Socialist Challenge No. 168, 16 October 1980
The scan: sc-n168-oct-16-1980.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
Challenge JOBS NOT BOMBS
March & Rally, Sunday October 26th Assemble 1lam Hyde Park/Rally 2-30pm Trafalgar Square
Socialist
'£5 billion on Trident, 590 jobs threatened at Gardner's - the real face of Tory priorities, Macafee, convenor of occupied Gardner's plant, whose strike was made official by the Engineering Union this week
'says Tom
Inside
598g
No. 168 16 October 1980 20p
*Cruise missiles Pages 8-9 *Gardner's occupy Page 3 *Jamaican poll Page 11 *Benn on Ireland Page 4
Page 2 scan of this page
BEHIND the grotesque standing ovations, pings of last week's ference, Thatcher's government is in crisis.
Little things show this. Sir Keith 'mad monk' Joseph was deemed to be a bit out of touch and 'theoretical'. lukewarm applause. Angus Maude gave him a slap on the wrist by forthrightly acknowledging that unemployment is not the fault of the unemployed temselves.
He has clearly been watching the opinion polls. Despite Tory claims that the key issue is the supposed 'fight against inflation', a clear majority people think unemployment is the number one question. According to an opinion poll in the Daily Mail a whopping 65 per cent think the Tories are "doing a bad job in tackling unemployment'.
Deluge
Meanwhile, at the conference, any mention of lowering interest rates received im. mediate applause. Lord Thorneycroft, party Cam a er Do ccscnc e Tory goyernment will stay 'on course'. Thatcher has had to say this at every opportunity lately; her policy is clearly not working as planned.
Despite this the Thatcher leadership had absolutely nothing positive to offer at the Tory conference. Her only reply to critics was
ICICal De Gaulle's 'After me, the deluge'. Only the present Tory leadership stood between Britain and a 'marxist dictatorship' under Tony standing must have risen in serious miltants
But as for Thatcher's standing, the Guardian put it rather well in their comment on the vicious beating of demonstrator who breeched SCCurILy guards: 'The Palace of Versailles seemed to have entered the souls of some Conservatives in the hall'. Marie Antoinette contemptuously dismissed the cries of the people for bread with the response, 'Let them eat cake'. Her refusal to make a U-turn cost her her head!
Sacrilege
So, despite appearances, big divisions exist in the Tory Party. From all sides there are calls to 'change course'. Geoffrey Rippon, excabinet minister, and now both called for a U-turn. Heath, much more
social consequences of the mounting anger of the working class. His sidekick in the Cabinet, Peter Walker, used his talk on 'Agriculture' to launch a thinly disguised attack on government policy.
He told his audience that the key to success of a number of countries had been the By Patrick Sikorski OVER 6,000 trade unionists, youth and pensioners cornered the Tories in Brighton last Friday.
Thatcher's claim popular support for her
exposed by Dollcies was the need for 2,500 police with dogs, horses, and a helicopter to protect the Tory conference against asc turss co su auol
In a small but graphic CAdIlIDIC Thatcher's intentions for the whole
Socialist
Challenge
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Socialist Challenge 16 October 1980
'unity. and backslap-
Tory .con-
He received only
the issue of tamous Connel.
Benn. Benn's the estimate of
Right to Work
conference almus onicie ot the
Ted Heath, have
LeveuUl
is concerned at the
unemployed
working class a Right to Work supporter who
penetrated the
ference was beaten unconscious by security guards and dragged from the hall. demonstration included miners from South Wales Scotland, engineers from Special Ofter! (Britain only)
of Troisky for
£12.50 LIo.Uu Page 2
Tory 'wets' Walker and Priör: tears behind the laughter?
"balanced relation between judicious state in-
and private initiative'. days such talk is sacrilege. ren, a inatcnente Hara-licl, rage that people with clear longer do the honourable thing and resign!
The slump in Britain is already much deeper than in 1974/5. The Tories have made the recession bite ever deeper simultaneously maintained tight control of
Tories cornered on 10 Oct
Manchester and Belfast, Metnlers from Fleet Street, dockers from Livernoo and London. as well as transport and local guvertenl workers.
KanE Work
marchers picketed SCHOOS Brighton the morning and UVC. 100 SuuCiIls from Falmer school joined the march before the authorities could the school gates. Succeed Lack of co-operation on the day unfortunately led to iwo demonstrations converging on the conférence and a half-hearted attempt Dy ine Transport and General Workers' Union to hold their own meting some distance trom the conference hall.
Meanwhile al the Right to Work campaign rally 1,200 demonstrators heard John Deason appeal for fighting unity between the employed and the unemployed against Thatcher's deliberate creation of aeo ovmenl
Editorial
The crisis behind
the Tory smiles
In these But all John Bif- Everything could do was differences no
climate of fear?.
They have The Right to Work campaign registered a big gaining sponsorship for the march from 670 bona fide labour TUvC iCil bodies. The unity achiered with the Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions (LCDTU) had resulted in the backinf the Taw and tes from the executives train drivers anon, ASLEF.
But the failure to achieve single demonstration on the day meant that the bankrupt of the
import controls to stop unemployment went virtually unchallenged.
Jobs
It is vital that policies of worksharing with no loss of pay, for a 35-hour week, and for occupations against job loss are fought for at the next major national focus against unemployment the joint TUC and parly Geti lstration in Liverpool on 29 November.
the money supply, high interest rates, low government borrowing, and a high pound.
dedicated unemployment high enough and, fast enough to break the militancy of the working class. This is what the Tories mean by 'creating a
Thatcher drew the lesson from the Heath overmucul unal luc surcurla anu conbalvil! of the working class in the factories and plants could not be broken through mere appeals to
POLICIES TORy
10 October jobs protest
effects of mass unemployment.
working.
is developing.
of head-on the lowering of interest rates.
Flagging
developing
shore up their flagging support
politica.
Party Chamber.
goverlnchl
boosting
Wing the
ference.
aTGWUB
say6 Transport union leaders backed the
'national unity', or use of legal instruments and direct repression. It needed the material
The working class was initially stunned by the rapidly mounting unemployment - jumping 20 per cent in August alone. Consequently major groups of workers have been unable to challenge their misleaders and take a stand against cutbacks, closures, and short-time
At first the imposition of wage rises only half the inflation rate on important groups of workers gave the idea that Thatcher's policy was working. But evidence is growing that it has been unable to destroy the militancy of the working class. A new mood of resistance
Since they failed to make a sacrificial lamb out of the steelworkers on the wages' front, the Tories have been forced to avoid a policy
confrontation with powerful unions over wages before the unemployment weapon has done its dirty work. But this policy creates its own problems as there is n artificial divide between the miners and the dockers and the rest of the working class.
Up to now the bosses have been prepared țo put up with economic policies against their immediate interests given the brospects. 01 defeating the workers in the long run. But the prospect of the failure of Thatcher's policies is causing them to moan - hence the calls for
But this would give a big boost to inflation unless a corresponding cut was made to public spending. On this front the Tories face a
movement enine recalcitrant Labour councils. So the Tories have problems
guaranteeing anything to the bosses to
Thatcher will not give up easily. The cost of failure would not just be a crisis inside the Tory Party or an electoral defeat, but the creation of a crisis which could affect the
sysiell The strengthen the House of Lords were not purely inspired by Benn's threat at the Labour
conference to abolish the Upper
The emergence of a left alternative to Callaghan at the Labour Party conference gives a new twist to the crisis of the Thatcher
Despite Benn's opposition to the use of 'industrial muscle' against the Tory govern ment, this new mood favours the development of mass action against the government.
The development of such action could br-
calls for a change of course to a crescendo, seriously weakening the government internally. Such a weakening would lay the basis for the collapse of the government under further blows from the working class. This is the meaning of the Tory Party con.
TORY
POLICIES
DESTROY
PEACE,
JOBS,
FREEDÓM
Page 3 scan of this page
GARDNER'S SHOW THE
By Celia Pugh On 9 October a British Steel Corporation spokesperson speculated that more steel jobs are to threatened 'reshaping of the has confirmed fears that the Welsh steel plants at Port Talbot and Lianwern could face further cutbacks.
Unity with steelworkers throughout the country is uppermost in Llanwern Action Group, the rank and file steelworkers* organisation. months they have attended many national meetings and lobbies to put their case. At a fringe meeting at the recent Labour Party conference Ray Davies explained the bitterness of to save jobs. He told the 260 delegates at the meeting that the arganising talks with the Tories. action 35-hour
Emlyn Williams, Wales Miners, backed run oute u ecutive now have a clear mandate to take inBy Paul Smith MORALE is high Gardner's, the Manchester engineering factory where workers are occupying to save 590 jobs.
Support for the occupation from the 2,400 workforce is solid. On
The white collar union, ASTMS, have already declared their members' actions official.
The occupation is led by a general strike committee representing the eleven engineering confederation
dancer Gardner's The con-
Tom plained the organisation of
Photo: Kevin Coin
25,000 be axed. The ¡austry
and the minds of the South
In the last few
call
al lne lauure or me 1uc
35-hour we ke intends ing
week instead
President of the South
Ray Davies' condem- unions to "The South Wales Ex-
at
the occupation: 'We have set and SOCIE committees. 'The social committee is organising league the like five-a-side football, in the plant. proaching local which have survived off us, to donate prizes.
The publications committee has produced an appeal to the unions and labour ment. ends with words: In the present climate we are faced with tremendous problems, and only support IEN & SONS LTD
dustrial ation against pit closures,' he said.
"The unions nationally their minds whether trade unions or bodies
consultants I01 we eventuall Shoose to fies We wil nocee bound by come Wales miners stitutions and rule books any longer.'
With welsh unemo ovment rising. others have joined the Llanwern Action Group in a
industrial action.
Talbot last week: working class of Wales to take control of the economy through the physical occupation of threatened plants.'
Labour MP Ray Howell has called for the
put pressure on the TUC to call a general strike to save Jobs
The Llanwern Action Committee bulletin
As the TUC meets
Thatcher on jobs
of money
publication
to be generous.
for Backing
We are ap-
businesses, Support
is mounting locally, because have always
moveline Despite blackout messages of
the country.
Gardner's banner
demonstration
pand awareness significance une
with backing
against unemployment.
The
conduct.
maintenance, welfare of the plant. similar lines, similar purpose, Lon las sit-down strike.
As Tom
Tion,
hooks and гор.
Tony Benn
the Upper
and labour inside Gardner's.
union) could share with Tony Benn, tour of joint leadership COT movement responsibilly. and Labour should demand they act.
Home News
BSC plan more Welsh closures
have to make up
we are working class
of worker directors immediate The clear on this, further
Dafydd Elis new LAC and food will susWe appeal to you all
for Gardner's stand against unemployment
part Gardner's WULKCIS been quick to respond when other local factories have been in the firing
La virtual media and encouragement arrive hourly from all around
was at the front of the 10 October anti-unemployment
outside the Tory conference. This will ex-
of the of the stand of
varaner s workers. The trade union and labour move-
for their courageous lead in the battle
leadership have produced a code of
Tom Macafee stresses that: 'the workers are taking full responsibility for
hygiene, and Along and with the occupa been designated 'a
Responsibility
Macafee says: by 'we are not interested in providing any excuse for Ander-
Manchester's Chief Constable, to get out his grappling
come over the
Gardner's stand is a big test for all those in the leader- their ship of the labour movement.
walked arm arm with the shop stewards a
Clyde shipyard when they fought their battle against job loss. Let him give a message to the trade union
movement from
This is another platform that Bob Wright (presidential candidate for the engineering
following their recent the 1y: Every a special union These Party branch
Steel Sheet is distributed around the threatened plant by the thousand. They are campaigning for the official plant unions to begin an
overtime ban, and to withdraw from any bodies which imply acceptance of
redundancies. They want strike action in the event of any plant closures anywhere in the country.
organising meeting at the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation conference on 22 November. The
pamphlet Fightback for Jobs ex"The Tories have manazed to close major steel plants with little or no leadership trom the trades unions. The cold bureaucratio hands of the steel unions have divided the workforce into their individual parts, where, isolated and dispirited, , they agree to accept redundancy payments.
The LAC are convinced that the struggle for policies that can save jobs must begin in
WAY
WORKERS SIT
Gardner's women say
GARDNER's workers are
organising local women affected
the strike. Deputy Margaret Hulme,
Challenge of two women workers
who had sat up all night by their
machines at the start of the oc-
cupation:
'Nobody was going to take away living Despite sacrifices,
women at Gardner's back the action
one hundred per cent.
They have produced a leaflet for
local women. The press and manage-
ment use the isolation of wives in the
home to divide and break
Gardner's don't want this to happen.
Their leaflet points out:
'We've all watched as factory after
factory, hospital after hospital, school
after school have cut back, cut down
or closed altogether.
crossed our fingers so it wouldn't hap-
pen here. Wall now it has.
'The press talk about redundancies
as cold statistics. We know different.
are our husbands,
national
La fringe earnest.
their full
- 'Enough is Enough'
now brothers, daughters. told Socialist
school leavers chasing five jobs.
paper and the newspapers
actly is going on.
strikes. organising. a
community.
Supporters
And we've all
fathers, on 061-224 0498.
WE DE ABLETO BLY IT BACK AGNN WREN I LEAVE SCHOOL DAD?
Unemployment is threatening every
worker in Tory Britain. The LAC are giving
backing the Labour Co
ordinating Committee conference in Leeds on
1 November. They call on other steelworkers
and active trade unionists to join them. Solidarity
with
Gardner's
Socialist Challenge will be running a regular colamn to report sonaariu actions during the Gard ners occupation. If your Labour Party trade union or shop stewards decide support the occupation give us a call and we'll make sure everyone knows about it. You can on 01-359 8180
Manchester Socialist Challenge meetings
'Jobs not an eye clo
Bombs'
Speakers:
Tom Macafee, Convenor, Gardners, and from Manchester Against the Missiles See the film 'The War Game' 7.30pm, Sat 18 October, Eccles Library Church Street, Eccles.
And at 7.30pm, Thurs 23 October Star and Garter Pub, Fairfield Street, Manchester. wives, mothers and 590 jobs went, that would mean 590 less jobs for our kids. At the moment there are 1,200 unemployed
Salford area
While we sit at home, reading the
hearing what the want us to hear, we'll worry about where the money's going to cone from. Why not get involved and f'nd out from the inside what ex-
To get women involved they are
rally for all Gardner's wives, and will be producing regular leaflets and posters aimed at the local
of the magazine Women in Action' are holding a Manchester meeting with speakers from Gardners and King Henry's Pies which has been the scene of recent clashes between police and pickets. For fur. ther details of this meeting, ring Rita
Socialist Challenge 16 October 1980 Page 3
Page 4 scan of this page
Defeating
the ' will
quit, quit,
and quit
again'
brigade
From Tony Banks,
Tooting CLP
IT IS too soon after the
event to make a full
assessment of Labour's
1980 conference, but
fow can doubt its
significance.
Overwhelming sup-
port was expressed for
unilateral nuclear disar-
from the EEC; abolition
of all pay beds, private
medicine, and private
education, together
with a call for a no.
cuts policy in local
government backed by
industrial action if
necessary.
The party con-
ference has a good
record in recent years
of passing socialist
resolutions but then
seeing them ignored or
watered down by a
Labour government.
Change
1980 might yet prove to be the year conference began to change the situation.
Mandatory re-selection of MPs and the election of the party leader by a franchise wider than the PLP were crucial victories in the sustained campaign to secure accountability of leadership to the rank and Tie.
It will now be up to activists in the constituencies to ensure that Labour's representatives in parliament danere to party policies.
For anyone in doubt, conference 1980 clearly demonstrated the ideological gulf separating elements of the right, based mainly in the PLP, from the rest of the movement.
No doubt these basically anti-socialist elements will make further attempts in the run-up to the special conference in January to reverse or frustrate the Blackpool decisions.
The left must continue to campaign, particularly within the trade unions, to build on our fragile victories since the right within the PLP seems determined to stage a last-ditch stand.
The l will quit, quit, and quit again' group is still very much with us, although evidently running out of hyperbole.
THE Tories' scheme to sell off thousands of council houses comes at a time when council house waiting lists are soaring. In Birmingham, for example, the list will increase by 300 per cent if the Tories don't give the council money to carry out repairs.
Socialist Challenge
By Alan Freeman
franchise,
Bill Rodgers, the Gang of
Three's NATO connection,
has come up with his own ver-
sion of a three-year rule
that Labour Party
ferences should be held every
three years.
Reform of the House of
Lords amounts to 'red dic-
tatorship', according to the
Tories
Yet the proposals of the
Labour left aren't so revolu-
tionary. They are a
terrifies the rich is
pect of a victory
Benn, and above all a government led by him.
True, the last thing Benn wants is revolution. But after the caperence Callaghan government, and if the Tories were to be brought down by industrial action, new Social Contract wouldn't be so easy. A Labour government could well have to try a much more radical gramme of retorm. Terrified
The ruling class is terrified of even the mild reforms
the present draft manifesto.
While it can rely as much as ever on its old friends in the
Parliamentary Labour Party
over party leader
THE Campaign for warned Labour MPs
on.
should not stand.
movement they represent.
At an emergency meeting on Saturday:
per cent to socialist societies.
Stop council house sales
Already councils
Rochdale
refused to implement the
Tory Hs asin Labour Con- Act.
councils are
trolled.
Unfortunately Lambeth
council, who are
the fight ¡gainsi
CIC ON the ow
plementation
after the four local consti-
tuency Labour
16 October 1980 Page 4
THE idea of democracy is not so appealing when it is
being raised in Britain rather than Poland - for the
mass media and other friends of the City, that is.
The decisions of the Labour Party conference,
particularly over the extension of the leadership
have filled the political correspondents
and Labour's right wing with despair and anger.
and the TUC leadership, decisions at Blackpool undermine some of the Dances inal con- friends in line and let the rich rest easy even with the Labour Partie ofice.
Labow always been two one. The PLP has rules and privileges enshrined in its standing orders. As early 1907 Ben normal dockers' leader, fought Keir Hardie and lost over the prinWhat ciple that MPs should obey the pros the conference lon: When the Labour Party conterence declared women's suffrage, said he would rather resign than carry out the decision the Richard said, the party's constitution is designed to give the illusion power to an faithfuls.
pro- Cabinet Witin the cabinet is an government. As Tony nas been at pains to explain, a Labour cabinet in from Labour MPs and the party at large, shaped by
Behind parliament lurks
Stop the carve-up
From the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy
Labour Party Democracy has that the party would never unite behind a leader imposed on it by a blatant fix.
CLPD has written to members of the Labour Party national executive urging them to meet forthwith and to spell out the procedures to be followed between now and January when the new electoral college is to be decided
Callaghan should remain in office: failing that Foot should take charge on a caretaker basis. Other candidates
Any move by Labour MPs to select a new leader before January would be seen as the latest and most destructive in a long list of gestures of contempt for the party and
If Labour MPs wish to regain their lost credibility they must bow to the declared wishes of the conference. They must wait till after January to ballot for the leader to back a revised electoral college in which 38 per cent would go to the trade unions, 30 per cent to the parliamentarians, 30 per cent to constituency Labour Parties and 2
in refused to Waltham fightback.
Local workers have been more Both determined than council. NALGO members in Lambeth, Newcastle are refusing to leading handle the sale of council cuts, houses. im- NALGO secretary Waller said: 'we decided to take action because Parties the
Labour Party
It's not just the Poles
who need democracy
the country
tion.
ference the
keep Checks and these Whitehall The have to PLP and the Party has. parties in its own itself to majority.
Tillet, the Mutiny The blocking
for i crisis.
Hardie
Crossman
army of
PLP the
inner party in
Benn is detached
with its policies Whitehall and big
ANTI- RACISM AT THE LOCAL LEVEL
Fascist omith Anti CLPD decided Fascist
Nazi League. 6pm, at the Oddfellows hall, War •alured 18 wick Warwickshire.
Bath St, Leamington Spa, Worcs.
Many taken by our council." government Lambeth be presented
Glasgow, and
November.
Labour
Mike decisions
we and cil houses.
the effective government of
the capitalist
state which binds the cabinet
and PLP through a well-oiled forces,
system of threats and corrup-
A party leader who was for Ireland.
directly accountable to con-
would throw the
whole system in confusion. It
would be a direct threat to th
supremacy of the PLP and
Benn bourgeoisie would open a split between leader to
stop conference policy being ly.
applied, or even split the PLP
destroy Labour's тог already
powers
the House of Lords could be
used to cause a constitutional Gang of Three Williams, Owen, and Rodgers.
Anti-Racis called
Veroner 10am-
Leamington Spa, Details from LARAFC, Box 5, 42
Agenda:
disagree with the tactics
Opposition to the sale of council houses is included in the draft statement to
to the Lambeth conference on 1
Lambeth group have to forced to implement the
of the conference and reverse their policy on the sale of coun-
Eventually we would see economic destabilisation and finally mutiny by the armed
happened this century when the Liberals tried to bring in Home Rule
The Labour Party right wing has to try and restore the supremacy of the PLP, keep open its options for thwarting
conference, and stop
The first target will be the leader's accountability. The PLP elects the leader annual-
Annual election b conference would be a disaste
the right. Basnett has
hinted 'permanent' leader
Their next line of attack is the concentration of power in the leader's hands
Trade union leaders have been floating the idea of 'two
— one for conference and one for the PLP. Guess
LCC Rank and File
Trade Unionists
Conference
Leeds University Saturday 1 November 10.30am
11.00am, Unemployment and the Right to Work. Speakers include Bernard Connolly, Roger Griffiths, and Stuart Holland 2.00pm, Demands and Policies. Speakers include Eddie Loyden and Audrey Wise. 4.00pm, How do we organise in the movement? Speakers include Tony Banks, Peter Hain, and Anne Cesek.
For credentials write to LCC, 9 Poland Si, London WI enclosing £l.25 per person.
GM COOKSON (Socialist Challenge)
Michael Foot who would be prime minister? Remember who chooses the prime minister - your friend and mine, Her Majesty the Queen.
To keep Benn out, the right can either try now to put
and hope that he has enough time to solidate his position before the new procedure operates Or they could aim for a com promise left candidate, suct as Shore or Silkin
We can be sure that these ostensible champions ot the Polish workers will do everything in their power to
even the mildest extension of democracy Britain
Photo: LAURIE SPARHAM
Page 5 scan of this page
By Pat Kane 'WE'VE got to cut, again. That was Horace message to this year's Tory Party conference. it.
Council, summed U• government policy of the Tories. Michael Heseltine, Secretary of State for the Environment, has package of spending already chopped f200m from this year's budget, and plans to €1,000m.
Cleari either Heseltine will do it for you.
vices. Westminster wants to control local spending by reducing direct grants and enforcing cash limits; any council refusing to make cuts is to be penalised. The Tories have Terent councils for which have Labour majorities. the list for borough of Lambeth.
to the tune of £11m.
By Geoff Bell THE decision of the Republican prisoners in the H Blocks, Long Kesh, to embark on hunger strike from 27 October was, in the end, inevitable.
The announcement of the hunger strike. made last Fri_ day in a letter smuggled out of
comes after repeated attempts by prisoners, the Catholic Church in Ireland, and many
individuals Ireland. Britain, throughout the world to suade an intransigent British
regime to seek a settlement of the H Block issue.
In this context the decision to go on hunger strike was only in the most formal SCINC akeN voluntarily; reality it was forced
on ine prisoners by the stubborness and inhumanity of the present Tory, and the last Labour government. Status
It was the Labour government which created the Blocks. Previously, in 1972, the Heath government recognised the exceptional nature of those in prison in the North of freland. con victed for 'crimes' connected with the political there. granted those
'special category status?.
cut, and cut Cutler's
The Tory faithful loved
Cutler, leader of the Greater London
the entire local
announced a further cuts he has
cut a further
The message to Tory councillors was
implement the cuts or
The cuts cover every area of local ser-
already singled out 14 dif'overspending', 13 of High on Tory action is the London
Heseltine wants to penalise Lambeth
The local Labour
The inevitable
road to the
H Block
hunger strike
This meant prisoners were wear their own clotnes, freely, and take orders only from their than from prison staff.
Their status was similar to that given to prisoners of war.
This abolished by the government in 1976.
Teased this arbitrary decision. declined to wear the the uniforms now forced them.
The British reacted to this in resistance denying and prisoners the usual facilities; by constantly harassing and physically assaulting them.
One example Was une prisoners uniforms they were not allowed to go to the toilet. This led to the 'dirty protest', with the prisoners being obliged to use their own cell as a toilet.
Charge
The British insist that the prisoners are criminals', and a statement from the government's Northern Ireland Office, H atter the announcement the hunger strike, this charge saying: murder is murder wherever it is committed.'
Britain is applying massive double-standard. a purely factual basis it is by no means the case that all the prisoners murder. More importanty, guilty
group along with the trades council and town hall unions have decided to hold a conference to plan and campaign for national strike action to defend services.
Ted Knight, council's Labour group, has travelled the country to win support and sponsorship, and delegates will be attending from unions and councils from all over the
Knight has frightened leadership by insisting that to fight the cuts you have to fight the government even if that means industrial action for political ends.
He told Socialist Challenge that industrial action 'is the only answer. You can't reason with the because their whole strategy is to reduce that the throughout the judicial proallowed to cess which the prisoners go
mix through they are never treated as 'ordinarv criminals' rather indicated in its 1978 report in'interrogation' prisoners, they are subjected Was to widespread torture in an at-
Labour tempt
The sions'.
They Serve
prison
The prisoners tried at special the courts, in which the normal laws regulating trials are nored. For witnesses making allegations against the prisoners are not Lial obliged to wore and therefore
The prisoners in the H Blocks the prison compounds are in the shape of an H ing that this exceptional treatment be extended to the time they serve in prison.
They wear their own clothes, mix ordinary freely, the right to organise
KaRen own facilities, and tenssion l sentences of These demands have been repeated supported
dividuals and throughout the world Britain Executive Committee of the On Party against the Block, Tony among the many Labour MPs who have signed Charter 80,
Home/News Ireland
Tories spell out their
policy for local government
Cut, cut, and cut again
Knight
the leader or Lambeln
the Labour
action ference.
going to
governon ed. This As Amnesty International
of the non-Jury
igCoalic
appear in court, cannot be
so-called because
- are ask-
want the right to prisoners'
Appeals recreational the
Two Massachusetts organisations legislature
the National back the awarded protested conditions in tOI Benn over three and degradation'.
public spending and living standards.'
OUT both
Labour Party and TUC conferences have
passed resolutions opposing future cuts.
Labour right wingers like Roy Hattersley.
shadow spokesperson on the
ment, are worried that industrial action
will lead town hall workers and coun-
cillors to refuse to implement Tory cuts.
He has organised an 'official' Labour
Party conference on cuts to be held in
December. We can be sure there will be
organised from that Socialist Challenge supporters will be Lambeth conference to
argue that all Tory cuts should be oppos-
Lambeth Labour group has supported the is even more urgent since the campaign supporting the
demands. show some humanity to the sions. prisoners have also been made on an international basis. between
weeks the state the Catholic the United became the latest to prisoners when it hunger former prisoner a leather-bound cita-
Colglatulatilig on paign 'his heroic stand in suffering Provisional
ycals . of torture
by the conference.
Local
the
Environ- Government
Organising SW2 1RW.
Over 360 Terence The conto sell council houses, will be attending of NALGO are now delegatec several local • government tees, as well as many NUPE branches.
H Block
But they don't tell you why; cry,
TOOr
Call us sir, you rebel swine
A dinner topped with And tea that smelt of urine
scorn, For visiting British MPs,
Is dirtier The prisoner, he walks tall.
In Ireland, the Catholic Church has repeatedly pressed Britain to make conces-
was the recent colapse of the talks on the issue
Tory secretary of Cardinal Tomas O'Fiach which has now forced the prisoners to decide on a
It should be stressed that throughout the H Block cam
the leadership of the Republican movement have consistently advised their members against
Socialist Challenge 16 October 1980
sale of council houses, and supporters will be arguing that any steering committee has to organise actively to win support to implement any decisions agreed
Government in Crisis National Labour and Trade Union
Conference Camden Town Hall 1 November For details of registration write to 'Local
Crisis Conference', Committee, Room 103, Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton Hill, London
delegates are now attending the con latest sponsors Labour Party CLPs, Labour Groups from London and Bedfordshire, and Rochdale, who have refused
Lothian region, along with five other branches
Other sponsors include UCATT branches, and
shop stewards commit Letter from
They show you the excreta on the walls,
And tell you how we have done it all. Of taunting screws that made the soft ones They taught us how to cope with dirt,
They who have done it long before
When they kicked our slops around the cell
And bade us clean it or be beaten more,
And on the floor you must dine,
Fi dirty spit, Far better it be to inflict our own thorn Than to lie down and take it issued with
They can perform cosmetic operations Who in turn make a cosmetic statement, •o put the enquiring population at ease The propaganda that they spread
than our cell wall, but amidst the torture and the dirt
going on hunger strike. But the situation has now reached such a pitch that the prisoners feel they have no option but to make the stand on which LICY will now embark on 27 October.
All those in Britain who care about what is happening in Ireland, who care about the evils perpetrated the Blocks, who care about sim ple human suffering should over the coming weeks, do all in their power to ensure that the prisoners do Holstall alone.
Page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
THE speech on Benn, printed below, is one more significant step building of a movement in this country to help drive the British out of Ireland.
Whatever the precise political details of Benn's
withdrawal from reland, the fact that the leader of the left wing of the Labour Party has now made such a
call is further evidence of the growing support in this country for this
Hosse.
But that withdrawal will not be secured by speeches. It needs action
and the determination
mass campaign in this country calling on Britain to end its Irish war. In this context it would be difficult to
overstate the importance of the London demonstration on 15 November
The
sooner
we
the
better
Labour Party.
the platform.
Labour Party can now be taken forward. I WAS brought up to believe, very strongly. from my father that the partition of Ireland was a crime.
And when I look back on the debates in the House Commons at the time of the or censure hat he thored, and НАЛОВ А І the amendments to the King's Speech, he regarded the work of the Lloyd George government on Ireland as one of the nackad pasodes malars imperial history.
My view has never altered on that and I must say quite plainly and quite clearly that although I have never had governmental responsibility Socialist Challenge 16 October 1980 Page 6
Ireland by Tony
forward in the
call for British called to build
Tony Benn on reland:
withdraw
ON 2 October, at a fringe meeting held at the Labour Party conference under the auspices of the Labour Committee on reland, Tony Benn spelt out his views on reland for the first time.
With a few grammatical changes, here is the full transcript of his speech. The hecklers were loyalist-minded members of the Northern Ireland
The specific reference to Jock Stallard is explained by Stallard s presence on
In a subsequent issue, Socialist Challenge will discuss how the campaign on reland within the
in that field, vanea in my view ullal lere was no future for a policy based upon partition, future for peace and cooperation in Ireland that did not include a clear presentation of an alternative perspective of of re-unification and dence If I say no more than that I will nave discharged obligation to my father and to those whom he supported. as simple as that, things have happened then. . I sạt in the 1969 cabinet were sent in and I remember Lue u clearly the discussions in that cabinet — and they were anguished — as
by the Withdrawal from reland.
The themes of the demonstration will be 'No Tory Policies on Ireland, End Partition, For a British Withdrawal, For Irish Unity'. Already ten MPs have backed the initiative, as
COMM
AND
Tony Benn
to whether it was right for a British Labour government to get involved in that way.
invo vement — i was ministel of technology - I remember the anxiety. the factor inal mind and, I think, oi ine majonily or tre cable ministers: the feeling that this
time to save the population from the excesses of the B Specials and others
I'm wrong, warmth of reception for the British troops Catholic then we got escalating violence and the more that I have seen and thought about ll, une more 1 nave occonic persuaded that future for that policy and that that policy must change.
Failure
I have never
Stallard who over this whole period have not been as silent as I and others have been, who have been against very unfavourable cirindepencumstances That theker ot hope been kept alive. there are a lot of people now, including Chose never thought about or who have no deep, inherited combecause mitment to Sincf aepenaence and recognise the failure
ine trooDs
policy. anguished couple of areas in which that failure has become apparent
International
On the streets on
15 November
Committee for have a whole
Committee
Liberals. speaking at Labour Committee on Ireland fringe meeting
to me personally.
One IS
Although I had no special
and I remember no doubt tipped my the minds operations, Catholic the British something that In the event, correct me if
there was some their minds for from the happen in co into this ever Kingdom. into development of Security
there is no as if it
Now I must pay tribute to to others visions
very and campaigning plutonium anyone's hands. on this issue. has security But I think were necessary surveillance, who lave one minister Irish unity, who for years' of the awalePerhaps I could identify a
insignificant to you
host of political organisations including the Labour
on Ireland, the Young Communist League and the Young
The Troops Out Movement will also be participating and will
level
to
character.
rising ing beginning
members
economic
economic
Market.
fluenced
CesUr
Northern
the
the nature and volved character of the repression continually, which is inseparable from the policy which is béing pursued: that there are young men, and
some women too, domestic sent over from this country to Ireland who become absorbed not on in a whole pattern of security
which degrading for all those involv.
and which provides tol were.
security services I did — I IS 1ª0 not to believe - is, in some discussed, sense, a training ground
what might the United
country discussed.
I don't want to exaggerate and I don't want it to sound policy
is some deep conspiracy, but 1 shall not forget
bipartisan one occasion when I was with a meelng or brilsn insicls, about three years ago, and we were aiscussing sccunlty pru- cur.
relating to nuclear chergy, wilce miele ale sollid important civil liberty Intent
you can't nave falling into
When I outlined all the
0 C0. arrangements that including vetting dogs, and armoured policemen
said, 'Well and what's wrong with you, we ve Ireland done that in Northern Irland
not All of a sudden I became forgive me if I give an example which may seem jective
that Ireland in there is a process of accom-
tingent on
be part of this continent. Within the
15 November
Socialist Challenge
support
Committee for Ireland, c/O Whitehall Place, 01-839 2727), ment, Za St (Tel 01-267 2004).
modation to the idea that the
surveillance and security in Northern Ireland can naturally be transierre(
circumstances Britain I'm which are of a whole different
In that case it was dealing with nuclear matters, but with
unemployment reachlevels which are even to frighten the
wase cuculs efces where
policy in Britain could make Britain into
the Northern Ireland of the Common
The other factor which in-
Qmv mind was : that having sat in cabinets from
to 1970 and 1974 , IC 1979, apart trom the one oc casion I referred to when the troops went in, and another
.during Ulster that Workers' strike in 1974, I do not recall, indeed I know, that
Ireland was not discussed in the cabinet. Manifesto
There were committees of
cabinet which discussed Northern Ireland - and I'm not suggesting for one moment that the ministers in-
were 110t engaged, collective discussion on a whole range ot issues — but nere was, ana still is in one sense, the major
problem of the United Kingdom, and it was
the agenda the cabinet in the wav that european affairs or trouble in the Middle East or South Africa
on one occasion write a letter asking that it be
but it wasn't. Here was that idea that this problem which so obviously directly involves so many people and the future of our whole
should not
When we came to discuss the manifesto, any suggestion that we should deal with the
for Northern Irland outside the contines • OT the
policy was immediately denounced as being tremendously irresponsible
because a loss of life might oc-
All these factors lead me to the view that what we have
as British socialists, to make a declaration of intent. That intent must be inal we wish to bring about by peaceful means, discussion,
agreement united
I say agreement but I'm catching myself out on whether there is a veto* or not
— I'm talking about the ob-
thal united peace. That objec-
tive should be what we are
organising a 'Troops Out Now' con-
demonstration.
Socialist Challenge supporters will
month that is left, every effort should be made to turn
into the largest demonstration on Ireland this country has seen for years. All readers of
are urged to march on 15 November and to win for the demonstration in their trade unions, Labour Parties, women's and youth organisations. Leaflets, posters, and further information can be obtained from the
Withdrawal from Youth Office, 1 London SW1 (Tel or Troops Out Move Paul's Rd. London N1
working for. saying that, there will be a lot of critics, and it may take a lot of time, but what saying that nobody should be diverted from that intention. (Heckler: 'Why don't you join the Provos
Bui you đon g magc peol. then?') Well,
but you only by their methods but also their intentions. you have to consider what the objective is - - in my view that there should be brought about a united reland. I can't be diverted by a heckle from that view.
Discussions
If it were possible for the trade unions, North and South, to come together and try and form a socialist and labour representation systeml be a berinnine.
But believe the British Labour Party can organise in Northern Irland. (Heckler: 'Shame shame') Alright, don't shout at me, I'm giving a British point of view not an Irish point of view. , I say that until people credibly_ answer the "What about the border? in North and Soute the trade
cannot in reality face up to the PrODiCI May I say one final word I said I wasn't directly involved in Northern Irland but there was one occasion whent I was on a Commission of enquiry which the Labour Party set up, I believe in 1971, and we tried to get some discussions going between the Nor thern Irland Labour Party an•ne ole = • Gerry Fitt's crowd (the Social Democratic and Labour Party) — and we couldn't get these people to meet in the same room.
Barrier
My job was to dance between one room and another. Then, at the end of the day, those who could not actually meet went oft togetner in a taxi to Heathrow leaving us to work out how we could get them to come together. believe that the
tinued presbnce presence and the of the British as a political and military force in Northern Ireland is the major barriei that stands in the way of trade union and C DOE Party unity and the sooner we withdraw the better. The Gerto atene sed *The 'veto' mentioned by the Loyalist community which would give them -majority "- The right to "veto" North Ireland any solution they do not like. This majority is an artificially created one and stems from the partition of reland.
Page 7 scan of this page
"Impossible to defend
Iran'
IT IS particularly unfortunate that the launch' of Socialist Challenge should have coincided with the Gulf War. For the coverage of the con
danger making the paper lauguing stock among readers old and new.
Brian Grogan pointed out that 'defence of the would be easier attacks on, and oppression of, tHe Nuras. inc Arabs. ana
minorines stopped.
We might add to this list the
cluding judicial
Bahai, and iristan commumdes, Ine attacks on the left.. and parker trans a d
detence the ¡lalilal revolunon woule seem nol merely difficult but impossi.
for revolutionary socialists.
biggest weakness
Al all d
existence muntary hierarchy', large numbers have
Its weakness is that it is a cavilaiisi, win a serial and may Chauvinist regime
To give as reasons for the defence of Iran the fact that comittees have actually WUl TSCH simply palneuc, pracucany
country could defended on I those : lines matter, the For that
standard of liv-
would not disagree with the paper's analysis of
(one the most repressive the World, Docialist chanense
the
_correct lo describe baathist regime petty-bourgeois
has) progressively moved what is the Iranian regime but regime at an earlier stage of evolution? (If SC
las sullie perhaps you
Setting
the record
straight on
Rank and
File
THE letter from J Nicholls coder accuses me nternational Marxist Group of 'sectarianism confu sion in its attitude to Rank & File Groups
walll
record suraigal as tar as Ene Teachers Alliance is concerned.
1. There is no 'open pennile vitation' from
nahl 1 cacuci
with ll. AL 11S conference, R&F turned
All that
a boney Inal Inalviola members or ine can join R&F — hardly re-unity
Nevertheless, there is considerable
coupcallon DELWCCE LWO organisa
elections, preparing resolutions for
conference, and
Nich Acording
principle Kank & File organisation une untee tront. wisa Ink were true. In fact, the issue
divides and STA As we said to the R&F conicrence.
Many teacners now actical of she exets are
executive.
This doesn't mean that they
could be explicit?)
It is by no means correct say
only incresica 11 al
victorv. ine war nas created
situation instability
which imperialism (as
Soviet Union) will try
to exploit
1l Is the Iraqi
allaci las US
Deraisa's
But west cerv
the oi the
pressure on
the
work approach will arcl
and classes of all
Surbiton
GEORGE Kerevan is right when he
asserts that socialism will depend
upon 'the ability of the American
working class to disarm the mad
people in the Pentagon' (Letters,
Oct.). It is a pity that the rest of his
article departs from
analysis. Nuclear weapons are not
neutral but part of an anti-working
class war drive
ting at tne USSR and the World.
We should, I believe,
the Soviet Union
disarmament talks (but not of the
SALT type which increased the
build up). However, this cannot be
a precondition of our support - we
have a duty to defend all gains
made by the working
however awful the regimes that
emerge.
them who have hunch of
removed as quickly as possible. But they
• wallt lo lake TION Ane inev cone be ol tremendous importance
: STA and push (to extend) the action... B RXTH often under estimated the importance of the united front It has
suggested that is building the fightback. Tented confuse the rank and file
A united front policy will
aiso acular issues Labour and Communist Laborats. hits Labour Par- Thus by cas da Cult 0 scl
VITOR Labour Party. Nichols horror of 'blocking' with
would seem to rule out tnis approach.
5. Providing can
united front that puts us in touch with the
as an organisation that con-
fights for militant
None of this consists of 'sterile splitting and block-
Nicholls reveals mue woe starde of the problems that Tace have some unreli glened ions in the unions contoucons. bicast:
KEN JONES, London
IT IS true that we want
Socialist Challenge
Teach more
the namer can ver reach.
but there is no artificial
divide between a militant
and the rest of the world.
Our paper ocoll
commented and
judged in CanTeen
and on the shopfloor
from appearance
especially
should not frighten
OTT Presentation
vital and we should aim gentry draw people in
ticles on pages 2, 3 and 4).
The cover should get
across that it is a serious,
mutant workers
where discussion new
ideas, and terent
type of news be
found. But it should not
put people off by being
difficult
sloganising Sensa-
tionalist.
general rule
Moscow does not
equal Washington
We trap as
the SUBTICO On 20 rights.
class Stalinists
militarism poin- workers
Third
support entering into
class, political question. A US commando: aid for the Third World?
Letters
How to improve our paper
(though not always) you
Call messace tor une week headline Socialist Worker always does, and we across just as 'ultra-left'
Vousiol (eg Bristol,
People win in again on
questions and where need to sion and • Dately rachel: view. you don't answer lies shouting However we stress
reaching cannot fall into the same George confusing defence against imperialism with
democratic l'we surely do not support the KGB and censorship which the
claim is to necessary counter CIA subversion'.)
Ideally, a perfectly democratic
state would organise mass defence based on mass inter-
solidarity action working class. But the reality now calls for socialists to come to grips with an imperialist war drive in which we cannot be neutral.
Our primary aim must therefore be to disarm our own imperialists, and not to equate Washington with Moscow thus avoiding the central
RAY SIROTKIN, Lambeth IMG
outlined with 'quiet' in.
tormative headings
backed bemass nor
paragraphs largish
print) of reasoned com-
and news leading inside where
the in-depth Calvery
on the scone robomace.
and political analysis oc.
curs.
be a simple list of con-
tents We
political giving
our overall
Nor neacon to inf
past and coming week's
Howeve
bound to difficult
reading' and should be held over SOWE ways
Good luck with the
paper
STEVE GRIMSHAW,
CLIVE HOPKINS,
DAVE PASS-
INGHAM, NORMAN
WEED,
SC readers. Burnley
GPO.
Northern
Ireland:
unions not
Loyalist
dominated
AS support for TOM and
other campaigns on Ireland
alloull or lac.
lual Know eoce the
lett about Ireland
doesn't ten be spread out
spread out
more thinly
A case in point is Mick
Sullivan's appeal to Labour
Party members (25 Sept
This was not only confused
potentially seriously
confusing. He says that the
Kevresentanon in Northern
wants
Loyalist-dominated Nor
thern Ireland trade unions
build a Northern Ireland
Labour Party'
the first place the
trade unions in the North of
are not Loyalist
dominated; • unless. that is.
Coll evervone who
does not support the Provi
sionals as a
ago, the
Worker
SUNC
Lucic was all allculot lo rall
Loyalsts within tne lus to
oust the present leadership
but fortunately it came to
nothing.
Other
Andrew Glyn and John Harrison The British Economic Disaster Pluto Press, £2.95 The authors trace the development of the current crisis and look at the inadequacies of both Thatcherite monetarism and th 'Alternative Economic Strategy' for dealing with it.
Tony Benn Arguments for Socialism, Penguin, £1.50 Benn outlines his approach to the most crucial issues of political
Hywel Francis and David Smith The Fed Lawrence and Wishart, £4.50 A full history of the South Wales Miners' Federation which focusses particularly the nationalisation of the mines in 1947.
Women and Russia Sheba Feminist Publishers, £1.95 The first feminist samizdat with an introduction by the Women in East Europe Group.
Add 15% to cost of all titles if ordering by post.
• Northern Irish members
for Labour Party
Representation
ty'
This, in fact, within the Party
the Labour Party to allow residents join the Labour Party as individual members.
Ireland.
• reine snowe nave une
which they live
general management committee BR COSIN, Chairman, Representation London Branch.
Watch out, there's a red pencil about
All the letters on this
have been edited...so, please try to keep letters to 300 words.
Comrade Sullivan and Socialist Challenge will not agree with the • pontics of the leadership of the TU move mell over nee burnalis no reason to slander them Especially since, if there was
serious Loyalist attempt to Male ulc movement. It woul de vou duty to defend the present leadership against them
Secondly, the Campaign lor Labour Kepresentatior does not want the
Northern teano Labour Party; it wants th British Labour Party
shop Ireland. think that It Is highly unlikely that this pro Dosa will ael anvwnere• 1 would present far too many
and widely opposed within the
Ireland. North and South
inere is no reason believe that the British
Party will get volved . In such an exercise DUl if it does come up it ought to be opposed.
Anyone Socialist Challenge for their information on the matter, nowever, is unlikely to com up with any very impressive counter-arguments.
BOB PURDIE, Belfast
THE BOOKSHOP
on the period from the General Strike to
Socialist Challenge 16 October 1980
WRITING on 'Why Labour must take a stand on Ireland' (25
Loyalist-dominated freiane trade umons to ouna a vortnern wrene Labour rar
is the position of the Militant Tendency The Campaigr Labou Representation simply wants a change in the Constitution of
of Northern Ireland 1o Labour Party to establish a regional office in Northern
In other words, we believe that the people of Northern
For belonenne o on voting for the only real alternative to the Tories in the state i
If Mick Sullivan is still confused we would be onlv tor pleased to debate the issue with him at a future meeting of his
Campaign for Labour
What's
Left
RATES fo ads to appear in What's Left. 5p per word or f4 pe noon publication. Payment in WOMEN IN ACTION - neW issu Posale now, nice 30p • Articles servie Books, 190 per 31 • BOOKS.
Solidarity Committee WAdm O2: Further Neale (Nott Orgahised in conjunction with No FESTIVAL Pon at Wore lian
Trades council sec. All per NUKES ' Permitt
, Mile End Rd, Londo
Sheffield: Tue 21 Oct
Committee.
Page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
The Arms Race
'DETENTE' between the United States and the Soviet Union has broken down because the stability of the early '70s has collapsed American power and prestige coupled with the economic muscle of US imperialism, has been challenged by a tremendous upsurge of revolution in the colonial world.
American-backed dictators have toppled in Iran and Nicaragua. Revolutionary upsurges have triumphed in Angola and Ethiopia.
Washington considers that its vital interests are threatened in the Middle East and Central America.
In order to meet this threat, the US has constructed a massive counter-revolutionary mobile force - the Rapid Deployment Force -which can ostensibly arrive anywhere within days.
The US is determined not to lose its oil in the Middle East and to prevent Central America and the Caribbean from becoming a hotbed of revolution.
The US leaders see the hand of the Soviet Union behind these revolutionary advances. Increasingly the interests of the US and the USSR are clashing in the colonial world.
In a period of economic crisis a rush to re-armament helps the economies of the West as weapons production expands.
On the other hand, an arms race damages the economy of the Soviet Union, as living standards are sacrificed to arms production. The new arms race puts the Soviet Union under pressure. Nobody gains except imperialism.
Socialist Challenge 16 October 1980 Page 8
THE Western powers are furiously re-arming. Over the next few years thousands of pounds will be spent on a new generation of nuclear weapons. Many of these
on Euroned interers
mega-ton death deliverers
will be stationed in Western Europe, and a large number in Britain.
As a result Britain will become even more of a target for the Soviet Union's arsenal. The following are the main weapons that Carter and Thatcher have in store for US.
Trident TRIDENT is the Americanconstructed replacement for the submarine-launched Polaris missiles. Bigger and 'better' than Polaris, it is a MIR Ved weapon — one with several independently targeted warheads. This is intended to make it invulnerable to anti-missile missiles.
Britain will have five submarines equipped with Tridents. The cost is escalating all the time, but the latest estimate is a total cost of £6,500m.
Britain's Trident missiles will have the capacity to destroy all the major Soviet cities.
The MX system THE MX is a monster block-buster intercontinental missile. But that's not its only novelty. The MX ('missile experimental') system will be housed in a huge underground missiles complex covering hundreds of square miles in the Western US desert.
The missiles will be carried along on underground tracks, to emerge through the ground at any point along the route. This will mean that Soviet spy satellites will be unable to detect the position of the missiles at any one time.
MX will be the biggest con-
WHY YOU SI
OPPOSE THI
DONT
E
FOR
THATCHER
HOW TO STEA HISSILES struction project in human histo — bigger than the pyramids, bigg than the Panama canal.
The cost of MX continua escalates. It is currently estimat to be in the region of $100,000m
Cruise CRUISE, the 'nuclear doodlebu is based on the war-time
Page 9 scan of this page
OULD
SE MISSILES
USAIR FORCE
German rockets. It flies at a low altitude, using a radar guidance system which matches the terrain below with a map system in the missile. Cruise is thus supposed to be able to land within a few feet of its target.
Only around 20 feet long, the missile has a range of about 2,000 miles. To hit the Soviet Union, Cruise has to be fired from Western Europe.
Britain will take delivery of 160 Cruise missiles; Germany 108, and Italy 96. They will be kept at storage bases until a time of crisis. Then they will be dispersed on launchers the size of a large trailer and fired from the roadside.
These missiles will be completely under United States' control.
In addition to Cruise, the United States is placing in West Germany around a hundred of its short-range Pershing rockets, which have a range of about 1,000 miles.
The precise cost of the missiles and launchers has not been made known, but it is believed to be about £1,000m. Cruise is a 'cheap' weapon.
The United States air force is also paying some f4,000m for airlaunched Cruise missiles.
How to Stop It
ULTIMATELY the only way to
the insane world system - im-
strengthening the anti-
it an anti-imperialist thrust.
blow to all the war-mongers by stopping Cruise and Trident in Britain. Socialist Challenge argues for a campaign which will unite all those who oppose
of their other views.
disarmament and
perialists' war alliance.
aid those who are fighting imperialism in the Third World -in Nicaragua, Grenada, Salvador. They are fighting the same system which builds the war machine.
We have three years before Cruise missiles are stationed in Britain. Already there is a mass
tober will make a big contribution to keeping them out. The information contained in this broadsheet is dangerous to warmongers
everywhere _
pin it up on the nearest wall in
your factory,
office, school,
or anywhere
where people
work and meet.
TRIDENT
LOGISTIC NATONE
EMGINE ROOM
MAIN BALLAST AREA REACTOR
COMPARTMENT
SUBMARINE
|FORWARD I COMPARTMENT ===
TORPEDO
Socialist Challenge 16 October 1980
ACCESS TRUNK
LOGISTIC MATCI SONAR
MAIN SPHERE
BALLAST
AREA
Page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
Rocketing sales!
By Yvonne Taylor SOCIALIST Challenge is aiming for a massive sales drive around next week's issue.
wive essen tial reading for every anti. Cruise missile campaigner with special
with D 226
CND's aconsuranon.
i entire
major interview with Bruce General about
was forward tor anu-nac ear weasons canpaign
interview with Fred Halliday on the Soviet Union, the new
Calls lace
A rundown on the war policies of the US presidenCentral America and the US special report Hullary canooedni
international round-up the disarma-
review the new book edited by EP Thompson and
Socialist
Challenge
meetings
Coach and Horses pub, Cannock Rd Socialist
Challenge
sales BRIGHTON: SC sales regularly ever BRISTOL: SC on sale 11-1, 'Hole in
CARDIFF: SC sales Newport
One from Neisons
S.30e5. For mor 17 Clyde View or John at 54 Eliot St,
scurday trams
available
Brixton:
Thur and Fri evenings and Thur mo MANCHESTER SO SUbe.
'orkshire Bank, High St; at BURY in
tre; and in MANCHESTER outsid
central reference library in St TOCKPORT: SC sold day, Ipm, Mersey Way.
REVOLUTION
FOR A UNITED REVOLUTIONARY YOUTH ORGANISATION RevolutionYouthNotices
Sunday 19 October at national centre. Youth are
to take up gay , mober or as asia cente
BLACK UIBERATTON FRACTION:
Novembe Community 2-6ipm Centre,
Socialist Challenge
Dan Smith.
Every IMG branch and
Socialist Challenge seller
should be planning now to
their pape OraC
or unis issue. mere wild
lots of opportunities for extra sales: in the workplaces
and shopping cen build-up allu the trals and coacnes bringing people down to London.
Special sales organised
unload alli
SOcials! Challenge well known as the socialist
of phe aht-erise missiles
anti-Cruise missiles Callball oranci Challenge supporter is urg 2000 Cocai
ed to make sure that hu dreds of extr i copies of this
issue are sold.
Already the newlook Socialist
Challenge is selling an CALTa We aim notch up another 1,000 sales for next week's issue.
: 11-1 every Cleveland Centre Linthorpe ide Woolworths
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sales column. International
Marxist
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AIL Sat 13 Dec, WOMEN SE DIBERATION FRAG TION: 22/23 Nov
•Women and
Sat 18
for all odes in irish work and those atten
ERENCE CAVES I A D EMISS OF TON
ational centre. Oper
attending the conWOMEN'S LIBERATION hem every week ramore no women's organiser at the cent rhyne builtin all ort for inclusion
IMG women's organiser
Bon a and Scale altage o:
meeded arc Bessary. Contact Penny on 01-359 LAMBETH CUTS CONFERENCE AUCUS: All SC supporters atter Oct, oom. For rend come. Sat 25 national centre on 01-359 8371. Leicester. All RY comrades interested Loation NI 2XP for detailo Box S0, NATIONAL FRAC TION: Sun 30 Nov in the • North Wes
SOLE METINGS: Crise
and Charter '80 meetings
e. Speakers and dates arrangest
16 October 1980 Page 10
By Penny Duggan BUILD the National Smash H-Block Committee campaign. That agreed the Democracy, organisation, held on the 27/28 September.
Speaker after speaker this struggle and noted the vital role PD played in building it as a mass broad-based paign. They have also ensured that the plight women prisoners in Armagh has been taken up
June Republican and women's movements.
32 Counties the economic and DOLLICa CISS IS Itensifying. In the North, British imperialism continues its delicate process of handing over its policing role to the local defence regiments and police, while retaining its overall political control.
In the South, the recent elections saw mass abstention by the work• ing class supporters of Flanna Fail
Creasel the political and economic crisis, North and South, opens up big opportunities drive political campaigns into the labour movement. Imperialism
Sections of the anti-imperialist movement call be won to combining the fight against British imperialism with defence of the rights and living standards of the working class as a whole.
People's Democracy ready to seize every opportunity for this; their conferetice showed they are welt placed to do so.
PD as an organisa-
NO THANKS!
Tory Future - No Thanks ISSUE number 13, 10p. Missiles, Poland, Women's Liberation, NUSS, Asian Youth, and much more!
Rush your orders to: Revolution Youth, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP.
Socialist Challenge News
People's Democracy
in conterence
was the central task conference of People's the Irish revolutionary socialist News from the Fourth International tion is the result of the fusion freople's Democracy and the Movement Socialist Republic (former Irish section of the Fourth International). It may be a small organisation but its influence has been considerable, particularly on the campaigns around the prisoners and conYouth A constant theme of the conference was to build PD as a national political organisation across the 32 Counties. It was also agreed to step up work among young people, who have been hit hardest by the reces sion.
REVOLUTION
OR A UNITED REVOLUTIONARY YOUTH ORGANISATIO
TORY FUTURE -
A Belfast comrade
reported to conference
on the shutdown of the
West Belfast jobs centre
because there are simply
no jobs in an area where
unemployment reaches
ov percent
PD reaffirmed its
commitment to building
revolutionary wilspecial con- Inter-
national. A
ference be held
within a few months
decide on the basis for
applying to become the
HESD section Lne
Fourth International.
Discussion
Greetings
brought the WeLC
ference by the Interna-
tional Marxist Group
and Revolution Youth.
Alain Krivine, presiden-
candidate of the
French section of the
Fourth International, the
LCR, spoke for the FI
urged PD to con-
clude its discussion
rapidly as DossIbie. He
looked forward to
weicoming • all members of PD to the ranks of the
Fourth International.
He SOCIALIST REPUBLIC
10 Years of the New RUC
10 Years of SOCIALIST REPUBLIC novo seers issue just out.
Not the new 10 years Murder, Brutality and Sectarianism
Econom! crisis in the North build workers Unty • Irish women demand the right to choose • Poland Workers'
Victory • Irish CP gets it wrong All this and much more in
Republic newspaper of People's Democracy 12p Orde through your IMG branch
from PO …DOX LondOn NI
Thank you,
Socialist
Challenge -
steelworker
RAY Davies, chairperson of the steelworkers' Llanwern Group, cheered us up this week by sending us a f10 donation and the following note:
Task you to accept this small amount as my way of saving a small thank vor for the way in which unselfishly committed themselves to our struggles on the picket lines earlier this year
"Desnite what others may militancy bubbled to the top because of misery we know.comes from unemployment.
In our fightback to save our
Line ouscenes or lory policy it is socialist Challenge supporters who have given us much help in organis-
Out from under
(the table)!
So You don't want to be
killed by the Bomb? What
VOU make
sure you have plenty of
whitewash
USE us table
lavatory and to
Cawl
HIVE
defence experts is the
person's answer to fallout shelters tanci
chances? Well, there
sometning else you could
do. You could become
part of the : ever-growing
movement ay alist
lucical acals Britain having
any nuclear weapons or
being part of NATO
also
organise solidarity with
the unfolding revolutions
Third
overturow or me remes
Iran, Nicaragua and RALLY AGAINST THE MISSILES!
Thursday 23 October, 7.30pm Speakers:
SAKAI (Revolutionary Communist League, Japan)
DOUG JENNESS (Socialist Workers Party, USA) TARIQ ALI (International Marxist Group) DICK WITHECOMBE (Manchester Against Missiles) Representative of REVOLUTION YOUTH
Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1. Adm. 75p (50p unwaged)
Organised by International Marxist Group, British section of
the Fourth International
Intercontinental Press
DETAILED coverage of the events in the Iran/Iraq war, Poland, and the Caribbean in the latest issue of IP/I. Just 40p. Sub rates are: £5 for 12 weeks, £9 for six months, or £18 for a year.
Orders to: Intercontinental Press, London N1 2XP.
Wing support, in the
democratising
Usable role to
Socialist
Action
the Cruise
Our thanks to Ray
IMG members Bolton SC supporters
J Hammond A Najmi A Oskarsson
say our Liz Cantell
Ealing/Southall IMG desolation and B Ebbatson
mass E Mahood P Bellis com- R Davies P Lindgren Total Total so far:
Grenada has STUCK
berialism Only socialist
Tana s nora, verisi prevent
WOt! Craw under any table. We want . The best way to do that is to come out on to the streets and walls 18 DOU! movement …TO mass actions against nuclear weapon: in solidarit with the national liberation Come along to the In. ternational Marxist Group's rally in London October speakers from rOUrL internationa aroune tnese unemes. we won't give you a load of old whitewash...
combined wit i nprecor
Po Box 50,
publishing of our and the arranging of fightback meetings. All of this did much to boost the morale of the pickets 'The IMG has a great role to play in
trade and no venera It has an indispenplay in influencing the movement as ine vest and only way ic advance socialism for our people.
'May I wish you well in all you do. Challenge in the forefront now of building solidarity with the Gardner's occupation. And next week we have a special eightpage supplement on the fight against
missiles. We need your build these campaigns. and our other contributors this week:
£5.00 2.00 2.50 0.50
3.00 2.50 10.00 5.00 10.00 2.00 £43.50 £144.68
Page 11 scan of this page
Jamaican elections called for 30 October
By Pat Kane JAMAICA's government has set the date for the next general election, made necessary by the destabilisation campaign carried out by the Carter administration and the Central Intelligence Agency.
This has been aimed against the government of Michael Manley, the left-wing leader Jamaica's People's National Party.
Since coming to power in 1973, the party has raised the hopes ot many Jamaicans that their country can break out of the poverty and unemployment so familiar in other Caribbean countries.
1973 election PNP defeated the right-wing
Party, which has since become Manley's Itall Economic sabotage, dividual killings, arson tacks on left-wing papers, and widespread intimidation now common place Jamaica. Reforms
The British and American
don't want Manley to win this election and they are willing to take Chilean-style measures to prevent a PNP victory.
The Jamaican economy has contracted over the past six years under pressure from the International Monetary Fund, which objects to 'democratic the PNP has tried to implement.
After the 73 election, there was a massive growth in the left wing of the PNP. It demanded that the ment act to improve the standard of living of ordinary Jamaicans.
The PNP began to partially nationalise foreign-owned bauxite mining companies, increased the taxation overseas business interests,
unemployment and increased social services and assistalle to small farmers. Even these limited reforms brought disapproval from Washington and London.
Bankers
American business threatened by overseas governments. the CIA is caled in to sort things out. It has been Gula destablisation BLUICEL since Manley was elected.
The CIA's Jamaican station is now the third largest in Latın America. The agency's aim is to undermine the PNP
through vi calle Wallic economic sabotage and terrorist actions.
Recent articles in the US press have disclosed that the
Security Council, headed by Carter, has advised Ivestors to stop "supplying
CIA tries to
topple Manley
of
EL SALVADOR the
inat-
in the
assistance capital'
Manley's government.
In April this year, the IMF demanded massive cu 10,000 which would have caused redundancies local would provide further loans. The PNP refused to carry out these cuts and the economic effects were immediate.
Without credit, obliged to pay for all imports with cash in foreign currency. There are widespread shorLacc of oil and goods. After the split with the Thatcher also stopped credit guarantees for exports to Jamaica.
As in Chile, they will not stop short of a military coup The main sumarter of the IP the right-wing newspaper tie uleuner, wich declared in June:
MIAMI-
JAMAICA
NICARAGUA COSTA RICA
PANAMA
COLOMBIA JAMAICA: poverty stays while IMF leaves
to other countries,
men bening him spending long ago taken. the govern-
menta most Third World In most betore it countries
among others, in forced exile or buried in common graves.'
Jamaica is ing threatened throughout the
Caribbean.
Nicaragua
consulte White House
desperate measures to ensure that Jamaica does not go the
British same way.
As the Dankers abandonea Jamaica the Cuban government steppea up Ils ala.
Jamaican despatched
'In many Jamaica. Cuban aid and the
International:
CARIBBEAN SEA Guadeloupe Dominica Martinique St Lucia St Vincent & o Grenada
VENEZUELA
On Ulises ambassador in
Lemons
that the would against attack.
Cuban nounced, declared
the challenge.'
It is
All the
the
successen da,
successful
overcome sabotage violence.
The Shal ell somebody with a disciplined force of
would have tend public services,
Third our ministers, Manley.
would now be Unlike
government,
American interests are be-
The successful
Grenada and and depravation have forced the 'We
take
providing
international materials.
truly
mutual aid teams of aid sure that
LEEWARD IS
Barbados pro-Cuban stance of the PNP has speeded up the destabiisation programme.
October last year Estrada the Cuban Kingston, attacked the links between the JLP and the CIA and the at-
OveIHOU Manley regime. He explained
cuban covernmen defend Jamaica
It is in the spirit of the revolution, he an'that if war by anyone, the Cuban revolution will accept
Solidarity
still possible for Manley to win the election.
opinion polls show
but the PNP has to mobilise political sunport to countel
destablisation programme. Allende's failure to mobilise in Chile led to the success of the Pinochet coup.
Active solidarity in Britain and the United States, and the aid and support from Cuba
will only the PNP organises working people to
the economic and right-wing
policies of the PNP those ot the Labour Party lefts in Britain If Tony Benn wants to abolish the House of Lords and ex-
nationalisation and he will face the same problems as Michae
the Labour Manley rerused to bow to the IMF, and he has been hounded ever since. All that Britain and America have brought to Jamaica Is misery
to Jamaica,'
Coll said ambassador Estrada, 'to build, to improve the people's health and educational level,
them with basic Our relations are internationalist, and based on mutual respect and
Solidarity is urgent to en-
Jamaica doesn't become another Chile.
Around the World
United States
THE T-shirts bore the slogans 'Pray for War' and 'Happiness is a Confirmed Kill'. The occasion was a recent convention held in Columbia, Montanna, under the auspices of the magazine Soldier of Fortune, which describes itself as 'The Journal of Pro. fessional Adventurers'. which lasted for three days and included lectures on how to 'hit 'em in the pelvic area' as well as prac tical exercises in similar endeavours. Soldiers of Fortune boasts that it is 'anti-communist, military and pro-police'. The willingness of those participating in the convention to demonstrate these aims was evident in the large number of guns being carried around.
event, and one, from Oklahoma Highway Patrol, was quoted as saying: come out and do something like this. I guess now it's OK. With the way things are going, people are starting to think about war again.
grand quote the old outlaw Clyde Barron, Ain't lite
Brazil THE Brazilian city of Cubato was once nicknamed 'the valley of death'. A horrifying set of statistics issued last week shows why. dead at birth. Another 40 perish within a week. And the majority of the survivors are deformed.
tons of carbon monoxide, 182 tons of sulphur dioxide, 41 tons of nitrogen oxide,
Brazilian and foreign-owned factories which surround the boggy slum area in which most of Cubato's workers are condemned to live
or insects, and the rivers are empty of fish. The mayor of Cubato refuses to live there
company operating in the under-developed world:
Foundry work is unavoidably pollúting.. longer accepted by highly unionised workers in the developed countries... more suitable to Third World countries.
United States SECRETARY of Defence Harold Brown has admit-
submarines in an attempt to build support for the proposed MX mobile missile.
public by the argument that unless it is developed, Soviet Union should choose to throw at them. now the Pentagon has been forced to admit that 'a Soviet anti-submarine breakthrough was not likely in this decade.
billion.
Poland THE Polish events seem to be having a snowball effect; or, in this case a football effect.
demanding that footballers and other sports people who were on the factory payroll but did not work should be sacked or should actually do some labour in the factory.
workers at the nitrogen plant in Poland, were among those making these demands. forward with their demands unions, free of state control. wingers, but this is ridiculous.
North Korea KIM Jong ll has been appointed to a committee to Korean Communist Korean watchers say, makes Kim the favourite to succeed the exiting president when he finally shüf. fles off.
By a remarkable coincidence, Jong Il.
An estimated 400 people attended the affair,
pro-
Indeed, a number of police officers attended the
: 'Up 'til now we didn' dare
Forty out of every 1,000 babies born in Cubato are
The cause? Every day Cubato is bombarded by 473
and 31 tons of hydrocarbons
These chemical pollutants are emitted by various
In the 'valley of death' there are no birds, butterflies
Said the director of an Italian-owned multinational
and is no
the iron foundry is an activity ted that senior Pentagon aides have 'exaggerated', that is lied, about the vulnerability of the US Navy's
Previously this missile had been sold to the US
submarines will be sitting ducks for anything the
Bụt
The MX missile is costing the US public $34
First. came the renorts that factory workers were
Women workers in the cotton mills at Lodz and
Al amnow, southern
Now the football coaches and managers have come
for their own trade We've heard of left
draft a report on the central committee of the North
Party. The
that president, Kim Il Sung, just happens to be the father of Kim
Socialist Challenge 16 October 1980 Page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
POLISH LEADERS SEARCH FOR SCAPEGOATS
A reply to our critics
By Martin Meteyard
THE POLISH regime scared. The idea was that the new trade union movement which began
with the August strike wave would start to fizzle out by now. Instead it
is growing stronger by the day.
Estimates of the membership of the new called (Solidarity), go as high as seven million -out of a workforce of only 12m. In plants like the massive Nowa Huta steelworks, something like 90 per cent of the workers have joined up.
And example Recently a peasant union was set up at a meeting in Drewnica. Student meetings in Cracow, Warsaw, Wroclaw have been held to prepare for the launching of an independent union at national level.
'We showed we
know how to start and end a strike.'
The successful one-hour strike on 3 October demanding that the agreement signed by the government at the end of August be fully carried out, showed the growing confidence and discipline of the
Strike leader Lech mented afterwards: know how to start a strike and how to end a strike. That's what we needed to prove.
Further strikes cannot be ruled out. Several points the statutes. submitted to a Warsaw court for ratification on 24 September, have been rejected by the authorities for what Solidarnosc spokesperson Badkowski described as 'political and not legal' reasons.
The objections centre on the absence of any mention of the leading role of the Polish United Workers Party (as the Community Party is called); the fact that a na. tional rather than regional structure is proposed for the unions; and that party officials would be banned from holding posts in the new union.
These are real issues. The problem for the party chiefs is that the leading role in society they claim for themselves is actually being played by
AS press reports daily
suggest further
perialist involvement in
the Middle East war on
the sides of the Iraqis,
Brian Grogan replies in
detail to recent letters
in Socialist Challenge.
Dave Bailey declared
(Letters, Oct) that
Iran/Iraq war 'is a war bet-
ween two bourgeois govern-
ments'. LF Holley (Letters, 9
OCUI agrees: 'socially
Iran and Iraq are at present
essentiany laenuical
One can almost hear the sigh of relief. Now that's out of the way there's no need to take sides. But politics is a bit more complicated than that.
The character of the war can't
be reduced to the class nature of the states involved unless this put overall political context.
If Iraq wins, it will mean bloody terror against the Iranian masses. It will be a major step restabilising perialism in the region, and a discouragement to the masses in the Arab East from taking on imperialism like 'upstart' Iranians,
The victory of Iran on the ober hod we ld be a further
hold perialism. It would undermine the Baathist domination
Socialist Challenge
is running
Solidarnosc
spreading.
Gdansk, and Walesa com'We showed we
new union's
Lech Defence slander
the unions.
imthe
of the Iraqi masses, massively both boost the Kurdish fight, and in general extend the Iranian
revolution to other sectors of the region.
Anyone but the wilfully blind Call immediately
Kurds fight
back FOLLOWING disclosures that the Kurdish guerillas in Iran had ceased hostilities against Tehran in order to fight against the Iragi invaders, Le Monde' has now revealed the actions of the Iraqi Kurds. Taking advantage of Baghdad's invasion of Iran they have launched a new offeasive of their own against the Baathist regime.
16 October 1980 Page 12
Solidarnosc has won that role because it fights for the
The PUWP Moscow during the Second World War after the previous CP had been forcibly liquidated by Stalin in 1938 - has completely lost face.
This was spelt out by a prominent party journalist, Stefan meeting of the Polish Writers' Union on 5 September. Defending the Social Self-
Committee campaign in Bratkowski pointed out:
'The fact is that not we but the KOR defended the workers in 1976. merit and it's too bad we did not do the
The Iraqi invasion of Iran
this. Yet socialists must say on both your houses'
It's no use trying to avoid the problem by promising: If the US or other forces invade see Iran (or Iraq fight because they would only reinforce the present society and strengthen Lullary chauvinism masses (LF Holley, 9 Oct).
What, pray Hussein and Kurds of Iran be set free?
Imperialism is more clear-sighted Jimmy warned King Hussein of Jordan not to get involved in the war as it cond lead King's overthrow. perialism has military capacity Arabia, dred advisers and warned Iran not to attack Saudi Arabia or the other Gulf states or face
International
Fficial propaganda. creation
Bratkowski, at a
(KOR) against a the party press, in the leadership
sought.
That is its what would
we are told that American
'a plague ment.
- SIC) marxists Britsh shipping'. against them, believe hypocrisy,
the hold of reac-
on the the Iranian revolution. will hapen if wins? Will the Arabs The
led by Khomeini Sadr, Carter Iranian revolution. choice between the imperialism US im- poisoning beefed up the meini and to Saudi scil in several nun-
the poisoners religious
same. It wasn't the KOR that directed of-
It wasn't the KOR
that disorganised our economy and got
us so deep in debt that the state
threatened with bankruptcy; that pro-
moted wastrels and criminals.'
More and more of these 'criminals
and wastrels' are coming to light every
day. Each new case of corruption is blam-
ed on the individual. But it is the system
itself - based on secrecy and repression
- which encourages such behaviour.
Reshuffle after reshuffle is occurring as scapegoats something to hide. All are scared stiff of bureaucrat
happen workers'
democracy of the new union movement
military involve-
The US fleet has been massively reinforced since the different conflict began - with Britain providing a carrier 'to protect
Unless you imperialist you must with Socialist Challenge that 'worse' this is an imperialist backed invasion to smash the gains of
Finally, current Iranian regime, and Bani is also a threat to the But in a death at the hands of Iraq and
ly spurious offered by KhoBani Sadr it makes sense to choose the latter. It gives time to organise against invaders equally
war was an bigotry of the mullahs means something
perience.'
pushed back.
Kremlin.
help: 'We don't need their MacDonald (editor
Tues 14 October WOLVERHAMPTON.
With Richard Rozanski.
Wed 15 October
Thur 16 October WOLVERHAMPTON.
Lichfield St, Wolverhampton.
Wed 29 October
7.30pm in Labour are Fri 31 October PLYMOUTH.
Richard Rozanski
perialist millions. quite different from the Islam of the Iranian masses, just as Catholicism means something
Polish the H-Block prisoners than it does to the Catholic hierarchy
It is a tiny bit chauvinist
that Islam than Catholicism that British workers are free from religious prejudices.
historical analogies have to have a passing similarity with each other Bailey's invocation of the at- illuminating Dave Times titude of the Bolsheviks under Lenin to the German invasion of Russia in mid 1917 is total- try!
Lenin called on the masses to fight to fight both the Provisional government and the German oppose
because the inter-imperialist war. Russia was still an imperialist country with an im-
were applied to society as a whole.
'We don't need
their money so
much as printing
presses, and their advice and ex-
Yet that is what is posed. The movement has to go forward if it is not to be
And the strike leaders themselves recognise that to do this they behind them as a counterweight to the the international working class
Walesa said last week about such
money so much as printing presses and their advice and experience/ British workers should not remain silent in the face of such ap
Forums on Poland SOCIALIST Challenge forums on Poland featuring Steve Griffiths and Richard Rozanski (recently returned from Poland) and Oliver
of Labour Focus on Eastern Europe).
Polytechnic 1pm.
BRENT. Tessa van Gelderen (IMG) debates 7.50pm Anson Hail, Anson d, capacity. personal
Posada pub Richard Rozanski and Oliver MacDonald. 7.30pm with
YORK. Ipm University Soc Soc meeting anc
and Co-op rooms, Micklegate. Both with Richard Rozanski
Polytechnic meeting with
Empire enslaving
aims of the bourgeois government instaled in the February revolution were still imperialist and tied the allies. They still called for annexations and indemnities The left reemerges IN Iran itself contradictions are opening up for the Khomeini The fedayeen guerillas and left-wing organisations, recently driven underground by the clergy, have now publicly resurfaced.
They have their own offices and arsenals and are participating in the struggle against the Iraq cording to the 'Sunday (12 October). to subjugate further millions.
Iran is a semi-colonial counWe recommend socialists alongside the Kho meini and Bani Sadr regime to the Iraqi invasion that is the best position from which to fight for the interests of the masses throughout the Middle East.
Page 13 scan of this page
Time for the French connection?
Challenge?
you've got a subscription?
Menzies for a copy, journey they don't
By Colin Robinson
The reason for this glaring gap among the soft porn
the skateboarding mags on the shelves paper shop can be summed up
a single word: 'distribution'. And as The Other Secret Service (Minority Press Group, 60p) shows, 'distribution' can be a very dirty word indeed.
The market for wholesaling magazines and newspapers to local shops is heavily monopolised by three major companies. Smith, Men-
Dawson control 57 per cent of daily paper sales and 69 per cent ot weekly and magazine sales. Menzies alone hold a staggering 93 per cent OTI magazine wholesaling market in Scotland.
The managements of these three firms, accountable only
their shareholders, wield absolute power in deciding what will and won't appear in some Britain's 39,000 newsagents.
Predictably this power is used to prevent the widespread distribution publications that are critical of an economic and political system in which Smenzies do very nicely thank you.
course, une above Is never given as the reason for refusing pantone such
By Mike Simpson
WATCHING the BBC's
Rock Week you
well have wondered
what all the fuss was
about. ( Where was the
anger, the energy, the
havoc? What happened
to all that unbridled sex-
uality, what of
drugs, the deaths,
riots? And, dare one
ask, the FUN?
Rock Week displayed
all the onginalty.
and freshness of 'Sale of
the Centurv'.
Saturday kicked
with couple of
movies, followed In
evening by 'Heroes
Rock 'n' Roll.
in nostalgia picked for its
nioh siah content. But. er
weren't there just a
heroines of rock 'n'
too?
Boring
Sure, Janis Joplin
the obligatory mention,
but it seems that Grace
Slick, Diana Ross,
Midler, Patti Smith,
bie Harry, etc, etc, weren't
in rock history. Well, there
was Joni Mitchell on the
Monday; music for prun-
ing the privet hedge to.
Sunday gave us,
prise, surprise, , some more
old films, chief of which
was American Graffiti.
Strictly Snore City, maan; I
mean like BORING
you, I must admit that my
HOW did you get hold of this copy of Socialist Are you a regular seller supplied direct from the office? Did you buy it in your factory or when you were out shopping in the market? Perhaps
However you bought the paper, one thing is certain: you didn't pop round to your local WH Smith or or if you did it was a wasted
sell In fact Challenge isn't sold in any newagents unless supporters take the paper round there themselves.
papers - that would be admilling censorsnip it? No, more subtle justifications alic Calcu for: your circulation is too small' youl libellous'.
Libel aside the ularity of the first of these LOVILL explanations, neither stands distributes many scrutiny. wim circulanons wereow that of Socialist
one of the 3,000 copies of this month's Dental Technician a any Smith's branch you cared to walk into. culation 100,000 +) and Gay News (26,000) are excluded by the both Smith and Menzies.
The convenient libel exists because Stales that distributors, well as publishers, can be prosecuted tor detamation. the excuse is applied selectively.
For example, Private Eye had eight libel cases outstanding against it in 1972 Times, whose distribution has never been in doubt, had.16.
National dailies
massive cases over their heads, but they're there always newsagents' counters.
The past few years have seen a massive explosion in
may
own teenage years were even more boring, alternating between shop (it had a GREAT jukebox) and bus-station
the luke-box but lots of dark
corners).
the
Poseur Graffiti is an invitation to worship at the feet of the almighty Dollar, the deity enables snotty little rich-
off kids to zoom around
old TucKIng great
the which cost
of wages.
Tuesday saw Kate Bush and The Kinks doing their stuff. The former showed a
few surprising versatility,
roll apparent in her whimsical
singles. If that lousy band she might yet be one of the more teresting performers of the
got '80s.
The Kinks may been interesting Bette '60s, but they Deb- boring in the
like Bos A predictabile sen the "80s. from •a very
The Cream.
sur- brought to you courtesy of
trepreneur Tony grimaced aulot and mainly featured Ginger Mind looking wrecked (real hip,
huh?) and Eric
Have You Got
A Copy of...
Socialist
wollell
Hlay be
cir-
Smith
magazines
Challenge. you could buy
Private Eye (cir-
Jpeg of the law
Lne number alternative Press nearly 100, ranging from Red Cabbage (towards a politics The of radical through to Labour and they admit that this is by
often have no means comprehensive.
Changing 1 ne perienced by group in trying to get a wider audience for their press has opened up a auscussion alternatives
Where was the FUN?
playing guitar Very Fast In. spent deed. chipnewsreels. (no XTC pottered about in studios, and vastly gramme, more ice a n
Alive' documentary anything to do with rock Yankee music. which What it though, is that it's mugs in like you and hot-rods enable millionaire two years like Virgin
Branson with whenever he feels like a little fishing. Does this make
time-ta ping maybe
only she'd fire but it's certainly a sensible
one. Reactionary have Disorder ave in the Morrison. were plenty been Elvis 70s and look Bruce excruciating in then they're liable to get a
bit angry, predictable
ungrateful the media and
XTC and
Cream. also blow wimps like Van Morrison en- off the stage Palmer, greatest of ease.
Rainbow, Baker night, were thrown in as a sop Clapton metal 'revival.
Under Review
of radical and
publications. The
Group points distribution gardening!)
Weekly, The impetus for
tioning by frustrations ex-
this swelling
Qn identified the highly are Wow! In the same tionary,
Successlul
happily The Manor gave us Police, disappointing
deserve not their
usually did show, the
me that skunks perfection. boss Richard to stock his lake taking in
Kong,
imported trout
was seen Stewart revolu- exercise perialism. not,
us Van could nave Shame Costello or Springsteen but
occurs
and say nasty.
things about the record They could TAuS self-pitying
with the Well,
on the same change
to the current heavy-
Rainbow the BBC, though
WHSMENZIES WHOLESALE LTD
di e
restrictive private monopoly role. which exists at the moment.
As The Other Secret Service
the French system is an in- of terestingly different example.
change in The France came from the requisi-
the Nazis of the maior French wholesaler, during the Second World War. After the Liberation, Hachette was too closely
with the fascist invasion to be left in its former wholesalers,
over-amplified, reac banal and hugely
Perfection
Friday's offering, are one band that truly
their success it enormous paypackets). Sting's lyrics are
sharp and witty, white-reggae rhythms of the band are by
polished „LO Hed Their famed world tour, Japan, Hong India anc Egypt by manager Copeland as an in cunturalim His theory that if those funny foreign folks identify with Western
music then they will come to accept that capitalism is a superior way of life.
For riots
This strategy could, it to me, be easily
undermined by the Soviet
Union flooding the market
with cheap blank cassetes,
demonstrating the
superiority of sheer oppor-
recular never really
expected Rock 'n' Roll to
the world. It's a books.
crying shame that it hasn't
managed to change
try.
NO! (as
new company Nouvelles Messageries de l Presse (NMPP), was set up or the principle, dictated by law
'unrestricted distribution of the printed word'
same law made it compulsory lot newagcils le take any publication (except those inciting violence) and display it. NMPP was to have
complete monopoly of distribution and was
not by commercial but by the ALIC Rock Week on BBC2 - no fun, drugs, death
Dying to
write?
In future issues Under
Regular ill be a nina
viewing and another on
published
recerity
Under Review
welcomes contributions
from Socialist Chällenge
publishers themselves, organised operates depending on sie- into and type of publication.
As the company has developed over the years, radical • pubishers have con gregated in one co-operative thereb increasing weight collectively distribution by NMPP is on a
DaSIS (rarely used in Britain) and though ouousners nave to bay aley on the handling of this means that, if they can af ford it, they can appear on every news-stand in the coun
Indeed, the number and variety of magazines on sale in France is far one-ogreater than here. Minority Press Group survey discovered 850 publications on sale in the kiosks of the Boulevard St Michel alone!
This much freer distribution has undoubtedly helped
establishment of healthy left thy able predates are four circulations ranging from 40,000 to 150,000 and Le satnacal paper, sells 5000000 Canard Enchaine, copies. Discriminates
The French distribution system is by no means perfect. Its operations are carried out
opposed to being con trolled) by commercial firms who can bring undemocratic pressures to bear. The sale-orreturn system, with the massive print runs and returns' levies involves discriminates against smaller publications Socialist Challenge's sister paper Rouge found this out the hard way when it went daily.
But if a system based on
troduced then those who spend all of Saturday looking for a copy of Socialist Challenge and THOSE who spend all Saturday selling it, would both have easier lives. readers So if there's sorterrin you would like to write about, or if you have Under Review, drop us a line!
10 kick off our new columns, Mike Simpson
personal look at BBC's Rock Week, and Colin Robinson reviews the Minority Press Group's report on the newspaper distribution business.
Socialist Challenge 16 October 1980 Page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
NAMIBIA - HOW WE CAN HELP
Anthony
Whiteside
IT IS with deop regret
that comrades learned
of the death of An.
thony Whiteside
sunday 5 October.
Anthony was well
known in the nemel
Hempstead and North
West
orooc.
recently he was in
Wales as a full-time
student on WEA
at Coleg
African People's Organisation
support for the struggle in Namibia.
ERICA FLEGG interviewed him
JOHN ya Otto is presently
living in exile in Angola,
having been hounded out
of Namibia by the South
African authorities in their
attempts to repress the ex-
panding. militant
trade VINON movement
there.
When he came to Paris for
the international
in solidarity with the struggle Cul Cicuce
of the people of Namibia in
September, ya Otto made use
opportunity .to
trade unions in several Euro-
pean countries to rally sup-
It sis expotences wilh
about capcricuces
trades unionists in Sweden,
Finland, and Holland.
has had long standing relationship LOTCO in Sweden, which has given financial as well as moral support.
"The trade unions in Scandinavia alc a source wnicn most liberation movements in
dvdà àve denen. ted from, ya Otto observed. 'When I go there, it is not so much to campaign, Icicw clas.
Seminar
He told me that LOTCO has up machinery monitor events in Namibia SAK in Finland has financed a seminar for 23 trade union officials and students. they
helped to for Otto's trip to attend the Paris conference.
In Britain, the picture is different. Ya Otto said that this was the first time that he had spoken with Britsh trades unionists, who generally knew little or nothing about Namibia. Securing support from the British trade unions, however, was the major objective of his European tour.
'Such support is particularly important to us, Otto explained, 'giyen the UK's large economic interests in Namibia. These include banking, construction, other interests, but above all
the exploitation
Journalists' leaders aim
to block right of reply
A BLOW-up looks set to rock the journalists' union over wnetner iTs members can take industrial C HOR over editorial issues, including action secure the right of
Socialist Challenge
Harlech where
died.
He was longstanding member and later a sympathiser of the International Marxist Group He will remembered for his vigorous and generous nature and for the enthusiasm which he conducted his struggle TOT socialist principles and ideas.
He will be sadly missea in the labour and student WOvement.
JOHN YA OTTO, labour secretary of the South West
and chief person abroad for the National Union of Namibian Workers, was recently in Britain to seek trade union black Black
union
leader
visit appeals
to British
WHEN
unions
The
with
banum. This involves not only Rio Tinto Zinc but the British government itself Know, Lord Carrington was a Otto paused. to director of RTZ,
with grim smile underlined the point.
When I spoke to him, ya Otto was due to National Union of Seamen (NUS), the Transport to General Workers Union, and
Natonal Union Mineworkers. Recently NUS played a major role in the attempt workers France and Britain to stop the import of Namibian uranium. Ya Otto told me that the NUS had ratified the United Nations CCe nO bans the extraction and export of Namibia'a resources. 'We were very encouraged by this decision of the NUS, ya Otto said. 'If other unions were also to give such support, I would return a happy hilall Ya Otto also expressed the
hope that a fact-finding misBritish unionists could be sent, so as to improve contacts between workers in Namibia and the UK and also to improve the
those attacked by the
media to answer back.
The NUJ put foward the
motion on the media Tarc iid
unanimously at : the
September. Among the pro.
susass was alcauest lo une
General COnILI Nex-
amine ways... to ensure the
16 October 1980 Page 14
he
Tandy
dispute -
three more
be
pickets ar-
rested By Pia Feig THREE supporters of striking Tandy warehouse workers were arrested level of spokes- Namibia in the British labour
movement. planned to propose this to the NUM. There of miners in Namibia, living and working lilalcla and tions.
Donor
experience was from the the Confederation of Free Trade Unions, to which the attilated and to which it is also a major financial donor.
Ya Otto gave another his wry smiles. used to give us some financial support, SLODDCO. solidarity is that? We are the only OrLan lor fights to terests of Namibian workess, and it is our members who are being tortured and imprisoned there I told
campaign to and the cha
campaign laboration between and the Foreign for international gramme which is accountable you the membership TUC. He expressed he added
DUDUUIL. that
Friends
see the
'We attach and significance to solidarity from the labour movement, of ya Otto said. 'We believe that the there are progressive forces in imperialist countries will support VUl recognition NUNW is very important, ' he went on, other unions from the DTA
which (Democratic
Alliance, mineral collaborators
Namibia) will come and seek DuDDUlL aoroao workers should real friends in Namibia.?
Apart from the forms of solidarity already port for to rade io port schools which
trades established in Angola
Zambia. There Namibian refugees CONILECS. anla structors have been holding
right of reply for victims of
For distortion in the press'
proposing the tion, Aidan
wiule ferered to the possible need to take direct action to obtain this right. This greatly vexed the
Beckett President,
Frances MICHEO!
Luc riccu ouicel earorc
Beckett has subsequently gone to such lengíhs discredit White's that seven senior members sucaril
News
Wolverhampton last Saturday. part. of which fectively closed one of Tan and despite com- luc police wer Dalirs from about their neav testis te they made three rests Express Star cavel e been three DULlasi suvoorters Have charged with obstruction. he thirty Tandy strikers, mainly women and young WUEACIN ale
in members of the Transport awareness
He said that he
are thousands
appalling
safety condi-
I asked ya Otto what his
support
International
of
"The ICFTU
now that has What kind of
which represent the in-
ya Otto about the
eng
the TUC
Office, and
pro-
of the his full
great
John
which
suuggic...
of the
'because tomorrow
Turnhalle South Africa's in-
in SWAPO's labour
Britain Namibia, know their
ticularly important.' courses tor workers.
mentioned, We have
Su uCLUrs, trade union facilities. We
are being materials
and duplicating are 50,000 blackboards.
both qualified in
and labour issues.
of the union have signed a Hall vare saranen In the CUrTeN „ Issue of the NUJ the lourRa! anasi a itsed that president his high office
union executive endorsed by 100 I weekend the 15 votes to 8 Beckett's inter. pretation of union policie:
He argues that the NUJ ha norkers taking strike antion media over ethical issues.
This inspite of an
General Workers Union. The central Tandy warehouse ino leedampton Wednesbury li cal dispatches goods to Tandy
Hi-Fi shops all around the country When ise ne refused recognise Union , in May of this year T&G members SILIKC - and were promptly sackeo. put
Strike
picketing the Wednesbury They been 'Given the UK's large economic interests in
support from British unions is par-
bulding
Namibian in-
but we lack
need school
books, pens,
machines,
we nave trade union libraries, but we need literature on trade unionism
We need
aoreenent berween the NiI and the print union NGA or
chich
clause of that the the ulul lavsulsc members to witnnola labou.
cience employers are providing a platform fos racist propaganda.
h umde on mne canser in the NUJ's code of conduct lay down the respon. . sibilities of journalists in
warehouse for the last 20 weeks Although they have Suae 0i Tin f sunkers cecee ast weet t •_continue the fight recognition ind to st einstate step r then the Support TOl Midiands WCs Läst supDorTer! . of the strike began Tandy shops Wolverhamptor Dudley. Shoppers were urg ed 1 LUT ou os anc most didn't salurday sarrests only part of the police harassment of the strikers in they where
Led
and
stated
the
1971/2 secretary, John ya Otto: being
materials for wallt Los ols.. vedakener prefabricated so that we can uslanli uen derke mer home to Namibia one day.
I asked ya Otto what he for us thought about the possibility of twinning British and Nami- the bian trade union branches in
over which in one dustral action could well bi ucacssary l unc coces lo D uonele ATLeT medi:
or he asour hariy on
and the : trashing Party istete SUDDO for action edițorial content will ference next March.
*Press freodom W9.
this dispute. •AI a recent mass picket outside the cen were mi this fined
determined; picketing of the Lalt SunIKeN Contal warehouse is being Metntained. and port growing, it is hoped io with
shops (hidahs. West IVIone essential to keep the strike Alon and ns pay fines should Madinsbury, Park Stree Jallc Midlands.
the same sectors of industry
Yes - direct links — we real
ly want this kind of thing, ' h
replled WILl enthusiasm.
We'c also like Namibian
workers to be invited to study
trade union leadership
courses in different industrial
sectors.
'We have workers who've
studied in different countries
with different systems
all their ideas 2100
together to draw
Bupa cul-
riculum for the schools.
Front
relationship petwee! the
represents alliance of different forces
Zimbahwe . example,
, and trade unions are
labour legisla"The autonomous organisation
is indepenya Otto He that
ment and system
youth in Namibia the
Yoke
'SWAPO and the NUNW are very close now, ya Otto observed, 'since they both represent the people of Namibia - workers OvDesel
the most Dur-ing the struggle to rid the UDICSSCU country of the colonial yoke
will maintain very.close TerTONS but at the time of Independence, NUNW will
retain its independence. The NUNW will then want to see workers participating in the government of their affairs.
The most immediate task
iș to build solidarity with Namibian workers and
NUNW, here the labour movement in Britain.
OT TnG themes of a one-day open confe for the the NUJ
London on Sat 1 Nov.
issues discussed are: print ty, job security, the clos
shop,
technology
ahnaonner w te re . Details from
MccGwrire, Castellain Rd London
Page 15 scan of this page
CORMAL O
Socialist teachers
gear up for the
cuts
By Ken Jones THIS winter the cuts in education will really start to bite. face the threat of massive job loss.
The executive of the Na. tional of Teachers lakes me view unal only ene most extreme attacks
Rail —
the big
hive-off
begins
By Pete Grant, ASLEF Willesden branch THE British Railways Board announced last Thursday their intention
close down the collection and distribution section of their parcels operation.
The shutdown will mean the immediate loss of 6,000 jobs, mainly of road carrier drivers and parcel depot sorters. Another 2,000 jobs Will be lost in National Car-
COC cupation.
CallIc the Board SHOELY • had Southern Region
in services
pulling of parcels
carrying,
private ser-
AISL pensation to
and
organise force the ¡caucisino against job
for TOSSCS,
and 35-hour with loss of should be
SMILING MICHAELS THA
INCREASES MUST BI SINGLE FIGURES!
Teachers all over the country
education should be
esisted. It has discusser
Dul Icicascu IC H
gudennes tor achion
Racist Cover-up in
Nottingham
By Roy Kirk NOTTINGHAM's community has been hit by an explosion of violence.
*JUly -Front supporters on
Broxtowe. He is with a fractured arm and leg.
deliberate atKAUCUSE tempt to run down a young black girl in Hyaon Green:
*September two tempts down
the city Hyson Green. Black youngster deliberately run down and in a coma for three weeks.
* September receiving threats and painted with NF slogans, black church in the Meadows IS burnt down.
The most important dent occurred on 13 August when five young whites cruis-
around the Hyson area where many families live. series assaults took place ieaving an elderly man with a fractured
As news of the spread, black youths gathered outside a pub. The racists were recognised in a passing car and a brick was thrown. The white youths complained to Squatters occupy
against sale of flats
By Piers Corbyn HOMELESS people struck a blow against Tory plans to sell off council housing in a mass squat against the cuts on 3 Octover, the day the new law
Kilner House the Oval in South London
a block of 60 modernised
GLU fats sale
for 130 people now living In DOCK Sale
June marks the beginning of a series
waist me ones nou
ng policy
mine House first block movemised the GLC inter-
wet to ser Hoes ouravo years 800 were nromised that they could return after modernisation.
was broken, so the Saditters Union reserved places fol
number of local families
SAY THAT I QUITE AGREE WITH HIM! wants make the
massue me real arousi
redundancies, while playing
the jobs will be
through redeployment
Carly wastage. The NUT
natural wastage
favour schemes
which shed jobs while
avoiding redundancy.
Second, the executive in-
alcates tnal ornicial backing
for strikes will be restricted
the Teachers in the
WUIDL CUl
clues will LOId
thankful that their acts are
not as bad as in the rural black
racist
Over the a young days,
atblacks,
formal laid. On 15 arrested, Mr
after Hyson Green being
inci-
to Lincoln jail!
Green regarded this as black and
of intérnal of follow. charged
attacks
thick with offering
the
have joined the squat.
those su the Lon
ne action
don Tenants Organisa
Lambet/
Council, UCATT building
workers, otuart mowarre
MP, and 180
leader of Lambeth coun-
STILL AVAILABLE:
the badge that
shows
where you stand
on Thatcher's
warmongering
20p plus 10p p&p.
All orders must be pre-paid to Hackney Socialist
Education Group, c/o PO Box 50, London N1
2XP.
Home News
zori OK NIN MICHAE INCOME this AGM teachers Alliance 1O01 blace last For building ad apportion
sidinar position
to the
Many with dissatisfied ex-
- its refusal eculve s polly to cal naona acon. evasion of links with other trade unions
exists to such "for broad opposition Douces DaSCU demands for public sector solidarity and for national blacks! In the
SPU eight
made. In
had been
went to to Initially
radio demonstration
officers
slightly ex- with the
inquiry
may
silence.
November police with any should press
The squatters are call ing on Lambeth council from kee old in orde block stop it vanshing into the private secto asking people them physical resistance to any tion.
The
on triday 1 Oct whewell demonstration and festival will take and place on festival Oct at 2pm Lane
House, layton Street, Information, tel 01-701 5691.
I won't die for Whatcher STOP CRUISE
MISSILES
CENT achon. The STA voted to make this issue its priority
over the next year
The STA also • voted
be continuing its campaigi relation not ank especially relation to File
It decided to seek L action with teachers Party organisa
tic labour
_SEA and to win suboot or me novemoe conference against the cuts.
The meeting voted
continue the efforts
to develop a socialist politics ot education. which is now more important unan ever as
an alternative to the Tories'
ideological attacks.
FIGHT PAC
Casiolat
CM
One local reported police
complies attempted
young aims break this
the Guildhall
be c/o Centre,
threatened
By Dave Rimmer CHRIS PRYCE, London borough of Islington's housing committee and incredibly a member board of SHELTER, the housing charity - is threatening to evict hundreds of 'short-life occupants in the Islington area. The reason? Their refusal to pay a £3 a week council levy.
The short-life Isington Housing explain: 'We take to repair can't use them itsell
We every six months or
f4.50
Pum home So in the hill
. So why the hel should we pay the levy too?
slingion's housing is sae out lvoical tale 9,000 nouses. over at or them publicly owned are beins
while 12,00i
Families wort fore housing
HouSIll crouds alreacy nouse 1.uw
and 150 children.
Horrible!
THE Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussaud's
almost complete Lora Carrington oreign wealthy
get week tor the unval this time in cox. his counterpart,
Carrington, who
much of Buckjoins ofmenamom. figies Kenn Josepn Thei tourists can frighten their children with a glimpse of Tory Britain.
needs to update some of the Baratus that's on display. and block together with the
are lanied one-at-a-time decapita. tions.
This is hardly in keep
with 904 ot ment's
by thousand
spattered with our blood would
cherland. Bolton rallies
against
the
missiles
By Pete Middleton ONE hundred and fifty people the first meeting of Bolton
Missiles held on 9 October.
was an dressed by Frank Allaun MP and a local priest, the Rev thy.
enoun The red aggressors im-
•ritain ster TowaroS unilateral
future
cancel un Cruise
and stress
out.
in the audience
pro
campaict
campaigns
using
Labour chairperson of the
of the
Manv of these would not otherwise be housed by the council
Moreover housing provides council with £50,000 in rates
receive if thi houses were left empty
gain can yar hat hundreds
would ins
outlet woe done.
Islington community housing have called demonstration against the council's action. HOSCINUIC Madra: raci N7. Som. Sat 16 Oct. March to picket town hall, 6-8pm, followed by benefit social
Socialist Challenge
And now for that bastion of male
power, the
Labour Party By Jude Arkwright 'THERE has to be a hard struggle against male privilege inside the party in order that we can strengthen it for the fight against male privilege in socie. ty as a whole.'
These were the openins remarks by Frances Morre
• Campaign for Labour Party Democracy's con within the party last
THat orivuede s norinsignificant when you consider that a mere 19 MPs out
Fifty-five Labour MP: all men voted for Corrie's anti-abortion Bill, assuming it their right to decide on women's lives and flout the decisions of the Labour Party converence
At this year's conference women's rights were
the first time in ages, and had 15 minutes on Demands
Some 60 women from
Is the country attended
the CLPD conference t debate a consultative docu ment presentea by me cam paign's women's committee. Among the points raised was
Women should make up on shortlists as paranoritary • Canaluatoo. inis is presently tne case li Norway.
Women in Action sup-
rs and others argued that the consultative ment put forward tended to concentrate on getting women into tae nionel echelons of the party, rather than emphasising the need to organise women at
party to fight for their own demands
Split
Ann Pettifor, a shop steward in the Transport union, and berry beaumont of Holborn and St Pancras North CLP, put forward amendmer to the con sultative document on the
women into the unions otherwise the fight within the party would never suc
i nis Issue spilt tne con ference. Eventually the
were carried
amendments from Women ir Action supporters which stressed the need to strengthen the bour ears sec
of the Labour Party them a campaigning orientation and linking then to organisations outside the party over common objectives.
Commit
Civil Liber-
Terence on wet costv: discrimination in all areas of women's lives would mean: an end to segregation, for non-discriminatory lay•TiS. or bosuve measures
legislation on abortion to
determine their own li
Denny Fitzpatrick, a Women in Action supporte
the next Labour government to
Vomen in Action su Women's ported ov
several proposals for action
La woman's right to but these were not
16 October 1980 Page 15
Page 16 scan of this page
'THE BITTER CLIMAX OF
political recognition
'We refute most strong
ly the tag of criminal with
which the British have at-
tempted to label us and our
struggle, and we point to
the divisive, partitoniet
institutions of the Six Coun
ties as the sole
aspect of the présent strug9% All of us were arrested
under repressive laws, inter-
rogated and often tortured
in RC barracks.: and pro-
cessed through special non-jury courts where we were
sentenced to lengthy terms
of imprisonment.
•After this, men were put in the H-Blocks and were expected to bow the khee before the British ministration and wear their criminal uniform. Attempts to criminalise designed to depoliticise the Irish national struggle.
We don't have to recite again the widespread,
total forms punishment, degration and
we have been subjected to. All have failed to break our resistance.
'For the past four years we have brutality in deplorable conditions have stripped naked and robbed of our individuality, yet we retused to be broken. ther repression only serves
strengthen resolve and that of our female comrades enduring the hardships in Armagh Jail.
'During this period many
religious figures, political: organisations and SOREON media have condemned the way in which we have been treated.
'Yet despite appeals for a resolution от tne H-Block protest, the British government has remained intransigent and displayed vindic-
arrogance dealing with the problem. It refused
treat this realistic which
Published by Cardinal Ent
tread by Easi
Socialist
Challenge
'WE, the Republican Prisoners of War in H-Block, Long Kesh, demand as of right
and that we accorded the status of political prisoners. We claim this right as captured combatents in the continuing struggle for national liberation and self-determination.
criminal. ad-
were
of been
Furjust another reflection of its attitude to question. same 'Bearing in serious implications of our final step, not only for us but tor Our make it clear channel has now haused and - not ta break faith from whom we herited our principlas nov commit ourselves to a hunger strike. 'We call: on people to lend us their support for our just demands and we are confident this will be the evidence days.
We call on all soldirity is and support grosips to inten
P.O. Box 50. London N1
be sify their the entire Trish mind the our exiled
America, throughout the world. we wish to that every
been: ex:
wishing 27 October with those
have in-
and 5 will commence.
Our resistance the Irish through four
that ter climax
much necessary.
coming Signed:
H-Block Blanketmen, Long Kesh Camp. 10 October
efforts, and we also look forward with full
countrymen Australia and
We declare that political status is ours of right and we declare that from Monday
1980 hunger 'striko by a number of men representing H-Blocks 3, 4,
widely recognised has carried years of immense suffering, and it shall carry us through to the bit-
death if
DEATH'
CIARAN NUGENT — the first prisoner to go on the blanket in 1976. released after serving his full sentence.
Picket: Downing Street, 18 October, noon.
Demonstrate: For British Withdrawal from Ireland, 15 November, London. Demonstrate: with the hunger strikers, 7 December, London.
Right-wing MPs move to block Labour left
He has recently been
Solidarity
AS WE go to press,
Labour leader Jim
Callaghan is about
to declare whether
he stays on
Labour leader.
Despite appear-
Callaghan
does not have the
interests of the
labour movement at
heart.
Instead he has aimed
introducing a right-wing
figure like Denis Healey 10g to sabotages the
sabotage
tremendous victory won
by the left at the Labour
Parti conference this
month. Flout
Since then the right
wing has put the heat on
Callaghan to openly
flout the decisions of the
conference by planting a
winger In the leadeasid Owen has gone further and demanded that the next leader of the Labour Party should be elected by MPs alone, ignoring the conference decision extend the vote on the leader to the trade unions and the par.ity rank ana lie. This is what democracy means for the Gang of Three
These manoeuvres by the parliamentary clique could be crushed if trade union leaders such
Evans and David Bassnet were to exert the tenan eas strength of the unions inside the par-
.compel the Labour leadership to
most democratic form of elec LOE currently proposed - the party conference.
Worried
But they won't. Like Callaghan they are worried by the consequences of workers democracy in the party and the effects in their own unions.
Trade union militants can demand that there be a democratic decision in their own union on the method of electing the Labour Party leader.
Likewise the pro-
Labour Party Democracy for MPs to discuss with their parties
one Labour members should be proposing resolutions that the conference should be able to decide the leader — not Jim Callaghan. It's not just the Poles who need democracy - page 4
← Socialist Challenge No. 167, 9 October 1980Socialist Challenge No. 169, 23 October 1980 →