Socialist Challenge No. 174, 27 November 1980
The scan: sc-n174-nov-27-1980.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
Challenge As unemployment soars to 2, 162,874 THATCHER'S
KICK OUT THE TORIES
MESSAGE TO THE JOBLESS
to beat the
Socialist But Gardner's show the way
dole - see p3
Polish Solidarity,
against railway
and
No.174
STOP PRESS!
AS WE go to press, it has been announced that the
workers union, has called
Wednesday. The strike is
the detention printer Jan Norozniak, seized in a raid on the union headquarters
The strike comes at the Sane meS Soviet Union has warned Polish
workers against their strike action. The conflict between the workers
the bureaucracy escalating; the danger of a
27 November 1980 20p
POLAND
Baltic Sea IN REVOLT Russian invasion is growing
Next week Socialist Challenge reports in full on Poland's new crisis.
Page 2 scan of this page
Squeezing the poor until they
CENTRAL AMERICA'S young revolutions are reaching a crunch point. In Nicaragua the Sandinista government faces a showdown with the bosses after suppressing the first serious military uprising against it. In El Salvador, amid growing rumours of a coup from the right, a new and all-embracing opposition movement has been formed.
Evidence of the attempt to coordinate a military overthrow of the Nicaraguan government began to emerge aner une deal or an uportant businessman, Jorge Salazar, in a shootout with security forces. Salazar was shot dead as a gun-running operation was discovered by police.
Two other important leaders of
bleed
By Pat Kane IT WAS 'Black Monday' for millions of working people throughout Britain.
Chancellor Howe's budget shows the desperation of the Tories as the economic crisis bites.
Almost will suffer through this budget:
the ployed, the sick and infirm
lose through cuts welfare benefits.
If you are lucky enough to have a job the Tories will oc cal us you all averare
week extra through national insurance contributions. Flourish
With local authorities planning huge rate rises of 30-40 per cent to
government cuts, the Tories robbing working pay the effects ot the bosses economic Cosis
Howe's policies will im-
ployment. His measures wil
Lousas or retances to been ounced this we
industries, Calisc cousallis
THE TORY
hardship.
maintain the profits of the rich.
Chancellor Howe has
government in 1971.
married couple will lose £1.31 a week
year.
Not everyone suffers from Tory cuts. Sir Robert Mark,
And there
banks £268 a week in his retirement.
has to do the same.
It was the
government.
Socialist Challengo 27 Novembe
Howe's mini-budget
¡caundancies in steel, mining, and the railway.
Howe announced monday that
was sticking to the new DCI COll pay poncy Tor moe onoic sector This would give the averag worker earning tol a week a rise or week. creased rates, national insurance and cuts other will lear worse off.
The small minority of wealthy DCUDIC Wild OWIl
from Tory from interest pald bi the public sector. Bank Dro reaching all-time records.
While the National Health Sevice collapses, for LIC Del Solse i Mararer natcher's Tory Britain the rulers get richer and working people pay the bill. Unite
Anger mounting policies needed maintain this crazy system. As the anger grows look after their friends There will be for the cent penice, the military. policy for or the Tories have already LIC unice pay rises In to months,
mini-budget has condemned millions of pensioners to another winter of
As prices and inflation rocket, the Tories had decided to rob the old in order to
axed the guaranteed inflation-proof pension introduced by the Heath
The decision will mean that single pensioners will lose 81p a week, amounting to £42. 12 a year.
£68.12 a
ex-Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has had a rise in his pension of £67, bringing it to £478 a week. Sir John Hunt, former secretary to the Cabinet, had a weekly rise in his pension of f48, taking it up to £342 a week.
was a 138 rise for Sir William Pile, former chief of the Inland Revenue, who now
The upper class knows how to look after its own elderty, and the working class novement
trade unions and Labour Party which fought for the wolfare state. The best way to support the pansioners is to kick out Thatcher's
Reagan victory
COSEP, the employers' organisation in Nicaragua, have been subsequently arrested and accused of attacking state security. Both developments occurred after COSEP representatives had walked out of the governing Council of State claiming political persecution.
Skirmishes with right-wing forces have been going on in the northern regions of the country. Nicaraguan capitalists have gained confidence after
75 per cent wage hike.
The Tories back bench was shocked to Howe only increase defence spen£200m not t500m by generals.
The labour movement is beginning to fight back see the victory at • a victory clal siallets uc myla tual it is mooss oe to fight the dole queue The Fire Brigades Union
is challenging,
Opel TUC/Labour Party naison committee nas called for a week of action against unemploymen wic liew ycal. ford workers nave relected manatemert s derisory nine per cent pay offer anger working people has to be organised ana allace Ine Tory government change policies, but after 18 months
Editorial
Revolution in Central America
reaches high point after
Guatemala of Tory rule it should be clear to everyone that That-
poncies that actena working people.
The November demonstration in Liverpoo
Galle the
Labull ralLY Call mobilise tens of thousands of people against the Tories.
There is a special Labour Party Janent that
dill
recalled plan action against the government.
Unity
always the strength of the labou movement, and it is needed now. We need action the Tories. and that means 101 strike lo effective sweep the Tories genera
from office and return a Labour government.
Reagan's electoral victory and statements from his advisers that they would cut off aid to the Sandinista •overnment are esume do to tac redd tionary governments of El Salvador and
The US-backed government in El Salvador is now receiving so-called 'non-lethal' aid from the White House, but has carried torward a prooramme of mass killings against the workers and
THATCHER surrounded by friends
rise from Thatcher's government. THE conference of the Fire Brigades Union decided last week on a policy of one-day strikes throughout the country to achieve their 18.8 per cent pay demand. ine rou is ine tirst Vic tim of the government's new six Price non tearowill meet employers
forces.
America and the Caribbean.
The police had a 75 per cent index-linked, pay
Firefighters prepare to
fight the Tories
thent rel hed afieh ene las.
strike. Under this the
1o.o per cent pay rise Torie are also preparing for action I to force their pay policy. are toesne minary per sonel to break the strike action. Special training is nov being gIven over soldiers, and alternative fire services are ocing prepared During Ine last strike the winter 1977-78 the army assisted by members of th wallona ASSOCKLIO rue urncers, wno arecice
peasants. A recent military drive into the liberated zones was repelled by the fierce resistance of the forces organised by the Faribundo Marti National Libera. tion Front (FMLN) who now unite all the groups fighting against the junta.
The growing weakness of the military junta's position has provoked a spate of terrorist outrages carried out by the extreme right with backing from the police and army. Rumours of a coup continue to persist and have been confirmed by members of the junta themselves, who are using it to justify the need for direct intervention by US
All of these developments point to the need for the British labour movement to add its voice to the growing support for the revolutions of Central
Ford try a
Leyland
By Mick Drake FORD management have taken a leaf out of Michael Edwardes book in their response to their workers' 1980 wage claim.
They have dismissed the claim - for increase: of £15-17.50 week grades, snorter nours — as total. ly unrealstic making as me or is making a cash-onli er ot 7.5 per cent. The claim ma concedino the
risk the future Ford This after record profits of £386m in 1979 face Choice belted on jobs, speed-up demarcation and 'disci pline' in 1981, or to take a Ford workers smashed ment's 5 per cent norm in Laboul aovern
and can the company's with clear rejection of the over by ine nationa union leaders mass meetings i the plants. and all-out strike action one un can now operations. The association is due to meet this week, and
opposing the Tory pay limit The TUC has backed the dispute • immediate sull lias wee be wasn of the GLC Staffs Associa
operate with troops who use their • communications network Once the firefighters be in the Tore roni fight against pay restraint. They will be Irom sections
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GARDNERS
Organising for victory
ONE key to revealed by Tom such support for militant action was communication'.
stewards' meeting in followed by sectional meetings.
plains: 'If a steward doesn't go workforce and they see him or hit once every 12 months, they'll tell the stewards to piss off when they call for action.
By Pete Clifford AFTER seven weeks of occupation
Gardner's diesel engine factory in Eccles, Manchester, have won.
it: 'We took them to the cleaners. Someone had to show the Tories that they can't get away with it.'
Gardner's now stands as a model tor the whole trade union movement. In answer to the millions who are on the dole or facing shorttime it shows the way forward.
The climbdown from management came at ine
end last week when 1t
demand for an immediate 590
said from Cis. allu
Alon next ycal a vuluilal. recumency WOUIL
operate.
If this does not achieve 590 redundancies by
1981, sentenci Illallast
ment will review une posi
tion We've proved that you
can beat a multi-national,
says. maters SHOD stewaru
Kevin Coen. "They of 590 Pos redundancy, osition of picking
in-
Cue Luc convenor, to no
entorcea reaundancies
"They intended to smash
the unions to make more
money. We've proved the
were stronger than Example
badges worn
Gardner's workers declared
La siu
gan that has inspired thous
anas or labour #novemen
organisations throughout
the country to lend
support
irom a trickle of mone
in the first few weeks,
IcVICs
factorieinihen
factories started ic
pour in.
Aware than met cocker
in Liverpool and workers in
industries preboycott all
Involvement was also in-
creasing within the dispute
with up to 500 workers com-
una late the
tory morang
were involved in the delega-
despatched nation-
wide to raise support.
the success at Gardner's is
Macafee: 'What brought
Every fortnight prior to the strike there was a
work time, immediately
Mike Smethurst, a Gardner's apprentice, ex-
hack to the
•WE FOUGHT
against redundancies, workers at the
This is how convenor Tom Macafee puts
strongly organised chester. Union organisation 21 tones lac HOL DIC viously been divided by accepting redundancies redundancies were announced in response to a per can ware call Management said were down and a crisis faced the company I CL evidence flew hack in their race. ror you.
Hawker profits will be an estimated £120m diesel engines are valias world. when had to climb down last week it admitted that it wanted many tried everyne posses thing to break The latos. from placing the militants on in over ind head ist, on the redundancy and stake holding talks
full-time union officials.
They called in the Bishop the Electoral Reform Edwardes-style ballot about a halot - al overse reac of the unions.
Coen Tories had got it could have a Tee day. Emplovers using the recession to take a hammer to the unions, and nine times out of ten they are getting away Will It.
Now people have got to say: What about Gardner's. torious, of confidence. we wort de messca about again. I hope outers will
'That organisation at management wanted to break!
picketing, and more besides.
volve people as much as we could,' counts.
were actively involved,
committee.
AND
WE WON'
follow our example. We had
you can't fight. We've prov
aromer's workers are
going back stronger than
before. Mick
methurst,
prentices
strike, says: ' We've won on
battle. Now we have to wir
une war.
other places to organise for
someone from Gardner's to
tell them how we did it, and
why to give them some
The message from Gard-
ner's to Thatcher
and her friends is simply put
Kevin 'We Wall
other workers to say
not going to be made redun.
Gardner's example.
Home News
Gardner's was what
During the seven-week dispute the stewards set up committees for everything: delegations for
entertainments, running the canteen,
'Instead of just sitting around we tried to in-
Mike re-
Several hundred of the 2,400-strong workforce
although the dispute could have been stronger with an elected strike
For Gardner's workers there is one problem they won't face back at work, and that's a shortage of candidates for the shop steward elections.
THE delegation and fundraising committees at Gardner's were the centre of activity in the They sent groups of Gard ner's workers all over the country to raise support.
Tens of thousands of pounds were collected. organised in five districts of the Engineering Union union involved in the dispute and in many factories When the victory came, the oc-
From Leicester IMG TASS and APEX members at Hawker Siddeley's brush and switchxeur plant in Loughborough were told by management 13 November that the company requires 30 compulsory redundancies.
The white-collar workers are considering strike action to oppose these redun-
The £ and p of solidarity
cupation had cheque for
occupation. £5,000 from
London.
workers inclusives
Levies were being mittees around Britain.
the main
Hawker hunts more redundancies
danceSs and APEX members at the plant supporte the Gardner's sil-in by col lecting money.
The AUEW's engineering section has been ting names of volunteers early retirement and volunrenanda Although Loughborough district committee the AUEW
the occupation locally.
GARDNER
GARDNER & SONS LTD just received £1,000 from Upper Clyde Shipbuilders and a pledge of
La power station in
Much of this financial support was fought for by the Gardner's
They found tremendous enthusiasm at union branches and shop steward com-
Kevin Coen says: 'We won this strike without a lot of help from the AUEW head office. They even messed us about with our f9 a week strike pay. It was one thing
Because the plant makes parts for Hawker Siddeley's Harrier jump iets and cen turian tanks, a supply shor. tage would be highly embar rassing to the government.
VER & SONS LTD
Dhoto, Kavin Coen
771
Photo. Kevin Coen
getting the dispute made official,
another getting the bloody money out of them.
Gardner's workers were lucky. Their union organisation was good and the company had orders in jority on the working class, it mey Kevin Coen again: could see the union leaders supporting their struggles, it would be different. The union officials have to show a lead from the top. We could have done a lot more if
Party leaders had come behind us." Socialist Challenge 27 November 1980 Page 3
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'We need national instructions for action' - Welsh steelworkers
By Celia Pugh
MINERS and steel workers joined other trade unionists in a lobby of the TUC nationalised industries committee in Cardiff 17 November.
udine wales The 150 lobbyers - in-
deles NU M from the South lodges ana une miniers excculive. the Llanwern and Port Talbot steel action groups
Hilarly - demanded that the wontcal vi ballisa LOns
industrial action on jobs.
rhi Tuls also
conferen prepare plans for
Carl Timbrell,an Elec.
• Union member the vorT group explained: 'It's unprintable what I could : about this nationalised in. anstres commutee. Power
urine ine seer daoure they did all in their power to block strike action for jobs.
to call for national strike ac.
Il S avonl and did time Someore coo mo something about getting this government out
'WICOll the South Wale ecutive, backed this up:
! don't agree with the
J/ UlL the Wales TUC. Our movement has it. traditions. WOnT start a fight it has to mean strike action.
An open letter from the orsamsers ul uc lobuy. uir Lianwern stee acuol group, spelt out unese demands. SO did a letter from Plaid Cymru which tories should be encouraged lo vacupy luci worn piales Lobby
The nationalised dustries committee finally agreed to meet a delegation rom te loooy. Moss avans chairperson of the committee, • sai d:
the pash, nially national
decisions nave been Tooweo [rougn ov the We can discuss whether the
leadership or the membership.
'But now say
Call action jos wnere mere Is
the leadership will ne behind
We will give you maximum support.
later press con-
Al a ference, om: Appeara retterateo inis position:
Goverment
ground. suade people through logic ano persuasion, uhen must through in-
But then came the rub *This industrial action will nol be inalea nanonalry but from below, Evans ad. Members
Speaking on behalf of the lobby delegation, Tom
Lyons, Union branch serielal from Port i alvol rebnice seems inar vou are savin: that if the members
then you will do nothing.
Socialist Challenge 27 November 1980
The dole heaps
of Wales
How unemployment in Wales has grown and grown October 1979: 85,400 out of work
9,500 job vacancies
October 1980: 129,000 out of work
4,400 job vacancies
unemployed
:Unemployment figures are for October 1
'issued by the Department of (Un)Employ-
ment. The average unemployment rate for Bri
tain in that month was 8.5
'The difficulties we face insa e me niends ire cremer because no positive lead has come TUC We
national
national con trene pcne vy etnas comerences necueu prentre ground for strike action.'
A subsequent meeting of lobbyers considered the out CollIC meeting with the TUC com- delegation
mittee. Davies, chairperson of the Lianwerr allull remarked:
We are in a stronger posi. tion after today.
achieved something through our lobby. We can now go back to 'THE rumoured closure of a steel plant in South Wales would be devastating for Welsh pits,' said a miners' leader last week..
This was the Don Hayward, administrative otticer, to representatives of the Llanwern steel action group.
Earlier this year, the British Steel Corporation stopped WASA ROKN• COC Cllo or••o steel plant. A cut of almost a third in Welsh coking coal followed.
These are the harsh facts behind the unity now building up between steelworkers The joint lobby of the TUC held this month was just a start. underway C••ll meetings, demonstrations, newsletters.
Miners and steelworkers are both campaigning for national industrial action against pit and steel closures.
Page 4
Unemployment rate 7.9%
9,995 school levers
LAMPETER our plants and say that any action we take will ville the backing of the We beşinning of the year. couldn't that the The Port Talbot action group and NUM represen. latves agreea wiin Inis but to Moss F Evans' that ; decid • they don" vant action then today's decision will be ingless', Carl Timbrell add. ed: 'We must now turn to the steel unions' leaders and make sure that they take a lead for industrial action against redundancies.
Unity moves between Welsh
miners and steelworkers
message given by
South Wales NUM ried out.
pits are axed. the of
president production are shut.
and miners in Wales. and against
Firefighters Talks are more joint and
Welsh
Fight for Jobs
SHOTTON, ex-steel town: 14.6% out of work a rural area: 7o vUL OI WOrK EBBW VALE: 16.7% out PORT TALBOT, OT WOrk STeR TOvvT, 12.7% out of work
CARDIFF
TOMMY LYONS, Electricians' Union branch secretary, Port Talbot steel plant: 'We know the steel and coal industries won't last another three years of 1 ruicet. target has to be lo ger na of me lorg government Even if the TUC choose a different target Tories' minds, they will one ury lo chance ure still need industrial action.
Vothing else will have an enece.
Ten Welsh pits are threatened with closure in the next 12 months, with a job loss of 7,600. The South Wales NUM executive has a clear mandate from miners for strike action as soon as these threats are car-
Yorkshire NUM executive is campaigning for the same response from its members if the eight Yorkshire
Arthur Scargill, Yorkshire NUM
estimates that 25,000 pit jobs could disappear in Britain in the next two and a half years as 50 pits
Waterworkers in Wales are planning strike action for a 35-hour week
Tory wage restraint. civi servants are joining their English and Scottish sisters and brothers in strike action to break the 6 per cent pay norm.
Despite setbacks earlier this year,
workers are rebuilding their confidence to take on the Tories with united industrial action.
action against closures
ISTC Conference: More Closures or a
national Fightback
Patrick Sikorski THERE were a lot of empty seats at the annual conference of the steel union, the ISTC, held at
IDRIS JONES lodge secretary of the threatened Ty Mawr Pit:
'We've had nothing boswve wrom me nanona TUC and now we're calling for action National demo. are okay, but they are not enouen. h renerar strike bs wre we weed. GM
RAY DAVIES, ISTC Lianwern steel action group:
'Demonstrations are magic but the Tories have a majority in parlament. nicaron treere tas 10 rpact.
"The main defence of the rade ini clas s action by trade unions. dockers showed that with men natone strike uredt. We want this sort of action from the TUC
RON SAINT, South Wales NUM executive:
'The miners of South Wales have We will strike against pit crusures . ine ones wre d tacking us on every front
, cuts,
social security benefits, the lot.
'We have to take them : on. If the ball has to start rolling somewher we'll start it in South Wales, , but then the TUC must take a lead and make it national.
LYNE VALLEY JOINT LODGES
IDIS15 OUR ORNECINE
WELSH miners on the march - alongside steelworkers, they want national industrial
Congress House last Saturday.
They snolle na ve been filled by delegates representing the 50,000 steelworkers who have fost tai oos luis vodr
resoonst from
executive JUI IU fTal
wanted industrial Curthe the
of closures job loss,
say
Sirs half so. SICH „tne
the end OT a rally an STO in normal year
the ex
strike ex-
to week-long
COTTO TAST branches forced executive to hold ference lasted just
noUrS hae
wunduuilcu, • uelegaler
a fighting alternative •TO save 25,000 jobs
still theatened as a result of the ocal Common Market •teer aoreemen …The D'Avignon and
Corporate due for publication on 12 December
ISTC
hay Lavs dll brancr secretary TrOm Lianwern and a supporter of the Llanwern Steel Ac
Group, 'end to isolationism and a national neutoack now BILL SIRS - not as sick as some
The dockers had shown the way, he said. When 178 were threaten.
Liverpool redundancy they had replied with national strike call
can't hide behind the skirts of the TUC look to pariament or the
Ray added EC havins to ei ht This
having been put into office must take on we responsibilities of leader-
and autorise national industria Swansea Socialist Printing Co-op against any further job lUs: Delegate Corby from
Scotland, and
Workingtor spoke spreci.
favnur of thi
delegates ITl•ibane unred execuuve members Cano two tul. time officials signed
Steel Action
Group national steelworkers petition carne tor te eec tve committee the steel
teps to ca
Play plans this industrial action, and
oreanist camoalen throughout the plants :to win support from the membership
Page 5 scan of this page
Planning action against the cuts
Policies to fight the cuts
The great
benefits
robbery
By Alison Cooptr
DEMONSTRATIONS
were held last Monday
all over the country to
protest against
massive cuts in social
security payments in-
troduced the Sonne
day.
Inese cuts are the result
of two recent Acts of parlia-
ment threaten
the
staff. One million. eight By Vanessa Wiseman President, Lambeth Trades Council DELEGATES from all over the country came to the first meeting of the steering committee elected by the Lambeth anti-cuts conference earlier this month.
They decided on a plan of activity to follow on from the success of the conference.
The 6 per cent wage limit was seen as yet another attack on local government services. With strict cash limits being imposed by the Tories, there are even fewer options open to workers and councillors who want to maintain services and jobs.
Michael Heseltine has now postponed the date for the announcement of the new rate support grant, which determines the levels of local government subsidy from Westminster. Rush
It was December, but is now delayed until some time in January. It gives local authorities even less time to plan action against cuts, and right-wing councils will use this as an excuse to make cuts. The delav will force councils to rush the preparation of their budgets, and in the rush cuts will be made.
postponement cides with the special Labour Party local
conference December by the party executive in order to divert support from the Lambeth conference.
The Tories will be watching the 'official' cuts conference decides to organise any fightback. steering committee will be sending Ted Knight, leader of Lambeth Labour council ON 1 November, hundreds of delegates from all over the country attended the one-day conference called by Lambeth Labour Party and trade unions to plan action against Tory cuts in local government.
After wide-ranging ascussIon. the conlerence voted resolutions and amendments.
the policy stalculcul conterence
The statement outlines the action needed from both
conculors lo save toos and services:
'Specifically, Labour councils and should undertake..
hundred and five thousand claimants will be worse off through delaying the date oi the annual increase weeks.
LIzom will be cul from the social security budget.
Other measures include
cutting strikers, and only intr
only increasing SICKness. an.5 pry cent instead of 16.5 benefit per meation. cent, the estimated rate 1 ne demonstators
cluded unemployed, , retired,
sick and disabled claimants
and the
service unions. This signiticant
calmants ano
service workers.
Lambeth steering committee
policy.
due to be announced on 4
alone. ironically coin- will
Labour
called for 6 and
possible,
to see it
The Lambeth
Room mustn't happen to Lambeth.
*no cuts in jobs or services. with act about.
OSUO plementary rate increases this financial year.
*no sales council
MIIFETH LIFE ON A VORK
DESERVES sT
PENSION OR PENSION! to argue that the rest of the movement should adopt the same fighting policies as the Lambeth conference.
Liverpool demonstration
Saturday will be an ideal opportunity to win support for the Lambeth positions. The steering committee has agreed to produce a leaflet to publicise the policies needed to fight cuts. We hope to be able to produce an anti-cuts newsletter. Stand
Action against the cuts has to have the support TO Co CounCes and local and national trades unionists.
Lambeth manual unions have taken a firm stand. They are planning two weeks of strike action aimed against the Tories. They hope that this will coincide with any
pay especial there
especially if the Union is on strike.
Ted Knight, along with other Labour council leaders has to maintain a determined stand against cuts. Lambeth is at the forefront of the anti-cuts fight, and the steering committee wants to make sure that Ted Knight is not left to stand
The date set for the recall conference is 17 January. We want it to be a working
plan against the Tories and with any section of the public sector fighting back.
Unlike the last conference,
be open to delegates from local Party wards, industrial unions, shop stewards committees. want it to be the broadest conference
to make sure that the Tory plans for the public sector are stopped once and for all.
Credentials are available from: Local Government in Crisis, Steering Committee,
103, Lambeth Town Hall, Hill, London SW2 IRW.
CLAY CROSS UDC
WILL VOT
EMENTTHE
Clay Cross fought last Tory government alone - the same
houses land, with Lampelt ame an omer coun cils reversing their decisions to sell houses TO WOrK with local antiCULD colestlee and • to oulia u• Loca support among residents; *to introduce a 35-hour week for all employees...
Home News
BUtE BELAD
NOT FLOWERS&TEARS
WHEN NE HRE DEND
HIGHER PENSIONS From the PROFE A DECENT ON NO INCREASE
INTERUTIO this cent pay Brigades action
this one
We Brixton TED KNIGHT
(Report)
Photo: Peter Harrap
ACT
'A campaign against the cuts can best be effectively the stance by local councils takuncom promising stand coverimen policies, with the support of trade unionists in the public and defend jobs and
'Where Labour councillors carry . out Labour parties should fight
those who are not prepared to make cuts..
The conference voted
'Trade that: unionists should consider..
Lo-pealt with
nev seas anon. tor examaore une sale or council nouses, and to take strike action against
*refusing with management wheneve culs are invoived
* once accr
threatened. could clude withdrawal operation, union meelings in working hours walk-outs and oc cupations of premises
*no crossing I pickel ines..
*no cover for vacancies and campaign voluntary redundancies and lialll d. waslanc...
Sheffield Labour Party
votes to sell houses
By Rab Bird, AUEW
130 delegates, was overwhelming.
What decided the meeting was the announce-
of astrict to or ine contedera tion Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions which
represents 50,000 workers, that there was no
support on the shopfloor to fight the sales at this time
Fi nere Dresser and mousing services, housing ing overtime and ignt ior a shorter working week
*Non co-operation with the introduction
*refusal to deal with increased charges.
In so mp ment these ference voted to 'establish a policies, Cull
steerin committed organise a svstematio cam paign to win support for ac
exchange and disseminate informalion on tac acuon be
movement organisations
details trade unions and Laboul make the commitments called for by this conference
should be mandated to call a
ConnerencE organise action in support penalised by
LOCa government crisis steering committee Room
Lambeth Brixton
Socialist Challenge
ON the advice of the district Labour Party in Sheffield, the city council has decided to sell council houses. Support for this proposal at the district meeting, which was attended by
Sheffield. But une runs Labour group has prefere
listen district Labour Party than get into the factories and fin
Ical mood on unt shopfloor.
Sector
When the Gardner's worKers they received massive sup
port from every / sector
the labour movement. The raised thousands of pounds
SHODHOO collections he main the gineer fall
engineering fac tories.
For many, the Gardner's occupation represented the front-line the fight
against redundancie With
all sal ol
bullaing new nouses, tne el
fects of the cuts are becom ing in seasingly obviou ste Labour Part and h linking
• Sheffield S00iIOUl alre the new Labour Party fac tory branches These have been set up in three of the
ine cily
Plans are under way to establish a branch for coun cil workers, and another for the local hospitals
can be far more than simply discus sion recruiting gr One of the first ensure that they are represented or
general committees and the district bring workplaces issues into the heart of the party. Defeat
The factory branches will need to play a vital role in bringing the fight against
the day, power that will defeat the
Photo: Ted
5,000
march for
Stormer
Eileen
Crosbie
By Roger Tanner FIVE thousand teachers from all over England and Wales demonstrated in Nottingham last week to demand the reinstatement of Eileen Crosbie.
Eileen Wal sacked in January TO1 refusing
nursery class with more than the recommend. ed number of pupils.
The demonstration, call-
Ivanona Teachers, showed strength of feeling
and for the take a militant stand agains‹ cuucallon culpalks
execute organised a ballot Nottinghamshire
allow extensive action in the new vear
Members of the union's executive committee did no
onvince their members tha
lo such achon VIOLOR tne executive are from all areas demanding that they support the Nott
27 November 1980 Page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
Arms race- US the odds on favourite
Democracy and the bomb
MISSILES:
TITAN MINUTEMAN
POSEIDON TRIDENT MARGARET Thatcher and company, along with Bill Rodgers and his friends, say we need nuclear weapons to defend our democratic way of life. Yet the 'Mother of Parliaments' did not have a single discussion on nuclear weapons from 1964 to 1980.
Not that nothing was happening in those years; frantic
ing place, and Britain itself Won steadily lacicasing military expenditure.
The last Labour government actually boosted military commitment in real terms by three cent in response to a request from
In 1973, Tory premier Edward Heath personally authorised the Chevaline'
This modernising the nuclear warheads on Britain's Polaris missiles. When Heath was swept out of office in 1974, Labour inherited the programme.
Later Callaghan, Healey, Owen, and Mulley together and agreed to sanc-
13,000
Hiroshimas
THE Home Office planners
that a nuclear attack
on Britain today would in-
volve ut 19,000
equivalent to about
bombs of the type dropped
on nosuma bomb killed
888T people.
Women had still birthsand
thousands of people were
driven mad
were at least
6,500 A-Bomb orphans.
Socialist Challenge 27 November 1980
the Second
ticians media tinually the Soviet might.
They frightening picture peace-loving. keop
HaCK
find any
Ever
the Hiroshim
NAPOLARIS
started on 1945, the US
atomic
In 1946,
dropped,
weapons nee will permit them to shoot,
to death.
Its Defence Secretary
Francis Pym in the its cockpit of a Tor-
nado fighter
tion Chevaline at a cost of one thousand million This was a decision fiance of policy so no one told
Cabinet, the House of Commons, the Labour ecutive, or the British people
The money spent was hid den from public view by civil servants performing patriotic duty got circles they call it fiddling the books.
Parliament had no more maison the queste isi Cruise missiles. decision locate this weapon in Britain was taken at a NATO meeting 1979. ON Brussels
24 January 1980 a hapless House of Commons was informed of NATO's ore-Xmas gift and first time, of the Chevaline program old
old Sunday teacher used God works it strange and insist
mysterious ways'• So, sumably, does parliamentary democracy; its defence volves measures including the sup pression of facts.
As the Tory Euro-MP, Mr
Page 6
SINCE the end of
World War, capitalist poli-
and their have conwarned of buildup of military
have painted a
demoto stay just ahead of the Soviet nu This idea of a neck-
PARA ludicrous, and you won't
bookie lay. a price against the
first atomic bombs wiped out
populations and Nagasaki the Russians have trailed warheads. well behind the Western than powers in nuclear capa- 'conventional
IL LOUR
Hiroshima, Tuciodi 6 August when perfect its until dramatically an.
WOre behino
that it had perfected an
bomb and was hydrogen bomb fully prepared to use it the two bombs had been yBar
the Soviet Union had neither atomic
Army had nothing more advanced ON THIS page BOB PENNINGTON shows how the ruling class defends democracy with the aid of nuclear weapons, and how draconian laws
undemocratic people who object to being fried
pounds. It looks in deLabour the bad
Party ex- "I THINK what we have to tell pants off them. are asking concillors to entheir visage is other cepting it.
Bernard Partgridge, the cil's public services mittee. November 1978.
Scott-Hopkins 12 December plains, you can not tell people wilal a nucical war Involve. otherwise there would be 'unwarranted panic'. for the Lord Belstead, boss of civil defence affairs at the school that defending cratic right peoples to
nuclear holocaust has to take pre- second place money. He rejects the idea of in- national
undemocratic because it would cost 'billions
and billions and billions of pounds'.
Instead he favours spend-
Nukes
Military balance:
missiles and warheads
Same number of missiles - but not of
'tactical and particulal weapons the Soviet own atomic 1949 entry device the
again the exploded the years to catch up that one.
In 1960 the US oroduc USSR
nuclear-powered Polaris submarine, which
equipped with developing stic missile 1200 ns urich males. of deployed
miles. around took the Soviet Union un fend the til 1980 to catch up in this
SuOTL out of hand, those says,
diet ROBIN will scare the What we February o appalling that
Brook- running chairperson of would have
Greater London Coun-
regional Everybody whitewash who is WIau jackets
Home Office feels that
demosurvive tect and Survive. saving
shelter system concerned
10 individually USA warheads miles
with a warheads 3,810 British USSR warheads weapons the •Now missile is
USSR missiles capable USA missiles to strike
cheap. The being
cost less In 1968 the USA intro. Cabil Tual tank. vente en which increases of targets missile can hit.
Dovers oUB. This with the US strategic same year the forces did sneak the lead MOrC 19/s rigure masses and called
• Moscow capital. Within a He also looks at the 'Arms Race' and insists that all the evidence shows that the USA has led that 'contest' from pillar to post. As Pennington
no sane bookie would quote you odds against the US winning.
cinder.
Your new
during peroa
Mead vic Civil Aid told a press conference in
1978: '...after attack would have to take wha they could get. If you saw a granting
about to get rido radha d wash tive dust, cook it and eat
will
ing an extra £18m to provid. deep shelters for central and
the government. else has to These their windows, around their people heads and make sure the gas and electricity is turned off -mesures recommended in the Home Office pamphlet Pro-
The state has made - in secret - careful preparations deep shelters to look after democracy in the event of a nuclear war. It is
about troublemakers who might have some objection to being burnt to a
as militarily ineffective.
In 1970 the USA turned out the MIRV, a multi ple warhead that enable:
selected targets as far apart as 10
At the latest count the USA leads the arms race
total of 8,870 to Russia's When you add ir and French
lead stretches even further.
the Cruise arriving on the
metres, OT flying under radar and therefore
without warn.
relatively siles
0,000
Ten po to tombe planes with 20 long-range
each by the midwilcrease the total killing power of
than 100 over factor
then the SOnuclear race will have turned into a procession.
Clearly you cannot have
tnese people causing trouble . so the state has tiven long warning'
itself the power to take over
all news services.
In the last 48 to 24 hours , the power
over to local commissioners,
them dictatorial
authority, including the right
to execute people.
The regional authorities operate through the
police and military to make
sure that the local population
does its democratic duty. If
neea arises. they will
resort to weapons.
measures are
designed to make sure that
can't take
against the threat of a nuclear
Rio se mabie to vent theil if a war does take
when they emerge from theil
Of course the people who
will run the news services, and
the commissioners who will
hand out the death sentences,
will not be elected. These last-
S5-18
MISSILES
SS-19 55-17
No comment
'HYSTERICAL exchanges
гелисси HOme
communee l › a shambles,
said Mr Bob Tufton
veteran of two world wars.
'I told the meeting that it
was our job to explode the
mvin inet ine country would
• destroyed in a nuclear
holocaust. calculations
• population
Suffolk would survive.
"The started
when Miss Flitch said tha
no provision had been made
for chemical toilets She
reckoned need
about 8000 chemical toilet:
This produced some rent une norme
way
jeering from the defeatist
element on the
one of whom asked what we
would do when 100,000 con
taminute. Londoner
pourea ,our village. I
said that this Jigure
most unreliable considerin
Probable ratality
nule
they would be shot.
'Bob Tufton
lunatic. said Mr Georg
Williams coun-
cillor 'What we need is a
one-day survival semina
But we could not
anything because all
plans are secret
• From the 'Sussex ExApril
Quoted Christopher
Logue in 'Private Eye
ditch defenders of democracy will be upper class thugs, ap. pointed by the rulng class and responsible to the ruling Cas cult
The only choice we wil have - it we allow them to have their way. — will be to be blown to smithereens nuclear war or, if we survive that, to be shot by some stateappointed killer for protesting too hard about our fate.
Page 7 scan of this page
Socialists
and
Poland
HAVE • LuThed COCAIST Cantande because the
Marxist Group seems to have a more rational outlook than eithei
Party or the Communist
But I am not clear on your aruitude to Poland.
must suboon free trade unions, at least
what are the Polish strikers demanding? Apbarony wages
more The shops. But how will higher wages put more food in the shops?
Obviousiv it is neces.
Teoroanise agriculture on socialist lines, but nobody demands that.
matters worse, it appears
demanding religious
in caucation Sorood, TACT children should be brought up to believe in
father-ruled by mily. ordained
This position wald clear.
divorce contraception, no abortion. Catholic Church like B, in spite ottone menace, spite of the active participation ot in-
tionary activity
These mont of on the achievement
tive, would send women back into the home to dominated by
long-expected Russian Invaders
think that wither great writing)
Invade now Tar ine cover union believes the 'free world'
fingers into the Polist
The USSR cannot atford to have the enemy on its very frontiers Today it is, in the in danger attack trom cast and west.
Is the Soviet Union a sPry world force The progressive
answer this question, and neither
CP. 0088 van IMG answer it?
Yours for socialist unity KATHLEEN JONES, Shrewsbury
Building a
popular
women's
movement
I AM accused by Esther Saraga being 'wholly neave about me scavites of the women's liberation
Women's Aid and with the Ton oI
National A DOTTOR Campaign (letters, 6 Nov).
My article was directed towards women's hoeration mell as a whole. ll was an attempt to raise some questions about the success of the feminist current.
I think Esther's response
LOUI
Jane Mascist was important encouraging women to fight
particularly during irunwick strike, would maintain that it had a sectanan towards the Anti Nazi League and this contributed towards its demise.
Likewise on Ireland the WOrK L1al women's movement involved around has
› BELL's nit-picking (Letters, Nov) over Skip Lazlo's interviow with percussionist Max Roach is reminiscent of something that has bedevilled the British music press
What it boils down to. is a continual white whine: 'the niggers ain't playing it (or saying it) the way they used to'.
Far from being 'incoherent rubbish', Roach's brief statements are
and overdue in the left press which, incidentally, general. ly reflocts this conspiracy to ignore the process of African-American art music.
But more importantly, мивісталь nave aevotoo so much of their life to political Roach has been continually at the been vital highlighting
but some women have dismissed the significance or idio withdrawal here in Britain.
Woman about Ireland that Esther have one article explaining
wildlawai wa somerina BrITISH women could fight for now.
Socialist feminism has to avoid falling
Liar IUI concentratin consciousness within the movement as an alternative popular movement for
Jazz: the music of
democracy
13 forefront of black struggle, and to
castigate him as a 'loonie' because he uses the word democracy way your correspondent fails recognise, does great disservice to an individual whose radical stance is a matter of record.
grasp music's history obscured some of doWd
Roach's comments, space probably accounted for his failure to put in context what the drummer said Holiday's 'Lady in Satin'.
album was cut fow was a snadow order tormer solt, it
regarded by listoners alike as one of her classic recordings. As a reflection of the Max Roach in action
women's liberation.
Feminists have had the Si cals impact when they
sion; abortion and battered
examples tallure understand this
SOCIETIS feminists turn their backs on the problems of building a popular vial me dresen economic climate - and instead adopt
insular approach. This
my point in writing the article.
VALERIE COULTAS, Birmingham
Letters
way America
In a to Music personal
do aban True, Lazlo's rather inaccurate word) 'Jazz'
COLOGOO of mont
concerning Billie Roach For the record, although this
when the singer musicians
destroys its most talented individuals it is deeply movino. vet it is the capacity convey the history of the artist which, as Roach also points out,
(for want of a better is indeed 'the music of providing opportunity for interaction and develop not found symphonic music. It is the perfect antidote tc conformity, too was not implying that the music no helped to shape was a backdrop for the American Dream. natner no made it clear that thi music exists despite the rapression surrounding those who create it.
VAL WILMER, London SW12
Workers Socialist League
6th Anniversary Rally
Speakers from Socialist Press and Trotskyist
International Liaison Committee Plus new film on H Block Hunger Strike and 'Courage of the People' (film on Workers' Struggles in Bolivia)
2.30pm Saturday 6 December New Ambassadors Hotel, Upper Woburn Place,
London WC1 (Opp. Euston Station)
Tickets £1.50 on the door
Adwest dispute
- urgent appeal
factory..
14 July, 26 ding the right to picket.
odds, we demands.
All donations will be acknowledged.
cop-out on the bomb
CONSIDERABLE confu-
has are is discussion Soviet Wurd wood
cour.e socialists we are for the completo abandonment of i nuclear weapons; we
totally wich John Strauthor let
Nov) that there are no 'workers roger does in his 9 or T••bi TArgumont
piece, sing orthous aptai 'the vast defence ly unjustified.
But having said all this
must face the world. The US ruling
is leading , a majoi Western
involving now KOO CANCE ANNO rendous nuclear
cardoll alie limited nuclear war'.
Together with the $25bn Rapid Deployment
and the TOCON
GATORES Gulf and the Caribbean,
ponse to a in the
and oppression over the
weapons are not defensive, , in the sense that they. , like any other nuclear
weapons blow millions Call
It is a matter fact. however, that the USSR has response to the itiatives taken by LITE West
We do not believe that by entering this insane race the Soviet bureau-
of the world revolution at heart. Far from it.
serve the purposes «volude always to find a peaceful
division of the world with point Completely capitalism starting
at odds 10080 fighting overthrow poverty and oppression!
our
danger to revolutIOn
imperialism that leads the current drive. Equal responsibili ty arguments, therotore
Watch out, there's a red pencil about
All the letters on this page have been POTO SO OCESEL to keep letters to 300
MANY readers of this paper will have follower the events of the Adwest dispute in Reading where 60 workers were sacked for defending a worker victimised during a struggle for a decent wage rise and greater democratic rights in the
Our sacked convenor, Danny Broderick, was arrested on 2 July for standing alone in the gateway during a mass picket. At the mass picket on
more people were arrested for defen-
Unfortunately, In the face of overwhelming have not been able to achieve our But our work is not over. We urgently need money for bills arising out of our campaign and for costs incurred in fighting the court casos.
We ask all our supporters to help us out once again. If you can make a donation, please write to: D Broderick, 46 Barkoley Ave, Reading, Berks:
The equal responsibility
rest on a faleo promise and are a cop-out from the actual class struggle. being I waged across the glot So far, some say, have why shouldn't wo demand that the USSR disarm their existing
West? Because nuclear bomb
can debate precise deterrence but that imperialism
invasions so far this con. tury. designed to over. throw the gains of Russian October 1917 revolution, has used devices twice in pursuit of its goal, it would bo the heigh mane Russian ment it us-led imUS-led perialism that stalks the ry road to war PAUL SMITH, London
What's Left
to publication HARINGEY TroO ps Out Movement
Road Brabant Rd, Wood Green, Londo Demonstration in Support or ty.
Trades Council Club, Picardy Plac Figh " sprancis • Turner 1
Political Satis Nonet Revanionan
unist Group Public
London SW4. Tube -
10.100rth and Sat 29 Nov Ilan Spm. Camden Town Hall, Eusto VICTORIE Pocitical Status Now! Public memen
Movement Conferenc on Abortion and Positiv
backing of all sections of the labou se segate to sup or bere ing meetings, by sponsoring the ing out informa
374 Gray informa, ion dom wei
Payo e
Page 8 scan of this page
SOCIALIST BR
round of government cuts next year's government spending.
ly cut.
Half of the proposed cuts will be in housing, education, and transport; the rest will be clawed back from working people in the form of increases tax and national insurance. So much for the Tories' pledge to restore the real incentive to earn'
They claim that these cuts are necessary. They claim that workers are pricing memselves out of a job, and that 'we are living beyond our means. They claim that Britain can no longer afford high wages and good social services.
But the real question whether Britain, or rather the British working class, can afford Thatcher and the capitalist SVSUCHI that she ruthlessly defends.
The priorities of the madhouse
In 1979 government spending totalled £114bn. Of that, nine and a half per cent, f11bn, went on arms. This proportion inlanned to ise rapidly. Tabls
shows spending is planned to rise in relation other areas government spending.
Among Tory commitments on arms spending is £7bn on the Trident missile. For the price or one Indent submarine and there are to be six or seven
it would be possible to hund 100 hospitals, 200 new schools
50,000 -new - nomes. projects are desperately needed and would guarantee long-term employmentook thousands.
proposed government spending, the picLUIC that emerges Tories' commitment to war against the working class.
They want to halve expen
liture on employment and in dustry and housing and to completely abolish any subsidy to
maonalised inalisities
By 1984, while defence
Socialist Challenge 27 November 1980
This week, the papers have been full of the latest
another £3,500m off But this has created an immense problem for Thatcher because Minister of Defence Francis Pym refuses to allow the defence budget to be substantial-
spending will jump over 13 per cent, the growing number the dole will have to share with the poor and the sick an increase of just 3.8 percent. It is worth remembering that social security benefits increased by 33 percent over the last four years, and even then failed to keep pace with inflation The lories plan to cut spen ding on housing by nearly 50 Spending on education, which at the present time
is Annual expenditure £ million
Defence budget 1980-81 of which Pay & pensions for armed forces Defence research & development Upkeep of Polaris submarines Fighting vehicles Cost of individual items Em One nuclear hunterof killer submarine
One guided missile destroyer One Tornado aircraft
One Milan antitank missile One 155mm illuminating ammunition shell is substantially higher than on defence, will be cut by over ten and will class siderably behind defence.
The conclusion analysis of Tory just that they are planning cuts, but that they are sciously cutting those areas spending-which deal with the life and welfare of
Page 8
PENSION
people. Anything on with the capitalist system will be protected.
Sacrifices at the Tory alter
ment spending than proposed working class welfare services While Thatcher plans to defend the capitalist system, individual
Spending on arms compared with social services
10,785 Hospital and
community health services
3,017 Child benefits
1,479 Medical research
Services for 165 disabled 101 Welfare foods
56 advanced pas140 senger trains 3 hospitals each 85 with 1,000 beds 10 833 houses
One kidney
7,000 machine
Schoolbooks for 100 children for 450 one year
capitalists are going to have to pay a price as well. fall con-
As mell anger conference revealed, cantee between tee there e Trom any plans is no the recession,
policy, quite con- their workforce,
of OCCLULS against wage cuts and job loss
working
WE WE
DEMAND
*AND
ARM DEMENDE
DECENT
concerned tional
protection of the
ECSOUTCOS
tition
which may The projections for govern- destroyed
reveal more attack on
quidated or
£ million 8,389 by
competition. 2,970
40
76 it the 33 fm
140
defeated 76 10
as a whole 6,000
423
at the CBI they the and the demands of
who in man fighting
The effects of the interna duct
FOR
WEEK
recession the of British industry are dramatic. Increased compeforces industry to attempt to cut costs. Areas of production
be essential from the point of human need are
because their profitability has gone. , Thousands are thrown on the dole
two effects on firms attempting to stay afloat. machinery, and so on - - are li
closed in an aLtempt to get cash in hand. Second, they attempt to buy time
vast borrowing from the banks. These loans are used to prop up sagging profits, and re equip in the face of mounting
At the same time each firm has to minimise its wages DIl and the number of its workers
workers fight back there is more financial trouble Borrowing from the banks and the liquidation of fixed assets is a 'live now, pay later' strategy. It is based on the belief that working class demands can be
and capitalism streamlined and stabilised.
But borrowing has immense repercussions both for the individual firm and the economy
The mountain of credit increases the money in ply and fuels inflation, and th paid mine to he bab cost prevent individual firms from making a real recovery in pro fits. It is a vicious circle from which only the banks gain
1978, private HOUSELY owed the banks f2,531m. By
first half of 1980 it was £5,154m. At this rate of expansion (which is unlikely given the recession), the figure would b over 12bn by 1982 - or 6½ pe cent of the gross national pro-
DEMAND WE
35 HR
Because of huge interest payments, the profits of the banks are soaring, while those of industry are stagnating. In 1978, the profits of the big fou banks — Barclays
, Lloyds, the Midland, and the National Westminster totalled £1,093m.
By 1979 this had increased to £1,563m. In the same period, profits In the private sector went down from £17,290m to £17,040m.
By and large, despite redundancies, the indebtedness of industry to the banks is not being unloaded on to the workers -
wonder has harsh words to say about Thatcher
The domination OI ine banks is also graphically shown by the disastrous financial posi tion of local authorities. Witl Heseltine slashing government subsidies, local councils are be-
ments. total autoril expenditure £20.5bn last year, 17 per cent -£3.5bn wen repayments. Heseltine will no CULLICI
Finally, it is worth looking at the wealth being destroyed
loyment. According to Harrison and Andrew Glynn
their book The British conomic were toa
of idle machinery and Jobless workers in Britam I £42½ bn per yea - a staggering 25 per cent of the gross national product.
Unemployment is the greatest indictment of capitalism ir Britain today. The resources that it destrovs are essential to build a free and prosperous socialist society.
TO
PAUL SM
Public expendit Defence Law and order, and protec Social security National Health Service Industry, energy, trade, en Education Personal social services b Housing Government lending to nat a mainly fire brigades b welf Source: Cmnd 7841. No allowa
On the basis of the fi quoted here it is eas) calculate SENE extent resources wasted by capita A vast potental exists ro building of socialism. A saponry another 280n1 £42½bn per been estimated that the co keeping and servicing wealth of the top 5 perce our society comes to a fu £8bn.
Even if we leave asid soles coe and the num crazy costs built-in
Page 9 scan of this page
TAIN - ANSWER
programmes £ million at 1979 survey prices services a lised industries
other wastes of capitalism we
arrive at a figure for waste of
£59½bn. It is difficult to see
how we can afford not to be
socialists.
The problem is, how do we
get to socialism from where we
are now?
The first step is to challenge
the priorities of the Tories
their defence of the capitalist
system. The most glaring exam-
the twisted
capitalism is its massive
armament programme at a time
of rapidly growing unemploy-
ment. We demand that this
THE CRISIS
"H examines the background to the present
economic crisis
(1) (2) 1979-80 1980-81 estimated programme expenditure Em Em 7,700 8,000 2,450 2,550 18,900 19,350 7,300 7,550 2,950 3,000 8,950 8,550 1,400 1,300 5,350 4,700 1,900 700
rvices for the elderly, children, mentally handicapped etc mainly run by local authorities. is made for shortfall, estimated at £1,000 million for all services in 1980-81.
logic is reversed: JOBS NOT BOMBS Besides the fact that we abhor the West's nuclear power DOTICS and ent which will be used to c fend the interests of nationals across the world, we fight for a programme of useful public works.
We need more hospitals, more homes and -logic of schools. We need wives' refuges, nurseries, large
medicine And thousands of building workers,
(4) 1983-84 change on programme 1979-80
Em + 3•5 8,750 + 3•4 2,700 + 2•5 19,600 + 2•9 7,750 + 0-8 1,750 - 4•5 8,000
6•6 1,350 - 12•5 2,800 - 63•4 - 550
engineers trained staff, and transport workers to work for such a programme.
Workers must
responsibility
multi- capitalism
making. In the capitalism's attempt to make us Day tor the crisis, stand for the right to work, the
more right to decent living standards, battered and the right to free and exten-
sive welfare facilities.
The adoption of a 35-hour
need week without loss of pay would
create an estimated 10 per cent
ment completely. mentation of this proposal
TUC into already declining will of the
one sim a head-on capital and labour Our
crucial steps
(5)
% Gardner's change on 1979-80
+ 13•3
+ 10•2
+ 38
+ 10•6
- 59•3
- 10-5
1•4
- 48•1 - over 100
protection of workers'
Equally, an of medical diture would
ravages of inflation and cuts. not accept for the crisis of - it is not of their
face of
we must
workers'
two fronts.
ветел
government;
ting the capitalist more jobs and end unemploy- vances,
The impleconfronting which was passed at this year's block
would smash straight prof require the mooulsa The figh for this e demand will lead to conflict between is why we
movement needs charter for jobs to spell out the
the battle against unemployment, including a women's right to work and the nationalisation of all the facts companies creating unemploy-
succesful осcupation gives a vital lead in the battle. Occupations go togethe with the demand for takeovers produced
- a central part of a strategy to
Statistics' fight the ravages of unemploy- the 1980 ment. The lessons of Gardner's Department need to be learnt and acted on throughout the labour move-
At the moment the defence recitions
standards centres
for the firefighters is the first step along the road to win the Disaster demand which guarantees the
living standards - an automatic in-
The so strolly for every rise in
inflation-proof with
protect our of the hospitals and schools from the
to Cruise
policy.
The struggle to implement depends
the 35-hour week and to build
the movement to smash the 6
per cent requires the active par- austrated than
ticipation of the whole of the
movement. Clearly Besides
the desire for a fight on jobs
and wages is growing, but such a mood is not reflected in the
leadership of the movement.
We demand the re-call of the TUC to lead the battle on these
The sort of struggle we need
LOI.
ENTS COUl savage social system will lead usdirectly to the doors of the Tory
Thatcher and co are organising and implemen-
programme TOT the class. All social ad. progress on any substantial issue will end up
the Tory road
At the same time, precise because the stakes are so big
will final Thai must prepare for a general strike to bring down the
Where we got
THE figures used in this arti
cle are mainly drawn from
The Su so ton or Nation:
Expenditure the Centra
Statistics Office: 'Financia
CSO 1980; and Labour Research
two tables appeare
n the May and August 198
The journa
Labour Research. Additiona
material came from the
Glynn and harrison bool
British Economic
This movement, to prepare for a showdown between the wish she struggle for will go hand in hand
genuine socialist policies. The platform
Labour left contains much that we can agree on. can fight together in opposition
and Trident, and
But ultimately their strategy
on the idea that capitalism can be reformed. No where is this more clearly il
around their
supposites me concuss in
the obvious ference that it is 'foreigners who are m some way to due for the crisis of capitalism - an idea which feeds racism in the
worker's movement - - import controls don't work. First they raise prices; British firms WILLOUL CULLIC wouk be
lower workers' living standards.
text of the
'30s, it is doubtful whether such controls would ASE TORERO massive and brutal retaliation.
Thirdly, the idea that workers in Britain have anything to gain by an alliance with their bosses, in a common battle against foreign goods, completely disarms them in the face of the absolutely confrontation that will take place with those same bosses on all the questions of basic rights.
What is the alternative? We need a labour move
ment plan om the take ver of
economy from
capitalists who have done s
much to wreck the standards o
life and welfare of the workers of Britain. Such a plan would
the hidden wealth and speculation
Such a plan must end up with the absolutely necessary conclusion of nationalisation of the banks, finance houses, and all the commanding heights
of the economy, under work. ers' control, and implies an all
out assault on the power and
I would be the pr
the programn
of a genuine workers' government leading the class on which it was based, and from which it drew its strength, in a battle for a socialist Britain.
Socialist Challenge 27 November 1980 Page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
By Denny Fitzpatrick THE TUC held special conterence on positive fOT women last week. the 199 delegates, 52 were from unions, including the engineering union, the miners and the transport workers.
Two approaches have
rd for discussion by the TUC. The first is LOI voluntary arreement.
positive drawn by
The based on the affirmative
acuull blu United States, is to go for a legally enforced and targets, number of women in male-dominated in astries
Clear
On the whole the delegates did not see those IWO choice connerposed. Marie Patterson chairman (sic) of the TUC vomen's advisory committee. recognised the need tor both legislation and colective bargaining'.
It did not become, clear during the conference what changes in the law delegates
Vinny Dunscombe
UCATT,
La menoel Women 17 Manual Trades was the only delegate stress the need legisla-
She argued for
La quota
aw ana m colecuve aerec ments in order to get women
dustries This would involve
DUSILIVC LIOn which
Discrimination Act. Quotas
Although there was uncertainty about the sort
aCUOI pro delegates wanted, Marie Patterson managed
there was more or less non or quolas
The problem is that unless goals and targets are
employers their employment practices, compelled
Lowales ••WA job segregation will be very slow.
Socialist Challenge 27 November 1980 Page 10
Little in the way of
positive action at
women's conference
Many people are opposco tackle it head ba it yet to tackle it
to fight the subor-
linate plac the
WOrKLUICC ana LICES I OI I Dos ve cor are the way to do it.
The law presently forbids employers cally taking ICULCSS Tackie past discrimination. Winie the law allows peein, training management or the unions camor ser laraers ror serec. tion complement this. The net result is continuing J0b segregation.
How increase
participation Ine umons look up a large part of the discussion at the TU Chate for e quali yin lemands the unions, including specia alocalloll commitees. training, anel creches, were seen
What each uras not debated out. for was not debated out.
Women trade unionists
demand action against
male violence
By Marian Weir THE women's ference of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, held on 18-19 November, overwhelmingly passed a resolution against male violence.
Movea by lASS. the white-collar section the Engineering Union and econded by Cathy Finn, le lcachers umon co. ut emergency resolution stated:
*This conference
the media coveruse of incidents which play the fears of women, rather than helping to direct the anger of society as a whole
itselj. This conte ence Cois for cor certed social action against male violence
response murder Jacqueline Hill in Leeds, the
woman in Glasgow, and the
that was agreed was that a
made Women's 1UL March
To stimulate the debate. we should ensure there adequate reportbacks of the
and advisory panels should be bombarded with
schools and thrash cola calc UU E DUSILIVC programmes
Each union Ourille draw up a plan for how they intend to
pressed for goals and targets
be
mployers. mean changes to parts We
ACL snoula not wal tor anote Labour government to fight for this.
through
can be delegated to the TUC
conicience Trater councils with over 1,800 affiliates are entitled
The dead-
190, ana aclegales nave to be registered by 6 February. murder
All these incidents in the week previous to the conference
e contern e also cal ed for the STUC General Council to reserve two seats for This is an area WIICTe DOS UVe ton serve ensead no or
Reserved seats women on committees helj give other WULICI conta
JOI WOlCHS Issues The unions, although this move is obvi-
DUSILIYe oeer won as l1 Ine DuDIc services union NUPE , more
become active within the union.
The fact that the STUC women's conTerence
emergency motion on таре pro abortion without dissent shows that the trade um movement is ockina
June socai
not only as trade unionists but in their everyday lives.
Sexual Politics
By Judith Arkwright
'IF the Good Lord
had intended us to
nave equal rights and to go out to work and behave equally, he really
wouldn't have
created man and woman.'
Thank you, Patrick
Jenkin Tory minister for
social services He does at
least let us know where we stalle.
economic crisis coupled with the Tories' polícies spell conte. disaster for women in
In 1975 women consti-
registered unemployed,
while this year the figure is
30.7 per cent.
Home
Lord Spens, another
TOrV asking married
women to give up their jobs
for men who
are on the dole
are hoping
that with the massive cuts in
public spending women
go back into the home
, that they look after
Cal who DeRr
deprived of nursery places
old people who have
wheels, and sick people who
This axing of the welfare state is glossed with idyllic
pictures of in
lome performing their
'natural' role.
micomand for men and
women is built into this
society
The table shows that
women are concentrated in A woman's place is where she's always been
"WHO was it who made this law anyway? Who was it made the law which said that a woman's job is Sidy the home and do washing, , cooking and ironing?' -Vera, a Gardner's worker.
There is no law saying women have to work in the home, only the iron law of capitalism in whose economic interests it is to have women as unpaid servants.
It's only pin money, isn't it?
MOST women work because they must: 230,000 Tammies rely on a woman s wage With the cost of living most women have to work to keep a family going there's no such thing as a family wage.
women s Aid, which with battered women's refuges, says: 'Without an independent income a woman is at the mercy of tne man and betty trvannies can grow into full-scale beatings.
Who the hell will look after my kids?
THE mass media feed us stories of
Go home!
worst organised, and the worst paid. , The an-
portunities Commission job etween men and women as
unemployment women suffer Oute Canse a re technology, where it is often obtain jobs created orty per cent of women workers are part-
So what's all this
about a woman's
right to work...
already 3-4m children living on or
their mother can't go out to work. Chores the
that
conditions for women in work
In the current
tat inalviaual tamines take on tne burden of these responsibilities. single-parent If women go, soaring there'll be more jobs for the boys deals
to give uo tnel joos
helped men to get jobs.
The opposite
the
Tories tell women:
159 time, the rights of full-time workers Thel be thrown out of TODs aL Will.
Tory policies make this even Cuts the WUISC.
Tachter effectively deny
right Meanwhile changes annovment AcL mean Ina women cannot expect to get their jobs ack if they leave to nave a child divisive,
'latch key' children, but there are
below the poverty line. Think how much worse it is for them when The
When women are unemployed they are occupied with household chores and are not so obviously out of work. This argument is used to justify low wages and appalling
Women's role in the home involves unpaid work for the bosses. count
economic crisis ca olalsmis torce to curte cos of social services and to demand
the benefits.
WOMEN are already being forced
• areas Unemployment for women has risen at twice the rate for men, and this hasn't
and the case IS Allowing women to be sent out of women.
Tirst, preference to men, weakens the fight against unemployment as a them.
Percentage of women workers employed in different sectors of British industry
Ever since the Second World War policies have led to women ocula ousucu m alla oul u the labour force accordin the needs of the
once their nave to stand up and igni these divisive policies demanding thai have the right to a job, too
whole. It is a divide and rule tactic employed by the bosses and by this government.
demand for a woman's right to work far from being
as some contend vital for alerting all trades unionists to unemployment that is virtually hidden; the kind that is achieved through back door methods such as sacking part-time workers last in tirst out policies, which often hit women first.
capitalist system is anarchic that these conditions are always changing and that's why women as a flexible labour force are so necessary to the bosses
What's next?
In fighting unemployment, we have to take up a woman's right to work and the special needs of women need to be taken into ac-
Without nurseries, without adequate fertility control, without social services, provision, women do not have the raht to work
The Employment Act is an attack on all workers, but on women workers in particular because of
provision on maternity The TUC nas passed resolutions on rights for part-time workers and on positive action to get women into male-dominated
employment, to safeguard women's proper place in the labour force in the future.
Demands for the 35-hour week
work-sharing have to be related to the work conditions of
This Tory government will stop al notning only the unity of the working class can. stop
Page 11 scan of this page
French Trotskyists launch
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By J. Melling FIVE thousand people packed the Mutualité hall in Paris on 30 October at a raily to support the candidature French Trotskyist leader Alain Krivine in the presidential election.
The election takes place next May ana the campaign is already well under way
At one time France was one the strongest capitalist countries in
Now curope. unembiuy ment officially 1.4m, while the estimate of
Labour is closer Organisation
Women and youth are particularly badly hit
Unity
con eriscard Giscard Burciillcal •astame nas mnuouuccu c special TeDaLe 101 families with a third child,
encourage women return to the home
solve Unabic economic with rimanciai scandais ie
financial scandals
moi visters resen scand
admitted receiving Ilas
camonas Ironl ex-dictator Kokassa the
African Republic.
fightback against the regime and its austerity
has
mcasul co
hampered by the disunity of the two major union federa-
CGT which
associated with the
and the
muIst CFDT which is linked to the rally
Socialist Party.
The of this
disunity between the two
major unions and parties on
the left were recently shown is hermen s defeat of Lone
redundancy when the CFDT and
CGT negotiated separately
use avioc anu-luic lar
tie of the bosses is being aid.
ed by the sectarian conflict
pursued by the CP and SP at
the expense of the working
Cass
The CP is particularly
responsible for
refusal to call for a vote for
Socialist Party candidates in elections alowed the righi senatorial
wing to be elected.
The Ligue communiste
Revolutionnaire (LCR), the
French Trotskyist organisa
tion, together with
comenunls alil Socialist
party members, mas launchl
has far
Krivine candidacy need
fightback and workers
unity in strugglę at the cen-
tre of its campaign.
But campaign
hampered by
new
Each presidential candidate Craul
has to colect lue sigulatuies
500 Darianellal
deputies or local mayors to
go on the ballot.
LAST Friday the
Communist Party's
Morning Star an-
nounced that it was
in crisis.
Losses this year will
amount to £94,000, and the
projected loss for next
To respond to
IS 1314.00
inis qmatn ne covei blie
oi the mornme sier ls ocne
increased from 16p to 20p a
coPYut
their statement
Socialist Challenge News
election campaign
News irom the Fourth International
This is easy for the big
but requires a huge effort from the LCR , which hopes to raise £100,000 fo une CalDalk! - to advance socasI policies alld tivities.
In the EEC elections in 1979, nearly French working people voted for the revolutionar campaign formed around the demand a 'United Socialist States of Europe'
ie Lck cals lor a vulc
Krivine u.ne HOHES round
parties in the lne wolels second round.
the
MOST imn oortanly League wants the CF SP to witnoral candidates second round where the : other Ly s caruiuale is velier viar ed to win.
We can sure thai Krivine will not be elected president. But hundreds of thousand for
candidate, revoltonar and the campaign that the
Sicp tovaras the bulbe a bot
revolutionary Jal ly France.
Trotskyists denounce
Madrid conference festival of hypocrisy and cynicism. While talking about peace,
The Morning Star and us
noints oul toal ais Curculd. tion which is the key to mor and that there are least 500,000 people Labour regularly Partv. alive the llaut unions, and the 'progressive and democratic' movements in Britain who are open t tre elt oress.
Socialist Challenge isn't
crowing about Morning Star's ditticulties. alc a symotom r tc prooicu: facing all the left press in a
BATTRE
LA DIVISION
POUR
BATTRE GISCARD Saction françeino da la Quatrtamo Internart Demonstrations and meetings, including a rally of 1000 people called by the Liga Comunista Revolucionaria (Spanish section of the Fourth Internationall, greeted the opening of the European conference on 'security and co-operation' in Madrid.
A statement put out by the Fourth International, while noting that peace was a legitimate concern of the working people of Europe and the rest of the world, denounced the conterance as a
the statement period of increasing financar sirieeucy Inflation has hit printing
in badiy. Postal charges Postal charges have rocketed, and so have aespaici prices As the Morning Star and all other eT-wild DaOCIS will testify, without increasincome possible to continue produc ing a left-wing paper doesn' t nave tuc : benefit of huge advertising revenues That's why we re askım. all Socialist Challenge sup Proieduai sub To dee papar porters Take out an
POUR L'UNITE DES PARTIS ET DES SYNDICATS OUVRIERS
KRIVINE CANDIDAT
MEETING
30 OCTOBAE 20H
/Mº Maubert-Mutualite
LIGUE COMMUNISTE REVOLUTIONNAIRENS
sayile talking arout human rights, the imperialists
junta in El Salvador. of opposition groups
Mandel speak the
tionary Democratic spoke. Zirelatpon by sotrng an ex increase ua lopy week; Above all, help us keep up our fund drive.
Cash
A weekv baper Coslill. 20p is bound to ne nezv\ not subsidised well worth it We think SUSUYIS ensure a cneao babe can easilv he used in strikes demonstrations, ,and in labour moyement you think worthwhile objective, us your donation today.
Socialist Challenge 27 November 1980
are re-arming furiousty. the United States is supporting reaction all over the world, and the bloody repression baing carried out by the
The statement also denounced the oppression
in Russia and Eastem Europe, and concludes by calling on the people of Europe and the world to rely on their own strug. gles, not the 'repugnant spectacle' in Madrid, to win human rights and defeat the throat of war
Above, Jesus Albarracin of the LCR and Ernest
Fourth Internationals Madrid meeting. A representative of the Revolu-
Front of Salvador also
The Tory Pres •To Fight It
that that
send OUT NO S Sinile Copite Upper Street, London N1
Page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
'Save my brothers life
By Tom Marlowe THE TORY government's attempt to impose a political 'solution' on the north of Ireland has ended in failure.
Margaret Thatcher admitted much during the Queen's Speech in the Commons, last Thursday.
Said Thatcher: 'The hoped to bring forward legislation on Northern Ireland.
*For many months the government had been seeking agreement in the province to bring forward proposals for transfer of responsibility to elected representatives there. forthcoming.
Behind these carefully chosen words lies the collapse of the strategy for the north of Ireland.
It was in Secretary OI State for Northern Humphrey Atkins, first announced in parliament that at 'an early date' he would put forward 'proposals for transferring to locallyBy Geoff Bell FIVE weeks ago, Eilish Green was just an ordinary working class woman from the town of Lurgan in County Antrim.
In most ways she is still unexceptional
community in the north of Ireland. She is 'dif-
in only one respect her brother is slowly starying to death.
Dying
His name is Leo Green, one seven
prisoners LUW
blocks or Long kesn prison Eilish was in London last week to case for those nunger strikers
oucialisi challence aon win a cove or omel left-wing papers. decided The vest vas visit Was inclined LIEN VIcw
The sister dying
even for the ghouls of Fleet apparently
bothering WUILL WILL. but rena Lne man is irishi and what's worse an Irish "terrorist'
Eilish doesn't see it like
Photo: Gil Galvin
BRITISH soldiers march under the banner of anti-
Catholicism.
-ewes, Sussex. Every 5 November British soldier: participate bizarre citizens' own variant of the Guy Fawkes night ceremony.
Socialist Challenge 27 November 1980 Page, 12
as debate on the
House of
government had
substantial achieved.
That agreement has not been
Tories' whole political
Party.
October 1979 that the Tory the talks.
Ireland,
further
that: 'At the start, ten years ego, young men
now
children or young teenagers.
'And ines SOW regarones MSOr saw the discrimination, and that British keep the nationalist people down a new own
greno areas.
'No way did they allow
peaceful protest. They NO
POPERT
North of Ireland? No in
ceremony. the local
elected representatives some of the powers of government in Northern Ireland at present exercised from Westminster'
The following month the government produced 'a working paper', outlining a number of ways such a 'transfer' of powers could be
A series of discussions were then held with Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party, the
Social Labour Party, and the 'moderate'
The Ulster Unionist Party boycotted
Six months later, in July this year, the outcome of these discussions was detailed in a
British government Government of Northern Ireland: Proposals
didn't even allow people to express were altept vicar suvourter you were stooper in the street and taken in.
The men in the Kesh the girls in Armagh, have seen all this and they know that they are where they are as a rest de The particulars of Leo's case confirm such a judgment. When was alNot only is Guy Fawkes burned, Pope. and march behind an effigy of the Pope shouting sectarian slogans.
Guest preacher at the ceremony was well-known Protestant bigot, the Rev Martin Green.
Ireland
Thatcher admits
failure in Ireland
discuss the first Democratic discuss the second and The Alliance
"The needs'.
Javel.
LEO GREEN, left, in happier days rested, three had half Previous, involved trouble, ' said Eilish. He was lakell lo a ponce station, and the usual happened.
Bilish described this in an matter-of-fact way, do l il is all cvcryua OCCULI CHICC MOTUE ol Irelana ll is an everyday occurrence 'He was convicted solel . but so is the Local citizens dress in 18th century garb,
The army gladly participates.
for Further Discussion'.
This put forward two options: either a local government run on the basis of 'powersharing' between Loyalist and non-Loyalist parties; or simple majority, that is Loyalist rule. Inevitably the Unionist parties refused to
option, while the and Labour Party refused to
resulting statement was acknowledged by Thatcher last week. All she had to offer in the way of future policies was the statement the government was considerIng onel ways or making tne administratol of the province more responsible to local
This could mean two things: either the for-
on the evidence of a signed statement. He'd beaten up and forced to sign was inreaten.
didn't sign his family
Today that family is going through the agony of watching Leo hunger stuke. alish lears une oul com We have to live in hope,
THE Ulster Defence Association - the Loyalist organisation launch a civil war against the Catholic population of the north of Ireland.
The threats have already been backed by a series assassinations.
A front-page article in the last isssue of UlsterUDA concedes that if the H Block hunger strikers die, IRA 'might be seen by the world as the defenders of an people'.
In this situation, the article con tinues, 'we dare not put our faith in the British government... thing left is Ulster itself. We must prepare to do the job ourselves' this year have been convicted in court of six murders, one attempted murder, and five armed robberies The organisation also admitted to the Irish Times that it was responsible for the assassination earlier this year of Irish Republican Party members Ronnie Noel Little, and Miriam Daly.
Most recently the UDA is believed to have been responsible for the
power to local councils.
The collapse
Thatcher.
premier Charlie
Social
re-unification
finally
streets OI the north for hope is all we have. Bu it une eno well, Margaret Thatcher said it yesterda won't give in. So it looks as if they are going to die But we will live in hoD until they do die here sno way Leo will call it off: we don't other personally but, they're they'll hang or
The one comfort Eilish and the other relatives and
UDA threatens civil war
paramilitary - is threatening to
of sectarian
The Voice of the
the Provisional
oppressed
The only
UDA on 14 November UDA members
November. A the blanket' in Long
committee in Belfast
Socialist perfectly Bunting, British rerusta to ban-it
mation of an elected assembly with consultative powers only, or the transfer of more
But already the Social Democratic and Labour Party has said it would not co-operate in either of these solutions. In the event of the tormation of a consultative assembly, SDLP has gone as far as to say it would boycott the elections to such a body.
of the Tories' 'solution' comes at a particularly embarrassing time for
In two weeks she is due to meet Irish
Haughey, who under pressure from his own Fianna Fail party to wing some concessions trom 1 natcher in tne direction of British support for eventual Irish
But the strongest pressure Thatcher will face in the weeks ahead will come from the
of treland. Tens of thousands have taken to those streets in support of the H Block hunger strikers.
Many more will join them as the hunger strikers grow weaker and weaker. Around Xmas, Britain could find that its last outpost in Ireland has become unmanageable.
friends of the Counce strikers nave is me wave o popular feeling that has been expressed in Ireland or behalf of the prisoners. the amount of this SUDDUl been Within community the vast mapeople have beer out on the streets, protesting peacefully The or viese have doubled and trebled i number and because they're peaceful, more and more people are getting in more
Injustice
Whether in the end this will be enough to save lne lives of Leo and the six other
tell. perhaps Eilish's pessimism about hel DIOLICE understandable i easier to handle the death of some. you, if you have accepted the inevitability of Lilal acall DU UnCl emouons cannot be pader 'We do fear that, in the end, he and the rest of the fellas will follow and 'Eilish said nuve to ult lou.
want Leo to die, but we can port him. He feels he has to stand assist British bustice vecuust inal s wny ne is inere, ana y he does die that is what will cause his death.
By the time you read these words Leo Green will have two or three weeks left to live PETER VALENTE - a victim of the
assassination of Peter Valente on 14 brother of Peter is 'on Kesh, and sister chairs a local hunger strike
Amazingly the UDA remains legal The organisation government has repeatedly in contrast to its outlawing of the IRA and the Irish National Liberation Army.
Page 13 scan of this page
mix, but not in
Brenton's play
By Michael Marqusee
THE attacks on
Howard Brenton's The
Romans in Britain by
the likes of Horace
Cutler, Mary White-
Houser and
Fleet Street critics
have given the produc-
tion at the National
Theatre a revolution-
ary aura which it un-
fortunately does not
deserve.
Ine
have helped to raise over
state subsidies for
'radical' art is an import-
is a shame that a play as By John Harrison INDUSTRIAL production in Britain has fallen by 9.1 per cent in the last year. Over the past three months has been plummeting at an annual rate of 13.6 per cent.
The equivalent figures for manufacturing are 11.4 and 17.2 per cent. The Crash of 1980 is here.
Capital's has received a lot of coverage in the wake of the CBI's Brighton cabaret. The star turn was Director-General Sir Terence Beckett's impersonation of Ali (Mohammed, not Tariq), hyping up the coming Big Brawl with Thatcher.
With a more imaginative script-writer, could have been a great sketch
'Ladies and Gentlemen! In the right-hand corner, the captains of industry; in the left-hand collick. their political representatives.
'Now, let's make this clean fight, OK. Save the kidney punches and knuckle dusters for the working class. And for Christ's sake keep Securicorps and the SAS out of the ring. Slump
What about the more important issue of the labour movement's response to the sume. whal alternatives Tory monetarism does movement have to offer?
The one with most sup-
Economic Strategy (AES). This was
developed by the Labour Party during the 1970-74 period
opposition. When
Wilson and Callaghan governments abandoned central components of strategy, these were revived
by the Labour left around the time of the 1976 IMF loan, in
opposition to the PLP leadership.
With minor variations,
the AES is now the officia
'The Romans in Britain
Art and politics do
politically and dramatically Brenhave Colitial DOSITON SThe Romans in Britain has been attacked for its use scene language violence depicts; also. 1088 wth the British ne n with Ireland t is always refreshing to see this question rais ON I any public plat form, but Brenton's play offers only the sounus notoucal audly-
takes us down the
middle of the road
policy of the Communist Party, the Labour represented by ference), and the TUC.
Given this body of sponsors, any serious account of the Ads is worth discussing. The new book* by the London working Groun of the Conference of Socialist economists (CSE) particular attention.
It is the first book-length
Economic Strategy Holland's Socialist Challenge (1975). In LIC ycals economic situation deteriorated and the Ako has been changed a bit; notably with the addition of import the COELrOS.
This new book is also the most sophisticated defence of the strategy in print. grounded tirst analysis of — Holland's writings, the crisis
TOSL for example. the retuse to acknowledge
severity of the profits squeeze the and it discusses a number the of difficulties which
accounts gloss over.
Finally, it is a good examle of the best strand of recent
Bearede tant sements
labour which is then taken up and
draws parallels between three periods of imperial the C Lool. homans TITSL JACUTSIOT into Caesar; the Saxon raids following, the of Roman the che north of ireland by British troops today.
In each case, Brenton argues, been same But bogus racial impuication: this idea are never challenged in the play. Disease
The play portrays imperialism as a disease. affects historical opochs the same manner. alla car
sequences TOT brutality; betrayal, and
This. ide: is dubious enough but Brenton's treatment of it leads one to believe that
cuse ro voke tooomner &
A left strategy that
The Crash of 1980
used by them in struggle.
Party (as
welcomed by CULeven where they disagree with formidable the position taken. By raising
the level of discussion in the workers' movement it can only aid political development.
This
deserves been adopted by the Laboul
Co-ordinating
has launched the book with Alternative
since Westminster le CICC more. It could, for example, the sponsor a series of discussions between the authors and left critics of the AES.
The book approaches im-
Vacancies
plementation of the strategy in two broad (and not strictly chronological) first expansion economy and a return to full is a much better employment.
the longer-run than
move towards socialism. This stubborniy
the division is helpful.
London
expansion begins other discussion of the number new needed growth of output required to create them; ¡lalci lal ull cell)
ment is impossible because of movement either skill shortages
technology;
Under Review
variety of observations on oppression history, and survival.
Hated with anything near the rigour demanded. end play becomes incoherent
ana parallels wulen tar from challenging mom bers of the audience examine their own role ir history. allows them sit as passive spectators •renton s play been attacked as a work
proof that art and politics parucular ly, according to GLC boss his argo sense, as a look at any of
For noman plays reveals. The left has to continue to resist it But Romans Britain TOVIOS grouna TOr TheT ance only in that its arfailure and its political incoherence art
same. low income groups,
provision Such material should be
socialists pansion
Dayllicills.
particular book has trade
Comittee something publisher and
of press con-
will do class
AES
markets.
point.
the Sulale international market
essential
gets station.
that
stages. The
of the
second 15
maintenance domestic economy.
and the
CSE's case for arise
with of and the
: a demolition o! gramme.
full employ-
new and a develop-
ment of the case for an expansion centred on tax cuts for
together with a big growth in welfare
of
This section is very good. agreements.
But any argument for ex- The
must also deal with the problem of the balance of
Here the authors are on weaker ground. and then
They acknowledge that an unsustainable deterioration in
balance would almost certainly occur unless
were and tives. they suggest the widespread use of import controls.
The authors' discussion of trade controls is better than most. They take charges of
collaboration and chauvinism seriously and attempt a detailed rebutta
Chey also understand th
supporters dismiss
growth controlled), foreign capital will not lose
As London CSE acknowledges, this misses the
Capital's main objection is more fundamental than export volumes. It is that import controls are an attempt to in-
from forces.
Capital views these forces as the
to discipline any national working class which
aspirations above ILS the agreements blem is not to solve it. All the But to recognise a authors can do is to point out remains
socialist government would face the same difficul- tempts at ty. True. But it would be in a
control...
he problem because it woul Any have greater control over the deal
This brings us to the second stage of the AES, where ment really fundamental problems
Once full employment is approached, further progress strike.' depends on a major investment and modernisation pro
London CSE recognises that capital would
undertake this gleefully with profits desperately low and a radical Labour govern-
CLOSING
DOWN
ment in office
key proposed Y for clearing this hurdle is a system
compulsory planning idea is that the government would fix desirec
evels of output, investment and so on for each industry,
cajole major firms to tall in line using everything form the succulent carrot of tax incentives through to the sawn-off shotgun of direc
RNATIVE
A LABOUR MOVEMENT
RESPONSETOTHE
ECONOMIC CRISIS
How would capital react to these uncouth invasions of Let's ask London CSÉ
"The final difficulty with
strategy of planning is perhaps the most fundamental. It can be argued that as long as capital
in private hands it wil do all it can to subvert at
planning and to resist the imposition of social
measures taken to problen by through the exercise of more direct control bv the govern.
For the trade unions would simply harden the op position of capital and coul result In an all-oul Ivestiel
Dead right
Capital would stop investing altogether, try and sell off stocks fast refuse to buj government debt and shift its money abroad. It would be able to cause massive distuD
tion because it would retain contro the factories Economic and social chaos would result, opening the way to a right-wing takeover.
To pass a law formally depriving capital of control over economic activity while leaving the real levers of economic actual control over the means of production in its hands is like accepting the formal surrender of an army without bothering to confiscate its weapons or disband the troops. It is a sure recipe for disaster.
Middle
In a contribution to the Debate of the Decade, , Ann Cesek put this, the fundamental point, in the following way The alternative economic strategy is an elaborate scheme to steer a wobbly course between capitalist power and popular DOWel It's trying to drive a car on the right and • the left at the same time — like in Chile, we're all
. (from the
Pluto transcript
I think it is more like driving hell-for-leather straight down the middle of the road and relying on lega authorisation pinned to your windscreen to persuade the juggernaut drivers with their cargoes to give you the right of way.
*The Alternative Economic Strategy: Labour Movement Response to the Economic Crisis, the CSE London Working Group. Published
CSE Books, and the Labour Co-ordinating Committee at f2.50
JOHN HARRISON
Socialists (Pluto Press. £2.95) and, with Andrew Glyn, of Britis: Economic Disaster (Plate Presshe £2.95).
three available from:
Bookshop 328 Upper Street London Ni.
Socialist Challenge 27 November 1980 Page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
US wants to deport
socialist THE US courts may look the other way when Nazis machine-gun peaceful demonstrators, but they are far more vigilant when it comes to victimising socialists.
Marian miner in West Virginia.
Glasgow, where she was an local women's movement and the campaign against the Vietnam war.
joined the Group, and when she moved to the USA joinod the Socialist Workers Party, supporters of the Fourth International.
The US authorities are currently trying to Sport harles means ip of the
Next week We will be case of Marian Bustin, and exposing the role of the US Embassy in London.
Iraq's Saddam Hussein
By Brian Grogan THE ten-week-old flared up last week with the battle for the oil town of Susangerd, near Ahwaz. The war continues to rock the reactionary regimes throughout the area, and is producing new conflicts within Iran.
The conditions agreed for the release of the US hostages can only aid the advance of the Iranian revolution. demanded that the United States return the wealth of the late Shah. release Iranian assets frozen in US banks, against Iran, and pledge non-interference on Iranian affairs. This has placed the fate of the hostages firmly in the hands of the US administration.
But despite the agreement, ministration is stalling on implementing the four conditions. It is becoming clear that they have no interest in the rapid hostages if it also means handing back the huge wealth of the Shah.
After two months of fighting, Iraq has only achieved the occupation of the port of
Socialist Challenge 250020
boot Paul
Bustin (pictured above) is a coal
She was born in activist in the
International Marxist
and
featuring the Iran/Iraq war The Iranians have
drop all legal action dish
thern Iraq.
the US ad- choice 27 November 1980 Page 14
From Steve Potter in New York
ANGER continues to mount in the USA
against last week's acquittal of members of
the Ku Klux Klan and the Nazi party charged
with murdering anti-racist demonstrators in
Greensboro, North Carolina last year.
Ine verdict, by an all
white lance plane better came after
self-defen
But videotapes
country Them
taking weapons from the
firing
guns into an anti-Klan ral.
Munist roker to the
Maoist , the Com-
police the Klansmen ad.
the
Doll
were chor outwas only
shooting I at niggers,' said
David Matthews, one of
the six
And according to the
Washington Post, Jerry
Smith.
nown in the vraos run-
ning down the street fir-
" • hand -gun, grinned
LaTEr
enjoyed stick. to hung: but it got kind
contro when the gun chain.
the role of two govern.
ment
operated
Klan organisationi
execute the attack on the ralliarold
Covington
leader of the Nazi Na
tional Sociallst Party of Khorhamshar. For all the Iragi effort, this occupation is still very precarious. Despite continuous claims, Iraq has been unable to take either Abadan or Ahwaz, even after weeks of destructive bombardment.
Iraq aimed to destabilise the Khomeini regime through the invasion, but after two months of fighting it is the Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein who is in trouble
Seven Iraqi opposition groups have formthrow of Hussein. The 'National Pan-Arab Democratic Front in Iraq' is composed of communists, and various socialists and Kur-
organisations. The front has declared that it wants to 'consolidate its links with the Iranian revolution'. They also state that they would grant 'self-rule' to the Kurds in nor-
Inside Iran, Ine war is political policies into sharp relief. The basic
acvelop organisation of the workers and peasants, or to try to push back the continuing mobiisations and strengthen the structures around the army.
*leadership is divided on these questions.
The stubborn resistance in Abadan and Khorhamshar has been achieved through the
International,
Blacks protest racist
murder acquittal
America, said great vic tory for white America VETORO Wad armed polici rounded the courthouse and police chiefs met to discuss extra policing in black An Iranian regular army commando in the Shah's days — but where are they now?
Iran/Irag war — Tension
mounts on the home front
fighting spirit
mullahs,
Iraq'. casualties for
throwing all
self-
mass old state The Khomeini
convicted or sometning I just didn't believe that
guilty or of the local branch of the National Association the Advanc ament of Col oured People denounced tanta the Klan and the Nazis licence tr Ki'he Rov Jesse Jack. 80R Ine authorities take action in the form of gir the racise a civil ri prosecution
Protests from the black community forced Part of the 7,000-strong demonstration in Greensboro, North Carolina,
of the ordinary workers alongside the Islamic militia — the Pasdars — and the Mujehedin and Fedayin guerrillas. The 15 November issue of the The Economist reported: 'Puzzlingly, most of Iran's army has been watching from the hillside while the
intantry and the revolutionary guards, go whistling into the slaughter with
The Daily Telegraph on 20 November quoted president Bani Sadr's defence of the inactivity of the army in front of one million people at the ashura religious holiday: should not arrive at conditions where our army, like the Iraqi army, has to sustain heavy
an insignificant victory'. asked the nation to unite around the Army.
Iran's rulers would rather forgo militar success than aid the present process of self-organisation and arming of the people
In Teheran there are demonstrations daily. Many of them are spontaneously organis ed, and independent of the clergy. One and a half million people demonstrated outside the American Embassy on the first anniversary of the taking of the hostages. They demanded that any agreement with the US should be favourable to the revolution.
similar in Miami when & black in surance salesman was
were subsoquently
The Greensboro and Miami Lovents are only
series outrages people which have com black
In another trial going
Salt Lake City Nazi and Klans Josept Franklin
jogging park. rani wanted in Tou other states for similar killings
Iranian president Bani Sadr
The Teheran
able-bodied Iranians. inion no documentation could be UHOT
"we
jehedin.
the Iranian Revolutionary
against Iraq has
activists to be released.
in Atlanta thousand: people have joined in the cit the for clues as to 15 black ou cuba the months.
Demonstrations
Buffalo, Chattanooca and Miami Last weekena saw an important conference • in Philadelphia called to in
bottle. party.
Socialists the raised the neces sity of a demonstration the Greensboro scandal.
ference has added
Hon factory toe
Maveraker amumona a green light for attacks on the rights of blacks, 'things the Senate still
trol passed bill method for bussing as method overcoming school solocalon Step This blow at the civil rights
TRON Senator Strom Thurmond, chairperson-elec of the powerful Judiciar committer Donato intended to push for the
intervene against the local state laws which stoppe blacks fron voting some of the southorr States to Greensbord be al first stop strengthening grow. ing sentime unity those under attack is the way to beat the Reagan offen. sive.
Federation of Islamic Shorahs (workers' committees) is running a military training camp attended by workers from dozens of factories. This situation has forced Khomeini to call for the arming of all
The recent repressive measures against left-wing activists are aimed at undermining the mass movement. Mohamed Reza Saadati, leader of the left-wing muslim organisation, the Mujehedin, has been sentenced to 10 years
"spying Soviet
duced by the prosecution to support this charge. The judge at the trial has now called for the arrest of all the leaders of the Mu-
Other left-wing activists have been arrested including Nemat Jazayeri, a leader of
Workers Party (HKE), a sympathising organisation of the Fourth International. Several newspapers, including that of the Tudeh (Communist) Party have be.". banned and their offices closed.
Part of the support for Iran in its defence
for these to be to call measures to be dropped and for the left-wing
÷13111
Page 15 scan of this page
What's going on in Zimbabwe?
By Alexander Feldman and Ainsley Dentin IN ZIMBABWE the violent faction fighting between the two wings of the liberation movement, ZAPU and ZANU, has reached serious proportions.
The fact that the liberation war. atter so much suffering by the people of Zimbabwe, has given way fighting between the two parties which led the struggle must give rise to much bitterness and misery.
people been
HOW nave drawn into such a conflict?
political Ine nature or lie parties involved and the conditions left by the Lancaster House settlement do much to explain why.
High
First, expectations were very high at the time of dependence. Because of the prolonged and bitter uberation struggle, Zimbabweans have been more quickly disillusioned than was the case in many or me Amican countrie. that won their independence in the 1960s.
The peasants want land and better services; workers want better pay and conditions, and the unemployed jobs. But
government's hands are tied
which protect existing social inequalities.
Offer
demands or offer political
leadership, the seducts
ZANU and ZAPU are creasingly.
building their party machines by blaming what has gone wrong.
NOSI depressing of
elements in both parties, particularly ZANU,
posing as radical by exploiting
this situaliol. People
Arguments for Socialism Trave
FOR the second
time in a decade,
hundreds of mil-
lions of people in
the dependent
countries face
famine.
November.
'1,000m people have too lit-
tle to eat, and 520m are
undernourished
of a million
children go blind each vear
from vitamin A deficiency.
Yet the Common
Market alone
Lalile of food of s stored
L. lous skimmed
milk powder,
of butter, 290,000 tons of
and 7m tons of grain mountains
are not stored to help meel
tamine prices Famine is profitable but
vorld now the capacity
feed itself,
cabilalis!
Cute reques
were a lostar.
ving poors sinua.
this situation profitable not to pro-
duce to full capacity:
Ine present tamine was
to the
violent confrontation
Edgar Tekere, who is currentand minister Enos Nkala been surring up about the pace of "Africanisaorder themselves a popular base. set in- the situation by addressing a
rally in Bulawayo, traditionally a ZAPU stronghold, the theme of building a one-party state. all, Black nationalism but kind which has nothing to do
with socialism al C
popular interests is becoming like the vehicle of a pseudo-left
By Brian Grogan
in part caused by the deciof United States the end of i to cur Dack luc alca land under cultivation in the US by 20 per cent. The reason was keep up had fallen DrICes. Willed
1976.
The effect of the cutback world's food suppid. severely reduce the
plained harvests and wars. These
underlying why do LIC SOUl JUL Teedl mense ver CHes ese where. The economies these countries been
distorted by capitalism.
Local ruling classes have orerence CasI crops for the world market, So the Shaas cras for local consumption.
with
LOT Danci of Afric
peanuts for world market with severe ecological consequences
ZANU guerillas and Nkomo (top right): the possibility of
finance directv to the most
have outbreak of violence. discontent ing with fighting
dience at the stadium where build spoke, developed into a pitched bat out to inflame
ZANLA armed encampments in the Bulawayo townships. while demned the violence,
of he deflected the attacks Nkomo, the leader of ZAPU
genuine who is minister of home af-
fairs. perty has been raided by the such as soil erosion in Grenada much fertile
juana. • These are just a few of the many examples which could be given.
As a consequence of this salsaliva, United States
police knowledge provocation
ZANU security
The ZAPU,
ship to alternative
its rival
Led a stronger,
LUIS
Weaker
The rally in Bulawayo led
Beginn- those of principle au-
numerically. conflict Neither ZIPRA an‹
Mugabe has con- although
The has programmatic
Nkomo's personal pro- ple
paying a heavy price. the most important exporter
2 60 15
wheat cof socanA shrinking ber soya. monopoles have & static hold on food production.
Famine the conse-
WILFOUR his prior The a considerable their lives since the police are unaer Inkomo s ministry.
In the past few days, the than
State has escalated the political sillahon by using tne spectal Branch to arrest nine ZAPU officials, including an MP. they are
victimisation of . however unjustified, has enabled the ZAPU leader- alisation,
itself DI COCHI to ZANU, although it has no more to offer in the in terms of programme than
felt.
ZAPU has always adopt-
vocal position against tribalism and weapons racism. It argued in favour of une parties standing Jolly as the Patriotic Front in the elec- them,
parties
For the ZAPU leadership, these positions were dictated as much by considerations of
opportunly ZAPU belng ine weaker organisalion
Nkomo nor Mugabe ever made a serious attempt to unite their parties during the liberation struggle,
they no real differences.
Whatever the socialst preten sions, such sectarianism is the
nationalist politics — for which the peo-
of Zimbabwe are
How the other half dies
• I nere is no merel "agricultural" solution to the problem The green revolu introduced 'super' strains of seed with a yield, Wa technically sound.
But without a balanced development of the whole
guerillas, who laid on the line to fight for hberation. are entitled to expect more of independence
be sent back to the bush with no economic or
future. The Lancaster House agreement did not provide for them, and
an embartassment to the regime
Indignant at their margin-
Line guchlilas demanded to be moved out of their remote assembly points
bush, into the towns where their wresence can o
Maintained on pocket money and alcohol, their only source of self-respect is their
They have successfully disarm but their frustration is
The possibility of violent confrontations between the
horrifying taker proportions. In the absence of any real democratic pro-
Free Namibia Now
Main Speaker: Sam Nujoma, President of SWAPO 7.15pm, Wednesday 10 December Friends House, Euston Road, London NW1 *Admission by ticket only - 30p before, 50p at the door Organised by the Anti-Apartheid Movement (01-580 5311) and the Namibia Support Committee (01-388 5539) in co-operation with the International Defence and Aid Fund (01-606 6123) backward country, which involves the development of industry well as agriculture, even the there it has occurred leads connie numbers of the urban poor.
Socialter Challange 27 November 1900
ZANU, or of a socialist alter within ZAPU and native to the sectarianism, factionalism and tunism which is increasingly characterising nationalist politics Zimbabwe, the situation is likely to worsen.
Statute
The fact that the ZAPU officials now in detention are being held without trial suggests there are precious lev civil liberties in Zimbabwe to protect people trom political repression
Much of the legislation on the statute book has been carried over from the Smith regime, and Mugabe governs under emergency provisions Independence has no brought the benefits of full democratic rights to the people of Zimbabwe, despite other gains that have been made
Socialists in Zimbabwe and their supporters in Britain should advance the demand that the Mugabe government
party caucisilp not only denounce the inter-party faction fighting, but take steps to prevent it
Only the unity of the masses behind a genuinely socialist programme,
popular demands, • ea on can pose a real alternative
the present crisis. To towards this socialists must also fight for the extension of basic democratic rights in Zimbabwe.
So long as agriculture i
not planned with industr
the green revolution will ac
centuate the social polarisa-
unc countrysid
the rich
poor getting poor
local oligarchies who have a
stranglehold OVe
economy is required
The causes famine
also have
the aid needed,
Many COUlILLIC
receive food aid
doesn't solve any basic pro
blems What's needed
cavita mvesumen TOT
rigation, agricultural equip-
industrial
develo bene
dent countries it has to benefit depen-
be
without strings. or huge in
terest payments. And it has
be o departe
to to hands of the arca
As the arms spending of the rich capitalist countrie mperialists hav
capable of feeding itself is
senectly
troying several times
Castro ecentl!
said: *Bombs can kill
and the
Laury.
Here out
hunger, nord a socialist li norance.' that you
Pago 15
Page 16 scan of this page
8,000 COPS DEFEND
Thousands rally in Dublin for hunger strikers — now it's your turn
THREE thousand people demonstrated last Saturday against the British Movement's demonstration in Notting Hill, West London.
Two hundred Nazi's turned up and, marched from Arch to Paddington station accompanied by a huge force of police.
The massive police turnout aimed to turn Notting Hill into a 'sterile area', movement of local people until the marches were over.
At the end of the demonstrations, ANL clashed with dispersing Nazis. Special Patrol launched assaults on anti-Nazi demonstrators arresting 73.
At Paddington station they attacked press photographers without reason, arresting one and confiscating cameras.
The small turnout by fascists was a big defeat for the British Movement. On the same day, the National Front could only muster 150 chers in Bolton - defended by 3,000 cops.
International
Anti-fascist Rally
Monday 8th December
ROAD, LONDON NW1.
nne O'Brien
Socialist
Challenge
Marble
preventing all
supporters
Group squads
the
mar-
ANTI NAZI LEAGUE
7pm. FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE, EUSTON
id by Cardinal Enterprises, PO Box 60 London Ni Printed by East End Offset (TU), London E
500 NAZIS
Speakers:
Tony Benn M.P.
A.N.L.
RANDOM
RIPPER
Renato Zangheri, Mayor of Bologna. Henri Buch, Secretary General of FASP, Autonomous French Police Union.
Leo Heinemann for the VVN, Association of Nazi Victims in Germany.
Paul Holborow, National Secretary of
Now no woman is sate
All women are now his as he murders victim No 13
Tickets: £1.00 Available from:
By post from:
ANL, c/o PO Box 353, IN IRELAND and throughout the world support for the Irish political prisoners hunger strike in the H Blocks of Long Kesh - soon to be joined by women prisoners in Armagh - continues to grow at a rapid pace.
ple took part in a march and rally. Over 20 Australian MPs have now stated their support for the hunger strikers, as have many Australian trades unions.
country has backed the strikers. United States 17 demonstrations took place last weekend in different cities.
tional demonstration, called by the broadly-based Ad Hoc Hunger Strike Committee, will take place in London on 7 December. Ai readers of Socialist Challenge are urged to attend.
British treatment of Irish political prisoners
Assemble 1pm, Speakers Corner.
Cops are protecting
men - not women By Yvonne Taylor IF A woman from Mars wanted an explanation of the lowly status of women here on Earth, all she would need to do would be to take a look at last week's press coverage of the latest Yorkshire Ripper murder.
Universitv of London Union, Malet St., WC1. Bookmarks, Central Books, Other Books, Compendium, Colletts, and other good bookshops.
London NW5 (inc SAE).
In Dublin on Saturday around 20,000 peo.
In Spain, the largest trade union in the
the
Now it's the turn of us in Britain. A na-
The truth is that anger is mounting over be part of that anger on 7 December.
Guardian carried
one of the worst articles on
"The killing points to a murdered a known pro
stitute... His last
uns.. were DoLl respec-
Table giris.
The Daily Mirror echoec
the lament: "Sunday schoo
teacher, model student with
sucia. conscience.
20-vear-old Jacoui was a far
cry from the first prostitute
victims of the brutal killer. Game
In other words, as long Yorkshire Ripper Lore stite prostitutes,
activil
HIlC all. aren' i such
women fair game for every
form of male violence?
are Air the or or sal o1 women wIll All photos by Pete Grant (socialist Challenge
Aner
puce commented Barbara was
murdered Ripper
although she wasn't a pro
, her flimsy dress ma
have led him to believe tha she was
But how to explain the
latest attack a well li
street, relatively early on ir
ine evening and on a woma
whom the Ripper must have
known was a student? Assaults ple or Mon Sister a
couple of months
Rohrer tried to answer this question.
Konrer argued: 'The plain truth is that the per's desire.
kil
actually quite random
other words every woman is a target for male
violence because woman. rules tor moral behaviour that will protect women from this type of assault.
Staying off the street. after dark - • even if women were prepared to consider
for a moment such a curtail
The majority of male assaults on women are conducica al nome
Cope
Women have shown that they are not longer to suffer silently the homen of movementea. hands i violent men been taking on the issue and support is growing for its demands.
back. Womer the Maw schitchica serve unref years in prison after stabb. ing their sadistic father must be freed from prosec. tion by the law
Wome demand thi right to take to the streets on
that
of a man like the so-called Ripes only in this way that womer issue from continuing as
are expected to cope with on our own. Demand
The at topper ine
handled Rippe vest gallon is a typical resul Or une way the! / look upon
male violence womeomen in the Leeds area should •evie with the police and the press to call them to account for the way they have reported the affair and the remedles they advocate
← Socialist Challenge No. 173, 27 November 1980Socialist Challenge No. 175, 3 December 1980 →