tain and develop services in the interests STEVE JOB (member of Camden fODS nospital Red Weekly asked RICHARD SHIELDS, active in the EGA campaign as Secretary of UCH Joint Shop Stewards Committee and of the Joint Union Strike Committee, about the significance of the fight.
"Well, there's two major points.
First, the Government is still wasting taxes investing in private industry wner we elected it to invest in public projects like the health service. Public works would improve both living standards, by improving services, and provide Instead we're being hit by cuts and most obviousiv in the NHS this take:
Ine Torm or ciosures. ve ve nad the Poplar hospita closea. Liversoo Road, and many more in London and throughout the country. The current target is the EGA, and this is the focus for a fight against all hospital closures.
"Secondly, the EGA is a special women s nosolai. i women are corne to have the right to choose what to do with their own bodies, whether for religious reasons or simple preference, they have the right to their own 'To defend the NHS we need a number or demands as were explainin in the leaflet distributed by the Joint Union Strike Committee today: no loss of beds, lobs or earnings; monitorin! committees to resist every cut and refill vacancies as they arise: and a work ers enquiry into the financing and planning of our health service. This must insist on seeing all the plans of the DHSS, the Regional Health Authorities and the Area Health Authorities.
ve need our own. Dans Tor te Nas We are campaigning throughout the labour movement against cuts in the NHS and for putting money into the NHS - with £1,000 million now and automatic protection adains inflation and the elimination of all private oractice.
It's by campaigning for these de mands that we can win ooth th specific demands around the EGA -and defend and extend the NHS! CRISIS IN THE THE SOCIALIST SOLUTION DETEND THE IMG pamphlet price 15p plus 8p p&p from Red Books, 97 Caledonian Road, - London N.1
The national demonstration in Blackburn on 11 September is the most important mobilisation against fascism and racism to be held this Kackourn rebresents a stonyhold for the fascists. The National Party polled 8,315 votes in the May local elections, gaining two councillors. Thirteen thousand Asians, nearly 12 per cent of the population, live in Blackburn. In just ten days during May, at least thirty attacks against Asians and their houses were reported.
There has recently been a well orchestrated series of stories in the local press recording supposed instances of Asian attacks on National Party supporters. These seemed to reach their climax with the damage done to a home of a National Party member who displayed a 'Whites only' sign outside in a mock sale.
But on 2 July, one of the newly elected councillors, John Frankman, was apprehended along with local NP chairman Robert THorman, Mr Graham Jones, and Mrs Ann James by police outside the James's house in the early hours of the morning. They were charged with committing a breach of the peace in an incident involving the use of a firearm. All the previous Red Weekly 29 July 1976 'attacks' on the racists houses had also shown evidence of a firearm being used.
Frankman has since resigned from the Council, and the resulting by-election will be held in early September. The demonstration called for the same time will help to put the black communities and the labour movement in the town on the offensive. But it will not be an easy task. The fascists have a mass base. They are not isolated. The Trades Council, which has a right-wing reputation, has been hesitant to give its support.
The Labour Party, confronted with the erosion of its electoral on 1l September.
Od into life. No less than five MPs, including Barbara Castle, addressed a meeting of 400 people recently. They are taking part with Liberals, Quakers, the traditional leadership of the Asian community, and the Communist Party in a committee to mobilise for the demonstration The challenge to the Asian leadership which has been delivered by the Asian Youth Organisation in the town has met with a hostile response. Likewise the International Socialists, although they have played a very considerable role in the fight against racism in the town, have been excluded from the organising committee.
Part of the fight against this sectarianism is a meeting at which Tariq Ali and Tony Cliff will speak at St George's Hall, Blackburn on 9 September to build for the demonstration. This is a welcome step for ward, at least on the far left, towards the fight for united action against the racists.
Blackburn is gaining a reputation as 'Britain's Alabama'. The demonstration can start to break the grip of race hate.
ALL BRANCHES OF THE IMG SHOULD MOBILISE FOR THIS cialist THE VIN Worker
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