Socialist Challenge No. 58, 10 August 1978
The scan: sc-n58-aug-10-1978.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
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Page 1 scan of this page
Socialist Challenge
LOBBY TUC 6 SEPTEMBER
TWO private meeting to hear the YELAS DEP CEDRESENTALIVES U
Asian community movement in Towe Humlets and Hackney
DAVE LAWRENCE,
Stepney Trades Council, was
The last time any of us saw a TUC leader on a picket lee was at Grunwick, so when Murray and Keys joined us in the lane on Sunday we were very much in two minds about it.
EPS СУШКЕ. WE Wund leaders of the trade anion movement to be with us in the frontline aguinst the Nazis fact we demand that they're there - but everyone knows SOWIES COOP UDHHA picket round the mulberry bush.
Murray and Keys about the plans for Sunday 20 August.
MEET
YOU
IN
BRICK
LANE
What TUC leaders
said to the Asians
and which Asian leaders and the Anti Nazi Leugue have made a national day of solidarity.
This was news to the TUC leaders. 'Don't assume autoJENSE COULDOE warned. We dide'l.
Len Murray (centre) and Bill Keys (on his leto) in Brick Lane last Sunday.
And when an Asian said mass picketing bad been importaat at Grunwick, Bill Keys replied:
I hope we don't talk about mass picketing at this stage. The Len Murras question is law and order. The Public Onder Act can be used to
No Phase 4-35-hour week now
August
.......•
Sunday
20
attacks
courts.
COME HAMLETS
hold down will put remore the NF from Brick
so far been used to stop all Never mind that the law sad tubes order cones in the shape of Street.
on blacks und anti-racistsby the police and the
When I had raised the issue of SUDDON OR DELESLIE with Keys at an earlier meeting,
don't want vigilante groups on either side. Both are as bad as each other.
When Fraised the issue again on Monday, nelther of the TUC leaders would comment.
It was an off the cuff comment by Len Murray which reully gave the game away. 1 don 'twant to be crude", he said, replying to our demands. 'but if you Forgive me. the tai doesn't wag the dog.
We knew what "dog" he was talking about. The one that's heen helping the Government to
wages, that dousands of workers look to the Froat for a solution.
Still, we're glad they came. Maybe we'll see them in the Lanenext Suaday and on the big
lay on the 20th
What's vital Is that we se YOU then. Knocking the Nuis out of their haunt in the Lane
millions of trades WHOSE GE DUESAC.
*20 August. National day of SO CRUIS ASIDE CHELSIEH
of Brick Lane and TURTEEN ONE NEARE
Whitechapel/Liverpool
No 58 10 August 1978 15p Exclusive INSIDE
Leyland
We
break silence
on the
slush
fund
How
the
cover
up worked
The
names
they
tried
to
hide
and No cover-up. A slory al A stry of bribers, corraption caplialion in our time.
Concensored Lestend slash Toad Trantie Combines political lendens la construct a wall uf silence around it commercial and teal Story of
See
four page
supplement
Page 2 scan of this page
Archbishop shocked
Make what we do
OUR POLICIES 2
EDITORIAL
Sottorial 0-38 80 9 Den Upon Adverting 01-990 8371.
Long knives in
Palestine
IT WOULD be a brave person who confidently claimed to understand what is going on within the Palestinian movement. Or [more likely] a foolish one. gunning each other down worldwide has had a disasterous effect on the Palestinians" prestige and bewildered their followers.
resolving differences among the movements of the oppressed. Neither is the convenient "moderate-radical" label used by the press much help in disentangling the present situation. death sentences to a number of Communist Party members. It has become notorious for its attempts to buy its way into radical Arab circles. within the Palestine Liberation Organisation for its own ends. this didn't worry Syria's imperialist backers because the trouble didn't spill over onto the streets of the Western capitals. faction in Fatah — has been only too ready to preach reliance on the 'radical" Arab regimes when it suits its own purposes. • strategy of independent mobilisation and alliances with the oppressed of the entire Arab world. This leaves the way open for someone like Abu Nidal, the leader of a dissident faction of Fatah to project a strategy which ultimately has me more chance of seccess and to enlist the support of the Truqi secret police to do It. defence of the Palestinian movement. The main beneficiaries of the present struggle are bound to be the Zionists, It is therefore especially important to step up our solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people, to ensure that our support is not predicated upon the adoption of any purticular strategy by the Palestiniun organisations. won by classes and movements of the mass of she population. It does the Palestinian cause a great disservice to reduce theis to the gun warfare of cliques and sectet police.
Baying for Thorpe
HYPOCRISY is the name of the game when bourgenis politicians are the players. And that applies even when murder is one of the
ay relationship. The same Fleet Street hacks will bay with deligh f Thorpe is found guilty on the charge of conspiracy to murder yet the alleged target is the source of the story about the gay relationship. Clearly, you can't win either was. windfall in their campaign to bring the Tories back in Detober. They may even come up with more cholce and strategically tinied revelations.
Thorpe's arrest throws up many things into question poses the possibility of a renewed Lib-Lab pact and a spring electien. Even if the Liberal Party manages to distance itself from Thorpe's plight its electoral prospects have been dealt a serious
leader facing a charge of conspiracy to murder. In this particular Instunce, the blow to the Liberals" fortunes happens to coincide with the Tories' election strategy, Not confident that they can smaich votes from Labour in the urhan strongholds, the Tories are out to smash the Liberals and overturn the narrow parlismentary margin that way.
compared with the methods used by bourgeois governments even democratie ones — to stay in power.
who have found themselves on a CIA target list.
of the 'democratic" security services just the midnight knock and a lead headache.
relatively clean
their public and privute lives.
if you agree with these principles and want
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Socialist Challenge 10 August 1978 Page 2
Upper
The sight of would-be supporters of the Palestinian cause
Whatever the differences, violence is not an acceptable way of
It was radical" Iraq, remember, which recently handed out
Iraq is only the most recent bourgeois regime to use a faction Syria has tried a similar operation with far bloodier resalts, but colonial mentality of the British
But the PLO leadership — that is, primarily the dominaat
The root of the present problem is the P'LO's failure to advance
Having made all these criticisms, we must still be on our guard in
But we must still point out that social and political struggles are Jeremy Thorpe was hounded by the press because of an alleged
But, more to the point, the papers will gratefully accept this
- It even
No party can be happy going into an election with their farmer
Murder is a serious crime. If there was a conspiracy to shut Norman Scott up permanently those responsible deserve all that's coming to them. But a conspiracy to mander one person is nothing
Ask Kenneth Lennon what he thinks about political murder. He won't say much, because he was un Irish police informer whe ended up in a ditch with a bullet in the brain. Or ask the politicians
Or the countless numbers who have actually died at the hands
- either in a military coup or
This is the less poblic side of how the state maintuins its power. Of course the politicians themselves try to keep their own hands
- or else they are masters of the cover-up.
Innocent or guilty Jeremy Thorpe is a fall guy, a sort of unwilling atonement for the crimes of bourgenis politicians in both
RELAND
LAST WEEK the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Tomas O Fiaich, Issued a statement condemning conditions in the H Block of Long Kesh prison.
pompous fashion. The Archbishop was referred to throughout as "Archbishop O'Fee. GEOFF BELL reports.
A better example of the administration in the North of The Northern Ireland Office
spelt O Fiaich's name in its English form, as if to say the damn rebel had no right to use this foreign Irish language. explained by both the tone and The British
HOME NEWS
Police Chief urges
of Metropolitan Police MeNee's Criminal Procedure.
what is already happening now.
People are already held in solitary confinement for three days and more; held without access to lawyers and friends, which makes a mockery of the so-called night stopped, searched and questioned tbe streets regardless of whether the police are actually entitled to do this.
McNee justifies many formal changes in the law by the need to stamp Out "football
robbers and murderers In practice his suggestions may have the biggest impact on poutical MOLIVIAL For example, instead of
having to arrest and charge demonstrators, pickels, leanetters with spocific offences, tbe police would be authorised to stop, search and hold them in i station Just
- In huild broad-basel elisa scraggle lemencies in
1
secrary means the power of the capitalist sone
by H Block
The Northern Ireland Office replied in its usual
content of O Fiaich's remarks Hesaid: "Having spent the whole of Sunday in the prison 1 was shocked by the inhuman conditions prevailing in H Blocks 3, 4 and 5, where over 300 prisoners are incarcerated One Wome narusy mow a animal to remain in such conditions, let alone a human *The nearest to it I have seen
now legal
A FURORE broke out last week with the publication
Commissioner David proposals to the Royal Commission on
PAUL CRANE of Release explains that MeNee is mainly asking for approval of the worst aspects of
barticular location an officer because being beleves that such search may assist in the prevention of scrious crime or danger to the - a phrase open to very clastic interpretation.
The police would also be entitled to demand anyone's and address, ask questions to find out if thereply was true, and if you refused or 'the police didn't believe you, take you away to the station All chis would be possible simply using the legal excuse SOME SACE believed you could *assist an officer in his enquiries is connection with an offence which, may have or might be committed either by you or somebody else, no matter how trivial.
MeNce proposes chat, once as a police station, any adul Capitatem is in crisis. The leaders of the Labour Parts and the trades aninn offersolutions that are in the interests, noc of the wurkers, hat of the capitalis
heliers that the two seal tasks contronting
class orlaborationism in the laboer movement. These shinuld be non-esclusive in character groupiag together militars holding a wide ranac of podical slews •Ta hagis to nahe for the crestion nt a willed and demacratic nevdelimar socialist aganisation which can, through an application of united front tactics begin the seen as an alterute be thousand of workers engaged in strengies
Sech an organisation shouid be based on the understanding thos
The smugek for socialide seeksto wale be Fight of the worken asine the hasses with that of other oppresed been ut uncles black people, pays — ilrugaling for their beration. Thiesucialism can only beachieved he creeling new organs of priver ned defening will all
was the spectacle of hundreds of homeless people living in sever pipes in the slums Calcutta.
The stench and filth in some of the cells, with the remains of rotten food and human excreta scattered around the walls, was almost unbearable. In two of them I was unable to speak for fear of vomiting"
O Fiaich went on to explain that 4'83 -Just conditions in the cells which WAITE TENCLONECE
Several prisoners complained to me of beatings, of verbal abuse, of additional punish-
and degrading searches carried out on the most intimate part of their naked bodies."
The only point of any
Commissioner MeNee: wants police powers estended
could he legally bield on suspicion, in solitary confinement for up to three days and then taken to a
magistrate to rubber scamp detention for three more days.
During all this time, the police would keep their present
right to veto visits or phone calls by lawyers, friends ere.
If you managed to keep quiet
(or gave evasive answers) and
were later prosecuted. McNec
sugeests that any court should
told to assume that
America, Airies and Asia.
Trom Ireland and Seling the Irsh people determine their win fature
4
tendences
substance HELE by the Nothern Ireland ClE reply was that it was "the prisoners themselves who have made conditions whar They BLIC correctly the rises it Formally the statemen: their 'no wash" tactics who are TE OASIC HE SOME DETE disgusting conditions in Long But that is a rather facile arrument. The misDies an protesting against the removal of political status, which H'aS originally in mally eratic in 1972 British Labour Government's removal of that status which has caused the protests.
Or, to carry the argument to its logical conclusion, il Britai had never been in Ireland in tic LUS PACE LEICE WUHANES DOE Long Kesh, an H Block. politica prisoners who haw been jailed for their activities fighting against that British subsequent explanations were Lies unless you could come ap with a good excuse The Commission to whon these And many other recommendations were sent will not ceport on how to reform police powers and prosecutions until 1979 1980 Nevertheless MeNee's opinions are likely to set the terms of the debate and provide important fuel for the powerful зам ano brac aoin theeses of the millions of workers throughout the warld. Me are oppred in them and will offer fill mopport to all chow fighting for sociall demicras
The intensts of warker and capitalists are inconcilable on a word
scale, Capitalion hus not only created a work market. it his ar
world polilis. This we fighi for working cass unily nu an internar
scale. This shity will in the long run he decisio in defeating both the Imperiulist regime in the West and the bratal dictatonshipe they sustain in Latin
In Belinin le implies demanding the immediate withdromalof Heita troops
The Communis Parties in Earpe are in arils Nellies th "Euro-communis nor ihe pro-Moscam wines have ant meetinatur states for the averihenk of the capitalist sate. few peolatimar mcialist partles are mannecesary than eser before, Conditions indet are mure faceurable than auer the precoding shrer dicades, Bui such pamirien saly be built hy rejecling serturismiss and sering intemal demons not at basury bet as a vici secewils, This mess the right lee nranise factons and
Page 3 scan of this page
HOME NEWS
TUC!
The big day will now be | hope to invoive Wednesday 6 September — the debate on incomes policy and the economy The Civil
circularised all its branches to moone for that day.
The first national union to make a Cill lot the lobby. the CPSA will be calling for an end
Lobbies arroughout also Dreamed Work Compa the Right to
Campaign Campaign against Unemployment, The Right to Work Campaign are currently
building their Brighion march. with Rock
Against Racism.
Their slogan? Anger on the Road" - expreising the mood of the hundreds of youth they stepped up their campaign.
STEVE 35-hour week.
During the three day week in the winter crisis of 1973/74
workers discovered something totally new
It was not just the impact of the oil crisis, nor yet the revelation that workers could change governments through
could mean to have four full bass or seisure in a working week.
busnite reduced wage nack. ets this came as a revelation to many. New developed: and friendships made. The great eyents coie on could be discussed fully and nol meres for Uve moore: around the television news.
Few workers actually enjoy their work process. In is either actively disliked or at best tolerated,
This is not because poople are inherently lazy. The fact that many employ their leisure time in gardening. making music, Improving their homes which under other circumstances are people's jobs goes some way to showing this.
Itis not work which is alien, but the circumstances under which the mass of people are obliged to wark. What produced and how produced is determined by the bosses drive Tot prolits.
Wage lahour is not satisfaction of a need, but ibe way in which we can find the wherewithal to satisty other
Date now 6 September
Lobby the
THOUSANDS of militants will be making their way to the Trades Union Congress in Brighton. Most of them will be outside the conference hall. But their demands will echo through the whole trade union movement.
CAYU also hopes for a big LICITATEL and TUC, a forum For youth which alongside procedings SOLO LADIESUAN The two big demands of all those lobbying will be Phase 4 — No to the 12 month rule' and For being weck, without loss of pay and the with no productivity strings.
If every union was to light the and win the 35-hour week it Youth could produce new jobs. But this also means a fight to increase basic wages, so to that the amount or overtime worked does not take up the cur in working hours.
These demands can unify the whole working class. why young angry unempioyed
The right
to leisure
THE POST Office engineers" fight for the 35-hour week is a life or death struggle to defend jobs in their industry. But that was not the only reason given by delegates at the POEU conference in June which
High on the list was the need to harness new technology in the interests of the workers; to provide increased time for education, culture and polities.
POTTER continues our series on the
food, and leisure. 'Living So the demand for the shortened working week withcut loss of pay can be more than a defensive tactic to save jobs. It can be part of a strueale Tor greater control over bow life is lived — challenging the which exercises over both work and SEISUTLE But this is not the only benefit. Much work is being LETE done to counter the effect on workers bealth and safety of modern industrial conditions.
If combined with a campaign to raise basic wages to curb overtime, the beneficial effect of the shorlened working week on health and safety can be more than proportional to the cut in hours.
In the carly days of the workers moverent the demant for theshortened working week was never moved purely from economic considerations. The object was as much that the working class could start to develop themscives as an acrive cultural and political force in society.
More time off from work it is means time to develop the and use the sense which work stifles LOE frustrares, time for more of l to organise for a saner society where the right ourselves is guaranteed
will be standing shoulder 1o shoulder with workers from Raver Solihull, who have also backed the lobby.
BACON The TUC leaders will be шуша save bacon for the heat clection by wing back door support for ust 4 and the 5 per cent limit They year'strick again by supporting
sure that Phase 3 will carry on Other TOT MANY VOTEES UNIDERE
summer, as well as sopping MALE SAL ALTHOSE H of their more But if
objective was the re-clection of the Labour Government, and "No to not things like defending their
members interests and abiding the 35-hour
ONCE CUB LIENCE ULL 57012s against wage restraint and for the 35-hour week, union leaders are still atong.
It the Government goes into up to a million the election on the basis of
Phase 4 type policies, this will
That's
the fight has to go on.
The Department of Employment has refused to release details of the document to date But its main lines are clear.
jected and instead
rejected and hours conceded, but this will be in two stages. has to be within the terms of the Government's new clothing, to no cost to the Post Ultice
must be involved and the deal must productivity agreements and more flexible working prac tices.
The most scandalous aspec of the package is a 'clawback" agreement. If the proposed dea does cost the Post Office capital money (they made profits of
SAD
WALLY
REVOLUTION!
and
10 Coy
Callaghan's
was us to pun
the main
the trade Tory victory.
Battling on
THE BATTLE for the 35-hour week has taken a new turn with the findings of the McCarthy report on the Past Office engineers" claim. The report, which has Government backing, turns down the claim.
While the leadership of the Post Office Engineering Union vacillate, the action beginning to bite hard. STEVE POTTER explains why the report's findings have to be rejected, and why
DUCALLS instead
The settlement героп
pay policy,
the engineers coach Plase 4.
entlement
redundancies.
INES OF
RP!
new Steak house
at the Hope und Anchor pub. Upper Street, Islington lay the best conditions for a
Tradicional
their thousands to vote for a for policies
which embraces : Tory policies so wholeheartedly.
PO engineers' claim tured down
of their members is
On
[367m in 1977), this will b
Bre productivity deals = that is. from POEU members pay decimated
The Government and Pos Office are delighted by the
both backed it immediately. The Government has been concerned from the beginning that any success for
would drive a and horses through the Post Office, the action. 00 McCarthy's terms would mean a green light the screws on to carry out revisions of work support from practices that would soften up trade union the union for the planned campaien
week
GARNERS boss Cyril Margotis, pictured above, has admitted to the Catering Tires that custom l declining and there are finuncial problems as a result of the six-month dispute over union recognition
Pickets claim that the firm is now losing up to 80 per ceot of its hasiness as vast aumbers of tourists are turned away. A meeting of all trades council secretaries and chairpersons in the Greater London anca was being held on Tuesduy to discus extending sepport, and a bemelit is being held on Saturduy
Garner's boss digs in
If the crade union leaders seriously wanted Labour to win the clection they would fight to ever rising dole qudues. and plununeting living standards. leader rep has been disgrior disgrace the ful. Deputy General Secretary Ted Webb said that the report had promising parts, and Brian Stanley, the General Secretary has put forward the cop-but o accepting the 37% hour woek date for the 35 hour weel Webb went on to say that he wanted the industrial aCtiOn ended as soon as possible. This at a time when the campasgn is just starting to bite! the International exchanges alone the Post Office are being hit to the tune of E55-60,000 per day. The City screaming that exchange and currency dealings will be
For every worker sent home for carrying out union policy, strike, and have instituted carrled on with the overtime ban which was ended by the union leadership last week as part of the attempt to tun down
The way forwand is to keer and appeal for the tact at the movement in the 35-hour STALINGO
And they could do a lot worse than listen to those Seem remo September. Phase Immediate action for 35-hour week!
Every branch should follow
example of Sheffield leaflet Tot trade unionists explaining why should be supported as part of a class-wide fight for the 35-hour week without loss of pay or productivity deal strings.
The lobby of the TUC on 6 September can be a platform HOR BEL BCDOS CURI their case to the rest of the trade
Huddersfield fir POST Office management thought they had picked on a weak link in the anion when they tried to send home two
random in the ares, UNLE MELVYN HOLDSWORTH CHOOSE TRADERS
But we decided to step up the ben with lightning selective disruption as well as refusing to do the two men's work and instituting the work-to-rule
In addition a one du: stoppage was supported throughout the whole Bradfor Socialist Chullenge 10 August 1978 Page 3
Page 4 scan of this page
Anti-racist's defence campaign says Keep support coming in!
Wolverhampton on 11 March has
The Anti Nazi League is | Stevens was visiting. sponsoring the campaign nationally. The Indian Workers Association has done the same, as well as organising Icaflets in Punjabi, and raising the issue in mectines Merlyn Rees and William Whitelaw.
Dave Stevens is a member of the Labour Party and many local members support his cause. Six Wolverhampton councillors have already spon sored the campaign. Most of the town's leading trade unionists are behind it.
Stevels was taken round Parliament last week by Tom Litterick support. Four MPs signed at once.
Dave Stevens figured 'Degenerate of the Month' in the July issue of the NF's paper Spearhead, which included his
Since then all the windows of his house have been smashed; a brick was hurled at him as be was phoning trom a c and two days later. a member of the IWA recei a threatening phone call wh
Socialism
anti-racist and anti-fascist
Workers Party.
Only IB05E sectarians, hlinded by their own impotence, could deny
due credit tor SULELS of Anti-Nazi ECaRuC
We have
continue to do so, just as we
will continue to give nur
fullest support, But credit must
be given where credit is due
the SWP deserve top marks tor
the way they built the ANL
One criticism often made of
SWP to way
alienate large soctions of the
movement
boustful claims such as "we
organised Lewisham'
DEEPER
These differences over lactics
in the ANL and style
intervention might seem minor
problenis. But in fact they are
merely the surface expression
of much deeper problems about
thic WADIC WEY the
appronches anti-racist
The publication of three new
SWP pamphlets provides
good opportunity to take a look
differences
pamphlets, The Case Against
STAIITAELES Controls,
Fight Against Fascism and For
Socialism, and Fascism and the
Nationul Front, give a good
trengths of the SWP, but alse adication of the organisanone
hiphlight some of their political
weaknesses.
important
revolutionaries say what is .
especially when dealing with
grawing reactionary forces.
is all too casy to ery wolf.
Unfortunately this is exactly
Socialist Challenge 10 August 1978 Page 4
ANTI-RACIST NEWS
THE SUPPORT campaign for Dave Stevens and the others arrested during the anti-racist demonstration in
got off te tremendous start, reports CHRIS ROSEBLADE.
Following these incidents. the police were asked to provide profection. But as far as they concerned, "nothing sinister". They said they had no reason to believe it was the Frout.
As Dave Stevens says! The cops aren't really prepared to do anything. They don't take things like this seriously when it happens to blacks or known anti-racists.
The delence campain hasn't just been about respectable names. It has also involved winning support in the heart of the oppressed communities.
One such evening was spent in a pub in Wolverhampton where over a hundred Asians attended a social. We were the only whites. After a dressed Punjabi singer, mance macrificently Noor got up We were amazed when it was translated forus, It was about a girl who says to "Don't go into debt will the moneylender to pay sly dowry. and I will fight them all.?
Black Liberation and
IN OUR series on the policies of socialists within the
movements, TALBOT this week looks at the views of the Socialist
rabid what Colin Sparks does in
Fascism and the NF the *50 writes
the 'they (the NF) have only made a
The small start. But tocO
looked pretty small 1923. Ten however..?
EXPLICIT This suggestive statement is made more explicit: possible for them to build a mass Nazi party in Britain an they the next few years.
However, he doesn't go on to with explain that fascise.
"party of counter-revolutionary despair, has only become a mass moverbent working class has tried and
hope.
As Trotsky pur it: 'Halian fascism was the outgrowth of the betrayal by the reformists of the uprising of the halian prolerarial.
SWP This is because a fascist
and movement needs both a mass of
shaken and despairing middle class and lumpen troops and fimancial backing from a badly shaken and worried section of
The capitalists in order to develop.
The DISTORTED
Today the SWP have become so absorbed against the NF that everything becomes discorted: short distance, tben, separates Tbatcher from repatriation -
that the policy of the Nazi Frontor
The politics al repatriation are the polities of Auschwitz and Dachan... The first step on the road to a British Dachau was taken when inmigration F
There we
General
collecting perfor- Later Noor, president of the
IWA. made a speech about the campaign
sang. followed by tremendous app
Clause. Leaflets in Punjabi were handed out. her father: We have been campaigning
flat out. Ten thousand petitions and leaflets WIl available, together pamphlet. A national speaking" COLIN
Sparks,
Hitler
beer later
as the
the
(The insmediate Immigration Controls)
Thus even the fight against state racism, winch today is the main attack on black peonie's rights, has to be posed in terms of fascism and the NF, not to mention being somewhat melodramatic.
The SWP manages to adopt both a sectarian attitude to the anti-Fascist movement and an opportunist approach.
Thematic are companied bad theoretical with the fight thorough mis estimation of the
role of fascism in Britain today.
-Only a
adopt important aspects of Trotsky's analysis of failure to understand Tracsky's united frant policies and his insistence on socialist democracy weakens and flaws licir
05, M.
MP:
DENNIS
Police take away Dare Stevens on il March
ANL
needed to finance the
book. now. shortly be INTERCE with Lewisham last August — SWP claim we orgunised il controls were first imposed in theory and practice.
Case -Aguinst A healed debare Flame has resulted becoming These solidarity
While they are happy lo self-organisation
of the liberation.
Their tascism, Asian and
cour is planned, with spenkers from the IWA, Afro-Carib-
organisations, and the
Funds are still desperatel
work Please reach for your cheque
Campalen. c/b Student Union, Wolverhump-
PLANS political
heineen the
The Media.
Three anti-racists Information.
HONKEL
because of their combination of opportunism and sectarian party buildin hat the SWP's black organis sations, Flanie and Chingan, have had so many troubles. The campagns latter has disappeared com Cardiff pletely after its strong showing in the Asian youth radical sation in the summer of 1976.
around DELIL SLUI in it forganisaticmally auturomous' but in 'political
with the swP.
However both this resclution at SWI conference and anotbee on Asian work" Failed even to lo the mention the questions of black
and black
Such an approach can only
deepen the hostility of the many
Afro-Caribbean youth who sympathise with follow revolutionary socialism but are suspicious of the white left" alreadyset.
Pull the
plugs on
the thugs'
Trades tor party broadcast National Front al the next election are underway nation. be ally. This follows a meeting Cumpaign Against Racism in
ANL harriers. confront opposing broadcasts. The first is the legal position — it had been though! that the Representation of the People Act gave automatic TV linee to parties fielding a certain number of candidates.
Bat it now emerges thut this
really only agreement" between the BBC and the maiu
. The ANt and CARM publicising this
The second main problem b that the BBC and IHA repare the NF as a 'normal' politica party, The internal NF bulletin published in Socialist Chal lenge two weeks ago reveuled
the Nt is putting up candidates simply to gel media
This is expected to anger
IN BRIEF
Immigration Laws TOGETHER with the local
In Bradlord and which have been launched around the deration
"illegal immigrants, London-based campaign has
About 30 people attended rocent meeling to establish the Campaign Against tion Laws (CAIL). This intends to fight the 1971 Immigration
Act and the proposed changes
law on nationalities.
The first action which the
campaign is trying to orpanise is
jaint pickets of jails in London,
Cardiff, and Bradford on 23
September. They are appeating
areas to Lloc example that
Bradford and Cardilf have
merlin workers, CARM members hope to use this sentiment to start Don
used by Front' cumpaign
a sue relate pendenhe
the leue of free speech.
and CARM will he campaigning the prevailing view that giving the NF a hroadcast is somehow "democralic, when the itself is violent, racist and antidemacratic
ANL/CARM programme of activity starts with a meeting of programme makers at the Edinburgh TY festival in
This will be SERINES folloned hy ang bandon meeting on 12 September, and a
national Day of Action two Photo: PETER MARLOW
days later.
The climax is expected to be a series of pickets at regional TY stations by ANE groups leading to a mass picket of BBC Broadcasting House on the evening of 14 Septemher
•Pall the
The main slogan, plugs on the thugs. will produced hadges and
Socialist papers sponsor antiracist school SOCIALIST CHALLENGE and Socialist Voice, the paper of the International Socialists Allance, agreed organise jointly 1WO-0a ATI THIC school 27 September. Big Flame are also
The aim of the saliool is to
very necessary
discussion anti-racism, black liberation and socialism.
The sponsors have agreed that there is a crying need for
much mare discussion
anti-cacism; in tle past, the far
left has aflen concentrated toc
much simply on anti-fascism
Fuller details will
available next week
Page 5 scan of this page
COMMENT
old timeless truths offered us by Alex Callinicos (20 July) if we are to take advantage of the eurocommunism to win montans from the Communist parties towards the politics of revolutionary Mars
Callinicos Implies that Eurocomdevelopinent. He does not understand munism b totally the nature of the contradictions that
The Western CPr Moscow, coupled with the inability of the Eurocommunist leaders to extend the democratic reforms which they
parties whilst they remain in the confines of the bourgeois state, has inevitably produced such left currents as
France, which have hesitantly begun to question the lack of democracy in the pany.
Santiago Carrillo is incapable of drawinethe lonca conclusion of his rejection of the theory of 'socialism in
material political reasons.
But this logical conclusion - a development towards the positions of revolutionary Marxism which can and must be drawn by Communist workers and militants.
Mandel hails Carrillo's rejection of 'socialism in one country as a formidable historical Trotsky and Trotskyism' because of the dynamic this unleashes into the class struggle, not because he is being THE DECISION of the Socialist Workers Party conlerence was l understand, to stand only around 15 candidates in the general clection and retreat on the possibslity of standing a
alliance with Socialist Unity.
The political logic behind this shift
- the SWP had discovered that it
cloctoral terrain.
TOTALE. pointed out in Socialist Challenge (20 A SCENT MACERS THAE MCT. will be no television time,
worse, the Workers Revolutionary Party with c0 candsuales can clai to be the left alternative in British
However. renorls TOm VanOU parts of the country suggest that a whole number of SWP branches, even in large oentres like Birmingham, are deciding not to stand candidares at all, Instead InCY WEE CODCCELESTs during the clection period on activity arpend the Anti Nazi League.
Now of course anti-fascist work during the elections is valuahle and entirely commendable. However, Tot
party which revolutionary. concentrate activity during this clection
NORTH WEST WARRINGTON Socialist Challange roop mosts regularly. Ring Mar
081-236 2332 GREATER MANCHESTEI Socialisi
ricase concaci Chris (275 5047, dapl
Manchester
PET Phase 4, 1or 10 ho 10м ugust, 745pm Mr Windser Casile PRESTON Socialist Challenge
be conlected by ringing Spoke Socialist
Wanalow Rd. • Help sell
dE TOSS
engaight Masher, Dickenson Rd.
SALFORD Bocidiat Challonge sup:
Eurocommunism
WENEED rather more than the same | soft on Eurocommunism.
development of democratically
sion to left Eurocommunism.
right-wing clected ov unIVers
critique of geois democracy.
of bourgeois democracy
tions of workers democracy.
miles from
geols-democratic
Indicrous.
- 15: Onc
vindication of the Communist parties.
(Hull)
SWP and the election
sentirely inadeo are burenucrats
it simply
PENNERE much, simpler.
ANL and they no big
ANL) that they adopting this orientation.
course be
proposed
anti-Nazism is not enough,
socialist alternative.
PHIL HEARSE (Birminghum] Tal 051-258 2952 or, by wehling la Manchester Bocialist Centre, cia 14 Piccadilly. Mancheeries list Challenge grou HIGH Socialiet Challenge grou
Seal in fox an Alerton tie
NORTH EAST NEWCASTLE Socialist local opporters ate activel E you war them, phere Paid on (0632 #RHAM Socialist Challenoe Supp
Coltages,
Chal: aares on Saturays oulsids Northern look on High How 11am 1pm
saes othere
LONDON
HARROW Sacialist Challenge sup-
Callinicos's other major criticism concerns Mandel's remark that a
clected assembly could exist in a socialist democracy alongside a congress of workers coun cils. He sees this as another conces
Callinicos here confuses Mandel's hypothetical notion of an assembly
socialist society with the traditional
Such an assemble is not a bourgeois parliament, as it offers democratic freedoms quite beyond the province
notably the recall of elected officials at the will of the voters — and would play a relatively minor role compared to the worker councils and other institu-
Mandel's position is thus a million
Austro-Marxism's Belsdemocratic institution o
institutions. suggest that an assembly elected by universal suffrage "threatens to build
very structure of the workers sate" is
In fact, what will seriously hamper the intervention of revolutinnar Marxists into the crisis of the CPs is Callncos's ulra clim — his lack of a line of winning the masses from the influence of social-democracy and
STEVE SMITH, JOHN MUNSON
• WAD
anti-Nazism and nothing cisc is
During this election all the cuntral
which divide society MiREcaly wil be poscd. Centraly. TOILIS For revolutionarics, this means a fight
and present the revolutionary programmeto solve the
For the SWP, however, things are
Since there 1s. a developing radicalisation around the
make some recruits, they will do ANL work, It is absolutely typical of the sW Plack of strategic grasp and narrow party-building instincts (which haven't been at all diminished by their turn to the Youth.
are progressively
Socialist Unity activists will of
presenE In LIC AN campaign around the clection, not least on the carnival which has been
24 September in London. But these same activists need to be developing a political fight now,
in win
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE EVENTS
Hemale Wednesdars at
GREENWICH LEWISHAM Challenge supporiers meet regulad rom Ray
portmunity Socialist Chalcutside Tam1 WALTHAN FOREST peper sales wery
15,16&17 September. The dates to remember for the second
MARXIST
SYMPOSIUM
SPEAKERS AND TOPICS INCLUDE Bourgeois Democracy Nicos Poolantras, Norman Geras.
The English Bourgeois Revolution - Perry Anderson.
Class Analysis and Political Strategy — Robin Blackburn Scottish Nationalism — Tom Nairn, Neil Williamson.
The Party and the Women's Movement Sheila Rowbotham, CP. SWP, and IMG speakers invited.
Earocommunism Ernest Mandel's book From Stalinism to Eurocommunism'.
ANL
Conference
most exciting and some of the most important aspects of the conterence were totally ignored in your report by Colin Talbot.
Not once was Woinen Against the Nazis mentioned, even though the
who spoke provided heartening and spirited contributions.
Not once was School Kids Against the Nazis mentioned. Nar was Gays Against the Nazis
Surely a socialist newspaper such as
tance of anti-Nazis organising in these areas, when the Nazis themselves are aware that the isolation of women on the housine estates increases LAel! vulnerabilicy to ricist propaganda strongest are a support to 30 00 schools. Hitler's future of fascism was the Hirler
We have to ger to thea
cople to answer their frustrations
clore the Nazl:
There is a beginning here in the ANL, and Ethink it is irresponsible of
their example can provide support
organise who BUIL al советолос.
Lastly I would like to say that lam saddened that a paper which claims to support the fight for WOmen's liberation can so callously carve out the reports of their activities and the stories and experiences they have to draw on. which do in many ways provide a much fresher and more
Social
cilious at 92819 Upper SI YORKSHIRE
Humble 10
Save £1 till 1 September
and Socialist Revolution - Round Table discussion on
immediate impac. than trade union leaders, who have somerimes grown stale with the many years of speaking at such events,
MARY ANNSTUART (London E.Z)
Magic
dung
A SHORT reply to Jacqueline Kaye's Jetier (27 July).
She says: *The Committee
publicity in the imperialist papers.
I spent the last week of July in Wes Belfast, I talked to a lot of people.
Many of them mentioned the dongthrowing incident 'Magic", they said, "fucking magic People got a real bift our of that. And it was something the press couldn't tbe ignore Self determination for the Irish people?
F. MAGIC [Bristol
Lenin
Federation
the
AS THERE is no other paper of the resolutionary left providing a forum for positions resolutionary groups, it is fitting that we make our first appearance in print in Socialist Challenge.
Southpor! i hurdly a hive of
Dacieller Challenge meet
Socialist 8.00pm
CAMDEN Socialist Challenge suppor-
MIDLANDS
conlact
are organising a jumble sale, 11 yot hase any jumble to te porecled ring J SOUTH WEST on sean ar dros t into the paper
HULL Socialist Challenge supputa
-colleclich. Offers D SOUTH EAST
HUDDERSFIELD Socialiet Challenpe site Finly Saturdays 11am-1 pr
Venue: London, Goldsmiths College.
Creche provided.
Cost: 14 for all three days if you pay before 1 September. 45 for all three days if you pay after 1 September.
Any single session El.
Make Cheques and Postal Orders out to 'Socialist Challenge'
Fill in the form below and send to: Symposium, 328 Upper St., London N.1.
Name.
Address ex-CP. memocrs. pius its absence here
Prisoners Aid is not interested in
Dave Nevertheless,
join or not Finally,
where. h.ip. small sellere 112.30-1.402 Unlorsity Vanbrugh College, Satur-
Challange group
supporters. throughout the Midlande
Challenge Street.
SOUTHAMPTON Socinial Challong
PORTSMOUTH Socialist Commercial Road Precinct.
dalalis phene. Steve Wivenhou
revolutionary activity, yet a few of us here have formed a group around our unique interpretation of Leninism calling ourselves the Lenin Federa tion. Our membership is composed of
ex-SWP, and ex-WRP
whose previous aligrument lay with the
We are all agreed upon the true function of Leninism as being the direction of the party towards the active destruction of capitalism in all its forms. We have not yet formulated
- but wait. We yet wish to work with other revolutionanes and will henceforward support all demonstrations, under our own banner. of course same generalise potly with especially the ex-SWE members but there is a large minority tendency dubious about the long-term prospect
with organisations in which we have become disillusioned
Widgery. please note. it is likely we will suppori Socialist Unity activity in the next election campaign, whether we
through Socialist Challenge, we send fraternal grectings to our revolutionary comrades every-
MeKANN (Secretury, Lenin Federation, Southport
Our temporary reduction to 12 pages meuns that there may be a deiny of several weeks before some letters appear. Please note that the length of letters printed will normally be kept
as wide range of
may be cut at the Editor's discretion.
guiry an baterdays or the sip: Lungan no Roman
SCOTLAND
Ferinformation aboul the paper or its activetied colland pleas Challenge Wednesctay, T Feday. and satury she noon or Pouri Socialist
DUNDEE Infanallen about Socialist Challenge activities rom saturday, 11an-2pm WALES
CARDIFF Sopulist Challenge onur Workers and part cipation Friday 130pm: at the Four Eims pub, Clifton Si pit Newport Road)
Socialist Challenge 10 Angust 1978 Pnge 5
Page 6 scan of this page
How the
dirty deed
was done
assassination of reports.
My Testimony by Valentin Cinna is Hardy the hirst book to present the well-known facts
Trotsky, nor is it the most CUmACHCHE
But it is the first account by a CP leader involved in the events and it includes an acknowledgement that David Siquieros, the Mexican painter and member, led the firsi assassina. tion attempt on Trotsky.
One of the book's most interesting features is Campa's: self-portrait. As in autobiographies the hero Is meant to be the book's most engaging character, but Campa Emerges as a spincless creature.
national approached the Mexi can pany to city our tne
Campa Laborde, another leader, were opposed BILLE consideration simply because of the bad light this might cast on the party and the Soviet Union. And anyway Trotsky was politically finished, so why bother?
WRONG
Not the slightest hint that there could something wrong in principle with bumping off your opponents — particularty when
most important living leader of
Campa's startlingly laced Tamiliar old Stalinist slanders about the simposed links cl Trotsky and Mexican painter Diego Rivera (incorrectly identified as a leader of the Fourth International) right-wing political forces in the United States
Campa's refusal to sanction the murder — naray a grea moral gesture on the evidence of this book - led to his 'ANGOLA Three Years After Independeace' is the major feature in the latest issue of
the risthless crushing dissent MPLA bureaucracy und the maintenance of a strong economic sector linked to imperialism, and concludes that essential foundations have been laid for the emergence of a bureaucratic bourgeoisle based on the state capitalist sector',
Other articles in this issue include Hugo Blanco's speech on his return to Peru; an
WHAT'S LEFT
pubiieation. Payment in advance.
SOCIALIST PERSON wantoo so shara
roomed tiat: Own room to pe giu
haro of bills E14 area Tel 01-515
WHO DAkS womens bodies
Actien on a woman's night contraceptio and atoon, no lonce
HOT 16 MUSHI S
004 10001 92073402219
Lorden WCT.
Socialist Challenge - 10 August 1978 Page 6
INTERNATIONAL
A FORMER leader of the Mexican Communist Party has written a book detailing that party's role in the Trotsky. RICHARD CARVER
expulsion from the party on the grounds of... Trotskyism.
Campa says he waited nearly forty years before revealing
threat of war against the Soviet
undermining the Soviet leader ship.
CP TEST
It is no coincidence that such revelations should surface now. even if the rest of the world has known the facts for decades. most First, Eurocommunism is
SPICHOERE THEO BUI Western CPs. The Freach CP
reprinted the relevant extracts trom Camoa sbook It is the casiest thing in the world these days to take your and distance from Moscow.
crucial test — which Campa long fails — is whether there is a full
political balance Stalinism and Trotsky and a political rehabilitation of the
Jathe second factor is the
changing relation between the Communist and Trotskyist parties. In Mexicc there have been OLLWECE CP Revolutionary Workers Party
Fourth International PREMATURE When a PRT leader was recently murdered the CP 1o0k a leading place in the funeral cortege. In oncE Trotskyism can no longer he ignorea as a current anen to the workers movement.
with of Trotsky as a spent political
premature. And, ironically, the appearance book
strength of Trotskyism.
Intercontinental Press
interview with Michael Farrell of People's Democracy Ireland; a report on the West German TEC conference: and The areview by George Novack of a
hook on the Praxis group of philosophers In Yugoslavia. Single copies are 30p plus 10p pap. but it saves money to sabscribe: 49 for one year (48 Issues], ₺5 for six "the issues), 12.50
introductory offer of 10 issues.
Write now to Intercontinental Press/Taprecor, PO Box 50. London NI 2XP. Cheques/ POs should be made out to Intercontinental Press.
Permanent Swanses. Creche.
danger O
the
The
sheet
of forces
joint actions
Putriotic Front guerilla words
BUTLE different story-
action on abortion.
only women who have been raped But even in that case they have go through burcaucratic procedures that they often bave to wait bore than nine months.
milion back since abortions
every year, situation months (24 people and the poorest part of
the population is very hard. vore wan su.cod wome dit every year abortions being badly done.
Most of the women who have abortions are married and 85 per cent of them are Catholic
T127 PICKET GARMERS:
Amercan poes
FEMINIST in atrise cays only E6
le Gamers Philip C2 S1 S0 106!
IN COMMON with the rest of Latin America you can't get an abortion for love nor money in Mexico, Well, money might get you somewhere, but that's a
A militant from the Mexican abortion campaign talked to Socialist Challenge when she was over here recently in preparation for forthcoming international
Abortion in Mexico is bocause they can't afford one
forbidden by law, It's more in the family. allowed for
nany having a small family. •YOU ceptives here and there
because the for working class church.
There is campaign number because of these утриро. We hamber Ring 01-444 5714 evenings
Our message to Muzorewa
QUIT NOW!
retained
in the interests
falling fast).
the Smith regime.
country is now
guerillas
of Bulawayo
PATHETIC
the white
white
Defending women's
rights in Mexico
doctors,
movement
The state is trying to control the population which grows 3.H SEN percent every year. They put propaganda lor
Can 0.50 get contra- free stale's In some centres. But they won'l allow abortion because of the strength and influence of the population, centralised which groups small women's went the siballer, of Deputies demand free abortion but they A told us that unless se had two deputies who supported our place demand they wouldn't discuss HELF Socialist Challenge. Greens
MALE FEMALE ren-smoker for shon
returned to Rhodesis 'commilled lo the immediate, and 1 mean immediate, removal of racial discrimination."
This is unfortunate, because the Bishop is a member of a government which says thul Toms"!
where it 15 in the
"National" in this cuse means
white 20,000 (and
But Muzorews's statemen
imonrtant because showed that he sees little future in the 'internal settlement" with
The Government's military position hus taken a sharp tura for the worse recently.
Possibly the bulk of the rhetoric.
under the control of Patriotic
and there has even been fighting in the major cities
and Salishery.
The white section of the army is now 50 per cent mercenary and SISTE DEE OUCHHAT BEE booked up for months ahead.
Muzorews has tolerated the EPHE most pathetic expitulation to
minorilyinternal settlement guurantees
property rights, the police and judiciary, and the
So we've tried to organise
conferences and propaganda
on this and to help women by
things like finding sympathelic
The problem is that che only
for propaganda than concrete
actions. We campaign for free
education and lor
education on contraceplion -
including male contraception.
We are also against che sane. His very common o control
underdeveloped countries that
the state tries to control the
saying
poor that's just because there
at to many of and wee
alright if we were just a lidle bit
certain amount of take with Indian women
NATIONAL Marue and Fally to man
Assembis 1.30cm
DUDESE
And there is a built-in quotu
third whites in Parliament, even though the: are only 4 per cent of the population.
And now Mazorewa has the nerve to go gunning for Uncle
armed struggle has had a bit of at impact on hist
RHETORIC
Muzorewa had just referned from a lour of Britain und the United States, where he had no doubt been told of imperialis displeasure at the dismal fate of
Perhaps he had even been
temptation that there might be
dusted off some of his radical
Unfortunately he is to much ol ail opportunel even for (bal
Seasing that Zimbabwe may become an election issue Britain, he came out with an attack on "dismally subjective Lahour MPs and has dis covered a "progressive clement inside the Tory party (that is. those who support the internal
more usually referred to as the right wing).
good Bishup is to give up now. The MARS APE CARTO SWI from all sides und the regime's
Besides, we hear there's u good job going in Rome.
AFRICAN
STUDY GROUP
The Africun Study Group is a
Marxist Leninist collective un-
dertuking serious study of the
nature and dynamics ol
African societies. Further
discussion will doubtless arise
from the analyses presented in
the product of one session of
collectise study, which
available from ASG. Box 24,
182 Upper St, London N ut
4ip plus 12p postage per sue
Send postal orders chis caned Contact i am
ISLINGTON Secialist COK
meeting: Eritrewn fil
Reluton plus speaker.
LONDON ACCOMMODATION wante
mulet Latin Americon couple 01
Page 7 scan of this page
20 August- March for Czechoslovakia
TEN years after the Soviet Russian troops have still not BET MINUTENT
The Kremlin's capitulation of the Crechoslovak Commumist Party in August 1968 stated that the troops would leave when the political situation in the country had been brought
The Soviet leadership dently considers that the Husak régime imposed on Crechoslovakia after the Invasion l
mough to do without a backbone.
On Sunday 20 August the left in Western Europe organising demonstrations proleine against ine connoco occupation of Czechoslovakia
against repression being carried out in
Demonstrations will be held
of
run the risk of being aceused of lacking
of being sucked into one of those
imposed on artistic freedom.
programmes, writes ROGER PROTZ.
Too idie to swich channels
Monday evening, watched with growing horror and amazement a show in The Two Ronnies series, witich 1 ant horrified to say has just ended ол BBC 2
Backed by a risine cacohony of scrooching laughter Ronnie Corbet and Ronnie Barker let loose a stream of jokes that, with the addition of suitable expletives, would have had them rolling in the aisles in one sercants mess Do a Doo Saturday night.
Pride of place, if pride is the right word, went to the 'joke" and racist at the same time: the
missionary who was turned into fairy cakes LULL BIS.
This type of leering rubbish
Have an awtul, LYLU
INTERNATIONAL
in Brussels, Vienna, Genera,
in London.
will begin with a ONERS ONE SECOIAnI there will then be a march to the Soviet Embussies in Notting Hill Gate,
PROTEST demonstration came from the The Initiative Committee to Defend Czecheslovak Socialists, supported by the Eastern Earope Solidarity Campaige. The protest is also officially supported Labour Party as well as by various left groups.
On Saturday 19 August the Eastern Campaign Is organising brutal evening meeting at which Jiri Pelikan, a leader Crechoslovak CP in 1968 and now spokesperson
UNDER REVIEW
The Two Ronnies
A belly--
laughful
breasts
CRITICISING humour is a dangerous business. You
important sense of it and, at a more intellectual level
arguments about whether there should be any limits
Skirting that minetield, I am simply appalled by what passes for humour on British television and, in particular, by the crude sexist hasis of so many of the
Fascination
Monday, complete with cas sette recorder, tor a Turther 45 minutes worth.
The most depressing aspect of the sbow is the
towards minority groups, the frenzied BETHE ood helly laugh at somcan
Almost #s sod is realisation that the taken by women in many areas
reactionary male attitudes have bad bo umaict where mos male comedians and comedy writers are concerned Women, for them, remain by simple sex objects, either as the unseen bull of a nudge nodge JOKE OE as something to be smuggered over in a sketch.
Crechoslorak Socialist Opposition abroad, will speak.
There will be film of the 1968 events, followed by discussion. rally at The meeting
Conway Hall at 7.30.
On the actual anniversary of
August Labour MPs will sand in a protest against Soviet policy in
The National Association for Freedom and leadership are attempting lo cash in on the Crechoslovak resistance movement and the by the Prague Spring for propaganda
Lord Home, Chambertain's Deutenant at Hitler and the British arranged an for the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia 40 years the this September, has opened an For Czechoslovak Freedom",
Corbett iketch about topless dancers in suburbia, in which L knock around with a couple of
rock around (pause) with a
COYNESS
diet of the programme. Later. nG word lunger is clears meant to thyme with a carefully avoided "bugger" and smoke is lell, so to speak, banging in the air as they dodge saying
Coyness is a close relation of unnucado. A girl is described as "baving lovely
expression but one that is not
audience.
And having exhausted for one merciful
incritably to the maic private
convoluted and boringly un-
with a woman, describes them
*She walked in like this" chis bands walk). ' Ididn'twalk like that. T walked quite normally. an all normally as the
would allow. minefield Dressed grotesquely as two
women sailors, they ceries of revamped and following
grotesque
SURTS
get
the strides
THE Two Ronnies in a skele I culled 'Ball and Socket"
organisation
will be at the
delegation COMBINE
hoping that
the Tory for the
Prague
Munich when CONTACT
ago weekend. messory of
And now a ditties, including "What shall
SOLU carly in the moraing!
Jack knickers,
ankles.
Joke
didn't disappoint me.
SPARED
watch some
Jobn Inman
DIg Ginger covered in sequins?
Irishman.
POPULAR week, at least
the most
to sex and minorities
"female tife-size
excitement
Using inarticulate idlers. nautical DEBASED
dominant
comedy entertainers taboos.
OSCE with following mornine. straitjackel.
And NAFF luminaries are channelling lurge sums into the
of demonstration at Trafalgar Square through which they Sope to steal the headlines for the Tory election drive against the left.
The organisers of the labour movement demonstration are
socialists in London will combine support
Anti-Naz League demonstration ie sock tane on Sunday morning with a big turn-out aguinst Stalinism in
the Sunday Part
For more information about activities on the anniversary
contuct: Eastern Europe Solidarity Campaign. 10 Park Drive. London NWiI.
we do with the shrunken sailor,
At the end of the sketch, their Union
with a terrible predictability, descend to their
That was almost the end of the show What, no anti-gay
tonight, fellers? They
Corbert says he went to
wrestling and
two "camp aciors — fighting for a purse. He pauses, then slips into a 'queer" voice: "That big one, all
At least we are spared this week a Did you bear about the
The Two Ronnies is one of
popular series or elevision. It is a sad though that millions of people watch it and tacitly accept its attitudes
Crude humour belps legitimise a lumpen ideology that
dolls with inflated breasts, portrays gay people as limp wristed pansies, the Irish
-01 drunken buffoons and trade unionists as
Losis.
This type of humour 1s no confined to The Two Ronnies Overt sexism, sexual innuendo demonstration and the guying of minorities are
themes the STATES! progriumes of many other
- In their moulhs, humour is debased by a cheap and rancid vulgarily. Forry five minutes of Corbett and Barker gave me as much picasure as plunging my arm into a blocked lavatory.
sations sexu. taboos are still strong they help to reinforce those cuted.
Ser la not a joy bui the a quick grope to be sniggered
mates
Humour, at its best, when it strips bare the absurditics and pretensions of society, can be a powerful liberating force. The the hands of such practitioners as Corbelt and Barker, humour has all the liberating force of a
NEW ON ITV, The Red Tsar
- a five-part weekly series on
produced
Neuburg of London Week-
writes PATRICK CAMILLER.
Sunday 13
August at 12.30pm contaies MOLE INCISRAE COCIIESLET
mulerial on the period until Lenin's deuth in 1924, bringing out very clearly the contradicbon between waln's minor role and luter myth-making
However, while they perceptive enough in outlining the material reasons for the downfall of Tsarism, the film-
Public order
Mauritius-
style
STORIA SOTAF EIGHT opposition MPs Mauritius have been jailed for three months under the Public Order Act, along with six other militants from their part the Mauritius Militant Movement - inciuding the mayor of
country's capital, Port
The charge arose out of a
2121 against any rise in trausport
There Is a massive transport crisis in Mauritius to
which the porcement's ou
ansaer has been to raise fare by 100 per cent
A uniced front called Frot Komin Transport organised a rush hour protess ngainst the proposed increase. Ten organi-
cook part, bur only MMM members were prose
The MMM is the only one of
represented in Parlianient — it has 32 out of 70 seats, making it the largest single party and constlutes the sole parlismentary opposition to the Labour-Social Democrat
charges against the MMM members were nothing more than obstruction. As tbeir lawyer said in court: Their soke crime is that they differ from
BALSNEVIKS
makers remain bewildered b the October revolution liself
Ignoring the mass mobilisation against the military and social policies of the Provisional Government, their accoun
nething het Bolshevik "conspiracy", maniputation, and powertest a
They mention in passing Lenin's strugele against hur
InE young workers state. But in the enc
old. threadbare version according to which the Stalin dictatorship
огірімя • Bolshevik project.
BIL KONTE
is | the goveriment."
The Public Order Acr was introduced in 1970 at a time of
and when MMM had just won its first CALICELST seal by-election. It was introduces as an expacitly political piece of legislation, and so it has remained
The MMM urgently needs solidarity. Strike actions are piarined in Mauritius and these could he effectively backed by messages of support Irom abroad.
Telegrams of protest lo Prube Minister Ramgoulamn, Goveromen: House, Port Louis, Mauritius.
* As we go lo press we bear that the fourteen MPs and trade antonists have been released under pressure from solidarity action, Including from France
One MP still resuins in jail: Amerce Darga, also of the MMM. Darga was convicted of
describing the memhers of the secret police, the Stale Special Service, scorpions whe must CINCE
Socialist Challenge 10 August 1978 Puge 7
Page 8 scan of this page
Union leaders comply with attack by Lucas
Cheques, POs and Money Orders should be made payable to 'Socialist Challenge'.
Registered with the Post Office as a newspaper. Published hy Relgocrest Lad. for Socialist Chullenge 328/9 Lipper St, London N1. Printed by Goodbend Press Lid., 25 Murdock Rd, Ricester.
Liverpool, Bradford, and Shipley.
And the
closure яге company's plans.
GEOFFREY SHERIDAN reports.
When Industry Varley and Kaufman nounced in Parliament earlier this year that Lucas Aerospace was to receive E8m of State funds, the Government dida'! even pretend that this would
Lucas wants to sack 2,000 of the 12,000 UNDIECES in It5 acrospace division by the carly
The plant closures already scheduled Liverpool, Bradford, Shipley — are just the start.
The company. with Government's backing, to open two new plants in these towns, But in Liverpool alone
one of the highest areas of unemployment — that will add another 930 workers to the dole
Lucas: Acrospace emplarys 1,450 mainly highly-skilled workers in Liverpool. provide jobs for only 500. NO SURPRISE
None of this will come as much surprise to supporters of The technologically stream-
cconomy
WHEN 1 took over Socialist Challenge's finances cause the regular treasurer was on holiday everybody watned me: I's always bao in August, what with holidays and PENNINCITON TIES
LEE SICK VOIC BEHIN first letter 1 opened read: "The the 40th anniversary of cach year of its existence.
that members of the IMO who can afford it give El for each year of their membership memorate this historic event. With revolutionary greetings, Charlie van Gelderen.
That's an excellent example to every member and supporter of the FI something to really celebrate.
Despite persocution by the stalinists, who murdered the FI's founder and executed and imprisoned thousands of militants, together with the Gestapo's execution of many of its carly leaders, the banner of revolutionary Marxism is still carried by the sections of the FI.
Alter 40 years of strugale we are just as confident today as Charlie was when he heiped lo launch the International 1938.
This week dig into your pockets 200 show confidence in those inspiring idcals. After all, what is a few
A thousand jobs to go, and...
THE GOVERNMENT has generously handed Lucas Aerospace E8m to sack over a thousand workers in
union leaderships negotiating alternative work for the plants facing
obligingly complying
Ministers | machinery and productivity
an- deals replacing workers — is part of the Labour Government's contract with bosses.
ANGRY And when the union leaders show every sign of complying with these developments behind closed doors members can rightly feel very and angry indeed. That's now the situation in Lucas Acrospace. the Eric Varicy and Kaufman have answerco a total questions raised by Labour MPs in the Common about the corporate plan drawn up by Lucas workers through their combine shop stewards COHELILE.
Each tinie.
Ministers said they welcomed the plan — which puts forward will a wide range of technologically advanced products designed to meet people's needs and that the combine committee should pursue the plan through Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions.
As corntittee was concerned, the WITH Confed was union bureaucracy
OUR FUND DRIVE
quid compared to the need to build a world movement that can unite revolutionary socialists in the most important strupale of all overthrow capitalism?
BOB Thanks also to Hackney E20 MB The stamps E10; sale of Lenin £12.05; MacRae C2; Haringey reader BELLE E134.05.
all have
its Take a chance in on the
Summer Lottery
TO B0051 the Challenge sammer funds, we
Socialist Challenge
writ large. But with the announced closures, the Covernment and union leaders insisted that the Confed had to supposedly
be the channe for negotiations With the agreement of the with the Goverament and Lucas man
agement, drawn from the shopfloor at Lucas Acrospace have been set up by the Confed, ostensibly to produce alternative proposals for the threatened plants the In charge is Roy Granthani, general secrelary
fresh from his enthusiastic support for kers.
policy against the closures has
their been to impose a total halt on
Many movement of equipment or personnel from the Liverpool Bradford and Shipley plants.
Gerald With the setting up of the Government am it e Government's coffers, Lucas agreed with this. It said it would maintain the status quo. take no steps to go ahead with is ramonasason program. the Industry while discussions on the future
structure of the company took place.
SILENCE At the however, Lucas informed the the Shinie stoppering tee
movement of equipment and combine know-how from the plant, they
would all be locked out. announcement has been
are raffling revolutionary can do wilhout я тор quality. radio. the fight to Bey (sic) 1100
Grundig.
I15: Besides reception on four hust wave-bands, the radio has a
Peter special timer in case you forget
ON 31 AUGUST.
Challenge retarns to I6 pages Name
Address Socialist
parties
1 BU magazine reported,
of the APEX, from Grantham & Co.
combine committee's been entirely inactive.
the presence
[Ran nominall MCLA later
ALEW TASS
end of last month, Ferry, Conted
preventing facilitate This meekly acquiescing in
something
The model is u Yach dition meter.
Summer sub - £2
Socialist
Domestic: 6 months, £5. 12 months, £10 Abroad: Per annum -- Airmail, £16.50. Surface, £10 Domestic special offer: Three months, £2 1 enclose a donation for the Fighting Fund of
Complete and return to:
Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper Street, London N1.
silence from Grantham | ridiculous complaint and the other Confed leaders. The
The 13 July issue of The Engineer reported a Lucas spokesperson as saying that the establishment of the working combine. parties was a mere formality: The
He claimed that. Lucas's demanding plans to close the factories had
affected," the and the working party just represented the next step in the negotiating
TASS
The article added: This was confirmed by the Department of Industry. Still not a murmur
But Roy Grantham has not
On 12 July be was sent a letter by Alan docility Whitney, personnel director at treasurer Lucas Acrospace, objecting bo
of two shapfloor member
Mike Cooley and Phil
Grantham duly obliged. A
informed Whitney that the two would go, in spite of the fact that Cooley
former president is already work facine dismissal because of li work on the corporate plan We're
Teacted with fury, Its secretary, Ernie Scarbrow, has told Alex tered that
general secretary of the
*In the midst of all this the Confed has allowed itself to Falls in line.
the Lucas management in their plot to carry out this outrage (to sack Cooley) by
to turn it off: a mains unil you for 25p. can use on the continent; and a And combined tuning/battery con-
If you've already got a radio, the winner can decide to choose un optional first prize: a 150 book token from The Otber
So order your tickets now at 10p each or three
catch our
Favourite itives. So there i sil me tr 12-page summer
sole basis for this complaint is that Cooley and Asquith are TASS members who are associated with the
combine the Immediate recall of the Confed representatives so that they can discuss "this whole sorry business with the Confed officials
Meanwhile the leadership of
, which is dominated by the Communist Party, is still considering" its response 1o an Bacar Or Cues managemen! to stop Mike Cooley spending THE OHME CUTDOTEL DINI
Among those enraged by this
Danny Conroy, of the combine committee, and a Broad Left
of the Engineering Union's national committee
He told Socialis Chullenge: *Ir Lucas attempes anything with Mike Cooley, they I have to fight me. It will be a war of attrition. There's many of u who worked on the corporate plan, and i think my hours off
must have exceeded
appalled at attitude of some Government departments, and we're shal
-а commpany can complain about ine membe ship of the working parties and
TASS leadership supposed. to be militant, It's a mystery to me why they aren't defending Mike Cooley.
why not help out the paper by taking some lo sell at work, in the pub, BE LOTU! neighhours? The draw will he on If Septemberin the Socialist Challenge offices. The winning ticket will be annoonced in the Tollowing issue of the paper.
Just send a postal order and
bargain summer subscription offer.
Ireland you can obtain sour
newspuper for three months through the post — for the ridiculously low
British
Army
raid
Belfast
socialist
HQ
From People's Democracy and ENE MOCIRCOE TOE A DOG/BRES! Republic (Irish section, Fourth Internationa!)
ON THE evening of 2 August the British Army raided the Consolly MOORSOCHE. Ander senstown, Belfast. Tis purpose
uny connection hetween the Pookshop and a cucue c arul allegedly found in waste-ground behind it.
Joba MeAnulty (a member of PDi and John MeGeown fa BRENT DE I Were taken to Fort Monagh Army
hours while everything inside the shop was removes.
The real purpose uf the raid PD/MSR and is newspaper- harassment All the British Army ques tioned MeGeown and MeAnuity about was what they thought of Marcism.
They soon realised they hud gone too far. McAnully mit McGeown were released lale o Wednesday night, und most of the material from the bookshop was returned in a very badly damaged condition on Thurs day ufternoon.
Bat it does however appear that PD's internal documents,
ing list for Socialist Republic
self-tamped. addressed cavelope it: Socialist Challenge Lottery, PO Box 50, London NI and we'll send you your dickete by retarn post. Also on sale at The Other Bookshop, 328 Upper Street, Istington, N1. Organised by D Weppler.
Upper Si, 2X0.
price of 22.
If Fou calculate that this offer won't make us rich, you'd be right (althouet it helps with our cash flow). The offer ende on 31 August. So rush off the form now!
← Socialist Challenge No. 56, 3 August 1978Socialist Challenge No. 58, Leyland Conspiracy Supplement, 10 August 1978 →