movement.
road The successes scored by the fascist groups in the local elections - after their apparent disarray following the National Front/National Party split - raise important questions for the left and the whole labour The answer lies in the gradually changing relationship between the British ruling class and their governments and the black immigrant community.
After the war, British capitalism encouraged the flow of immigrant workers into Britain to meet the expansion of the productive forces. As the crisis began to asscre iscu. me door started to close Each new piece of immigration control legislation has however been accompanied by liberal' anti-discrimination laws. Thus control has always been greas ed by provisions which aim to integrate the leaders of the black community into the system of agencies set up by the Race But now a new trend is appearing in the policies of this Government. It was when Callaghan sacked him as Minister or slate al me nome nice. von decai ed: 'I have paid the price for trying to get jusuce for une blacks or tnis country Jim has never had much time for those wno espoused tat cause.
The Labour Government has already cut the annual quota of work permits for foreign nationals in the hotel and catering industry from 8,500 in 1975 to 6,000 in 1976, and for domestic and hospital workers trom 8.000 ir 1975 to 2,500 this year.
these measures nave been taken as the result of pressure from the trade union bureaucracy. The TUC has called for the complete abolition of the quota and stricter checks on illegal immigrants workme in notes and restaurants National Union of Seamen delegates armer annua conterence recent heard a Government minister promising to phase out wage discrimination against Asian and African seamen on British vessels. But the same minister cynically declared that the exemption clause for shippers in the Race Relations Act could not oc removed immedately because or the pressure it would bring on the shipHence. declining British merchant fleet, this Thing space' is likely to be used to phase out those workers themselves. ratner man me useumaLon Line press nas devoted very nue space to this battery of measures on immigration. Inas chosen instead to turn the spotlight on an unfortunate homeless black immigrant family housed by local officials in a luxury' hotel. Remarks by the young children in the family about others outside Britain 'who would like to come have been blown up 'invasion", while the controversy over we bbc s snowing of the special anti immigrant 'Open Door' programme is still fresh in many minds.
The whole racist pot is being continually stirred by the incessant nationalist chatter of the Labour Party and trade amon tens about import controls ant saving brusn industry Such cheap and easy solutions find a ready response from within a working class which is suffering cuts in real income, social services, housing and other deprivations.
The reinforcement of the racist drive by the Labour Government has provided the fascist groups with a unique chance to overcome their recent splits and deTunis trend is not nkely to dimin ish in the coming period Fascism is not 'round the corner' in Britain. No significant section of the ruling class backs the fascists. What is possible is a racist offensive for which this Labour Government has built ut But playing the racist card" - elevating the race question onto the political leve - is always a risky tactic for the bourcuisic, barucmany un a studuon wack the black population is far from cowed and is beginning actively to organise. such a pouncar orensive by tae rums class would be in the context of preparis tor a possible dereat or the social contract/wage controls package at the nanas or an mereasinay resuess 3001 movement.
Such a bid would however only be part of a political strategy by the ruling class, and would have certain 'undesirable" Side CHecEs, sucer voicace and one social disruptions together with increasing resistance by me back commun Such mass action by black people is a ready wel advanced. Huncreds orbac youth joined the militant anti-NF demonstration in Bradford on 24 April, and Birmingham saw a repeat of this exper Cont. on page 11