- NEIL KINNOCK got bloody nose indeed from the rank and file of the labour movement for his refusal to speak at the five national rallies organised by the NUM.
The media made a rather feeble attempt to portray that reaction as a simple 'hard left' conspiracy. Socialist Action's front page of two weeks ago, labelling Kinnock as a scab for his refusal to speak at the NUM's rallies, was featured in the Sunday and on the ITN's lunchtime news last Wednesday.
Socialist Action was invited to appear on the same ITV news programme - to discuss the resolution passed in Kinnock's branch of Ealing/Southall Labour Party demanding his expulsion from the party. declined. Firstly because we don't favour Kinnock's expulsion at al (ex. pulsions are the tool of the right and not the left); secondly, had nothing to do with the resolution in Ealing; and thirdly because the whole thing was a frame-up tempt to portray the real anger which exists against Kinnock as coming only from a paper whose full views shared today by an absolutely tiny minority inside the Labour Party, but which in this case simply accurately articulated deeply-held views of wide sections of the movement.
Despite these rather feeble media attempts to divert attention from the real question the truth concerning the anger in the labour movement over Neil Kinnock's actions dia come out. Last rndav Kinnock was forced to meet members of miners' lodges from his Isiwyn constituency after Oakdale lodge explained there 'widespread resentment' position on the strike.
We know that the Socialist Action proclaiming Kinnock a 'Scab' was one of the most popular issues - in the labour movement and • we nave ever produced. The outburst of anger hatred against Kinnock for his stand was no 'conspiracy' but mediate, spontanicous, held reaction by a major section of the labour movement Because of this response Neil Kinnock was temporarily forced to try to present "softer' image miners' strike at the end of the week. He announced he would be speaking at a rally in Gwent organised by the South Wales NUM. This was in addition to the 30 November Labour Party rally for the miners already decided Kinnock stated he meeting the South Wales NUM ecutive and would 'observe' a picket line. He also, at least temporarily, retreated on his demand for a ballot, stating that: 'When you are committed to a battle you don't stop and aboul what would nave nappened in the first five minutes nice if Neil Kinnock had decided on all these things eight monthe ago - and had joined a picket line, and not just 'observed' it.
After these declarations delegations from the four lodges in constituency unanimous vote supporting him as leader next minister. This however reveals the depth of the shockwave Ainnock s actions ratner neatly • it is an extraordinary thing to vote on merely one year after a Labour leader is elected!
Despite any immediate moves there should be no illusions as to what is going on. Firstly we can be sure that at the rallies Neil Kinnock will do his usual 'violence' act for the press. Secondly the scale of the 30 November rally shows the lack of real support to the strike. and Arthur Scargill on the same platform would fill the largest hall in Britain. Instead the rally is to be limited was over his issue of all 111and deeplythe Ull bhoto. JOHN HARRIS would be exthe be strong carried Nifty tactics prime actual v More important than tactical moves are tactical Kinnock, aided by Was prepared to do anything.
Neil Kinnock to 1,400, will be ticket-only, and will be held not in one of the areas facing a 'back to work' threat but at Stoke-onTrent - right in the middle of scab country and where the right wing will Many nifty Neil original decision and the overall direction of events that are taking place. The last two weeks were the hardest for the NUM in the entire strike. Neil Norman Willis, knife the miners wnen they needed support most. • 11 Kinnock is prepared to do that in the middle of the biggest trade union battle since 1926, then he is prepared to Exactly the same course is being seen on policy and organisation in the economic policies, authored by the team around Roy Hattersley and endorsed by Neil Kinnock, explicitly abandoned any pledge to full employment. Apparently a Labour governis now going to state it will preside over two million unemployed — and far more in practice. In addition an incomes policy will be introduced which should be worth Neil Kinnock on the left and Ramsay MacDonald on the right... or is it the other way round?
framework of a revamped NATO. A Britain specialising in weapons, and (heaven help us!) with a 'strong navy', will fit within a continuing nuclear alliance based on the atomic arsenals of the United States and rrance The wing Mitterrand have spent their time recently nipping into almost every NEC committee One our sundou Expulsions are also continuing of Militant supporters.
Meanwhile the results of the shadow cabinet elections are too well known to need commenting on and Cunningham, spokesperson on local government, was permitted, without any rebuke from Neil Kinnock, to openly violate allack any Labour council planning to violate ine law in the fight against rateThe pattern behind all this is clear - if anyone had any doubts before Kinnock abandoned anything but a purely verbal pretence of balancing between left and right in the party. He rests his position more and more firmly, and exclusively, on an alliance with the centre and right of the trade union leadership, in parDavid Basnett, and on the right wing of the PLP.
Who Neil Kinnock's parliamentary supporters regard as the enemy in the party was made abundantly clear in those shadow cabinet elections Tribune group of MPs voted solidly with the right in the elections and against Tony Benn and the left Smashing the 'Bennite' left in the party, to make Labour 'acceptable the bourgeoisie again, is the core of Kinnock's and the right wing's policy There should also be no illusions as to the consequences of all this. In addition to the current sabotage, government led by Neil Kinnock on its present policies would be a disaster for the labour movement. Its right policies would utterly demoralise the working prepare the way for political force: and changes to the right even of Tha:cher. Anyone who doubts that shotic look across the channel at what l happening to the French left under - the French politiciat whose politics most clearly resemble