ON 14 JUNE the Euro-elections take place against a background of growing Tory unpopularity. How is Labour responding 1o the elections and is it taking advantage of the Tories' increasing problems?
BOB two articles, looks at what Labour is saying about the Euro-elections and what policies it is proposing. In this article he examines Euro-policies weapons, NATO and democratic rights. HARDLY MORE than a year after the Tories' election victory of June 1983 we will be voting in the Following the recent local government elections, people will have another chance to give the Thatcher administration a decisive thumbs down by giving Labour the biggest possible vote.
But Labour faces much tougher task than it did in the council elections. As tar as most people concerned, the EEC is treated with indifference, educated guesses put the expected turn out less man ss per cent.
Add to this many Labour supporters are hostile to the EEC and probably se no reason to vote on 14 So it's not going to he an easy joh marshalling ranks Labour's supporter.ic te polls. Nor is thi- urtill. PENNINGTON, in the first of on nuclear but important, fight much helped by Manifesto. This is more bromide rader nhan a bromide rather than ponucar sumulant Under the heading Peace and Security Manifesto comes out against cruise and rident and states the aim 'is the all weapons from the continell of Eurone adding will start hy removing them frem Britain.
far However, Special supplement which group in the parliament tails to mention The Manifesto says believes in effective and sound defence for through NATO.' In case you didn't get the message about Labour's committment to NATO, Neil Kinnock told a Channel 4 audience :ai ridal elening red entirels to the security and detence ol our own tion in the Vorth Atlantic Organisation But VATO N controlled by a super-imperialist power. namely the USA. whose military strategy is based on the use of nuclear weapons along with the concept of the "limited nuclear engagement in Europe' Gordon BrookShepherd week's Sundat Telegraph oelle then Neil Kinnock when he Common Market remains the arm the Atlantic Europe.
Curiously, only the wing seems aware of this VIA K. many them in this country want us out of NATO and out Europe... It's a pity Nett Kinnock doesn't think matters through as thoroughly as Mr BrookShepherd! Combat Nor does the Manifesto have anything to say on how we can combat the nuclear threat, except a generality that 'work with other socialists and others who desire peace.' But there is a snag here, some socialists like president Mitterand not too keen on campaignhulical weapons, in fait he is most emphatically in favour of their deployment!
As long as Neil Kinnock thinks a deal can be made with the pro-nuclear like Mitterand, then the less CallaDour wide-based European anti-nuclear movement which is the only effective way to challenge the threat of a nuclear war.
Britain has not been alone in seeing an almosi unprecedented attack on democratic rights. The miners' strike has resulted in police brutality and intimidation. courts have been used to frame UD Dickes ane on week a High Court iudgement ordered the NUM not to instruct its Not. tinghamshire members to On the streets young people, especially black youth, are subject to constant harassment violence by a racist police force. Even Lord Justice carma chade sent Brixton riots of 1981 as 'a spontaneous act ot deliant aggression by young men who themselves hunted by a hostile police force The new Police Bill will mean even more people will be 'hunted by a hostile police force' The government's banning unions at GCHQ and their latest attacks union rights in the civil ser-