against the massive organised strengthe fthe working class would he crushed before if began, Hectorally, Rippon's ravings cause nothing but damage to the Tory chances. Such suitestions simply harden the hatred of the working class for the Tories. Nor can the mood of many of the newly-unionised middle classes for physical strikebreaking expeditions be described as heing waldly enthusiastic.
Rippon's foot-in-the-mouth
speech followed Keith Joseph's "Tories went astray" gaff.
Joseph's rejection of a full employment policy-backed by for mer Bank of England Governor, Lord O'Brien -s simply a call for solving inflation by pushing up unemployment.
By dredging up the spectre of 1930s Torywin, Joseph's sp-cech is usranteed to arouse the bostility of even the more passive sections of the working class. Not will smali business.
sop keepers and the service indusmies exactly welcome hankrupicy Meanwhile Powcil's 'economi: realism and his thinly seiled shapesзен Pago 3.
wedges in the Tory coalition.
Unable to develop a coberent political programune to fit the realities of the new economic situation.
The Tones lunch like political drunks across the clectotal scene.
PARADES The Lahour leaders mean while are unable to take advantage of this crisis. Healey, Labour's Chancellor of the Exchequer whimpers about "national unity in the fight for foll employment. Wilson simply parades wage freeze in the threadbare clothes of the social contract.
The splintering and fragmentation within the Tory Party reflects the shifting sands on which the British cconomy rests The employers have their backs to the wall Their options daily become more limited. But on one ling they are clear they can only save their system by defeating the organised working class Instead of hitting the Tories whilst they are down the Labour leaders politely offer them a hand to get up again.
It is clear that the Labour leaders cannot exploit this disarray amongst the Tories. A Labour victory at the No more Kevin Gatelys - worker" self-defence" was a slogan taken up by many of the anti-fascist demonstrators who gathered at Speakar' Corner last Saturday and forced the National Front to change the route of their march. Many followed the IMG's suggesteion before the demo and came woaring def. mine clothing and helmets - a massure which proved highly necessary land effectivel when hardes of police charged into the crowd in an attempt to recapture escaped political prisoner Pat Arrowsmith after she had spoken from the IMG platform. For a full report of this and other anti-fascist activity election will be due not to Wilson and company, but in spite of them DECISIVE The Tories will not be defeated in parliament or by elections What is going 1o be decisive, is the struggie ted. The Government will therefore be they would not be able to whip that takes place after the election The workers" movement has to begin to fight now for demands like: a sliding scale of wages; the nationalisation of those firms causing redundancies, and a trade umon plan for nationalisation of the economy under workers' control This is the only way to provide an alternative, not just to the Tories, but to the bankrupt reformists of the Labour Party as well.
BOB PENNINGTON