Wing to explain away the varlous land profic? deals involving members of his per sonal staff this week,, Eddie Milne, Independent Labour MP for Blyth was getting the boot from his local Labour Party.
Milne's 'crime" was to have fought for a thorough inquiry by the Labour Party into the seamier side of local the Daily Express broke Government uncovered in the Poulson affair.
BENE evidence that came but in tu course of the trist of architect and build ing contractor John Poulson rescaled the govercent and suggested tbar Labour representatives were deeply involved in this cess-pit.
Of course, there is nothing new about Labour MPs having extensive ties with the business world. Men like Harold Lever place big business interests in the very centro of the about cabiner.
But what is Involved in the Paulson scandal and in the current case-is something mote. Are leading political figures in the Labour movement using the oflices to wlich they are elected by the votes af working poople to further personal businews interests which hae nothing in com not with workers intorests?
Whatever may be the true facts about Wilson's dinet involvement in these Land deals, the political stance he has taken is Hor distinction berween ornation' and spoculation' is a piece of verbal trickery. Why claimed'? As a generous contribution to As Harold Wilson was busy attempt the social good? Or.as a moans of roaking Wilson has certainly become a far nose devated champion of the property specu latoes than he has ever been of the working class.
There is another question raised by all this: The motises of the Tory press. Bita coincidence that two of the most reac cionary Tory papers-the Daily Mail and stories about the involvement of Wilson's staff in land deals on ibe same day!
How did they obtain this information, ibuch orwhich would bornaly be alon ded in 'business secrecy"? How is it that rampant corruption chat pervades local two of the main soarces of cridence have suddenly disuppenred? (Property dealer Honald Millbench claims to have destroyed the original of the forged Hitson letter, in response to telephone threats, and Alan Main, described by the Daily Mail as the property man whose lip-of1 ... Jod to the lund deals affair clams that a file of "Important papers" have disappeased from his office.)
The workers" movement has a double interest here: to establish exactly sihat its s0rczlcd representatives have been-ur to, and to expose the political nanceuvies of the Tory press.
The TUC should immediately set up a full inquiry into all aspects of the affair. Representatives of the building and print unions should he involved, observers from hearings conducted in public.
Il Harold Wilsoo really has nodung to hide, if his attacks on the Tory press an mose than jost a smoke-creen, he woul! welcome such an inquiry.
Carl Owen