London Labour Briefing no. 104

RIPPING

gs Cross Development

OUT ONDON’S

The redevelopment of Kings Cross and St Pancras stations and the vast railway lands to the north will bring in profits of well over £15 billion for the developers and British Rail.

The redevelopment will also bring chaos and misery to local people and

will change the face of London.

Hundreds of homes will be demolished and local jobs lost; land prices will soar, pushing local people out.

The potential impact is frightening. No consideration has been given to whether the infrastructure is sufficient to meet the basic service demands of such an enormous development.

New urban motorways for commuters will tear through north and north east London.

BR are building a second Eurotunnel Terminal on the site, which will involve the demolition of all in the way between York Way and Pentonville Road.

At 10 million sq. ft., the scale of the plans confirms the fears of massive over-development. At least 6 million sq. ft. of this will be office space, luxuary housing, retail and commercial space.

John Turkie Hackney Labour Briefing

No real opposition exists. Camden Council is not, and never has been, under any pressure not to carry on collaborating. Due to the absence of a political lead, the community thinks it can get the best deal by supporting the Council.

Time is fast running out. For nearly two years, leading Camden councillors have been up to their necks in secret negotiations with the developers. They are on the point of agreeing a ‘planning gain’ deal — a disasterous ‘strategy’.

Superficially, ‘planning gain’ seems attractive, both to communities and Councils.

The ‘gain’ is either in the form of ‘community benefits’ — a park, a community centre or a few ‘fair rent’ homes — or a cash deal with the Council, or a mixture of these two. These deals are not legally binding and developers invariably renege on them.

Camden Council can be stopped. The issue must be brought out from behind closed doors. The Camden and Islington Labour Parties must force Camden Council

LABOUR-— TAKE THE POWER!

to turn down the planning application on the basis that it contravenes the Borough Plan, which envisages no more office space and no luxuary housing.

Of course, having developed such a cosy relationship with the developers, the Council is in no mood for niceties like local democracy.

if Camden turned the application down, Nicholas Ridley would no doubt call a Public Enquiry. Of course we couldn’t depend on its final result. But a Public Enquiry is the last thing both the Tories and the developers want.

It-would delay the development for at least a year, possibly two. For the developers this would mean a loss in profits of hundreds of millions — which is precisely why they've feted leading councillors for so long.

Opposing this development is part and parcel of the struggle against cuts and must not be downgraded.

Trading acceptance of the developers’ plans for a little bit of ‘planning gain’ (which the people of Camden might never see) is a logical extension of Camden’s cuts ‘strategy’. It must be stopped.

For more information, speakers at Ward meetings, etc., contact John Turkie on 519 5854(w) or 986 2326(h).

London Labour Briefing No. 104 November 9th-22nd Page 2

Haringey

Why did Labour lose?

Two Council by-elections took place in Haringey on October 6th, one in Crouch End and one in Bowes Park.

Both werelost: Crouch End by 400 votes and Bowes Park by 300.

Why? A- symptom of Labour’s....general, . low popularity? A vote of ‘no confidence’ in the Labour Group on the Council? Unpopular candidates?

Crouch End was won by only 22 votes at the last local election and Labour would have counted itself lucky to have held on there; but in Bowes Park, according to canvassing returns, a Labour Councillor should have been elected.

The candidate, Polydoros Polydorou, a long-standing ward member and local resident, stood on an anti-cuts platform, and put out leaflets taking a strong position on the key issues of Poll Tax, housing and education.

The policies went down well on the doorstep, but awkward questions kept coming up.

Most people knew that Haringey Council had initiated a new cleansing rota to tackle the rubbish accumulating throughout the borough.

How was it then that the streets of Bowes Park were still left swimming in litter ghout the campaign, and

Her cana ae

Was it beyond the powers of the Chair of’ Services Committee to ensure that the

rota reached the area? And how could Council

tenants feel confident in the good intentions of the Labour Council when they were reeling from the shock of another rent tise, implemented only weeks before the start of the election campaign?

By Helen Peters Hornsey & Wood 3reen CLP

‘The Labour Group clearly had other things on its mind than getting another Labour councillor elected, particulary one who would shift the balance within the group towards the left.

Paul Head in Crouch. Endwes amuch safer bet; it soon became clear that the Party officers were going to put their money and energy behind him.

‘The agent barely putin an appearance in Bowes Park, preferring to devote her time to the production of anodyne leaflets for Crouch End, all of which carefully avoided any mention of socialism.

But in middle class Crouch End the yotes just weren’tthere. In Bowes Park, with 2,000 Labour promises, victory was within our grasp.

It is well known that a key factor in by-electionsisthe tournout. With Bowes Park in with a definite chance, why weren't oeesice concentrated on get-

‘bers seemed aes it was more”

t to disport themselves onthe fringe of the Labour Party Conference in Blackpool than to work for the election of another left Labour Councillor.

With a skeleton workforce on polling day, only 670 of the 2,000 Bowes Park promises were got out. In the one polling district where a proper knockup was done, 50% of the vote came out. If this had been done throughout the ward, Labour would have won.

It would be easy to blame the results on the candidate or his policies, but the evidence belies this. It seems to be more a case of conflicting priorities, which ended up with the left throwing away the opportunity to make a definite gain. FREE THE

TOTTENHAM 3!

Picket Wormwood Scrubs Prison Sunday December 11th, 7pm

(near East Acton

tube; buses 7, 12, 52A, 72, 383)

Join us to give strength and comfort to the families of these young men, and to add your voice to. the chorus cae for'an end to-

For more information contact the Defence Campaign: 01-885 3752

Keep

“Rubbish!” is a cry aimed at many a public speaker, but more than appropriate when heard at Noel Park branch’s public meeting on cleansing, held at the local Community and Tenants Association.

Fed up with the filth that has besieged their estate since Haringey Council made huge cuts last year, over 100 angry residents came to the meeting to tell Labour Councillors and Council officers what they thought of them.

“It's your meeting, so have a go at us and tell us what you want done” said ward. Councillor Narendra Makanji, supported by Technical Services Committee vicechair Pat Tonge.

Shouted

“My street hasn’t, been

High Road, but of coursé the litter blows from the High Road onto the estate”, offered the Cleansing Manager to loud jeers from the floor.

“What about all the dog

it Clean!

By Linda Clarke Haringey Labour Briefing

shit on the pavements, spreading disease?” cried another resident. (More shouts from the audience). And so the anger went on

for two hours, only subsiding when our Branch Secretary closed the meeting with an anti-cuts speech which also attacked the government.

Subjects being raised on the estate include the Poll Tax and Housing Bill. This is a good way to keep in touch with the local community. The left is listening, even if no-one else is!

Occupation brings tempo

victory

Library users took possession of Kensal Rise Library on October 25th in response to Brent Council’s closure threat.

Two public meetings held at the library showed there was widespread opposition to the closure.

There was overwhelming agreement that should the

itions, letters and lobbying fail, then library users would be prepared to occupy the building to defend the service.

Massive local support, plus the legal complication of the site been a gift from All Soul's College Ox-

Support the Unemployed!

Among the casualties of Brent Council’s latest cuts was Brent Unemployed Workers’ Centre, which lost its funding from September 30th.

With its strong campaigning work the UWC has earned

| a reputation as one of the best

Brent Trades Council to take action to save the organisation.

However, both before and since the Council’s decision, the Stalinist dominated Trades. Council leadership, in spite of its belated opposition to the cuts, has been careful to distance itself from the UWC.

For explanation, one need only examine the position of each organisation on Employment Training.

“people who! will enter the

By Margaret Bailey Brent Fightback

ford for the sole purpose of a public library, forced Brent to rescind its earlier decision to close the library.

But while the result of the occupation is a victory for the local community, no one is under any illusion that it is anything more than a reprieve.

It may give Brent time to work out a acceptable to All Souls which would allow them to close the library, but it also works to

the advantage of the local community.

It gives the community time to strengthen its position by building on the support already engendered by the occupation and time to explore other avenues, legal and otherwise, that will assist the opposition to the closure of the library

The. occupation has shown people that when they organise to resist the effects of the cuts they have the power to force the Council to change decisions which adversely affect them.

P. ople here are prepared todi sctly confront the Council with organised action and

Julie Larner, former worker Brent UWC,

... Aylesbury CLP

encarta ‘While the Trades Council Executive has adopted a

“flexible” attitude

scheme anyway, the UWC has run a consistent, principled campaign of opposition, refusing to accept the government’s claim that unemployment is caused by the failure of individuals to aquire appropriate training.

For this reason, the centre was seen as a necessary sacrifice to prevent the Trades Council and its pet project, the Local Economic Resource Unit,

Community

With the build-up to the demonstration at the Council meeting on November 9th, the struggle against the cuts in Brent shows little sign of slacking off.

The reprieve won by the occupation of the libraries due to be closed has shown again that direct action can reverse cuts.

With two libraries saved, neighbouring Harrow (a Tory borough) has stepped in with funding for the third.

Workers in the Housing Needs Unit and. social services, at the sharp end of the slashing, of Services, have now been on strike for five weeks. On 31st October Brent NALGO struck: for one day in solidarity.

So, despite the loss of the NALGO ballot for all-out ac-

tion against the cuts, there is still resistance.

Although the NUT called off

further strike action after com-

pulsory redundancies were withdrawn, action is continuing over the effects of the cuts.

The occupation of Crawford Avenue Respite Centre against closure continues, and tenants witholding the £7 a week rent increase are stepping up their or . People are learning from their own struggles the need to unite, ratherthan allow themselvestobe played off against each other.

When cuts in the home help service were withdrawn, home

helps became, active in support

‘Brent Fightback is’ Continuing to draw in activists from all. affected groups and coordinate their action, as was shown by the very successful public meeting on October 20th.

The demonstration on November 9th from Crawford

~ ing.,

incuring the disapproval of Brent Council, itself a willing recruit to ET.

A minor hitch to the Trades Council leadership’s desire to see off the UWE was the centre management committee's decision to continue with or without Local: Authority fund-

FiattiG gobor T inne

This was soon dealt with by Trades Council delegates to the committee who, within three weeks, twice changed the locks to the building, barring volunteers and unemployed people; cancelled management committee meetings, and declared the centre closed because of suddenly “discovered” and unspecified “irregularities” and an “unusual degree of activity at the centre” — unemployed

aoe e

os

fights

Avenue to the Council meeting should be a high point of this with a big tum-out from all sections.

So far, the Council has managed to find alternative ways of making cuts when it has been forced to retreat. But it still has several million pounds of “savings” to find. A further £13 million is predicted for next year, so there will be more battles in the near future.

Throughout all this the attitude of the pro-cuts Labour Councillors and their supporters has’ been. one of smug complacency, The: results, of their collaborationist actions in electoral terms (usually, all-important for these people) was shown inthe by-election in Kenton ward in Brent North,

Kenton may be a safe Tory seat, but Labour set a new record low — 98 votes, two for every Labour Party member. Even the right don't believe Labour can win more than its safest seats on its present

atest in order to defend ir services. If the Council reneges on y of its written assurances that the library will stay en and that the library acn group will be involved in y future discussions about 9 future of the library — it jat it will have to con1d with determined opposi-

n from a well organised”

al population. We believe our occupation s had a positive effect not ly in terms of unifying ople against cuts imposed Brent, but also making the juncil realise just how werful a force a strongly ganised community can

junteers working to save the ganisation!

Such tactics will be familiar comrades who have conued to suffer barely quorate ades Council meetings and > many others who have. used to be involved with the ult that, at a time when jit puld be at the forefront of the aggle, Brent Trades Council

ership and their sheer plicity mirrors the attacks on smployed centres by SERIC officials and the dropping unemployment as an issue by ightward moving labour wement.

The unemployed deserve full port from the left in the velopment of their own, onomous organisations.

back

se. fhe two Labour MPs, Paul ateng and Ken Livingstone, h supported the library o¢- ations and Livingstone has mised to come on the march November 9th.

This shows how far the right isolated themselves. The sport of Boateng and ingstone must be used to id further opposition to the ancil.

fhe need now is to step up the ion by all sections to reverse cuts. The Council can only bways round this if there are’ ion ‘unwilling to ‘fight or bout by their leaderships. the Labour Councillors cati qucezed so tight they either 6 to'stand up to the ‘Tories, “say “no more’cuts” or get

he claim that Tory cuts are chow worse than Labour : looks even more stupid Bradford, the new ‘model’ ¥ Council, ‘is making cuts ‘One third those of Brent!

THE OCIALIST CONFERENCE

LONDON

INTERNATIONAL 26th November 1988

A One-Day Conference Against Imperialism

Sir William Collins School, Charrington St, Camden, NW1 (behind new British Library beyond Ossulston Street) Nearest tube stations: Euston and Kings Cross

OUTLINE AGENDA

Registration and opening speeches

Working groups on struggles around the world Sessions on Central America, the Caribbean, Southern Arica, lreland, Palestine, Iran/traq, Pacilic Basin

Lunch (anit:imperialist food available!) / Keynote address

Work mon themes inthe struggle a Shs boosh iGen bon. rade rion sara) culture ii 1 isadietpotiakons the. seme trod, ecomomiouriderdbvstopment jj: qeoleomigration international debt «4.30pm The Struggle Goes On in wnt F ceasceananh oeaeeaanaaeintent

Published by N. London Socialist Conference - Typeset bytassoCo on - Printed by East End Ofset

The London Campaign for Socialism, created originally to co-ordinate the Benn-Heffer challenge in the capital, has decided to broaden its remit.

It will now become the organising focus for the Labour left in London, and in particular for the left intervention in the Greater London Labour Party.

‘The bi-monthly meetings are open for anyone to attend. Make sure at least one representative from your CLP or Borough is present.

The next meeting will be held on November 22nd at 7.30pm at the House of Commons (room booked by Jeremy Corbyn).

By MARK SEATON

A Steering Committee has been elected (meeting in the months between the general meetings) and four London delegates to the Campaign Group’s niational co-ordinating meetings have also been agreed: Joan Twelves, Walter Wolfgang, Jude Woodward and Mike Marqusee.

Links with trade unions have been a longstanding weakness of the London left. Greg Tucker (582 2955) is So-ordinating

Community resistance is a new anti-Poll Tax group in Deptford.

In its brief weeks of existence, it has held two public meetings; organised a benefit; printed 10,000 leaflets; and canvassed support widely.

Old hacks of the left were barely tolerated as they churned out “the perfect line”. The pressing need was to organise on the streets and the Council estates.

By Brian Harrisson Deptford CLP

People know that the Poll Tax is indefensible. What they need is an organisation to focus their anger and resistance.

Community Resistance meet regularly at the Albany, Deptford, every other Thursday night (next meeting.is 10th November) and also have a stall in Deptford market on Saturday morn-

e meeting | attended:

was very refreshing in its direct and non nonsense approach. It had. none of the usual fudge and mudge of your average embryonic protest groups.

Non-payment was a wide-

Labour Left in London

Getting it together

Community prepares resistance

London Labour Briefing No. 104 November 9th-22nd Page 3

(940 5249).

The London Campaign is trying to ensure that there is a single left candidate standing

Obviously there are some sharp differences within the Campaign. It is important that Briefing supporters make their

for GLLP Regional Executive voicesheard andensure that this

ineach of the areas. [fyou'renot is a body genuinely repre-

sure whom to nominate in your _ sentative of the London Labour

area, please call Joan Twelves Left.

(582 2955). GLLP Conference deadlines: The Campaign will be back- Motions:

ing Jeremy Corbyn for Chair, 18th November

and Joan Twelves for Vice Payment of affiliation fees:

Chair of GLLP. We hope to December 31st

mount a real campaign on their Amendments: “i

behalf and aim to increase our January 11th

vote substantially. Nominations: Proposals are being con- January 11th

sidered to get all the left groups Delegates:

to agree to hold a single joint Febmuary 8th

fringe meeting at GLLP Con- Conference:

ference. March 4/Sth, Hammersmith

Newington Women s Section ee Present an Onen Mere : with Amrit Wilson ~ {Author of ‘Asians fn Britain’ and Marian Goima {Ant-Deportation Campaign).

é about the experiences of Biack © and Asian women in Britain today. Tuesday November 29th, 7.300m

P Leswin Road Comimunity Centre, N16 {ott De Newington High Street

iy accepted tactic; and the

main purpose of the meeting

was discussing ways to iH mobilise forces and not fine- workplace by, n ly honing some dry and branch by academic polemic. is

If we are ever to hope to win on the Poll Tax, the AntiPoll Tax groups must aim for

by a flood of resistance followed by a tidal wave of non-payment.

' London Labour Briefing No. 104 November 9th-22nd Page 4

Mike Goodman and Sir Jeffrey Stirling

STRANGE

BEDFELLOWS?

PHOTO QUIZ: Is t A special guest from

his: the Gestapo

opening the Biennial Conference of the

EETPU?

Last year’s winner of the worst dressed man in Britain visiting a new branch of

Burton’s?

A Columbian drug trafficker fundraising for the Bush/Quayle campaign? The answer to the question is... none of

the above.

In fact, this is a picture of the Labour

leader of Hammersmith

and Fulham Council

opening the P&O Chelsea Harbour develop-

ment scheme.

When Cllr. Goodman took part in this ceremony last year he was Chair of Planning.

He was the only Labour

member to attend be-

cause the then Leader, Gordon Prentice, had

sent a note through the ing out the P&O connec! such a scheme bore no or environmental needs

whip’s office point-

‘tion and the fact that relation to the social of the area.

P&O were thrilled at capturing a toady from the Town Hall to take part in their media

Jamboree. So they gave

Goodman the scis-

sors. They described the event in Chelsea

Harbour News, a joint publication of

and Globe Inv S

Left Bookshop

Sacks Worker Collets Comes

Down Hard

Collets International and Penguin Bookshops on Charing Cross Road were shut on Friday October 28th bya spontaneous 24-hour strike by staff members over the dismissal of an International Shop employee for alleged lateness and absenteeism.

The strikers accuse Collets’ senior management of ignoring the disciplinary procedure agreed by USDAW and Collets Holdings Ltd.

Directors

The board of directors had decided on Wednesday, October 26th (the day before the appeal hearing) to proceed with the dismissal.

Collets’ usual response in such situations is to assert management's: right to manage. Employees. now

fear the precedent willlead to further dismissals.

Members will be meeting during the week to consider further action.

John Fahy, organiser for USDAW, said, “management's — high- ‘handed action is quite out of proportion to the nature of the problem.

Agreement

“Our members are determined that the employers respect the agreement with ‘our union, negotiate meaningfully, and reinstate our sacked member.

“Union support for the actions of the Collets membership will continue until these demand are met.”

For further information contact: Nik Palmer, Branch Secretary West End USDAW, tel. 587 1503 8.30am-6.00pm

Taken from Usdaw Press Release

P&O The gloating capitalist next to Goodman is

John Anderson, boss of Town and City, the property development subsidiary of P&O.

Mike Goodman is one of two Labour Councillors in the Sands End Ward of Fulham, where the Chelsea(sic) Harbour development

is situated.

By Steve Cowan

Member of ILEA Labour Group

Planning permission was granted by the previous Tory administration, no doubt as part of their drive to alter the political geography of an area which hitherto has always had a working class majority.

Goodman's positive attitude towards P&O, Chelsea Harbour and the super rich in general, contrasts sharply with the view taken by fellow Sands End councillor Tony Powell, who on May 10th responded to a P&O invitation in these words:

“lam quite appalled at the way in which Sir Jeffrey Stirling is dealing with the Seamen’s Union and can think of no-one | would like to

meet less.”

Cllr. Powell is often held up as a definitive right-winger by some of his colleagues; his attitude towards the seafarers dispute shows

just how extreme Good othe

ike a

Clearly, sparks will fly when selection time

comes round in Sands End Ward next year. |

wonder how many Labour members will be

Citi Advice Burea

Chelsea Harbour residents?

Local Government Committee officers in Hammersmith & Fulham are asking why Cllr. lan Harrison joined in acabal with Goodman to overthrow the previous leadership when he knew Goodman’s political character and understood that the existing leadership could at least claim to represent the broad spread of opinion on the LGC.

The P&O controversy took a further twist when Goodman received the following invitation form Clir. Prentice on 16th September:

“Given the support which the Group expressed last night for the striking seafarers, | think it would be quite appropriate for you to auction the gifts you received from P&O at

g. | know the NUS

Should Goodman pos tively respond to

this invitation, the bidding is likely to plumb to depths which even P&O have yet to reach.

Defending whose rights?

On Wednesday 2nd November, hundreds of workers in London’s Citizens Advice Bureaux (CABs) took strike action.

This might come as a shock to Briefing readers whose stereotypical CAB worker isa blue-rinsed dear from the Home Counties, intent on doing good works.

Even though the reality is rather different, CAB workers do not have a history of union activism.

So wh: Wednesda damentally the London

the background to s action? Fun-

s a revolt againts CABs

The London Health Workers Co-ordinating Committee has arisen from the body which played a major part in making the one-day strikes on February 3rd and March 14th as successful as they were. Open meetings are now being held every two weeks.

The bulletin, London Healthworker, can be received if you send a donation to Andrew Phillips, c/o Union Office, Royal Free Hospital, Pond St, London NW3. Please make cheques payable to Charing Cross Hospital JSSC or Royal Free Hospital JSSC (while accour for LHCC is being opened).

By SIOBHAN ALKINS

mangagement’s right to manage — at the expense of buréaux workers’ right to work.

Since the summer GLCABS have been sacking workers on temporary contracts who have been nearing 24 months continuous service — thus denying them basic employment rights.

The workers’ union, TG WU, is not opposed to the termination of temporary contracts when the posts being covered are filled with permanent staff.

ndon Healthworkers

But GLCABS have sacked temporary workers, only to replace them with — other temporary workers!

Women and black workers have been hardest hit, but GLCABS management have attempted to justify the sackings in the name of “equal opportunities”.

The strike saw a strong TGWU picket at GLCABS HQ,

by HQ workers who are not directly involved in the dispute, but who are also TGWU members, face victimization by management for refusing to cross the picket line.

The union must defend victimised workers and escalate the action if the heavy-handed, union busting GLCABS management is to be stopped in its tracks.