Thursday 7 March was to have been the end of the beginning for the campaign in defence of local jobs and services. Then the real battle was to start.
In the event, it looked more like the beginning of the end.
Sheffield last July amid stirring speeches about breaking the law if necessary to defend local government services, fell at the first hurdle. It also produced a notable differentiation in the Labour left.
The aim of the campaign was to prepare a united resistance to the Tories' rate-cap proposals. The nine months of preparation, which culminated in the massive demonstrations on Democracy Day 6 March, should have led to clear positions of defiance of the law on 7 March. The real battle would then have opened up.
There is no doubt that had the GLC and ILEA made a stand the prospects for uniting Labour local authorities would have been very good indeed, and Jenkin could have found his Tale la proposals unworkable.
The responsibility for leading the fight lay with the GLC. authority in the country and in the person of Ken Livingstone had a leader of national stature and great authority on the left of the Party.
There was never any doubt that uniting the resistance from Labour councils was a difficult task. Councillors faced severe penalties surcharge, disqualification, and bankruptcy. It was clear that many Labour councillors would rote with the Liberal, SDP and Conservative groups to avoid this risk. But those were the terms of battle.
Livingstone's moves to avoid not setting a rate aided those who had no intention of fighting. It is clear that Livingstone set out to secure a 'no cuts' budget above all — in effect conceding the ground to the Labour 'moderates' would refuse to defy McDonnell and his supporters who made a clear stand on the 'no rate' position stood by Party policy.
The real issue was the legislation itself not the extent of the cuts. Jenkin had deliberately set the limits high this year in order to get the. legislation into place. Livingstone's arguments for a 'no cuts' budget if the 'no rate' fell, conceded the main point before the battle began.
The defence of local government is much the worse for this retreat. The lower-tier authorities have also postponed the question of going illegal by voting that it was not possible to set a rate at this point SUThursday 7 March government groups engage in a game of 'you go first' on the very edge of the battlefield. Their performance, Livingstone, leadership given by Arthur Scargill in the NUM — and to the sacrifices of thousands of miners and miners' wives who were prepared to face fines and imprisonment, and loss of their jobs in defence of their communities.
The determined stand taken by Scargill, and the consistent clear position and active campaigning taken by Tony Benn in the miners' support has meant that they have emerged from the last 12 months with their reputations and, more importantly, with a clear lead for the militants of the NUM enhanced. It was an example of real leadership in the class struggle.
The same " cannot be Livingstone. Local government deserves better - and it will need to look to the public sector unions to achieve the class struggle leadership that is required to defend local government.
APOLOGIES TO POSTAL SUBSCRIBERS to Socialist Action, who haven't received their copy for a couple of weeks now. During our move to new premises the computer DEUCESS disassembied. Now we re back in business readers will have the back issues sent on.
campaign begun in It is the leading Labour the law. John position - rather than outright refusal to do saw Labour local particularly that of stands in stark contrast to the said for FOLLOWING Mick McGahey's support for Kinnock at the Scottish Labour Party conference, the Scottish coalfield has emerged as the the non-scab areas. This is a tragedy with a real human cost.
1700 Sčottish miners had quit during the dispute, including 700 who had returned to work temporarily to qualify for redundancy.
The largest number of redundancies Wels the Polkemmet colliery, where - due to deliberate flooding and the NCB's refusal safety cover or el sow orginany employed have been made redundant. Anoinel have been transferred to Bilston Glen.
The figure of 1700 out of a total of 13,000 miners in Scotland (13 contrasts with 9400 nation ally (5 per cent) who have left the industry the course or ine strike Figures for victimsalon tell une same story There have been 583 convictons of miners in Scotland. England Wales miners have been dismissed after 4318 convictions; in Scotland an astonishing figures) or (NUM Igures) nave been • dismissed.
all dismissals ir 25 per cent come the relalively uny coalfield. That means that 43 per cent of miners convicted Scotland have been dismissed.
The offensive against the NUM is not restricted to victimisation. At Bilston Gen collerv the union has been thrown of its offices. ( Guard aogs now kennelled there.
officials nave had facilities to see members on other shifts withdrawn. Miners have been instructed to work overtime - a de lacto compulsory end to the overtime ban.
In effect, the Scottish NCB is withdrawing recognition of the NUM.
The scotsman.
KEEP FIGHTIN
most disorganised of all arca this way: Like Scargill, he will proceed as he thinks is right almost regardless of ine consequences. Wheel er is made to look good in a Scottish context.
That contexI product of the early check lo ine scollisa suke queto the decision of the Scottish NUM CACCULIVe close down production at the Ravenscraig steel plant and the sell-out deal at the Hunterston docks. The 'inJune of the executive on the amnesty campaign. and the lalesl deal with Kinnock Willis Scottish miners' gala, are symbols of that leadership.
But the NUM leadership and their friends in the CP, have been working hard among other socia layers. More than academics from five ScotUSO universities have signed a letter to the NCB urging it in: the name of management, the interests the industry and the good of the Scottish economy to reconsider its decision on the sacking, and help an orderly return to work by announcing the terms of an amnesty.
Even the police joined the chorus. Chief Constable William Moody of Fife, and lan Boliver of Central thought: tensions in the coalfield would be greatly reduced if each case were re-examined on its merits.
significantly, from the point of view of une say sackee miners. une end Scottish miners joined the recent LCDTU London demo to show their continued determination to fight Scottish leader Mick McGahey council the Labour Party and the Scottish IUC called a demonstration on amnesty in Glasgow varch About 4000 joined the march which was led by the sacked miners women's support groups.
Helen Hunter, from the national women's support groups, gave the most impressive speech. Donald wewar Kev Hugh Ormston were less warmly received Chairperson OI the rally, Johnny Walker had Huervent against shouting from the The Scottish party and trade union leaderships are Li lie nOId the against a storm of criticism of their role in the strike Even Peter Heathfield who spoke for the NUM " mulea nis comments. At first he stuck to the Scargill 'During this dispute we didn't see a redeeming of the pledges made by thi trade unions at the TUC 'National leaders who supportea us, but aidn' get support in their unions spoke with forked tongues on the Scottish and labour leadership, he he wanted to: 'express the NUM's gratitude to the broader trade union movescoland which had helped the NUM in all possible ways Helen Hunter lifted everybody's sights. assure you,' she said, 'that the return to work was not a defeat. The victory is 12 months of struggle by men and women struggling together.
•We stood side by side with our men, where counts. on the front line on the picket line. Next time, she joked, 'the men can go to the sou kitchens. Women WIl make more effective picket lines. We will fight and fight on.
After that, Dewar's call for reinstatement of some of the miners in Scotland on the basis of 'standards of fair play so much a hall mark of Scotland' stirred nobody's soul.
Wheeler's toll grows. Aitcheson, dismissed branch secretary at. Bilston Glen where two out of four officials and five committee members have been sacked, says others are still receiving notice Some had not even had outstanding court cases neare yet. "These dismissals are creating an atmosorce onear ne sald 'The Board are hammering it into the men that if the can dismiss local branch officials, what is there to stop them from dismissing the ordinary miner?
In Scotland, the labour movement leadership ar It was summed up by the Scottish. press after the Labour rariv conlerence 'The conference's main function was to act like railway point switching the labour movement in Scot land away from overriding concern with the miners leading the next But thousands of Scottish miners and women. support groups are com mitted and militant - anc continue to be supporters of the Scargill line. Many groups in towns and cities still active.
Much of the base of the LaDou wants to settle accounts with the sell-out leaders. But all this remains to be focussed. Its first task is to campaign in the Scottish coaltield
Socialist Action 22 March 1985
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SOCiAList ACTION
The Scottish NCB announced on 16 March that tish are direr, or Sti-
RESPECT PICKET