Socialist Challenge No. 188, 12 March 1981
The scan: sc-n188-mar-12-1981.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 ROBBERY!
KICK OUT THE TORIES
HIGHER prices, higher taxes, and fewer jobs - that's the outcome of the third viciously anti-working class Budget that the Tories have introduced.
By not increasing income tax allowances when inflation is well over ten per cent, the Chancellor has effectively lowered the starting point for paying income taxes. The low-paid and the poor will be paying a higher proportion of their wages in taxes.
The massive price rises in cigarettes. alcohol, and petrol will inevitably hit working people hard.
The whole effect of this budget will be deflationary. More money will be taken out of the economy.
More money will be taken out of the pockets of consumers, and given to the government - and a large portion of it will inevitably end up being paid out in unemployment benefit as the declining
Socialist
Howe's budget will
out of our pockets-
the cost of the Trident
missile system
British economy rushes headlong towards four million unemployed.
Last year industrial production in Britain declined by a staggering nine per
In pursuit of their anti-working class 'monetarist' objectives, the Tories have been prepared to increase the number of unempioyed endlessly.
Their aim is a dispirited and defeated workforce, with much lower wages, which will create a new basis for capitalist investment and capitalist 'prosperity people.
The only way for working people to break this spiral of decreasing living standards and deflation is to drive the Tories out of office.
So long as they remain in power, they will continue their policy of making working people pay for the crisis of their system.
take an extra £5,000m
- at the expense of working
By Keith Legg, Stockton taxes and Phil Dexter, CPSA Longbenton
12 March 1981
Seven per cent won't
pay the rent
ALMOST half million civil servants showed the Tories on Monday what they thought of the government's
VICTIMISED!
By their union for fighting.
cuts - full story page 2
20p Unemployed and strikers 10p a 7 percent pay offer.
Monday's strike was overwhemingly support ed by civil • servants
Almost every kind of government institution was hit - from airports to tax offices, from naval shipyards social security and vehicle licensing offices.
And now the Tories' vicious budget will be hit by our action. Customs and excise officers are threatening to delay the implementation of the new budget proposals.
Elsewhere selective strike place at key government Tinance anel computer and installations. Minis try of Defence statt in Englescliffe, Cleveland are OUL. so are the revenue computer staff at Shipley in Yorkshire and Cumbernauld in the West of Scotland.
At Longbenton in
Newcastle all two hun dred computer operators are on strike. This action
will disrupt the work o
me boo raud orrice. and ensure that all new claimants are paid at the maximum rate!
These actions should
be stepped up. Picketing should be strengthened where the selective strikes are taking place and a date set to start national all-out strike action. That's the way to beat the Tories - as unc miners showed.
Page 2 scan of this page
JOBS NOT BOMBS
Editorial
328/9 Upper St, London N1
tel. 01-359 8180/9. Accounts, tel. 01-359 8371 Teachers' union boots out militants
disciplinary committee last weekend.. "retused to obev
clarify that they were not making such a call! six months
off the executive and is out of the union for a year.
months means,
least four years.
events. First, the elections in ILTA,
dred votes were disallowed.
to the government on pay.
inflation is double that,
will use it against all public sector workers.
tacks on teachers' living standards. cerned that members
Vanen.
of opposition to cuts.
executive with resolutions of protest.
once.
Jarvis's law is suspended The victims and their sentences
to obey an
Hilary Tart (vice president,
Lambeth NUT)
union for a further 18 months.
refusing to obey have been REPRIMANDED.
Socialist Challenge 12 March 1981
Editorial and distribution, holding office: these are the viciously repressive sentences handed out to six members of the Na-
ported the strike against cuts in the South Lon-
Dick North, Bernard Regan and Dave Picton were candidates in the Inner London Teachers Association elections. The disciplinary committee found that their election address did not constitute a call to teachers
But in a bizarre decision they were proved to have
instruction from the general secretary' by not writing to teacher associations to
The severity of the sentences is a deliberate and determined attempt by the union leadership to strike a blow at the left. It is one of the most serious attacks against unionists in the public sector for a decade. It is an attack on these militants' activities and standing in the labour movement. And it is an open provocation
If the appeals against the sentences fail, these teachers will be outside the trade union movement for
— or in Dick North's case, tor one year. The attack on Dick North is particularly severe: an elected member of the executive, he has been thrown
The ban on his holding office for a further eighteen
that he won't have another opportunity to stand for the executive for at
The action of members of the NUT executive in bringing these charges coincides with two significant
where three of the accused came within a couple of hundred votes of winning - in circumstances where over three hun-
Secondly, it coincides with general secretary Fred Jarvis and the NUT executive pathetically capitulating
The acceptance of a miserable 7½ per cent, when
was on the ludicrous and untrue grounds that this is the 'going rate'. Such an argument is a nice piece of propaganda for the Tories who
Jarvis and his cronies on the executive, including members of the Communist Party, are trying to build a tin pot dictatorship in the union, instead of fighting at-
Even Frank Chapple doesn't have a catch-all rule like 'refusing to obey an instruction from the general secretary', which can be used indiscriminately against
The campaign to defend the eight has already won the support of many sections of the labour movement. The Greater London Association of Trades Councils has passed a resolution stating that it is 'seriously con-
take part in activities against the cuts in public expenditure have been, or can be, subjected to disciplinary action by their trade
It went on: 'We urge the TUC to do all it can within its power to obtain the agreement of its constituent unions not to apply a rigid application of certain rules, but to follow the spirit and intention of the TUC policy
Now NUT associations and other bodies of the labour movement must bombard the teachers' union
At a time of growing Tory attacks, never has the slogan 'an injury to one is an injury to all' been more
The labour movement has to demand that these suspensions are lifted immediately and that
permanently.
Dick North, member of the NUT executive: GUILTY of refusing
instruction from the general secretary: He has been SUSPENDED from the union for one vear and banned from holding any office, or representing the union, for a further eighteen
Vanessa Wiseman (president of Lambeth Trades Council),
Lambeth NUT), Gary Jones ‹Lambetn NUI president, Jackie nortn (assistani secretary,
John Esterton (general secretary, Lambeth NUT) all GUILTY of refusing to obey an instruction of the general secretary. They have been all SUSPENDED from the union for six months and BANNED from holding office or representing the
Bernard Regan, Dave Picton and Dick North: GUILTY of
another instruction of the general secretary. They
Page 2
to adopt against the Tories.
been organised?
there
certainly nothing parable with what happened between the wars.
The Labour demonstrations have certainly raised sciousness but we believe that the struggle has to be taken further. That is why we are marching on London.
We want to embrace not only the trade unions but the whole movement, including ethnic, women's youth organisations. The
mao hit on against ople
govere nee
need a fundamental change not only in policy but in the type
coverineut WC in this country. We want to mobilise the people as part of the process of bringing down the government.
The level unemployment
comparable with the Thirties. idea tnat the state acts as a safety net is
people are now experiencing a great deal of misery.
Will the march be taking up the priority of spending on defence, particularly missiles and nuclear weapons?
We are completely opposed to their policy Thatcher's visit Keagan was to ordinate economic and policies. Opposition
Common Market and to the United states is im plicit in the aims of this march
If you're concerned about unemployment, about wages, you should
Conceilcu peace. There can be no
solution as long as there
Inis massive spending.
You're arguing for jobs
not bombs?
Absolutely, yes.
What about the bro
blems of unemployed
yout
black workers?
We are distributing
leaflets directed
ticularly to
organisations. Ally
vance that has been made
on womell s Iglits
been thrown back by the
want to drive
BARRY WILLIAMS, president of Liverpool Trades Council, is one of the organisers of the LiverpoolLondon People's March for Jobs.
secretary of Preston Trades Council, and Pete Clifford about the importance of this event and the policies the labour movement needs
hasn't
com-
Party
conlabour
ano have
of and
The welfare
Tories' back into the home.
We want sponsors and participants women's and organisations on march. The unemployed especially youth, should to sponsored as well as co- employed workers. military, If we don't win youth
'They want to drive
women back into the
home'
social then in the long there's no future for the the labour movement. So we must do something youth and not just lip service to nell pro blems.
Training for youth
about
Kus-
By Alix Cooke, Revolution Youth SO YOUTH thought they and had no future under Tories. How they be. par women's cording to plan, 20 - young people will be called-up
For six months they will receive military training in They kind permission of the Ministry women of Defence
Barry Williams, president of Liverpool Trades Council
must be at the full-rate for a real skill, not just from work experience. black youth are to have
future they must have the right to work and allocation of jobs to protect this right.
All discrimination against black workers must end. When people are being taken on for work, trade unionists must find out how many are black, how many are young.
What policies are being put forward solving unempicy. ment?
There IS an alternative. We need a shorter working week. Britain
pay probably
longest hours in dustrialised Eurone Wages must be increased. the What
wrong can
Now, if everything goes ac- army
unemployed
bettel will help • апоги шу
The Mersey
sound of '81
The erosion of pensions and social security If and women's rights have to reversed.
Interest rates have to an down local authorities are to be able for
to relaunch building programmes order to create more jobs and homes.
Our membership
the Common Marker aids those forces which are against une interests of the working class on a
Tories answer to the army of
youth unemployed - the army
And just in case you think the nation's security may be at don't Normal recruitment criteria will apply. does wonderful scheme have to offer the youth of Britain? - accommodation and allowance of f23.50 a week.
The Tories hope to do a little out of it. Conscription keep the real unemployed figures down another 700,000 school leavers
multinational scal Liverpool was one of th
mon Market, being on the periphery ‹ the EEC.
The Commo 'The government should be made
redundant, not the
workers'
house Market hasn't help
workers in W Europe. was once called of con capitalism is when capitalism crisis there are miracles march will I ne
will be looking for work t
summer.
in our place, or so the
hope.
But tens of thousands
young people have marci
for jobs and against bom
And many, many more can
won to joining them
We may be part of the ar
of unemployed but we wo
willingly become part of
British Army of repression.
Page 3 scan of this page
ALL OUT TO GREET THE MARCH
MERSEYSIUE
VOICE
WOMEN
TO WORT
Armoriam
JOBS
RONG THE DOLE
R
DAMWILL YOU
и ВУ
198211
ICT NOW!!
HOMORROWIS
VOLATE
arguing for the Alter-
Economic
Strategy. It won't solve
all our problems but it's
a minimum.
All this debate should
take place under the um-
nrea rigal
every person to work.
ine government should
be made redundant, not
the workers.
How will the march be
organised?
There will be a max-
imum of s00 on the mar-
ch. Three regional coun-
cils of the TUC are in
volved the North-
West Midlands, Trades cutieiis aRe Being, west. South-east Region.
contacted and we want
broad-based
SUDOUL L
committees set up. There
are leatlets. petitions and
collection sheets ready to
go out.
As the march passes
through Illa Ul collies
we hope the local sup-
committees will
DULL
organise big reception
marches and festival type
events.
When the march
starts in Liverpool on 1
May we want to have a
traditional
Day demonstration, with
full support from outside
Liverpool. wnen we ar-
rive in London we will be
put up by the black com-
munity in Southall. And
wel would like to have a
really massive demon-
and
stallon lally.
although this has not
been finalised.
A number of Labour
MPs are supporting and
TOG
SHOP STEWADS CON
IS STRENGTH
sponsoring marchers, and some will be marching with us.
My own view is that the climb down by the Tories over the miners has shown people the
way if they do move en masse. And this
government does
have to be routed out as quickly possible.
divisional council NUPE
rive in the capital on Friday 29 May.
ine kegional Labour rarty m London
Glasgow and Liverpool.
kick out the Tories.
the marchers at the end of May.
cils administering any more Tory cuts.
Tories.
as By Ray Varnes, Vice-chairperson, London
THERE should be a massive demonstration and rally in London to greet the marchers from Liverpool and Sheffield when they ar-
This proposal from the London divisional council of the Public Employees' Union has gone forward to tion on 29 May. The sal mur aaly, brousty vac. the proposal means taking industrial acunion backing, has shown it can mobilise over 200,000 people for the unemployment marches in
Now the London labour movement should show its strength in the fight against unemployment and to
The TUC week of action at the beginning of April and the election campaign to return a Labour Greatel London Council should lead to mass action to greet
Such a demonstration called by the Labour Party could also help to lay the basis to stop Labour coun-
The Liverpool-London march must begin to unite the labour movement in mass action against the
There is a great deal of unevenness in the fight
Now organise!
tions.
chers, including local demonstrations.
at the end of May. jobs lost. another 20,000 jobs are to go in BL.
Warrington Manchester
Salford
idnes
Stockport | Macclesfield
Congleton Stoke on Trent
Stafford Cannock Wolverhampton i Walsall
West Bromwich Birmingham Coventry
• Get your trades council and Labour Party to set up support committees open to delegations from all labour movement bodies, in. cluding black, women and youth organisa-
• Such support committees should organise the broadest possible solidarity with the mar-
Events should be planned before, during and after the march has passed through your area, up to the final national event in London
• Get your trade union to nominate and sponsor a marcher, and ask your trades council or district committee to endorse her or him.
against redundancies. We have seen the victory of the miners. But we have also seen tens of thousands of
Michael Edwardes has just announced that
"The miners showed the way' must be the message
Rugby
• Northampton
Bedford # Letchworth
Hemel Hempstead Watford Wembley
London May 29/30/31 that comes out of this march. They rejected the Tories' argument that there is only a future for
closures
ing maustral action
tions of workers who are taking action.
as the policy making process. That movement was organised by the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Party and the Rank and File Mobilising Committee
Tories.
action on 29 May can begin to change that
at least regional strike action in London and the South-East on that day?
rates and rent increases) and by vicars?
LIVERPOOL TO LONDON 1-31 MAY
ON THE MARCH
AGAINSI
THE
TORIES
'profitable' pits and fought for no job loss and no
They showed that the only way to defeat the Tories and defend jobs and living standards is by tak-
The Labour Party should now join with those sei-
The left wing in the party has taken important steps to democratise ihe election of the leader as well
But there is no such left wing openly campaigning in the unions for a fightback on jobs and against the
Fighting in the Labour Party and the unions for
Is the Labour Party prepared to give a lead to the growing number of workers in its ranks and call for
Or are the marchers from Newcastle, Sheffield and Liverpool going to be insulted by a reception lec by a handful of 'civic dignitaries' (most of whom w1: have just pushed through another round of cuts and
Socialist. Challenge 12 March 1981 Page
Page 4 scan of this page
British Labour
and
Irish 'security'
By Geoff Bell THE Labour Party sultative paper on its Irish policy. A series of questions are posed and CLPs and affiliated unions are asked to submit their views.
ing up these questions, and this week we deal with the final one, headed 'Security.
'SECURITY' as it has come to be practised Britain has proved no more man aeuonemism for repression.
sadly it nas been previous Labour
which have been associated with this repression.
was Labour government which introduced the Prevention of Terrorism Act described at the time as 'draconian' by home secretary Roy Jenkins as well as the Emergency Powers A CI and une change of rules which nas situation in the H Blocks and Armagn prison Torture
Labour was which governients
the discredited and partisan Ulster Defence Regiment, and who introduced the SAS into Northern Ireland.
Labour was government which was found guilty by Amnesty
of torture in police stations in Northern Ireland.
Such repression has proved necessary because in maintaining a British presence in Ireland, British governments have gone against ine wisnes or ine Irish people as a whole.
In the most authoritative survey undertaken, conducted
the Irish economic and Social Research Institute in October 1979, 70.8 per cent of those in the Republic of Ireland
with une state ment: 'The British
should governmen declare its intention to withdraw whether the majority Northern Ireland agrees or not. Polls
A further hai pee cent agreed that British government should announce its intention to withdraw from Northern Ireland at a fixed date in the future.
These figures, takee
response to the same questions in Northern Ireland respectively 23.6 per cent and 31.6 per cent in favour - add up to a majority of the Irish people as a whole who avour some form of British withdrawal. Socialist Challenge 12 March 1981 Page 4
has produced a con-
Socialist Challenge has run a series tak-
Northern Ireland
The next steps?
THE DILEMMA
- A LABOUR PARTY CONSULTATIVE PAPER
There have also been natosue drawal in British opinion polls
Britain has no right to place its own conditions onla withdrawal, which would be best exercisea immediately. However the government
sure that in the process of such a withdrawal the repressive police and institutions erected by the British are abolished. End
Other aspects of British interference Irish affairs, including restrictive legislation economic and social affairs, should also be ended.
• The disarming and disbanding of the Ulster Defence Regiment.
• The repeal of the Emergency Provisions Act.
Act.
prisoners of
socially legislation
British
finan
discrimi-
the 1949 Ireland and all
legislation through Britain
fairs.
• The conditions
mined represen-
opinion, constituent 32-county assemoly.
NTAKE
MY grandfather once said that the imprisonment of the lark is a crime of the greatest cruelty because the lark is one of the greatest symbols of freedom and happiness.
He often spoke of the spirit lark relating to a story of a
who incarcerated one of his loved friends in a small cage The lark having suffered the loss of her liberty, no longer
sung her little heart nad
she longer anything to be happy about. Atrocity
The man who had committed the atrocity, as my grandfather called it, demanded that the lark should do as he wished: that was to sing her heart out, to comply to his wishes and change
Socialist Republic
Peoples Democrac
New issue just out.
Only 12p
*Support the Prisoners
Make ine British
Concede
Strategy for
*Reviews: The Troubles
ana victory to lie
Armagh Women
International
Last year's International Women's Day protest outside Armagh prison
THE LARK
now in the second week of his hunger
strike in the H Blocks of Long Kesh, Northern Ireland.
mad, ruthless 'terrorist, this is Bobby Sands' evocative reply, first published two years ago in An Phoblacht/ Republican News herself to suit his pleasure or benefit. Murder
The lark refused and the man became angry and violent. He began to pressurise the lark to sin‹ but inevitably he receiver
One took more drastic steps. He covered the cage with a black cloth. depriving the bird of sunlight. He starved it and left it to rot in a dirty cage but the bird still refused to yield
The man murdered
As grandfather rightly the lark
imprison ment.
have something with that torture, and final She
Level among so-called superior beings: humans!
Take ordinary prisoner
prisonment as casy and
IRISH political prisoner Bobby Sands is
Portrayed in the British media as a
The ordinary prisoner will in no way jeopardise a single day of his remission. Some will
grovel, crawl and inform on other prisoners to safeguard themselves or to speed up their release. They will comply with the wishes
their captors, and unlike the lark, they will sing when told to and jump high when told to move
Machine
Although the ordinariberty prisoner has lost
The not prepared to go memes to regain it, nor lo protect his humanity. He settles for a short date of release.
Eventually if incarcerated long enough he becomes institutionalised, becoming a type OI machine, not thinking for himself, his captors dominating and controlling him
That was the intend-
Brandfather's story; but ed fate of the lark in my
Clark needed no changing, nor did it wish to change, and died makIng unal point
This brings me directly back to my own situa tion: I feel something in common with that poor DITO My position Is I total contrast to that of
Bobby Sands: a spirit for freedom an ordinary conforming prisoner; I am a political
freedom fighter.
Like the lark I too have fought for my
tivity where now languish, but also while on the outside where my country is held captive. I have been captured and imprisoned but like the lark I too have seen the outside of the wire cage.
I am now in H Block where I refuse to change to suit the people who oppress, torture and imprison me and who wish to de-numanise ne • LIKE the lark I need no changing.
Dignity
Pm) political ideology and princible that my captors wish to change
tacked my dignity. were an ordinary prisoner they would pay little if any attention to me, knowing that would conform to their institutional whims.
I have lost over two years remission. I care not. I have been stripped of my clothes and locked
alrly empty cell where I have been starv. ed, beaten and tortured and like the lark I fear I
may eventually be murdered
But dare I say similar to my little friend
freedom that can not be quenched the most horrendous ment. Of course, I can be murdered but while I re main alive I remain what 1 am, a political prisoner of war and no one can Chance tal Finish
I dare not conclude without finishing my grandfather's story. once asked him whatever happened to the wicked man WInG imprisoned tortured, and murdered
'Son,' he said, 'one day he caught himself on one of his own traps, and no-one would assist num to get free. His own people scorned him, and turned his backs on him
He grew weaker and weaker and finally he toppled over to die upor the land which he had marred with so much blood. The birds came and extracted their
yes out and the lark sang like they never sang before.
'Grandfather, I said 'could that man's name have been John Bull?'
Page 5 scan of this page
What now, after
THE newly-formed
Black Media Workers Association is taking action over Fleet Street's coverage of the New Cross fire massacre march. Distorted
It has written to the
editors of the Daily Ex-
press, Daily Star,
Dull. Daily Mall. allu
Daily Mirror complain-
ing about their distorted By Laura Mitchell WHEN thousands of black people mainly youth bring the centre of London, the heartland of British imperialism, to a halt and thereby tocus the whole of the country's attention on racism, something is happening.
That is exactly what did occur on 2 March when un to 10.000 blacks marched to, while took over, Central London.
The demonstration had been organised in
cover-up of the fire at a nartv in New Cross on 18
black voulil.
The downstairs winspeeding off.
Dared
jailed for attempted ar SOIl - I was discovered
device.
The police, backed Wille Whitelaw and tre Home secred
started by a black person
Picket for Anwar Ditta
separated from her children by Britain's racist immigration laws, is the subject of a World in Action television programme on Monday 16 March,
Home Office, opposite St James Park tube sta-
and misleading reports,
which focused on black
violence to the virtual
exclusion of the issues
involved.
Feeling
1he association aims to contact union officials
these newspapers to see if it is
possible
meetings to explain the depth of feeling in the troyed in fires started by
tack on the party receiv-
ANG SO I O10. "riot, and "black mob'
cribe the protest march. The following day there will be a picket of the
from 11am until lunchtime, in support
Black media workers act on press coverage
black community arising from the massacre.
If necessary. it will take direct action order to secure the right of reply.
The association was set one-day seminar held 28 Februarv. which was at. tended by 50 Asians
Afro-Caribbeans ing in both editorial and technical JOUS the media.
Blacks on the march over the New Cross fire last week
showed that black people
soo assistay e mas es
assistalle Was other Labour Party MP's
but with no success.
June
UlIC
Yet the truth is that the tire in New Cross and
Home News
It is now to decide an action programme on racist and third world coverage, and on the issue of jobs and training for black people in the media. The seminar was unions AČTT and NU. backed the media Organiser One of the organisers of the new assocation, Diane Abbott, of
New Cross?
ASSAERI
CAMPAIGN AGAINST RACIST LAWS
LET WAMIGRATION
NATIONALITY
DEMONSTRATE
black people. Black people have thrown down a tions.
Thames TV, says that they want have working relationship with the Campaign Against Racism in the Media, which was formed in 197
CARM has issued two press releases on the massacre coverage.
Further details from: BMWA, 29c Lanhill Rd, London W9. Tel 01-262 8846. CARM, PO BOx 50, London NI.
The
are being threatened by
Movement and
Nationalities
democratic?
By Alan Freeman
and if necessary throw them out.
people.
Carrington power is outside the Commons.'
Is parliament
WHO really runs the country? The democracy struggle in the Labour Party has once again raised this question.
The right wingers say that the reforms in the party threaten democracy — the right of the population to elect MPs, control governments,
In fact, the parliamentary system goes nowhere near ensuring control of and by the
To start with, parliament does not just con sist of elected MPs. There is also the House of Lords, which isn't elected but has the power to delav and control legislation. Cabinet ministers can be, and are, chosen from the House of Lords, like the present foreign secretary, Lord
The cabinet itself is chosen by the prime minister, who has absolute power to appoint or sack anyone he or she wants. During Harold Wilson's reign he appointed 100 cabinet ministers, 403 junior ministers, created 243 peers, appointed 24 chairpeople of nationalised industries, and 16 heads of royal commissions.
The prime minister is not elected either -but chosen by the monarch. In 1931 King George V re-appointed Ramsay MacDonald as PM, although by that time he had ditched the Labour Party, on the strength of whose votes he had originally become prime minister in 1929
Once appointed, the cabinet only has to refer legislation to parliament. Without consulting parliament, cabinets can — and have — declared war. states of emergency. and embarked on a new weapons programme, as Attlee did when the British atom bomb programme was initiated.
Indeed, there are many things cabinet ministers are not allowed to tell parliament.
On taking office they take a privy coun cillor's oath which imposes a special obligation to preserve government secrecy. Cabinet minutes
Nor can the cabinet and government be removed from office by parliament. A convention has grown up whereby a government resigns if it loses a vote of confidence, but there is no
Strangely enough, the cabinet has the right to sack parliament — which it does when it calls a
I his means that a government which has minority support in its own party, the party that voters put in power, can force its policies on the party by threatening to resign from office and
The whole idea that the most popular party at the polls automatically becomes the government is rendered false by the practice of forming coalitions, through which governments are established for which no one voted. Britain has spent 24 years under coalition or minority
itself as long as it likes. It did so in 1914 and 1939, leading to parliaments which lasted eight
So the whole idea that when the voters go to the polls they are electing a government is a
The late cabinet minister Richard Crossman offered this view of the House of Commons: 'It can only advise and warn, as the monarchy could 100 years, ago, whereas the effective
Socialist Challenge 12 March 1981
Page 6 scan of this page
By Arthur Smith THE entire Soviet politburo unanimously re-elected to power at the 26th Communist Party congress in Moscow. for the politics of the Soviet leaders: preservation at all costs of the status quo.
The average age of the politburo members is 69. Chief ideologist Suslov is 78 and the new premier Tikhonov bureaucrats fear above all any challenge to their rule throughout the Soviet bloc. crisis in Poland therefore dominated the congress.
The Soviet leaders emphasised that the present course of events in Poland was unacceptable. Other delegates were wheeled out to press home the point. Even Fidel Castro put the crisis down destabilise Poland'
Polish party leader argued differently. 'problems' in Poland arose from 'breaches in socialist legality' by the Gierek and Gomulka regimes, which had alienated large sections of the population including many rarty members
The Soviet leaders would dearly love the Polish problem to go away. In the meantime they are exerting the maximum pressure on the Polish CP to roll back the gains made by the Polish workers.
By Davy Jones A DRAMATIC
roll back the workers - or else.
Brezhnev warned them that the pillars of socialist society' were in
He needn't have DCl. worried though as the Polish leaders promised that they would 'move swiftly against anarchy and disarray'.
Within days of the summit the Polish securi-
dissident Jacek Kuron and held him tor SIX hours. He now taces possible on charges of 'slandering the state'
These moves threaten to undermine the 90-day strike truce for which pealed when he took or- General Jaruzelski
again last week
long been
Now SILy
Party for having jointly authored
munist This
systematic Marxist
three years in prison.
released in 1971.
The helped to set up KOR
Polish working class work of dissidenis and
dependent trade unions.
union movement,
the otticial tast turopean Dress.
Socialist Challenge
was
That's a fitting symbol
75. These ageing
The 'Western attempts to
Stanislaw Kania claimed MUSI
Communist the
events
Poland: the truce
begins to break
new threat to the Polish workers has been issued by Soviet President Brezhnev. At a summit meeting last week the Polish party leader Stanislaw Kania and new premier General Jaruzelski were told to
gains made by the Polish
fice. Solidarity's national executive met in emergency Saturdav and demanded an end Kuron's Harassment.
Alert
And Solidarity otficials 1n Lodz have begun a series of strike actions to defend Tive union activists dismissed from their jobs a month ago.
Dissent is also Communist Party. within the Polish The
Wing on the promised partv congress in March or April. The February cenWho is Jacek Kuron?
JACEK KURON was picked up by the authorities
sparking a new crisis. He has ine Sine Polish bureaucrats. The son of an old communist cadre he helped to form a discussion circle at War-
after the 1956 events, from which many of the subsequent dissident currents among the intellectuals emerged. He also initiated opposition work within the party vouth organisation
In 1964 he was expelled from the Communist
with Karel Modzelewsky the Open Letter to the Polish Com-
represented critique of the bureaucratic suster in Poland. for this Kuron was sentenced to
After a solidarity campaign he was released in early 1968. only to be re-arrested in March after the student riots. He was only re-
After years of continuing opposition activity (the Social Self-Defence Committee) in 1976. KOR won respect inside the
its persistent defence Last summer Kuron vas its propaganda Tor appointed as an advisor to the independent trade
Donoray. Dance men • he nas been the target of a vicious campaign of slander by
12 March 1981 Page 6
Soviet Communist Party congress
Another problem discussed at the congress was the upsurge of revolution in Central America, and the increasing cold war stance of the Reagan regime in the USA. The Soviet regime remains wedded to existence, and it seems likely that they severely miscalculateed Western reaction to their in vastion of Afghanistan.
Brezhnev used the congress to take a bold initiative to put the West on the defensive over Cruise missiles, by proposing a freeze on the stationing of medium Europe, and a reciprocal freezing of the construction of nuclear submarines. posal is a positive one, which can only serve to undermine the cold-war hysteria in the West.
The place of Fidel Casto as one of the
Not underlined the fact that Reagan's cold war threats it is impossible for
Soviet Union to abandon Cuba. Salvador however is a very different matter.
All the noises coming out of Moscow have
denied any connection with the evereaucrats, an American intervention in el Salvador:
Salvador would no more interfere with the
tra committee talled Io set a date for the congress and the preparalory commission meeting this week was postponed.
Rank and members of the party are involved in a campaign for greater democracy. Initiated
now spread to
sultative committee has Deer Sclu issued an appeal for unithe vative part of vulcaullary As of the new crackdown Ivanov. eden democratic currents Torun. has had pulsion from the upheld by the party control commission.
Solidarity
Bogdan Lis Was -don last week to discuss practical British TUC. Lis explainea al a press comerence that the workers' object was 'not to change the system established thirty years ago but to get rid of the wrongs and injustices of the system'. Appeal He added Solidarity now has million menaDers. and a half million
munist Party. announced that the TUC would 1210C appeal for £20,000 equipment and Solidarity which TUC regarded as by far the most representative Polishi workers organisation Socialists can use the TUC appeal to win broader support
the labour They may need that sup port soon if gets his way A solidarity demonwith the Polish workers planned for 15 in London has
International.
Opting for the status quo -
and hoping for the best
peaceful CO
bureaucratically
range missiles in
This pro-
the Congress the
in the face of
debates, EI file
party
Gdansk
Coll
which has
the
Zbigniew
in
his ex
CP
leader 10 OlIt of
Len Mur-
government offensive for
aid for
the been
won the support of Tony Eric six other Labour MPs, as
Britain vell a Bernard Dix
Ron Keating of NUPE Details movement.
Brezhnev For information
future souaarily tivities contact:
Europe paign, London NWII.
process of trying to reconstruct detente than the Vietnam war did in the '60s and '70s.
Soviet premier Tikhonov reported to the congress on the relative stagnation of the economy. A combination of increasing rav material prices, increased arms expenditure to meet the Western threat, and the inertia of a
centralised economy, posing severe difficulties in raising the standard of living of the people.
The response of Tikhonov was to urge Soviet workers to 'work harder and work better'. In the Soviet Union, where all independent initiative is stifled, such a call is hardly likelv to meet with resuits
The deadening hand of tight control by
bureaucracy permeated mosphere of the congress itself; no real
no counter-reports, unanimity in 5000 delegates preciative but uncritical audience.
Despite the smooth running of the congress, the workers of Poland and El Salvador, and eventually the Soviet Union, are unlikely to let the Soviet leaders continue to live where most of them belong - in the past.
Socialist Chattense/Revolution Heffer PUBLIC MEETING and Don't Die for hatcher and Reagan US hands off El Salvador
on Wednesday Station Hotel, Eastern Sheffield 3 Solidarity Cam-
Park Drive,
are une wole ale
apUnder the shadow of Soviet tanks the Polish workers discuss the new
18 March at Wicker.
No change in the Soviet politburo - the ageing bureaucrats crave the status quo
US Hands off El Salvador
DEMONSTRATE Sat 4 April
OXFORD 2.30 p.m. The Plains through city centre EDINBURGH 10.30 a.m. Kings Stable Rd to US Consulate
Page 7 scan of this page
Labour Party Stop the missiles
LONDON-WIDE
PUBLIC MEETING
ABOUR LEFT
Friday 3 April 8pm
Lambeth Town Hall,
Acre Lane, SW2
fighting for a policy of
NO CUTS.
NO RATE OR RENT
INCREASES,
NO COUNCIL HOUSE
All Labour Party Members
Ne/COm
future
THE 3 March parliamentary debate on Britain's nuclear strategy and the purchase lustrated the basis of Tory foreign policy and the division within the Parliamentary Labour Party. Labour MP Peter Snape summed up the tory approach world politics today: 'We could write a song about it entitled If it's all right with Ronnie, it's all right with me.
But opposition to the government's policy was fairly muted. No one really questioned the need for millions being. spent oni while millions of people go without WOlK and social benefits are cut.
Virtually ever vone
who spoke laid the blame for the war drive on the Soviet Union. No one
Eric Heffer
commented on the fact
that it was the United
States alone that has us-
ed nuclear weapons dur-
ing war time. All ac-
cepted
the NATO military
allanice. Eric Heffer, leading
left spokesperson for the
Labour Party, presented
his position terms of
Way OI defen-
ding this country' as it
Lne interests of the
British working. Class
were the same as those of
the ruling class.
The Secretary of
State for Defence, John
Nott, explained that
because LIC Soviet
ATTEMPTS by some local right wing Labour executive committees to bar alternative candidates to a favoured candidate during the re-selection process have led to a debate about the use of one-person shortlists.
VLADIMIR DERER, honorary secretary of the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, put the CLPD position in a letter to tribune. CONTRARY to published reports. we understand thal the rese eculon finally agreed by ine Iva tional Executive Committee Shorests of one as such. Illake mention
MPs debate
our nuclear
of the Trident missile system il-
threat NATO can offer
security without
nuclear weapons:
'Deterrence means
Providina creact
capacity to exali unacceptable destruction, that ally unle thinking of attacking us is bound to calculate that thic risks outweigh any possible gain. "The time has come,' he continued, 'to update theatre nuclear capacity the stationof US Cruise put right misses. our long neglected civil and replace Polaris with the Trident system.
Lining up firmly with David easell Owen said that da Social Democratic government in 1984 would carry on Polaris weapon system rather than dent for NATO. He ad-
Don't select your candidate
from a shortlist of one
They simply lay down that
should follow the practice normally adopted for ordinary selection conterences with addition, of course, of the automatic short-listing of
By Toni Gorton
John Nott, Tory minister of defence inspecting British troops assigned to NATO in Germany
Emitted that Labour's policy of unilateral disarmament was VULC catcher.
Foot He demanded that Michael Foot as Labour leader should recognise that it is 'not in keeping with his responsibilities to continue to peddle the doctrine of unilateral
Owen added that prime HOO minister he should conTinue Will Polaris and not send Cruise missiles back to the US without arms talks, and make a NATO ColDullul. of an overall pall strategy of detente and
The shadow defence minister, Brynmor John, put the official Parliamentary
the sitting MP present is traineE does The normal not accept shortlists ot one even if there
Only nominee.
practice which opponents
daupicu should endorse
one even n uncle
one nominee. to be quite out order under the rules as they stand al Die cal
I ne point is that the
Exist
mis the Brisi force to certa
Polans risen to often
one always recy to fire
Party line, making no mention of Labour's conference decisions of unilateral disarmament. He objected that the £5bn to be spent on Trident would be at the expense of the rest of the defence budget 'Already we have ships that don't sail and planes that don't fly.'
John complained that the government was taking new commitments above and beyond Trident, such as the rapid deployment force sponsored by Thatcher.
Opposition
Left Tribunite Bob Cryer gave the clearest statement against the nuclear arms race: nuclear weapons for as long as l
made by conTUeS alc ference, ane consulucil parties have no right to go further than the rules allow.
The legal advice we have heen aver Dolls oul that the rules do not even
unless the number of nominees makes stories or one is permissi
necessal y
hie Lnere Uhil nominee. but
CLPD urges wrongfully excluded nominees and their nominating bodies to insist
JOBS
MOT
have breath in my body. I am opposed to nuclear weapons here, in NATO, anywhere else in the world.
He that unilateral disarmament WOul courage all those oppos-
would give heart in America Loanse who forced their government to get out of Vietnam when uner waging the fiercest war ever inruciea agrarian country.'
on their rights • not (it goes without saying) by applying
but by an confident that established and Ol allicc backed up the consulatel and rules laid down by annual conference, , will ensure that shortlisting is not abus. ea to pre-empt lie accisio which must be taken by the selection conference.
Chris Mullin's Select or Reseteet yOur MP. booklet, How For pichiamentary selection
selection are published time, should note that these nev neca up lo date accordingly.
A note of the necessary
intent womeon! 'Why is this country commitred io a level of growth in its
which, for example enormously outstrips nucleur weapony by 200 lo s0u per celli ine ea pected increase trench nuclear strength over the nexr decade?'
Peter Snape MP
WHAT'S missiles *The on the The following are CND If you see or have film. show demonstration public other anti nuclear event, , please send the details to us and CND
Park, Fathom i, Mach it
rally a Dalmuir Park at 3ph
ASLEF, Bruce
and El Salvador., and socials, poetry readings
-ruses not Bombs' on 21 Mar Invited speakers from Labour Pany rod Souther LND. Phone John 0222-372674 Cardilt journanst:
NUFTO Hall, 'and the two Campbells (or 'NUS national Nus Masaline BrancE,
Council coach to CD Trades 28 March: Eali
changes can be obtained b sending a stamped addressed envelope to: CLPD
ırk Drive, London NW11
Hackney North Labour Party defies cuts HACKNEY Notht Labour Party has called Lilt Labour council in the East London borough not to in troduce any rate rises or cuts next year
The party decided Wednesday of last week that
will initiate public build support LOTS tenants associations,
and community organisations.
The party wants to co-
tenants associations, Pions or and nato organis and local organisa
estatish the needs
borough, as a way of rally ing people proposals
against
If Hackney council does increase and rates. Party will organise and sup- Hackne! North Labour
nort a rent ana lales billa
by the people of Hackne!
Speaking on behalf
le CLP, Chris Morris sa
'The government nas
Tale
grant by fl5m and wants!!
see a disastrous cut in serTorshe placked vel co par But to pa:
vice would mean a rates in
crease of 77 per cent, whic:
would also be disastrous fo
the people of Hacknes serve the people of Hackne 'The council oni:
the government to abande:
its attacks.
He added: • Ine pari
wants to link up with those
who have already taken ai
non. sulu as leians vi.
Estate
VALGO, in order to build
campaign can defea
the government
Anti-missile
Action Guide
Movement 5. Materester. Pain Andy (574-2895) for details. £
Fi Hall a
01-582 2955 for details.
it merch. Speakers D
Holloway Red London ay o
: Youth CND con
ference in Briminghan No
through Rochdale Raine the si D and star
• Noton e
244316. Details
Easter: No
in all regional centres. maren. I nere will be large cre...
May Day: National CNE London.
Socialist Challenge 12 March 1981 Page
Page 8 scan of this page
ZIMBABWE ONE YEAR ( A REVOLUTION STRAIGHT-JACK WHITE INSTITU
sians.
have gained little from
Mugabe's government.
to black majority rule.
'TRIBALISM' has long been the reflex of the Western journalist trying to explain African politics.
Sure enough, the press corps in Zimbabwe, every last one of them, has used it to explain the recent tions between the guerilla armies.
This explanation could be put to a simple test. Take all the foreign journalists in Zimbabwe. Lock them up in urban camps, four to a tiny room in windowless, breeze-block huts, or in
worse conditions assembly points.
Don't pay them on time; sometimes don't pav them at all.
Give them nothing to do (the correspondents wouldn't mind that bit), and periodically lecture them on the need for discipline and Keep them in these conditions for more than 13 months. At the end, ask them give reasonable restrained opinion of 'tribalism'.
This is what the guerillas have had to put up with since the ceasefire in January last year.
Despite being told that they were the victors in the eight-year war of liberation, and despite speech thanking them sacritice, thev are treated more like prisoners of war.
by contrast the soldiers former Rhodesian army, the 'losers',
pay on time. Schame
The media, always on the lookout for 'ironies', thought they had found one when Prime Minister Mugabe sent in the former Rhodesian African Rifles to deal with the guerillas in Bulawayo Gwelo
Yet this was the predictable outcome of the scheme for a 'national
which was meant to incorporate the Rhodesians and the two guerilla armies.
Socialist Challenge 12 March 1981
ON 5 March last year, Robert
Mugabe took over the reins of
power from the white Rhode-
One year later many of the
Zimbabweans who supported
the long guerilla struggle for
national liberation feel they
RICHARD LLEWELYN ex-
amines the strings attached
foreign
confrontain rural
McINTYRE
restraint.
and
Photo
in Bulawayo the odd for their By from representatives of the tion struggle
white settler army.
Robert
and near
tribal hostility
ZANLA guerillas are Tekere, a leading
Page 8
Disabled ZIPRA guerrilla at a centre
transforming the guerillas of the liberainto conventional soldiers it was inevitable that they would have to accept the discipline and the assumptions behind the old
Anyone who resisted this would have to be beaten into line. That is what happened in Bulawayo.
If there is an irony, it is the fact that the two guerilla armies began to fight each other and not their old enemies. Contrary to what the media say, the guerillas are probably less disposed towards sectarianism
their counterparts in the political parties.
It is not true, for example, that the
loyal to Edgar ZANU member
who has made frequent attacks on the Patriotic Front.
Historically the reverse has been the ZANLA •cen more inclined with ZIPRA and the PF.
number of things: poor conditions in the camps; boredom and too much alcohol; and fear on ZIPRA's that its political leaders were being humiliated. In the longer term, the senseless division within tionalist ranks plays a large part. Conflict
And, yes, tribal rivalries between the majority Shonas and the minority Bdebeles played their though this must be seen in the context of all the other political problems.
The basic cause of the conflict is that the leadership of both parties nave rerusea to carry liberation struggle to its proper conclusion by doing away with the old institutions of the Rhodesian state.
They are under strong pressure from the Tory government which drew up the terms for Zimbabwe's
and now British military instructors to knock 'wrong political heads of national army recruits.
to see
Vkomo and their colleagues havi taken this COUTSE They avoid the flight of white skilled personnel and capital which threw the Mozambican mies into chaos after independence.
But if retaining white confidence means sending in the Rhodesian army against liberation fighters, price is too high.
There is a straight choice between the interests generals and landlords capitalists and those of the black guerillas and peasant workers.
Mugabe and his friends have already made their choice. Sadly it is the wrong one.
NKOMO
members have
co-operate
was caused by a
part
the naLAST Patriotic leader the danger of making public on part „LO• who had no
form from which to answer back. could lead to war, he said.
though the
A few fighting broke Bulawayo.
DeoDle recently was over 300
provides had in deliberate ideas out of the provocatior
LAN Icauti why Mugabe, The
want to by
supporters: yourselves and Angolan econo-
Patriotic
few blows the deliver them.
was echoed by walte Mugabe and about the
Mugabe sympathetic
party state'
NDEBELE 3, Rozwi
5, Zezuru OTHERS 9. 10, Vendo Nkala group of PF-haters in leadership Edgar Tekere,
November a farmer on a technicality. murdering Front warned of planation Wak attacks assassination armed guerillas ZIPRA
military wing platis now out of the govern.
This ment, he is still secretary-general and the
have the upper days later out the cabinet It is not, At least 58 reported, a left-wing or died More radical faction. the death toll exists What that PF leader for Zimbabwe's
mind was party. campaign by some Arrested
Novembe fighting was sparked off
stantly MUSIC Enos Nkala, who told November
'Organise into small some of them held for challenge the couple Front on ll. home ground. If it means Uniformed police
we shall used in the arrest, leader Joshua then the A few weeks later he
Robert not even told who talked need for groups'. ot ine South has also made references to Nkala's call for a 'one- Zimbabwe.
ORIENTATED TRIBES % of population 14% 2, Kalanga 5%
ORIENTATED TRIBES Victoria Fal 9% Korekore 12% 18% Manyika Karonga 22% Nadou 3%
BOTSWAN
Tonga 2% 1% 11, Shangaon
Black leade
is one of a trust set up w protessiolla. money. the ZANU The gove Anotte this who was control of t acauilice of in practice it white it into ZAN one more m
His rather feeble ex- a one-party
was that he The PI pre-empting argued that plot 'PEY to take the the Zimbabwea
Even though Tekere that the mas
IZANU
Nkala grouping seems to
hand in
as is often
It simply to pin the blame many problems on the minority
The PF has been con-
humiliated In nine of it leaders were arrested and
of months without being charged
were but PF Nkomo minister in charge of the police, was should be di
run by government peasants' announced the takeover and womer
African- tions owned newspaper group Most which has a monopoly in however,
did this coherent a through a mass media ZANU's p
Page 9 scan of this page
N
ZAMBIA
& Chirundu • Kariba Chiredz
Beit Bridge
SOUTH AFRICA
slug itout
igerian when the next humilia-
tion came and Nkomo was demoted in a nt said
Cabinet reshuffle,
white had no option but to acedia
cept it. to take ds. It is To have
without a political alterowards native would have been
orrectly wilderness. It would also Oul 1llo is right have confirmed rs into ds, but
simply tribalist representing the minority Ndebeles.
If tribalism is being it is more by some ZÁNU leaders -Nkala, for example, even though he is a 'Ndebele himself. The government has consistently discriminated against Matabeleland, where the Ndebeles live.
Shona, the language of the majority, has been introduced pulsory subject schools. The land resetLement programme nas hardly touched the proAnd Dall.
Matabeleland
their food relief cut off at times.
Shonas
No wonder then, that when fighting breaks out atically between the guerillas. orkers', unleashes ugly tribal killimunity ings of Shonas rganisa- bulawayo.
There are people in has no time, both parties who see the
need to break this vicious ¿ves to circle. There is a more
Thus coherent left wing in the
NTHE
ET OF
TIONS
MALAWI MOZAMBIQUE
Joshua
they
pulled out Pt - partly because it is
La more centralised party with some Marxist tradithe tion; partly because the
the pressure at the moment. PF iS PF The lett's main tocus party is to demand that leaders pull out of the government.
Some of the PF left see the need to cut across the old party divisions, a feeling shared by some in ZANU The split tween the two had no political (nor was it tribai at tirst) but was the product of petty rivalries and outside interference.
When it came to sencom- ding The Knocesan troops into Bulawayo the of both approved. They of crushing the 'dissidents', Causa have had just as they both benefit
from dividing workers and along party lines.
One guerilla put it well:
Hatred is brought about our own leaders; in will bring
of Zimbabew. ple are being apart by leaders'
Photo. 1 FSI FY McINTVRE
President:
Zimbabwe (ZANLA).
Yogoslavia,
PF (ZAPU)
Soviet Union, Angola. Main support among ed British its just to make sure, Mugabe by being mean over aid.
be- THE TORIES
1963
basis SAY:
All aid is being cut. hould Zimbabwe than African Ires wiin a simitar eross na tional product.
Britain its economic problems.
Dalue.
saw
the conterence, Al ine Lancaslei which peasants the terms of independence,
Led figure was even mentionZIPRA
being We have forked ou
by more than t/am
debt relief and f33m in debr rescheduling, for example. hatred
You can't spend the money
kept Taris
the resettle.
Farmers meeting at the Silvera House agricultural project
THE PARTIES
ZANU (PF) - Zimbabwe African National. Union (Patriotic Front). Founded in 1963 after a split in ZAPU. Holds 57 (out of 80) of the parliamentary seats open to blacks.
Robert Mugabe, who is Zimbabwe's first Prime Minister. Guerilla army:
National Liberation Army
Main backers during the liberation war:
China, Romania, Bulgaria, Mozambique, Tanzania. Main support among Shona peoples of northern and eastern Zim-
Front (Zimbabwe African People's Union). Founded in
Democratic Party. Holds 20 parliamentary seats.
President: Joshua Nkomo, who is one of five PF Ministers in Government. Guerilla army: Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army
Main backers during the liberation war:
Germany, Zambia, Nebele and Kalanga peoples of western Zimbabwe.
Britain's excuses
THE Mugabe government has not threaten-
investments in Zimbabwe. the Tories are squeezing
The Tories are giving just £75m over three years. f48m of this is loan, not grant:
THE ZIMBABWEANS SAY:
Why aid should cut. get more And GNP don't tell you how that wealth Is oustrioutea
OWn Britair. was the colonial has from Zimbabwe years. It nas a speciai obligation
House Unfortunately true. agreed we would never have signed without guarantee that vould find money for our land reform programme
Irrelevant.
Rhodesia's debt. trym in
Wemills sono as te
soon know the
hospitals, ane rodos the rural areas.
ZIMBABWE is expecting record maize crop this year. Yet, according to the Ministry of Health, in some areas as many 60-80
poei under-fives are malnourished.
In a few places people are actually starving to death.
Why is there such suffering when Zimbabwean agriculture booming? One reason is the effect of the war. The Rhodesian army had a policy called 'Operation Turkey' which consisted of destroying all food supplies which Sate might reach the guerillas.
Even worse in some respects was the policy of 'protected villages'. Ihree-quarters of million people were herded into these glorified prison camps.
The available Lillic for growing food was cut short strict curfew hours. Often people were so far from their fields that they could not reach them at all. Cattle had to be lett outside and were often lost, stolen or shot.
Without cattle people are unable to plough and you Willi government has not been able to help out with was tractors. • Many people will not harvest enough food this year.
But an even more profound cause of food
shortages is the system of land distmbution. Harn land is divided roughly halt and halt betweer white and black
'This is Zimbabwe,
not Rhodesia. You
don't have to buy
land'- black squatter
There are about times black farmers as white. Fertile
Black land was less as
fertile to start with and of
things have got WUISC overcrowule Even before the war people the tribal LI USI lands getting the avclare annual quirement of maize, the staple food.
This racial division
exe ain have star pation.
have starvation alle a record crop al tnt same time The government has a programme of resettlIng people from tribal trust lands former white Under the Lancaster House agreement it has to pay compensation. By the beginning of the last planting scasul less than 10,000 people out of 4.5m in the tribal trust lands had been resettled.
Jail Some people decided to take matters into their own hands and simply take over white land. The government clamped down and a number ol the squatters were sent to the jail.
But when it became obvious that rank-and-file members parties supported squatters the government backed down and them stav for this vear As one squatter said: "This is Zimbabwe, 110 Rhodesia. You don't have to buy land.
The way that people
100 are ready to take the in. itiative regardless of the party leaders is the most encouraging sign
LOUdy it cal be seen all over the rural
especially among ai cas. women
Under Rhodesian law, women are minors. It means that they can't CaVO nome look work or make decisions
their children without the permission
father, husband or guardian.
They suffer lowest wages and highest unemployment. and they do a large part of the agricultural work. Militant on Yet, against all the
odds, they are in the forefront of popular self-organisation setting up a democratic health care system, women's anacultuid tives, and so on.
Another crucial development is that industrial and mine
workers have beet gel ting increasingly militant since independence.
There been strikes over economic issues, especially
at the Wankie coal mines
owned by the South
African Anglo-
American Corporation
and the largest enterprise
in the country.
The Minister inspeatedly Labour has the intervened in strikes on
the employers let Government-controlled radio even, quite im-
probably, accused
Wankie miners of being responsible for the slow
progress the land
Socialist Challenge 12 March 1981 Page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
Our Spring offensive
Fighting for the future
Where you can buy
Socialist Challenge
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sad saturdays 2pm man Baths. Phone at 10a.
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vailable at Barretts, Byres Rd; Clyd books, High St; Glasgo
every
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Alto for wnat s LeTt. d vord or f4 per col. inch. Deadline
Payment in advance. Sat. prior to publication Labour Moes council once te
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• 1 20 School
ireland, speakers from
Sat 2o March
Assemble 12 noon at Gosta Green,
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Socialist Challenge 12 March 1981 Page 10
KILBURN: SC sales every Sat, 10am
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every Sat to ring r
I lam to noon, Queen's Rd Market,
PORT: every Sat in town centre
Sat 1030-12.30pm in CanSTOCKPORT: SC sold every Satur-
wey: phone 4838905 Mersey SWANSEA: SC sales outside Co-op, Oxford St, 11am 1pm,
at Si (Brunel Centre)
TEESSIDE: SC on sale Sat lunchtime us sales colat
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STAY away or face expuldisar lia
disalt)l Corne alcoven ak evenin,
bothered what the TUC
hall be at the conference' Mich : Blair Todmorden
sevent of major mere ri renuld have you do is to enterse l
ion IRSP POW's Long Kesh.
Smash the PTA Campaign, Labud HANDS OFF IRELAND! Coven che: 43. Details phone 01-274 3951
Arms wii be has ing is Nuglea
Milton Keyes
luding accommodation and meal
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1940-1980
'IT'S the first paper I've read that puts our
forward, views Union steward from the Royal Pride factory in Manchester, on strike over union recognition.
She was talking after
Manchester Socialist Challenge meeting where
workers from five disputes discussed how
link up and organise
fight the employers and the government.
Speakers included:
Ken Capstick, of the NUM; Val Harrop, from Royal Pride; John Brown, of Mosedale's brick factory; John MorPhil Davis of Schreibes nauseous. and furniture factory. Weapon
Rita watcher. cOordinating committee secretary for the white-collar unlon the local ICL plant, said Trom lue chall.
We've proved Socialist Challenge can Weapon for working pin campaigning nie Ittels the truth. con• trary to what Fleet Street
out, and puts working class point of view.
That's why. we are launching a drive for a thousand public sales and 350 new subscribers We want to help Revolution bullda socialist youth readership.
By Alix Cooke
Revolution Youth is an organisation
fighting to win youth to the struggle for socialism.
Our paper has been around for
over years
organisation was launched almost a
year ago. We work quite closely with
Socialist Challenge
local and national campaigns.
At the moment our 15 branches
are all involved in the anti-nuclear
campaign, fighting against the siting
of Cruise and Trident missiles in Bri-
tain. We are building the youth wing
of the Campaign for Nuclear Disar-
mament - Young CND and arguing Revolution Youth in conterence
Socialist Challenge News
commented Furniture
By Alan Freeman
We are concentrating on an mausual, Lavoul Party, and anti-Missile audience. We want new sales at factories, estates, union meetings and Labour Party GMCs. Elections
We'll start with the TUC's week of action on 4-11 April, and we are
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carrying feature material building the Liverpool-London march, on ine crisis in local government, and our socialist answers.
lies.
and
range of issues. in Issues already
as is necessary.
To consolidate the drive, Ernest Mandel will be speaking at a national rally on 23 May, by Socialisi Challenge school and festival.
Plans
How can you heip? If you are a local Socialist Challenge prepare now. Make a list potential new sales and work out a nan. Tel us your Dialis so we ca publish them and inforn your local readers.
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Illci the campaign as a whole should be orienting towards youth: that is where the future of the cmapaign
it is through the pages of our paper, 'Revolution', that we try and reach new people and win them to our political point of view on a whole
• We've produced 15
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Address
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I decided to write to
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paper. I think this paper
does a lot in telling us
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all over the world and it
the truth , not the lies as
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man to a communist...
have filled in the
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In my member-
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REVOLUTION JOBS NOI BOMBS
Page 11 scan of this page
Labour and abortion rights
'Abortion is an
issue of
conscience' says
Labour MP
AT the start of this parliamentary session, anti-abortionists decided against seeking legal changes to restrict women's right to
Instead they aim to curb the Abortion Act by administrative measures which do not have to be debated or voted on by MPs.
Crewe, who is on the Standing Committee
Judith Arkwright about the current threats to abortion rights and what Labour MPs ought to do.
form
is to be filled in by a doclol allel perturing aul abortion.
At committee meeting this month Gerard Vaughan, the health minister, said that it is the result of consultation with the medical profession.
We say it is the result of pressure put on by the anti-abortionists during the course of the Corrie anti-abortion Bill.
The form is supposed to provide information for the DHSS, but it's both confusing and detailed.
Type
What the form leaves out is some of the ways in which terminations are carried out, making more difficult for doc. tors to record the type of termination.
It obscures the place where the operation is
so that future it will be more dif Cull tell whether abortions are carried out in the health service, the private sector, or even in private pay beds in the NHS.
Dr Vaughan said that we were merely seeing a plot in evervining and that he was simply trying to make things easier for doctors.
This 1s an extraordinary attitude when you consider that he didn't
WILs Lne charitable abortion services which carry out high proportion of the abortions in this country, because ness of the health service provision.
Day-care
In the Labour Party, we would like to see the extension of day-care PrOVISIOn there is no mention of this on the form.
At best you can say that the minister is just incompetent. At worst he has allowed himself to be bullied by the Corrie groupings who are
abortion under any circumstances
The anti-abortionists nave declarea tell Intent
use administrative measures Socialist Challenge 12 March 1981
point that this is what he was doing:
But this measure has been in lorce since March, so now we have
on the fight
call y against it.
If the NHS facilities for abortion were available, then the working or une 19o/ Adoraon Act would be acceptable. But we bring up the question of legislation again, the pressure
this House of commons would make Il more difficult to obtain
In the Labour Party we would like to see
WICe those who wish to have health service abortion should be able to do so with the best level of care
where they lu walleı IVC
Changes
I don't think we need changes the statute book. We can obtain the changes we need 1f had money and facilities
l1 they can use aaministrative measures, so
we don't want start the argument again. There is someone trying to bring a Corrie-type Bill through the House of Lords now. It's not succeeding, but it shows they will keep trying. We have to concer
ene lag l present is
the present adhered to.
Abortion is a vital issue for trade unionists
THE ASOUR ABORTION RIGHTS CAMPAIGN Pagé 12
The aim of the labour movement conference on abortion on 14 March is to mass campaign to commit the next Labour government to establish a woman's right to choose in law and in practice.
This campaign has to go hand in hand with the fight for Labour MPs to be accountable
and for the Labour Party. But I do accept that
religious reasons
some will have a different point of view.
sort of
socialist who believes that one can dictate to
people the Labour
sion then I will do my
see it's carried
OCOL LU out.
But I'm anxious not
to lose the tree vote. l have often voted against
own government
on the Common Market
issue for example
which 1 regard as a mat-
ter of conscience. Ignore
The firm anti-
abortionists would
nore the whip anyway
whip won't make
any difference.
Most MPs are now aware of the arguments
for and against abortion;
that much was clear in
the Corrie call alell
Women's groups and
trade union
should fight to convince
the Labour Party as a
whole rather than forc-
lie cuic
Whatever we say, people will argue
inal inis is an issue ol
conscience and we won't
Chance
putting a whip on.
The Labour_Party na-
tional executive sup-
Bo Bad intonation to
It has been called by Labor Abortion Rights National Abortion
Labour
valuarol!
Make sure voure
the conference. It is at
Rising London NT,
Saturday 14 March
begins at tuam. A crecne
is available.
ABORTION N
IMPAIGN
Women's Rights
launch a questions.
to the Labour Party.
It is also vital that the trade union bloc vote on abortion at Labour conference be democratically determined by the rank and file.
The articles here describe some of the most important
KEEP JU LEGAL
LABOR
MUSI
FIGHT FOR
for Labour
MPs!
and trade unions
side!
the whip if they choose.
abortion issue
snotgun
tion
challenged
Facilities
always been ministrative' provision to the next.
stood. It would change its somewhere in Whitehall.
issue
issue IS
every year.
special
faced up to and solved
ABORTION
RICHTS
No free vote
From the Labour Abortion Rights Campaign executive committee LARC does not believe in dictating to people, which is why we support a woman's choice on abortion.
The difficulty over the free vote is that at present Labour MPs are able to vote against clearly defined policy that is overwhelmingly agreed by the Labour Party
unlike the issue of Common Market membership
They can do this without giving it a second thought, many don't bother to vote and some even campaign on the other
Labour MPs have always been able to abstain on issues of conscience - or defy
If the free vote were abolished they could still vote against a whip on the
nobody is going stand around the division lobbies with a
If the issue of abortion came under the Labour whip, MPs would at least be obliged to be there and they would also consider the issue with some care
We don't believe that the 1967 Abor-
Act can ever work satisfactorily in the long run. It has only accidentally given women greater choice and thus the interpretation of the Act can always be
The failure of the '67 Act to lay down a
provide facilities has flaw. 'Admeasures to improve the of abortion really aren't good They can be changed at any
Firm legal arrangements would make it rather more difficult for women's lives and health to be kicked around like a political football from one administration
A good law would have the merit of allowing everyone to know where they
be more difficult to provisions out of sight
We're sure a lot of MPs don't want the
'opened up again. But for any women facing an unwanted pregnancy and an unsympathetic gynaecologist the
immediate and there are around 100,000 women in this position
The problems which arise solely out of the barbaric and outdated laws can be made to go away. If these things present
conscientious socialists, those difficulties have to be
Labour Abortion Rights Campaign PO Box 110, London SE21 8ND
EMYON
HARTION
Page 12 scan of this page
by Bob Pennington THE Labour Party pearance of a battlefield. Supporters of the Council for Social Democracy have all but split. The Labour right, led by Healey and Hattersley, ing all out to overturn the decisions of the Wembley conference.
The mass media echoing the concerns ot their class besides themselves with wrath at the thought of a left takeover.
Across the political spectrum, from the die-hard right to the far-left, there is broad agreement that this is the most explosive crisis to hit the Labour Party since MacDonald quit in 1931.
But are we all mistaking a storm in a tea cup for a political blizzard? Is it really much ado about nothing, as the Socialist Workers Party seems to think?
Writing Socialist February, Chris •ains ma •vunear as very marelal Telling the left to stop 'going on about "reselection' and "electoral colleges" he urges them to 'deal with the threat of the recession to shopfloor organisation.'
Yet according logic, the Labour left will not be able to do lot about things because as he modestly explains: ... sections of the Labour left really want to worry about these sort of things they will need an organisational form and political concerns which will look remarkably like those of the SWP.
Since the poor deluded Labour left obviously intends to stay in the Labour Party and fight, and the SWP thinks it is all rather a waste of time, the twain will
THE victory of the miners over pit closures is certainly stirring, and
socialists will hope inal it marks a turning point in mass working class resistance to the Thatcher government.
However, wasn't Michael Foot who 'said it all' (26 Feb) when he told the unemployed to 'rise up like lions'
Glasgow. He was quoting the poet Shelley:
Shuke
The passage con-
political poems in
English, The Mask of
La vicious satire the Castlereagh administration, written in
1819 at white heat response to the massacre of unarmed demonstrators at a mass rally for parliamentary reform in Manchester.
" The Labour parting
PAUL ANDREW'S
response to my letter on
Party 128
Feb) managed take
over suw words to reov
to six of mine.
was not discussing
the value of entrism, but
the method
LaDou Co-
ordinating committed
conference last autumn
reported
Phe res
revolutionary
tons bul up oy
curser. Il tavour of
ine Allernauve
Economic Strategy
which would supposedly
create mass Labour
The naner s croni
page articles and
editorials have
tallicu LEC
live ur a illas campalel
ing party
But if one decides on
strategy it to stress that
lic Labour rally
carave o rans ormine
society. To do otherwise
follow the path of
Militant and become the
left flank of
callisill.
oniortunalely Socialsi
the ap-
is go-
are paylllasters, Review on Harman dismisses the
Chris Harman's
fice.
ThaT mate it
Class.
Eleven demonstrators were killed and several hundred injured when sabre-wielding troops charged into the crowd.
The point that Shelley was certainly a better socialist unal Michael Foot. He saw clearly revolution was necessary to WICSI power and privilege from the ruling class.
He fully supported the Irish people's right to self-determination and
personal life In nIs tried to develop and live out cessfully) a radical and feminist alternative orthodox marriage and the tamily.
Shelley's work is part of the heritage of revolu-
Challenge showing signs of going the same
Of course, the reason
I also ll-
neroe unere is no malo influx ot activisto the Labour Party whom Suri no a halor spea Challenge
lilal inere is a signacant crease in sunnor for ine Labour Party. this does not require us being in the party.
One finds leftward moving beople whom we can intluence areas
campaigns, antilalisill allu alli
This unemnlovmend
perspective of the
locialist Workers Party and memnoers ol une inera
MarxIs Group who see us as revolu-
IMG has long argued that
Have unlica revolutionary Davis more mooran!
due tactical differences.
GEOFF COLLIER, Hull
Socialist
Worker
on nor Moscow bud
SWP and the Labour Party
never meet and we can all abandon hope.
It is crazy to adopt an holier than thou attitude to the fight for democracy inside ine Labour rarty
The extension of control over Labour MPs and
councilors Cane Labour leader accountable to the labour movement would seriously the means whereby capitalism has continued have its interests whether Labour or the Tories are in of-
The fight for democracy is an attempt to break the grip of the state and to bring the MPs and councillors under the control of the organisations of the working
This brings the state into the centre of British politics.
It seems strange that a revolutionary organisation like the SWP fails to unders. tand that, and what is more, fails to see that it otters Marxists a great opportunity to show to a growing au-
The mask of Foot
tionary socialists in Britain, and it is still powerful, Foot's speech showed.
What a pity that in this case Shelley's words appropriated shore up the credibility slippery,
Letters
Letter!
I AM a socialist feminist and a Socialist Challenge supporte who has may disagreements with revolutionar politics. However, dissatisfied with some of the attitudes to women's oppression in SC articles.
In her article on rape (26 Feb) Valerie Coultas suggested
who benefit from women's inferior position in our society, but the capitalist class.
In an earlier article on sexual harassment at work a lot of emphasis given
200. Unemplerod a strikers 100
Abstaining is not on
making the out that
the
undermine
served
Get al?
questions of the
They
completely
tunist social democrat will WIIU alicilDl defuse working class selfaclivity party has ridden to power on it JOHN MUCKLE, Wivenhoe, Essex AWAZ NO TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF ASIAN WOMEN My workmates certainly harass me
attitude and managers, but women being sexually abused feminist by workmates was ignored.
feel
I feel very both cases being let off the hook. Men do benefit from women's oppres sion. I've seen this quite clearly began British Telecoms.
Post Office have harassed me and put me down at work bosses but my workmates. to the
dience why a peaceful road to socialism is a highly unlikely event.
Duncan Hallas writing in Worker on 31 January is scathing about the fight for accountability and
Moss Evans, who cast his vote 40-30-30 option, would tolerate anything like the same measure of democracy within the Transport and General Workers' Union.
But doesn't Duncan Hallas think that some hundreds of thousands of union members might start drawing some conclusions from the votes of Evans, Fisher
Rank and file union members are like. ly to be quite enthusiastic about all this democracy which gets talked about at Labour Party conference by their leaders.
will surely start to think what is good for the Labour Party is equally good for their own unions.
Any struggle for democracy in the
THE threat of direct US military intervention into becomes more serious day by day Socialist Challenge has been correct to point out that not only the revolutionary movement El Salvador threatened, but also Nicaragua and Cuba.
But what about international solidarity? always thought
letters ters
actions of the idea, of cleaning. ed,
stongly that in
ordinary men are cleaner,
Of materially working The male engineers change it? are not my
At the end of the day they
cellent!
For
Now,
•usa mament
issues
people and their allies.
on 7 February:
Socialist
points
never steadily year the members.
The outcome policies being
the parliamentarians
mism.
International solidarity,
only propaganda?
Socialist Challenge was In favour socialist countries pursuing revolutionary foreign policy including military aid to countries struggling for socialism.
In consecutive
Letters
go home to wives who do all their shopping. cooking and
They have a privilegbetter-paid job than most women, and they don't have to work half as hard as a woman
factory worker, or sno assistant
these men benefit from women's inferior position we as socialists don't see that, how on earth can we fight to
JENNY DAVENPORT, London E9
Socialist Challenge
labour movement can only be good When that struggle can have a mass impact, like the one taking place in the Labour Party, it is not just good, it's ex
years the SWP Rank and File organisations have agitated for greater democracy in the unions and for effective accountability of union officials
when democracy is raised on a wider scale than ever before, it gets the brush off from their leader writers.
The battles in the party for policies t abolish the House of Lords, for unilateral
along with that for nationalisation and the 35-hour week, are
on which Marxists should abstain, especially when attrac ting ever wider support among working
Paul Foot reported in Socialist Worker
'In the last three mon ths.... Labour Party headquarters has had a flood of applications from people who are opposed to nuclear weapons.
There is hardly a constituency Labour Party in Britain that is not reporting a
increasing membership. Last party gained 80,000 new
of the fight for the advanced within the Labour Party is too important to be left to
It is the task of every revolutionary Marxist to see that the struggle is taken through to the end and to show that Marxist policies can provide realistic and practical answers to those people who today look to left refor-
That means relating directly to what is going on in the Labour Party, not com mentating from the sidelines.
articles Phil Hearse tried to deny that the rebels ir A Salvador receive an help from abroad, be it Soviet Union Cuba or Nicaragua.
He 'The WIULC openly talking abour the White House now possibility of a blockade of Cuba, which it allege Is supplylg rebels. This threat is bas ed on a frame-up just like the US fabrication thai 100 Nicaraguan soldiers landed by sea Salvador I can't check whethe this is true or not, , but if the Cubans don't help the rebels then the! ought to. We should make clear that there is a difference between military support for liberation fighters, where they invite foreign soldiers to help them in their struggle and the contro stays with the local rebels.
We are opposed to a military invasion of country, by the United States the Soviet Union or an! other state.
And America has no right blockade of Cuba Cuba send: arms and soldiers or not ANDREA GIBSON, London
PHIL HEARSE replies: | The El Salvador resistance nas every rout to receive from Cuba and the Sovie still that US claims of large. scare ale are doncation.
NOT BOR
12 March 1981' Page 11
Page 13 scan of this page
Mafia refuses to invest in
Warfare within the welfare state
don which has had a hard struggle to get shown at all, and is still in doubt for general release.
Funny that, since gangster movies and TV series are all the rage. The Long Good Friday, though, somewhat different. In the last analvsis it's a political gangster movie and parable about the decline of Britain.
Harold, brilliantly played by Bob Hoskins (star of TV's Pennies from Heaven), is a loveable cockney gangster. Having dealt with his London rivals, Harold (known to his Trienes 'Н') dream a big redevelopment of dockland.
But Harold needs cash, so an alliance with the Mafia
Two Yanks fly in to negotiate the deal. On his luxury yacht on Thames, H assembles an entourage to greet
- including bent moosters councillor Harris, 'Parkey' a senior CID officer, H's most trusted hatchet-man (literally) called Razors, and his wife Victoria played Helen Mirren), considerable organiser.
Marole explains his vision, and gives a loast 'Hands across the ocean'.
Linen mings stall to g° Someone tries blow up Harold's mum while she's at church. His best friend is death. Nasty things happen to other things in his life. 'Someone's trying me. says Harold. There's no doubt about it, someone is
create the impression that he is not a good business prospect. By Donald McKenzie, London-Edinburgh Weekend Return Group
MANY state work ers who are socialists feel strongly the need to struggle for socialism from within our jobs.
Yet the content of these jobs, especially the so-called 'professional jobs such as teaching community work, makes this difficult.
The state we work for
is a capitalist state. As
teachers, for example,
we are licked into an
educational system that
has more to do with mak-
ing people docile, SUD-
missive, individualistic
and competitive
with helping them learn
and ask questions. 9 to 5
Does this mean that
we work for socialism in
une and
weekends, only to re-
Intorce capitalist rela-
tions between nine and
five?
Those who make up
the
by to
Harold (right) and
The problem whoever it is seems to be too powerful, too fanatical and well organised Harold to deal with. He's being hit by forces which for the first time he can't conthe London Edinburgh Weekend Return Groun - four women and four
emploved the state or by organisations tunded bv the Salt felt that for us, at least,
unions and Liauc political parties naan l provided clear enough thinking on this issue. So we started meeting to CISCUSS IL.
Pervasive
Two things stood out from our discussions.
First, that the state is all-pervasive. When Lenin, Iot exampic, was willig about the state most
lives relatively little direct
will une stale. except as straightforward repression LINC
police, and so on. with state caucanion, housing, health care, social work, the state is part of the daily lives of all of us. It
nol just stan emer ployees who are state'; to some extent we all are
Secondly our experience of the state is contradictory. The state
Britain shock
that
business but what are ultimately political for factors.
H, like British capitalism, reaches for the weapons he provides resouces we all need, yet state provision is often niggardly, and the way it is given is oppressive.
Working-class people, and particular women, blacks and gays, all get put down by the Slalc Moreover, the state takes what are really class issues and divides
Dy treating them all as
treating. them all as separate inalviauais
vith a problem that ha been caused by capitalism in one way or
Under Review
Victoria discuss with the man from the Mafia not just because of because of
possible says: another. you're poor,
are treated as it it yore
your own individual problem; your fault.
Social workers, for example, al C expected and management to deal with constrained
people individual
'clients' — yet problems
such as poverty and bad housing can at best be
'coped with' at an in-
dividual level, not tun•
damentally solved. No cuts
Since the mid-'70s
first under Labour and
now much more sharply
under the Tories, the
state's provision of
resources is being rollec
back'. At the local level
particularly, services are beinral controls beile being while
rightee are worried that a
simple 'no cuts' line on
its own is quite insuffi-
cient.
Most people ex-
perience the state - ever
ocal councils controlled
Dy lne lell as their
enemy as much as their
friend. Socialists should
certainly oppose the sale
of council houses, for ex-
ample, yet it is difficult
to raise much enthusiasm
The Long
Good Friday knows, the tried and trusted techniques. As he sends out his men armed with sawnoff shot guns to round up all
'Boys, one thing more
for a defence of council housing when state pro. vision is experienced as bureaucratic, miserty. hedged in with red tape and petty restrictions.
Challenge
We can start defining our problem our own way as women's self-help groups have done.
As se workes we cal step outside our brief -workers have done when they have reinforced tenants' barricades rather than seeking tenants in meaningless pripalon exercises We will face opposition when we start doing this from management and from those im. bued with ideas "professionalism'. But if we lake tnese choices corlectively, and not isolated individuals, an reorganise to defend our choices, our 'oppositional space'.
We have learnt that that means challenging the state, even in its most benevolent guise, even in hace-lo-lacc situations. We need to be everyday
against the state, as well as in it *In and Against the State. Pluto Press, £2.95
- be discreet.
In his frantic search to track down and deal with
all Harold's his opponents, prejudices come out. He's racist and nationalist to the core: 'Scum', 'filth' and 'shit' Onward
Christian
slayers
RELIGION rules in the City of London The financiers have, after all, a big debt to Chris. tianity.
The City's founders rampaged around the world, beating, maiming and making slaves black people teach them that there was only one God who was white, male, and on their payroll.
So last week when the City began its commemora Ton orlest — ine scasull u enanci and Margaret Thatcher was ask
od tendo theisevice at si
Lawrence Jewry. She packed the aisles with ladies don out in furs and tweeds and
•i overcoats ana vicul 1 he saving grace or lis was, member the Communist Leagu callin when these latter-day saints 101 Jobs not Bombs. Bu where removed holy place, Ine recovered her composure.
By Phil Hearse
are his milder epithets for blacks.
H's morality is conservative, though he can just about tolerate homo sexuality. But above all he's British, and proud of it.
Ultimately. despite ap-
victory on the parent military side, our hero tails to get American finance. As The leading MATOSI says 'We can't invest here. Britain's become republic You're in worse shape than Cuba before Castro took over.
Business
The Long Good Friday deserves to go on genera release, not just for Bob Hoskins' virtuoso perfor-
but because the Malice. moral of the tale is an apposite one.
A declining imperialism. like Harold forces unleashed on it that it strug gles to comprehend and cer. tainly can't deal with. After all, Harold, like many of his compatriots who use more conventional techniques, is a businessman.
And in a time of social and political crisis, even the best run, mob-handed business can get into big trouble. Ask the president of any US corporation. 'The Long Good Frida: directed by John Mackenzie. : showing at the Classic cinema. Oxford St, London WI and a: the Ritz, Leicester Square.
The Insane Society
Loud слоги. reverent Amens she extolled virtues making A sense of Christiar contentment swept the soul of the ladies and gents whe announce. creating Was 'Christian obligation'.
Work was not just netee. The wrath or God virtue' the s mly . descending million scroungers orawine quie money
Christian people should be wanderer BaZA giur strike force, add ser strike force, and against the Moslem oclicvels Being Lent, the monster warned he dience of the dangers of im moral inflation' explaining that it undermined financi agi cellicals But they did not need 1c worrv. Like a lue nista soldier. Thatcher has draw: • Hospitals will te The old will be cor die from hypothermi More will have to gr
The pies end dele
city saved, and God will keep o: working or liose wicad His wages. In fact the mes: evered premier • intends unleash permanent Ler she can geor way peopie. working
• Socialist Challenge 12 March 1981 Page 1:
Page 14 scan of this page
Greenock women show the way-occupy
Scottish
workers
can't wait
till 1984
By Stewart Oswald
NOTSA Party holds its annual conference Herts this weekend background of a Tory onslaught on jobs.
Unemployment in Scotland approaching 300,000. Talbot Linwood Taces closure will a loss 4,800 1008 ano redundancies are announced every day
It's not surprising шлететоге inal InC COl terence agenda oristies will
denouncing the Tory of resolutions outline the ex
Tacks on empovment. Lne health service, education and housing
But denunciations
Chough workers won't find a lead from the conference TOr their fight
, ories
LIC Lauvul government should do even worse call Ine Tories to 'change course'.
united acuon warn tae scol tish TUC to prevent redun-
resolutions call for a future all calle selective import
list control unla ot items. Nor Is any cea lead given on how to fight now against rent and rate in creases or the cuts in social services.
It's hardly surprising therefore that the Scottish
of the Council SUVULCIS Tor social wemocrac Have chosen to reman see me
tience of the !
Ine Class Is HOl Pencila bl ine conterence economic policy the same cannot be for the
mowerin Last ycal resolution. lucica weanons. unis vear tnere are nineteen, ranging from calls
European Nuclear Disarmament campaigll anu calls lul itting une Dan on the War Game film and an end to army ree confereice villas.
conference will also
ISSUC Scottish executive posing to increase the
SCOTLANDS UNEMPLOYMENT
180
of any Scottish Dowers As They sat a Labe set majorityin she Assembly as They
the ettects the …orl all part of their bait lif 1984 5t their 'wait till
sulalcoy. effects on the 1lS SCOTTIST class
might be the opposite. Scot-
voted overthe mast election. Labour
labour atallist
the Tories hots up the idea or a scottis assemov wilt
economic powers could
govern-
ment's life prematurely.
Socialişt Challenge 12 March 1981 , Page 14
LEE SITT
'Strike and
you're sacked'
EIGHTEEN trade unionists - mainly women - at Royal Pride Furniture in Salford are on strike wage award and recognition of their union, the Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades.
The strikers received the following letter from their employer: 'You are in breach of. your contract of employment by taking action which commenced 22 rebruary 1981 and consequence you are deemed to have dismissed yourself.
'If you do not return to work by rriaay March 1981, this factory will close and the jobs of all employees will cease to exist.
VAL HARROP, shoo stewaru Royal Pride, told Laura Mitchell about the dispute.
'We were offered a 5 per cent rise whici wouldn't accept. We've had 5 per cent rises for the last two years.
Joined
'We only joined the union last November.
Until then we'd tried to
or a £7 a week increase
le said he couldn't fard, "he said. ford
'He's had to sell his Mercedes for a Daimler and he's just back from staying in the tax haven
LEE
JEANS
SIT - IN
Greenock women left their occupation only to join the Glasgow jobs march payment of their 1981 national
island of Guernsey Before we joined the union the boss came out on top every time because we didn't know how to go about things. Men
'He's always threatening to close the factory down. It's like a gun our head. We need the jobs, we've always backed down.
*Since we joined the union, the boss agreed to give us the increa. But he wont agree plus the back pay. to union recognition.
'He said he can't understand why we're prepared to lose our jobs over this issue. But we sav we need the union. f we weren't in the union,
wouldn't have come this far. We'd have had to accept 5 per cent.
"The men were in the union but when they were onfered a rise, lncy left. So with one or two exceptions it's the women who are leading
fight recognition.
'When the men saw the picket lines and saw how strong we were, they
Home News
wouldn't cross them and HOW they're us. The boss wants to sack some of the men and bring in people from the Youth Opportunities Programme. only have to pay them f23 a wee There
are nine women who are the main producers. piece work they all ạch item you make Call different wage. priced so your wages depend on how hard you
workie get f2.50 for. a
chair that sells shops for f72; £1.05 for a stool that sells for just under f50, and f2 for a headboard that goes for £230.
'Alll our families are behind us. This is the first time we've stuck together. It's our pride, our self-respect, that we're fighting for.' and contributions Royal Messages Pride Strike Fund C/0 JOSS Victoria Park, Victoria Manchester M14 5DB.
Other THE / BOOKSHOP
an investigation into the lives of women in the midst of war in Northern Ireland.
tai with an introduction by her biographer and translator, Cathy Porter industrial society.
From The Other Bookshop, 328 Upper St,
tle if ordering by post.
By Des Tierney
for Scottish workers.
Nell McCafferty
The Armagh Women Co-op Books, £1.50 The women in Armagh jail provide a focus for
Alexandra Kollontai A Great Love Virago, £2.50 Following the success of Love of Workers Bees, Virago has published a second novel by Kollon-
Glasgow University Media Group Bad News Routledge and Kegan Paul, £5.95 The authors have carried out an extensive study of television news coverage of industrial affairs, which reveals the bias of the picture presented of
London N1 2XP. Please add 15% to each ti-
AS the Tories' economic blizzard continues in Scotland the occupation of the VF factory in Greenock has become a shining example
This week saw the announcemen of redundancies in Scotland: British Levland al Bathgate (900), NCR in
(279) alle Hoover in Cambuslang (300).
The Talbot Linwood shop stewards have called a West of Scotland shop stewards' coll ference to discuss their
save 4,800 Coden lu jobs, and pride of place on the platform will go to Ellen Monaghan and Bridie Bellingham shop stewards at the VF factory in Greenock.
Collect
Socialist Challenge spoke to them about the Sion onlen the u tion. Ellen spoke about the campaign: 'Support has continued
pour in. The loca engineering union and shipyard workers are collecting money each week for us.
'We've had girls out touring actorie Glasgow and Edinburgh We hope to go further afield with the tours this week Gardner's workers came up last week. We talked to them for four hours They gave us nentv of advic on how to run the occupation and thev'll bi organising tours for us in Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool.
'We've not : organised it yet but we'd like tour South Wales and places lke unal. I'm surt ween get penty or supe pel. The Seottish Tup port. secretary Jimmy Milne was down the other day and he called for full support for us.
Pounds
'It seems like every other union is supporting us except our own, continued Bridie. 'Last week Colin Tinsley, was up at full-time official, the factory
'He told a stewards' meeting that our struggle was hopeless and we should consider the chances getting "enhanced payments'
'We told him we didn't start this occupation for few extra pounds but for jobs. What use would the money be to these girls that have just left school.
'He said it might take another three OI four weeks to get the occupa tion made official and anyway there would have
be ballot of the members in the rish tac tories, because we're calling for worksharing! Sick
If anything, the at-
ficials has hardened us made official but we've WC Walll made it clear from the beginning that we'd go ahead whether it was made official or not.
'It would make you sick. In all these years we've never asked fol anything from our union. Now when all we want is their support, we get this.'
Page 15 scan of this page
'Socialist' publisher
sacks strikers
By an NUJ striker
ROBERT Maxwell,
Labour Party member
and millionaire pub-
lisher, who claims to
be a 'socialist', sacked
nine journalists last
Fridav - just two davs
after we had gone on
strike.
The nine NUJ mem-
bers work in the iournals
production department
ot Pergammon Press
Oxford.
For than 18
months we have been try-
let accolate an asce"
ment with Maxwell over
а 1980 рау claim,
alla
comparability with other
unionised publishers.
57 unionised publishers,
Pergammon.
I he
should have been con-
cluded by 31 August last
year, but Maxwell didn't
the union until
Hiccl
November. He had
refused to attend
cancelled some 20 earlier
meetings. His final offer Print union leaders
ignore occupation
By Tessa van Gelderen
SIXTY-five journalists
are still in occupation
Books
Hackney, East London
three months after
the dispute began.
management
negotiate a settlement, the
first 19
January.
Annabel McLaren,
NUJ mother of the chapel,
hopes anand for ter
full
ine creaton ora unto bu
the employers are likely to
stick the question
back pay.
Futura is owned by the Printie corporathe largest publishing
ford of Which nas ree thy
come under the control
Dublishiel
nopen Maxwet.
With a massive crisis in
the print industry,
wants to introduce a
plan' Annabel
McLaren says: •BPC wants
0 cen c on on an e
present occupation has put rigin a ture redunosinicies. strong position®
Trades council rejects 'TUC -Hands Off Ireland' conference HACKNEY Trades Council, one of BEne half dozen trades councils which had supported the 'TUC Hands Off Ireland' conference to be held later this month, withdrew its support last Thursday.
This followed the decision by te luc lo disar filiate any trades council which backs the conference, Dul nackucy that this was not the reason
for its athended l
resolution supported by a large majority of the 50 delegates at the meenne cecared une trade.
policy and reaffirmed its commit-
are ano and self-determination for the Irish people.
So and challen stup
porters and
Party WELC LIUSC W1l0 arquee asamst suobort tol the forthcoming con-
this month was a 10 per cell pay loc
We are demanding an increase of between 20 and 25 per cent on basic pay of around £3,000 a year, five weeks holiday,
35-hour week and sick pay scheme which is not discretionary.
The NUJ claim would cost Pergammon at most one per cent of
profit in 1980 Maxwell has just gained control of BPC, and now boasts of the f20m liquid assets under his control.
The NGA print chapel Pergammon has decided not to handle work arom une ourials production department. Post Office
WULKCIS. local government workers, and unionised deli-
ting the picket.
The strikers are determined that Maxwell the self-proclaimed socialist should not able treat trade unionists with
f we'd beer working normally, we would prob ably be deciding to go eidi a threat on strike ClOSUIC hanging UVeI neads. Now we none to de le a position to have a say in what happens
National Union of journansts, parucularly tne magazine and book branches, are giving practical support to the
vaupanon ine transoort umoll is alse ouncially suboorun? it and Will be naiting the movement of
teachers associations have agreed not to buy educational material from ine conloany. DUL lIC DIll unions, while *sympathis-
have not given their official back
As BPC faces massive restrucuurne ano recoancies, the print unions leaders
hand over fist. All printing agreements or ve beer LOTI unions negotiate to sell jobs
So a victory now in BPC might go some way to stem the tide of redundancies that
swccolle lic ColliDally and the print industry general.
which has been called by the Smash the Prevennon or terrorism Act callpaign a campaign of the Revolutionary Communist Tendency.
They argued that describe the imperialist' the term used in announcements for he conference - could only bring disunity in the fight or workle Class Colliiilll ment to end the british oc cupation of Northern Ireland.
The aim was not to de. mane nat te eacersnin of the trade union movement
war in Ireland, as in effect it aireday does will DacKing orine bener Lue Tor Al campaign, but that it should call for troop withdrawal
By a vote of 19 to 15, of ficers of Hackney Withdrawinge censed des withdrawing
oscuss une issue.
STEEL Duport priorke steet the workers
pany in Llanelli, Wales, are threatening militant action to stave closure.
The Duport Group known for Slumberland beds, is intending to scrap its steel in-
The steel-making. 200 Llanelli, where employed, faces total snut down within 90 days, while the re-rolling plants Midlands and Sheffield will be sold off to the British Steel Corporation.
With unemployment stand ing at 15 per cent in the area, une canell rejected redundancy hand-outs steelworkers have
and agreed to fight the closure.
There are plans to lay siege to the plant it the mes to remove valuabie could ment, recently installed £30m modernisation project.
John Carberry, steel union official, said: 'We will block the works to prevent the removal
Fighting for gay
rights at work
By Jamie Gough A CONFERENCE to organise the fight for rights of gays at work is being held later this month. Recent cases of victimisation show the need for such an initiative.
After two months in her job as a teacher, Ms X was summoned by the local education authority and told that she had been sacked because she was 'unfit to teach'. The authority had found out she was a lesbian
'A lesbian cannot be trusted to teach in a girls' SCROOl where SOmE the girls are welldeveloped,' she was told.
Nobody seemed to mind about the number of men teaching in tue school.
John Saunders was sacked from his job maintenance worker in a schools holiday camp for being gay.
Sacking
An industrial tribunal upheld his sacking on the grounds that, whe ner not employer's prejudice
him was well-founded, many people have the same prejudice and the sacking therefore reasonable'
These are just two exannies one kao ol problem which gay peonie face at work. it is no coincidence that both concerned jobs involving young people.
Lesbians and gay in these jobs are constantly under threat — and can scarce-
ever open about their sexuality because exople would cor example of gay youth.
Clwyd county council
Home News
No slumber for
Duport workers
South
off
best
plant in
are
the •By Celia Pugh
of plant and machinery. We do not accept that the closure of the works is inevitable and our main emphasis is to keep it intact.
company for jobs was a demonstration
of trade union, Labour Party, and community supporters In Llanelli on 28 February.
The presence demonstration of members of miners' lodges was a sign that
has recently
formal policy of not
employing gay people in
jobs involving youth, the
elderly or the handicap-
ped. Unions
Gay people organis-
ing at the workplace and
outside have begun to
challenge all this. Gay
groups now exist
VALGO, NUPE, NUT,
NATFHE the
union for teachers in tur-
the education. Organisa-
HOn Is beging the Lion Workers and in tae Union Communica-
print unions.
NALGO and the
CPSA conferences have
been won anti-
discrimination positions;
to a limited extent these
have been implemented
in contracts of employ-
Conference
Leaders of the
GMWU and NUPE have
made statements on gay
rights but activists in the
that their leaders go
beyond words
The Gay Rights
Work Conference, which
welcomes the participa-
tion of non-gays, will be
the next step in organis
ing this It will be held in
Sheffield on
Details from John
McKay, Pickwick Court,
London SE9.
If the
last year
the The first round in this fight A
workers, in the
the that direction
ARE YOU HE
19
the steelworkers are prepared to learn the lesson of the recent miners' fight against closure -that action can stop job losses.
Duport workers do take industrial action it will call steel union leaders who have stood by as over 16,000 Welsh steel jobs have been axed in the
More losses are in store in
when boss lan MacGregor reports on his corporate plan in July. Industry Secretary Keith Joseph recently said in parlia ment that 'Mr MacGreaor ad mits his plan is optimistic, and | think is MacGregor's
орtimism is not justified, further closures and redundancies will be necessary.
victory for the Duport although they work private steel sector, would prove a powerful incen. tive for Keith Joseph to decid-
Tory U-turn in the OT maintaining steel jobs should be considered.
IN MAPPTIOBÉ PROUD
? IN PROUDTO BEGRY!
LIM PROVDIVHRPPY
Socialist Challenge
Students
оссиру
against
state
racism
By Richard Young. UCL Student Union executive AS MANY as 250 students at University College London have gone indefinite occupation in protest at the proposal to raise
of overseas students by 25 per cent from October this year.
The union had been campaigning against the le increases for unree weeks before packed union
Grants Commission, gover ment body responsible fo allocalls umversity lulus
recommended mill mum 'full-cost' fees overseas students for nex
that arts students will have to 42JU medica. students an incredible
16.00 or nories at tuby
"deplored' the government's polcv on overseas student but then went on to say thai they intended charging additonal 5-10 crease on top of the recom cen
After Students'
the UCL backed dow but still insist that they wil molemen minimum Pees the
tee increases Sovernmen see part and racist the
Him migration policy
Since th e gap between fees charged students and those charged
students from oversea
noticeably years ago there : has ; been a dramatic fall in the number •i overseas students abor ing to study in this country
Support for the UCL o
cupation has come from th Camous from student unions around
UMIST in Manchester had a Student 24-hou occupanion la sup
campaign
week the Londor Students ; Organisation held a rally and 24-hou ос. cupation of Senate House London umveristy. and stucent ts i Economics ar Londo School
currentl their
administratior
NUS needs to build sup port lot lnese achion.
Banned!
THE decision of the home secretary to ban
all marches in London until end of the month has hit several protest actions.
The blanket ban was imposed after the NF had
demon inreatenec strate Deptford las weekend
The Hane
of Socialist Lawyers says
there are
powers within the Public
Ureers Ac as amenace
the Relations
The ban WIll risingie , to stop fascists The 'recepwould have
received in Deptford ma
discouraged
wel
such open
racism.
The blanket ban af
fects protests planned in
London ov Nu cloud.
student unions, anti.
racist groups, and
12 March 1981 Page 15
Page 16 scan of this page
adequate food, water, education, health and housing for everyone in the world has been estim- ated at $17 billion a year. It is a huge sum of money
Socialist canted by a ta fier fiT id London London t1
Challenge The money required to provide
...about
spends on
arms every
two weeks.
From a poster produced by New Internationalist
much as the world
CND
LABOUR
MOVEMENT
mittees, Constit
FERENCE in top left hand corner of envelope. Please mark all Goodwin Street, London N4 Organisation:..
Political party...
Address:...
Enclosed registration fee E.
CONFERENCE
AGAINST THE MISSILES
Saturday 28th. March in MANCHESTER at UMIST Students Union
correspondence with LABOUR MOVEMENT CON.
To be completed by secretary of delegating body and returned to CND, 11
Do you rig or crete cited etc. or be seat wil delegates credentiale • (E3 per delegate) cheques payable to CND If your TU/Labour Party wishes to affiliate to CND please ask for form.
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