the Daily Mail and the Sun.
right-winger even in Labour Party terms. But he had at least been prepared to gration Act.
opposition to racism will be put up with by his Government. It is a nod and a wink to every racist Dureaucra ana backward worker clear on the question of racism and immigrants. Having supported immigration controls in the past, they have confirmed this position recently by coming out opposition to foreign workers is an easy step te probiem (or them) or the already existing immigrant communices has since resuited in legislacion to keep any more out. but ne a per cent blach has increasingly fought back them as scapegoats for the present crisis. ities. vigilante groups!)
sive than in subportine racism as a main caccid in living standards mounts, the capitalists will come out with the old tactic of ment of young blacks, and every other step portance in me comme monuis Two pieces of news last week spotlighted the continuing racist offensive in Britain. The most publicised was Powell's new outburst claiming that mugging was a 'racial question'. This speech reflects the mounting pressure from sections of the ruling class for a new openly racist policy to split the working class — the same pressure seen in a series of nauseating articles on immigrants which have been appearing in But the event which showed the most dangerous tendency at present was Callaghan's sacking of Alex Lyon — the Home Office minister responsible for immigra mon poncies. in nimselt, or course, Lyon was no obstacle to racism - ne was a protest verbally against blatant racist attacks — he opposed, for example, the 1968 Immigration Act brought in by Callaghan to keep out Kenyan Asians after Powell's racist speecnes al tnat ume, and ne was a well-known opponent or me 1vtl Immi Callaghan's sacking of Lyon is an open declaration that not even this kind of The TUC and the union bureaucrats have also been making their real position openly against the reissue of work permits to foreign workers if a British national can be found to fill the job. Their chauvinist support for import controls on foreign goods — which off-loads unemployment in this country onto the icks of workers abroad — is well-known; and extending opposition to foreign goods to The unholy alliance of Government and unions on immigration control has effectively stopped the entry of immigrant workers into the country. But there remains The immigration policies of the 1950s brought large numbers of Asians and West Indians in particular to britain to ull a labour snortage in mainty unskied and service Jobs (hospitals, catering, transport, and so on). An opposite situation of unemployment population of Britain, originally brought in as a cheap, expendable labour force not only at this role, but against attempts to use Struggles against lay-offs, against low wages and conditions have increased, and squatting movements, parent and student movements have organised opposition to racist policies in social service expenditure, in education, the police, and so on. Not least has been the opposition of the growing number of wageless and homeless black youths, who are no longer prepared to accept the bottom end of the scale in whatever the present system offers - whether in education, jobs, houses, or other facilIt was not surprising that Enoch Powell once again singled out this layer to attack With unemployment twice as high amongst blacks as whites, and up to 40 per cent amongst youth in the cities, their numbers will only increase and their situation worsen under the Government's present policies. After the failure of Sir Robert Mark's £25,000 recruitment campaign to get blacks into the force to police their own people (not a single suitable candidate came forward!), we can therefore ex pect a return with a vengeance to the all-too-familiar hard line of racist harassment and nuggery trom the police in tne black communicies. Anocaer speaker at the same seminar as Powell suggested that both unemployment and rising crime could De solved in one go by — yes, you ve guessed i recruiting the unemployed inc Lvon's sacking and Powell's speech mav not herald vet a new open racist offen - the ruling class is more interested in getting the TUC to accept wage restraint But as working class resistance to cuts divide and rule by launching the most vicious assaults against black people. Already such a new offensive is being prepared through victimisations, withdrawal of work permits, threatened deportations, exclusion of families from abroad, harassCallaghan and the TUC have already given notice that they will do nothing to halt the racist drive. On this issue more than any other, it will be rank-and-file militants. the revolutionary left and the black communities themselves that will have to lead the fight. Demands for repeal of the Immigration, Pakistan and Aliens Acts. for massive propaganda in the working class against racism, for solidarity with black struggles and for defence of the black community will take on an even greater im-