Labour Briefing no. 82

ckers, unite against the

INSIDE:

@For a planned economy

Was Walesa sold out?

“Godless Labour"?

100 Years of

New Realism! Stop the Section national tour @ NALGO Pay

TGWU MUST DEFY THE LAW!

The dockers are poised to lead a historic battle with the government over the abolition of the National Dock Labour Scheme. And they can win if they get the backing they deserve from the TGWU leadership.

Registered dockers handle 70% of cargo, much of which cannot be switched to

non-scheme ports. A Department of Trade and Industry circular admits: “sectors heavily dependent on imports of raw

INSIDE:

Hillsborough: a working class tragedy

x Editorial, p3 -

* Football Supporters Association’s warnings ignored, back page

materials or components could face problems quite quickly. Steel, vehicles, chemicals, news print and textiles could all be hit.”

By Alan Thornett Trade Union Briefing

The key problem for the dockers is the attitude of TGWU leaders to the courts. Ron Todd says any strike “must be within the law”. But can the strike be contained within the law and if not will Todd support it?

‘Todd's attempt to negotiate with the Port Employers was a tacit acceptance that a strike against a decision of Parliament would be illegal. Such a ruling by the courts — by no means certain — would be the most far reaching use of the law against the unions since Thatcher came to power.

It would make strikes against other Government measures such as the Baker Bill and the NHS white paper illegal as well. Were the courts to take such a step, they would not be influenced by whether or not the T&G had met the Port Employers.

The announcement by the TGWU leaders that they are trying to comply with the law is an open invitation to the courts to take the harshest decision in support of the employers!

The Port Employers have treated Todd's demands for negotiation with complete arrogance. They see the chance completely to reorganise the docks industry following the abolition of the Scheme — and even used the talks to announce the ending of the industry's national negotiating machinery, a separate matter from the Scheme.

Ron Todd Is worried about the funds of the union, but those funds are worthless unless. they can be used to defend jobs and conditions of the membership.

A united struggle by all dockers Is entirely possible. Several of the non-Scheme ports have already pledged support in the knowledge that their wages and conditions

‘PHOTO: Leasa Horbort

r TGWU leaders Todd and Morte: guided by the courts or their members? are underpinned by conditions in the Scheme ports. But if unregistered ports join the strike it

will automatically be declared unlawful secondary action. Striking dockers picketing any unregistered ports which continue to work will also be gullty of illegal secondary action.

Previous anti-union legislation was

d because It was defied. In 1972 the

dockers dealt the decisive blow to the Industrial Relations Act with their defiance of the National Industrial Relations Court over the Pentonville Five.

Since the NUM defied the law during the miners strike and was left isolated, the unwillingness of the union leaders to dety the law i has led to the defeat of the print unions at Wapping and the seafarers at Dover. ie

Anational dock strike could be the cornerstone of a fight-back against Thatcherism. NUR workers on London Underground have voted 7-1 for strike action. Strikes are starting in the BBC. A strike ballot is being prepared on British Rall. The AEU National Committee has proposed a series of strikes for a shorter working week and 70,000 power workers are being balloted for action. But to win, the dockers must be prepared to defy the law.

The TGWU, and the rest of the labour movement, must support them.

Labour Briting No. 82 April 26th-MaySth Page 2

Letters

Pilcorecly point out thatthe Once again Sartre: On the A-AM mee cone with cutive: Deas Briefing, ‘bureaucrats than relating to rank Martin Wicks evidently hasa and file actvy, different conception of Far coongh, but in adtion Phcalinntotat pot forwardby to apating for workers” san MikePhippsinkisariceonthe tions, what proposals do we [Anti-Apatheid. Movement to have forhow te A-AM should which I took exception in ry relate to the tne union moveTeaser ‘Dent wehave now, bureaeracy Phipps has employed the andall? tual formulae about “eqeal "How doweassesthe vaions ‘repost for all cures”, “eup- initiatives which have taken Pot for howe in ruggie",cx. place in the unions, from the Marin clay disagrees, be- coal boycott work with the cause he mgards one coneot, NUM othe Joint Campaign to

‘Socialist Party.

decision to form the new

the result of the Govan by- ‘election.

the ANC, as a gang of Stalinist Rail Against Apartheid to ‘butchers who will nothesitateto iso? slaughter genuine [feel it would be much more

Scottish won ctor the inde Socialist mmontotowenkeatbeANCand sight Speaiar Col War Bae se he ve ey of el arty PPeniipe rare he replies patie quarry Seti eh alae

against the incipient ANC ANC, but to build the broadest possible movement to isolate the apartheid regime.

‘AL A-AM Conferences they see a leadership which, despite its inadequacies, at least seems to share this goal — and a ‘would-be left obsessed with internal minutiae, abstract denunciations, and a seemingly inoorrigible negativiem towards the ANC.

Dear Briefing,

I wish to reply to Jim Niblock’s letter about the formation of the Scottish

In the first place | would like to point out that the i =

party was taken well before =

‘The decision to breakfrom = Labour was notan easy ove: Bw

Situation

It came about through the 2° painfulrealisation thatthe left ‘non-existent forces such as the This isthe situation that has inthe Labour Party is unable “black workers party”). ‘to be tumed around and pious

Cty tang eco.” Aa yaett crt Fey

tance of Thatcher vakies —_firscutotsts pry within

Labour in Scotiand is now election will give socialists theme baricrto socialom both inde ard catoide the | But the ANC isnot simply ‘A left which genuinely secks ‘ever being achieved. Labour Party a straight | one cument amongst several: it tolesdhastorespondiothecon-

Its leadership and a choice. They can either vote | is the only current which could cems ofthe ordinary activists. majority ofits membershave for a Kinnockite such as | conceivably form,atthepresent Whilst labour movement betrayed the people of Scot. Anne McGuire, who will | time, a goverment command- orientation for the A-AM is es- {and over the Poll Tax. They Probably be selected, or for | ing wide popular support to seatial, it docs not in itself hhad the power to stop it but Our unashamedly socialist | replace the apartheid regime. provide a line of march for the chose nat © exercise tis candidate, iscutingiioe” tomebacwbas power for fear of alienating Of course, this decision, | rect forthe A-AM to recognise This requiresptting forward Voters in the South of like the decision whether or | its leading role. A solidarity serious proposals for work

not to pay the Poll Tax, is a |movement cannot avoid amongst youth, women, black

matter for the individual con- | making political decisions and people, the religious comscience. choices; if we do not believe munity (Lrelise the mere men_We must recognise one | this, how can we consistently tion of the later will provoke Vital fact. lf socialists choose | argue for a prioritisation of the some hilarity, but this hilarity toleave'heLsbou Pary To. soback aight wing Wend of | Mayen cam? hardly betokens «serious atthem we offer the hand of Donald Dewar in the by-clec- raises many per- titude towards, for exmaple, the friendship. ton they wal bo dolrg sa | tine of the A-AM, black community), as well a5

However, contrary to Jim ing to stop the rightward shift | but he still begs the question of providing a mass campaigning Niblock’s assertions, we will in the Labour Party. ‘what we shonidadvocatetotum focus for local groups. be constesting an election Yours, eel in taarighe Wes Neat very shortly. David G. R. Young, i BL. Gibbons

‘The Glasgow Central by- Scottish Socialist Party Manchester

TEN Tory YEARS

analysed by the UK's monthly news and current affairs magazine for the trade union and labour movement. In May Labour Research looks at how Britain and the unions have fared under a decade of Tory rule, with major features on: ‘The Economy, Privatisation, Civil Liberties, Employment Law, ‘The Widening Gap Between Rich and Poor.

plus features on: Trade Unions and International Solidarity, EC and Regional Aid

This means that nobody appeals to the holy trinity of

cagaged in struggle should be pluralism, democracy, and a

denied the soppont ofthe A- trade onion ontaton are in sufficient tothe task.

tion. ‘On the trade union question,

Out May Ist

[1 I would like @ copy of the Labour Research May issue and enclose a chequelpostal order for £1.80 (inc. postage) payable to Labour Research Department.

[1 | would like a year’s subscription to Labour Research and enclose a cheque/postal order for £18.75 payable to Labour Research Department.

(| would like more information about the LRD and LRD publications.

Name Address

Union Please return to Lobour Research Department, 78 Blackfriars Rood, London SEI BHF

‘Send snippets and info to G Bassett, Periscope Column, Labour Briefing. PO Box 457, London SW2 SUZ

“counter-culture” anda

OBITUARY new, flamboyant, flip-

Abbie pant style of radical Hoff

iman The heart of this politics

The unexpected news of Abble Hoffman's death

(apparently by suicide)

was opposition to the Vietnam War, Abbie was centrally Involved in

atthe age of 52 wilsad- the October 1967 Penden many of those who tagon demonstration remember him from the (an attempt to levitate:

60s and who were delighted to see him return to active left fallure, but that never Politics In the 80s, bothered Abbie),

In recent years Hoffman Hewasakoinvolvedinthe was touring the country, bloody showdown with speaking to students Richard Daley’s thugs in and appearing at — uniform in Chicago In demos agairist Gpart- August 1968. held, the CIA.and mult in many respects these national polkiters. were both marginal

He offered a refreshing events in the swelling ‘and aimost archetypal tide of mass protest contrast fo his erstwhile against the war. ally Jeny Rubin, bom- But the theatrical Iragain businessman. teverence of Abbie’s

It Is often forgotten that tactics (andthe brutally before his emergence —_with which they were as a media celebrity in suppressed) gave them the late 60s, Hoffman a symbolic weight well

the buliding by collective Incantation was a

had spent several years beyond that merited by @s a rank and fle cM the numbers present fights activist directty In- (only. afew thousand) oF

volved In some of the fiercest batties against (a_ mix of traditional US segregation In the iberallsm and_outsouth, rageously anarchistic

Abble (as he was soon to nihilism). be called by young In them the generational, People across the USA) social, and Ideological had been an ofganiser conflicts then fearing for the Student Non- the country apart Violent Co-ordinating seemed to be crystal Committee (SNCC), sed. whose directactiontac- Later, at the Chicago, tics were a key inspira: Conspkacy trial Abble tion for the worldwide showed himself to be student revolt of 1968, one hell of a stand-up

The emergence in the political comedian. He mid-60s of “Black also showed himself to Power” asasloganand be brave and prinnatlonallst self-deter-_clpled. mination as a strategy Hs polltics in the late 60s, toreSNCC apart, Abbie, were scatter-brained

the politics advocated

like many other white andat times dangerousradicals, found himself“ ly adventurist, but he ‘exiled from the Civil possessed.a humour, ime

Rights movement. Casting around for a movement that they could call thelr own. they turned to the

agination, and dating that would not have gone amiss.in the grim landscape of Thatcher's Britain, 1989.

Briefing Summer Draw! Raise money for Briefing and for your local group!

Tickets cost £1 per book of 5, and local groups can keep half the proceeds. Tickets available from J. Wilton, 25 World's End Ave, Quinton, Birmingham B32 LF (021-422 1366).

No one will be as surprised to read this as John Witton (unless it’s Pauline Purnell), but Neville has obviously been impressed by their work organising the Briefing Summer Draw, and randomly generated number 257 as the winner of this week's 500 Club prize —a share held jointly between John and Pauline. £25... that’s 125 raffle tickets...

Published by Labour Briefing, PO Box 457, London SW2 SUZ (01-809 3927) Printed by East West Graphic, 01-354 3827.

Labour Briefing No. 82 Apri 28th-May 9th Page 3

Editorial

TASOUR — TAKE THE POWER:

Hillsborough: a v orking class tragedy

‘The utterly avoidable slaughter of 95 football supporters at Hillsborough is a tragedy for our clase.

No socialist could fail to be deeply shaken by this appalling event — or touched by the spectacle of practical working class solidarity as the wounded and the dying wore carried out by volunteers on stretchers. improvised from advertising hoardings, or by the displays of collective bereavement in football grounds up ‘and down the country.

‘And rio socialist could help but be moved to outrage at the forces responsible for this tragedy.

“The central force involved is capital itself, in which the drive for profit always takes precedence over the needs cof people. In the interests of capital, Thatcher has ‘pushed through a programme of economic ‘rationalisation" which has not only led to mass unemployment and poverty, but has aiso resulted in the cortosion of the country’s physical infrastructure.

“This has reached the point where large numbers of people no longer fee! it is safe to ride on a tube, train, or ferry — oF to attend a football match.

Capitalism’s “rationalisation” drive does not only exist atthe national and international level: it directly involves individual capitalists, including those capitalists (often locally based industrialists or businessmen} who own and run our football clubs.

‘At Hillsborough, what was exposed was not only the inhumanity of capital, but the gross irresponsibility of its local agents, who have usurped a popular pastime and public asset and turned it into a vehicle to satisfy their ‘own lust for prestige and power.

“Enemies within”

‘Again and again these people have resisted supporters’ demands for betta, safer facies, for logical ticket allocation policies, and for co-ordinated, co-operative stewarding arrangements inside and outside the ground. Most criminally of all, they failed to heed repeated warnings about the darigers of perimeter fences.

But why were the fences put up in the frst place? And why were the club directors 30 reluctart to remove them? Here itis necessary to remember that the economic and ideological offensives have gone hand in hand. In order to push through her savage attack on the working

class, Thatcher identified a number of groups as ‘enemies within" — miners, black people, lesbians and a8, most recently dockers.

Inevitably, tis offensive spread from the working class at work to the working class at play. Football

‘supporters joined the ranks of the “enemies within”. Football itself was defined as a social problem which could only be solved by measures of “control over ail football fens.

Repression, not safety, became the watchword.

Hence the fences, the video cameras, the ID cards, ‘and the huge police presence. What happened at Hileborough was not the resutt of one rash misjudgement by one police officer under pressure, but of a deliberately propogated image of working class football 8 violent and sub-human.

‘The police failure at Hilsborough can only be understood in this context. Following the lead of the right wing media, they saw the fans as a mindless menace and treated them accor.ingly. No wonder their first instinet, when suffocating fans tied to escape over the fences, was to push thor: back into the crush.

‘The club directors and administrators have also been imbued with this perspective. Hence the inadequacy of the public address system, resuscitation equipment, and emergency back-up facities.

“These facts cannot be completely hidden from the public (unlike in some otner “cisastars” and the Tories are now faced with an outcry which threatens to disrupt the smoothe course of thoir economic and ideological offensive.

Individualised Impotence

But, as usual, they are not deterred. To the feinthearts on her back benches, Thatcher says, “Press on!” Which means ID cards, all-seator stadia, more police powers. and more nauseating propaganda against football supporters. The Liverpool fans who righty torched copies of The Sun now know who the real barbarians are.

Football matches are one of the last redoubts for the public expression of any collective working class identity. ‘Some of the ways in which this collectivity is expressed — through violenoa, chauvinism, petty local rivalries, gross sexism and racism — arc painful to socialists. But this should not stop us from decisively rejecting Thatcher's answer to the football crisis,

‘She wants football supporters, like the rest of the working clase, to know their place — and sit in it! Her aim isa further atomisation of the working class, bit by bit reduced to individualised impotence in front of their television sets.

The socialist answer stands in direct opposition. Uniortunately, the bipartisanship of Labour leaders over this issue, with Roy Hattersley calling on Thatcher to “deiay’, not drop, the ID card scheme in order to “unify the nation”, represented yet another lost opportunity for Labour, a chance to speak directly to and for milions of

people stil trembling with rage and grief over Hillsborough.

We should recognise, as Thatcher does, that football is changing. And we shouid offer a radical programms for its

along democratic and egalitarian lines.

Much work needs to be done before such a programme is complete, but some of its outlines are clear. :

We must demand the removal of the perimeter fences, the scrapping of the ID card scheme, and oppose plans for commercial use of football faclties being drawn up by ‘greedy directors who for whom crowd safety is always a ‘Secondary concem.

‘We must oppose the hue and cry for all-seater stadia. ‘Yes, many grounds should have more and better seating at an affordable price. But fans should be given a choice — ‘and removal of the terraces, which are not in themselves dangerous, will strip fans of yet one more option, as well as resulting in prohibitive ticket prices.

Public Ownership

We should also expose the fraud of an enquiry led by a eer of the Realm who by his own admission hasn't been to a football match in 20 years.

Butas socialists we should also advocate all-embracing, radical solutions to the football crisis. Our aim should be to ‘smash the dictatorship of the Football Association and the Football League and strip the arrogant and incompetent ougeoisie who own our football clubs of their unaccountable power. :

Al grounds must be taken into public ownership, with provision for locally based democratic control Democratically organised bodies of supporters should assume responsiblity for running the game, from top to bottom.

in that context, a full-scale campaign to eradicate racism and sexism at grounds must be undertaken, and we must formulate a long-term plan to advance the interests of women as both spectators and players.

Genuine Voice

All this can only be achieved in and through the football supporters’ movement, currently expressed in the legion of altemative football magazines and the growth of the Football Supporters Association as a genuine voice for the excluded majority of fans.

Hillsborough is a working class tragedy, inficted on us by our class enemies. For the moment, it must be said, small number of fans see it that way. But that number is undoubtedly growing, and it's up to socialists — many of whom, after ail, are aiso football fans — to oarry these arguments onto the terraces, before they're all replaced by Directors’ Boxes.

Economic Notebook

Reality behind Capital’s euphemisms

Lawson’s squeeze

costs jobs

Unemployment. is now at its lowest level for eight years!

This is one Tory myth which has Insidlously crept

fast as they were created. Indeed, the latest figures do show 1a slowdown in the fall in un- ‘employment

‘This is what is meant by

{nto public consciousness, “slowing down” an “ovesheatsoothing what was, in the ing economy". The capitalist carly 80s,thepublic’smumber class is, as we know, expert at

one anxiety.

‘Of course, we all now that a completely different basis of calculation is now used. But itis also necessary to look behind the thetoric of fiddled figures to seek out the real underlying trends.

Even calculating unemployment on the old basis shows that ithas indeed falien over the past two to three years

‘The new jobs are, however, predominantly in the service sector, usually part-time and temporary, abysmally lowpaid, and have litle in the way

‘union organisation or health and safety protection.

"Above all, they are creditboom led and will disappear as

ccuphemiam and these are preity ‘good ones for recession, deflation, and unemployment

“Boost for Lawson as high street sales slow down” is the triumphal headline in the Guardian, bot the closing of the gap between demand and supply ix precisely the cause of the latest and worryingly modest fall in ‘unemployment.

TE sales in the High Steet slow down this has obvious ‘consequences for import and export trade (hence the great desire to take on the dockers to hide these consequences)

It also has consequences for industrial output and employment in what is left of manufac

toring industry.

By PETER THOMPSON

ft will lead to increases in bankruptey for new, self- ‘employed businesses, which will then be swallowed up by big capital, their former owners hired as workers in their own

capital, wl increase The new toege firme will elher ase sap or miionalize, which in teen will inctease enemploy-

“This dowatum wil coincide with increased inter imperialt Tray between the US, Europe, to Japan, with thi tents fenette each oer” madkete Sid prodoctive bases (pee the Inteat Japanese ventures in Wales and Deby)

it wil deo lead 02 massive increase ip overcapacity and

coveraccumalation of capital, which will then need to be destroyed ortransferred toother sectors.

All countries which have tumeda trade deficit into atrade supplus over the past decade ave done so at the cost of an enormous rise in unemploy-

‘The fall in domestic demand coincides with rises in productivity to produce @ situation in

which fewer workers produce the same or more goods for a lower level of market demand.

The outlook therefore is bleak. This crisis is world wide. Simply leaving itto the intemational bankers to achieve a switch to export markets, assuming we had any manufactured goods left to export, isnot 1 solution.

‘What is required is x concerted atack om the power of

transnationals and international financiers to make global production and investment Secisions against theintereste of workers everywhere.

Of necessity, this includes nationalisation of the means of investment and production and 2 switch to production to meet international human need, rather than transnational cor

porate greed.

Labour Breting No. 82 Apri 26thrMay sth Page +

‘Campaign!

APRIL Local Conferences on Socialist Alternatives to Labour's Policy Review

Birmingham: Fiday 2h, 7.20pm, Care Lane Church entra, Carrs Lane, Birmingham 4 (behind Marks & /Sparks). Chair: Pauline Purnell. : Dawn

Primaroio MP, Mandy Moore (Socialist Conference, Women for Socialism). MAY

Local Conferences on Socialist Alternatives to. Labour's Policy Review Glasgow: Saturday 20th, 11am, Cty Hal. Speakers:

rant MP, Hilary Wainwright Seeherse, Wenen i Seciaios, Scola Canpagn

|Group MP (invited).

Sal. 13th. National Convention for Democratic lights, Contact: Mike Marqusee, 01-341 9203. IRachsle roviinalyy. Contac Tay Tsty, Eat

(provi ). rehy, 7 East own httfel St Recreate O12 6S? ovoe Saeace. JUNE

Sat. 31d/Sun. 4th. Gorbachev & the European Left. Conference, with Easter and Western European speakers. Cxior Universty Coterence Centre. Contact:

ius Fagan, 30 Bridge Street, Oxiord 0965-723207.

‘Sat. 17th’Sun. 18th. Third Socialist Conference. }Octagon Centre, Sheffield University

NOVEMBER Sat. 1 1th’Sun. 12th. Building the Left in the Unions.

SOCIALIST CONFERENCE Democratic Rights — A Call to Action!

Open Organising Meeting for a National Convention on Democratic Rights SATURDAY MAY 13TH, 14PM Red Rose Club,

‘Seven Sisters Road, London N4 (Finsbury Park tube)

All civil liberties, anti-racist, anti-imperialist, anti-censorship, lesbian and gay, Irish, trade union activists welcome.

Help build a united resistance to the Tory attack on democratic rights.

For more details contact Democratic Rights, c/o Reading Matters Bookshop, Wood Green High Read, London N22.

must stay!

‘a woman, who gave Victoria temporary accommodation and helped her find work.

‘About a month later Vic~ toria moved to Manchester where she worked in a factory and where she now lives.

Following her move, Victoria formed a relationship with a Ghanaian man, which broke up when she became pregnant. In November 1987, she gave birth to her baby Stephen.

Victoria Apetor and her 16 month old son Stephen are under threat of deportation.

Victoria came to Britain three years ago from Ghana with @ male friend, who was studying in Canada.

By GEOFF RYAN

The original plan was to spend two to three weeks in

Britain betore travelingonto Since coming to Britain Canada. However, herfriend Victoria has taught herself to abandoned her at a London read, write and speak railway station, leaving her English and has made with just £2. friends in Manchester. She

‘After sleeping rough for a night, Victoria found help from a chance meeting with

simply wants tobe allowedto make a life here for herself ‘and her son.

Stop the Deportations! Victoria and Stephen

Socialist Conference

Going for the hat trick!

The third national ‘Socialist Conference takes place in Sheffield on June 17th and 18th,

It will be even more important for the left than the

two.

‘A decade of Thatcherism has left socialists weakened and marginalised. Trade union

are stabbed in the back by trade unions leaders. New ‘Realist in the Labour Pasty are

‘not even capable of winning clections.

By Davy Jones Islington South cLP

‘The left urgently needs to take stock and renew itself as we hhead for the 1990s. The third Socialist Conference will provide an esseatial forum for this task.

Entitled The Socialist Conference: Movement for a New Decade, the Sheffield event aimsto:

soatline an overall socialist

First stop Chestorfold.. nxt stop Sheff!

ces within the movement, as on Enrope and PR, these will be But even

ing local groups; the success of regional Socialist Conference events

for every trade union and Labour Party activist, for every campaigner on radical and

honestly programme for the 1990s, a Stal Sclved aman, such around the country, especialy social nmves. necessary counterweight '© Jocument will be « much inScotland: B-offes aa oppoitnnlty to Kinnock's “Great Moving S<"y-a'cuideve uo the Labour the national conference of forge an exciting, socialist ater, __.__PaityPolicy Review drivel. socialist trade unionists to be _ movement which can challenge ‘cextablish clear campaigning “The Conference will also held in Sheffield in November, the ideas andthe practice of the Priosties and practical goals for pishtight ‘the National Convention on New Realists, in the unions and Socialist Conference sup- 85° acmous ccess of he Democratic Rights planned for the Labour Pay. omer. recent Women for Socialiem atc this “Labour Briefing arges all neeieaite eee eden neeel nacre, See eS ee | ee ee ee ee tame of “Sosialet Movement” T” “The Socialist Conference, 9 Poland Street, London W1V 3DG a up an office with fall 1 permmeenn time workers. iation Form Previous conferences have prodaced many policy papers, | Nama s

tradictory.

‘This time the aim is to synthesise these papers into a comprehensive document providing 2 clear socialist perspective on

‘Telephone No.

Enclosed with this form is the affllation fee for 1968 {£12 for orgariaation: £8 for nvicunls, £3 unwoged in

na Gre reausemarts of ine Data Pretooion Act, Lhereby agree tothe Socialist Conference keeping the above information on fle.

(ei PM as

Manchester Labour Movement Immigration Conference

Over 100 people attended the conference on immigration ‘and nationality in Manchester on April 15th.

Steve Cohen of South Manchester Law Centre gave an overview of immigration history in Briain and strongly criticised Labour's

Ayyear after Stephen was available under immigration

bom Victoria moved back in laws. record on this issue in and out of office. with his father but three A number of Ghaneians | Labour's current spokesperson on immigration, Alastair Darling \weoks lator immigration off have recently been deported | MP. agreed with thee crticiams, but suggested that changes would

bbe scen as a result of the current Policy Review.

Darling also described disturbing developments in the run up to 1992. It sppears that non-EC citizens will all get the same treatment stall EC airports — if you are refused entry in Athens you will aso

from Manchester without

anyone being allowed to intervene on their behalf.

Victoria is now appealing

cials raided the house. ‘Stephen's father was taken to Risley Remand Centre and within three weeks had

been deported to Ghana. fora Judicial Review, as she | be refused entry in London. has never been given a| _ Information is already being exchanged in order to build up &

Changed proper chan computer nctwork to dea! with dis EC-wido sysiem of exciosion. how she ca ‘A speaker from the Nalgo Black Members Group explained the

At the time Victoria was not arrested, because of her child. However, the Home Office now appears to have

its mind and has ‘served her with adeportation order.

They have treated her as fan ‘illegal immigrant” to prevent her using even the limited appeals procedures

importance of black workers groups in pressing unions to take up these issues, noting that Nalgo’s position had developed since it was forced to take up Mohammed Idrish’s case in 1982.

Tétish himself, Francis Okanlami, Marion Gaima and Victoria Apeter—all previously or currently threatened with deportation — ‘addressed the meeting, which decided to establish a lisison network for trade union work on immigration cases.

'A. booklet and video based on the conference are now being

Britain. Tony Lloyd MP is supporting a representation to the Home Office on Victoria's behalt.

For further information contact: Victoria and Stephen Defence Camppaign, Choriton Workshop, | Chorlton Central Church, | produced.

Barlow Moor Road, | — Finslly,theconferenceagreediomobilise forFrancis Okanlamni's Chorlton, Manchester M21.’ | appeal on May 15th, at Aldine house, Manchestes

Labour Brisfing No. 82 Apri! 26th-May Sth Page 5

Campaign!

The R die Affair

Back Benn’s

Blasphemy Bill | Hattersley ; opis Sac" | betrayal the tour!

bse i stipalates that “no instnuted agains any person | The Labour Party's fon cqual age of consent— | Brighton Area Action _tnions, student unions,

z ixcosiiome Measey: Policy Review has hhe wants it at 18—andtothe | Against Section 28 is and youth groups,

By Mike Steel blasphemy | effectively dropped the =wpealofdixximinatoy law. | OrSanising a tour of and other organisations to. Marqusee atcommon law, oration.” | Party's conference ‘Thisiss scandalous and | ea eee and . _helpeponsor the Tour. ‘Benn’s Bill was backed by | commitment to Lesbian ‘tally unacceptable betrayal. signer! bes Minimum sponsorship is

Haringey Labour — j.nmy Corbyn, David Steel, | and Gay Lesbian and gay activists from | Scotland during May £10, although more money

Briefing Ian Gilmour, Jo Richardson, Oe age Py ecrinn aal te eon yee ot wade be mppeectnind ee for Lesblan and Gay Rights eee we peo ri plese conactua co

righton Unemployed Centre, Prior House, 6 Tilbury Place, Brighton,

‘The Tour will consist of

It was 100 years to the day Russell Johnston, John Gorst, | emergency campaign for since MP Charles Bradlaogh, Diane Abbott, and Eric Heffer.| debattatthisyeart Anneal ‘BY Peter Purton

Seralarltand defender offre Bean is now sekiog Conference tohave the LCLGR Enet Sussex BN2 2G, speech, had introduced an expanded support for an Early | commitment reinstated. press cuttings and will tel, 0273-671213/676 471. identical to an equally Day Motion which favours the | A comprehensive lesbian visit 19 towns and cities

‘unreceptive parliament. “speedy passage” of his and gay equality policy bas ‘But to win debate at ‘around the country.

"The Bll Yo abolish ant bamphemy Bil been one of the few Conference, LCLOR will ine hopeto ‘Stop the Section progecive policy guinsin needmom than theofen | atght the effects of National Tour fccat year since fe 1985 _tokenistic apport that lesbian pale ‘Armual Conference caesicie Smite | yemrendtoboostmomlet —Detalle of Events ‘sablished afm the re of the lett lesblon and gay right. See ed

- ‘commitment to equality in law ‘Butthe Touris notcheap confirmation) ring Rushdie | =:2:2°<« <tecgrertecimasio” APRIL, discrimination. over £1,500, 28th: Brighton . “This was affnmed with 2 We are calling on lesbian 204: Portsmouth to Bri ‘on! two thirds majority in 1986. and gay groups, ade r: posi panspon cere March Against Inthe past, Labour Briefing has supported ana | oman eee mater Sten 8 publicised a wide variety of Conference ‘This original commitment 0: Pesolutions. This year we are producing a small | warcaatsined inthe first draft policy is the week leading up — One Year On booklet containing model resolutions which left | of the Policy Review. to our AGM lends a new Brighton activists may wish to support in their CLPs. However, the Labourrightas urgency to this strugele. May 27th “The booklet Includes resolutions from Labour CND, | cow sunk its claws in. PN TEEMEE Hove Town Hall Lei, CLPD, Black Sections, CARI, Labour Movement Trea though the whole plans tortura to Confereace all, fence Campaign for Palestine and others. NECbackedike paicesin Hoorthis year. Now, aad very 2pm eth: Leicester For as eeerrocelve tirther resolutions, | 1986and88,HHatenley hax Inte, webavenocheice aed” | MOMS E MEE 18th: Cambridge 0 send your campaign's model resolutions as quickly | nowledscounteratack and. we appeal to the reat ofthe ‘Area Action Against ae possible to Labour Briefing, 38 Talia House, basremoved the commitment eft give wsthe apace jon 28 Manchester Road, London E14 9HB. For: re information

Booklets may be ordered from the same address: : phone 0273 24th: House of

please Include a 1419p stamp. Join LCLGR r Commone/Hourstow

We are also, for the first time, initiating our own Send £3 (unwaged), £6 . jes in the bury

resolution, prompted by the “Rushdie Affair’, with wee area tone aed sddreasto Memtersnip | aiaeaaay “tention which so many on the left have been unable to cope. Secretary, LCLGR, PO Box 306, London NS attend cxrerereeenensnmnesrrnaes

this resolution in sponse Is.

Please let us know if you mo" your branch or GC and what the Model Resolution

‘This Conference supports the right of Salman Rushdie to write and publish The Satanic Verses and deplores the

Green Party Conference iomerermciceeeer | Wrestling with a Green economy

Conterence believes that Iree speech must include the Tight to oriise religious ideas. It also believes that the

struggle for free speech goes hand in hand with the “The European Greens _Instead, he proposed a must be limited by what the European counties, including fe against racism. * have 17 member parties “Europe on a human scale... planet can take, not by what the Briain. It deplores the activities of those inthe government and | from 15 countries,” Europe of towns, marketscan stand. ‘The left wing pressure group

the media who have sought to use the "Rushdie Affair” to : sianicigalitiog. add vepions = = wee Sear! whip up racism and to launch attacks onthe Mustin declared Sora Parkin of Tjieabmpeclrtols has cooagh for cverone's| senion of Sada Groat

community = sree . a det kemuia sats omen <Gecenorsin tne. stgrsstunaEampe ley sed: tat nt for everyooe't el alunhine ings eins democracy and equality, the Labour Party should advocate: | Haments around the world their past LT Pes pe a os {the abolition of all blasphemy laws: sasbenion antes ees eee 9 eee réistibu- Derek led on fellow Ls ccminde | So ee Sa tion of wealth wat “crcl fo Groce to ecogve tho cae saving the Eath"icke warned. inn of the ecological crisis,

‘complete separation of church and state; ste phesing out of al stato aid toreligious schools,of | Tigeeeh ~~ By PETER “You can't tel people they which was hitting the “ except Greece. y - ey ig the poorest whatever denomination. must consume less if their classes and the ‘nations: poorest SpeakingattheGreenParty's TATCHELL children are hungry; it’s no the hardest.

HARINGEY LABOUR BRIEFING National Conference in London food tiling «family in some Emphasising the fondamenDefend Salman Rushdie! Set ee Ft in ood BRC oper mes Slag Comet texte ces Ere oe ‘ recenteiectionoftwoGreea Green Party Council member, living beyond the means of the vironmental protection and Socialism, Froe Speech, and AntHRacism | cayiidates in the Baltic Devi kieynidtattocale plat production for profit, Wall aston Republics of the USSR. ‘Thatchergovemmentgrecnwas “We, the fortunate people, urged the Green Party to Thursday May 14th, 8pm “The Belgian Green Senstor, like “calling Atilla the Hun a must consume les so they ean proclaim a radical anti-

Brabant Road Trade Union Centre, Station Road, Ludo Dierickx, attacked the pacifist.” a capitalist economic strategy. Wood Green doctrine of economic growth “The system has wreaked Picking up on this theme, with which, he argued, reinforced destroction with staggering Distorting Freda Chapman said Greeat Narendra Makani Sationalism and undermined speed," he mid had to give greater priority Chui Labour Party Black Sectors Collective solidarity. “ithas taken the Earth 4,600 uring the Conference, the challenging the private owner-

preside 5 Th onder to mesi economic million yearstocvolve. Yeithe West German Green MEP, ship of indurry and wealth. erat grouth targets, Diesckx said industrial system bas boen with Jakobvon Uerkall, accused the Ar the meeting's guest fomen for Socialism tht govermmentsar inevitably us for jut 200. Much of the Labourleaderhipof' distorting speaker from the Labour Party, Hanif Kureishi driven to “export ational un most fandameatal desruction and misrepresenting” Soviet I called for Left-Green AlWriter, My Beautiful Laundrette employment, inflation, has happened in the last 40. opinions on British unilateral liance around a radical agenda Gita Sahgul sonecy mai, ad de, We mest promote + ary coe dimmanent forse and esloga ithall Black Si equilibrium in the balance sreen economics which can see ‘on, Uexkal at top sustainability; and for a cameee omin tran | Pimatstoctercouiien” the fone difernce be Sovietlederhadmadeitcear pip of mans Emonsraons Campaign Against Rep a es ee page cueing eae a ee praca Questions and contributions from the floor will be -| who call for a united Europe “Thetrucnecds of all people ment dclegationthatthey would the construction ofthe Sizewell ekeaee Tina on the existing nation mustbemet—andcanbemet welcome unilateral disarma- B and Hinkley C nuclear reac-

sates. —while the wants,theluxuries, ment measures by West tom.

» organisation of the masses.

Labour Briefing No. 82 Apel 26th-May Sth Page &

Labour Party

Labour Party democracy

Our mass members and theirs

‘The Labour Party bosses credit card-wielding middle decision-making. Yet they g0 calling for amass member- clases.the ones usedto paying, out of their way to make “scShip drive like to imply foreveything by direct debi." tivist” a dity word. Giving Saye “The doorstep contact ap- members x postal ballot form that the left is against = ated by many, especially every sixmonthsisn'tincluding larger membership and oe TmoreledkiedPary mem sens . against more participation ers, js to go out the window in _The lifeblood of the Party is by members. te drive to centralise member- debate, discussion, the process It is high time we dispelled of collectively reaching ‘the myth that the left holds ‘The old “New Members’ decisions and collectively impower by excluding members Pack”, which explained how — plementing them. from decision-making. Party ‘Conference made the Whodothey think is goingto Tis also high time we built policy decisions has vanished _go.outinall weathers to getcanmass active membership of the in the Policy Review sleight of didates clected, petition agsinst Labour Party rather than the hand. NHS cuts, convince people in passive, uninvolved, postal-bal- the strects and on the doorstep Toting type dear to the crabbed of the need to sopport Labour? hearts ofthe Pasty leadership. By DANCARTER ~The research on which they ‘At the gras r00te it is usual- base their appeal to the “milly the left which runs street lions of people jast waiting to stalls and recruitment cam- With the Party membership join who've never been asked” paigns, organises workplace ac- centralised, computerised, and tivities and public demonstra. de-activated, who will argue for tions. radical policies of any kind? Tndeed, some oftheleft wing" Puture Labour Party News branches of so-called un-. supplements will carry onder representative London con- forms like thix ‘difuencies have more members I would like (tick as =pthan the entire Govan Coa- propriate):

stituency of Glasgow whichlost " Q)Labour Panty tie the by-election to the SNP. (QMattilateral Disarmament "The new Party membership _ Pilofax Diary Pages

campaign swears “it's never) Sales of Council Houses

een easier to join” and follows Reduced price copies of al movesalone. Itmust be based

this with a form containing 15 the Red Flag.

separate questions. Party Leaders say they want a socialist vision of the furure. "The drive is aimed at the to involve the membership in

cut home helpe!"; “Join us to maintain nuclear weapons sehen the rest ofthe words gtfing si of them; “Join us for ‘llth nice things forallthe nice ‘won't inspire many.

So how should we build the Panty?

By being seen tobe active in the community, by seviving “soap box" street mectings and stale, by petitioning for pledges ‘of non-payment ofthe Poll Tex, bby sudsined work in Tenant Associations and local anti racist campaigns, and by link- slso organise delegations to on the sidelines. Ing the Pasty wih focal tude Ramogate forthe P&O strike The left is very much for 2 soos. May Day demonstration on mass membership.

Ts the workplace, we shoald - April 20th, or organise benefits We're wary of centralized angus forindidualstojoin, bat jomtly with local anti-aparthsid membership not because of FERS TI for the continued groups or work on the Housing paranoia but because we've Sekvance of the trade unions’ Act on local estates and cam- seen the Knowsley Norths and TEilintione tothe Labour Party. paign ageinst Labour Councils the Bermondscys, we remem-

Local union branches should Cutting services orraisingreats. ber the threats to close con-

it ‘During industrial disputes, — stitencies and suspend GCs at fie te CLPrand tis willbe when the Labour Party takes the height ofthe Black Sections felped by the CLPs taking solidarity action, the most dispute : serlously such issues as Politicised stikers all look to Our membership, as the Trnepest waders safety, the and join the Labour Party. We slogan says, is our strength. Tone aatiunion laws, and bave seen this in the Miners’ We want an active memberMipportforindustial dispuce Stik, and the PAO Strks in ship that's heard all sides tothe

‘Once recruited, members Dover. arguments — not just the should becacounged to attend Oflen left wing Labour ac- Leadership's in the media — wrocangs and the Party bas in- _tivistshaveledthe support work and is equipped to go out with Tedproducedectel gidesfor undertaken bylocalLabourPar- confidence to argue Labous's ircungopbranch mestings. ties and Support Groups when casein the workplaces, in the

"Wecuraddthatbranchercan groups ike the SWP are siting streets, and on the doorstep.

| Whity gete members on the streets: at an anti-witch hunt lobby.

Don’t be static: be serious!

‘vote will count, whereas now working lass. probably less than 25% of the (Briefing nos.78 and 80) to Yotescastin elections have any tions: Labour

the rather one-sided ™= S : ‘Thisisimportant, because, infor ‘debate” on Proportional 9 revolutionary conditions, alone for only 15, so frst past Representation display 2 Toure is the only conscious the post has static, not to say reformist, political act the masses engage coalitions. attitude to the question. in, ‘Ultimately, they argue that "Clearly such achange would gued that the electoral system the question of democratic necessitate x complete reor- “imposed” on Labour the “rerights here (in this ease, 0n¢ ganisation ofthe Labour Party, qui the person, one vote, and having hose hidory and structure is Liberals to stand down and that vote count) is suber- strongly shaped by the British allow direct fights with the dinate to the “need” for ® clectoral sysem. Labour government. In that context we would be in favour of measares that i yates accomctbiity pay. a pat ft pol By Phil Ward bs = vey Repetto Sheffield organisations Pian sen hhamrap! ———_Butweshouldrememberthat Labour; thea ait the Party is not some kind of te bit of socialism” wil be the ‘This view is expressed ex. proto-Soviet which can be resultof “ite bit of powerin plicidy in Socialis Action by magically transformed st some coalition goverment. Redmond O'Neill, complete point info a flly-fledged sys- _Asthe“dented shield” policy Nathaly out ofcontent quotes temof wockers'councils! of local Labour Councils {rom Lenin Experience suggeststheright shows, Labour docs not need a “Wie do we draw the line? will destroy the Labour party new electoral system to pursue Dolwe sppose selfdctermina- ratherthan concede democratic couliionism. RontorSebtand because, ifthe accountability and a socialist Besides, how can anyone Scottish people choose inde- programme. predict that the outcome of pendence, it would remove 48 Chris Knight seems to be fight for PR will be coalitions? Peer MPs from stuck on a schema which re- “This depends on the forces eoWessminiter? (quires that there be a “radical” gaging in that fight and the Should we have opposed Labourgoveramentimmediatevotes for women because 1 priorios socialist revalton ‘women have been dispropor- There is no historical preeeSealy proTory? deat for such a schema — most ‘We support all reforms that _ s0cial democratic govemments increase the political conscious- in pre-evolotionary cries have tess, self-confidence, and seif- been ruthlessly counter-rovolutionary, ready to use all the Under PR. cach individual's might of the state against the

PR and new forces

Most of the contribu- tant,itisbynomeanscertral Without PR, a future tions In Briefing have ‘© achieving socialism ty Labour government Dosh antkPR and this js _ Buteven within the narrow _ might wel do deal withthe ceectempt to redress perspective of electing a fu- SOP. Owen favours the

{ore Labour government, no Single Transferable Vote, the imbelance- mean feat initsolf, things are which would be worse than The arguments against ‘ot's9 simple. The Boundary either of the two other sys

have ranged from an @l- Commission, after reor- tems. Hf Labour went to the polls committed to PR, such adeal

leged lack of “account we ability” (Davison), to a Setcent.uay cost sot belief that It is part of 8 “Given the vagaries of the “papular ront® (Bah, sent siete! syst,

= Endthe currentdistribution of matters not a jot; he may Labour votes, its possible, evennotbe Leader if Labour

il in 1951, to have lose again. Seno iin Johnson ; Representation Erdington CLP

PR would be more reprethan 40% of the vote. In 1974 sentative, and would allow However, for a socialist to Labour were elected with hundreds of thousands of have any ilusions in mean- 39.2%, and could have been workers currently denied a ingful “democracy” under elected last time with just Labour MP to have one. capitalism is either naive or 37%. suspect. Ittakes a momentous leap

Under bourgeois in the imagination to see to those used against votes democracy, working class Labour going much above for women, and other forms gains remain contained by 43% in the foreseeable fu- of electoral reform: unconthe capitalist system and are ture. sciously, perhaps, but it

only hardly heips discussion. gle. But itis important to dis- have no illusions in raci- ‘inguish between tactics and cal change coming about strategy. ‘The argument that PR through PR. However, Ttic also important to shift would lead to a more right reforms within capil the debate away from the wing policy shiftby the Party stil important. Itnothing else, narrowly Parliamentarian, holds fitle weight when we it could make more difficult both for and against. look at what is happening the slide to what has been For those bound to refor- now. called elsewhere “semimism,be ofthe let orright Those of us who oppose Bonapartsm”. wing type, PR is of course ¢ election pacts seem to have il engage in the Sisaster, it it reduces the lost the memory of the Lib same’ class struggle; it will chance of electing a majority Lab Pact under Callaghan. "stil take both parliamentary Labour government. Wemighinowbeinamore and extra-parliamentary “They wil also claim that it powerful position to prevent forms. PAL however, allows leads to rightwards policy such rightwing pacts. as PR for new forces to be added, If shifts. However, for a Mar- would also allow for other only on a narrow base. Xxist, while the election of a radical forces to be elected, _It may also enable a réal

Argument

Labour governmentis impor- such as the Greens. ‘socialist party to elect MPs.

Labour Briétng No. 82 ‘Apri 26th-May oth Pago 7

Labour Party

Campaign for Socialism

A painful experience

‘The third national co-or-

dinating meeting of the Campaign for Socialism ‘was a painful experience. The Campalga emerged from theloase Labour let net- ‘works established during last slate. year's Benn-Heffer leader- The consultation exercise ‘ship challenge. launched at the last Campaign Many of us had hoped it for Socialism meeting was Sait Desase tee: Dasine), “asaly a tam beg Ceres: ‘Ron-sectarian focus the Labour nobody, besides Briefing, made Teft has long needed: genuine any effort to publicise it link between the Campaign The Campaign Group's Group in the Commons and the choices, in effect offered on a feft in the CLPs and trade “take it or leave it" basis, were unions. ‘endorsed by the meeting: Ab- ‘Alas thisthird meeting (held ott, Bean, Livingstone, SkininBirmingham) wasdominated ner, Richardson, Wise, Maboa by procedural wrangles and in- in the Constituency Section, emminable votes on“structure". and Heathfield, Osamor, Pet= Responsibility for this lies with tiforin the Women's Section. delegates associated with The Campaign Group is also Labour Left Liaison (LLL). backing Beckett and Short in ‘Many ofthe independent left the Women’s Section, but no activists who were originally one at the Birmingham meeting drawn to the Campaign for was happy with this. Socialism had seen thiscoming. Unfortunately, there was no ‘They voted with their feet, and time to discuss publicising this attendance from regional slate or organising to get it

tes vas well down on clected, which should bave postnghotee clected, which shonld bav* gern adreces the Soialet Confrence: but the forea assembled othe leadership chalange are bing civen amy.

One of the most farcical and Campaign for Sociatism. such an anodyne amendment? (which in effect sends three less to work with them to et up claim a monopoly franchise on lengthy wrangles was an ex- When politics occasionally The reason advanced was fear delegates to the mectings), a functioning Southern Region “women's questions” and tremely confused discussion on made itontothe agenda, LLL's of offending trade union off- Women for Socialism were al- of the Campaign. Labour CND (or rather the consensus". This notoriously guiding principle seemed to be Cials, who (it was alleged) lowed to affiliate — but only _Ihishardtosee where thisin- Socialist Acton supporter who elusive concept was an excuse opposition to anything put for- would use the amendment to given one delegate. itiative is going. The locally is there to represent LCND at for all kinds of strange argu- wand by Briefing Claim that the Campaign was The discrepancy came be- based independents are drifting these mectings) cannot claim a ment ‘They voted down « Bring Ging ointefereiniieiriner. cause WAC (last AGM, 30 away, the Campaign Group —menopaly on anilatraism.

By Mike Marqusee

brief discussion of the NEC

While there wax a consensus amendmenttocommitthe Cam- pal affairs ‘women present) argued that MPs appear to have lost These are concems of the that consensus war nota simple paign forSociaism toa general ™* priging had hoped the Cam- WS (last conference, 450 whateversliminterestibey ence whole movement (as ix Pasty majority and was not absolute strugsleforthe democratisation paign for Socialism would women) wasmostly madcupof had. decaoerscy) and e,will ep) ‘unanimity, there was no con- ofthelabourmovement andthe develop greater gras roots and women oulside the Labour CLPD has playedavital role succeed in these areas by sensos about exactly what 2 sccounbity of ows move: women's participation. The Paty. in past straggle and continues mobilising people at the base of

TLL tose (which, cope tx | ‘Stmilaply, when request to pertonn service tothe. the Party and tne uniog EE a accaabing._ arae pea commas bw of Lak ee ee |S SE na ae nena cic “anaes eee threatened to push politics off ready agreed commitments tO Yolved the Black Sections rep- Campaign Group, asking to be the left and simply cannot con- for the Carapeign for the agenda alfogether (render- Black Sections, increased rep-jexeatative) formed an alooct involved, was reporied “next tiavetooversateitsownimpor- Socialism. Ifthe Campaign coning te “consenes” dncursion Teseaaton for women, PPOS- jnsumounablebarirtothix, business” was moved There tanceanduseitsweighttoblock tines to fail to perform this totaly pointes) The mocting tion to OMOV, ee. Deeptc rectance from ie was no dcaue to involve com- proposals from other qoarers. function, semething ele wil jut managed to squeeze Howeouldanyonebeagsinst Women's Action Commitee radeeinNorth Oxfords, sal" Similar Ivete tatrohueaia place

“Godless Labour”?

Last year Labour Brief-

to religious doctrines (ether Rushdie a tow days after Tribune was jusiiied in that removes existing ingcartied anumber ot By Andrew Coates _tnfough restriction of free Khomelni's threat against saying of Vaz: privileges for Anglicans we articles on the growing re. speech oF through state him. Whyhave our ownenti- if *...he feels so strongy cannot be. consistent in impact of religion on Ipswich CLP frand-outs} cannot aloo ad- racist groups not shown the that religious views shoud making such a demand

; vance the basic principle of same vigour? have aprvilege and powerin clusivaly in regard to one British Politics and On iq contrast, Tony Benn, thelabourmovement,thatot Perhaps itis because we our society above and ath, ae rt are then tics have himself a Christian, believes equality. donot have a clear model of beyond other convictions, . Secondly, unless the leftis

thatreligious belief should

Extending the blasphemy what an then he might consider ght. able to abandon its previous ited no special stat

laws to “protect” deeply felt secularism could mean. We ing the next election as 2 ambiguities, and embrace a

the Rushdle affair, its si beliefs will exacerbate rather support the development of religious independent.” new secularism enriched by he Rushdie affalr, ts sig- "The Committes Against than reduce inequalites and an education system that le _ However, two qualifea- the ant-raciot combats ofthe

nificance Is clear. ap. Blasphemy Law, associated may actually promote con- opentocifierentculturesand tions have tobe made about last 30 years, we affrm nothKell Vez ard Mex Mad longstanding _ flict between religions. ‘aware of British racism. this call. ing but an abstract liberalism

ae aca cutin favour rationalist” campaigners, (vot we have shied away "Fiat, unless we have which wilbe unable 0 cope

3 has argued that extending recognising - worked out a programme ‘with the challenges ahead. ‘of a wider recognition of a ing the Rushdie flare-up has = sia maa fccgmon | Seino ekcmemnpia: en atte wormed

seemedatopicofminorinterest. In the aftermath of 9)

Vaz argues that as a “god- _ aoneee transcendental faiths are their own ve

lewparyLabrrta ned Grd eee coy lonaceonearaber. |” Groppansed communion Briefing Dayschool

of religious minorities. Mad Wo it caeteishie te What future for Local

den Gea cere mae move ae we can G t?

Muslim population hes Siete) have said Sone tat he id nat i on Sedatty S08 Racor monte jovernmen

shown, sate the Grose. tmutuel artd sellriical ex “ Bye meant, hat Sat Ta ay Alot e monateite anton whch acca The 1990 local elections:

te atared to all ait regard -pagane’ and, groups are engaged. protect all igus betets Public subsidy for specific Ven Worse, atheists, as Tory MPs and the hard Strategies for the left

from “blasphemy”, and ‘ths. blasphemers. right are only too happy to ‘second, that support mustbe Recent moves to compel —A socialist anti-racism obstruct any such examinagiven to religiously or- school assemblies to adopt seeks to create a. common, tion, hence the support from

April 29th 10am-5pm

Gariged education. an explicitly “Christian” publcaphereinwhich allare these quarers for increased Polytechnic of Central London, For Madden, Vaz, and stance have strengthened addressed as equals, notas religious schooling and cen- ‘Marylebone Road

others, this is the only way in this view. bearers of protected creeds. sorship. 3 ss

which Labour can respond Why should socialists be it is noteworthy that the = Madden and Vaz have All Briefing supporters invited

sensitively to the passions seculariste? Erench anti-racist group doneagravediservicetothe | Creche - bookable in advance only, phone

aroused by The Satanic Ver- To begin with, any institu. SOS-Racieme held a public labour movement in inching

es. Slcte ove specel its demommeior nampa f teak teemepaden [02 901 6041 for places and more detalls

Labour Briefing No. 82 Api 26th-May Sth Page 8

Planning and workers’ control

We are told that capitalism, plus or minus a bit of tinkering, is the best system for satisfying people's material needs.

But 200 years of industrial capitalism have shown this ts untrue.

Tn many different ways capitalism has proved itself a failure, and a bral and violent failure at that.

‘But there is an alternative. A democratically planned economy can solve or at least begin to remedy some of the greatest failures of capitalism

‘The best argument for « planned economy is that if begins to deal with the real, pressing problems we have now — problems which capitalism creates and can never solve

‘What are the main failures of capitalist economy from the ‘worker’ point of view? And hhow can planning by workers deal with them?

“Capitalism cannot give fall employment.

sits boom periods, ike the 1950s and 1960s, capitalism produced more or less full employment-in the rich countries, while tuming Third ‘World economics upside down sand producing in them massive unemployment, poverty and starvation.

"The history of capitaliser since the first industrial evolu tion shows thathese long boom petiods are followed by long periods of economic stagnstion.

‘Sure enough, in the 1970s and 1980s there has been high unemployment in the rich capitalist countries. Inthe Third ‘World there has been economic barbarism

‘There are many causes of these long booms and slumps But the diving force, the *compass” of this switchback, is the Profit that firms expectto make, relative to their investment.

In boom periods the average tate of profit is relatively high. Finns invest, boosting demand, increasing productivity, and keeping profits up.

In periods of stagnation, the average rte of profit is elatively low. Fis are reloctant toinvest.

Productivity and demand stagnate, deepressing profits ‘The resuitis acriminal waste of human time, of machines, and ‘of natural resources.

‘A planned economy would not have to take the average rate of profit asthe guide to total in- ‘vestment. The central planning body would decide directly how much investment was needed 10 ‘maintain fall employment.

‘To do this, it would need to ‘own the majority ofthe nation’s investment funds, so that it could keep up the rte of invest- ‘ment regardless of the avenge rte of profit.

‘This would also have the effect of increasing 2 fast as possible, freeing human time and natural resour-

Capt can never do

because total investment is determined by a myriad of private firms, which invest in

‘evitably according to the expected mate of profit.

‘Capitalism systematically invests too litle in meeting cer tain needs.

No capitalist economy has ever invested as much as it ‘materially could in the collective care of children, older people, and the sick. Women tare forced to do most of this work unpaid.

By Jamie Gough (Holborn and St Pancras)

Capitalism systematically underinvests in long term projects like physical in frastrocture because ofitsfinancial risks. It systematically un derinvests in training since firms always think they can poach.

‘Where there is a low paid workforce, capital doesn’t bother to invest in machinery. This is obvious not only in the Third World, bot also in the booming sweatshops of the “rich” countries.

In many industries, capitalism underiavests in real diversity of products. Look at privately ran bus systems, look at the media.

A planned economy could change these priorities.

‘The rate of profit in each inustry would be taken into ac- ‘count, afterall, a surplus has to be produced in onder to be invested. But allocation of investment funds could also reflect social priorities.

Tn industries which sell their product, the long term profit oa these investments will be quite high, especially if you don’t have acrisis-ridden, switchback ‘economy. This profit will be available for investment to

‘Capitalism systematically invests foo much in wasteful cctivities.

Completely _ useless ‘economic activities, like advertising, much packaging, most of the Gity, and production of luxuries cat up valuable invest- ‘ment funds.

There is alto enormous

Privatised consumption is often wasteful of resources — compare cars to buses and ‘tains. Huge amountsof perfect ly usable machinery and buildings are underused or scrapped every year, even in boom ppesiods and boom industries

‘Without capitalism, the useless areas of investment would disappear. With democratic

investment in paticulst

industries like retailing could be matched to need and given onger prodactive life

Capitalism cannot give continuity and security of employment.

Even in boom times, investiment is constantly shifting between workplaces, towns,

networks of friendship and support Within workplaces and

‘andit destroys workers’ collective organisation.

It forces workers to migrate nationally or intemationally to ‘get work. The curreat changes in world Gnancial markets are ‘making this problem worse, as ‘capital becomes more andmore mobile.

Planning can address these problems through the central alTecation of investment 10 different enterprises and areas, and tosome extent through planning bodies in these enteeprises and areas being able to stop profits from draining out of them.

The policy should be to enable people to continue working in the same place, if they want

“Capitalism systematically creates divisions between workers.

Ta acepitalis cconomy, your job is dependent on how well your firm does, and how well your national economy com-

Underinvestment in the Third World and in the employment of black people everywhere produces racist ‘competition and division between workers. Underinvest- ‘ment in the care of dependent

fie protectvity cabo fat of

In line with this, there could and should be a policy of

would still have a wage Cconomy. shortages might mean temporarily payinghigher ‘wages for some ils

“Capitalism systematically creates dangerous, unhealthy cand boring work.

‘The sim of private firms isto ‘extract the maximum amount of ‘work from workers at minimam com.

No future under capitalism...

Why we needa planned economy

‘The health and safety of workers the interest and variety ‘of work, and the possibilities for

‘management, and are consequently sacrificed tothe need to ‘extract more work.

It iste that firms need some degree of cooperation from ‘workers to get work done. But this does not necessarily require ‘g00d conditions. It can often be secured By the threat ofthe sack cr the threat of the firm declining.

‘in an economy coatrolled by ‘workers, workers in esch industry would participate in the design of machinery and set ‘minimum standards fur its use. Workers in each workplace would have greater leverage over working conditions

‘There should be a policy of reducing the division between “thinking” and “doing” jobs.

‘There should also be a policy of equalising the intensity and nastiness of jobs across the economy. This means that workers in particular workplaces cannot have the final tay on their own intensity of work.

‘Capitalism systematically wastes natural resources and endangers the living world.

Individual firms have no interest ia, considering these is-

Capitalist firms taken together only have an interest ‘when waste and pollution become s0 bad that they threaten the average rate of profit.

‘That can be pretty bad. Even then, the fundamental independence of firms means that the state cannot necessarily im- [pose a solution on them.

Tn a planned economy, the ‘environment could and should bbe a major consideration in in- ‘vestment decisions, from the intemational to the workplace level, This should affect both production processes and

‘Again, control of investment decisions isthe key. The quality

‘Transport: once an industry largely under pubic control, now being sold aff by Thatcher and offering increased hazards fo consumers and to workers.

much easier for prodocers than consumers to be well-informed.

Though this would slow down the growth ofthe valume of products produced, the effects ofthis solution would be shared fairly between all workers. Andall workers, albsit tusequally, would gain from an environmental

‘Allthis i totale only of olving the economic failures of capitals

"The capitalist class seeks to solve economic problems through violence against workers, against the worker’ states, and against other capitalists. This violence i, of coure, central reason for getting rd of capitalism.

But the point here is that, even in production and the or ganization of work, captaliam systematically fails workers

‘Kinnock and the Communist ary, with al their talk of “new conditions” and “post-Fordiam", have a0t been able to show how a single one of these failures of capitalism has been climinated.

‘As we have seen, planning ‘would need to operate at the national, local and workplace level, and in particular instries.

“There would certainly be big conflicts of interest between these differeot planning bodies. Workers thinking nationally would often see things differeatly from workers thinking about their own workplace.

Bot these are contradictions {for woskers, not conflicts be- ‘ween workers and capital. The more open the debate, and the more democratic the planing, the aystem, the bette these com tradictions caa be dealt with.

‘A planned economy, even within a single country, ismuch tore efficient than capitalism though severely and sometimes decisively hampered by sabotage and attacks from capitalit states elsewhere

But the more international planaing is, the more it can Schieve. A national workers ‘cconoay should therefore harbes its resources as much*as possible towards spreading the revolution elsewhere.

Motto:

You can’t con You don’t ow! The capitalist Communist Pa pundits on Eas that the tradit! is outdated.

Al people — the! They tell us th bureaucratic a In the articles economy dem majority of the the public. We efficient in me capitalism.

How

“Yes”, you may say," economy controlled 4 workers would be a b improvement capitalism. But we're} million miles from 1 atthe moment. Ho does this affect what do now?”

| oFitst and) foremost, ithe measures of planni ‘outlined opposite will opposed by the capita class.

They involve taking cor of ‘capital” out of capital hands, and thus in the abolishing the capital class itsel.

“Therefore they can be: lachioved only through b ling increasingly stro workers” organit which can formul workers’ demands and

Itherefore the fundam ‘basis for building a ‘economy.

‘At the, moment, stro workers’ organisation needed simply to fight fo mediate needs like dea |wages endcondtons,

But with stronger \ganisation, workers can pose vetos on all and management decisions *workers” control”. Thi done in the big f ltaly in 1989-70, for ex:

Finally, if workers control of investment which would require ing the capitalist class, they can not merely what management does positively plan tt

justries

ing strength of org has to go together with

draw more and

Labour Brofing No. 82 Apri 26th-May 9th Page 9

Pianning and workers’ control

trol what you don’t own;

1 what you can’t control. press, Thatcher, Kinnock, the rty and a thousand and one

tern Europe all tell us one thin, onal idea of a socialist economy

“utopian” to expect the democraticaly controlled by the narket's much more democractic.

at public ownership is nd inefficient.

page we argue for an »cratically planned by the vast population, for real ownership by argue that this would be far more eting human needs than

Unite workers across workplaces!

It would therefore be By Jamie Gough necessary to take control of

investment funds and investHiolboras anol St 55, Swoeieers eee wales Pancras CLP hands of all medium and

large companies and finanEspecially important are cil institutions.

demands which help to unite These demands are inthe working class, across the éreasingly national in scope. myriad divisions which Workers should demand that capitalist competition the government, especially a

creates. For instance: Labour government. backs " _ sDemands which benefit them up and implements © everyone equally them.

- Common wage and But there should be no % benefit rises above the rate faith in the government of inflation, demanded at a bureaucracy. Workers’ or- ‘common date, for all. Con- ganisation to run the tinuity of employment for all economy has to be built outworkers. Safe, healthy work- side the existing state, ing conditions for ail. ‘And this organisation “Demands which direct- would then be an alternative ly benefit the most op- to the existing state, the core Pressed sections of the of a workers’ state. class ‘beyond, or it won't surPositive action for the un- vive, even in one workplace. employed — reduce the Unite workers across working week until everyone nations. ls employed. Postive action In multinational firms, for oppressed groups. workers should organise to Hence the need for workers’ presentt common demands. ‘contro of hiring. Controls on international *Unite workers across trade should be used only to workplaces protect industries which are Strong workers’ organisa- controlled by workers, not to in one workplace can defend one group of workers achieve results. But such at the expense of another. workplaces are always vuk- © Success. with these erable to competition, as measures would lead to numerous workers’ co-ops capitalrefusing toinvest, and have shown. ‘wansforing its money else_ The organisation — and where. Economic collapse the control — must be ex- would follow.

: 7 : ] 7 .

‘PHOTO: Martino Stead/Jim Thal

Why nationalisation

It is universally acknowledged on the right, centre, and a good part of the left that East European experience has proved that nationalisation and planning cannot work.

Put the other way round, wearetold that oaly competitive markets can work, and even they doa't work unless the motivation and opportunities provided by private ownership are incladed in the package.

Furthermore, we are told that ‘only in competitive economies (and, in the right's version, private ownership)can you gain ‘and consolidate democracy.

‘This political point is supposedly confirmed by both West European and East European experience. And anyway, doem t Mr Gorbachev fbimself confirm all or most of this message?

‘To rub these points home the left is accused of

srejecting the concept of profit as an operational clement ina socialist economy:

sof repudiating the concept of efficiency as bourgeois;

+of pouring scom on efforts to raise productivity in a socialist economy:

sof mjecting any notion of opportunity costs:

sor of the need to make choices in the face of scarcity:

sin short, of rejecting economics altogether.

‘As for nationalisation, it is seen as synonymous with bureaucratic state domination taking precedence over the interess of citizens.

‘There is only one thing lacking from this litany: any serioos assessment ofits supposed empirical starting point, post-war East European experience.

‘We know that the Soviet economy isin amess. We know

ding as well to taste the less savoury flavours of East European radical masketisation.

Itis often glibly assumed that ‘when an economy reaches cer: tain level of development, ‘central planning, which is OK forextensive growth, must give way to 2 generalised market ‘Principle for intensive growth.

“What we don't get is serious discussion ofthe most advanced and most successful East

‘The GDR has enjoyed = much better growth rate over ‘the last three decades than the UK. By the early 1980s it had, according to The Economist, surpassed the UK in avenge living standards,

Inhas a welfare eystem reckned by 2 majority of West Ger- ‘mans (according to opinion polls) tobe betterthan what'son offer in the Federal Republic (and accepted by academics in the field as superior in many respects to Swedish welfare

By OLIVER MACDONALD

“And Teading sectors of is economy, such as the machine tool industry, are outstanding by world standards

In short, innovation and productivity improvements have been impressive, at least by British standards. And all this has been achieved without ‘competitive market. How?

‘Some irtitable answers are offered. It's because of the culture — they're Prussians after all Or, it’s because the GDR is the 13th member of the EEC (without paying a pfennig in VAD.

Or it’s the longstanding secure and very generous “swing credit” deal from Bonn and all sorts of similar pecks from the FRG.

IE such answers are corect, the marketisers must face the consequence: that the intemal institutional arrangements of ‘economy are not necessarily decisive or even important in determining its growth rates, innovative capacities, etc

‘What counts is the general civic culture and the relationship with the West. But if the Iatter is so crucial, why isit that the Yugoslav economy, which has not faced Western ‘economic warfare, has got into such an appalling mess?

ro planning system coald hope to function in such circumstan-

AAs for the argument about private ownership being economically necessary, itis & little hard to swallow in the year of water privatisation.

Jost hosy cost effective is the reatier class? ‘What value for money do we get from it? What benefits would the junk-bood industry offer the people of Sverdlovsk?

The tearon may not be marketisation ples the economy's opening up to ‘Wester capital; it may have

experience” proving the inevitable superiority of the ‘market as the dominant reguls. tive principle.

As for the Soviet econamy, ‘we should not forget that ia living standards i ix right down at the bottom of the East Earopean league table.

‘The level of civic and political culture under Brezhoevism ‘was rock bottom — and utterly corrupt apparatus and =

Tigentsia. "Any fool could predict that

The UN tells us that the West's bankers are responsible for the deaths of roughly half a million kids a year in the Third World.

‘We might also ask what their failure to. give us some sustained growth of the World capitalist economy implies bout the system they advocate.

Let's tum to the political aspect of nationalisation and

Both for the right and the left, ‘of course, this means wholesale nationalisation, which is another way of saying the expropriation of the capitalist class.

All decisions about what should be done with the productive resources of the country become public decisions that must Ibe taken by the “political authority

Domenstrators gather in Lviv

‘Therightcallsthis“statecontrol”, thereby invoking a vision

of a repressive body governing

all aspects of economic life.

This does confuse some people on the left, who rightly see the State as a repressive body and tend to think of rationalisation as meaning that this repressive body) gels its bands om the whole economy.

‘The right’s solution then seems reasonable, “Free”, the economy from, state control, and you weaken the state and strengthen the people (oF 60called civil society). This brings yyou closer to “democracy”.

But all this is a verbal trick. ‘When the economy is in public ownership the political authority is responsible (0 citizens for what happens to the citizens’ economic resources.

It is answerable to them for ‘what happens on jobs, prices, income distribution, economic priorities.

‘And this answerability has operated in Eastem Europe, in conditions where there have been no formal mechanisms of popular control, with far, far greater effect than anywhere in the capitalist West

‘When you take industries out of nationalisation you do not “free” the citizens from control from above; you transfer control over economic resources from public political bodies into the hands of x private, unaccountable dictatorship of ‘employers.

‘The effect of this is also to free the government froma vast ‘number ofits obligations to the citizen.

In other words, you strengthen the government's ability to do as it pleases because you narrow the sphere of public responsibility. And ‘without this public sphere there can be no pretence of democracy.

This, at least, should be one

jon of Thaicherise. The of privatisation, that it freesusfrom state control, is the big lie: privatisation means freeing the state from democratic control and simultaneously strengthening the unaccountable power of private ‘capital over our daily existence.

Labia Briting No. 82 Ar 26th Atay eth Page 10 The Women’s Page

Now you see it ow you do

How the Briefing Women’s page is produced

Since January, a Briefing Women’s page has appeared in every Issue.

‘The response from women has been generally positive. Well, no-one has suggested dropping it yet! But the women who have been involved so far realise that we have some way to go before the page ts one that informs and organises, reflects the ‘concerns and debates of socialist feminists, and supports women in campaigning activity.

To achieve this, more women need to be involved in producing the page. in the article below Jane Connor describes how the page is put together and illustrates the different ways women can get Involved in the process.

Deciding on themes

‘Atnational Briefing Women’s meetings, often prior to Briefing National Steering Commies, those women present (never enough) asses the last few issues.

Have any letters been sent, phone calls received, complaints made, ideas for articles put forward?

‘The meeting then decides on the issues and themes to be covered in the next few women’s pages and goes

intervene, or comment on particular campaigns and conterences.

For example, the women's page on education was timed to co-incide with NUT conference.

‘A group of three or four women are then asked to take

responsibilty for a fixed number of issues as a sort of “editorial collective” for want of a less grand ttle.

Turning ideas into articles

‘The EC then meets to put ideas into practice and find authors to write articles.

Who is asked to write an article? This usually depends ‘on which women EC members might know who are interested in a particular issue, and/or are confident enough towrite about it

If especially important that more women are involved in

takes about 1,200 words tofil'a page of Briefing leaving room for headlines and graphics. The EC has to <decide how long each article should be within this framework. given deadline, at the place they were asked to be sent fo, typed double-spaced, and the right length. f you don’t have access to a typewriter, write neatly: double-spaced.

‘The deadline for the women’s page is generally eartier than the rest of the peper to enable the EC to reed and possibly eit articles and write an introduction if necessary.

“The EC is responsible for making sure articles arrive on time — if you have promised to write an article and have problems, it's better to contact the person who asked you ‘o writ it than to wait until she calls you!

‘When articles come into the office they are then sub-edited. This is when spelling, grammar, length and sometimes style are changed without altering the political content.

National Labour Women’s Conference

PHOTO: Leesa Herbert

Come to

Following in the great tradition of the Labour Party bureaucracy, this

‘This represents less than one sixth of constituencies and Women’s Sections entitled to

year's National Labour *t4dclegses anda resolution. ‘Women’s Conference is in

Bridlington (Sat 24th-Mon = By JANE 26thJune),ensuringavery = CONNOR

Jong journey for women, apart from Hull Women’s Section.

Bridlington Is the sea-side resort where the LPYS were historically herded, prior to the abolition ofits coafereace — does the same fate face Na-~ tional Women’s Conference?

Pethaps it's Bridlington, oF pechaps it's the fear that your resolution will be riled out of order under Kinnock's new

Even with the rule changes which give the trade unions a greater weight at Conference, only 15 unions have sent motions.

‘Of the motions tabled, very few are particularly contentious, apart from the Poll Tax andanexcellent resolutioa fro Hackney North and Stoke ‘Newington Women's Section

model Labour Party rules, that calling forthe EETPU to be dismeans there are only 103 barred from all levels of the resolutions printed in the book- Party.

let this year. ‘There are a number of good, That's 20 fewer than 1988's campaigning resolutions alltime low. around the Tory offensive on

hot for Bisingion? Or delogaie veting at 1887 Nationa Labour Women's Coference

to Bridlington!

health, housing, and the Poll

‘Tax, and a number of thought- for part-time workers) are parfalmotions on the issue of child ticularly useful. abuse. Briefing Women doesn’t

‘OF cour, the small number of resolutions should mean ‘more time for dcbate and di usioa- On the other band, ‘might mean women being subjected to hours of tedious Speeches by men aboot how to Win womee's votes Socialist

‘That snd, Briefing Women is cacouraging socialist women 2 delegated (deadline May 5th) and Women’s Sections and Councils t0 send in amendsent (deadline May St).

“Amendments on paricalaty on Poll Tax, Ireland (supporting {Sl sity around the Year of Action). Defence, and ‘Caldcare (cling fr fll nar 5) provision, weekplace ar

hhave the resources to organise accommodation, but we do want to know about Briefing supporters who are attending as delegates and observers.

Organising

Briefing Women will be or

ganising leaflets, delegates’ briefing meetings, and support ing Women for Socialism initia tives, as well as having a good time.

‘This year’s conference may be small, but Briefing Women

democracy are on the agenda. If you will be attending conference please contact Jane or Jenny at the Briefing office (O1- ‘809 3927).

icles for the women’s page are not sub-edited by men, but t's @ skil that would be useful for more women to have. Everyone's articles are subbed, whether you're an MP, an “intellectual”, or an activist and so it doesn't mean that your article was bad.

Words become print

If by this point an promised article stil hasn't materilloed the EC and the office panics, then follow a number of ‘options ranging from taking the article over the phone, using a big graphic, putting in an advert or using an article from stock (which we don't have)!

‘When the articles are sub-edited they are then typed into the computer. If you have access to an Amstrad WP you can type the article yourself and send the disc to Briefing

‘Articles are then checked for spelling before being put through the desk top publishing system (DTP) which allows the operation to create big headline, use different type styles and sizes.

"The page is then laid up. This involves fitting the text on

the page, choosing illustrations and deciding which articles, should go where on the page. ‘Once the page is completed it is sent to the printers,

andif everything has gone to plan, and if enough people have been able to help out, the paper comes out two Wednesdays each month,

All that's left to dois to sell it — and send the money to Briefing.

Hyou have ideas for articles, if you are interested in collectively editing the page, or sub-editing, or leaming lay Up skills contact Jenny or Jane at the Briefing office. It's your page — it needs you.

“Keep your laws off our bodies”

Women march in Washington

Half a million people gent of Catholics for Choice. marched In Washington _ Many of those presenthad DC on April 9th against Jeary never, been on a recent attacks on abor- “monet :

tlon rights and for a any inanimate them

pa penclgeig woman's right to mided, penicaety in lghtot choose.

the fat tat right wing "Right ‘The march was called in npeeypllies

to Lifers” had set fire to a response to an attempt by Miami abortion clinic only anti-abortion forces (back- hours before the march. friends in high the Bush ministration) to get the US ‘Supreme Court to reverse Its historic Roe vs. Wade

From Janet in Washi

decision.

This decision established _ The marchers were adthe legality of abortion under ed by a variety of the Constitution, and is to be ies and well known cchellenged in the forthoom- mainstream — feminist ing Webster vs. Reproduc- sPokesperson such as Betty tive Health Services case. Friedan, Bella Abzug, and

Eleanor Smeals.

Placards reading “Keep Your Laws Off My Body” were common on April 9th. The demonstration was one of the broadest and best attended in recent history. twas called by the Nation- ‘al Organisation of Women (NOW), the main US feminist ‘organisation, and sored by the Americal Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, and NARAL. twas supported by anumber of unions, including the auto workers, hotel workers, atomic workers, and government workers, nottomention the Easton Airlines strikers. Also present were delegations of Palestinian women, church and synagogue

Jesse Jackson was the only national male political figure to speak, though his strong’ support Yor abortion rights was somewhat muddied by his notion thatthe ad vance of women was represented by the likes of Mar garet Thatcher, Indira Gandhi, and Golda Moi

The march won front page coverage across the States,

House, could only mutter: "No comment.” ‘One thing the marchers

made clear: no matter what the Supreme Court decides, we'll be back on the streets again and

groups, and 2 large contin- again, insisting on our rights.

Labour Biting No. 82 Agr 26 May 8th Pago 11 ai

Reviews

Out on Tuesday.

A victory for visibility

Channel 4's lesbian and public interest to sustaio & thoheterosenual — pay community regular sedex se ee programme Out on T' Nigel Sheldrick of Tyne Tees Chict Executive, Jeremy Isaacs, Gay'was a landmark in TV 2dlresponded by submit- a5 notably positive. Daring television history. tng spate propa which he arond leur wing cam ‘Asthe world’s first nation utlined the breadth and 4S paign, Isaacs promised to “take ally televised series by and for St of lesbian and gay ismes._ 3 Jong term look” atthe question fabian aod ey meno of ies ond ey Po forbamajerbreskihresgs By PETER ers sare inmedinactes snd viability. TATCHELL ie ofits bs cet ial ik @ Wesidadees fumed that Channel Foor had schintemens opeialy in the “TiigEMVeTog-@erwah given the go ahead for the Sepaane pelea! age en OTT | documentary secioa Six of

following the passage of Sec- produced a change of tack Hearts which profiled gay tion 28, people in the arts such as Kris

In such a period, it's impor- Kirk, author of Men in Frocks. tant that we acknowledge and ‘This series, which focused on celebrate our victories. Out on the exotic and camp side of gay Tuesday is one of those vic- ° life, was not what we'd been tories. seeking. However, it did repre-

Without question, the series fori sent a significant concession by SesesK merece Womn ogesed aiMay 1005 cx nine Crate hic prceemenceg- cy gues net Lat eh omiog eccncers Ge Ac we ve Bemvery axl eg eRe bby Channel 4 had itnot been for of Jeremy Corbyn MP, ten bian and gay opinion. epee

‘PIeUUEYD -O1OHd

the lobbying initiatives of les- Labour MPs signed a letier to __Ina subsequent letter, in Joly _butather present abroaderrep- lin negative contexts such as ‘bian and gay pressure groups Channel 4 calling for a weekly 1985, Isaacs referred to the resentation of homosexuals in i ‘AIDS. andthe leticewritingcampaigns lesbian and gzy programme “éetste" within Channel 4: the whole of our programmes. In June 1986, the pressure on

through Capital Gay. : “You say that homosexuals “Others, again, agree with 4's agreement to the Gays in \Channel 4 intensified with the

in 1984, when the first ““aswellasmectingtheneeds fe = community that is your view but argue that other Film project, which reaulied in |Campaign for Press and Broad-

serious campaign for a lesbian of the lesbian and gay com- neglected by television. Zommunities have a stronger the [x the Pink series ofesbian ‘casting Freedom's conference andguycommaunity programme smunity.. couldalzopotcatially “Some ere agree with that claim on our limited space. and gay films broadcast in late Screened Out

began, Channel 4suggestedthat have 2 far broader appeal and view, but believethat we ought Others are simply against 1986(theworld’sfird televised | Attended by more than 40

there wasn’t enough material of educativefunction in elation to not tomake separate provision, making any separate season of lesbian and gay filmmakers, producers and gxy

BOOK REVIEW ro What happened to US enact ae maa

fluenced by two other initia- ‘Channel 4 executives and to mion s? caiptios of ton jedgenatal ‘wre to Comme A tee r palin «tr sputog oneal boa Cate ee

tives submit concrete, detailed ret, was Margret Michie’s proposals for a lesbian and,

wok $n te Corpses for _ltssieaie opeage EE Press and Broadcasting It also launched x renewed

"American Federation of Labor petition for work and plant by 2# well és the likes of Nelson | homosexuality. ‘nounced thal ithad agreed tothe ‘An Injury to All, by Kim (AFL) in 1955. Plant wage cuts (which Rockefeller, ITT, Exxon, and | The second was the publics- idea ofa lesbian and gay comMoody, Verso, £9.95 ‘Business unionism achieved provoked the Hormel Sbell. tion in February 1986 of the munity programme.

some financial gains, whilst ig- meatpackers’ trike in 1985-6). Since its involvement in the | Gays and Broadcasting report Out On Tuesday was the

ack)

oapehe) Soring the uneeployed and ic Moody's stay also contains coup d'tat in Brazil in 1968, | Are We Being Served?. result, Ibzepresents major vic-

ceed wed Relng recam, farinating Stal sou rank the AIFLD has hada notorious | ‘This concinded tha lesbians tory forthe lesbian and gay

‘The election of Jimmy - BLD hes he a caer The election of Jimmy 5° Ei of he US'wodking nd file movements which "cordintematonal pase, | and gay mem were manivay commun over thore whe =< — Santas fmostrocetly making links wah | underrepresented in television have for so long ought to keep ras warmly wel “is pop the way for Hiedacenesthcmany unt. Seemed wing poopinG | ed on fone wy the wy ivi, We can all comed by America’s trade fusion with the right wing ficial sues andthe opposition Stlvador. tmedia in perjorative ways and proud of thal ‘union leaders. aided by anti-Communist caucuses in unions like the, The intemational work of the

Bat that dida’t stop the wilch-hunis in the late 40s and Teamsters and the leading role AFL-CIO ix unremittingly

Fey Bap aeay blige ere eect a §6FILIV] REVIEW

ie eae 7% Cente, dies money 10

rset heen of ; ae °

sci bude asthe carol By Mike Phipps le chars the amstsined mos in Sout Atari | “Woogg’ye never had greater degree than was true of | Woolwich CLP growth of women in the refuse tojoin COSATU. %

Richard M. Nixon and Gerald workforce (41% in 1986), but Some of Moody's capes | FH QD good!”

R. Ford, Republicans.” Whilsthewagesgapberwocn Notes that the proportion of area litle sketchy, bot this is 2 =

GS taloar have boon i . =e Se aes renee ae sabS.anion have een 2 bck and white erie oe Tee of he foul ems mateaineatmae | (AS Macmillan said heyday in the 1930s and 408. in the 50s. The AFL-ClO “Kforce. Ii is hard, too, to argoe with Tosey, membertip i only ee ae ae ME Cig _Omarscf widriteetis hie min oacxior ot | tQ Profumo) 17%ofthe workforce, halfwhat awn of the Civil Rights move. ‘8 foreign policy of the US lack of an independent political lewaratthe cod of World Wat pet, reinforced sgrgationist ——, oa Pasty bared oo the working | Pale pink lipstick! Panes ap sp cn raked mare mie Tee ote aa [oe Pham ot on Profane fan In biking and mining he P'S ne uocmenes he Present Kennedy th AIFLD problem for US tae unionists, Mnortant part of getting McKellen) laboriously grinds ‘drop is even greater. Yet or changing stmcture of US in- (American Institute for ‘that such political pany | greged up at the start of | @¥aY; or Mandy, coming out {ganised workers will eam over Gustty andhow the se of mai- Labor Development) was set willonlyemergefromthestreg- | the 60s, until | saw Mandy of Court smiling and waving 35% more thn theirnoa-union {ietigenlsproduccdanincrease SP-"ponsored by the AFL-CIO lesof the workers themselves. | Rice-Davies (16) lovingly defiantly. seo toes im the US service sector. At the smearing It on as she and _ Today, ten years into Tory in An Injury to All, US same time, powerful new politi- her friend Christine Keeler ™oralising, this film Is a his-

socialist Kim Moody conducts Sat pressure groups servin + dytogooutand torical reminder of their f well searched invetgntion fustnessioterests were is eis esacea. hypocrisy in its portrayal of Jato the seasons for thi 108 Inanched inthe 19708 Only to Briefing readers ‘wo fun-loving young women : ‘The number of corporate = trying to survive in London

In his view, the corrupt and ahical Actice Commiliovein- You can purchase a copy of Kim Moody's By Linda Clarke {touching} ed by shor-sigitedwnionlenderswho Polis! Aton Commigya to [essential book on US trade unions, An Injury to i & ape Scanne Whalley-Kimmer arc tied the fortunesof the worker’ "se? in 1982, spending a otal AM, for only £5.95 — £3 less than the retaill price. laringey Labour Bridget Fonda) exploited by

sovemeet US ceplal and io 1/018 US? peetieg =n Briefing ‘ich, powerful me

Suomen Party are the politicians. ‘And 26 years after the ae. This offensive, along with story broke it seems most Moody identifies “business the close ties to the Carter My heart went out to them people's sympathies stil ie unionism — a conservative Presidency, opened the way for all through the film. with Stephen Ward (don't let

Itstil does when I remem- John Hurt's performance ber other scenes, like when seduce you!) and Profumo Christine, on recognising (‘well, he's still alive, you that Mandy's in the same know... Shame, lant it?)

philosophy which “sceks only jaassive attacks on the working to negotiate the price of | Cassinthe 1980s, The response

domination” asthekey problem Cf the union leaders was 10 imthehistoy ofthe movement. etyeat, sattcring concessions

He charts how bureaucracy galore to the employers. Please send me ..... copy/copies of An injury to | predicament as her of reas- _ Meanwhile, we'll put developed, or rather was im- "They negotiated the intro- | All, at the special Briefing readers’ price of Suring their mums that Christine Keeler and Mandy ‘posed, within the comparative- duction of noo-unioa workers £5.95. they've got nice jobs, simply Rice-Davies in our own hiely militant Congress of in- alongside unionised workers. || enclose a cheque for £.. says, “shall we go for a tory, where they rightfully

rink? belong,

dostrial Organisations (CIO), ‘They accepted intr» plant com-

Labour Briefing No. 82 Apri 26t+May 9th Page 12

Trade Union Briefing

Still wanted: justice for the miners

‘The National Justice for kee eevee “If the NUM would recogMineworkers Campaign PP ximately 1,000 miners nise its esponsibility to sustain held a successful AGM in ‘8ek°8 And 150 in Thacber’s thse men and Iam ot ling Sheffield on April Sth, at. i of the national officials) the {There are now 167 sll vic- NIMC could devote its con tended by over 200 sup- timised and two stil ia pris, "y nse: Porters and delegates, Russell Shankland and Dean notin mmning peoble sles cod

about a third of whom Hancock benefits but in securing the were miners and Women ‘Teinstatement for these victims rs NJMC, South East jion a Against Pit Closures. Ven bay Bono of Thatcher's war aginst te ‘The meeting was adressed Fifth Anniversary ofthe — ™iS"*

by the President of ShefMield Miners’ Suike “Iewas to that end that Tsub- ‘Trades Council and by vic- ackney Empire, 291 mittedaresolution iomybranch timised miner Terry French, Mare Street, Eg _last yearcalling on the national Tony Benn, Mick Gosling Monday Mayton ) confernc ofthe NUM toheida (recently sacked by Ford) and PSoperMideign: Pall fora S0p levy to stn Jason fromthe with: Skint Video, Jacket

striking seafarers at Dover. Potatoes: Simon'Kormer “That resolution became

Experience, Bl policy but to this date has not Stevena, King’ Blovait, been implemeated. We ac tld

By ALAN plage that it i ‘onthe back bumer’ levy be implemented as mons stike ia the docks industry in He said he had been vicTHORNETT All proceeds in ald of 198 ad that ‘there are more impor- possible. defence of the National Dock timised "because we had had YA i AEE victimised miners (tans issues at stale’. “Then the Justice Campaign Labour Scheme and called for the Ford Motor Company Fouryeasalieriheendotme €Swaged;£2.50unwaged _ “In the meantime the vic- cen concentrate on gaining jus- solidarity groups to be formed closed down and could have miners’ strike, the size of the Contact Ed Fredenburgh timised miners continue to live tice — which means reinsiste- to suppor the srike, ‘won everything we wanted". meeting was a measure of the 07-359 0258 for more, ia lbeir twilight world of in- ment for sacked miners.” He said that if the lessons of "He reminded people of the erin wish ac paneer” orice security... = ‘Tony Bena said that the the miners’ strike were to be struggle in the Nodth of eland agtiadedapsc: : “Well, I'm fed up with being miners” strike had been seen leamed and the docks received tnd aid that that was where the therole of victimised minersas _“And Iet’s remember that ‘onthebackbumer.The strike everywhere as a crocal strug- the support they needed, ana srethods used. agarast the pest pgrasany ‘whilstwearecelebratingthe th hasbeen overforfouryearsand le. He spelled out the argo- tional docksstrike cold wethe nines were perfected,

"Tomy French, speaking on’ *nivereary of the strike they each and every one of us mentsageins miclearpower, demise ofthe Tor Jest eahiitee spk tchalf of victimised miners, Ssitinginacel..In1987 we remaining victimised isan ugly All the impontnt iasoce of Mick Godting aid tribute to «ye'fouteen months of the pointed out the various WetetoldthatwhenLabourwon stain onthe NUM andthe trade the day,he said, could betraced the work of the Justice Cam- seafarers’ strike. It wasa strike, Problems which bave beset the the election we would all be union movement. back tothe miners’ strike. ppign. He mid that people were he said, which could have been tir reinstated __ “I'shigh time that this sain ‘He said that what people being picked off one by oneand won, “Twice we had every port

“At the end of the miners’ __ “Well, we lost that election is erased and to that end I wanted today was a politcal that solidarity was vital in nthe county aa sandal and strike, fase wich wen many 304 Was itany wonder? demand that the ballot for the lead. He strongly supporied a today's strugcles pe ys aed

NHS Review bites in Manchester | Oxford |

Health Authority jumps the gun —

balance

it it Central Manchester DHA is Councillor Collis is a Labour March 30th 1989 was a ee Se seen ee ewe \ proud day for NHS trade thefirst major battiein the status for its hospitals is not Tories. He seemstobelieve that N unionism in Oxford.

ae Gees oe eS sachiag: because he is not one of the of- . ‘A one day strike by the bythegovernment’s White Fir, the chronic underfund- ficial Labour Council nominees lowest paid admin and Paper. ing of the NHS bas been par- he can consistenlly vote against clerical staff took place at Central Manchester Health ticularly acute in Central Paty policy. all the main hospitals in ‘Authority has announced its Manchestec. Last year, for ex- Whilst he has beca very care- a Oxiord, and 40 clerical ofIntention to Took at the pos ample, the Royal Infirmary was oll not to openly expoase “op- ficers at Norton General sibility of its three major onthe verge of bankruptcy. ting out” —he says the Health obs Hospital, Banbury stopped hospitals — Manchester Authority s simply looking st : work. 4 Royal Infirmary, S¢ Mary's Theresponseofthe DHA has the possibility — be has faled “The strikers are tying towin a Hospital, and the Royal Eye teentocmbmeceach andevery t0cary oatthe Paty'spolicy of re ees Hospltsl — “opting out” of Tory scheme for fund-etang, clearly opposing any such MARA 3 te lonost Ac grado—clorcal District Health Authority such as expanding facities fee moves eepepeerreeceneeey control. However, real is é postidelivery, private patients, setting up mover, real opposition 9 carthoidngdolivery avers and Shops and hairdressing sons, mounting. Where saff have : | oven some medial epareised By Geoff Ryan ‘lc (which just about raises seenthe government video they to cose the picket Ine. enough money to employ the have tended to become even t twas the fst co-ordinated NUPE Shop magnificent total of a0 extra F gction by NHS workers four taf aurses! ighout Oxford's hospitals Steward, Central fouslfounes) ; Locrony Spit peg Manchester viGenet ie : mn i pute. Hospitals Branch ticipated in the government's maki ca “Tho dlvicals' work to rule has d meanwhilo been 3

peer ee SS is i Sistor Ruth Rid, local Nalgo ‘ branch President, tld a mass

they would only beabletomake meeting after the strike that this.

‘been made, there is no doubt on, by both managers and DHA. use of MRI if Trafford Health was a tactical move, because

that the majority of senior members, as a way of raising Racy 0 conmca wh,

‘managers are committed to extra cash without a fight with thatthe White Paper was drawn unions and professional or. Central Manchester. a

some form of self-goveming the govemment. They believe upbyfivemembemofthe Tory ganisations in Central Stretford CLP is now dis- | Britingsupportors

sistthatnofirm decision has yet “Opting out” has been seized

hospital rt thatthe Tories will reward the government, inclading Ehemcieace cussing how itcan getinvolved that we shoud sustaln the work ‘ho main putes appear to fit hospilsto"op cu. ‘Thacher sndthattherefrei's A‘ pablic meting has ben any campaign — including 1, bt dle tater action be whether t0 have three Iisalsoaway of increasing, a pry political ame. orpuloed by coc of the Loa whettepreanbetken fore SOOM. seperate trusts (favoured by oratleas presrving.theirown "The video begins with Awthority nominees on the Councillor Cols to cay out al Heatonasnnsie tare Unit General Managers) or & power and prestige. ‘Thatcher and eode with Cache, Health’ Authority. The Com, Paty policy. ae single trust (prefered by the "The only opposition within both telling us how wonderful menity Healih Council has or. Its porible to build acam- A Briefnggoes to press this Distt General Manager and the Health Authority has come their proposals are Guid sconfernce for focal paign with deep roots in the alot haa Ul! not boon conthe majority of the District from the Local Authority The appearance of Thatcher eeideats. labour movement — a cam- ducted. The future ofthe dispute Health Authority) nominees which is why, of on the screen immediately Stretford MP, Tony Lloyd _paign that can force Central hangs inthe balance.

Messages of support to; Jane even thought ak 1 from Health ies i iscl peepee \Whooler, Branch Secretary, Oxthought sbout the Com ‘Authorities under hissing. Kis clearthat the video, stitvency Labour Party on how rereat from its slavish support DTsatwr. Note

So far,no-one scems to have course, they will be removed produces a chorus of boos and gave a full report to his Con ManchesterHealth Authorityo

Imunty Uait(whichincladeetbe the terme ofthe White Pope! wil fall miscrably in tstak of’; “opting ox" poopeeas wil for government polices a

Division of Prychiaty) or Bar- A particolaty digricefl winning sceptical health werly acc the heaincar of Sch + campaign wil abo Sh, oo Matcal Records,

foes Hooptal (small hoepal role baa been played by the workerstothe Tercs‘caus "his comstieuente pacalary eipaporthe sont naionalac- irc Heep, Oxford

forthe elderty) Chair of the Health Authority, Groups of health workers those living in the Old Trafford _tionthat willbeneededtodefeal_ oh Health Service Branch "The eapemess with which Councillor Ken Cli Pebspe. atid campers Fo the Whe Paper (peege cspectyh

Labour Brifing No. 82 April 26th-May oth Page 13

Trade Union Briefing

In this second of two articles on British trade unioa history, MARTIN WICKS explains how the ‘vigorous class-based “New Unionism” of the 1880s and 90s was affected by the development of the Labour Party and by ‘unton officials? acceptance of Fabianism.

A huge wave of industrial struggles in the 1911-13 period, combined with the prolonged struggle over

Over 30 Nalgo branches ‘and about 70 delegates attended the Naigo Poll Tax Conference called by Lambeth Naigo on April 15th.

‘The conference aimed to improve co-ordination between branches on Poll ‘Tax work and to address: the inaction of the national leadership.

By Sian Moore Vice Chair Lambeth NALGO

Speakers included Paul Holmes from the Nalgo NEC, Lambeth Councillor Greg Tucker, Terry Conway from the Newcastle Conference Steering Committee, and Stewart Petrie from the Pollockshieids Campaign Against the Poll Tax.

‘All emphasised the com-

Another

Union of Communication Workers members voted recently in favour of the agreement on recruitment and retention in the letters business of the Post Office.

Bya UCW Briefing supporter

‘This was the result of the negotiations which followed lastyear’snationalstrike. The majority infavour wasa mere 90 votes. In many large bbranches the deal was heavily rejected.

“The agreement is seen by both the PO and the UCW leadership as solution to the problem of staff turnover in the South East.

It claims to have ended DRAS (difficult recruitment area mpplemeet), but ump sum. payments to new entrants, in

Irish Home Rule, brought Britain to the verge of a

‘The First World War cat it short.

‘The decision of the Labour arty (together with most of the so-called socialist parties on the continent) to support the war, declare a"class truce”, and urge ‘workers to fight their German “enemy” dragged the unions into the war effort — and col Iaboration with the employers.

Even one of the chief architects of the New Unionism, Ben Tillet, threw in his lot with the English rulers.

‘Support for the war and for

plementary relationship be- ‘woen trade union and community action against the ‘Tax. The ensuing discussion echoed this, though the SWP continue to discount community action.

Other speakers stressed that is was stil early in the struggle andmany delegates reported fierce debates on

tion within their branches, in which many members are looking to the national union for a lead.

‘Workshops discussed civil Uberti, linking up with local and national campaigns, or- <ganising in branches and An- ‘ual Conference.

‘The latter workshop began to work on a composite motion committing the leadership o organising a ballot on non-cooperation and supporting members who refuse to cooperate with the Tax.

The final conference statement called on the Nalgo

cluded in the deal, look very similar. DRAS payments were the cause of last year’s stike

‘The union also states that it has obtained & commitment from Royal Mail Letters to n=- tional pay bargaining. But this statement isa contradiction.

RMLs only one business in the PO. This deal excludes UCW members in the Parcels and Counters business: the PO management is getting its own ‘way on netgotiating on a businews by business basis without any union opposition.

‘The sweeteners offered were the introduction of a new £15 per week payment in the South East, an increase in inner Loadoo weighting by £6, and in outer London weighting by £10 perweek.

‘There is also a maximum pay {for new staff after 6 months (instead of a year) and full rate at 18 instead of 19. Those small concessions have been success

“The employers make no secret oftheir absolute desire to sweep away industri democracy and replace it the shone depotiom of Cp

Two-prong strategy

NEC to build a campaign of non-compliance amongst

the membership, backed up

ful im persuading certain soctions of the membership that the agreement is good.

‘The second part ofthe agree ‘meat is far worse. It introduces a “new” overtime restructuring very similar to the one rejected ast year.

Failure

This package makes scheduled overtime more attractive financially, but obliges it to be performed on 2 contract basis. Failure to perform it can result in

‘The Post Office seeks to reduce overtime to around ten hours per worker per week ‘They want overtime performed on their terms, when it suits them.

‘The agreement concludes ‘with a commitment to examine ‘measures oimprove “quality of service” inthe South East andto begin negotisting a new nation-

100 years of “New Realism”!

degredation of the English ‘home life;

“athe gradual loss of our high ‘manufacturing character in the ‘markets of the world:

“the transfer of industrial

toasry temper,

“and the beginning of anembittered class war instead of the give and take between Capital ‘and Labour to which Englands ‘accustomed.

“Weplead foran overwhelmingexpression of public opinion agains the disasterous stiempt al social disorganisation.”

Was this 2 first attempt to replace outdated class straggle ‘of public opinion, a strategy ‘embraced by today’s New Realists?

‘every appeal to eason x bait of the enemy's, will not for the moment allow thatthe coming revolution istobe directed from the sady; to be one not of bretal need, bot of intellectual tobe, arevoistion in fact of the comparatively well todo... ‘Bureaucrats such as Henderson took onthe rle of policing their members for the sate. For instance, they supported the Munitions of War Act hich

imposed compulsory arbitrstion and suspension of trade

Post Office

Recruitment package — “historic deal

al productivity scheme: bullying staff into working faster and encouraging comr cutting.

‘This kind of pressure has been # major cause of staff ‘wastage in the PO.

‘The UCW leadership will be ‘greatly relieved that this agree- ‘ment has temporarily papered ‘over the cracks and possponed any fight with the PO management

However, it will almost certainly fai t0 salve the problem ‘of recruitment and retention. ‘The job mazket in London and the South East is such that it ‘pays to leave PO employment.

"The UCW Executive Council will face an angry conference this year. Some officers may be defeated in the coming annual clections.

‘Their attempts to appease an aggressive business style management have failed ‘miserably, and the mak and file hhave lost confidence in them.

“peat eee $=

Papper

rank and file. In 1908 the General Secretary of the Engincering Union, George Barnes had resigned rather than see his Executive's policy overtamed by membersin the North East

Distrust of the full-time Ex: ecutive continued to build up andi 1912 «Delegate Meeting of the union, in making new rules, decided to declare all the Executive posts vacan ‘The Council members" Norman Wie: refused (0 accep! a new — thelast 100 years? Provisional Executive f© "ak for today's Fabians, but the ‘The old Council refused to mentality isthe same. _ we way and baricaded thea, THe working clams iss pasgive way F orca give way and baricaded them: ive object. Social is nol the they were ejected by the Sugrowtholtheirstmggles, but provisional Executive, who i ranted to them by the good Biateecaghensdjinng wan Tesolin ope Soeise tectaie settee Jo is tay: Mscsaceld's jalan inch 25 jaughty arrogance could boast Fabian “gradual” and its no- Siege ag Serolteconsintond otis Sts petal « mics fo socialism. To a large degree they succeeded in channelling _ New Unionism frightened New Unionism into pariiamen- Fabianism, just as the miners’ tarism. strike in 1984/85 frightened ‘Fabianism (like its Kinnock- Kinnock, because it stripped. ite grandchild) bad that bare the democratic veneer of peculiarly British penchant for capitalist society, exposed the ing to the ruling class, in class power behind it, and made themide of ferociousclass war, clear the oppressive nture of 2 tot tobe uncivilised. stale machine which Fabians ‘Thos in 1887 at the height of believe is “impartial” the great engincering lock out, _Fabianism had initially opthe Fabians issued this leaflet: posed the struggle for an inde- “When men are strong in the pendent workers’ party, in sereagth of intellectual faith, the favourofthe“permeation” ofits discontented will still be at our ideas amongst educated layers command and explosive as of society, including the rulers. ever ‘This did not stop it adapting “Wemay havetoussthem or _totbereality ofthe LabourParty we may not; but should the when it was founded. ‘Worst befall, their destractive Ironically it was none other powerwill be skillfully directed than Fabian Sydney Webb who Endwill notcause ruin, butclear framed Clause 4 of the Labour Pasty constitution atop tothe left in the face of = politcal “This language may be blunt criss at the end ofthe war.

Discussing defence

unilateralism could be cruFor the first time since cia1io the Policy Review as. the 1960s unilateral SWiOOs Tice hasbeen nuclear disarmament 3) organised campaign by will be a hotly debated the right wing to change subject at June's TGWU policy. Conference. This has mainly taken the form of a campaign for a ballot on unitateralism. By BILL PETERS There are 13 resolutions calling for ballot —an unFor over two decades precedented proposal unilateralism has been Preceded eee Sor maintained as an article of When 's not fath, going through Com Despite these resolua tions and the pressure on But New Realism snd Todd through his Moscow Kinnock’s Policy Review Ta gee multatraiom has changed all that. This 1h Ot Te Gorbachev year there are 80 resolu- : tions on the agenda on poet oie ead baa

unilateralism, just over "SC tho neat unanimous _oos vores of previous years The T&G decision on lll probably change.

{ | |

Dat

Labour Briting No. 82 Api! 26th-May Sth Pago 14

International Briefing

Poland

Workers vs. Regime: Round Two

knees” for credits to bail oat the legalised. Soci ‘ctisis-ridden Polish economy.

everywhere should wel- _ Mcanwhile, the mdical sec

eet tion of the oppasitioe, groupes —— canbe mo round the Polish Socialist

advance to a democratic and attractive model of ©1%s¢ fighing Seisaaty Gictalamwitheuttheecist sate miyitescbar fence of legal independent fepression Nonetheless, the deal recently struck ln Warsaw elves grounds or dlqulet. ‘The opposition is deeply divided. The Jarzctoi regime has taken a giant step towards legitimacy, both at home and Two weeks ago, Jerzy sbroad, and eapecialy in the Kolevowahi, press spokeepertyesof Wester creditors sonforthe PSP-DR, was atack- "The conduct ofthe negotia: ed, severely beaten, and tionswarinetaikcontrt tothe hospitalised by uaknown ae1980 shipyard talks which gave -sailants onthe streetin Wars. birth to Solidamose. The aseailants had first Then, the government demanded to sec his identifica negotiators faced a democrat tion papers. tally accountable sre com- On the day Walesa received ‘mits ina occupied laa All_hin passport for Tily, Jocaf negotiations were broadcast on Pinior, a prominent PSP-DR the plant lannoy tothe stciking leader, was refused a paspor, workers afer months of woiting for 2 pretium forthe legalisation decision of Solidarnoss and limited ac- This repression is the Sys goverment’ reeponse to the Iegilrnre, Wales fncical oppositions refusal to Gee pereteest wil peice ie spore le smeple tn dcieed impponton of futher snaecty © working claw living sandarde a Polish worker. inexchange forthe sops offered Waleea has also promised to by the regime. tour the world “begging on his Allsidesrecognie thatitwas

Solidarnose hi

By Dave Holland International Office, PPS-RD

South Africa’s strategy

What is the real story behind the war in Northern Namibia which threatens the country’s move

independence? The situation, as it developed, was so sulted to South Africa's secret plans to thwart Namibian independence that It

established jointly between the Namibia Support Committee and the Anti-Apartheid Movement to provide focus for solidarity work in Britain over the ‘coming period. We have two basic aims:

Ito raise the maximum financial support to enable ‘SWAPO, the national liberation movement of Namibia, to fight an election campaign;

to expose and counter South African sabotage of the Independence process and to campaign against alt forms of British collaboration with such sabotage.

In order to achieve these basic aims, it fs vital that as many individuals and organisations as possible attend the mobilising conference to hear from SWAPO about the current situation and to discuss how we can respond.

For more information contact the Nami Emergency Campaign, c/o 13 Mandela Street, London NW1 ODW. Send your donations in now to the same address (cheques payable to Namibia Emergency Campaign).

the mass strikes in May. and

tion of at least past of the op-

position. ‘With the Soviet Union preoeccupied with its own problems,

the radical ‘argues that Jaruzelski has wide freedom of manoeuvre. The chief constraint on democratic ‘change is the threat it poses to the goveming team itself. Much attention has focused ‘on the promised elections in June. Walesa as hailed them az “opening the road to full democracy and freedom.” In fact, they are a deeply undemocratic manoeuvre designed mainly io confer

house or Sejm, willbe “fought” cm a tied fi, in which 35% willbe conceded to the opposi- ‘on, while the Pasty anditspappet organisations wil retain the remaining 65%, Aieemuprpes, Movseusr Senate, willbe created, open to free” clections, which will have rather sindlar powers to the British House of Lords. That into sy it wil be slmewt entre

almost looked like a Pretoria plot. tar SWACO fetes infiltrated the country.

ut South Atica says the

moved in prior to the cvasefire.

From our correspondent in South Africa

The LAC offices in ‘Ongwadena and Rundu have been monitoring repression and army

‘According to their

reports, the guerilas were ey ee me ‘once the ceasefire took ‘fect they would be able to ire temeslves up tothe fited Nations Transitional Assistance Group (UNTAG). ‘UNTAG hes admitted that it was not in a position

ly decorative in function. ‘However, the Walesa tean are busy carving up the ‘s seat allocation in

by the Citizens’ Committee, created by Walesa and account. ‘ble to him alone.

No one will be allowed to stand as a representative of any didates will stand as individuals. Radical candidates ‘will be denied Walesa’s endor- ‘sement.

‘A new Executive Presidency is to be created, with wide powers of decree. This will be ‘lected by both Houses of ParHiament voting together. There is thus a built-in majority for Taruzelski.

The radical opposition, represented by PSP-DR snd almost

cemainly Fighting Solidarity, wil boyd tows Hecons They believe seopousilty fox fates sna ond teary er pres thaws who beve re ' dool aie The Congress of the Peep ree gop ee inclodes PSP-DR tad Fighting Sotidatiey. bal ute deeanded fo immed con prep yhetancreneten} of Solidamosc. ae This Would chest '6/awi) inte 6 pce 6d sppoiaied cle Sound Wales Sta would denscratlcaly por Pebmastosesrng PSP-DR also demands « ee eeias Self Mansgiog Repablic sped by the fir Sldamees Ds advracingin te plaisen congress in 1981. tenctiseqancen ‘The Sense, they say, should the akes of 1968, Ss polar Wyn lees neti bigs arel ote Wetkzot Sel Managsneatoe Keskow, Nowa Fstas rag gpaiauioog, which ould tare | PSP-DE group haa ‘cnerod Sle capes ie oly hie Sekar pecalbien Pinte of let yore ace There are cler sighs tit’ commlace’ Oroyy of tlt Walens authority amongst the miners have janl the PSP-DR Meutpret pine ne, 199081. Demonstrations of In the Gdanck shipyans a youth have demanded his group of PSE-DR ilsaoteare Siastal speateantas mete Ubrgatinieg vuitton aay pest Anite wScmes's oon tomas ri cits sel d seomily tat atid of everything they can 0 mappa avenger sironsinlg ssid rolatiy Tocald boyoot eesti com ian Pakaal

ducted 6n a manipulated “united lst”.

‘The struggle in the coming ‘months will hinge on the mood inthe big workplaces. The PSP-

Protest against refusal of passport to Pinior

| The biggest protest

possible must be mounted against the denial of 2 passport to Jozef Pinior, one of the

to monitor of control the situation. Rao acmitted that ion of, carcimiontie April 1st was conducted ‘a single, unsupport OntaS oka Despite this, the UNTAG representative hastily agreed to the temobilisation of the South West Africa Territorial

Force (SWATF), Pretoria's ‘army in Namibia,

frontline states will put increasing pressure on the ANC to hall the armed struggle and to move although this will not happen betore the

elections in October.

main leaders of the terior, Minisierstwo Spraw

Polish Socialist Party Wewnetrzych ul. (Democratic Revolu- Aakowiecka, Warsaw. tion). Send» messages. of

He was invited to June’s solidarity to: Jozef Pinior Oxford Conference on Wroclaw, ul. Piastowska 37 Gorbachev and the Left_m6, Poland. andintended to participate _Press your MP, MEP, local inthe SocialistConierence Councilor to write in protest. in Sheffield.

There has not been a year since 1981 in which Pinior 4, has not spent time in prison. tion of Solidarnosc in Poland, He Is one of the most “9 ts deeply dieturbed by courageous and active the continuing denial of

legalisa-

leadersottheradicalwing®! democratic tights to : socialists in Poland, Ostensible 3. Notes that Jozef Pinior,

@ leading member of the He was a member of the Polish Socialist Party national underground (Democratic Revolution) has leadership of Solidatnosc, been invited to speak at the during martial law and was. forthcoming conference on imprisoned from 1983-86. Gorbachev and the Left in Now, in the new period of Oxford and the the Chesterliberalisation” he is being field Conference andthat the denied the elementary right Polish authorities have totravel abroad andmestthe refused him a passport international labour move- 4. Resolves to write in ment. protest against the denial of ‘The ostensible reason for @ Passport to Jozef Pinior, to the refusal of the passport isthe Polish Ambassador, the the one year suspendedsen- Minister of Intemal Affairs of tence which he received last the Polish Republic and to October for activity in con- senda measage of solidarity rection with the mass strike 10 Jozef Pinior in Poland. It inMay. further resolves. to request Piniorwasconvictedotas- elected Labour represauiting a state functionary sentatives to do likewise. after he and three friends, Contact the PPS-AD Intwo of whom were women, ternational Office at The wore attacked by a group of Basement, 92 Ladbroke 20 factory guards near the Grove, London Wit. Dotmel plant in Wroc! Please forward to PPS-RD This will have a familiar any copies of resolutions or Ting to veterans of the British “letters you send to the above miners, printworkers, and peopl seatarers strikes.

‘Organise protest resolutions now from your CLP, PICKET Branch Labour Party, the

unlon ‘branch, etc. Send I A aaa eee

<The Polish Ambassador, MAY 4st, Embassy of the Polish People’s Republic, 47 Portiand Place, London W1.

-General | Czesiaw

Kezozak, Minister of the in-

1.,30-2.30 Portland Place, London Wi (Great Portland St. tube)

‘abour Briefing No. 82 Apri 26th-May oth Page. 15

hail” observed a Whi House staff member.

Indeed, every commentator

notes that in response to icher’s foreign policy

offensives, the US seems

bogged down in a rut.

Even worse, public opinion in the West accepts that itis the ‘Soviet Union which is making the positive proposals on disarmament and various world crises, not the USA.

But socialists in the West should look closely at exacily ‘what Gorbachev is proposing in the international area before they get swept away in clouds of 3

We have to look at the overall thrust of Soviet foreign policy — its basiclong-term intention — and the effects of that policy on specific struggles and disputes.

‘The fundamental Soviet proposal isfor a “de-ideologisation” of international affairs and for a negotiated solution to ‘world conflicts.

‘The Gorbachevites are saying, very loudly, thatthe key problems which the world faces = the ecological time bomb, ‘nuclear weapons, world pover: ty—can and must be solved by an international process of dis- ‘cussion and collaboration, ‘without regard to the ideologi- ‘eal and social differences between states.

Trisexsctly such propositions which are making Gorbachev popular in the West, including among many people on the left.

But the Soviet position is in theend wrong and indeed harmfalto the cause on international socialism, however popalar it may be.

From a theoretical point of ‘view, the Soviet idea of “deideologisation” of international affairsis either naive or cynical.

Itisnot possible to achieve it so long as the world is dominated economically and politically by the big imperialist powers,

Its impossible, for example,

George Bush is doing his best to maintain Ronald — Reagan’s policies, but he has none of _ his predecessor's populist appeal

Indeed, all indications is will definitely “teflon” presiden-

cy.

“This makes one wonder if Bush might not have chosen Dan Quayle as a running mate inorder to make people think twice about impeachment proceedings, especial ly if Bush's involvement in Gontragato becomes @ big embarassment.

The new President has been busy doing what he’s good at — visitng suburban high schools to deliver vacuous moral tirades

By Phil Hearse Islington North CLP

to negotiate an overall solution to the problem of nuclesr weapons because, in the end, world imperiaiem will never disarm itll

Miltariem i scrocal part of its power and it ability to exert its economic and political strength. What, then, is the rational of the Soviet proposals on intemational affairs?

‘Simply summed up, GorDachev has realised that to gain more room for economic manoeuvre he desperately needs to relieve Western military presrare on the Soviet Union and cut back the Soviet defence budget, objectives which socialists do ot, in pein ile, oppose

‘Bot the mechanism which Gorbachev has chosen for this venture isnot to mobilise amas five new surge of the intem=- fiona anti-war movement, oto Tink the fight of the Soviet Union against US militarism to ant-impeiaism

Rather he has chosen to at tempt, through adept negotat ing ploys and big concessions, to outiank the US, to “cod the Cold War" and do's deal with imperial.

"There are pars ofthis “deal” which socialists can endorse

For example, the withdrawal of Soviet occupation troops from Afghanistan is progressive, whatever the Soviet ‘motivation for doing it

Equally, « reduction of the Soviet defenes budget from the crippling, abeard levels of the 1970s i a welcome sep.

‘Socialists have never argued that the Soviet Union can be defended by trying 10 match very piece of United States nuclear and conventional

hardware. ‘Bur there are other aspects ot

Soviet policy which are less sive, where Gorbachey has shown himself quite happy

International Briefing

to do deals with imperialism at the expense of those in struggle against it.

For example, Nicaragua today bas ceased to receive ofl {from the Soviet Union and has to buy it from Venezela, in a situation of total economic collapee after years of contra war and the 1988 hurricane.

In Southern Africa, the USSR is utilising every bit of weight it has with the South Afircan Communist Party and the ANC to force them into a negotiated regional “settle meat” which would leave the

regime intact.

The Soviet behaviour in

backing South Africa against SWAPO in the recent conflict over the Namibian independence agreement has beea “uttedy despicable. In the Middle East the Soviet Union has tried to re-establish its influence by re-establishing diplomatic relations with Israel, thas been cautious in condemning Israeli atrocities against Palestinians, and has pressed the PLO to negotiate settleof Taracl.

In Indochina, the Soviet Union has been keen to force

USA: Eastern and cronies

Woody Haut Hampstead and ighgate CLP

against drugs. ‘With so many of America’s adolescents exposed to this danger, one might think the President would have time for little else, but, like his former boss, he can always spare a moment for a litte union-busting.

Dispute

This is exactly what he's been up to in the recent diuspute between Eastm Airlines machinists and the nation’s foremost industrial asset-stripper (and Bush pal) Frank Lorenzo.

‘ust say no,” says Bush — to both high school ‘audiences and bosses like

Centralisation

With such centralisation of ‘ownership, i's no wonderthe price of air travel is beyond the means of most Americans. It now costs more to travel from Los Angoles to Denver than it costs to trav from Los Angeles to London

Lorenzo's plan was obvious: strip loss-making

tion in the regional “peace process”, which invalves bring. {ng the Khmer Rouge back into the Kampuchean government.

‘All this is in line with the Soviet atemptstocreated anew modus vivendi with world capitalism

Ik is a policy of “peaceful

in different ways, the gui policy of Soviet foreign affairs since the 1930s.

‘There is a paradox here. B being seen as the “peacemaker” Gorbachev has undermined Cold War and anti-Soviet

But there isa real danger that he will also help to undermine struggles against imperialism and in fact get very litle in zetum from the US.

It has to be pointed out that the only thing Gorbachev has ‘won from the US, so far, is the INF treaty, which in hard military terns is mainly symbolic:

The paradox of Gorbachevism is summed up by the state of CND and the peace movement in Britain today. In the early 1980s CND mobilised up to 400,000 people on the

i xford A conference to address the major policy issues facing the European left in response to recent developments in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Organised by the Socialist Conference ‘Sponsored by:

Now Statesman, Tribune, New Left Review, Critique, Labour Focus on Eastern Europe, Labour Briefing, Socialist Worker, END, Campaign Group of Labour MPs, the Socialist Society, and CSE.

Conference themes are:

DEMOCRACY AND SOCIALISM With Tony Benn, Ludmilla Arutunyan (Armenia),

Emest Mandel, Edward Batalov (Moscow), M Lazic {Yugoslavia}, Z Kowalewski (Poland), Teodor ‘Shanin, Norman Geras, S Maliqi (Kosovo), L Arutunyan (Armenia), Steffi Engert (German

Greens), Olga ivanova (USSR). NOMI IF SOCIAI

With Diane Elson, Edward Ambartsumov (USSR), Wiodzimierz Brus, Chris Harman, Branko Horve Ken Costes, Catherine Samary (France), André

Gorz, Kate Soper.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS With Yegor Yakovlev (USSR), Luciana Castellina (Italy), Tariq Ali, Denis Healy. Victoria Brittain, Alex Callinicos, Fred Halliday. FUTURE OF EUROPE With Otto Latsis (USSR), Julia Szalai (Hungary), Oliver Macdonald, Peter Glotz (West Germany), John Palmer.

Prior registration is advisable as seating space is, limited. Creche must be booked In advance. For further details contact Gus Fagan, 30 Bridge Street, Oxford OX2 OBA, or phone 0865-723207

streets, but is now in rapid negotiations. decline. But the fact is that world

This is not because it was peace, social justice, and “defeated” overthe the siting of | democracy cannot be achieved Cruise missiles in Britain but primarily through negotiations bbecanse in the epoch of Gor. with imperialism. bacheviem, the Kinoockiterand In the end it can only be some CND leaders have suc- achieved through the political ceeded in convincing people struggle of millions of people. that unilateralism is no longer ‘That is our basic socialist difrelevant and that the best way ference with Gorbachev’ forward isthrough international forei

Airlines Strike battle union

Easter of it assets and out

Machinists

But the machinists wouldn't buy it and a bitter strike began, soon supported by the rest of the Eastern workforce, including the pilots.

Lorenzo's sordid empire is based on huge borrowing (his companies are now some $5 billion in debt) and

His supporters include Frank McClure (former Texas Air chief and now Bush's Congressional rela- ‘tions director), former Carter cabinet member Joseph Califano, former Democratic ‘Party Chair Robert Strauss.

‘They also include current against secondary picketing, Democratic Party Chair Ron there was strong support Brown, who besides being from fellow union members, Jesse Jackson's ex-cam- ally in the related

paign manager comes from transport industri a law firm with close links with Lorenzo. Attention

During the frst frew weeks

of the strike it looked like or-_ The strike won a good deal labour was at long of media attention, if only for

fast going to fiex its flabby the inconvenience-factor,

musdes. and despia aflerely hosts media does enjoy some Obvious pubis suppor.

It may not yet be the ‘The issues wore obvious: reawakening of the US asset stripping and union labour movement from the busting, the loss of 31,000 slumbers of Reagan-land, jobs, pay cuts of over 50%, but at least an alarm has tyrannical working con- been sounded anda line has ditons, profit placed before been drawn. With Bush's safety, a Bush-backed policy past creeping up on him, it of no arbitration, an an inept could be that his particular managementresponsiblefor style of interventionism — ‘2 $450 million loss in 1988. from Iran to Eastern — might Despite court injunctions yet be his undoing.

Labour Briefing No. 82 Apri 26th-May 9th Page 16

Ask any regular football supporter if he or she was surprised to hear of the Hillsborough disaster.

‘Angry? Yes. Saddened? Certainly. And possibly worried too, about friends who might have been at the Game.

But no one would have been surprised. For years terrace supporters have been warning that something must be done.

Ironically, Liverpool fans is 2 convenient seapegoat. in particular have been “Who let the doors open on shouting loudest. the Herald of Free y had stood on the Enterprte?” becomes “Who crumbllag terraces of Heysel opened the Hilishoron iter witnessing the sham- “eatesof death'?” bolic organisation at the 1985 “BV Craip Brewin hele orale ne By Craig Brewin knew that there were more Secretary, reasons for the deaths there ~ Football Supporters than Just hooliganism.

‘They had complained after Association the 1986 Cup Final that i ese pcepepgaee ee dtehie o and that people had been at In 1987, warning of the fowedin without tickets. prospect of » disaster duc to

And after the 1988 seml- overcrowding, the Football final they had complained Supporters, Associati that Hillsborough’s Leppings preseated a six polat plan to Lane End was too small fora the FA, induding recommen club of thelr siz. dations designed to prevent’

Buck-pessing in football is such an occurrence. too easy: someone else Is al “Filter ted ‘ways responsible.

‘Why were Liverpool given 9,000 standing tlekels compared to Porest’s 20,000, stewards and pole,” sid the when Liverpool havetwice as report. The FA made no many fans? “The police dic- reply. tate which club gets which When voluntary “memberend,” answers the FA. ship” (Le. ID card) schemes

‘So why goto Hillsborough, were Introduced, the FSA particalarly after last year’s weal to the Minister of Sport. “Wehave never “Your anti-hooligan | hhadany troublelikethisthere policies are dangerous,” we before,” insists the FA, “it's said, “You must consider the one of the safest grounds In problem of over-crowding.” thecountry.” “"The government is parsulog ‘What about the Spurs vs. 2 package of measures, etc, ‘Wolves FA Cup semi-final in ¢tc.,” he replied. 4981, when the same A weeklater,ata cup ticat . problems of over-crowding Queens Park Rangers, the Sndcrushing occurred? Kick-off was delayed for an

"And what about the fences hour because of overcrowdIn front of the terraces? ing caused in part by the “That's a decision taken by membership scheme. the clubs,” saysthe FA. “The Thefanzine When Saturday police tell us to do it,” say Comes observed that “people Some clubs. “The Local would almost certainly have ‘Authority make us doit,” say been killed had there been others. fences in front of the terrace.”

‘And who do the police ‘There have been repeated blame? The fans, of course. eries to pull down the ‘And the press? Alll they want perimeter fences. A year ago,

‘a prophetic editorial appeared in the Off The Ballfansine. It sald:

ment of modern safety measures — the

evalent fencing-off of crowds from pitches — actually pats supporters at considerable risk.

“Tear them down now, before another club has to, ‘echo the words of Bradford's Stafford Heginbotham, “There ares number of things we all wish had been done prior to this terrible tra-

‘The authorities were

‘cards. Ifthishad bea in force at Hillsborough on April Sth, the tragedy would have been ‘even worse.

The cause of the Hillsborough disaster wasn’t just the combined incompetence of the police, Sheffield City Council, FA, Football League, Sheffield Wednesday FC, and the Tory government, though all these com tributed.

It Is more deeply rooted than that and can only be dealt with by radical measures

‘The cause les in a’ society which places “football hooliganism” at the top of the political agenda while ignoring the needs of the vast majority of supporters for

safety.

“the enemy

| MONSTROUS ERECTIONS

NUMBERS

i rent te nent

==DANGER IN=

er Ess SE 2aee tpal oie s Sasa.

‘Aric from Off the Ball (March 1988); When Saturday Comes (May 1988)

Time to Reclaim the Game |

within”, and treated them accordingly — Uke cattle, to be herded, penned-in, branded, and, now, slaughtered.

‘The cause of the disaster mast also be sought in a sys temof football administration apparently designed more to inflate the egos of a ministrators than to meet the

Let the fans pick the ‘venues, allocate the tickets, and use their collective ex-

perience to mould the game's future. And let’s municipalise

every football ground in the country, stop the fatal tradeoff between ground improvement and team improvement, and Introduce the democratic accountability without which the safety of the public can ever be protected. Let's reclaim the game.

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