Ernie Roberts is Assistant General Secretary of the Engineers' the Right to Work March to London. This Saturday he will be the AUEW Executive's delegate at the National Assembly on Unemployment. Red Weekly asked him for his views on the Labour leadership fight.
Why do you think Wilson resigned?
Well, Harold Wilson says that he took this decision several months ago and that he's carried it out now because he feels that he has done his stint. But 1 beneve wat me problems or society in brikIn lacine nim had become too mincult, ne nas not been able to lead tne country with these problems mastered, despite what he may claim.
He has had to go because he is unable to produce the solutions which are necessary to solve the problems of ordThe new leader is being elected by the Parliamentary Labour Party. The left has for some time demanded that the leader should be elected by the Labour Party Conference do you think that it is appropriate to raise that demand now? 1 am one of those who founded the move ment called the Campain for Democrac in the Labour Party, and we have insisted that the léader of the party should be elected by the annual party conference. So should the deputy leader, just as the treasurer is now, and we will continue to campaign for this.
Do you think that the Labour Party Conference should be recalled now?
Yes. I am in favour of the whole of the abour movement being called togetner in conference for the purpose of considering the leadership question, but not only the leadership. What is more immculately be purinto operauon to acar wim me very serious matters which face the working class - not least guarantee a return to full employment?
I think any politician in the labour move ment should be prepared to show where he stands in the continual conflict which exists between wages on the one hand and profits on the other. The conflict between wages and profits goes on day in and day out, and what is lost to wages goes to says Ernie Roberts those who live on protits. The workers who live on wages are at a clear disadvantage when their wages are restricted to a particular figure.
is free to move and invest and do as it pleases, workers should also be free to sell their labour power at the best price they can get through free collective bargaining.
says Scanlon Red Weekly 25•March 1976 wage controls. candidate.
In a system of society where capital these forces. There is real controversy over what attitude to take to Foot Labour leadership 3
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Union. Last Saturday he spoke at the Albert Hall rally ending