letter to The Tribune Group of MPs rejects the acceptance of coalition policies which embrace those of the CBI, the City of London financiers, the Conservative Party and the Cabinet as reflected by your shuffle of Ministers.
we cannot be satistied tnat you now have any resolute intention to implement the major parts of the election manifestos, or to operate the principles which inspired them.
Consequently, we serve notice that we shall propose by all means and campaigns within and without the House to ensure that the policies of the Labour movement are pursued with the utmost vigour.
Having been elected to carry through the man¡esto poncies we reject reduction in public expenditure and the drift towards more unemployment as being incompatible with those • What do you think Wilson's economic policies now amount to?
I think Wilson's policy is to hold out until he gets the oil from the North Sea. Until then he borrows and encourages US investment. I am sure that this is behind the so-called defence expenditure review, which doesn't involve any real reduction at all, as he won't break with the United States. We aren't abandoning nuclear arms, we are part of the US global strategy and the last Government did not even disown the Americans in Vietnam when everyone else did.
• What impact do you think the Tribune group's action in sending the letter of protest to Wilson has had?
I think Wilson has been rattled. This is the strongest worded rocket which has ever been sent from the Tribune group. My personal view all along has been that Wilson was on the right, but hitherto the Parliamentary left has tended to support Wilson. Now people are saying he's a phoney - no different to the rest of the right wing. ified a lot now.
• What do you think of Judith Hart's statement about a 'catastrophe' facing the Labour Party?
Judith Hart's not a member of the Tribune group. But we support her statement. We hope that she will join us and others will join us. Our aim is to win over the Parliamentary Labour Party.
• Do you think that Benn should have accepted his move?
I think Tony Benn should have dug in his heels and refused to go. It's reported that he took the advice of Jack Jones and Ron Hayward. I think they advised him wrongly. At the moment I think some trade union leaders are not as clear on these questions as some MPs - although Clive Jenkins grasped the point.
• Wnat do you think about Prentice and demands for his expulsion?
He's inconsequential. Michael Foot called was issued Photo: PETER HARRAP (Report)
The reshuffle has clarhim a political illiterate as well. him in his constituency now.
public expenditure cuts?
Crance
on Tory terms. Following the government reshuffle the Tribune group of MPs put out a letter of protest to Wilson. This received wide publicity in the press under headlines such as 'Left Rebels against Wilson'. To clarify the points of the Tribune letter, to find whether the Tribune MPs now intend to vote and organise against the government' policies on expenditure cuts and unemployment, or what is involved is confined to protest letters, Red Weekly interviewed SYD BIDWELL Tribune group. The interview was given on June 12th - the day Wilson's reply him an economic illiterate and I would call He calls for moderation' as a way to deal with problems, but I would like to know how much his moderation has done for the old age pensioners in his constituency in East Ham He chatters on about militancy and moderation because he doesn't know that the whole history of the labour movement was built on militancy. I believe there are moves against • What tactics do you intend to follow in Parliament? Does your statement mean that you will vote against any If public expenditure cuts come before the the House we will vote against if we get the But you can't defeat the Government for the hell of it, and we won't vote against We try to get amendments down so that we vote on socialist terms which will be understood outside Parliament - al-the chairman though the Speaker generally only calls Tory amendments. This is what we achieved on the defence cuts. We think we are achieving something of a breakthrough.
• What about struggles outside Parliament - for example, the NUR claim?
I think the NUR claim could be a decisive test for the Government and the left. I whol heartedly support the railway workers. I have spoken on the question. I think the Government should meet their claim in full and I warmly support the NUR struggle • On another key issue, how do you see the struggle to release the Shrewsbury Two?
I know some organisations have called for a general strike. I don't believe you can have a general strike until the workers understand the issue and there is a solid strike in the workers' own industry. I believe the right way is for the TUC to refuse to talk to the Government on any issue until the Shrewsbu wo are released • What is your attitude to the so-calle core of Government policy - the soci contract?
We should be concentrating on the ques tion of the inequality of wealth and of public ownership. Unless a Labour Government faces up to the issue of public ownership, of Clause Four, the battle within the Labour Party will get more bitter.
We should stop the nebulous terminologs of the social contract. We need extra expen diture on education and the tipping of the economy towards public expenditure. We h to fight for this as part of fighting for a stan ard of living which the anarchy of the capitalist economy can no longer sustain.