist Action No. 55, 27 April 1984
The scan: 055-apr-27-1984-SA-UK.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
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Page 1 scan of this page
ACT NOW
TO BACK THE MINERS
finish'
delegate give full
Tory rhetoric Labour leaders.
port to the fight.
The HOYCuICL
union
bẻ.
the acuons
Tories can be defeated.
movement
ine
dent as they pretend
and they McGregor's
No. 55 27 April 1984 30p 'WE ARE IN a fight to the
declared Sargill after the national
conference Thursday, which committed the NUM to an all-out national strike. In his speech, Sargill made it clear that the onus was now on the rest of the labour movement to
backing miners. Now is the time for action to replace the anti-
trom He called on the TUC and the Labour Party to give maximum sup-
NUM in
This call from the NUM must get the fullest support.
of coal and other fuel to the power stations should be stopped; the trade
movement prepare for solidarity action; and above all, all unions should instruct members not to cross picket lines 'wherever they may
The delegate conference has given a determined lead, and
of the miners have shown how the
The leaders of the labour
Kinnock, and Murray - must be pushed off the fence. They must back the miners, back the flying pickets, and build solidarity action.
determination shown by the delegate conference has already rattled McGregor.
The Tories are not as confi-
-know that it is touch and go
could easily 'offer'
the Arthur
last
that
the
the
Tories
this should
Io Inc
lines.
striking Make
tion. name
they
lose.
of
spreading the closures out over a longer time scale is an attempt lo spit te muers and ple up
pressure against and Murray to force the miners into conceding a compromise which would be the equivalent of a defeat. whole labour movement is to push forward the solidarity ac-
walch canaone
McGregor who capitulate. • At every level of the movement we must nignı now Tor money for the miners.
hope miners back to work. This must
happen. should call now for a fl a week levy of all their members to help the miners.
No crossing of picket lines. This must be made an official instruction from all unions to their members. • Stop all coal and other fuel
power power stations must be shut. • Build support for the picket
Stop coal and other supplies to the power stations, and strengthen the pickets against the state actions •OI
the powerless. • Prepare for solidarity ac-
now to use police and scab on Vers LO power stations. The answer is solidarity action from all sectons of the movement. • The TUC must be forced to
dav solidarity action prepare the movement for all-out action to defeat Tory police state repression.
SoCiA ist
ACTION
Kinnock
SE COLM O
The duty of the
[TISH AREI ensure Thatcher and have -IO
The starve the
Every union Salons. The
the movement of
police the Tories. anti-union laws
The Tories are planning
Move Cod to uc
nationa now to
Page 2 scan of this page
Socialist Action . 27 April 1984
ACTion
Kinnock breaks
ranks
ONLY SIX SHORT months ago there was a contest for the Labour leadership. As far as the left candidates were concerned it turned out to be pretty one-sided. Neil Kinnock clocked up some 70 per cent of the vote, while Eric Heffer, who was supported by Socialist Action among others, three per cent.
We know that a lot of people on the left thought it was sectarian to back Heffer against Kinnock and there is no doubt that many constituencies who have a long-time record of supporting the left went behind Kinnock. Our support for Eric Heffer did not derive from the fact that we endorse his every position. We disagree with him strongly on matters like abortion and black sections in the party, disagree with him on these issues.
Our support was based on the fact that we were confident he would support the mass workbelieve sat Kies not readin We such believe that
cking to those types of struggle.
we can draw a balance sheet. On the two big revolts against Thatcherism, Kinnock has
On Thursday the NUM delegate conference called for all-out strike action and now the Not-
members to come out. So Kinnock then joins up media in calling for a ballot. On Liverpool he has expressed his concern for that city, comes down on the wrong side by telling the
On both the miners' strike, and on the stand of the Labour councillors in Liverpool there is no doubt whatsoever where they stand. They have given their unstinted backing and support to
They have shown by their actions that the real dividing line in the Labour Party is between those who stand on the sidelines when the chips port a real fightback against the Tories. glad to say this is the conclusion being drawn by
tremendous response from constituency parties and considerable support from the Campaign
We are fairly confident that among those parties Peter Heathfield refers to were many who cast a vote for Kinnock last year. Everyone who is building solidarity with the miners and suporting Liverpool is acting in the best interests had to act without Kinnock is regrettable but he has broken the ranks of solidarity, not them. All those who have rallied behind the miners and stand with the Liverpool councillors are helping to rebuild the labour movement and are taking the kind of action that can defeat the Tories.
They are right and Kinnock is wrong.
Whenever Kinnock does give his support to these struggles, that's good. But we must never let his support or otherwise determine what we do. Our actions must always start from what serves and helps the interests of ali working peo-
Editor: ALAN FREEMAN Published weekly except two weeks in August and the last week of December.
Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily repre. sent Socialist Action's views. These are expressed in Send all correspondence regarding subscriptions, sales and receipts to Socialist Action Distribution, 328 Upper Street London N1 2XP. (Tel: 01-359 8180) Send all material for publication (including advertising) to Socialist Action Editorial at the same address. We regret that due to the high cost of postage we cannot return or acknowledge unsolicited copy or photographs unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope.
only got and we will continue to
would readily give such Six months
NUM leaders have told their
with people like Eric Hefter, Joan Maynard and Dennis Skinner. and those who wholeheartedly sup
the general secretary of the NUM,
unorganised model of a class struggle left wing
Labour left
In Britain today the divide between right and left in the labour movement is being drawn.
isn't being decided by resolutions. theories. And still less in the 'new realism' and 'old thinking' emerging from the right wing of the TUC and Labour Coordinating Committee.
position and activity is taken on these issues decides who is on the leit and who is on the right in the opposing its strike?
A whole series of NUR and AsLur branches
engaged in bitter struggles to impose union polley Di
and scotland support
Keeping
In Nottinghamshire around 7-10,000 rank and file miners have been keeping up what is probably the most heroic oI all the minority miners strikes against massive press and official union hostility. In Yorkshire Scotland, Kent, and South Wales it is the area leaderships, supported by the National Executive, who are leading the strikes.
nune labour Partı many CLPs have found a qunte new level of activiti
supporting the strike.
Tonv Benn. Dennis Skinner, Bob Clay, Eric Heffer and the Campaign group as a whole have given solid backing to the strike. Neil Kinnock has being doing his tamous ostrich act.
In the trade leadership, Jimmy Knapp, Ray DUCKLOI and Jim Slater have had a line in
OFFICIAL
A real working class united front has emerged in dejence of the ll
Organise the
trade union and
The divide is symbolised by three names - the Liverpool and Greenham.
Len simple both trade and the Labour nas
nIcal WUIk front in
emerged.
defined all by
alutude Ted
tremendous of
Labour Mick
Communist Party.
- ат Political differences and
action. Bui unites
ing place
Minority Movement
But
- which is
development which
organised in the trade
and Labour unions
The Broad Organising
ing, Tribune, the CamPowerful
Some are powerful. Some very weak. But none can, or should, attempt to organise the through itself. This will unfortunately make current simply front organisation. The recent BLOC conference for example organised large forces but gave them no orientation which allowed a real role to be played in the class struggle.
It is the type of united front action around the miners that shows the real way torward or une trade union and labour left. whole series of organisa• tions, at every level of the movelicut, acule toeculicI around the key issue of the class struggle today. movement based totally on and within the organisec labour movement.
What is happening in defence. of the miners shows the way forward for the left OI the labour movement right now.
Photo: NEWSLINE
Pierre Frank - a tribute
By Bob Pennington of the Left Opposition led by Trotsky. remained a political activist and thinker. Montreux, France.
News IT IS a sad duty to inform our readers of the death of the French socialist and Marxist, Pierre Frank. His death leaves the ranks of international socialism just that bit poorer, and is one more rupture of the few remaining links with those socialists who rallied to the banner of the Russian revolution in its heroic
Pierre was born in 1905, the year that the Russian workers were staging their dress rehearsal for 1917. In 1925 he joined the French Communist Party and worked as an activist in both the Party and in its trade union wing, the CGT. By 1927 Stalin was tightening his grip on the 3rd International and 'socialism in one country' was becom. ing the official gospel of the Communist Parties. It was a doctrine Pierre soon rejected and by 1927 he ma reda me programme ana become a supporte
In 1929 he started La Verité, which was the first Trotskyist journal in France and was a founding member in 1930 of the Trotskyist Ligue Communiste. In 1932 he joined Trotsky in exile in Prinkipo, and for the next year worked as his secretary. Throughout the dark days of the rise of
Spanish working class, he remained committed to the cause of socialism and workers' democracy.
In 1939, to avoid a warrant for his arrest, issued by the very people in the French government who in two vears time were to capitulate to Hitler he fled to Britain. But in 1940 his opposition to the imperialist war earned him the hostility of the British government and they shipped him to the Isle of Man where he was interned for nearly five
At the same time his companion, Marguerite, who had stayed in France, was sent by the Nazis to Ravensbruck concentration camp. At the end of the war and their release, both were involved in the political struggle again, building the French Trotskyist movement, the Parti Communiste Interna-
In the late 1940s, Pierre was elected to the leadership of the Fourth International, and remained a member of its Secretariat until his death. He was one of the main organisers of the Trotskyists work in the Communist student movement, which led to the creation of the Jeunesses Communistes Revolutionaries which played a vital breakthrough for the whole of the European Trot-
In the 1950s Pierre was back behind bars again - this time for his support for the Algerian FLN engaged in its liberation war against French imperialism. Alter his release he carried on his work of solidarity with the Algerian peoples and later was active in the Vietnam solidarity movement. In May 1968 he welcomed and gave active support to the youth who took to the streets and barricades against the regime of Charles De Gaulle. Despite advancing years and, in later life, failing health, he
History of the Communist International. Right up until his death his belief in international socialism remained as firm as it did in his youth.
cremated on Friday 27 April the ceremony will take place in the Cemetery of the Père Lachaise. Like the martyrs of the Commune who made their last stand in that very cemetery, Pierre Frank never made his peace with capitalism and its exploiters.
And surely no socialist can leave a better legacy
• Messages for the cremation service can be sent to: LCR c/o Rouge, Rue Richard Lenoir, 93100
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Scotland leads the way
News
BUSLOADS OF Scottish Scottish TUC conference in Aberdeen last week. Mick MeGahey, president of the NUM in Scotland, received a standing ovation from the 600 delegates before speaking to an emergency resolution. crisis in the mines is a crisis of the nation. This struggle is not just the miners' struggle'.
Jim Henry, AUEW, said 'If we put this resolution into practise we'll knock the door off the hinges of Thatcher's policies over the past five years.
By Ann Shirley, STUC delegate from Aberdeen Trades Council
John Walker, ASLEF, called for a May Day stoppage. 'We pledge to bring workers out every workplace in kate, it, a move said.
Campbell FBU
the leaders of our move ment woke up and realised this is a class war we're involved in, designed to destroy the movement.
The resolution was passed unanimously and the miners left amid cheers and chants of 'here we go, nere we go, nere we go
Although calls were made for a May Day ac-
Scottish TUC calls day of action
miners lobbied the
'The
meeting, between the Scots executive of the NUM and the STUC general council takes place this Wednesday to set the date. A date must be set immediately tish labour movement can start support now.
Options
In his first speech to the STUC Neil Kinnock backed the miners' action, saying they had no alternative. He attacked the Tories and MacGregor for wanting 'starve the
HILO With up to 20 per cent unemployment Scottish coalfield know that they will never work again if they don't fight now.
The fight against the Employment Act Awas discussed. and CHUCISI made of the British TUC general council falling to
PEACE AND
Mick McGahey received a standing ovation support the NGA at Warr-
Tony Young of NUPE pointed out that the Warrington defeat
light to the ban on trade unions GCHQ
The NUR delegate said the only way to fight anti-trade union legislation through struggle. 'Why
SOCIALISH
are TGWU members not
prison for supporting the miners? Because thousands of workers are in struggle and proving to the Tories they cannot implement the laws.
motion was overwhelmingly passed which states that 'keeping within the law is a recipe for further retrea by
build the solidarity
By Ron Brown MP
more left wing than
some right wing leaders.
But expressing support for the miners not enough. glad the STUČ has agreed to call a day of action. This is a big step DUtI more must be done to link all sections of the working class in this vital struggle.
It is not premature to talk of action committees. to bring together all sec. tions of the working class. across the unions, employ. movement'. A further motion committing the STUC to free collective bargaining and rejecting wage restraint discussions with any government was pass-
well as one calling for the introduction of a slatulol lilliall waLt of two-thirds average earbliss
Congress
Congress reaffirmed its
for Scottish Assembly and for CND And a Trade Union Committee for Aid to Central America was launched at a fringe meeting. Congress sent a telegram to the US embassy condemning their role in Nicaragua and E Salvador
The Scottish TUC conference is of national importance. It sets the tone
cal. Let's the British TUC following their example by calling for strike action in support of the miners
Delegates left with a realism and optimism. Now work has to
the workplaces building support for the miners and especially making levies to ensure the miners' day of action big success.
THE DECISION BY the Scottish Trades Union Congress to call a day of action in sapport of the miners is an important step in building the all-union support needed to win the dispute and decisively defeat the Tory government. The day should be named immediately so that Scottish trade unionists can begin now to which will ensure a complete stoppage across the whole of Scotland on that day. That day should be l May — May Day, the traditional celebration of working class solidarity throughout the world. This initiative will inspire English and Welsh trade unionists to strengthen their solidarity action and demand that the whole 11 (' lakes similar action.
THE SCOTTISH TUC has the reputation of being
its briush counterDall• Whatever the reason for this, it was good to see that delegates backed the miners in their struggle against MacGregor and the Tories. After all, the NUM needs the help of other unions in a dispute which is political, despite the assertions to the contrary of
Led and unemployed. The mine canave this confrontation to thi Wal ticularly the mine workers.
We should plan likewise to defend our unions.
The problem is a lack of leadership. Many want Thatcher to intervene and As Ken Cameron the Fire Brigades Union rightly pointed out, doing deals
DON'TLET
MAGGIE SAKCHID
IRIAIID SUPPORT THE MINERS! LEVY YOUR MEMBERS!
of the miners, Socialist your area.
Socialist Action 27 April 1984
with the hangman should hang would only colon would only change the shape of the coffin at the end of the day Reason, moderation, compromise — call it what you will have all gone out the ruling class window a long time the search for a solution to the crisis of British capitalism.
STUC delibera tions have raised the level of political debate. Scottish trade unionists have arall made it clear that unity in struggle is the ke! the Tories wo ucicall am sure Welsh and English workers will say the same the course of this dispute.
JUST AS the Scottish TUC is leading the way on all-out action in support
so Scottish trade unionists are quick to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to material ala for the strike. scottish trade union branches are among the first to impose a regular, weekly levy of their memberships to make sure the miners don't go without funds vital to the success of the dispute.
Action has already reported that Scott Lithgow shipbuilding workers are collecting over £1000 each week for the miners, and that Kestral Marine in Dundee have raised more than £9000 this way. The levy is catching on in Scotland, as it is throughout Britain. We will continue coverage of how much is levied by whom in the weeks to come. Make sure you send us details of levies in
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4 Socialist Action 27 April 1984
The view from
Westminster
Labour: come
clean
on the miners
By Jeremy Corbyn
We are in the midst of a struggle for the labour movement's abilities to fight for itself. Ever since 1979, Thatcher and her government have been trying to divide and destroy labour, and then to
that we built.
The list of oppressive and divisive measures are
Lauc laws, health service cuts,
trols, bans on trade
membership GCHQ, imprisonment of Sarah Tisdall and eviction at Greenham.
And at the back of all this, sapping the morale and strength of the workme Cass. Is al cCorone policy that deliberately creates a dole queue of (officially) over three millon, as a walling le LIC ONL
It is obvious that since she came to power,
Thatcher has wanted to divide trade unions and then destroy them. In the case or une coal maustry, it is the most clear. That the NUM is powerful, we would all agree, that coal
we would also agree. It is precisely because of this that the government is
nuclear energy at the expense of coal and now using the brutal tactics that they are against the striking miners.
The issue is really very clear; whole areas are
area of
Kent, two of the three MisGregor's plan and in would close under
most areas there would be equal greater devastation. It surely is the job of the Labour
Party to support the NUM at this time, and to
recognise that this dispute can only be won
by solidarity action at all levels.
So far there has been insufficient support national level for the action consequently. the media, who are
uniformly hostile, have been able to dictate the terms of the dispute. 'dispute a has been the
Deel series of public school chants from the lories and a refusal of the
frontbench to LaDOul face to the issue. When a debate was finally nela li was on ine terms of the policing methods in the dispute and the effects on civil senses. Vital as this aspect is, the party has stil not come clean on the need for outright support for the industry.
The Campaign Group has consistently supported the miners
visited the picket alle lines; we have also levied members purchase food and kitchen supplies for the pickets and have made a number of statements of support.
the collections and the political
have been SIDDON valuable. The delegation to Kent two weeks ago was well received and ought to be reciprocated, so that the mining com munities would be welcomed in London.
development of rank
action nationally.
crown
Despite this,
strike committee in what's happening there.
Between 7-10,000
are on strike Nottinghamshire Some
such Blidworth Bolsover Ollerton and Creswell nave alternated between no production and very limnited production for the past five weeks. At other pits, substantial numbers have 1UL been crossing the picket lines.
On Mondy 16 April, at a meeting in Ollerton, tended delegates from i7 collieries 400
in north and south Not-
Notts miners rank and file strike committee was elected. A number oI Nous miners were turned away by the ponce ana could nol ge through to the meeting.
Stopped
Those from Bolsover were stopped six times by police, and were only alowed to pass because they had a letter from their branch secretary. In spite of this, they were warned that they would be arrested if they were found on picket lines.
I have been thinking very seriously about the whole matter and I have concluded that there can be no real doubt about it..
Notts strikers organise
Following the lead given last Thursday by the national delegate conference, Notts area council met on Friday and issued a call to miners not to cross picket lines. This, together with the
Notts, is a clear indication of growing support for this dispute in the Notts area. Despite media applause for the pits still work-
ing, between 10-15,000 miners are already out in Nottingham-
shire. The determination of the Notts strikers strengthens the
•We are not
the jewel
in Maggie's
THE MEDIA have virtually embargoed reporting progress of the miners' strike in Nottinghamshire.
support is growing. JIM DOWEN, treasurer of the recently-established rank and file
Notts, told Socialist Action
It was a very emotional meeting for those of us who love our One young lad from Thorsby was in tears when he told us of the problems of his family, In particular his wife who is seven months pregnant We then put a picke on Thorsby. We were be ing mistreated the police and word of this got underground. workers walked out and drove past honking their horns.
We tried to get this in
MONEY IS NEEDED for the 10,000 striking Notts miners to continue their stand.
These miners' action is particularly important to the morale and success of the strike. Special collections should be taken this important aspect of the strike the media refuses to publicise.
Cheques should be made payable to 'Notts Miners Forum', and sent to: the secretary,
Newark, Notts.
Some striking miners have been BREAKING THE LAST!
and file organisation for the strike in
the paper and on the radio and TV. But, as is the rule with Notts strikers, nothing reported.
Notts miners are presented as the jewel in Maggie's and nothing must be allowed to contradict that image.
As you can imagine funds are of the importance to enable us to the struggle.
Many of us have been out work for five weeks, and it is getting difficult to keep our cars on the road which are needed for picketing.
Until, and even after the Notts area NUM decides to get off its knees, we desperately need help. in all labour movement meetings to support
Paul Whetton, 10 Nicholas Place, Tuxford,
BoRE
Henry Richardson with striking miners
picket lines'
AT THE BEGINNING of last week, Nottinghamshire miners' leaders, Ray
lines. Chadburn and Richardson-said:
behalf of Scotland South Wale:
Coal Board have
fight for us?
erect in me workstoos. etc will be devastating.
Not just for today's jobs, generations
future.
Good God! If that sort of thing spread it could lead to the breakdown of civilisation as we know it!
In the Unions
Miners'
Strike
Photo: NEWS I INF
Stand united,
don't cross the
Chadburn and Henry Richardson issued an appeal to their members not to cross picket lines. Following last Thursday's national executive decision to deepen the action of the rolling-strike, Notts council met and called on their members not to cross picket
The strike over pit closures is not just a fight on
Yorkshire, the North East, Kent or any other areas. It is our fight too. For as sure as night follow's day, once the
wrecked those areas they will start the whotesale butchery of our own coalfield And when that day dawns who will be around to
Already 2000 jobs are being cut in South Notts this year alone, and a further reduction of half a million tonnes capacity is planned. The knock-on
administration. garage.
We appeal to our members to get off their knees and fight before it's too late
but for our future
We are all miners and we are in the same battle. Stand united and don't cross picket lines and we shall win the human right to a decent and secure
Worse than that!
It could lead to the miners winning their fight!!
Page 5 scan of this page
Solidarity is growing
In the Unions
SOUTH WALES
AS IT becomes clearer that this could be a very long strike, committees are being set up across the coalfield to organise hardship relief and soup kitchens.
In a an act of material solidarity Mid Glamorgan and Gwent County Councils are keeping schools open six days a week auring the holidays to provide
Sanke children.
councillor Len Jones an NUM official at Maerdy said:
"The strike is beginning to bite and many families are coming to me unable to meet mortgage and hire purchase repayments because their savings are gone. It's beginning to get o it save WHere some miners and their families are feeling real hardship'.
Over a thousand suDPort Tabor hast Proday
Talbot with NUR and AUEW delegations prominent.
At the rally Ray Powell MP for Ogmore pledged the support of the local Labour Party. But NUM leader Terry Thomas asked Ray Powell and Shadow Welsh Minister,
SWANSEA
ON THURSDAY 20 April, David Steadman, a coal face miner at Abernant colliery, and his wife Rhona, were evicted from their home in Pontardawe by the Abbey National Building Society.
Partly due to the over-
had been in une bal uncy financial difficulty for some time. and the Abbey National LOOK out possession order earlier
year. This was suspended as long as the! paid €100 a month.
With the strike David Steadman now gets only €7 week. As he was unable to pay the £100 this month the Abbey National brought coullly
HACKNEY
Hackney supports
Kent miners
By Chris Morris
ON SUNDAY 29 April, Hackney Labour Parties will be entertaining Kent miners and their families in an afternoon of solidarity. The council has laid on coaches to bring the families to a midday lunch with Hackney council, followed by a public film show organised by Hackney Hackney North Young Socialists.
Two films will be shown: Harlan County, about the Kentucky miners strike in the States. followed by film of the
miners' disputes.
Party speakers, as well as a representative from the Waterlow Print Works oc-
As hardship mounts ...
Ted Rowlands, to take back the Parliamentary Labour Party asking the shadow cabinet and backbench MPs to bring their support behind the strike.
Derek Gregory NUPE attacked HenDers H ales TLC who have their heads in the sand over the strike. NUPE proposing
the Wales TUC conference calling for them organise solidarity in-
action with the NUM.
Anger at police activities continues. Last week five miners from (wm colliery were rested for distributing boscene. sellous or inciting literature' on a Vottingham housing
totalt The leaflet question consists of a quote about scabs from Jack London's book Revolution.
Wales TUC
demonstration
Support the miners
Saturday 28 April
10am City Hail Cardiff
March :o Sophia Garden:
*or rall!
Speakers include Arthur She: 3ed encier crem despiie knowing he was on
he gets no strike pay.
By Sylvia Gilbert, Swansea CLP
I he money that the Steadmans get from the DHSS means that they cannot Deol anne breakfast, and the! поно dreass:
Home ari with =300:0 We each WCCA
Val Feld it. Sesh Housing Aid who has seen acting for the Sieadman:. said that this was the first of a number of cases of eviction of miners that nas come up.
South Labour Party and
cupation in East London.
• The films begin at 2pm
the Rio
Dalston on Sunday
April. Tickets at £2/£kur
waged are available in ad-
from Chris Morris
on 01-254 0833 or from the
Rio Cinema on 01-249
2722.
LONDON
MINERS from Kent
picketed the NCB head-
quarters Inis neth. cust
the white collar section of
the NT M. voted a month
ago not to cross official
Kent picket lines, but in-
side the NCB smaller
met and voted to
scab.
Other workers are not
being asked out as they
deal with miners' pensions
and so on. it is ucto lne
such
ALICE D
emptions on ine picket
lines.
The pickets at the NCB
successfully turned back
the food and drink.
LANCASHIRE
camp
STRIKING miner: trom Bold collier! near Warrington are amono the mos enthusiastic supporters of the newly set-up
the nearby Burtonwood US airbase.
Pickets visit the camp several times a day bringing supplies of coal for the fire and taking peace-campers for baths the pithead showers. Many peace
regularly Join the miners' pickets where CND badges are in high demand.
On the picket lines and round the campfire there's
"There you are, now we can say this pit's partly working!"
Picketing build up
most importantly the van carrying the HQ wages refused to cross!
The pickets at Charringron's coal depot has been going for as long as the strike. The Kent miners have settled in for a long dispute by building their own house!
Small numbers of lornes are turned back, …DUl the chief problem is non-
pickers when the Mayor oi Brent and some local councillors came down to visit.
Kent miners have also
picketing the West
MAERDY
«WIVES-
i SAVE THE
PITS
Bold pickets and the peace
much discussion about the issues facing the miners and tne peace movement and the links between
Over cup of tea one of the pickets told me:
By Linda Balfe
'I don't see this strike as being just about coal and miners' jobs. It's about whats ner ment is doing to working
people. Bringing these
American missiles in here is all part of that and I
won't have finished what I set out to do until we bring
Drayton coal depot Middlesex. They have also been plagued nOll union drivers and , non-union workers inside the depot which is owned by a subsidiary of the NCB
The pickets at West Drayton are demanding 10 speak to the men who work inside and for oi ficial deliver! dockets so ther La:. ineix whether coal i going o essential services зис- as hespitals. Ine pickeis nave sail ina
these demands aren't met satisfactorily they will be calling on labour move-
picket
MATOD
down this government
'You've got 10 sork We supper: rou at the peace camp and you support us on the pickets. That's the way we re going to do it'.
The peace camp was
up on • April. The camp can be easily reached from Warrington and Burtonwood service station. Visitors, conanors and letters of support to: Burtonwood Peace Camp, New Roundabout, Burtonwood •Rd, Nr Warks ington, Cheshire.
Socialist Action
HUDDERSFIELD
HUDDERSFIELD miners solidarity committee, comprising local Labour Party and trade union delegates, held public meeting last Thursday at which over 300 people heard Jack Taylor of the Yorkshire NUM declare that the fight would go on until it was successful. He linked the miners' struggle to that of the Greenham
BIRMINGHAM
A MINERS' support committee, established by Birmingham Trades Council, held its first
Hiccule Thursday 19 April. Made up of delegates from trade union and Labour Party bodies, it aims to promote and coordinate solidarity activity thorughout Birmingham
The committee will produce Call paign bulletin for distribution in te local labour movement. It also decided
SHEFFIELD
MORE THAN 40 people from Heeley Labour Party, Sheffield. spent last Friday in an evening of sondarit with South Yorkshire miners and their families, from Thurcroft pit in the Rother Valley.
This is one of two pits Heeley party has twinned or the duration _ or ine dispute. Over 150 people were there, and vall
LATEST ISSUE of Na-
tional Labour Briefing is
now out with articles on Jack Colins eni NUM. miners' strike
Kay Sutcliffe Kent
miners' wives organiser,
Alan thornett. and ac
tivists in unions involved
in support actions. Ar-
ticles on Greenham,
Liverpool and Sarah
Tipball back from dae
reports back from
New Socialist tour of
Nicaragua.
27 April 1984 5
STRIKE
FORCE
Common women.
special collection raised over f500, and the meeting heard nurses from Thornton View Hospitai. Bradford, currently in oc-
against pledge their full suppor: for the miners. The next onually evel orcase in Huddersfield will be rally on Saturday 28 April.
make every effort to build this year's May Day march, on Monday 7 May
a mass demonstration of support for the miners.
Future meetings of the committee will take place
Wednesday ai 7.30pm the Trade Union Resource Centre, Frederick Hockley. Delegates are weicome May Day march assembles in Milk St, at the side of Digbeth Civic Hall, 11.30am
members took £400 worth of solidarity in the form o food for strikers families.
By Paul Davidson
All in all the evening was a great success, in the words of one striker: 'This is a. great boost to our morale, the most impor tant thing that's happened
une village since the strike began.
LABOUR
BRIEFING
National Brieting supplement will be
with your local Briefing or can ordered direct from: Graham Bash 23 Leghorn Rd, London NW1O. 20p each plus postage.
Page 6 scan of this page
The
THE LAST few months have seen a sudden rush of moves to step up West European military cooperation. The West European Union, a previously obscure organisation, has become the vehicle for the first West European military discussions to exclude the United States since the Second World War.
The West European powers are attempting to significantly increase their room for manoeuvre on defence questions by creating stronger military German Leopard tanks
Socialist Action 27 April 1984
left and
European
defence
forces to bolster NATO, increase West European weight within it, and to prepare, in the worst case, for future greater clashes of interest with the US.
Across Europe movements exist opposing American rearmament, but the response to the military policy of the European imperialist powers has been far weaker.
JOHN ROSS looks at the new wave of enthusiasm for West European military cooperation and the issues it poses for the left in Europe.
ATTEMPTS TO form a West European defence pact and mutual defence force go back to the 1950s. In 1954 all the original members of the EEC drew up a treaty for a European Defence but the project floundered.
'special relationship' and refused to join.
ed the treaty being ratified. West European
pose he issue allew.
the Vietnam war onto its
Year 1 705. rapidly lost their value
gold from US stocks.
Western
its gold reserves.
real links began lo
from this time.
expression of this
Community,
Britain was at the height of its importance
with the US And a com- uses. bination of the Gaullists and the Communist Party in France block-
The Union, the body now being revived for the present discussions, was the only outcome. Bluntly
Such discussion declined from the late 50s, until, in the late '60s, increased
For economic tensions with the US began to
The US used its control of the international money system through the dollar to shift a large part of the cost of that
European weapons.
and has the
Union, and France and Britain.
whether it should.
that coulill y
tries.
develop military defence.
SULLESL
US.
returned to.
The French. Italian, British and German Tornado aircrait. An example of European military cooperation 'allies'. Dollars were run off the US printing presses resulting in the great international inflation of the late 60s and
The L'S paid in dollars which - a form of well organised but legal robber!.
De Gaulle led the counter-attack by exchanging French dollar reserves for
When France persuaded the rest of
Europe to follow the same path the US suffered a rapid decline in
Alongside this De Gaulle began to distance France from the US on the military field. In 1966 France formally withdrew from NATO - although the
were maintained and build up own nuclear weapons, the force de frappe
European cooperation in conventional armaments production increased
The Jaguar and Tornado tighters were the most spectacula.
— built by consortiums of British, French, West German and Italian firms. Behind British and French finance for Concorde lay the
advanced aviation technology research for other military
These projects had to be West European in character as no individual European state has the resources for such high technological development
West European defence cooperation to extend beyond this it has to deal will two inter-related questions - that of nuclear weapons, and
of Germany. Or, should West Germany have nuclear
West Germany is the third ranking economic power in the capitalist world.
strongest conventional armed forces of any capitalist state bar the US. But it has no nuclear weapons due to both the ultimatum of the Soviet
the policy of . West Germany has the technical capacity to produce the bomb whenever it wants, but the big question of West European defence is
Britain and France historically opposed the West German bomb because
traditional capitalist enemy of both those coun
But this policy has to be changed to
serious West European West Germany is the West European capitalist state and its access to every form of modern weaponrv is crucial to tuture European defence independent of the
As yet such an option is not yet practically discussed in Europe. Only a few hardy souls are prepared to openly grasp that nettle today, but it will be
Today Western Europe is putting its energies into building up its own conventional armaments industries This not only increases its
from the US, but helps cut the drain of resources to the American arms industry. Europe is not trying to break with the US, but to increase its weight within NATO. Nor are the West European states really capable of building the type of military forces that could be a complete alternative to the link with the US
But this policy, of increasing West European military room for manoeuvre, is why some of the most determined defenders of the EEC for example David Owen - are attacking Thatcher from the right on military policy. Owen has accused Thatcher of not increasing British military spending rapidly enough, and abandoning the pledge to increase defence spending by 3 per cent in real terms per year. Pledge
As part of his reorientation of the Labour Party toward 'Eurosocialism Neil Kinnock has come out in favour of dropping Labour's pledge to cut arms spending
These moves have vital consequences for the European left. The left of the labour movement across Europe has developed a deep struggle against United States imperialism, particularly against cruise and Pershing. but also against US policy in Central America. De Gaulle launching the first French nu
Page 7 scan of this page
Nicaragua: buildup
But opposition to the European imperialists is far less developed.
While a majority in Britain opposes 'Cruise and Pershing, unilateral nuclear disarmament is still opposed by three-quarters population. Large scale opposition exists in France to US policy in Central America, but few voices were heard raised against French intervention in Chad, and only a small fraction opposes the force de frappe.
Opposition to the EEC itself, the central mechanism of the West European imperialist states, is almost nonexistent across Europe, and under attack in Britain
'Neither Washington nor Moscow, but Brussels' has become the de facto orientation of much of the European left.
Today no European state can stand ON WIN militarily omically. Only through closer collaboration can West 'defence' be strengthened, and that's exactly what the West European Union wil auscuss later unis vedu
Our slogans should of course say Down with the US, US our of Europe, Down with NATO. But they must go beyond this opposing all British nuclear weapons and the force de frappe posing the EEC and saying no to West European military cooperation. will have to be the orientation of the European left in the years to come.
LE REDOUTABLE
lear submarine
del days
town was
used as the base 'provisional government'. months trying to
purpose.
tivity (see map).
Sandinistas and
Ine
scale US invasion.
00W1.
By Paul Lawson
foray
complete the FDN
of the
of the country
movement, led by Eden Pastora.
Sandinista
gone.
the CIA
European con pretended inat
solely the work of the contras, their US-supplied
op-
by This Nicaraguan waters.
Strategy
on as normal in
have yet to be fought.
regime to overthrow bre one
co-ordinated
dinistas as devastating blow
first large agua from weeks later.
'pacification'
of Vietnam, military
LAST FRIDAY Sandinista troops recaptured the town of San Juan
Norte which had for several been occupied by 'contra' guerrillas based in Costa Rica. The
of little military significance — its 1500 population was evacuated several weeks ago -but if it had been occupied for any length of time it could have been
for contra For 18 the contras have Deell capture and hold Nicaraguan town, precisely for this
The capture of San Juan del Norte was part of a long buildup of contra ac-
This offensive is designed to pin down and exhaust the
damage LIC economy, as a holding operation until
elections coming November. Once the elections are out of the way, the scene is set for the full-
which is the only way that the Sandinistas can be brought
The attack on San Juan del Norte was accompanied by a simultaneous
Nicaragua's northern border by hundreds of contra rebels of
(Nicaraguan Democratic Front). The fact that operations are being coordinated in the north and south
demonstrates that the CIA now has firm control over the ac tivities of the Costa Rica-based ARDE
While the FDN has always been a simple tool of the CIA, Pastora has attempted to posture as being both anti-
anti-American. Last autumn the CIA engineered a coup in his movement which removed him leader. Now Pastora is back, but all pretence at political independence has
The current offensive of the contras comes hard on the heels of the mining of the Nicaraguan ports, organised by
and condemned bv Senate. For weeks the US administra-
Ine mining was using speed boats. The news that the CIA was actually providing the mines from a boat just outside Nicaraguan territorial waters, was followed by the revelation that last October's contra attack on the oil storage facilities at Corinto was also supervised
the CIA's control boat outside flop.
cessful
In the present phase of the war. there is little danger of the Sandinista revolution being brought down. Last week press reports talked of life going
Managua, and of Soviet and West German boats being unloaded at Corinto. The Sandinistas claim that now most of the mines have been cleared from its waters. The major battles in the Central American war
The determination of the Reagan
the Sandinistas stems essentiallv from the failure of L'S policy in El Salvador. In February 1983 the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Jean Kirkpatrick, was sent on a 'fact finding' mission to El Salvador. Her report to the President was a som-
• that the Salvadorean regime was in dire military danger from the left wing rebels of the FMLN. The response of the regime was to elaborate a new,
Central American strategy, of which the centre-piece was the decision to bring down the San-
means of striking the Central with American revolution as a whole. The
scale incursion into Nicar.
Honduras followed just
Other elements of the new strategy were a huge build-up in arms supplies to El Salvador, the beginning of a US troop build-up in Honduras and the ment.
project the Salvadorean province of San Vicente. This scheme, based on the experience
attempted to concentrate firepower to drive the guer-
to invasion
PUNTA
March 3
March 5
EL SALVADOR Gulf of Fonseca March 3 PUNTA COSIGUINA Маго 20 -CORINTO
Arch 7 1 27
1 20
1 30
cific ocean
rillas out of the province; to win the 'hearts and minds of the population through economic aid and public works projects; anu to construct villages and a local militia, again on the Vietnamese model.
The San Vicente project was a total
Since the autumn of 1983, the FMLN have returned to San Vicente in force and launched two highly sue-
military offensives. disasters in El Salvador have increased US determination to destabilise the FSLN government in Nicaragua.
There is now growing direct US involvement in the Central American AT THE LAST Labour conference Denis Heal y, summing up on the Central America motion moved by David Blunkett, made a blistering attack on US policy over Nicaragua. He said that Labour should be 'proud to stand with our Nicaraguan comrades'. Neil Kinnock has associated himself with such sentiments, through writing troduction the book Kissinger's Kingdom by Donald Anderson Stuart Holland, and by having his very public argument on Central
Secretary State Schultz during his visit to Washington.
These welcome step forward - it is difficult
Deny teredo Harold Wilson or a James Callaghan. But they are of limited value so long as they remain at the level of worthy senti-
As we detail on these pages, policy towards Nicaragua is not just a matter of brutal and unjust policies.
throw the Nicaraguan government. It is
HONDURAS SAN JOSE
• TELPANEC 1 March 1: Tegucigalpa 44
March 12
INICAR CHINADEGA March 28
PUERTÓ SANDINO March 20
ch 30 SAN JUAN DEL SUR March 7
war. US pilots have been overflying Nicaragua. siderable evidence that contra attacks fortified deep inside the country have been car-
Tried out by troops parachuted in from Honduras. The American. In El Salvador it has recently been admitted that US pilots flying training missions over territory 'might from time to time have The been drawn into combat'. In addition
reconnaissance flights over El Salvador have been organised from Honduras. By far the most significant military action however is the tinuous build-up of troops duras. Currently at least
Labour must act
unfolding slowly, like a slow-motion movie, before our eyes.
statements after the event, as occurred over Grenada, but to provide the maximum solidarity here and now to prevent a repetition of the Grenada invasion.
How can Labour pact on this terrain? First, a delegation and MPs,
Healey and Neil Nicaragua.
George
Next November the first elections since the Sandinistas came to power are being held. The US and reactionary opNicaragua are legitimacy of these Labour leadership Nicaragua and investigate the fairness US of the arrangements of the elections
themselves.
The Labour Party should run a campaign explaining the elections and the support of the Nicaraguan people
A STUBBORN CONTRA OFFENSIVE Antileftist rebels recruited, trained and financed by the CIA have fought stubbornly but have attracted little support in Nicaragua. Their current strategy: attacking the country's feeble economy. in part by mining ports
SANDY BAY March 29
LEIMUS March 6
VILLA NUEV larch 13 A GU A
MONTELIMAR • March 6
PENAS BLANCAS ch 13
C ST A RICA
used for There is con- major Grenadero
pilots could well be
guerrilla-held
US
in Hon5000 US The point is not to make outraged
ty.
maximise its im-
including Denis Kinnock must go to The
HalOna le
Sandinistas inside are in power challenging elections. The ingful should arms, food
revolution
AIR ATTACK
SPEEDBOAT ATTACK
• HELICOPTER ATTACK
• MINE EXPLOSION
CONTRA ATTACK A CONTRA CAMPS
EL BLUFI Feb. 25
SAN JUAN DEL NORTE April 12 april 13г
troops are participating in their third
exercise 1. Whether the United States will first decide to use troops in El Salvador or to invade Nicaragua is far from certain. What is certain is that the escalating military build-up in the recion is not just for show or for unex pected contingency.
The decision to overthrow the San. dinistas has been taken. The US does not intend to 'lose' Central America. The invasion of Grenada shows tha this US government is determined to use whatever force is necessary. Only the timing is in doubt. for the Sandinista government. The Parliamentary Labour Party should invite leaders of the FSLN to visit Britain on a tour organised by the Labour Par-
The FSLN is formally part of the Socialist International, as is the Labour Party. So far the European Socialist parties have expressed their opposition to US policy in Central America, but i. The concret pesty or use i-
Labour strategic position in the Socialist Inter-
slep up the pressure for material aid for the Sandinista revolution. In countries where the socialists
• for example Spain and France - the governments are in an ex cellent position to make their aid mean
sending aid in the form of technology and
Meaningful solidarity is not the solidarity of tears when a counter-
has been victorious, but solidarity with a revolution in progress
Socialist Action 27 April 1984
Page 8 scan of this page
MI5 — organiser of frame-ups and murders
8
IF YOU ever fancy an afterbours drink in Manhattan, give Wall Street a miss. It is usually deserted by midnight.
But on 1 April, the 3am silence was pierced by the shrill tones of bankers, desperate to whistle down cabs before anyone could make an unauthorised withdrawal from their wallets.
They had been working late, rescheduling some Argentine Dans - one more episode in the International Debt Saga.
Economic commentators agonise over possible defaults and the Financial Times — whose subs diligently replace any reference to 'slump' with the anocuous sounding 'recession' - chucks the word crisis around ¿e confetti when it comes to aternational debt. Why the anic?
JOHN HARRISON and SOB MORGAN explain.
The South owes the North a hell of a lot of money which it may never spay. And bad debts brighten peo*e. About 800 billion dollars are owd. enough money to buy everything
aree weeks or so. The main debtors re in Southern and Central America. razil owes around $90 billion and Mexico, Venezuela and Argentina are — l mera-lock.
Last year, the world's largest one andred apital backing of some $160 billion. I they were forced to write off only alf of Latin American debt, they muld go bust.
begins a decade ago ter OPEC quadrupled the price of
Arat oil producers gained an exa isi zillion a year — enough to buy
and a half
ralist output in those days. *: much of it to Western banks.
Since banks make money by lenang at interest. they went after new
Third world governments
med perfect. They were keen to or:ow to pay tor their massively in-
fuel bills. They also looked the prices of primary com-
Cities — the bulk of Southern ex-
had doubled over renaus couple of years. Anyway, her. Jid a sovereign state last go
Banking whizz kids signed up for ering classes in Spanish and bad Mexican restaurants became chic. ti world governments increased
sorrowing from Western banks sold oerween 1973 and ihe bankers began to have seor i thoughts. Things were turning
Generals, politicians and cocaine kaers had stolen a fair amount of
money, diverting billions into Swiss bank accounts knows just how The tabloid nasties lap up swindles, does
cromist. But the corruption was a condary problem.
Far more important was the fact
all major governments (except 2 our in the UK) went for harsh steice rise. cretary deflation in the wake of the
rates soared for borrowers to repayments.
High interest rates also discourag-
seculators, who had been buying
ears couee croor commodities
ires') with money borrowed dirt
Once the bubble burst, com-
ity prices halved. The South now
to sell twice as many coffee to make each aollar aue lor
ament.
the same time,
Tation hit the advanced economies
an exocet. Industrial production
unprecedented since
Firms saw markets shrink and ex-
capacity pile up.
collapse rebounded on the
=== 2*: show a return
From decided to practical give and first world
Socialist Action 27 April 1984 combined of world
They from the South.
the OPEC
raising presidential
through the root come.
the 1981.
of billion, almost twice its total exchange reserves. many cough up $26 billion. the The banks. terrified MICHAEL
He was a very
Catholic.
the savage they
recognising like.
But somehow the thir-
institution what the boss is doing.
govern-
International debt
ments erect barriers to repel imports
The end of the seventies brought reducing further turns of the screw. In 1978-79
redoubled oil prices, again fuel import costs. After his victory, Reagan clamped down on monetary policy further, sending dollar interest rates
The crunch had
Soaring interest rates jacked up
South's debt servicing costs 1982. $20-25 billion between 1979 and 1981. he proportion of Latin America s export earnings diverted into Western bank vaults rose from 18 per cent in tina took 1974 to 25 per cent in 1981. In that year the South was due to repay $129 since.
foreign Mexico, with reserves of $4 billion, was supposed to
day,
major downturn. defaults, opted to reschedule much
BETTANEY
landed a job with MI5 because
his credentials seemed perfect.
all conventional,
patriotic Oxford graduate who
had been brought up a Roman
To his recruiters he seemed
to be the type of educated snide
were looking for. More
often than not, like is good at
went
wrong. After three years in Ireland
where he got a front-line seat and
could watch Britain's thugs run
riot in an orgy of lies, frameup and
murder he got a litte sour with his
masters. But MIS is not the sort of
To can quee
its former members
says: "The atmosphere of the ser-
The crisis that
won't go away
debt. Rescheduling amounts to extending the period of a loan, thereby
the debtor's allillal repayments. It can be highly profitable for the banks, who charge fees for the exercise.
In 1981-2, ten countries rescheduled debts for the first time, more than in the fifteen years of 1956-70. Some $250 billion were involved. The crisis hit the headlines in the SURIC! LI
Brazil announced that it could no longer service (i.e. pay the interest on and the proportion due for repayment of) its debts. Mexico and Argen-
the same line Debt has seldom been out of the news since.
Much of the left seems to think that the international banking system is so fragile that it could collapse any
triggering a crash that would make 1929 seem like a minor cyclical
That scenario is just about con-
vice is right wing and reactionar
..?' Its exclusiveness and secrec!
gives it a shared ethos that abhors
criticisms of authority and
tradation. Its hidden and secret
arrogance that makes them act like
judge and jury other
peoples' lives. It is in fact a sinister
conpiracy against the rights
millions of ordinary peone and is
accountable to no one- not even
prime minister, never mind
parliament.
By Bob Pennington
It spies on trade unions, CND,
political organisation and 'subver-
sives' like the animal liberation
league. It bugs trade union head-
and peoples homes.
When solicitors defend civil liberties victims, in Watergate style, it
ceivable, though in our view unlikely (for reasons that will become clear).
Dubious debts because someone stands money and nobody Iront-ime candidate for tne loss is tne person who owns the money, and the! know it. inal:swas crechcompanie
sharks break arms
The banks couid handle writing off some debts by digging into their capital and reserve. have to do so soon, and have been taking precautions. creased its capital by 19 per cent since 1982. Bank reserves are up by about 20 per cent worldwide. absorb defaults in this way, their shareholders are the losers.
If the banks were forced to absorb bad debt in excess of their capital and reserves then depositors would also iose out. since the banks would be unable to repay borrowing in full. of
organises break-ins of their of-
part of its repotoire. And as the
Bettany case
manipulates the courts and the
juries.
His solicitors
challenge the views expressed by
prosecution
was
But
ties.
Northern
Laxe
Jay
up inflation.
Their $34 billion Hundreds
ment
in ine
highly
But the crisis is real enough. cause problems 3 April 1983).
Close
wants to. The
legwarmers. deadiy:
its attemp VOSI expect to
economy Citicorp has in-
When banks
in the peripher! • John documents he rule.
like Frame-up and murder are
showed,
Sweep no tears.
could not
that betray it.
that the
Surplus Value
Back-of-envelope calculatons suggest that if all Latin American debt
written ott in this way, the average depositor would lose about 5 per cent of their money.
governments really would allow the world's major banks to go bust? Surely not. They • would bail them out, just as the Bank of England rescued the so-called fringe banks in the property crisis of the early seven-
Such a bail-out would cost the
working class. Governments could finance it only by raising
creating additional money. The first option would cut
packets directly. The second would reduce their value by pushing
Since neither banks nor governments want to foot the bill, they are trying to make the South pay weapon is the world's
heaviest debt collection agency - the International Monetary Fund. The Fund arranges rescheduling, but only on certain terms. These invariably include severe deflation to cut imports, thereby freeing foreign exchange for interest payments. It has been spectacularly successtul to date.
Imports into Latin America fell from $98.4 billion to $56.3 billion in 1983. The net inflow of loans and investment fell from $38 billion to $4.5 billion. Payments of interest and profits abroad rose from $29.1 billion to
Periphery
The masses of the region have paid an appalling price for this turnaround. Output per person fell by 5.6 per cent last year.
"The Mexican economic and social landscape meanwhile looks as though
swept through of firms are going bankrupt every month... Unemploy
is reckoned to have jumped trom 8 pe: cent ie around 13 per cent
OI economy in which underemployment anyway probably stands at around 45
This in a country where a motor mechanic earning $12 a month is considered emploved' '. (Economist,
The IMF may not break peoples' arms or measure them up for concrete
But its policies are literalunderdevelored economy kills people
icc early to say whether Nori succeed in making ine Scuther masses foot the bill. But
ha: e aiready imparted a further deflationary twist to the world
and exacerbated political tensions in Latin America. And they will continue to do so
That last point is really what this piece is about. The international debt crisis is best seen as an example of how problems in the
metropolitan heartlands of capitalism can have their mes: politically explosive effects
Harrison will be writing regular articies jor Socialist Action.
was supposed to have collected were of top rate importance. Ins was allegeu lo De a breach of national security. They couldn't call their own witnesses to dispute anv claim ov the crown The hearing was in camera. The jurors were vetted by MI5 and the Special Branch, which guaranteed a guilty verdict. This monstrous outs ma gust taere to spy on lai KGB. It is there to spy on and conspire against anyone wno dares question the right of capital to
If Bettaney had been successful
Philby and Blake, and "fingered' some of these Oxbridge hooligans to the KGB we should
None of its agents have anything to commend them to working people. The only ones
Page 9 scan of this page
Libyan seige-reactionary theatre
News
fund drive
THIS ISSUE of the paper launches the f50,000 fund drive because we need a new building for the paper. We know this is a tough target but if we are to do our job properly it's a project we have to take on. If we are going to go back to 16 pages we have to save money and that means moving to a more economical building. Once we get reorganising, improving and extending the paper.
Why Socialist Action?
The labour movement needs a paper that is written by, ana for, aclivists l its ranks. It needs a paper
will work flat out to build the united action of
those the anticapitalist struggle. This is the job of Socialist Action and this is why we have been pleased in the past few months to open our columns to people like Tony Benn, Peter Heathfield, Helen John, Joy Hurcombe, Ken Livingstone, David Blunkett,
Heffer, Joan nard, Anne Pettifor, Kay Sutcliffe, Peter Hain, Jack Collins, Ernest Mandel, John Harrison and Bernadette McAliskey.
Just we have covered the international anti-capitalist struggle by carrying regular material on Central America, so on Ireland we have given voice those the Keviolcan movemen who are fighting the ocpan or me country by British imperialism.
On Europe have carried in-depth articles on the rise of workers' struggles across that continent and have shown how the growing peace movement is beginning to restructure HOME SECRETARY
Govern People Bureau furo thee of of the
People's Bureau into a piece managed, reactionary hurls every conceivable insult at Qadhafi and his regime — 'unstable', 'dangerous', 'madman' police ostentatiously | weaponry on the streets.
The ideological function of such a show is not difficult to discern. SymDality for the police is especially useful the middle of a miners' strike.
Justification for the police being heavily armed
time.
Patriotic hatred of "Arabs'
The tactics used in the siege of the Iranian embassy were carefully calculated have just such an ideological im-
The final murder of ball. the Arab guerrillas by the SAS, when they were trying to surrender was carefully calculatec as warning about the are anyone trying 'dirty tricks' in London.
The seige in London has to be put against the background COTT universal Western hostility to Qadhafi. Since Reagan was elected the US has regarded Oadhafi 'enemy number one', and is determined to bring him down. In August 1981 two Libyan TELS WelC shot down in Libya's territorial Wales bv US planes
patrolled Libya's coast.
£50000 building
there we can start
European politics. Articles ov Oliver MacDonald have analysed what's happening in castern curope and Ernest Mandel recently wrote on the division of Germany.
Closer to home we are quickly getting a reputation for giving maximum solidarity LOOSE fighting the Tories. We have carried extensive articles on Liverpool, the NGA and of course the
where we have given four to pages coverage each week. We Call say quite confidently that we have unhesitatingly supported the antinice movemen o me heroic stand of the women
Commor and our paper has been DONGO ODORI Columus to these women.
Our new'v started page on sexual politics will be a
USCISSOL the women's movement, women's history. on les bian and gay politics and on all matters of sexuality.
Nor have we kept silent
have started out from the notion that maximum unity is needed to defeat the Tories and that leader should be judged solely on how they do that, Leon Brittan and his
of stagetheatre. While the media
- I• display a huge allay of
What angers the United States and its allies
Inal vaunan DACKS many of the movements and governments which
he US is opposed to
By Paul Lawson
In Chad Libyan troops have backed up an anti-imperialist movement. Libyan military might is seen as threatening the reactionary states in the region
Egypt, Sudan. Qadhafi has given loans totalling hundreds of millions of dollars to Nicaragua, and sent planeloads of arms. For a long period Libya was a cham pion of the 'rejection front of Arab states and movements which opposed moves towards peace with Israel at the expense of the Palestinians.
US hostility to Qadhafi is therefore hardly surprising. Neither is the concerted by the Western media to present him international gangster who is mentally unstable.
In the conflict between Western imperialism and Qadhati, the basic ques-
and how vigorously they fight for agreed policies like unilateralism.
Inus we have opened our pages 1o the Labour left for a debate on policy and strategy. This is why next week we will be carrying a special eight-page interview with Tony Benn on these two matters.
Fund Drive This is not just an extra. It's desperately needed if we are to stay in business That's why we ask you to either Make one-ott donation amount each week pledge regular or month. The latter is best done bv tilling in the standing order form on this page. Sellers of the paper should ask their readers to add a bit of money to the 30p they pay when they buy it Another way yuu can help financially is by taking out a subscription because that makes Sult you get it regularly and it makes Sure WC
'Labour's Alliance
for Socialism' —
an interview with Tony
Benn.
interview with Tony Benn carried out for Socialist
Action by John Ross.
Order your copy now! Police marksmen take aim on Libyan Embassy
tion at issue is Libya's self-determination and lid tional independence - ItS right to conduct its own affairs and give aid to radical movements whatever the imperialists think Nonetheless basic issue should blind nobody
of Qadhafi's rule in Libya itself.
Qadhafi came to power in a military coup in 1969. Since that time a number ot very radical Hicasure. have been taken, , including the nationalisation of the majority OI foreign oil holdings, irrigation projects for agriculture and a system of generous loans for peasant farmers.
guaranteed income.
Big prizes on offer We intend to run fund raising activities nationally and locally. These will range from socials, par-
jumble sales to more ambitious schemes like sponsored runs, draws for CaSI prizes and the jewel in the crown first prize which 1 gives you a nonaay Cone of the world's hot spots like CuDd
Then there are all those schemes that OUI readers will come up with that we want to know about. So write in and give us your fund-raising ideas as well as some of your money.
Target There's our target. €50,000. Let's go out and smash it. Start now to take us over the top of that amount and on to a nev building and a bigger and even better paper.
The May Day issue will carry a special 8 page
Libya's very small population only million has seen a dramatic rise in its standard of livhon of large oil revenues based on the utilisato finance state projects.
Politically, Qadhati's eccentric political theories, which claim to have resolved the contradiction between capitalism and communism in the 'Universal Third Theory', the regime is a radical nationalist one. Qadhafi sees himself the political descendent of Abdul Nasser, Egyptiar president when Arab na tionalism was at its height. His regime, despite the claim that all power has
Which type of building will we have? It's up to you. been handed over to
Pact l'rigomy coes iled
La tightly controlled military dictatorship, with real power concentrated in the Bonapartist figure of Qadhafi himself.
There is no doubt that political opposition is ruthlessly deal that as the oil revenues have declined opposition to Qadhafi has been on the increase.
The seige of the embassy can play a useful function for Qadhafi, not just for the Thatcher government. A prolonged conflict with Britain could easily play role of
whipping up support for the Tripoli government a
Socialist Action 27 April 1984
1 B
a time of growing internal dissent.
If Qadhafi did order the shooting he handed the Tories a gift on a plate glorification of the police and the SAS at the expense
•emocrac rights general and the miners in val lculal
Socialist defence of Libya against imperialist attack should not involve any ambiguity towards the terroristic methods which Qadhafi uses against his op ones, which should
unequivocally condemned The shooting in St James' Square was a reactionary act, which can only serve the interests of reaction in Batain Libya
If the police 'and th SAS do storm the People's Bureau it will be a clear demonstration not of? desire to administer justice
even-handed but rather of a desire to 'teach the Arabs a lesson'.
If this event had occurred at the embassy of the United States (an embassy, incidentally, which does have a huge arsenal on the premises) or any other Western power, there would be no question of a seige violation diplomatic immunity. The seige at St James's Square is political from beginning to end. The losers wil no be Thatcher or Qadhaf but democratic right
Page 10 scan of this page
'We won't be held back forever'
10 THE DEMANDS of the Women's Committee for constitutional reform to increase women's power in the Labour Party will dominate this year's Labour Women's Conference, as they have done for the past few years.
conference, to be held in Swansea on 12-13 May, are resolutions sponsored by WAC on the question of constitutional change. JUDE WOODWARD looks at the issues involved.
The role of miners' wives in supporting the miners sunke nas received
Conduc ul.
woman
THIS TWO-ACT play, showing at the Riverside Studios will do more to bring home the actuality of what it is like to be black in apartheid South Africa than many a tract published by the Anti-Apartheid Movement.
only competent actors but because they have lived what they are portraying on the stage, they are able to transmit some of the trauma of their lives to the audience.
At the end of the per:ormance, Tne audience spontaneously rose to their : eet ana applause almost brought the house 10wn. Many. this reviewer, were openly ying. The emotional atnosphere could literally be :elt.
Store Nor ena Back
Black SLOT living in South today Only her
ze is invented, and is -zied on a book originally
Ankaans. une
gage of South Africa's
Elsa African
Africans
Socialist Action 27 April 1984
Labour Women's conference
Forty per cent of all resolutions submitted to the
breaking the myth that women's role in strikes strike breakers.
Recently LICI Labour
Poppie Nongena:
not a 'surplus'
4 April
erside stu
The seven black actors who form the cast are not
multi-racial Market Theatre, three-quarters of the audience were white.
Reviewed by Charlie van Gelderen
It must have come as a reve anon many of lne white 'Madames' in the black aucence their kitchens who did their household chores, looked after their children, cooked and served their food were actually people.
Poppie black. thirdacc alien the Western Cape. edict comes tha: 'surplus' women return their
Action Women's conference has dispelled the similar myth that women constitute ine right wing or the labou
by adopting a series or lent poncies was the only major section of the Labour Party to oppose the Malvinas war. for example.
This reflects an important change in the wa! Tha women see their own role in society. Today only one in tive men are the bread turns out to be
rugated shed with no ceil-
ing and no running water.
Her children have to walk miles to school.
The play takes us through Sharpville March 1960 when 60 people died and 180 were
wounded simply because
they wanted to get rid of
climax comes wịth the
Soweto
Back noisechs the
Black townships
Western Cape which
Poppie has illegally return-
ed after her husband's
death she can earn
enough money to keep her
children in school.
tradi-
tionally-based music by
Sophie MgCina, who plays
Poppie's grandmother
the play buy the recordon will MaKe
want to
wal OUl
theatre. is, of course
impossible for any
person to feel what it is like
10 be Black under apar-
close 10 doing just
winners' of families, and millions of women work, ano exact WOrK throughout their lives. This Ilas already transformed the membership of many unions and is beginning to change the whole face of the labour movement
This changing role of women has been shown not only policy adopted by Labour Women's organisation. but in the rising support for the proposed structural changes in the Partv.
The question that confronts the labour ment is whether it can rise to the challenge of this new consciousness among
and create powerful alliance between the traditional organisations of the working class and this new force of women. This not guaranteed.
There is another lesson learned from women's support for the miners' strike if you walll you, you have to support women to support
women. The NUM may be male-dominated (which it ls), out ll nas lakell some important steps on women's policy before many unions with a higher female membership.
Sexism
The NUM supported DUSL WAC demands al Labour Party conference, one of the few unions that did. . Eric Clarke, secretary
of the Scottish NUM, is a
supporter helped organise the NUM's Labou Party delegation behind the
women's organisation resolutions.
Of course. sexism still
exists in the NUM, even
among the most militant
the striking miners.
There was a problem of
sexist comments at Labour
Party conference. But the
Scottish \Ll is organis-
ing a weekend school on
women's rights later this
year, at which Jo Richard-
son nas been invited to
gay rights
'WHAT HAS
enough to merit action?'
within the LPYS.
Lesbian and gay youth spend at least the first 16
years of their lives in an en-
tirely heterosexual environment. Most
grow up thinking we're the
only one in the world.
The media rave about
awful homosexuals who, her hourren Beer ding
their
queens pathetic.
suicidal figures. All in all
not very inviting. Wegrasp
hold .e.m
Ga:
Women are surging through — like this woman fork-lift driver at McEwans in Edinburgh speak. Ihis is not enough
but is an important step towards win all g union to take women's demands seriously
The NUM's support for WAC is a tremendous lever to use in winning other unions to a similar position. Bur previous years all WAC's
will probably resolutons be opposed by the plat-
But these demands cannot be resisted forever.
Neil Kinnock opposes WAC's demands, but it would not be too surprising to see him change his
mind if enough of a row is kicked up inside the party.
•Progressive Eurosocialist Kinnock would dearly like
io be seen as the champion of women's cause. long as he remains in control.
But if there is a real threat that the radicalisa-
LPYS should discuss
TO happen before the daily infringement of human rights is considered urgent asked Richard Sandells, Lesbian and Gay Young Socialists member, at the recent London Labour Party conference. Quite a lot
chboard, the London help and advice gets
massive numbers of calls from lesbian and gay icellancis making the 'forbidden' call in the early hours of the morning.
By Paul Canning
Those of us who break
the mould face big pro-
blems. Our phones
ockshops
= care.
zersecuted against in
tion of women combined with the support of key unions will actually win WAC's demands, then the policy of the women's organisation becomes very important. Thus combin-
the constitutional changes a more serious attempt being made this year confuse and fudge the women's conterence many policy questions.
Policy
While all allies must be sought for constitutiona reforms. no concessions must de made on other policy questions.
The fact that Militan has the only resolution (out of 12) opposing the
the that unilateralism may be push-
The Labour Party
1 OUil Socialists shy of
rishus for many years. The
arguments
discussion range from 'it's nol a pniority, bur we sup port the principle' to 'we mustn't support it as we'd lose working class votes'.
The LPYS should take up this issue. First of all, it directly affects people, and a hell of a lot Hore mucu. repression of homosexuals
oppression of all people's sexuality.
it s rather naive to
believe lesbians and gays
will automatically benefit
from socialist society.
We do not think our rights
will
News
III ed off the agenda (with on ly four resolutions in), and the absence of any resolu tion defending Liverpool council, all indicate the danger of policy concesSONS and tron Kinnock and his LC C
On the other hand nine resolutions on Ireland are a sign that women's conference is not about to become a tool of the Kinnock leadership. And coupues. emergency resolution on the miner strike will get widespread support.
For a tew more years yet, the main battle at
conterence will continue to be the WAC TSULLIOnS But the NUM's fight reveals again a deep divide in the labour movement, "Conference will and women's show where it stands. within the LPYS, but the hostility this creates unbelievable. YoUng Socialists will con- Lesbian and tinue to campaign in the LPYS, alongside the Labour Campaign for Gay Rights and Labour Movement Lesbians. national organisation with active branches secon Manchester, Glasgow and
Young Socialists branches call subul us by. affiliating (at f2), LGYs, - speporting our speaker from conference on 7-8 July in County Hall, London.
• Lesbian and Gay Contacted clo 39 Chip Young Socialist penham Road, London W9 2AH, or by phonin? Martin on
Pus. 6:-:36
Page 11 scan of this page
Mass campaigns can build
News
LPYS conference
OVER TWO thousand youth attended the Labour Party Young Socialists annual conference in Bridlington over Easter. Two issues stood out from the conference: the decision to turn massive support behind the miners and the decision to campaign against Reagan's visit to Britain in June. most delegates when he
miners to unite around the
All
respona 1o
so the Tuc we have es
another NA Or GCHO
ference
MOLES
BYE
VIEW
calls the
DISLIENS
Rowland who is the big
boss at Lonrho and pro-
Robert Mugabe
Observer's editor to go
Labour's youth
conference from the platTOTH. Introduced by
was tremendous standing ovaLol.
By Redmond O'Neill
vote from young World War. Its chief task
on a course to overcome
But this is not the only
orce in the YS, brough as things were looking up
JESSACE
Mr Trelford's friends got
ing Lonrho's ownership
De inserted CUL
control over any political
Many S0
He alle
vouth was almost
vourn wandering dowll ble
asked what he was doing.
fighting for a future.
DUL
YS. mas. that day was not endorsed;
policy explanations of why
peace. were subsuluca 10
YS took a big step forward in calling a national young •And irom next sunday li
taking the ridiculous poition'. And
respecuing capitalst call be expected to tolerate it.
Wilal ne wants as long as
must have Observer and all our 'free'
Mied By Wiel is com-
should be sent to arrive
the policy adopted largely
OI discrimination was oppos allO any of the movements that
Gay liberation
discussed
By Mick Burke, Selly Oak LPYS
bians was mentioned is to be
struction of the Labour Party in Ireland.
increasingly undemocratic practices.
he sens
role in organising a youth movement
SIYE US A FUTURE
Ill-
Federation or Britain aist
'S away from inTHE TWO most important debates on Sunday were on gay liberation and Ireland. In a limited way both marked a step forward for the LPYS. The very fact that the oppression of gays and les-
despite an advance in policy all action proposals
On Ireland, delegate after delegate denounced British imperialism. However the resolution passed put withdrawal of British troops after the con-
Unfortunately the conference was marked by
opposed by the leadership were dropped. Those on the young women's conference, one on Ireland, on CND and on democracy, simply disappeared from
But the election results demonstrated that an increasing number of delegates want to organise with those who see the need to lead youth in action against the ruling class. A fringe meeting organised by Labour Briefing marked the new interest of the
If the left starts to take the LPYS seriously and
potential to transform the labour movement by supporting every single just struggle against the
Socialist Action
Stunning
Support for
Sandinistas
By Anne Kane, Pollock LPYS
of the
ference was organised to be more like a rally
who urged the conference
have been
standing ovation at LPYS conference!
Malvina
likes precisely in Militant's combination or lyin cen
people are repelled by this
I nis Is wny most the new recruits to the YS
Deci wave.
axallls
attempts to mak
Militant can no longer deto terms with these real
the platform had to have a
27 April 1984 11 THE FIRST day of this year's LPYS conference showed how far the YS has come in adopting policies that mean something to youth in struggle and how far it still has to go. Unfortunately most repeating old policy and suggesting no real actior
But Saturday's conference was brought alive by two issues: the response to the miners' strike and defence of the Nicaraguan revolution. But the absolute solidarity of the delegates with both of these struggles was held back by the way con-
been used by delegates to explain what they have done in their branches to support the miners and to discuss what should be done in the future to build
But the most stunning show of solidarity for a long time was reserved for the Sandinista youth
the Sandinistas address conference must be seen as a great victory in itself. It means the LPYS leader-
pushed off the their previous denunciations of what they called petit-bourgeois
Hopefully the LPYS will go ahead and adopt similarly liberessin attitudecialisme it free no. Maybe next year we'll see Gerry Adams receiving a
in 1ioz the lett indepen
went over 23 per cent - 69
the left of Militant is the
through The
for replacing the Militan
the
ference the let opposition CON was again divided, in the NEC
Bernie
It is clear that a united
for a campaigning YS could win increasing sup
build the YS on this basi
thi Socialist Youth paper ru
Line Wes bulletin
now ar
paigning action in Britai
Page 12 scan of this page
Stop the campaign against Libya!
LABOUR CND will hold its 1984 annual meeting this coming weekend disarmament policy in the Labour Party. During the last nine months there have been moves in the party and in CND to dilute the firm unilateralist position of the party.
The best-known of these was the Kinnockbacked move by the nanonal execulve to remi the TGWU resolution to 1aS1 year's reaffirming the commitment to remove all nuclear weapons from British territory within the lifetime of the next Labour government.
This failed. But those who believe that the best way forward is a step-by-
to win the step approach. non-unilateralists, nave not given up hope of sufficiently watering policy to achieve these ends.
Equation
Labour Party commitment on nuclear weapons in an extremicly Inpollan
factor, in their equation.
While the party as a whole remains publicly committea io a strong stand.
makes difficult the task of concession-merchants
who want allianop popular,
«TOsS-Dally. on direze, no first use, or through
'freeze.
similar policy.
Unilateralists in the
labour movement remain
firm in their opposition to
this approach. Unilateralwhen deals behind closed ism's ' 60s
doors meant the hard-won
commitment of one
Socialist Action Bankers Order Forr
To:
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•nk inank vou
SOCiAlist
ACTION
Labour CND must
defend unilateralism
a crucial time for
Labour Party conference
was overturned at the nex-
I, all in the name of iust
such a popular alliance
precisely shows that such
an approach leads in the
opposite direction to that
intended.
By Carol Turner
Softly, softly catches
no monkev at all. But it
does give an opportunity
to the "multilateralists' of
the Denis Healey variety to
slam the party door on real
opposition to nuclear
weapulls
This is what's at stake
at this year's Labour CND
ACCUSE Last year it was
Labour CND who fought
strongly to keep the
commitment to unilateral-
ism, and who helped build
that support within the
party. It was exactly that
success which made it SO
some CND
and Labour Party circles. Role
This vear. it is quite
possible that those same
will organise
CND gets no таке Sul C that chance Labour to
play the same role in 1984.
That is why it is so impor-
tant that every Labour
Party member who is also Date 19
(date of
a national CND member should turn out for the an
nual meeting on Saturday
28 Aori in County Hal
between !lam and 5pm.
That is why resolutions
like the one from Scottish
and London Labour
CND, which makes clear
the priority of the
unilateralist commitment,
must be
CND meeting. And that is
WiV executive committee
candidates should be
chosen on the basis of their
firm support to maintain
party policy. neutered Labour CND ea The alternative
ecutive committed
disarmament by degrees
the backdoor road to dit-
ching Labour's most
popular policy.
Scottish and London Labour CND resolution:
THIS AGM
further visible
Deuce movement Labour CND will therefore:
Labour government;
ticularly now in the Greenham going action against cruise; THE SHOOTING of a policewoman and eleven demonstrators from the Libyan People's Bureau was a stupid and reactionary act which socialists should unequivocally condemn. But the reaction of the British government in mounting the seige of the embassy and breaking off diplomatic relations was motivated solely by political hostility to the Qadhati regime.
Libyan People's Bureau are charge that it organises acts of terrorism. Tory vestigating the activities of foreign embassies.
ple, the South African em- ho give just one exalibassy has a long record of
illegal alis Britain. Just two weeks ago the South African ambassador was recalled to Pretoria atter three ple, including two South Africans, were arrested on charges legal arms sales to South Africa.
Pretoria's notorious
CRUISE
MISSILES
No
commends the parts played by Labour CND in ensuring an unequivocal position at Brighton 1983 in favour of unilateral nuclear disarmament and support for CND. It believes that Labour CND's main task now is to ensure the
strengthening the party's unilateralist commitment. That will be best achieved through getting all levels of the party fully associated with the on-going campaigns of the
1) organise to campaign for a clear reaffirmation at this year's conference of unilateralism, that is an end to all nuclear weapons of any kind on British soil or in British waters in the lifetime of the next 2) campaign for the party to be seen as a leader in all continuing campaigns to that end, and par-
anti-Trident campaign, women's peace movement, and on-
3) campaign for opposition to the new generation of weapons — cruise, Pershing, Trident, eic - 10 The government insist that the activities of the
'unacceptable' and But the government is curiously selective about in-
security agency BOSS has organised dozens burglaries of the premises of Anti-Apartheid and other organisations opposed to the regime, and conducted long campaigns of harassment against its opponents in this country The illegal activities of other foreign powels are not only ignored but given the British government. A Cave encouragement b
Anti-Reagan demo:
All out on
a June!
still be put at the centre of Labour's Euro-election camourer. our allies in European socialist parties; 4) campaign i Trade Union CND for collaboration by Labour authorities with the government's defence regulations; 5) organise for massive, country-wide party support for the 9 June mobilisation against Reagan's
To assist these aims we will: 1) organise a major day school/weekend conference and subsequent publication in 1984, possible in collaboration with Trade Union CND, of:
a) taking the fight for unilateralism through the labour movement and
b) the non-nuclear defence alternatives that demonstrate that security can be achieved outside of cold war strategies
c) alternative employment; 2) initiative quarterly) bulletin to service our work in the party.
full search of the United States class'
Grosvenor Square would aouduess wiel some ver! interesting results.
By Keith Parkes
The sinister building in Grosvenor Square is course the headquarters of the CIA in Britain. They, and their agents at Men with Hill listening station, intercept the phone calls of
British citizens and organ-
Sallulls and maintain detailed surveillance
British 'subversives'. And of course the Grosvenor
Square embassy is the one
embassy which is known
to have a large arsenal on the premises.
Four years ago it wa: revealed by World in Ac-
tion that navy personnel al
the Chilean embassy were
proven
PEACE CAMPAIGNERS have been on the march throughout Europe in an Easter weekend of protest against the missiles. In West Germany, over 100,000 took part in anti-nuclear demonstrations, the biggest of which saw 60,000 at the Mutlangen US Army missiles depot, near Hamburg.
Closer to home, 1500 people marched from RAF Edzell's base outside Edinburgh, to hear Bruce Kent address a rally, while 2000 people galnered Holy Loch submarine base.
In South London. local. CND organised motorcade along essential
service routes from Tuls
Hill to Woolwich, while
East Enders raveled li
street of Hackney. Added
together these demonstra•
tions represent hundreds
thousands of people action against
Reagan's missiles.
The next opportunity
for large-scale British pro-
test comes on 9 June, when
C.ND have called the na
tional anti-Reagan
demonstration in London,
wherever possible in conjunction with
collaboration with our allies in
policy of no controlled local 1983 civil if publication of à regular (al least
cluding one commander of a Chilean concentration camp where hundreds of Chilean lettists had been murdered The British government is happy to be on the best of diplomatic and military releations with such people.
As we report on page 9 the seige James's been a Godsolde ba send for the Tories, enabiing build sympathy for the police at the hight of the miners' strike Just like the Malvinas war it has been used by the government and the media to whip up patriotism and obscene racism.
The way in which the press ana television nave dealt with Oadhafi and the political orientation of the Libyan government has hi new depths. whatever has been made to present any rational ex-
timed to coincide with the US president's visit to Britain for World Economic Summit. The call, supported by London Region CND, пОи
backed by Scottish DCCH C.ND as well.
Edinburgh CND organising for Reagan's visit The national event in London coincides with the CARDUSI
Miners' Gala, and local
will be group. building , a big 'jobs noi bombs' contingent. CND
general secretary Bruce
Kent will be on that platform along Will Arthur Scargill and _promi nent miller leaders, showing solidarity between the workers Stovide ment and
struggles home.
LONDON LCND is holding
even-of-AGM fringe
meeting County
starting at 8pm on Friday 27
April. The Thene Will
mobilising Labour Parties
Reagan demonstra-
tion called by national CND JOE LI
for 9 June. Speakers include
Joy Hurcombe, vice-chair
of CND and former
secretary, and Walter
CND national
Wouldall
council member.
planation of Libyan politics racist Insults have sufficed The shooting has been a golden opportunity to whip up the US-led campaign against Libya. International public opinion is acts or agreed being for new agression against Libya, which has been subject to constant viola
territorial waters in and
territorial waters past two years.
Whateve criticisms of the Qadhafi and its methods, regime socialist must oppose the imperialist campaign against Libya and the atof the Reagan regime and its allies to overthrow Qadhafi and install reactionary pro-imperialist regime
• Libyan seige, reacfionary theatre — see page
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