Socialist Action No. 36, 2 December 1983
The scan: 036-dec-02-1983-SA-UK.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
ALL OUT
No. 36 2 December 1983 THE FIGHT of the NGA against Eddie Shah and the Fleet Street bosses is the biggest challenge yet to the Thatcher government. A powerful union, with the mass support to win, is in head on controntation with the Tories.
Make no mistake. The NGA can win this strug-
gle. basalready brokee
lockout the NGÀ spaper If the
backed by the trade union movement it will blow a hole right LITOUSI the Tebbit anti-union laws and right through the Thatcher government. Solidarity
If the NGA does not win will solely because solidarity sabotaged by the TUC and the trade union right wing.
Thatcher has tried to pick off unions OlIC by one in industries wracked bv redundancy such as steel. Or she has relied the TUC to savolage traue tion - as with the ASLEF
30p
WITH
THE
NGA
strike. Thatcher has hammered low-paid public sec tor workers like those in health.
But now the government faces a head on fight with a union whose leadership decisive lead. If the has given clear
TUC had acted like the NGA and made it clear no fines will be paid and that mass pickeung for union rigats there would ored been then there lebbit laws in place.
The Thatcher govern-
down in this dispute. If or turned up to pay the *anonymous benefacfines everyone would recognise that as the Tories: Either defeat for Tories. the NGA will strike sto the Tebbis laus, devastating DIoW and the government, or
SoCiA ist
ACTIoN
the trade union movement will suffer an enormous
The decision blishers the Newspaper SUCCLOI NGA for the strikes provoked by the courts is
and simov an at. tempt to crush the union If it succeeds every trade
Britain will be threatened.
Support
The refusal of the TUC to come out in support of
full 2 na financial aid the NGA has requested is a suicidal disgrace.
The TUC should be organising 24 hour general strike in support of
NGA as it did in 1972 over the prisoned Pentonville SUVE
. It should be issu ing calls tor CYCL trade unionist in Britain to come to the mass picket and totally close down the Stockport Messenger.
Those leader-
act must
action. The pledges TGWU, NALGO, ACTT and other for full
into
But with the
still win if
has the power to close the Stockport Messenger Group.
Monday: supporters of the NGA dispute lobby the TUC talks
If the government is defeated this struggle the whole political situation in Britain is going change. Every fight to de fend democracy will take a great leap forward if the NGA wins.
If the governmen crushes the NG/ every
progressive paign in Britain will be decisively set back.
The stakes really are that high.
For as long as this dispute goes on every trade union, every Labour Party, student union
CYCl and every has
priority. Callal THE NGA MUST WIN.
Every resource
labour must be thrown into that
Tony
Benn
If this is what the new Tory law means, of the hard won and legitimate rights trade unions to support LIAISON
SMAS
SUPPORT THE
ANTI T. PRINT
WORKERS! to back the NGA:
at the Messenger's print
winwick
Arthur (Branch House, Green Street, Stockport.
Labour Party and students union.
tion in support of the NGA.
unofficial action if no official call is made
their members interests, would be swept away e law and order language now being us. to frighten trade unionists does not im press many of those most directly involved who know that it is only •Tory Law' and •Tory Order' that is being cited.
Eric
Heffer
I believe that now is the time for all Labour Party members to spring to the defence of the trade unions and to give every practical support we can, both inside Parliament and in the labour movement as a
SUPPON
SUPPORT HE
THE WORKERS!
WORKERS!
Your support is vital-
Here are some of the things you can do
• Get the maximum support for the mass picke
Vital days are Tuesdays to Thursdays. Contact your local NGA branches for details of transport. The picket is at
Industrial Estate, Warrington
A Short done on and secret or ran o
Secretary),
• Propose resolutions of support for the NGA's fight against Tebbit's law at your trade union,
• Resolutions should call for your union executive and the TUC to call official industrial ac
Pledge your union branch and shop stewards committee to take
Page 2 scan of this page
Back the NGA blocka
Stockport walked out on 4 management harassment.
the Messenger's various operations ever since.
Eddie Shah, the boss of Messenger Group Newspapers has consistently gone back promises to NGA that only trade union labour would be used to produce his five free local newsheets. recruited
to replace the sacked workers and he refused to discuss reinstatement.
By Bob Smith (Birmingham NGA)
in-
junctions aiginand against
against journalists in the NUJ who refused to cooperate with the scabs.
The use of Tebbit's 1982 Employment Act to fine the union for illegal' picketing uppea the stakes (0.-
siderably,
The NGA nationally are committed to total opposition and
with these anti-union laws.
initial tay £50,000 fine, they have been hit for another €100,000 for threet of houre will the threat having
assets or the unions seized.
As the crunch-time ap-
proaches, the leaders of the
finally realised the
need to call on all the labour
movement support they
Regional of.
ficers of the union in the
North-West at first tried to
block non-NGA. workers
participating the
blockade at Warrington and
at the other Messenger of-
fices in the region.
2
July after persistent They were sacked within a week without any negotiations and have been picketing
However, Birmingham and other understood that. it was impossible to mobilse cient pickets from the NGA alone WHUI membership of only 133,000
TOT round-the-clock blockade. They have mobilised support through Birmingham trades council
Unemployed and Workers Association.
Joe Wade,
ecretary of the NGA, ha: stated: 'I am willing to go to
Solidarity!
'SOLIDARITY' was the cry that greeted
• members of the TUC
employment committee as they met on Monday 28 November to consider the NGA dispute. hundred NGA members and supporters lobbied the meeting with an occasional chorus of 'We shall overcome'.
Among those
Wing were members of the Transport Unior ecutive. Earlier. in the day the TGWU executive had agreed to 'give financial and Rascal support to thie Alan Quinn, an exmember & from CLULIVE Merseyside, has been actively involved the Warrington picket.
Socialist Action 2 December 1983
prison rather than pay the fine. It might be the law, but it is an unjust law and one the trade union movement is determined to fight'.
Socialist Action
Pocer should concer
NGA offices details of coaches travelling to the picket, and details of WHICH the various regions are mobilising.
Readers should also propose resolutons for suppor and solidarity at their trade union and Labour Party branches. These should call for donations as wel as Support for the picket the vital days are Tuesday to Thursday.
He explained the
TGWU decision to
Socialist Action.
essential that unions are
allowed to operate free-
ly.
•If the NGA funds
are sequestered and their
property seized, we will
give them full use of our
offices, and
funds so that they can
keep going as a union. If
our union gets
questered result,
we i go to bully anu u
ask him to do the same
for us!
'Our decision today
was only an inten one.
We've got two members
on tne employment coll
mittee and they'll express
our full support tonight.
But then they'll report
back and we'll have to
look overall
This dispute could have the same significance labour history at the battle of Saltley Gate, so get e here and help smash bit's Act! Heavy boots and plenty of winter woolies are essential - though the local constabulary do their best to warm you up.
This is a fight we can't afford to lose.
• Donations and messages of support should be sent to Arthur Scott, Branch Secretary, Graphic House, Green Street, Stockport. • I ne picket Messenger Print Works, Winwick Quay Warringtor junction of the M62). starts at noon on Tuesdays
"This may involve an approach to industry a large. We've got to look at the whole concept of
TUC calling a 24 hour general strike.
'Neil Kinnock spoke
our executive today. His position was legalistic one incoherence of the Tory
"This statement shows his support, but he
obviously only prepared to go so far at this stage.
Perhaps he doesn't
want to give lne lor press a field day about Labour breaking the law.
'But it wouldn't be a bad point to raise the need to break this bad law. We are very critical
of Duair Gatten Thei
Aastall Graham. attitude doesn't help.'
Di. IDEN HARRIS
OUTSIDE THE Messenger Group's print works there were a thousand of us determined to stop the production of Shah's newspapers. NGA members had turned up in strength from all over the North-west and
Dennis Skinner
tories over the working class.
The NGA workers
movement, have said 'enough is enough'.
must be seized with both hands.
historic battle and
class people.
NALGO backs the NGA
NALGO's national execuțive
The union decided
by the NGA in the dispute.
• That NALGO
the TUC.
NGA..
The picket outside the Messenger works at Warrington
'You can't get n
I'm part of the i
from Fleet Street.
A SOGAT 82 branch arrived from London armed with loudspeakers ringing out 'You can't get me, I'm part of the union'. Hundreds joined in.
THIS GOVERNMENT has for the first time in just under five years begun to show signs of crumbling at the edges. This is not the time for the TUC general council to give it any opportunity to score further vic-
at Stockport, together with their allies from all walks of life in the trade union
There are opportunities that come so rarely that when they do emerge every fact of that opportunity
The TUC should now understand which side it is on and call on all trade unions to take part in this
call on them defy the iudgements which have been railed against working
• meeting on Saturday promised 'substantial financial support' to the NGA.
• To urge branches to support picket lines set up
representatives on the TUC general council should give positive backing to the NGA's call for 'financial and industrial support' from
• To give 'substantial financial support' to the
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Their laws: our rights
e, By Chris Jones
inion'
Students from Manchester, T&G workers from Liverpool and local jour-
support the print workers. " he tric. With such a large and militant picket hopes were high that production could
When the scab workers were driven through in dog patrol vans everyone surged
united their hostility to the scabs who are allowing Shah's unionbashing activities to continue.
week the mass picket grows in strength and determination. 'It's another Grunwick', a picket explained, 'but this time the whole future of the labour movement is at stake.
recruited gang of security men complete paramilitary uniforms. Screaming about have ignored sandre police tales.
Dalu le pickets as violent, an allegation which is hotly denied.
The first pickets to be arrested have been remanded on bail until 6 Dec and the numbers of arrests are escalalig
There are growing fears that in future nickets mav be held in custody as the combined forces of Shah and his scabs, the police and the press barons try to break the NGA with a little help from their friends in the government.
le!
•hoto: CHRIS DAVIES (Report)
Ricky Tomlinson. one of the imorisoned Srrin;..." pickets betrayed by the TUC
THE MEMBERS OF
the National Graphical
Association and Thatcher's government are locked in mortal conflict. What comes out of this conflict will have enormous quences in deciding what happens in Britain for many years to come.
The government determined to break the power of the unions and
in and allow the Tories to wire away ycals Ul calli made by trade unionists or they musl refuse recognise the law. There is
compromise between these two alternatives. they take the govern ment and its laws the NGA members will inherit a noble tradition
Ever since the Tolpuddie martyrs were deported to Australia, Tory governments and bosses have
to crush the unions. In th 1890s when the unions started becoming mass organisations the SLalC began changing its laws to stop them. The Taff Vale Decision which fined the unions for striking was in-
General Strike, cocksure Tory government brought in legislation sisting union members had
contract in to pay the political levy. This was a legal' way of bleeding the Labour Party's finances.
In 1951 the Labou goremmer: Orde
stable, Jonason Harrison, Crosby, Saunders, Timothy and Dickens appeared at the Old Bailey TOT they were represented in court by TRen attorney Rose Hieldbron against La DOUT S Attorney General, Sir Hartley Shawcross.
Outside the court they were represented by thousands of striking dockers who gave British justice a vigorously push in the right direction. Surprise, surprise, the defendants were found not guilty. Ms Heibron's advocacy helped by strike action won the case.
1970, Edward Heath's Tory government brought in the Industrial Relations Act which was yet another attempt tame the unions.
By Bob Pennington
As soon as the Act went to Parliament it was greeted by two unofficial strikes. In December 1970, and January 1971, half a million workers downer tools against the Industrial Relations Act. On 1 March 1971 two million more workers struck against the Act. By 1972 things were coming to a head
The National In dustrial Relations Court legal body set up under the Industrial Relations Act decided to jail five dockers for secondary picketing This detonated a mighry explosion of working easi
Police use wedge tactics to crush mass picket at the Nottingham Post called a 24 hour General Strike.
The sovereignty of parliament and the law collapsed like a pricked balloon The official Solicitor had his ear bent by the powers that be, and lo and behold Vic Turner and his four mates were released
The Industrial Relations Act. because of the willingness of the organised workers movement break the law, , was finished. Every time the workers have effectively used their strength to challenge the
the government and bosses have been on the retreat. In the big miners' strike of January and February 1972, an im mense wave of secondary pickets closed down the power stations. At Saltley coke depot in birmingnar when the picket line was threatened by the police, the NUM rushed in more pickets and 40,000 car workers Birmingham came out in solidarity.
Then car workers s joined the picket line so the police prudently decided that the miners had a right to picket the depot!
When the unions have been too weak to resist, like they were after defeat of 1926, then the cults. the Tories the employers and have run
roughshod over them The CONTES Heath government resurrected an
Conspiracy Law and framed-up Des War
group building workers The
_...
sicialist Action
TUC, under the cowardly guise of obeying the law. disowneo me worker
When Labour
in 1974 it refused to repeal the men's sentences the delight of the Tories.
Grunwick where Asian workers. went strike for union recognition, thousands of trade union activists rallied to their support. Miners, dockers and car workers with militants from other sections of the labour movement went to picket Grunwicks. Even Shirley willlains showed her face on the picket line.
The TUC made sympathetic noises. It even made 'protests' But st police violence never col olmero comf a Pentonville or a Saltle
This meant that ir time the police and the government wore down the workers
the TUC
Thanks to Grunwick is still a non
inion open shop. For th
osses the law is a mear of kicking the trade
When the law is #n101 not 'tough' enough they people law something that bosses use against their right to con trol their lives and working conditions
To accept Tebbit's and King's law is the road to disaster not just for the NGA but for all the working class
When the NGA tell th law courts they will not ai-
Other decisions ite speak for all of us E-Le 2 December 1983
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4
ACTION Socialist
Labour's
Choice
NOTHING could more clearly show the choices that face the Labour Party than the NGA strike. deadly battle with the government. If the NGA wins every socialist cause in Britain will take a step forward. If the NGA loses every democratic right in this society will
Some of the leaders of the Labour Party
Dennis Skinner — have come out totally on
completely and without equivocation. They have called for mass support.
Roy Hattersley and his ilk have stabbed the NGA in the front - as everyone knew they would in advance. Hattersley has called for the NGA to organiser Eddie Shah to win.
If the labour movement had stuck to obeying the law Britain would still contered age as democratic right 'trom Parliament' through the Tolpuddle martyrs up to votes for women was only won through people being prepared to defy and break the law.
Violation of unjust laws and stuggle against them of virtually democratic right that exists in Britain.
But what about Neil Kinnock and his supposed support for democratic socialism? Do we hear from the leader of the Labour Party clarion calls for the labour movement to rally to the tremendous British tradition of
suffragettes themselves to railings and suffered imprisonment and torture to gain votes for the majority of the population? Or the tens of thousands of trade unionists who were imprisoned, victimised and deported to build the modern labour movement?
He can't make up his mind whether it is the NGA — fighting for democracy be supported or the courts which are attacking
Photo: JOIN HARRIS
Neil Kinnock
Neil Kinnock cannot say
would settle the whole thing.
in its struggle.
should support them too! Insteadd indication of
ly talk of an 'unjust law' —
whether it should be broken or not. Neil Kin-
nock's idea of a mass campaigning party disap-
pears like a puff of smoke.
The whole
'dream ticket' was
Labour's problem in the first
those who voted for Neil Kinnock in October can
see why Socialist Action called on people to vote
for Eric Heffer instead.
port it. Sticking its head in the sand will get it
Socialist Action 2 December 1:983
A trade union is locked in a They have backed the NGA
That is to allow the scab
concerned. the 'sovereignty of
every major
mass struggle for who chained
- which should the phrases that "I support the NGA ine entire Labour movement
but no indication
NGA dispute shows why the never any solution to place. Perhaps
Labour can either oppose the NGA or sup
Defend
the NGA
IT IS IMPORTANT to understand why the National Graphical Association is standing firm. And why we should be supporting them in their efforts to defend their members against an unfair employer, and unjust laws. The punitive fines and sequestration of union funds imposed by the courts, could. obscure the original, and fundamental issue - the wrongful dismissal of six workers.
If that is what the new Tory law means, many of the historic, hard-won and legitimate rights of trade
defend their members interests would
SWCUL away. leaving employers with Sune unchallenged power to do what they like to their own employees, knowing that any effective trade 81L101 opposition could be banned by the courts and ther overwhelmed by a massive DOLICC Di Colle stop picketing and punish those who attempt it.
The media campaign against trade unionism has been so successful over the years that there are a lot of people who simply do not understalu why trade
unions are necessary, what they. do, or why they do it. Scale
Top people in Britain do not have to rely on col-
lective bargaining to main-
tain their living standards.
Many like newspaper proprieters, derive their incomes from a private boardroom vote
which directors'
fees, or the payment of
alvidenas. like
senior civil servants,
and chief con-
stables, can all rely upon
an annual award by some
commission meeting
secret. thus sparing any
embarrassment to tie reci-
pients, who can also relax
in the knowledge that they
have -job security until
retirement — sometimes al
60 with an income-
OVER the last year, Labour Witch Hunt has played a leading part in resisting the victimisation of socialists in the Labour Party. LAW held its AGM on Saturday 26 November.The difficulty the National Executive Committee had in expelling Militant was due in part to LAW's campaigning. LAW also helped to get trade union abstentions, or votes TENe SUSUCH OL Wythenshawe the annual Labour Party conference.
By Chris Jones
Harv in the new vear there will be a conference in Manchester to deleno the rights of CLP's arising the Wythenshawe case The AGM agreed to support and Alf Holme, chair the shawe CLP, told the conference that other CLP's must not be isolated like his own.
linked and inflationproofed pension.
Results
None of these privileges are available to factory or office workers, OI most salaried professionals, who still depend upon their collective strength in bargaining with their employer when real pay or jobs are destroyed, working conditions are worsened. By Tony Benn
For when we are told that it is a denial of human rights for anyone to be required to join a union, it is
worth asking for examples of non-union workers who
have ever conscientiously
refused to accept a wage increase, or other benetit,
that has been won
them by. of
trade unions that had a
conscientious objection to
joining. And if we do ask
that question we can begin
understand why trade unionists
LAW charts anti-
witch hunt battle
The meeting opposed
the new appeals and
mediation Sub-
committee of the Labour
Party NEC. This
witch hunting body and
Heave de entirely
white, male, right wing
and drawn from the
trade union
members the CLP
members are left out in
the cold.
Delegates welc not
against an appeal body,
be 1U1C
representative of the Par-
ty. One idea was for a
committee elected by
conference, which would
report back to it directly.
Local witch hunts are
continuing throughout
the Party and the AGM
from the Tories. sometimes regard RON. unionists as littl more than free-loaders riding on the backs of the very unions they affect despise.
It is also instructive to compare the figures available TONI industrial tribunals for those employees who lose their jobs because they want to join a trade union (which run into hundreds) ana who succeed in their appeals against unfair
with the tiny disasses handful who may not find work because they will not accept union membership
We can then look through the newspapers ISCO whether cases of victimisa-
mention, let alone headline.
Capital
There are, incredibly, many still actually believe that the unions enjoy special privileges under the law, although the truth is the very opposite, as the NGA case demonstrate most forcefully. For under com
legislation, which Jaily was tailor made to protect
Capital, the directors of a limited liability company
which goes bankrupt endiscussed how to support the inreateneu suctansts
This includes •Taria
Ali in Hornsey, the Mili tant editors in Islington
and Hammersmith
North and four socialists
in Birmingham Yardley.
It is vital to expand the support for LAW and increase affiliations.
Fringe meetings are plan
ned for regional Party
conferences, to reach out
to new constituencies.
Individuals are also en-
couraged to join.
Women's sections are attack and need
support too and LAW
needs more women
CLP's. reaffirmed that
women decide
nominations for women
to une NEC slate and
agreed to seek closer
Women's
inks with the
Action Committee in the
Party.
• LAW .can con-
tacted at: 11 Wilderton
Road, London N16
The Grunwick struggle. Picketing is a vital right of the labour movement, under threat
happened Capsi of many imPreddie cluding Freddie Laker's tour business, which left a trail of debts, but allowed him to go right back no busiess This immunity will not be accorded any union which is bankrupted court orders, that could indeed actually lead to Imprisonment for some of its officials.
NGA General Secretary Joe Wade leaves the TUC
24 hour picker
FRIDAY 2 DECEMBER 5.30pm
Outside South Africa House, Trafalgar Square
SATURDAY
I'M HERE FOR WINN
News
No wonder that the "Law and Order' languag now being used to frighter trade unionists does impress many of those directly involved who know that it is onl "Tory Law' and "Tory Order' that is being cited and that drafted Solely protect Capital against Labour, and has Wilalcve. do with Justice, Equity or Fair Play.
Advertisement
3 DECEMBER 5.30pm RELEASE NELSON
MANDELA!
MANDELA
Release all Political Prisoners life senterne
in South African Jails!
This Picket marks the e anniversary of the 86 day took part to come: who have since participated ALL WELCOME!
MUSIC GROUPS - STREET THEATRE -SPEAKERS - SINGERS.- DANCERS
Come and join us!
Page 5 scan of this page
'We want to end token gestures'
Interview
tee of the Campaign Democracy.
ANNE PETTIFOR,
the AGM.
GWYNNETH Dunwoody said that WAC makes a fetish of constitutional reforms in the Party and doesn't relate to the day to day concerns of ordinary women.
She has also argued
positive discrimination, saying that the majority of women reject tokenism. Do you think that this is why you've failed to win your demands so far? Gwynneth Dunwoody's criticism of positive action
rcmarkable her position within the Party derives entirely from Arthur Henderson's distorted notion of positive action in 1918.
It was in that vear that Arthur Henderson and the Party
agreed four places for women on the NEC The discrimination was distorted because the election was by men.
Dunwoody owes her place on the NEC CALl Cly LOUI positive discrimination. She is your genuine token woman. She is the trade union leadership's token gesture towards women. We want end token gestures. We want positive discrimination at all levels of the Party, not just at the level of the NEC.
As to the question of relating to working class wollicil. knows anything about the history of the labour movement in Britain she knows that working people Call ol relate to each other and oppose their enemies without organisation.
We seek that same collective organisation of working class women that working class men have enjoyed for so long.
As to whether working class women understand the constitution the Labour Party and are inTerested a changing think Gwynneth probably right.
Firstly Labour Party
Py mysties, are and com
mystifying and complicated and this acts as a deterrent to working class women (and men), and secondly they are engaged
their own separate struggles and to them the Labour Party looks light years away. perience. What we are trying to do is to demvstitv procedures, and organise and begin to open up that organisation to the direction of working class women.
What Militant argue is that WAC, and the campaign for positive discrimination in the Party, is not relevant
women because it focuses
gelling parliament. It doesn't DCIYC the CALINE broader struggle for socialism.
I think Militant are saying
Women's Action Committee
NEXT SUNDAY sees the Annual General Meeting of the Women's Action Commit-
for Labour Party Valerie Coultas spoke to secretary of WAC about the issues which will be discussed at
two things here. One is
that teminism is not cen-
tral to the for
socialism. We argue that
the feminist project of en-
ding women's definition
by their sex and their role
in the family is central to
the socialist project.
As to parliamen-
tarianism, women are
denied access to powerful
HOSULUDORS whether they
be the TUC, the Labour
Party or parliament. Men
exercise Women
We entirely refute tho
notion that by remaining
powerless women will best
advance their UWIl in-
LCIESES. I suspect that the
men in Militant rather take
that view.
On the question of the left
the Party, what
WAC's reason for discuss-
ing the 'relaxation' of its
relationship with the Cam-
paign Labour Party
To the dismay of many,. from Clause 4 to Socialist Action, OUl reasons are purely ad-
ministrative. It simply
impractical .continue dual membershin both organisations. It's also verv expensive tor WAC supporters.
But there's no denying that women are getting in-
Bolshie (can use that word?) in the Labour Party about organising the selves When eight out of memoers or lne NCl are men this reaction is entirely understandable.
At the same time we have no intention of giving up our style of campaigning. We intend to achieve for women what CLPD achieved for the rank and file using the Party's democratic channels and procedures to gain max-
uluill ass louls subooll for changes in the women's organisation.
The point about my ques-
Party is in crisis to an extent, it's fragmented.
I can see why WAC has to continue to focus women's demands, but what about the alliances
make independeared to
make independent CLPD?
Women in WAC feel that the left have brought the crisis on themselves. Many oi us have been vociterous in allocating blame to individuals and tions.
I feel this particularly and I am extremely critical of the way in which men on the lett have organised their claims in sonalised and aggressive way. We in WAC have a far friendly way of organising ILOIC and
although we recognise the need for discipline and the formulation of clear sighted strategy.
But surely behind WAC's
attitude to the rest of the
Party there is
more involved than a question of style. There's also a
debate about what
project the
should have following the
on democratic how they Should leadere lice have made
The choice very clearly, demanding a blank cheque
support new leadership as a condition tor unity
What t is your personal view organising the left in Party?
The first point to make is that women have always been on the margins of Party decision making and organisation. The situaLOR we find ourselves
outside main body of SuDDOrI for une current leadership, is not
This is not to say that women do not want to be part of the mainstream.
We very much do Equally
cannot deny that would be a lot easier for us
were enjoying the happy position the LCC.
For a moment before the leadership election some or us tougni inat this new, young, dynamic
WOlO Snow itself progressive on women's question.
Neil Kinnock and Roy Hattersley both very firmly closed the doors on us in their reply to our questionnaire Women are once again on the outside, but unlike the rest of the Party
are not satisfied and not afraid of causing trouble and strife. After all our all is atoniv ore of uniting the labour Heyeilcill as a whole not just the male section of it.
You still have some pretty powerful opposition defeat if you are to achieve victory namely the trade union bureaucracy. They have been pretty steadfast in their hostility up until now, with the exception of the backing you got for a special rules con
crence on women's organisation. What is your strategy for deteating this opposition now?
hope at the AGM that WAC will make a priority of working in the unions, especially in APEX, ASTMS USDAW,
and the Tailor and Garment Workers where women form the overwhelming majority of the members.
for the next Labour Party conference are:
Women's Conference.
for women.
proper rules for the Women's Organisation.
Sun 4 December,
life the We have to channel all our energies into pushing demands through democratic procedures in It's a hell of a task for three reasons. One. mosi women are not in unions that are affiliated to the Labour Party. They are in NALGO, the NUT and the CPSA where there is already a strong feminist presence.
Secondly, and I speak here, if you expert te here, you go out work, if you're a parent and you're active in the Labour Party taking the trade union bureaucracy is incredibly difficult.
Thirdly, the unions affiliated to the Party are controlled by men who are intransigently determined to keep their hands on the evers of power Take Asted delta male dominated
The three demands that WAC will be prioritising
• The NEC women's section should be elected by the
• Positive discrimination on parliamentary shortlists • The holding of a special rules conference to establish
Women's Action Committee
annual general meeting
, 10am-5pm, County Hall,
London SE1. (Creche provided)
tion voted against ASTMS conference
mittedly they were. Ad-
mittedly suaded to do this by Mel were Reid, an ASTMS fulltimer. But they had the
NOW!
The
1. WRITE to your MP, it she is likely to be sympathetic to the bill, asking her/him to be there on 9 December to vote. It is crucial that lou mrs are at the house or commons to support the Bill - less than 100 and a vote will at the bottom of this leaflet and send it to your MP at the House of Commons, London SWI 2. Be at the House of Commons yourself, in the public gallery from 9.30 am on December 9 to heor the debote and to show thot women are concerned.
an power to give effect to this deci- conference decision instead they used their power oppose women in their union.
Naturally all this FRIDAY 9 DECEMBER
SEX EQUALITY DAY
the day that the
SEX EQUALITY BILL
will be voted on in the House of Commons THE SEX EQUALITY BILL is a private members bill, introduced by Jo Richardson MP It will fill the loopholes in the present sex discrimination low and introduce now
rights to fight inequality and discrimination.
THE SEX EQUALITY BILL will: • allow part-time workers to claim equal pay (proportionately with full-timers • make sexual harassment at work. unlawful • make paternity leave a right for all fathers • make it unlawful for private clubs to exclude women members from using club facilities • introduce stronger measures for positive action at school and at work • make discrimination against homosexual people at work unlawful • stop discrimination against single people at work • stop occupational pension schemes giving different benefits to women and men who
are members of the same scheme
WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR SEX EQUALITY DAY?
not be taken and the Bill will tall. Fill in the form
Socialist Action 2 December 1983 5
daunting for us but at the and same time the confidence of women has grown since the Le are channelion only 1980. More our anger more effectively than in the past. 3. Write to NCCL Women's Rights Unit, 21 Tabard Street, London SE1 for more of these leaflets to circulate among your friends, trade union branch, at work, your political party branch and anywhere else 4. Write to Jo Richardson at the House of Commons, telling her that you support her Bill 5. Ensure your local paper carries a feature on the Bill on 9 December
Page 6 scan of this page
THATCH SLIPP
Is Mrs Thatcher's smile beginning to slip?
THE NGA STRIKE against Tebbit, the POEU campaign against privatisation of British Telecom, the 400,000 strong CND demonstration against cruise, have highlighted the growing opposition to the Thatcher government.
Evidence is also emerging of a slow but steady erosion of support for the Tories. JOHN ROSS looks at what the opinion polls have revealed about the popularity of the Thatcher government and its policies.
OPINION polls are justifiably regarded with suspicion socialists. On particular questions they are often notoriously biased.
A recent MORI poll on unemployment for example saw alternatives women leaving work, jobsharing, iower retirement age. Even Labour Party policies like reflation of the economy or job creation schemes — never mind socialist measures — were
mentioned. Not surprisingly the poll found wide acceptance that mass unemployment was inevitable.
The polls generally have an inbuilt bias against the labour movement. the last general election virtually every single poll underestimated Labour Pariy support by around two to three per zent. in rebruary 1974 almost all the opinion polls predicted a Tory victory. In fact Labour won narrowly.
Telephone polls are even more biased. The results of polls conducted by ielephone are in general reckoned to show an inbuilt trend in favour of the Conservatives of between 1l and 14 per
opinion they seek to measure. in public support were taking
mass support.
the only Limitations
official
UDIllIUlI
alludes are snirting.
election
At election results political trends.
Election results and polls -
even more important, polls are biased against Labour.
WILE SDEN HOSP
WHA
ON COM
WE
HAVE THE
RIGHT TO
LIVE
not LINGER
ON In I ime It I di to: ves inese pensioners are against Thatcher i = 15- ? December 1983
cent. Finally, and most important, opinion polls do not show the actual forces which are creating the shifts in public
For example in 1972 and 1974, the polls at the beginning of the miners' campaigns of those years showed the majority of people opposed the miners. However, by the end of the 1972 and 1974 miners' strikes public support was overwhelmingly in favour of the NUM claim • i nese polls In 191z ana 1914 accurately showed the way in which shifts
place.
But they were powerless to explain that it was the decisive action being taken by the miners themselves which had actually changed opinions and won over wane.
Tory
election.
Despite these limitations however
polls do reflect in a cutta manner the way in which opinions and
They nave une same sort of advantages and drawbacks
results. Elections underestimate the real strength of the labour movement and do not show the ¡cal cavices open to we workme class. But no sensible socialist would ignore
as i all indicator of
• provided they are integrated with the real dynamic of politics — are valuable indicators of political trends. Judged by that yardstick the trend of the polls of since the general election confirms the trends already showing in June. This is
as the opinion
BRENT ACTIVE PENSIONERS Jor N.H.S say
PENSIONER
invincible. ways Labour can build up its support.
In a distorted way the polls reveal that Thatcher's popularity is on the
latest Gallup poll snows SuDDUll 43½ per However nearly every opinion poll, including Gallup, overestimated the Tory vote by two to three per cent at the last
The Thatcher government's real support is therefore probably down to 40-41 per cent of the electorate. Hardly an impregnably strong popular base from which to assault the labour move. ment. Given another six months or year of decline and Labour could have a very interesting base indeed from which to launch a campaign for an immediate general election.
An outstanding popular success has also been the POEU campaign against privatisation British Telecom. Although the POEU executive retreated over the use of the Tebbit Bill against the union nevertheless the shiti
public opinion on the privatisation of British Telecoms has been dramatic.
December 1982 before POEU campaign, the polls in the Times run by Gallup said 43 per cent favoured
LIFE NOT
DEITH
privatising British Telecoms and 37 per cent were against. By November 1983, cent. at the height of the POEU campaign, opinion had been reversed. Forty six per cent opposed privatisation and only 39 per cent supported it.
This shift in support from a majority in favour of privatisation to a ma jority against is one of the most successful political campaigns carried out by a trade union in shows that counterposed paigns wing of the trade claim — it demonstrates that industrial action and propaganda go
The two together way to win public support. This was the lesson the miners taught in their strikes has in 1972 and 1974
On only one issue — that of attacking the waac show the government's central policies keeping almost the support. On almost every one of its other most central
Shift
privatisation of British Telelcom public opinion has been gradually moving away from the Thatcher
The most dramatic shift of all is the one which has taken welfare state. Thatcher has consistently attempted to present as a central plank of her government's policy the need to slash the welfare state to 'permit' tax cuts. Nigel Lawsol policy in this autumn's parliamentary financial statement.
Shortly before elected, in 1979, polls did show some significant support for a policy of tax cuts financed by welfare cuts. Thirty three percent of those questioned in Gallup polls for the Daily Telegraph at that time favoured tax cuts at the expense of cuts in health, education and social services. An equal number thirty three percent - opposed such policies
Since then the shift in support has been dramatic. By February 1982 only 20 cent of favoured tax health, education, and social services Fifty per cent -many education and social services spending even if it meant tax increases.
By February 1983, 80 per cent of those responding to a Marplan opinion poll wanted no further cuts in health, education or social welfare even if that meant that taxes could not be reduced at all. In short Thatcher is progressively losing the battle around her chief project to cut the welfare state. The Tories
a SLO
recent years.
industrial action not
propaganda cam— as Len Murray and the right
hand are the best
do the polls
unchanged majority
policies like place on the
reaffirmed that
the Tories were have
servanve
Metropolitan
the subject,
those questioned of the cuts at the expense of
• more than twice as favoured extending health, GLC.
Europe.
rival of Telegraph European
Tonight more than
4,500 children will be in
public care, solely because
their parents have no
home to give them
also completely failed to gain popular support for their policies of destroying local government. No Con-
policy was more loudly trumpeted at the last election than the pledge to abolish the GLO and the
councils. Ken Livingstone has been subjected to a quite unbelievable campaign of vilification in their press. Yet the first opinion poll on
for the London Evening Standard of 1 November, found 54 per cent of Londoners against the abolitior
GLC and only 22 per cent favouring it. Thatcher's attacks had brought about a two to one majority against the policy of abolishing
Most dramatic of all has been the continuing shift of opinion not merely in Britain but throughout Europe on the question of the cruise missiles an the attitude to United States bases i
To coincide with the vote of the West German parliament on the ax
Pershing missiles the Dail Comiss one specia wide opinion poll on the
Page 7 scan of this page
Can socialism
missiles and nuclear weapons. This poll took in Britain, West Germany, and Italy, the three major countries that are going to receive the new missiles. The
DJ
School building in Nagasaki where 133 out of 152 Europe are more and more
ER'S
ERY
PE?
results were described by the Telegraph as 'disturbing' for the Tories.
In all three countries there was bigger opposition to the missiles than support for them. The difference was 48 to 41 per cent against the missiles in Britain; 48 to 25 per cent against in West Germany, and 62 per cent to 27 per cent against in Italy. Opinion polls in West Germany have shown even bigger majorities opposing the missiles 72 per cent of the population against the installation of cruise and Pershing missiles.
Dramatic
Even more important for future political developments has been shift in opinion on the question of existing United States nuclear bases. In
support isting US nuclear bases was still 58 per cent in favour and 34 per cent against. But in both West Germany and Italy there is now greater support for removing lne Amencan nucical Dases Inal 10l their staying. those asked belved that Us nuclear In west Germany 37 bases should stay compared to 40 per cent who believed they should go. In Italy 54 per cent believed the US bases should go and only 36 percent thought they should stay.
As the Daily Telegraph moaned "The governments of Germany and Italy, important allies in NATO, do not com mand majority support for the siting of new American missiles in their countries.' People do not want to die in a nuclear war. The major West European states have lost the battle to win over Lel populations to missiles and this is going to have a big effect on European politics.
children died - people in determined it will not happen again
Jars Fair
of support for the policies
gives big opportunities for
its popularity and vote. But
how to take advantage of — UD IO are the openings that exist.
tion to nuclear arms; defence of the welfare state; opposition to
unions and defence of local government that a majority of people are coming into conflict
the
with Tory policies. Labour can rebuild a majority for itself if it maintaining vigorously champions these
causes.
recently, it is action combined with
cent of campaigning both outside and inside
the local councils and every single body that can get across the Labour message.
Labour as a mass campaigning party
wes which is now so popular. One comAmerican's most
ty is that modelled on the successful campaigns and movements which developed in the 1960s and 1970s the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign, the successful fight against the support the 1972 Industrial Relations Act, the
Anti-Nazi League, the women's liberation movement.
day participating in united front organisations and movements of this type. And this is a big step forward for building the Labour Party.
party Labour has to go far further than simply these campaigns crucial as they are. The truth is that there are many Labour Parties today which discuss CND, or the fight against fascists, but never get round to discussing about the local council flats in their ward and constituency which have water coming in the basement. Or that the local roads are so dangerous that children and old peo-
Ken Livingstone and the GLC have tried to improve life
be popular?
The slow but steady decline
of the Thatcher government
the Labour Party to rebuild
to do so Labour must know
It is on issues such as opposi-
privatisation; defence of the trade
But as the miners showed in 1972 Transport and 1974, and the POEU have shown
propaganda that builds support. Thatcherism can be defeated only by mass
parliament involving the trade unions,
This means understanding clearly what is meant by the phrase building
mon idea of a mass campaigning par-
twellly yeals.
Many local Labour Parties are to-
But to be a real mass campaigning
lives. lives.
ple are everyday threatened with being
for millions of Londoners knocked down and killed.
A Labour Party which only discusses damp in council flats or the threat of dangerous traffic is no good as a fighter for socialism. But a Labour Party which does not discus. council flats and local problems -but only discusses CND - will neve win mass support for socialism.
The huge impact and popularity of Labour councils such as the GLC and Sheffield is that they have really reached out and affected ordinary people's everyday lives.
The GLC has been in the forefront of promoting struggles such as Ireland. But the GLCs reductions in public transport fares, the fact there is a massive increase in children's entertainment in the parks, the many cultural and sporting events that have taken place have reached out and made London a nicer place to live in.
For a council like Sheffield, or one like Lambeth, just go into any council office and you will feel the difference. In most boroughs you meet some naugnly bureaucral who ouviously feels that the public simply exists to fit in with his or her plans. In Lambeth or Sheffield you generally find someone who thinks their job is to help you. The difference really can be felt by ordinary people.
To emphasise that success is not to support everything that Ken Livingstone or David Blunkett have done. Far from it. All sorts of mistakes are made. But types of Labour councils such as the GLC or Shetied have done more to make socialism popular than probably anything else that has happened for
Sheffield and London, whatever their shortcomings, have shown the basic truth that socialism is not about the state dominating people. It is avout the stale proviulilg bat resources that can allow people to lead richer, fuller and more individual
Like the National Health Service good local councils ram home the basic truth that there is no freedom where there is disease and there is no liberty where there is poverty.
Only the massive resources of the state, democratically controlled, can provide the facilities and the base on which ordinary people can live freer
The state, based on democracy in every aspect of society, is a great instrument of freedom and not of tyranny. Without those resources,
which only the state can provide, the only people who are free are those who have the money to pay for their own health, who have the money to finance their children's education, and who have the money to own newspapers that slander socialists.
The words the great Russian socialist Lenin wrote about political activity in his country could well serve for the type of Labour Party that needs to be built today. 'The ideal.. should be the tribune of the people, who is able to react to every manifestation of tyranny and oppressIon, no matter woere I appears, no matter what stratum or class of the people it affects; who is able to generalise all these manifestations and produce a single picture of police violence and capitalist exploitation; who is able to take advantage of ever! event, however small, in order to ser torth before all his socialst convic tions and his democratic demands.'
A Labour Party campaigning to defend the NGA. A Labour Party campaigning to defend the National Health Service and Women's Rights. A Labour Party also campaigning on council houses and traffic. That is the type of 'mass campaigning party' Labour must become if it is to win.
That is the type of party it can become if it puts its democratic socialist ideals into practice.
Arguments fore
"This is by far the best book that
has been published about electoral
polities for a very long time' -
Tony Beni
Available from The Other
Bookshop , 328 Upper Street, Lon-
don N.1. £2.50
Socialist Action 2 December 1983 7
Page 8 scan of this page
8
MOLES
EYE
VIEW
Our leaders
SOCIALIST ACTION
has been getting out and
aboul iaing out what
leaders think we
should do about the NGA
dispute. Len Murray
thinks 'its all very serious'
but didn't say for
whom.
He pleaded with peo-
ple to calm', which is
excenent advice lo workers
threatened with the loss of
their ( UNROT
threatened with bankrupt-
Above all he pleaded
with 'people not to get
DIARY
(These listings are free for all meror cavour movement one campaign activities
aximum of 50 words. Semi aSDIy anversements COsT
Sp ger ance. Send ls biais.
Send
soCIOT ACI0n, UDoer Street, .ondon NI 2XP to
later than Thursday, one week prior to buoncanon.
International
• The Politics of Health in _imbaowe mour tong video available for meetings or iulLus £10 (pavable in advance). Send to Books for South Africa Fund, PO Box
LOnGORIA • Sri Lankan Research & Information Group will DEUVIUC SUCAKCS OI LIC current stuao cere or nee iudings, Lon 9 n ECl. . Write to 9 Grays
An bvening Tor dI Salvador Sun 4 Dec, Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank,
30m. A cabaret with Julie Christie, The Flying Pickets, The Joeys, Leon Rosselson, Peggy Seeger & Ewar MacColl, Emma Thompson, ¡'olocamba I-Ta Andy de la Tour. Tickets £4/£6 from CLOSU, 01-339 39/0 • No Intervention in atra Amena and the Caribbean (NICAC) is a broad based coalition of solidarity groups, human menis ores, alo acendes anc political parties. More details Tom NICAC 20/21 Compton Terrace. London
• Hounslow Socialist Forum last of a series of meetings on the internationalisation of the ora cconomy ana ol conflict: 11 Dec The orchestration of violence and TonoMon wIw SoCaKCrs ІСТЮ!
Join the
fight for
socialism
Socialist Action 2 December 1983 provoked' no doubt realis-
ing that if the Tolpuddle
Martyrs had followed advice like that they
wouldn't have caused all
trouble which forced the state to deport them.
KOV Hattersley is very worried about 'people not breaking the law'. He is only too well aware that the dockers who came out on strike against the jailing of seven of
their leaders in 1951, and again in 1972, might have saved the day for the unions, but at what
from Southern Africa, Latin America & Palestine meeungs sundays 7.15pm, George IV pub, 185
Chiswick High Rd, W4 «traan oreer tuber. • Nobody's Backyard • week of action on Central
. 27 Nov to 3 Dec.
For details write to Nobody's Backyard, 4 Replingham Rd. London SW18.• From War in the Third •world to the inird world
published by El Salvador
›onaar camoaen. Suo Order from ELSSOC, , 29 Islington Park St London N1 01-359 3976. ELSSOC have also produced a 1984
trom lite in the liberated zones. ts trom same address. • Labour Group for iman Kons ln renke
Bunn, meemy corbyn Mr
Jeremy Corbyn MP, Rajes Balasubramaniyam (Labour Group/Tamil Women's League) Jonn
peaker from EELAN
olidarity Campaign. Thur 1 UCC. pm, Hampsicad _OWl Hall, Haverstock Hill, NW3 (opp Belsize Pk tube).
Central America and the Caribbean A series of open educationals with speakers at Peckham Labour Cud, Lansbury House, 41 Camberwell Grove, London SES: 6 Dec Cuba: 13 Dec Nicaragua; 10 Jan Guatemala; 17 Jan Honduras; 24 Jan Salvador; 31 Jan Grenada; 7 Feb Evening of Central American callic. huilissioll £l/UB40 free. Organised by Hands off Grenada!
The New Jewel Movement and the Grenada Solidarity
Campaign appeal Iur
inur sody.
US Embassy.
Eastern Caribbean Embassy. London W8 Barbados Embassy.
London SW1
Name
Address
Age Union/CLP (if any) If you want more information about Socialist Actiorfor to be put in touch with local supporters send this form to Socialist Action, 328 Upper Street,| London N1.
If only the Tolpuddle Martyrs had listened to him.
price?
The law was brought into disrepute and surely KOV AAKS LadE Sloo Dee price to pay for things like
Mr Kinworker's rights. nock — he is the man who never uses one word when 50 will do
- was soon ln full flow.
explained the virlues of democratic and Darllamentaly socialism, the compassion he felt for
the need for usu culv-
Britain to be one nation -visions of Mr Shah having the pickets from the
For a Reagan-free Caribbean
Reagan: Free Caribbean
badges in yellow, black
and red. 25p each (plus
postage); bulk orders 20p
caca Mone wun oree
to PO Box 36, 136
Kingsland High St
London E8. Cheques/POs
payable to Hackney Book
Club.
Sth London Central American Group, contact
Reagan's war plans in Central America & the Caribbean Sth West London Socialist forum, 8pm, Wed 14 Dec at Cannem community Project, Venn St, SW4 (Clapham Cmmn tube) rutter oelaus ton caol 01-359 8371.
Ireland • 'Cause of Ireland' oncon premier ot the controversial film, plus 'Free
7.30pm, Weds 7 Dec, Brixton Ritzy cinema, Coldharbour Lane, SW2 (Brixton tube). Entrance 22.20/1.30 UB 40 or NUs • Labour Committee on Ireland meeting to torm a South London LCI, 8pm,
support on pickets every Tuesday and ›-/om. nese wil take o ace al Grosvenor Square. London W1
10 Kensington Ct.
6 Upper Belgrave St.
A deafening silence on Wn LoDoW Wilde
Stockport Messenger sent round for Xmas dinner -and how he would try and make sure Labour didn't upset public opinion.
On what Labou would do to help the NGA to win, his proverbial verbosity failed him. All we got on that was a deafening silence.
We could not get an exclusive with Terry Duffy. Bill Sirs and Alastair Graham they Wee LOC busy working out how to snatch defeat TrON jaws of victory.
Tue 6 Dec, Rm 31, Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton. (Admission with LP card Ulliy race imraliol 01-737 1968 (eves).
Lesbian & Gay Liberation
• London Lesbian & Gay Young Socialists meet every four weeks on Sundays at bpm. Marchmont Community Centre Marchmont St, WC1. Next meeting 11 Dec. Furthe details from Martin 01-263 94X4
London Labour Campaign for Gay Rights Further details from Mik 01-659 2983 or Bob 01-34: 0666 GaV NUK oron uS forming. For details of inaugural meeting write to Wav NUK C/oy Southwyck, Coldharbour Lane, London SW9. • Nottingham Labour Campaign for Gay Rights meets monthly. Next meeting kl bec 8pm, salutaton Inn Maid Marion Way. Details: Chris Richardson, 21 Devonshire rromenaae Lenton 0602 780124.
Women's Liberation • Women and Unemployment - a conrerence tor unempioyea women & women workers at Centres for the Unemployed in the south east. Sat 3 Dec, 9.30am-5pm, Congress Hse, Gt Russel St, London W1 With Jo Richardson MP theatre, and workshops. Full details from Celia Mimou aal ullaTore Unemployed Peoples Centre. The Old Police Station, 3а Leapale Rd,
ullalora.
Surrey 0483-33942.
Civil Rights
Campaign against the Police Bill National march and rally Sat 21 Jan rockwell Park, London. Delaus or these ane orne! events from NCAPB, , 50 Rectory Rd, London N16 v -4 4 • Affront to public decency? Come to the Gays azalst me ronce saanen meeting at County Hall, 30 November, 8pm. Contact for details: Gay London Police Monitoring Groups on 01-278 6215.
Disarmament • National CND Conference in Sheffield, 3/4 Dec. For details contact CND 01-272 8896. • Women against cruise hearing begins in US Federal Court 21 Nov actions in USA and Britain.
, For details •none 0- 20/4 • 'Sound around Greenham' 11 Dec. National
Caption award
action at Greenham Common, women only. For details ring Manchester
061-225 7352 от 236 3112 o1 London 01-251 3133/226 6258.
Anti-cuts campaigns • London Health Service Campaign. 34 Dalston Lane, London E8 3 AZ 01-249 8086. • Hayes Cottage Hospital onate cuee uranse Rd, Hayes, Middx 01-573
Stop the privatisation of British Telecom public meeting organised by Islington Labour Parties 7.30pm, Mon 5 Dec, Central Library, Fieldway Crescent, London N5. Speakers Jeremy Corbyn MP; POEU; NUPE; Mike Barratt (Nat League of Blind and Disablea): Judith Arkwright (NUR); Jock Campbell (London City POEU).
Miscellaneous
• Films at work — a series of films at Jacksons Lane communv centre. ci Archway Rd, London N6. 4 Dec Borinage: 11 Dec WR - - Mysteries of the Organism; 19 Dec Days of Hope All Slal :at 7.30pm, £1.50/80p U B4.
• Camden Labour Briefing Xmas social Sat 10 Dec. The Cock Tavern Charlton St, LOndON NWI. DITO midnight, fl.
• The political crisis in Britain Camden Socialist Alon forum wiln socaker Jonn koss. wea / Dec, som Camden Labour Club, Caro St, NW1. • Marx & Philosophy: Socialist Society debate with Ted Benton and Sean Sayers, 7.300m. ADec. ULU Details from 9 Poland St, WI 01-734 8501.
SOUND AROUND
GREENHAM!
Come to USAF Greenham Common on 11 December
AN EVENING FOR
EL SALVADOR
TEENG PICKETS THE NEYS LINTON KWESI JOHNSON PEGGY SEEGER& EWAN MaCCOLL EMMA THOMPSON TOLUCAMDA FIA
QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL SOUTH BANK London 328 Upper St. London N1 telephone 01-226 0571 Open — Mon Thur, Fri, 11-7.
Birmingham 137 Digbeth Birmingham B5 telephone (021) 643-5904 Open — Mon-Sat 10-6 Closed Wed Mail Order Service - Add 20% for P&P
Diary
M TURNER of Gillingham wins the Best CAlTOn Award for the above picture along with copy of Steve Bel's The If Chronicles with 'Well Nancy, I did warn you about walking too near • Three Mile Island'.
E Re*E best came from Hackney 'And another thing Bonzo, don't go pushing an! buttons while I'm play ine osd hiked ene on.? a So the one from Dave Carter of Middlesborough which reads: 'I know you're no!
Sir Geoffrey Howe but who'll notice the dif ference?' all those other people who sent in captions. most of whicl were good unfor. tunately space preludes us printing them all.
Moles Eye View is compiled BUB FENNINGION Contributions should be sent to arrive by Thursday am. For Marxist
books, posters,
postcards, badges
Feminist literature
Tues, Sat, 10-6 Wed 12-7
Page 9 scan of this page
The roots of
International
VIRTUALLY EVERY day for a decade Western television screens have been bombarded by scenes of military conflict in the Middle East and Western Asia. The 1973 Arab-Israeli the Lebanese civil war; the revolution which overthrew the Iran; the long drawn-out saga of the American hostages in Tehran; two Israeli invasions of Lebanon, culminating with the bombing of Beirut; the Iran-Iraq war; over the past year the communal conflict in Lebanon and fighting against the Israelis and
Western 'peace forces.
The chronic instability region has one fundamental source: the international imperialism and the United States in particular to keep the region under its control. Imperialism's vital interest in the region can itself be summarised —
supplies the geographical position which cannot be ceded to imperialist or pro-Soviet Nothing in Middle East politics can be understood without these considerations.
At the beginning of this century the area was dominated by Britain and France. The Sykes-Picot agreement of 1917 draw an arbitrary down the middle of the area which is now Jordan and Syria, to allocate the area to competing powers. But in line with what happened in many parts of the world, the Second World War destroyed British and French domination and replaced with United tutelage.
In 1948 the polities and geography of the area were moulded by the creation of the state of Israel. The Zionist state was created under the auspices of Western imperialism and above all the United States; it has remained the West's crucial strategic ally in the region ever since. But the creation of Israel was rapidly followed phenomenon which has shaped the politics of the Middle East ever since - the rise of Arab nationalism. Coup
The officers' coup in Egypt in 1952 brought Nasser to power. The rise of Nasser was lollowed by ine coming to power of the Ba'ath party in lrao, the commencement of the Algerian war of independence against France, and a host regimes throughout the region.
What did Nasserism represent? Essentially its project was that of trying to reverse the relationship ween the Egyptian ruling class and international imperialism, to the benefit of the former. Nasser based himself on the growing manufacturing sections of the ruling class — at the expense of the traders and landowners. He promoted the idea of Arab unity* to try to create a more unified Arab market. Two decisive medalsons were used in this project -tionalisation of large chunks of the economy and the mobilisation of the masses.
•didn't transition to socialism, however, but rather the use of the state sector to promote industrial development. And the mobilisation of the masses was kept within definite limits - the left was viciously repressed.
Nasser's most dramatic action to benefit the Egyptian rulers at the expense of imperialism tionalisation of the Suer cana owned by a Franco-British company
in 1956,- Imperialism's response was the British-French-Israeli invasion, the "Suez crisis. perialists failed to bring Nasser down.
After 1956 he turned more and more to the Soviet Union for arms
economic aid. The hugely expansive
Aswan dam project was financed by
the Soviet Union, not the West.
Despite the real,
social gains for the
Nasser, the regime gradually went in-
to crisis. Arab nationalism failed to
solve the fundamental
development problems of the Middle
Eastern countries.
military confrontation with Israel.
1975-6
Shah of
and
the
keeping'
Not the pivotal of the region
antiforces. line
imperialist
States' by bet• the na-
mean was the na.
But the im-
nationalist
but limited, masses under
'Six Day
economic
And it failed in its economically
Top: Anwar Sadat and the Shah of Iran
In 1966 a coup brough a 'leftist'
government to power in Syria. Fearing the consequences for the whole region Israel launched a war against the Arab states in 1967 -
War'. It was devastating defeat for the Arab nationalist states and set the seal on their failure to confront imperialism either
militarily. either would have meant a mobilisa-
the Middle
East crisis
By Paul Lawson
— pillars of pro-US reaction.
Below, pillars of Arab nationalism Ben Bella (left) and Nasser (right) hold hands with Nikita Kruschev.
tion of the masses and a thoroughgoing break with imperialism. Because Arab nationalism didn't break with despite •all its radical measures, it was incapable of mobilising the workers and peasants for revolutionary goals.
But if it threw Arab nationalism into crisis, the 1967 war had another consequence. The Palestinian people drew the conclusion that only their
own armed struggle could be relied on to defeat the Zionist state. The launching of armed struggle by the PLO fedayeen organisations threw the relationship between all the Arab states and Israel into turmoil. Fearing the destabilising effects in his own coun try, in 1970 King Hussein launched a bloody attack driving them out of Jordan. Fateful. ly, most of the Palestinian fighters
Socialist
Sadat Egypt, Faud.
pocket.
against
all against
Arab leaders
economy.
Arab United States
the stand out.
more
tionalism has
perialism,
region.
reliance
Palestinian
Arab
through
against the
par excellence
If
mean
tion. leadership
on the Palestinians,
*= 1053
«est 10 Lebanon.
Following Nasser's death
increasingly steered right ia becoming a faithful ally of United States imperialism. In the early 1970s the different strands of imperialist policy began to unravel. As the wave of Arab nationalism, which had lasted 20 years, began to recede bourgeois reaction conquered in the Arab states. Jordan remained under the control of the Hashemite monar. chy. Saudi Arabia, which under King Su'ad had given aid to Nasser, showed its true feudal colours under King
And Sadat's Egypt became firmly esconced in the American's
The United States thus constructed a new system of alliances
of Arab nationalism in Iraq and Syria and above
the The essence of this strategy was to secure good relations with the reactionary
as well as Israel. This military and economic assistance to the Arab states, as well as bailing out the crisis-ridden Israeli Complicated
The overthrow of the Shah of Iran in 1978 further complicated the situation from the point of view of im. perialism. The alliance with the Shah was the linch-pin of its strategy in the
Gulf region As a result the s forced to rely on the Saudi regime for the stability of the Gulf area. But the overthrow of the Shah has had another consequence
unleashing of a wave of Islamic fundamentalism, the results of which themselves trough. Already a power- beginning to worl ful Shi'ite fundamentalist militia -Amal - has been created in Lebanon. The Syrian regime is threatened by Islamic fundamentalists, and Islamic fundamentalism is even having repercussions in Saudi Arabia.
In the present conflicts in the Mid. de East three fundamental features
First, imperialism drawn the conclusion that in this region of chronic instability it can't
entirely on its local surrogates. Direct intervention will be more and
necessary. Second, Arab nareached a complete dead end and is losing its sway -Islamic fundamentalism could tem porarily fill the vacuum it leaves. And third, the strategy of guerrilla struggle waged by the Palestinians has failed, defeated zionism the alliance of im-
and the reac tionary Arab states.
Ever since 1967 the Palestinian struggle has been at the forefront of the struggle against imperialism in the
But the strategy of the PLO has always been flawed by its • polic! of 'non-interference' in the affairs of
Arab states, and its material on the reactionary Arab leaders. It is impossible to defeat imperialism in the Middle East, or to wir
self-determination
without winning the struggle again. Arab reaction. That means that th
revolution must be carried by linking the struggle Zionist state with the struggle of the increasingly powerfu Arab working class — 'interference' in the internal affairs of Arab states
Arab, nationalism and the Palestinian leadership have failed to put forward an adequate strategy to confront imperialism, that doesn't
that the radicalisation of workers and peasants has ended. For the United States and Israel, that is precisely the problem. But if the wave of defeats is to be overcome it means new leaders and new movements to take the place of nationalism, and take the struggle in a socialist direc
if that doesn't, happen then the revolt of the Arab peoples may well 'go through a long detour of Islamic
fundamentalism which will be a step backwards.
The Arab revolution still lacks
which will link the figh against the Zionist state and its im perialist backers with the fight again. Arab reaction. Without such a leade ship new defeats are inevitable
Page 10 scan of this page
THE ACTION INTERVIEW •Women can't afford to lose the gains from this revolution'
10
struggle.
women in Ireland.
Ann, how did you get involved in the nationalist HOCEI-CHIL Ireland?
I started in 1970, after I'd been burned out of my home in 1969 by loyalists and RUC men. I knew people that were in Sinn Fein and approached them and asked to join it. My reasons for joining were that I believed that the British government should out of Ireland, shouldn't be there; and the troops shouldn't be on the streets and I wanted to do as much as I could to help have them removed.
was actually brought up in British army camps. My father was in the army for 27 or 28 years and my brother served Cyprus wiln une Irish Guards.. We came bellast wnen my lainer was demoboed in 1954.
I started work in a mill on the Falls Road. I worked part time in tempotal y accomodation buildings - very dark and very cold. and I had three children. It was when
was six months pregnant that we here ouricd out ot our home on 1 August 1969. We were parents for a while and then temporary accommodation in clerical buildings very dark and very cold The baby that I was expecting was born in 1970, and because of the conditions we lived in she died in April of pneumonia.
We got a house in Ballymurphy. I'd been around to visit my mother *no nvea a lew strceis away, ana On the way back home I ran into a confrontation between the soldiers and south. The soldiers then were using rubber bullets. was hit in the side *ith one - I was three months pregmant and a tew hours caby. So that's twice I've lost babies hecause of the situation in the North.
At the beginning of 1971 when the soldiers and the RUC men raaig une nouses n ure abondusı areas, myself and my husband and a iot of neighbours were objecting very strongly to this happening and drese l was gavel SIx MonIs Il Al magh with nine other women that were in for the same type ot ottence, if you want to call it that.
Afew months after I'd been released my sister in law Dorothy was shot. She was in a car with three other somen in the Falls using a loudhailer to warn people that there was raiding going on when the soldiers nte ot mne dack ormne carr amo oaste‹ it and blew most of Dorothy's head off.
How did you get involved, Chris? I served a four year prison sentence in Mountjoy jail in the Free State after being charged with possession of exprosives ar bne specta chilia coult. w hich is no different from the no-jury DiDiock courts in the six countes This charge was based on possession of a few batteries and some household wire - the sort used for mending fuses.
Socialist Action 2 December 1983 SINN FEIN'S recent Ard Fheis (conference) discussed the issues of abortion, positive action and the role of women in the party and in the nationalist
ANN MAGUIRE and CHRIS McAULEY, are both active members of Sinn Fein and talked to Valerie Coultas about why they became involved and what significance the Ard Fheis discussions have for
in
wonen WilO
local cumann working for Republican News.
pull
Evolved in local issues, extent we are now. realisation now
was ine Tulleniol
back of the nationalist people.
clerical
as a tactic.
with my ties. given of the struggle?
later l lost the promote the irish
should be used.
were about women?
were
Women's change is very
that Sinn Fein
opened confidence common
Stop of you at meetings.
One of the most
gelling involvea as a party in broad-based
prosecutea t acer abortion
In prison, like most prisoners, ! went through an educational process because you've little else to do. I was involved in a lot of issues in the prison
fighting for the rights of ordinary
weren't ponnca prisoners. I joined Sinn Fein when 1 lett prison. and became verv active ir
(branch) and in
What do you think about the decisions of Sinn Fein's recent Ard Fheis?
Prior to the hunger strike we were in-
but not to the We've come to the that we have to be fighting all the different systems the state has for putting our people down. SOeDA SOUCI ReHee sLuike
of the republican movement and ot sinn rein. but aur ing the hunger strike what you had was the involvement of every section
Since then Sinn Fein has progressed from mainly being involved in conspiratorial politics to being a revolutionary political party. For example, the decision to intervene in elections
Sinn Fein now speaks for over 100,000 people in the six coun'I was hit in the side with a rubber
bullet. I was three months pregnant
and a few hours later I lost the baby'
How do you see the relationship betweerf the military and electoral sides
The combination for me is that any sort of vehicle through which we can
people's right to self-determination is legitimate and
that
What about the debates in Sinn Fein
The Ard Fheis at the weekend changed the name of the Sinn Fein Department of Women's Affairs to the
Department. The name significant . Decaust prior to that we had men coming in to the meetings and we telt very strong y
should recognise that we are one or tae most oppressca sections of the Irish community. That we needed the space to sit down among with ourselves, we needed the time to get
ourselves and pull experiences together without having men literally sitting on
Fein
important motions was that now Sinn Fein will be
Many campaign mounted to defend the rights of any well-woman centre or family planning clinic or any individual woman who's going to be
tae new anti- are amendment. Mạny dívíd bn were ve in the campaign against the amend-
Ann Maguire and Chris McAuley ment and there was a lot of discussion at the Ard Fheis saying that we should have got involved.
Isn't there a big political difference in Sinn Fein about the abortion issue? You have to take into consideration
Sinn Fein is a mass movement, "L sne OnlV Conle-wie tionalist party. It takes in people from all different backgrounds. The fact of partition has also invitably affected the "think-tank' of the people along
great influence Catholic church in the South where it can almost dictate to the state what it
There's a lot of women in Sinr W Datac suc alu feel, personally, that they would like to see abortion being available to women. That discussion is ongoing. Four years ago you could hardly have raised the issue.
There was more open discussion at this year's Ard Fheis, and there was a motion which wanted the words 'we
totally opposed to abortion' removed from our policy document on women. It was finally amended to remove the word 'totally'.
The main message across was that Sinn Fein realises the forces at work in societv that compel women to have abortions, work on that. of criminalisation from women.
Over the last four or there's been big women inside Sinn women organising beginning to feminist questions. been a tradition of women playing a strong role Men. nistonically
SILIL.
Yes, and one of the other motions bears that out. Look at the the elec
'We look to the women in Armagh as
an example of courage and deter-
mination which has kept us going'
tions. No woman stood for election, no woman was put forward as canthe didate.
because we needed to win. We needed to say to the British, OK you told us to stand, we're going to stand. because we alreaay nave personanues who had gained momentum through the long history of our struggle, like Gerry Adams. was obvious that they were the people who should have gone forward, who were ine strongest candidalts.
discrimination in view of promoting women candidates in Sinn Fein for
There
level so that
wav.
make sure
we make from You
DEAN TADAD TEATR
that Colle
and let's
To remove the stigma
Demeye rs,
movement Fein towards as women and debate specifically There's always
in the nationalist move- prisoners
more But this is something new
it's being
Led.
Under
Murray,
Part of that was a tactical move
We won 'privileges'
They were there, so it
year now,
There's now a policy on positive
Armagh.
Interview
next year's local council elections in the free state, if they come off, and in May 1985 in the six counties.
needs to be concious cnange or alttuae al tne grass rool
women are taken into consceraon usi ai roremost. arc that if a woman has the potential and the abiltv to g0 , torward as a can. didate, then nothing should be put in
The excuse that she has children or anything shouldn't be us-
All these motions will have to be acted upon, not just paid lip-service — it's up to the women in Sinn Fein to
that does happen. womer m armada save dwavs salo. we can't afford to lose the gains which
this revolullull. LIlt way the women in the last phases of the struggle did lose out after 1916.
Has the solidarity of women in Armagh made a particular impact on women in Sinn Fein?
Yes, we look to the women as a real example of the courage and determination which has kept us going
know sometimes when you think, God I can't go on any longer.
Stop
the
strip
searches!
ONE OF the main reasons for
Ann and Chris's visit to Britain
was to highlight the situation
of the women prisoners in Ar-
magh jail. Chris described the
conditions and harassment
that the women are suffering.
Republican remand Armagh are
systematically strip-searched going
out to court once a week. It's just
degradation and humiliation and
used political
weapon against the women to
break them before they' re sentenc.
These are women, remember,
who haven't even been sentenced.
so-called English law,
you're supposed to be innocent
until you're proved guilty.
The prison governor, Thomas who's born-again
Christian has the attitude that the
women are going to have to pa!
for their sins. He's locked the
women ue to nours a day, they
have lost association periods and
such as letters
visits and parcels. They're being
groped by prison serews.
This has been going on for a since last November.
Strip-searches are carried out on
women in Britain, but it's discre.
tionary. It's been systematic in the
six counties and for the women in
Page 11 scan of this page
News
US TROOPS and plainclothes agents are imprisoning hundreds of massive dragnet that reaches into every corner of the island.
throughout the country and in immigration offices. They are conducting house-to-house manhunts and search-and-destroy Everyone stopped is checked to see if their name appears on lists of labour activists, members of the Grenadian Or government of murdered Prime Minister Maurice Bishop, or members of the New Jewel Movement he led.
The US troops are known to have jailed more than 200 citizens. The real number may be higher.
By Cindy Jacquith
in conditions.
of the 3SSUC JUSLICE
Peoples' nearby Vincent:
know. saw
have know
The Post
that the camp
guards de-
The prisoners forced to
Crales.
Among who
is a
was a COSC Kendrick former
the United was picked mothers
armed, American. While carcerated,
the media
U.S.
force. He released November 13. But,
the Washington 1CO0LL
The warned he
government activites public.
order?.
Radix declared. The New
PIECE
A
[OKAY-SO I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE I WAS
THE DAY. KENNEDY WAS
ASSASSINATED...
HOW COME I NEED AN
ALIBI ALL OF A SUDDEN?
US holds hundreds in
Grenada prison camps
Grenadian revolutionaries in a
The U.S. soldiers are stationed at roadblocks
operations in
militia, employees in
Jewel leader has been speaking out against the U.S. invasion and detense O1. LOe Tevolu tionary policies of Maurice Bishop.
Little is known about the fate of other revolutionists. Washington adamently refuses reveal how many Grenadians have been killed since began. the The U.S. ridiculously Invasion Lilyaoiu
O Wr lates of U.S. officials — they claim onlv 21 were Slain • is an ominous sign that the actual number slaughtered is very high, and going to inCucase.
US troops are caging hundreds of Grenadian revolutionaries
OTHE ACTION
WELL, WOULD LIKE TO COME DOWN TO THE STATION AND TALK ABOUT A FEW
, AND PAYROLL SNATCHES?
A lynching atmosphere is being prepared to justify Washington's next moves
eliminate V000SUI forces. Former Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard and Gen. Hudson Austin are to be put or trial soon.
Conditions
Their trials will be used to set ine lone for rurine. repression. Posters have already appearing
specta island sut toma
special Armi
operations unit DUSICIS SLOW
who is only towel with a U.S. guarding them. humiliating, racist accompanied the following text: inals at-
sentenced out the Communists. NoW d. The Grenadian have SULT
will never again allow cters to
cause such hardship Support
nada.
PERHAPS YOU
INSPECTOR...
attempt to fudge the issue. Here the author
will be discussed by the CND conference. situation is becoming increasingly dangerous.
In that situation the task of CND is clear. CND must give a firm and unequivocal ( lead in demanding that the newlyinstalled weapons systems are sent back in order to lay Tine foundations for new meaningful negotiations.
It must expose the nature of the new threat, the nature new weapon system and use the
the United States as opener for making the case for unilateral nuclear disarmament by this country as a necessary prerequisite for a campaign for a nuclear-free Europe and ultimately world-wide
I WELL, LET ME PUT IT LIKE THIS • DUKING Ar UNPUBLICISED BOUT OF
•SHARESIN A DETECTIVE
WHY NOT DISCUSS
IT WITH HIM?
CND
CND and unilateralism
IN THE RUN-UP to the CND conference, the CND leadership has suspended the executive of Labour CND, as Socialist Action has reported in previous weeks. One of the pretexts for this suspension was an article in the Labour Briefing Labour conference bulletin defending unilateralism against Kinnock's
of that article WALTER WOLFGANG, the vice-chair of Labour CND looks at the issue of the 'freeze' and unilateralism which
Cruise missiles have arrived in this country. The West German Bundestag has sanctioned the stationing of Pershing Il in Western Germany. In consequence the Soviet Union has strengthened its missile arsenal, some of which will be stationed in Eastern Europe. The one new chink of light is that Romania is refusing to have missiles stationed in its territory. A new twist in the nuclear arms race has started. The
negotiated nuclear disarHasical. that task the Greenham Common women have shown the which all of us will way. have to follow.
Stop Europe-wide protests - although for the mo ment unable to stop the arrival of the new (weapons - have set the scene for a strong Europe-wide agitation to send the missiles back and a demand that the super-powers engage in meaningful negotiations.
That also means there is pressure on the United
BY GORMAC #35 11/8
GOODNIGHT... MIND HOW YOU GO!)
SANOTHER VICTORY FOR THE FREEDOMLOVING FORCES OF PRIV THE STATE MONOPOLIES.
Socialist Action 2 December 1153
TOGETHER
WE CAN
STOP
THE
BOMB
repr to survisi States to give up its quest to retain nuclear superiorily.
As far as Europe and as ar
Britain are ed the demand nuclear freeze - 2 way:= unnecessar propriate aude.u. transatlantic slogar SUDS aROUN different situation - is now mean ingless. For the arriva cruise and rersning na: raised the nuclear threshhold - and with t the risk of holocaust to an unacceptable level.
The outgoing National Council of CND, has part-
recognised declaring that nuclear freeze must mean a freeze Yer such a stance does the pre-deployment levels. kind of violence to the English language which makes "freeze' inappropriate as a campaigning slogan.
Opposition to cruise will have to be extended to opposition to Trident, to MX and to Tornado. And in opposing them we have to say that Britain must get rid of all nuclear weapons unilaterally.
Demand
Those who oppose that demand will probably also onnose a treeze we must not give our opponents the chance to sav we are coy about our ultimate objec-
That way disaste Freeze slogan by ational • A firm rejection of the Conference, provided it is acted upon by CND 1984, would pave the way for a number of campaigns to bring the demand for the British abandonment or nuclear weapons and nuclear strategies to the
The Labour Party has firmly and unequivocally
posite 40 passed
Labour Party annual con terence good lead has since been given to the opposition cruise missiles.
This must now be augmented repeated statements from Labour's parlamentary spokespeo ple that cruise must go
either Cruise or Polaris
Work
valuable work in propagate a: firming Labout unilateralist commitmen: It is understandable that those who want substitute a vague stance aganst sin and agalst ine bomb' for detailed unilateralist commitment, want clip Labour CND's wings Wha deplorable that the outgoing CND executive has allowed itself to be used by those who ao not share its unilateralist commitment.
To 'supercede' the elected committee of Labour CND • by an interim committee is not only undemocratic in the
it is Some aND organisation grave blunder have sponsored the emergency resolution reprinted below for the CND conference. It is to be hoped that it will be signed by others before 2 p.m. on 3 December and discussed and passed by the CND conference.
Emergency Resolution for CND Conference 'This Annual conference
upports the work Labo
ND h done to build support in the Labour Party for the resolutions passed at recent conference supporting unilateral nuclear disarmament We deplore the action of the CND executive superceding' the elected committee 0f Labour CND by appointing an in terim committee. This An. nual Conference therefore reappoints the committee elected Labour CND AGM as the Labour CND committee.
Page 12 scan of this page
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AS our readers will see, Socialist Action has gone back to 12 pages. The reason is simple
been a hard decision for us to make.
falter, and when there is a crucial struggle like the NGA fight going on, reduing the size of the paper is a last resort. Every conceivable alternative was tried, but to no avail. important material that we wanted to carry. The paper will be 12 pages until Christmas.
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missiles arrive...
CRUISE MISSILES have arrived in Britain and Italy. The lethal Pershings are being deployed in West Germany. Heseltine may pretend that it's a victory for NATO and the warmongers, but things are not so simple.
jority opinion in all the recipient nations is heavily against the missiles. For the first time the German opposition party — the SPD — has come out against the missiles, an action which breaks the bi-partisan concensus on defence and foreign policy in West Germany. ment throughout Europe, and to CND in Britain is
The installation of the missiles has resulted in the collapse of the intermedlary missile talks. all! event, the United States and its ales are determined to create overwhelming nuclear superiority. The chances for a negotiated agreement are minimal so long as the West maintains this stance. or rather the lack of it. This has
At a time when the government is beginning to
The result is that we have not been able to run
Every labour movement paper is heavily sub-
We appeal to you,
After this autumn's mass demonstrations ma-
The message to the anti-missiles move-
don't give up the fight to send the missiles back
What we have now in Europe completely
situation. The overHaUL public opinion is hostile to the missiles; the talks have collapsed and the missiles
The task facing the missiles movement therefore to redouble its efforts at tion of the opposition to get the missiles removed Politicians for a negotiate agreement is a non-starter.
Now that the missiles are here, concentration on the demand for a nuclear 'freeze' will demobilise the movement. At WOrSU it means sanctioning the missiles that are already here, at best - if it means a freeze at pre-deployment levels
will just confuse people
Ot course tnose wne point out that many more
11 December
Sound around
Greenham!
Using musical instruments, whistles,
they did last year.
Europe.
people against the missiles than are in lavour of unilateral disarmament are right. CND's policy of highlighting actions against the missiles, rather than nuclear weapons in been " general, has also beh. capsulted can encapsulated with slogans against the missiles rather than confusion
The whole point of CND's • campaigning both against the missiles before the missiles issue arose was that it focussed on the need for unilateral action by Britain break the allis lake spiral. Since the deployment of the missiles, and since the huge demonstration. Europe this autumn the number people in Britain in favour conto elt unilateral nuclear disarmament has doubled.
Instead of counterposing anti-missiles campaigning and unilateral nuclear disarmament, CND must build on the ant misteralist feeldeepen unilateralist ing. That is the trend in any case. weekend CND meets in conference The opinion polls in Britain and throughout Europe show the arrival of the missiles have not demobilised opposition The time has come to buil on the gains already made to extend opposition Cruise to the fight agains Trident, US nuclear bases the British Bomb and the warmongers' alliance NATO.
With these tasks ahead CND need neither a retreat on policy nor a retreat on the organisallulla front.
The most determined camDalecis for unilateralisn in Labour CND, Youth CND and among the womens be championed, should championed not repressed and witch hunted.
Photomontage Loraine Lees ON 11 DECEMBER thousands of women will descend on the missile base at Greenham Common for the "Sound around Greenham'.
Spots and pans and anything else that makes a noise, the women will surround the base as
Both last year's chain of women round Greenham and this year's demonstration will be on the anniversary of the 12 December 1979 NATO decision to site the missiles in
After Heseltine's threat to shoot women who get into the base, 11 December will show that the women at Greenham are just part of a giant army of women against the missiles.
← Socialist Action No. 35, 25 November 1983Socialist Action No. 37, 9 December 1983 →