Hampstead and Highgate Labour Briefing, March 1985

not 1926. While

defeat will be widespread, this is not the kind of devastating defeat which will prevent the outbreak of future battles - there are many more fights to

be gone through

objective of making the working class pay the cost of the capitalist crisis. The task of socialists,

is to strengthen our organisation and learn the lessons of the strike, the better to prepare the

battles ahead.

The TUC and Kinnock sold us out There is no question that a major factor in the

defeat of the miners was their relative, isolation.

The prime responsibility for this lies with the TUC «and Labour Party leaders who expressed their

sympathy, but time after time refused to mobilise their

members for solidarity action.

Many thousands take action if

Of course, it would have been aifficilt to mobilise

the membership

unemployment on trade union confidence and organisation.

’ But the trade union tops, by and large did not try - to mobilise solidarity action for the simple reason

that they were

union leaders fear mass working class struggle more

than they fear

union office and the negotiating table. Mass struggle

petrifies then

power and priveleges.

The role of Kinnock and his friends has been particulalry despicable. They should have filled their diaries with miners meetings and rallies. They should have been.on the picket line. every day. But while

the battle was

Labour Partyr members fought might and main to win financial and other support for the miners, Kinnock was left to people like Skinner and Benn - the left-

found that his

rmment came to power to inflict a cpusiing-biew-cn the organised strength of the working

class. Without doubt, the defeat of the miners strike is a significant step in that direction. But 1985 is

the repefcussions of the strike’'s

before the Tories can acheive their

of workers would have been prepared to there had been a clear lead fram the top.

given the demoralising effects of

opposed to it. The right wing trade Thatcher. They know only the trade

because it threatens their own

being fought out, and rank and file

diary was 'full' and crumpled under _ c ‘violence’. Now he can't even call to carry the miners case. They were the one who gave

for the sacked miners. It real leadership. > > ;

Precious gains

. The miners strike enormously strengthened ~

No one can hide the fact that the strike has been our local party. It took us nearer our goal of being defeated. But permenent gains have came out of the & Mass campaigning party. We have to build on this strike for the labour movement. For the first time a _ ®uccess. a

a major trade union has stood up and fought back

against unemployment, ‘an example to the whole working Organise the left ~ in the unions and the party

class. Links of solidarity between caymunities, between miners and other unionists and between miners and

Labour Parties have been created which will be enduring The lesson of the strike, and the betrayal of the

union and party leaderships, is to organise the

gains. ; left at every level of the movement. There can be gis ; ; ; ; ; camplacency or a cosy papering over of diff 2 The miners. strike has been a gigantic blow for the RO ca iirerences.": ; The fight for a Labour Government committed to , Se sont of the working clase as a whole Part socialist policies requires an unremitting crusade 7 p tt Pit CL sand other ps, aroue to defeat the likes of Duffy and Hanmand on their owe_-—

adavnce of other sections of the movement and of t . he betrayed the miners strike and replace then with left

miners themselves. This is a dramatic change which . will not be reversed. leaders. And that can't be achieved without the permanent organisiation of the left in every party, and

. . nationally through initiatives like Labour Briefi The miners support groups which sprang up around the and t Gove t. ang

country won thousands to the side of the working class and for socialism. Remarkable throughout the

strike was the way in which oppressed groups in Socialism means mass st le not the liamentary

society - black people, gays and lesbian women, game |

rallied instinctively to the side of the miners. ' '

And no less remarkable was the way in which this Coal not dole’ was the popular slogan of the strike.

support was accepted as natural by the miners - a It summed up the programme of providing useful jobs

giant blow against sexism and racism in the movement what capitelt maee not pr te profit ~ exactty

and society at 1 , and a step towards alliance cannot provide. There is no solution » ooreseed awe are to the problems of the British econamy without

of all the oppressed. The vote of the NUM in favour sae . as . . of Black Sections at the Labour Party conference socialist planning. But socialism will not be acheived simply by Labour electoral victories. The vital

was a sure sign of this alliance. . mainspring of the fight for socialism is the selforganisation and struggle of the working class

The lesson is clear. The miners strike was defeated, — itself put the miners were 100 per cent right to stand up 2 . and fight. ae . . Socialisn means breaking with the institutions of £ Fight against pit closures continues the capitalist state - the police, the courts, the f judiciary and their friends in the media. And fighting

_ At the time of writing the Kent miners are still out. peta etien bane Of pontiac ed mes and Whether or not they stay out, McGregor and the Coal pre Uist n iiament , and craven 27aa% Board will still face stiff opposition before pit for ‘law and order’ shown by Kinnock. The miners and = UF their supporters have shown us what the struggle for

closures can go through. But now the resistance will sas ~ wim take place in mich more difficult circumstances. socialism is. The embryo of socialism was there on every picket line, in the mass meetings, in the

In Hampstead and Highgate we have to continue to i . A r make every effort to support the camunity in ; community kitchens, in the rallies and marches, South Emsall/South Kirkby and any pit which faces in the struggle against the police, in the wonderful closure. The miners support group continues. sense of solidarity and cammunity which the strike The fund raising and the practical support mist built up. As Marx said: the emancipation of the continue. Most of all, the links which have been working class will achieved by the working class built up with our comrades in Yorkshire must be itself. Neil Kinnock will never understand that if maintained. he lives to be 100.

Fight the Tories on every front

While continuing our support for the miners, the

battle against the Tories goes on with a whole

series of struggles of vital significance. Top of

the list is the defence of local government against

rate capping and abolition. Equally, this year will

see an escalating campaign against the siting of

Cruise missiles at Molesworth. At the same time the

teachers are now locked in a long battle with Keith _ . Jospeh and the government to earn a decent living wage.

Each and every one of these struggles needs active” ~

Labour Party support, as does the campaign we need

to wage to maintain, and increase, union affiliations

to the party.

LABOUR

BAMPETEAD and

London NW3. Tel. (01) 431 0357. | a