Socialist Challenge No. 93, 16 April 1979

Socialist Challenge · 16 April 1979 · 16 pages, 18,282 words read by machine

The scan: sc-n93-apr-16-1979.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.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Page 1 scan of this page

Socialist Challenge SOUTHALL 23 APRIL: BLAIR PEACH WAS MURDERED

All-out Saturday, 28 Apr, 2pm, Dominion car park, The Green, Southall Sunday, 29 Apr, 1pm, Shoreditch Park, New North Rd, Hoxton, E. London

By Tarig All. parlamentary

Tasiv tor Socist & nity in Egling Southall

THEY STRUCK as he was NETWAE BU HATEIEE OLMOER lon. The pelice cornered him

him ro dawn, lede malen they would never see him alive

gain. Blair Prach law prat tier erie orie. fargotten shant Suu kele emerytking Honday

died PUTTH the memory of Hiair Pasch Had bor he wes murdered MEI remain.

Bat was a cacHer 10 5Hs

ALIT SER IC SOSE SRIN Фе.деислсть, u smrong sapporter of the Anti Nadi Les

CaN LOO. ne bal iled around the

списки; гни snields were в evidener throeghout.

Patrol Group

ninaB Mas menin like am old Imperiallst colony iad been

rarty were nowhere to be seen We were in the People's Rights Centre when the charged the building.

Right. With many ethers I wus DUETU MID KILH BOMO T0 stairs, frat

LULCE OD wt ibrough a gientlet

OM-ANiOnE DIT. "U hasdarde", "niggers', 'er's kick their heads in'

HAE CES

on Aslaas and West cartieg them off in

throughnud KOTTE

We remember

more bise uniforms

and everybody ir

still live in Southall.

Sowthall rolecied by 5,000 WETE thelf TAL WA

POLICE

Al Zam they released us From Rochester Road, Only them did

InS UHEr. saffered mere, mach mone.

June 1976 when Gurdip Singh

maracIeu KUMIN TOI HOT SIZA3IR aguin, bat this sisse the victäm is

SHr uOS Hi Bogna had wunted to march for ib

Caserar wh

HEA TnaC HE MOsuLinu racist hondlums were meeting

All Chese members of the public" were brought by cosch

and who live in the aren were

WENTOE, SRI IR ShEN Taren call that "defending demue-

Blair Pesch was a white

Sumieer Turei

is the wity of black and white

In the days po come Southall

own tribule le Hialr. For the moment #l & MELEROEL IO TEOCE INSE WE HIE

Indiidased by the

lice, we will costinue to fight

No. 93 26 April 1979 15p TOPInS raci don kimN will teat with contempt politiciaas who condemn ou

of criticism of the police killere.

Bet next time we will be non disciplimed,

We do not wand more deale

BORCUCAI COCM IS CarDUEn TEH InsT olbi on dica sai anti-racists sad through an leon self-diecipllne.

That wall be the best iriui.

Biair Peach. amother day.

Page 2 scan of this page

The day they turned

JERE'S A PROMISE. WE'LL FIGHT FOR A SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE AND KEEP YOU

EDITORIAL

8180/9. Distribution/advertising 01-359 8371.

A vision of the strong state

were washed away in blood last Monday in Southall. Police Federation, the supposed police "trude union',

adverts in most national dailies calling for harsher penalties. warnings they are.

erminiscent of Hitler'.

contributed some unhelpful remarks comparing the NF to the IRA.

they feel is due to's conquered peopie.

not everyone has their

rights under the Representation of the People Act. At Leicester on Saturday and again in Southall that Act was used not to defend democracy but as a cover to viciously attack the democratie rights of the black communities. And how could Sociallst Unity's

entire constituency was occupied?

order-hungry government which is carrying out these attacks. If the Labour government is attacking, it is the labour movement which needs to respond -communities and against the National Front.

the trade unions and working class political orgunisations workers' inquiry, not a state-sponsored "public inquiry'. But we seed not wait for the results of such an inquiry to say that there needs to be an immediate campaign for all charges against anti-fascists arrested at Southall to be dropped and for London police chief McNee to be sacked.

events as Whitelaw has alleged, Socialist Unity played a major part in the demonstration and is standing the only candidate who challenges the right-wing policies of Labour and Tories on racism and law and order. And that goes for every bociulist Unity campaize.

An urgent appeal from

the Editorial Board

THERE'S a question mark ovet Ihe future of Socialist Challenge and it's getting

Last quarter we failed to make our fund drive targer of £2,500.

These larkets are not a luxury. but aim to make up the loss built into our tinances.

do. depend on advertising but on our readers' nancis Sup Recently that support has dropped to almost notbing.

So far this quarter we have received £271.75. That is just over a lenth of what we need in almost a third of the time we have to get it.

Obviously this means that Socialist Challenge is going to have to rake a long hard look al elself and where it is going after the general clection.

Wehope you all agree that the work we have been doing in

across d -WHOSE

Challenge 26 April 1979 page 2

halled Challenge, 328/9 Upper St, London N1. Editorial 01-359 ANY doubts that law and order would be an issue in the election

One after another those responsible for implementing thut law and order" have been stepping into the shoes of the legislators. Sir Robert Mark, the former Metropolitan police commissioner, echoed by Lord Denning, the Master of the Rolls, compared the in highlighted by the attitude the police take to the real Nazis. The

placed

And in most instances these appeals have been combined with call for a Tory vote. Last weekend's events were a conscious preparation for a Thatcher government as the dawn of a great new ser of hang 'em and fog 'em. Southall, Leicester, and even Ilington and Wandsworth, were a calculated show of force to raise the political stakes on behalf of the hoped for Tory

The Tory leader's post-Southall remarks about the fall might and power of the law' and prospective Home Secretary Whitelaw's rescers for the NF's democratic rights" should be seen as the

The Labour leaders are playing it ruther differently. These people who have treated black people so scandalously are nevertheless embarrassed by the defection of Labour appointees such as Mark and also more sensitive to the deep anti-fascist sentiment in the wackingclass, The mobilisation of the Asiun community has mades breakthrough when a Prime Minister is forced to refer to the NF as

Labour's left has not gone much beyond that. Southall MP. Syd Bidwell could not even take time off from a ward meeting to attend the demonstration, while Anti Nazi League spokesperson Peter Hain (who was away sewarding for Callaghan on Monday night)

If there is a comparison to be made with Ireland it is with the brutal and colonial manner in which the forces of the British state took ever Southail, treating the local population with the contempt that

That comparison is made even more poignant by the signal failure ofthe police to defend Troops Out demonstrators from the far from gentle attentions of Loyalists in Glasgow at the weekend. Clearly,

democratie rights protected in the

That is the real point at issue — not the question of the NF'slegal

candidate exercise his democratic rights to campaign when his*

And while we should be aware of the dangers of = law 'n'

Thatcher administration, it is still a Labour

- with a massive movement in defence of the black

The first step is an inquiry into the Southall events organised by

And, ulthough we were not the sole 'Instigators' of Monday's

alternative Callaghan's policies in the general election will be all the more vital after 3 May.

But there's no way we can carry on without the money needed to meet our bis and to do that we need to average a minimum of £190 a week.

If all our readers gave a few week through whip-rounds, football cards (available from SC) or moral persuasion we would cover our costs.

It's a smaller probtent at your end than at ours, so please give us a helping hand.

Thanks this week lo: J, Irvine, El:A. Bucbanan, £3.75; Britisl Osygen workers, LI: James Markstield, El; C. Zakalwe, ES; D. Silverstone. I3; Carl Gardner, £10; S. Raithatha, £5; Colchester IMG, £30. Total L71:25.

ELECTIONS

By John Thackara, Oliver New and Anwar Hussein

Noon. Southall Es completely: shut-down. The shops are shut and even the banks are closed. It is astrike against the decision to let the NF ise Southall Town Hall.

The mood is sense. Pockets of Asians are gathering all along the High Street on either side of the town hall. The only "shop' open is the Socialist Univ headouarters placards are being manufactured at high speed. Their message is simple: No Nazis In Southull.

As the 5U candidate. Tariq Ali, arrives he is besieged by groups of Asians. maing to happen? When? How? What time is the NF arriving?

The questions are in Punjabi and Tania responds, but before he can finish replying to one set

arrivals. They seize placards,

A 60year-old Sikh wotan arrives. She addresses the youth: "Co into battle todas likelions*, she shouts. 'We will mother', they shout back:

2.30pm, Hundreds of youth are gathered on either side of the High Street with the banner of the Southall Youth Movement the most prominent. Tempers are rising. By 3pm there have been a few minor skirmishes,

Balwinder Singh, the local Anti Nazi League leader, shouts through a micropbone: *No provocations, picase. There is a long time ver

Tang All stresses the same message. But the impatience of the "young lions' is overpower. ing. They anack abus and clashes with the police follow. Walls are knocked down so that bricks can be used as missiles. It is a big mistake, born aracE and trustation, and a the day evolves everyone will following day.

The cossacks cops on

horseback with two-foot long

white batons - move in and the

riot shields are brought out

The police beat back hundreds

of youth. They disperse in the

side streets. They will regroup

later, but the damage has been

done.

tunity&

TARIO ALL

OVER 5,000 demonstrated in Southall on Sunday against the NF meeting that was to be held the

4.30pm. By now the entire High Street is cleared by the police. Over a square mile of streets is solely occupied by the police and cordoned off.

The four major roads leading

to the town hall are blocked by solid ranks of police four lines deep Behind then double rows of police borses spaced 50 yards apart. In all the cur parks, dozens of coachloads of police are held in reserve.

The armed encampment is complete. The forces of law and order have transformed Santa, siah nantly Irish population, into a colony of white imperialist Britain.

In the Dame of the Representation of the People Act. a community is being brutally repressed. To allow a handful of Nazis to threaten that community, a police state has taken shape in Southall.

Tbe outside the Inappropriately named Safeways supermarket it typical. Six Special Patrol Group vans, it he crowdine stadd

squads jump our and rush into the crowd, arresting Asian youth al random

Those arrested are pushed, banged and shoved against trees and railings. Others are dragged oft, heads violently twisted, arms wrenched up to necks.

Watching the SPC at the end of one cordon is PC256. Fucking unbelievable," he says with a broad grin on his face.

A mounted cop asks one next to him: Do you think you'll be able to hold her (the horself we go in? No chance. is the reply

A plain-clothes cop with a boxer's face leather jacket, and bright red shirt boasts to another in a pin-striped suit:

Page 3 scan of this page

Southall into a colony

IN TOUCH WITH THE ACTION IF YOU ENSURE WE MAKE OUR FUND DRIVE TARGET

*Nicked 12 in thar little sortie. Not a bad work-rate.*

5pm. There is a mass sit-down by the railway bridge some 200 yards from the town hall. The police are making continuous arrests, wading in, beating people with truncheons, and lifting them into the vans. A number of young Asian women resolutely refuse to move.

By Southall Park, down the High Street from the town hall, the police are running along indiscriminately batoning those waiting for the NE to arrive.

Park View Road is opposite the park, and a number of Asians and white

Paul, one of the anti-fascists, describes what happened to him:

I was in Park View Road, and as the police churged down it we ran into front gardens. The cops dragged me from one front garden.

'Even though I said "I won't struggle" they

punched kicked me and then threw me onto the ground. heard an Inspector say "Hold his head huck", and then I felt the boot

Then they picked me up, spreadeagled me against lamp-post, and then marched me to u police station.

Was

LABOUR STILL

ISN'T WORKING

because they didn't charge me.

In the confusion my arresting officers couldn't be found.

Anyway. I was white. •While I was in the police station I saw an Asian gus brought in clutching his head with blood strewning down his

and face. One cop sald to another,

"Does he need a doctor??. The other replied, not". *Another guy was brought in green ufter being unconscious.

He was picked up and shaken violently. In a cell next to me 1 heand a cop say to a black guy: "That's typical for someone of though, your colour. Nose of you is

bricks""."

lered.

described Killed Blair Peach:

and truncheons

allack

with truncheons.

croft

and left unconscious.

Orchard

where he morning skull.

with us.

hall, above a

public address system.

"No, of course Asian,

speeches.

Steel Pulse's

disco, people.

Asians

people.

haven't

camera team

overlooking

to the Asians. civilised, only monkeys throw will mind.

In one of the charges by the police, Blair Peach is mur- 6.45pm.

ANt. member Martin Gerald those

the attack which

About 20 members of the SPG emerged from two blue police vuns carrying riot shields

They starled everyone anti-racist demonstrators indiscriminately

after thems.

*At the junction of Beech-

Avenue and Orchurd Avenue, Blair was hit twice on the head with police truncheons

'He was taken into a house in

Avenue and from there to New Ealing Hospital,

died in the early from a fractured

•Most of as were irying to get away from the police. It looked we could as if we could go home, hut u number of police forced us into • side street. Blair Peach was shields. 63 be. TheN Being is des really

minutes, arrested.

Immediately opposite the town

WHEE Socialist Unity has set up a 200-watt

floor window."

It has been in operation for an hour, alternately blaring our

West Indian and new wave music, slogans, and

A new song comes over, it's called Can You Feel the Force Earlier, before the pollce bad national moved in on the town hall area,

Handsworth

Revolution had brought a loud chant of 'Southall revolution!'

Dell, an Asian who runs a

tells the police over the PA: 'You can break up our demonstration, but you can't silence us. This is our music. We are the people of Southall. We'll stand up for our rights."

As the police lines deepen around the town hall, the cops move on even the tiny group of demonstrators who had been allowed to make their protest in front of the meeting place The cops are challenged over the PA to come and explain why it's necessary to move 30

A 15-ycar-old Asian woman takes over the microphone lo say: Are you going to wait until there are six miltion

killed before

us what Hitler did to the Jewish

The only reason the police

stormed the room above the cafe is that an IT

is sharing the window with the loudspeaker TV and film cameras protrude Irom dozens of the windows

the town hall Some belong to news teams, others to the police

Press photographers flock from street to street, in search of the nearest melee. But the press does not trouble to speak

te police aggressively pi to the pavement out of sight of ar SPG swoop. Their assuranc

arroganc ELLIOS conteript for the press. Thei

simple: they're attacking Asians and no one

The People's Rights Centre in Park View Road is Store inside pota

inside Taris Ali Another is Avis, who receives similar treatment. She says:

I was in a room clearly marked "medical room". The police burst in and attacked

including people who were badly injured and a doctor who was clearly leoking

* was thrown to the floor and trampled on. Once out on the landing I saw people being thrown downstairs, includin one Rasta quy who hud bior streaming down his face.

They punched him aroend the face, pulled his hair. then threw him downstairs. They were particularly violent to the blacks and Asians.

"Once we'd got downstairs

police outside forming a wall a couple of feet off the ground with their riot

'People were forced to bend down under them, and as they

hard. Only seen of ill were tbe managed to get away.

*We also heard that one gu had been thrown from a secon

7pmt. The NF arrives, Martin

car. He is pale. At the door, an NF steward's hands shake as he inspects press passes. Local and

journalists confirin that none of the 30 who arrive for the meeting is local.

Mr Virendra. an executive member the Faling Community Relations Council, is refused the meeting. The NF steward tells a chief inspector that Virendra is a 'hostile" The chiel inspector duly turns him away.

A union jack flies over the town hall, the first time anyone can recall seeing it there. The volume of the PA system turned up as speakers let the police and the NF know what they think of them.

Over in Ealing. in a more peaceful part of the Southall constituency, Labour candidate Sydney Bidwell, MP for the area since 1964, is attending a ward meeting

Only the Friday before, at a ward mecting organised by the Indian Workers Association, Bidwell was forced to respond to a question by calling on people to mobilise for the lown hall demonstration today

Meanwhile, bowever, he arranged to bring forward the Ending ward meeting from Tuesday to Monday night...

10pm. The NF leaves the town hall by a side exit. The police

on the streets. Three hundred predominantly young Asian workers are in jai waitine to be charged. Man have sustained injuries from the police truncheons, batons and fists

bstruction and insuline obstruction insulting behaviour, and released at

Balwinder Singh: *It was a Foolish mistake to fight at 3pm. The fascists were not due to arrive till 7pm. This lack of discipline, however anderstandable, ls inexcuseable. l mukes no political sense.

Tariq Ali: The ANL's lactics and Halwinder's role were exemplary. Those who thought otherwise must now be convinced. The fascist meeting die take place in Southall. This is an unpalatable but sad fact I needn't have done, if some of is had been more disciplined There are times when the brain is more useful than brawn.

Tuesday: The day begins with a picket Southall polloc STELLO organised by National Union of Teachers, to which Blair Peach belonged. I is joined by several hundred Allan and West Indian youth

Another 500 attend a pres conference which 50 Journalists come to hear the anger about yesterday's events and what is to happen nex

Speakers Vishnu Sharma, president of IWA Southall: Bernard Reagan, secretary of East London association NUT: Balwinder Singhand Paul Holborow of the ANL, and Tarig All, whose descrption of Southall being turned colony and deniand for the release of all the political prisoners brings a rapturous response from the audience.

The call is for an independent inquiry into Monday's police Violence, and a demonstration next Saturday, 28 April, with

slogans: Avenge Blair Peach! and Black and White United Against Racism!

The assembly point is the Dominion cur park, The Green, Southall, which is two minutes from Southall BR station. Be there at 2pm.

The last wordsto the leader of the Southall Youth Movement:

•Blair Peach is our brother. Wemourn him like we mourn Gurdip Singh Chagger,

Obituary of Blair Peach, p4.

Socialist Challenge 26 April 1979 page 3

Page 4 scan of this page

Militancy in plenty, but no points

ELECTIONS

stadium.

wearing riot helmets and visors.

arrests, and frustration for the anti-lascists.

By Davy Jones.

actoria Park, where the

fascists first assemble, is Ponce. fascists are divided. one corner of the park is the march, backed by Party and Workers Association. ged to peaceful non-

pefrontation, thousand mople march off three miles away from Wyegeston school abere the NF are to hold their sectingIn another corner are a few mall leftist groups denouncing he ANL and everyone else for nation, match determined to confront the NF. hepherded by a large phalanx of police.

the Anti Nazi League Paul Holborow urges everyone to leave the park in mall groups and meet up in the city centre where the rest of the ANL forces have already been

This is casier said than done as the cops have cordoned off ail he main roads leading to the

centre.

Meanwhile the 500-strong NF

emo sets off closely guarded

the police. After 200 yards it

harmer at stones,

ks. and smoke bombs from

large advertising hoarding.

That's the end of the demo for a few dozen NF and police. But the police military command immediately re-routes the NF march. Their ragged ranks arrive at the school after a paltry 10-minute demo.

The main forces from the ANE have blocked a main road on the original route of the NF march. There are a number of skirmishes with the police, as demonstrators try to break through the police lines to reach the NF Elsewhere another large group of ANI supporters, including hundreds of black and white youths, is trying to find the NF march or the other ANL supporters. At last a militant and muted demonstration formed. Bur the way is blocked by the police. They sit down in the road, moctings

people seeking out every side strect, frustrated by the police grip on the demonstrators, Socialist Challenge 26 April 1979 page 4

Leicester anti-Nazi demo

for organisation

THE POLICE presence to protect the National Front in Leicester on Saturday was massive and smoothly co-ordinated. Five thousand cops from 21 forces converged on the city, to be briefed in a local sports

Then out came the TV-equipped police helicopter, the riot shields, police dogs and horseback cops

Ir was to be a day of heavy police violence, many

started by a Special Branch provocateur? There are plenty around, and a few are beaten up before the afternoon is over.

The Out come the riot shields and the truncheons as the police ture the carefully laid ambush: In the the vicious fighting one youth is thrown head first through a window by the Special Branch.

The rest of the ANL forces arrive and after a police attacks march the campus. The police lines are ten thick between us and the NF hall nearby. A few speeches then a completely unprovoked off police attack. They invade the campus and are met by a hail of stones and sticks. Many people are wounded here — the police, protected by their riat sheids. coming off lightest.

Then came the worst police violence. Determined to clear the campus, the dogs are let loose the Daprepared, they panic and a number are mauled by the dogs, The TV cameras film it all, but nothing of this is shown on the news programmes.

In Victoria Park the ANL leadership claims the day was a victory. Very strators Throughout most of the day they had no idea what they were doing or of the ANL's plans.

Dispersed into small groups, they did not even have the soldarity of a big counter-demonstration Frustrated by the police and the lack ol leadership from the ANL, many were demoralised by the street battles they were doomed to lose.

The final toll was over 100 arrests, including at least one comrade sa Seamus initially Prevention of Terrorism Act, and nOW charged assuulting the police. A few dozen anti-fascists were hospitalised. The NF may be badly bruised and their dented, but the anti-fascists did not come our unscathed ciDer Leicester showed that there is still a very broad anti-fascist movement, particularly among and the youth who are prepared to helt heroically police.

But the scope of the police operation and kind Then a sudden clash. Was it | repressive Instruments

Defend East London against the racists and fuscists! March through the constituencies where Webster and Tyadall are standingDemo and rally, assemble Ipm, Sonday 29 April Shoreditch Park. New North Road, Hoston Supported by over 30 anti-racist, Asian, Westindian, and left organisations

lew more used means that the left has to 4,000 people urgently reassess its tactics and university match the cops in numbers and

co-ordination.

There is now a desperate need for a national ANL conference

for fighting Tascism, To support the defence campaign for those arrested ut COMAL Polytechnic Student Union.

WEST BROM

A MASS picket of a major NF marchers.

CELLOR Midlands is being organised on Saturday, Sandwell Campaign Racism and Fascism. Assemble 4pm in Hardware Street, West Bromwich.

sceptical. the NF

Burke,

the

with

morale

Rank against the

they NUT

from

WANDSWORTH

By Colin Tullet Wandsworth IMG

April. Muny including Leicester

and Against Rucism.

profecled the

April, Against East London.

By Bernard Regan

BLAIR PEACH, killed by the police in Southall on Monday was a well-known trade union and anti-racist militunt.

Until March this year he was president of the Kast Londen Teuchers Association the Tower Hamlets branch of the Nutional Union of Teachers.

Bluir was a revolutionury socialist. active on a wide number of issues.

He was a member of the Auti-Nazi Lengue from -HEinception, a member Col the

Fund File Teachers group, and supported the Socialist Workers Party.

Throughout his working fe he was an active member of the

and committed unti-racist. He wus never absent

major anti-racist anti-fascist demonstrations.

Blair was particularly concerned about the situstion in the East End. He was secretary of the local NUT sub-committee and had taken

Stuart

South

OVER 500 people turned out to Maguire. picket the NF's first hig election

After meeting in Wandsworth on 13

local people, groups of bluck supported it. youth, joined the picket, which was organised by the Anti Nasi

Wandsworth

Inside Battersen town hall,

HUTNES of police, NF lenders Tyndall and Welster had an audience of less than a handred, half of them Imported from South-cast and

On the picket were three

candidates in the general clection. All Debbs

Blair Peach obituary

part in the demonstrations at Brick Lane protesting against the National Front presence in the urea.

He had been the subject of personal attack. Last Autumn he was pulled off his bike on the way bome from work beuten up by two individust who said that they supporter the Natioual Front.

Han was an active organsel in the NUT. In 1974 he plaved a leading role in the Teachers Action Committee, WHICH forced the BUrEAUCTION SEATHES defend teachers" living standards.

But Blair wasn't concerned shout leachers, he wanted to add the fight of all workers in struggle.

Recently he was to the fare in MUSHUTT public sectorstrikers. He raised moncy for his locul NUPE strikers among leachers and helped to organise support in BE TED.

Holland.

Tilley, who ignored a call from the Labour agent for Battersea

Also present was the Socialist Unity candidate for Deptford, Janet

the picket had dispersed the police harassed a group of black south who had

evening they had arrested one

International Marxist Group PUBLICMEETING

*For aT abour government, but fight for a socialist alternative'

Friday 27 April, 7.30pm

Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London NW1 He understood the need for i rounded sociulist alternative to the reformist strategies of the labour leaderships.

He actively supported campaiens aguinsi the oppression of gars and women, such as the and Campaign Against Sexism und Sexual Oppression in Educa Lion Alave all else, Blair was un Internationulist. He supported the withdrawal London from welcomed the overthrow of the

And he worked hard to win the support of his membership in East London for the policies only that be supported.

Blair always put forwand his views without rancour, Despite occasional deagreements he was always pleasant to work for the with, genenous, witly and good humoured For us all his munder is e political blow: for many of u who were fond of him it will meun an irreplaceable loss.

black vouth and searched a group anti-fascists. The youth has since bece charged with threatening behaviour".

Activists in the area ure now building a big Rock Against Racism gig to be held on Friday 27 April, at the Cornet of Horse Pub, Lavender Gardens (off Lavender Hilli, Spar to midnight. *Crisis plas disco. Wageles 50p, others El.

British

Ireland and

Page 5 scan of this page

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What kind of socialist campaign?

ALTERNATIVE POLICIES DON'T GROW ON TREES. DONATE NOW

ELECTIONS

WRP

stand 60

By Bob Pennington

LAST week the workers' Revolutionary Party announced that it is standing 60 candidates the general cection. number of candidates that a group describing itself Trotskyist and revolutionary has ever stood in a British proeral election.

There are two criteria on which revolutionaries should decide to cast their votes in the поо us, и Enc-party concerned draws mass support from the working class; scoond, I the party actively fights for policies to tackle the central

mues in the class struggle. On both counts the WRP fails.

The terms "Trotskyist" and "revolutionary are self-styled and bear little resemblance to mality. On every single vital issue of the class struggle the WRP has failed the test to build waited class action.

Furthermore, this sect bitterly denounce the autonomous women's movement, the Anti Nazi Leaglie and organisations

Movement, and presents its own bizarre brand of sectarianim as the only way forward.

Like all sectarians the WRP i not averse to the worst forms of opportunism, especially

Fi comes to their friend and Idi Amin's former friend, Colonel Caddali. Its election manifesto hails the 'conquests led by the PLO, the Arab Ba'ath Socialist Party of Irag. the Socialist People's Libyan Arab -Jamahirivan. pood measure throws in the

Republic of Syna'.

Under the benevolent' and progressive regime of the Iraq

Communist Party are hounded. tortured and executed. The devout Mosler Colonel Caddafi might have a soft spot for some of the WRP leaders, but the posters in Tripoli and Benghazi are quite cleur that Trotskyists and such like are not welcome. They boldly proclaim: *Party Politics is Treason'

Meanwhile Syria still keeps its troops in Lebanon after stepping in to keep the PLO In line - an intervention grateTally supported by American

Unfortunately, the fact that the WRP is standing 60 candi dates many people who are starting to

for an alternative reformism it will appear in thar light.

Once again, the failure of the British far left to scand a united state is comine home to roost. If the Socialist Workers Party

ad agreed to such a propos

here is no doubt the joir forces of Socialist Unity and the SWP would have attracted Far wider support than che

A joint slate would almost certainly have been able to field 50 candidates, getting media time and far broader support than Socialist Unity will gather,

though they would no have uny oil in their sandhills! BASEERA this сапо D 8 revolutionary organisation, the WRP, is able to put itself across as the biggest alternative to reformismo, with its shrill cry that civil war in only a short step away.

Socialist Challenge 26 April 1979 page 6

as campaign.

Interview by Geoffrey Sheridan

The demands In your election amaress chess correspond to those of Socialist Unity, which Sighting for will not be won in that the policies Parliament but by the working

taking action workplaces and the communities.

Your policies, though, come across in a somewhat alstruct way. The election address does Out not suggest what's necessary

for their implementation.

How the party and I see the attainment of what's outlined in the clection through Parliament and the local authority,

The question of wages and working hours, for example, is one that concerns the government because it employs million people, so a Labour

FOR R

LRBDUR VETORY

Ernie Roberts interviewed

Candidate from

Labour's left

ERNIE ROBERTS. recently retired as assistant| conference after the election? general secretary of the Engineering Union, and a leading member of the ANL, is standing as Labour candidate for Hackney North and Stoke Newington.

With a 10,000 majority to defend, he is virtually certain to become the most left-wing MP. Socialist Chailenge asked him about his policies and election

government has to have a policy which is in line with trade union aspirations.

We do see our issues which can be attained through Parliament, larly on the question of public ownership finance houses, and indeed for the planned cconomy.

That needs government decision to take over as much of the economy as they need in order to interests of the people.

Although your election address Is an implicit indictment of the record of the Labour governaddress ment, does not criticise the Labour leadership.

Surely fightback. challenging the supporters of the Concordat, with a recall Labour TED KNIGHT speaking at SCLV conference last year

criticisms of prices and profits.

policies as

particu- election fighting, if you like, of banks and

Labour government.

control it in the

way.

openly particular

this hampers a that it aims Doesn't it mean

campaign to

for example,

Party divil

By Martin Meteyard

'rock the boat" about the words, TAISE

responded?

Coordinating (which porters),

ORIST manifesto,

policies. -

year varying

Page 7 scan of this page

IRELAND

By Martin O'Leary

AMID a hall of bottles and eggs the LilasgOW 7IrO0ns march went ahead last Satur**The 1,000 scrong march was persistently attacked by union jack-waving Loyalists. Despite thes the demonstrators marched

Ar Gorbal's Cross, less than half a mile from the intended destination at City Halls, the march was halted by a police CUTDOLE

The police forced marchers onto wase ground and tora while it appeared as if they had been trapped by a now open combinanon or COLICE Loyalists. Fortunately the discipline of the marchers beld up and they managed to extricate themscives.

The attack on the march had Docn sture ap by Clasgow Tories. Ross McKay, National Front member and Tory candidate for Glasgow Springburn, led a move by local Tories 10 have the march banned. masine putticy po Mckane The Scottish press and the fact that the march was organised by Sinn Fein as weil

the United Troops Movement was used as a peg

WHAT'S LEFT

adblication. Paymant in adrance. WEST Landon UTOM presents A CONSC DE LASS TUTI TERR im on Ireland. Fri 27 Appil. 7.30pm

d, WS. Tube Soulh Ealing Bus 8 repete tor change sat 11am to Spm. Speakers: Biler Ticktr

DONC Law. Uniarsity Newcasile noer-Lyme, Brats OHN BERGER, Eric Hebebau ans

Caracon touse Terme Londer Bi ine ich Mash tleur

Glasgow marchers

defy Orange attack

for an anti-Republican witchhumt.

But the Clasgow left manOut" aged an effective response 1o the Tories. The press bombarded oy protests from Casgow United Movement and the Unity campaign in Clasgow Queen's Park.

Radio Clyde was pressured into giving air time to UTOM, and the Glasgow Herald Teit obliged lo give over a halfpage article to the movement.

A foretaste of the trouble to l CONC WEL ENCECILE Queen's Park School, Torygien, on the eve of BILL the march

Aler Socialist Unicy had given out leallets there, one of its supporters among the school students 'stabhed pro-Loyalist classmates had to have six stitches.

Dente 3i luis the ers activity produced results. The march included a 200-str0ng contingent from Socialise Unity and a 300-strong one from the Socialist Workers Party,

Il was the biggest turn-out for any Irish march so far in Glasgow, proving that it is possible lo dely and defeat the Out Orange reactionaries

Fise Troops Oul' supporters

Admission 70o pius 20p IDA day

fait Moon Theatr 80-646

Belt and Braces present

Accidental Death of an Anarchist hy Dario Fo Mon - Sa: Spnt Plus Sanday 22 and 20 at

7.30pm dramatised readings

of The Scream ley

GENERAL election

res, positons, end argumente. Ptu

were arrested mention saould be made of the James Connolly Flute Band.

was It was they who headed the march and bore the brunt of the Troops Out attacks. Two of their stewards Socialist

their drums were destroyed by Secondary

By John Stevenson

"THE right of free speech, while alsolute, shouid not be by wantonly ased to insult others" said Judge Mynet at Oxford and

was dismissine the appeal of Troops Ont supporter Jobe Skinner against conviction fer insulting behaviour likely to cause a breach of the pece, He and others had Troops Out literature during the display. Iwenty minutes

of solders et ed and

soldiers returned uxsanited Skinner. un subsorpt

SUPPORT picket

immigation coos out el reland new Novale Organised br Chmunis 073R™3

HACKNEY AntiNe.

Hilly Strie Hewingter Ton Hal, Spet

- leH peresec enc Torahrei Humbersice saci et

planning s concerce

but special Orange thugs.

those arrested, launched.

Street, Glasgow.

Troops out-

"'seditious libel'

admitted the

Skinner wis charged.

to the DPP.

sold

Bosh the corporat, who / NI2XP

Revo alicrai Prisoners Aid Commitie:

Plan ap meeting

Britain.

Thatcher,

CUES 1 00 51000

That in

North

An appeal for financial heip, both to replace the instruments and for legal defence costs for

has been Money should be Parly! the United sent to LITOM, 64 Queen's

Party,

care.

Skinner were arrested. But only anne The

Dering the two-day appeal the judge frequently attacked the 'Scurriloes nicker. Descriting the literature as seditiones foru libel", he threatened to refer it

Skinner iniends Io lake the matter to a higher court and cumpaign in the labour more seats? ment on the issue. But fundsare urgently needed and shouid be rished to John Skiener Defence Campaign, c/o Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50, London

Forum LAS PEM Ras am

TORY o woman? Genera

Srent Womens NO VOTE For Lacour Why a vole d2

worke's

Iczambiqu formal on Canti

of le anc!! and thà Ravolutionary Commun st Group jcin

Northern

elections,

most unbritish

By Geoff Bell WE HAVE been told that what unites 'the mainland' and the six North-cast Irish counties B a common way of life and a common political tradition.

Il that were the case then the general election in the North of Treland would share the same characteristics as in Great

BEIE Callagban and Steel would be speaking 10 audiences in public halls in Belfast, Derry and Armagh, Prices, unemployment and tax

would dominale the political debate, and the main parties would be dispatching full-time workers to win over the marzinal constiniencies.

It is stating the obvious to say that none of this applies. There

Callaghan, Thatcher or Steel to campaign in the Notth of Ireland, oe to send party workers to organise the campaigns. There is no need

aren't standing iself is the best example of how "different' the

of Ireland B trom England, Scotland and Wales Another is to ask the average voter in the latter to explain the difference between the Onionist Party of Northern Ireland,

Lister Lnionist the Officiel Unionist and the Democratic Uniotust Parly:

Not orly will the avcrage voter or lhe average reader of Socialist Challenge know, hut they wont much

Yet these differences are the main feature of the election in the North of Ireland. The main contest is for the Loyalist vote

main interest in the outcome is which brand of Unionism will emerge victor

Will c be the mest extreme

represented by lan Paisley's Democratie Unionist Parts, which is contesting five seals? Or the most inoderate -represented by the Alliance Party, which is contesting all 12

the

Is there a real chance of Enoch Powell losing his seat co a momber of che SDLP in South Down hecause of a Unionist split? will newly independen

Lemera phelin on ti eloction and the issues wils worer: unemplayment. cuts.Ireland

Organisod Sociale

26 AD NWG. Bpm. All women welcome

Angola

alle Panasirura

St Cera If. E4245 pa. Defalla

Unionist Jiot Kilfedder, who is backed by the DUP, take the North Down seal from the Official Cnionises of which he was a member till carlier this year?

For the record, Powell will probably just hang on to his scal, the Democratic Unionist Party should increase ins vote,

Alliance Party likely to win anything. and the Official Unionists should gain a majority of Loyalist scats

Even if they do emerge as the party with the highest numbe of seats - between live and seven this will still be a bollow victory comparod with ten years ago, when they won all the Loyalist seats that were going.

But all this is somnewhat Irrelevant for if there is one thing about the clection

the North of Treland which can be said with a good deal of confidence, it is that the results will have only the most marginal influence on what happens in Ireland in the next tive years,

What is important is that the Loyalists remain split; split inte different orgunisations, split or tactics, split on the cods they wantto see.

The real Joser in that situation is Bertish imperialism because the one discernible strategy Britain has had in Ireland tor the past ten years 1s to try to build La cohesive alliance, with wide popular

on which it depend to overser the North of

Afone time it was hoped that the Cnionist Pary, now the OUP, could be reformed' and attract significant Carholic support

Then there sere expecrations in the newiy Tonned "non-sectarian" liance Parly. Then a poser-

the moderates af the Unionist Party of Northem Ireland and the maindy Catholic Social Democratie and Eabow Parry was the dream

All these attempts failed, and

continued split the Loyalist forces, rogether with the pressure on the SDLP to become more Republican, will ensure a continuation of that fallore a fler the ciection Socialist Challenge 26 April 1979 pa

Page 8 scan of this page

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Page 9 scan of this page

ELECTION look at Conservative and Labour policies on women. JUDE WOODWARD and VALERIE COULTAS explain why they think socialists and feminists should be organising to keep Thatcher out,

lo buy their houses will subsidise mortgages with the revenue from highi rents. Luxuries like day-care aborlon units won't stand a chance.

The Unions. The unions are the one thing we can turn to when our rights are attacked workers and Thatcher would try to make the unions ven more undemocratic than some of them are now.

Women would find that the secret hallot would reduce their ion" in unions to voting fodder for right-wing leaders the popular press would ensure that.

We want womea's participation in anions to be encouraged, discouraged.

The Labour government has paved he way for these attacks on women. Its solicies on paper may sound different but its practice has been dreadful. However, it is decidedly not from the ranks of the Tory Party that a mass women's movement will be built.

We don't want the Tories in power because they can do nothing for women except attempt to demoralise and defeat us.

Were Tatourin power beense

I's the best way women's novement can prove that reforms in he system are useless for women and hat revolution is needed to win

Make

feminism

an issue!

THE general election is u time when all he hard work women do — especially n the home - suddenly gels noticed. The family budgel, the sale of council

parents' rights and tenefits all become issues for Maggie Housewife Thatcher and Jim "Family ManCallaghan.

The women's movement today unlike the suffragettes — has tended to gnore electlous as an arena for feminist

AND THE

Tories head on, defending its record on women's rights.

Perhaps it feels this would be no easy proposition.

Should women vote on 3 May? How should they vote? Below we and fighting for a socialist and feminist alternative.

struggle. Women are participating, but as individuals, in different election campaigns.

The images of women promoted by politicians shouldn't go by unchallenged by the movement, It's true that as housewives women are affected by rsing prices, hut we are not simply housewives today.

In recent years, 90 per cent of new recruits to unions have been women. Women have taken strike action for equal pay, for the right to join a union, to delend the health services, and in the recent public sector strike.

Wonien's domestic labour is stepped not up when refuse collectors and water

MATHITS LO DO SCINE OUR MISUSEL of strikers' wives usually support their husbands' action because they see the BOSS 95 understand that strike action will have

Women do need higher child benefits but they also need the right to decide when or if they have children. Women with children need freely creches and nurseries. And legal and financial independence is part and parcel of any real freedom of choice about whether to marry or divorce. The real problems of family life today — the violence and turmoil faced - can be tackled with the help of refuges and rape crisis centres under the control of women.

But none of these will be handed to us on a plate, we need areanisation and a determined fight. The general election BUCHS up SHEES TOd

Women's groups should prepare a leaflet on local and mational issues concerning women and demand that Labour Party condidates pot the leaflet on their election expenses. Socialist Unity already has a policy of wccepting leaflets from movements if supports This is the way the women's movement can project alternative policies to those offered by the reformist and bourgeois USELES

should be prominent in each and every mobilisation throughout election period marches against she fascists, in defence child of social facilities or living standands,

For to get British troops out of Ireland. If Margaret Thatcher comes to your UPTIL P HERE SUCC ACROS SCIES A defender of women's liberation!

Feminisms can be an election issue it we act:

Part of a

socialist

altern

ative

and

parties are in complete agreement the need to defend and re-assert the traditional values of the family. avallable

the white fumily — not families of Immigrants who have

land.

is raised in Purliament, Labour, Tories

decency, traditional morulity.

between homosexuais, action, overwhelmingly sbare the same views.

The family must be lesbians, homosexuals, young people, and women generally freedoms to define their sexuality in the mane or accen

the election, or in autional pollies at all, then an alternative to Labour is СТИСНІ: 30 feminist and socialist issues.

contingents

Unity.

prewhesher it be on ташу socialists,

feminists — to take up issues such as women, and childcare within the local

Socialist Unity runs.

liberation.

other Issues.

oppressed

aims.

ON ONE Issue the Labour and Tory to build

By the family, of course, they mean

What

beg for admission to this green and pleasant

When any Issue affecting the family

and Liberals alike unite to talk shout

Whether It's the Child Pornography

Act or the law governing relations doing

these parties defended, so

are denied the

If we want to see these issues ruised in

alternative that raises

Nationally there is no aitermative to possibility of Laboar. But in 12 constituencies there are candidates supported by Socialist

Socialist Caity involves in its ranks

both session (Lill politicul orgunisations and independents, Including many active feminists. of getting tbrough.

We want to create a dialogue with the But NAC vomen's movement, which requires more involvement from setive socialist

violence against

campaigns. This kind of involvement is for NAC vital to the kind of campaign that positions.

The election allianoe doesn't jus Teraton Motion presente women's

ernative to Labour's policies

ism and immigration, Ireland, trade unlons and the Concordst, public expenditure and the cuts, and many

All these affect women, as well as the other oppressed and exploited groups

We need an organisation which can represent the interests and fight for policies that are needed by all the

- women, blacks, youth, the working class as a whole

Socialist Unity is not this political party. It has more limited electoral

But weiting in this election campaign can only belp in the long run

such revolutionary organisation fighting for the liberation and rights of all the oppressed.

NAC is We

Fightback

further

By Teresa Smart, Judy Watson, Jan McKenley, Jeanne Saint, Gill Butler, Sarah Roclots (stecring commitlee, National Abortion Campaigo)

WITH the coming elections and the

Tory government looming over us, we could be faced with further restrictions in Parliament- Road, another White or Beayon Bill.

With a much longer parliamentary

Autumn 1980), any restrictive Bill would have a fair chance

is ready to attack while defending. We will use our Declaration of a Woman's Right to Choose to state clearly what we want, and will continue our campaign for abortion facilities.

The election period is an ideal time

hoto: G.M.

to win support for Our We will not be calling for support for specific candidates 0r parties as we are a broad-based political campaign. We will be putting our demands lo all candidates at local election meetings

We are proposing that local meetings should be arranged where candidates have to answer questions specifically relating to women; we should have pickets of MPs' surgeries; and use local press and radio. NAC is preparing its own clection leaflet ready to counteract SPUC's propaganda

Many regions will be organising public meetings to launch the campaign around the law for abortion facilities. We are calling an amendment to the 1977 NHS Act for the mandatory provision of contraceptive facilities on the NHS to be extended to include abortion facilitie

All MPs are being sent question aires calling for their support an ponsorship. NAC has drawn up mode resolutions for use in trade unions Labour parties, community health councils, as well as a national petition June in Manchester will discuss NAC'S future and further activities.

want to continue our involvement in the international campaign; we want to take part in the

conference in May, 10 maintain links with the Depo Provers campaign, as well as light for abortion facilities and against any restrictions

NAC still noods moncy and people urgently to carry out these plans. For undey Contact No 174 Gray in infornation Road, London WCI (tel 01-278 0153).

*The NAC election leafletis available fromthe campaign at the above address.

* 27 April, 6.45pm. EGA, Euston

London NWI: *Menstrual Regulation and Abortion Facilities" Speakers from EGA campaign (on well women clinies), Jegal workers fon the abortion facilitles law), and Our Bodies Ourselves (on menstrual regulation).

* 28 April, 12 goon, Marble Arch. Picnic Against SPLC. Balloons and play: TS A NAC Out. food.

Socialist Challenge 26 April 1979 page 9

Page 10 scan of this page

Youth demand: blot out the cane

Scotland: SNP turkeys vote

HELP BUILD THE LEFT IN THE UNIONS. SEND US A CHEQUE TODAY

HOME NEWS

Mashes

Manchester NUSS

ABOUT 50 school students

picketed the National Union of

Teachers conference on

April. National Union

School Stadents members tur.

ned up from Hull,

Manchester, Huddersfield, and

even Glasgow.

Some teachers joined us and

sapported our demand for an

immediate end to corporal

lot of teachers were hostile and

mocked officials

running the conference tried to

keep us quiet and called the

police, but we carried on as we.

weren't breaking the law.

We were outside the confer-

ence for about iwo hours at

lenchtime with placards and a

megaphone. We 'borrowed"

some newspaper billboards and

reversed thems to make plac-

ands.

Singans included: "If the kids

are united, they 'I never

defeated. Join NUSS! *Recog-

mise NUSS now!" End corporal

punishment now!? Sexism and

racism out of schools!"

Although we had no leaflets

because the London NUSS

people didn't turn up, we were

By Bernard Regan

Last

National Union of Teachers

conference came to discussing

its attitude to the general

clection was a motion from the

Socialist Teachers Alliance

calling for a vote for Labour. This was ruled out of order.

The executive opposed abo the move from the STA and the Rank and File grouping (led by the Socialist Workers Party) to step up action on the 37 per cent pay claim. Instead it simply

called on members to refiese so do voluntary activities, like dinner duties

General socretary Fred Jarvis

called for a Increase on the present pay offer of nine per cent, and a commitment on phasing.

While right certainly retained total dominance, the debare has broadened and the left has registered progress. For

ristance, 4-500 of the 2,000 THE Broad Left and right wing swept the board in the national executive clections at this year's National Union of Students Conference. Mick Archer of the Socialist Students Alliance made a strong challenge in the presidential election but only two far left elected, both from the Socialist Workers Students Organisalion.

The election look place in an atmosphere which candidates' theatrical talents seemed to matter as much as their politics. And crucially voting took place before the policy debates.

But the left still achieved a Bumber of victorie constitutiona debate which dominated the conference it blocked Tory moves 1o impose secret ballots. The Broad Left proposal, right, to introduce an inflexible system of subscriptions which

Socialist Challenge 26 April 1979 page 10

able to make a good protest

with a lot of chanting slogans

and shouting. We sold a lot of

copies of Blot, 16 paper, and Revolution. of After the picket everyone

said that we should organise a Leeds, meeting of NUSS members in

the North of Englund and of

people who are interested in

joining NUSS to talk about

doing more lively activities and

taking up other campaigns.

There was a lot of dissatisfac-

tion with the leadership of

NUSS because they

CaUse to see pockes, Cabbe

numbers and addresses were

exchanged and we hope to get

the meeting organised before

the end of the summer term so

that the NUSS conference in

July will be more active and

more people will go.

Manchester the school

students who went to the picket

ALTE INcised in

Socialist Unity be Ardwick and will be leafletting

schools in the area about the

election campaign und organi-

sing NUSS meetings with sales

of Blot.

Tony Collins from Hull NUSS

adds: The NUT Executive was

obviously shaken

Right stays on top at NUT

delegates signed a letter initia-

ted by Women in the NUT

protesting against the execu

five's sexist comments, By the

end of the conference

executive member was forced

apologise

delegate for referring to her as

*the wite

secretary.

The Communist which is permanently aligned

with fight wing

union, opposed the adoption of

the TUC Charter for Women at

Work. Instead it supported a List of major priorities for the

such balf-hearted proposals as removing restrictions cent access to opportunities. family planning and control"

In contrast, the STA fought openly on the conference floor and at fringe meetings for a united left opposition to the right's betrayals. It is calling for a single left slare in the next national election.

Student leaders drift right

would benefit only the university sector, also fell.

And conference took an important step in recognising the right of women to self-organisation when it agreed to proposals for women's aggregare.

Nevertheless the union has been weakened by the rightward drift of the national leadership over the past couple of years, With the support for all political tendencies in decline an appeal for a new alliance was distributed, signed by leading members of the Broad Left, the Union of Liberal Students and others.

The fact that section of the left such as the SSA and SWSO wete not approached to sign the "Open Letter" reflects che main failure of the appeal.

Any new ailiance, if it is to prove capable of leading the NUS but of its present crisis. must nave a clear response to

protest. They postpone the debate on corDori punishment, due for the NUSS afternoon session, to a more

appropriate time" weren't there!

place, support physical attacks on decision which is all the more scandalous in the light of the TUC's recent opposition to the use of corporal punishment.

The NUT might be harmin hadn't ih own pay

decision not to recognise the NUSS.

Birmingham virtually forced to call of the sanctions because of militar demanding that the school shoald stay open during dinne

Instead of co-ordinating its campaign in the NUT chose the suicidal

course of denouncing them us troublemakers. If it had chosen to build the encourage support for is claim among school students it would have been in a far stronger pesition today in its fight for 36 by the PCE CCIEE-

one Barnet the general By Desmond Tierney

POLLING day is approaching Party. quietly in Scotland. The heal

even seems to hure gone out of in toc the devolution issue.

Unless the parties give the proposed Scottish Assembly a radical programme to tackle unemployment, poverty, and had housing. voters are bound to be more from concerned with the

for between Labour and Tories.

Under no pressure from the left, either inside or outside the Labour Party, Labour MPs are campaigning defending the recund, They DraUSe TH ment's sepposed protection of

the attempts to make students and WOrkErS contradictions of a capitalise conomy.

It must reject notions of a "limited national cake' and pur national forward

progranune that can unite the lett in the fight for an open and democratic education system The very ambiguity of the "Open Letter' on these quesorganised tions indicates that even its

ment on what kind of alliance is needed. Indeed they call for a full debate on the nature, structure and organisation of a now alliance, ai a conference ar the Polytechnic London on 26-27 May.

We will be continuing the discussion on what is required of a new alliance betwoen pow and then and socialists to take discussion cobference

decided

- when we

When the debate finally took

claim by

Only a year

teachers

student NUSS and COCEETIES

working class policies. choice

on the basis of

government's

govern-

The already pay for the

socialist reach agree-

of Central

urge all this and attend the

for early Christmas

johs, even though unemployment in Scotland approached support. 200.000 during Labour's time in office. But its regional development grants and direct Intervention at Chrysler and Marathon Shipyards allow the

SUCHENE portray Labour as a lesser evil'

LOTION "Tune-duck

More promises are in store. timid The powers of the Scottish Scottish Development Agency (SDA) are to be increased and its funding raised from £300 to E850 million a year. The many

which the Labour government has used to disguise the length of the dole queues will be maintained. minimum"

weak manifestor walers down the 1974 proposals for increased government control of the economy,

The Scottish Tories are only ment. slightly less complacent than populist the Labour Party. Since 1974, when the SNP ousted them a Scolland's second puris, the Conservatives have wanted to use this eiection to re-assemble

their middle class and rural

They wheel out the familiar Tory policies: increase punishment for offenders, weaken

crease the stock of publicly owned housing through give away' sales, and decrease the powers of the SDA.

They have even dropped the

1974 proposals for a Development Fund financed by oil revenues. And they don't even gemufleet in the direction of un Assembly which they supported in 1974.

The SAP has retreated from its emphasis on an independent Scotland und is pursuing

programme setting up the Assembly, Increasing resonal soendan: from oil revenues, and support- SNP ing policies to cur unemploy-

They are running campaign against foreign ownership of Scottist land, but this Includes only OUR CRAS BURNTE English absentee lundlords cun con tinge to.sleep easily!

How will the major pursies fare on polling day? When the nationalists trooped into the House of Commons lobby with the Tories in support of their "no confidence" motion, Callaghan likened them to turkers coling for an carly Christmas. This comparison still seems apt.

Unless the SNP can reverse the 1978 by-clection results,

HAET seat's une vulnerabile. Many of their traditional supporters voted "no" in the reierendum which could endunger at least five of their eleven seats.

Labour will lacrease their representation at Westminster. It will try to hold both working class "yes" and "no" voters ane win back supporters from th

The Tones should als record increases. They would n't need much to Improse on their terrible 1974 perfor mance, and their stand on the assembly will win them buck nural and middle-cluss voters fed up with the SNP.

Page 11 scan of this page

Zimbabwe: 101 per

AS Rhodesian jets sweden.

with its election result. Since all parties opposed to the internal settlement' are banned the vote was bound to favour the status quo.

But even more important ANT TO AS BE HURTLE

- 101 per cent in Mashonaland as a whole, the northern region which Includes Salistury. Mashonaland Ceotral the figure was as high as 108.1 percent.

The British press views with equanimity this cridence of widespread electoral frand. The same papers which are sneeringly self-righteous announcements of a 99.9 per cent poll in the Soviet Union or 1ГДА (which Is theoretically ossible) argi

British governme should now recognise Rhodesian regime.

Ballot-rigging simplest thing in the world. With the entire country under a State of Emergency, and with no electoral roll, white farmers drove truckloads of their black employees to the polls under the watchful eye of the security

Whether the fraud carried out by taking people to vote more than once or simply

arms

LEG shackles, rifles, an antipersonnel mine, and pistols are among the items of foreign military cquipment being used by the white Rhodesian armed forces. Details of the equipment, captured by the Patriotic Front quentlas, were recorded by WE EITHERE of ZIMBABWE INFORMATION GROUP BILLAIN

"ELECTION at Gunpolat' is the Zimbabwe Information Group bulletin. incides review of the stute of the country and political forces, Individual copies are 30p. UK subscriptions £1.50 Issues, almall overseas (except Kurope) f4.00, surface over-

fund Europe)

Iron ZIG. Cambridge Terrace, London NWI 4JL.

INTERNATIONAL

cent' turnout in

fake poll

darkened the sky neighbouring Zambia, bombing and strafing, 108.1 per cent of the electors of Mashonaland Central were casting their votes in the 'internal settlement" election.

RICHARD CARYER reports on various aspects of Ion Smith's elections. The picture on this page is of foreign arms used by the Rhodesian forces and captured by the Patriotic Front (seestory below), It was taken by MAI PALMBERG of the African Groups of

by fiddling the figures we shall - and it hardly matters.

But even easier than petrating the deceit was selling it to the world. The decision fo lift censorship of foreign press reports was since journalists had no control over where they couli go or In what they could see.

For most British papers these constraints were unnecessary.

Repeated Rhodesian raids on neighbouring countries, which have continued throughout the election period, have provoked little comment. Even commando raid on Lasaka, the Zambian capital, eared more least praise for its military dexterity than condemnation brutal disregard of national the sovereignly.

Rhodesia is now in a state of the undeclared war with Mozamhique and Zambia.

Imagine press reaction to, say, a raid by Italian commandos on Paris and the racism of the coverage of the war in Africa becomes clear.

And so much concern was being expended on alleged was Patriotic Front disruption of the poll that few pupers could find much space for the arrest

Smith troops use British

Anti-Apartheid executive on a visit to Zambia this month.

Al a press conference in London on Monday ААМ's Нопогагу Abdul Minty, British-made shackles on the table in front of him, presented a list of the equipment seen by the executive members, Mike Terry and Margaret Ling. list, which details of the manufacturer and serial number of cach item, is largely made up of military

but there are also large numbers of Belgian made FN tilles, the standard-issue NATO infantry

The equipment comes from Britain, the United France, West Canada, Australia, Belgium, Italy, Japan and South Africa.

British origin, with the name of £2.00, manufacturer: *Gas canister and camping stove — Europicasure Gas Ltd,

REACH INTO YOUR POCKET TO HELP

over | of large numbers of ZAPU

members the day before voting

Most of those who did mention it could bothered to report the Patriotic Front figure of 1000 arrests, preferring to believe Rhodesian goverment statements. And по-опе commented Implications of this massive crackdown for the democrucy of the election.

The Smith regime hus won a temporary victory by holding the election and ensuring the victory of Bishop Muzorewa now the white regime's favourHe son.

But its first problem is that

voted for the Bishop are not a reliable base of support. More than anything theirs was a vote for reconciliation Patriotic Front -whut either Smith or Muzorewa Intend.

The success of the election hiages on international recogstion for the new government. But even the most rabid Tories

recognise a regime which is so for its Inherently

unstable, particularly given the Inevitable British trade with black Africa. Nevertheless,

Just instinct tells them

Smith, while Labour is lined up with opinion in all-party neo-colonial settlementAll the sigas are that the Rhodesian crisis will soon be coming home to Whitehall where it all began.

Movement's |

*Air pilot's helmet. Frerant Meters Lid, Bangor, with

the Nonh Wales. Secretari telescope

which can be fitted on helicopters Cooke, Simms Lid, Fork. *Typewriter - Underwood *Wire tape measure, as used by SCUITELY CUTLE contains Rabone & Sons, Birmingham.

*Field telephone receiver for use with military radiocommunications — car- By A.P. Besson a-piece made equipment,

*Radio transmitter *Singer sewing motor - the Singer Mig Co. *Communications radio cuptured in Mazoe area by ZIPRA States, forces - Recal.

Germany, LISTES

Scot, Birmingham.

The shackles, removed from a ZAPU fighter captured by the security forces, Hiall and Co Lid of Birmingham, Brain's ony manufac turer of handeuits.

not be

CHIL USE with the

- which is not unpopular and

repercussions

every Tory

to back

imperialist

Party

settlement elections democratic. the Internal

dark the Terrorists Denis fact the

of type

Troughton & they were formed.

Jobin

Jobannesburg

safety!

- Racal.

works of Simone de Beauvoir,

Webles and

vislt of the

were made by

slogan

THE British Press und the Tory

habitually brush off accusations that the "internal years in jail.

are unsay that the arrangements may not 1965. he loo wonderful, but they're good enough for Africans - the which is racism. Or they simply claim that the elections are democratic — which ia lie.

*All black parties opposed to

settlement" are banned. The regime argues that

Have placed themselves outside the law. In

never had much hoice. ZAPU was hanned un 19g both valy a year after

both only a year after

*All newspapers are cen sored and any black paper that is critical of the regime is closed down. In 1975 the authorities the diated t5a copienday Times 'in the interests of public

*Many works of literature ure regarded as undestrable or

prohibited, including the

Doris Lessing. 15 not Baldwin, and Jean-Paul Sartre.

*Freedom of speech does not exist for Africans. During the

British Pearce Comatisdon in 1972 a group of young boys wus even arrested for wearing T-shirts with the

We sas No to le proposal, Anyone convicted of having 'subversive material"

MAKE ZIMBABWE AN ISSUE

CAPTURED

MOTAD

Are they really democratic?

making statement is liable to up to five

*The country has been under

This suspends constitutional rights, ullowing

regirae, MENUE things, to detain without trial, Implement forced labour, move the population, create curfew and free-fire zones, contisente

and livestock and destroy property and sege-

*There is no electoral roll. Voling is based on a 7969 censes. Electoral frand was sapposedly avoided by dipping each voter's hand in invisible paint once they had been to the polling station!

*Every white voter has had the chance to go to the polls twice — the first time to elect a separate group of 20 white MPs, the second to vote on the remaining No seats. Eight of those are also reserved for

There 270.000 whites in Zimbabwe and 5.8 million blacks.

*Transition to majority rule

gunrunteed in the internal settlement', All the docament says is that such a transition may take place in at least" ten years 'If a government commission recommends it.

*Section A, Cluuse 2 of the agreement is a gearantee of the rights of private property which will effectively protect ngainst nationalisations and land re-

form - as do other selllement proposals such as the AngleAmerican plan. At the moment land is divided roughly half and half between black and white.

*Again like all the other settlement plans, the 'internal settlement' guarantees the continuity of the state apparates. The white rucist army, police, and judiciary will remain in office. Thus black-led government will remain the prisoner of the white regime.

Intercontinental Press

- inprecer

WHEN Bani Sade, the ideoJogue of Iran's Islamic Republic, challenged Trotskyis leader Bahak Zahrate to a television debate, he cannot have known what be was taking onl Zahraie'scomprehensive defeat of Bani Sadr oo the nationally networked programme has won an enormous new audience for the Socialist Workers Party. A full report appears in the latest Intercontinental Press/Inprecar (Vol 17, No 15)

Single copies are - 30р. Subscriptions are E9 for one year, ES for six months or £2.50 for an introductory offer of 10 issues. Write Dow to Intercontinental Press/Inpreoor, PO BOX LODOO! NI 2XP. Cheques payable to Inter continental Press

Socialist Challenge 26 April 1979 page 11

Page 12 scan of this page

Khomeini committees 'more like reactionary White Guards'

Why the Empress lost 17 pounds

INTERNATIONALISM - VITAL INGREDIENT FOR SOCIALISTS. GIVE GENEROUSLY

EVERY night in Tehran,

starting at midnight, militias

from Is neighbourhood com-

mittees carry out their regular patrol. Their job is to search DUE SAVAK agents

prominent figures in the old tezime and to maintain order

- in a word, to defend the revolution.

The regime has decided to keep the revolution within the

marToW contines of the Islamic Republic and the reconstruction of the hourgeois state. Will the neighbourhood committees and militias be the last outposts of

TE TRIES process of normalisation?

It s a bit more complicated than that, since it was from these same committees that

counter-demonstrations. against the women's marches wete drawn. And it was from among the Tehran militia Fighters that volunteers were recruited to fight against the Turkoman peasants who had

So sore of the Khom

the Khomeini militias are beginning to look more like reactionary Whites than Red Guards whose aim is

deepen revolution. The Khomeini or "Imam" committees are central to the attempt to reconstruct and keep the structures sell-organisation under

These committees, exercise basic political

major towns. provinces, districts of Tehran, were not elected. They were appointed, co-opted centrally from Teh-

Khomeini's entourage, "HE HAS been accused o stealing millions of pounds from poverty-stricken people, of allowing one of the

vicious BELTLE police forces in the world to terrorise

being complete autocratic dictator; and now there are rumours of extra-marital affairs. For most women this would be enough to UNDERTOE their love loyalty.' (t)

"He', in case you hadn't

description, is the Shah of Iran.

wile Farnh Dibah, however, seems enconcerned by the less than loyal attitude shown by her HEHEARS subjects.

circulation magarine Woman's Own this week, "The title of my husband is Shabanshah, King of Kings, Shadow of Almighty, Vice-Regent of God and Centre of the Universe, and he always lived up to this, no matter what people say?

Her own loyalty is unquesBonabic: "I had married him for better or worse. If necessary I would die by his side. I would live in a poor village and starve If Thed to.' But unlike the vast majority of iranian women she was not put to the test in this

Socialist Chullenge 26 April 1979 page 12

INTERNATIONAL

and the Councl of the Revolution, to fill the power vacuum left by the tall of the old regime and take charge of all the existing structures.

Their nucleus is often the religious authorities or representatives of the and merchants, chosen for their

unconditional support

But their membership caused a crisis within their ranks. One such example was

Revolution decided ex-SAVAK agents at the same time as the militias were continuing to hant down and arrest members of the polstical police.

Before the incidents Sanandaj barracks it was the pretensions of the Khomeini committee which provoked the Kurds' anger In Turkestan it was the Khomeini committees were at the rODE 2000100S members opened fire on a mecting of Turkoman autonomists or when they defended the Persian landlords who were being driven from their estates by the peasants.

workers and the Arab minority. it was the Khomeini committee which tried

of formation of independent trade con- unions and to dissolve the oil

workers" strike committee. which Right from the start these and committees have direcled part the of their activity at the working and class. In Tabriz the Khomeini

commitler, which is implanted in the tractor factory and in a machine-tool factory. tried to ban the distribution of way, and things continue to be the better rather than worse at the

Pahlavi hide-out Bahamas.

The opening sentence quoted above is the only indication in a two page Interview that the abuse and hostility which has been heaped on her husband' right have been Hence one of the mportant political events of the century is reduced do 's story of a woman's love that

all Icallets except their owr For good measure it decide to close down the university which had become the politica forum for the whole town.

In Tehran, in the General Motors and bazaar factories, the Khomeini com

mittees or their representatives

for have busted the

committees, heterogeneous workers had demanded to elect somctimes their employers.

As SAVAK agents

the Integrated into the Khomein to USC committees in certain factories

to block the setting up of trade unions. The Ayatollah's sup porters have tried to use the structures of the old vertical yellow unions which were set up at by the old regime under the direct control of the political police. neighbourhood mittees were only set up at the end of December, often at the which initiative of the local mosques of the to distribute oil and fuel during

the general strike. often discussion forums than decision making hardly ever voted on anything. Above all the leadership of these committees passeu the hands of against the oil hierarchy and the local leaders

Who were soon to form the Khomeini committees. block the It is clear that in certain

areas, Kurdistan and Turkestan for cxample, committees have become the TALLITE instruments counter-revolution. where they continue to be the terrain for political battle, of

well- struggles for influence between

the various different class interests holds its age-old mystery... that defies all reason." 'Reason' is not the strong point of Mary Interviewing technique. Rather than give in to the fashionuble desire to briag politics into everything. Hampson gives us such useful information as the fact that the weeks of strain and anxiety caused Farah to lose pouds. presumably since the other sort were sufely In a Swiss bank account.)

The interview does have a political point however, Most obviously I tries (mot very convincingly) to rehabilitate

Showing how Farah "was deepl; involved in some 50 charities". Muny of her good works were concerned with worsen

that the magazine is interested

the In Farah.

She remembers: "When I wa living as a student in Paris 1 saw how wondertel it was for the women in the western world They had treedoms... the right to be justified. beings. most Farah, for Woman's Own, Is

the ideal Iranian woman. She is not a Moslem obscurantist sad iberefore Incomprehensible to

Iran National

old strike Previously the

have com-

They were

bodies, and

into

the religious

the Khomeini

Uaf the But else-

and LACEDES

western journalist.

But the

Hampson's

SUIT

in other

(That woman. pounds weight,

BAREY 01 Sunday

North Street, Clapham,

women who group's nims.

Embassy,

Conference Universty, London they had

full human

English

Demonstration, 2pm.

Embassy.

the racist prejudices of the

advantage of Interviewing her rather than details).

of the women scial fighting for women's righis in Iran is that sae conforms so perfectly to the sesist stereotype of the beautiful, loyal wife

words Woman's Own'sidea of the 'free" western

The Iranian Women's Solldarity Group is organising a women's movement delegation to Iran to investigate the reality of women's oppression there.

Its nest meeting is at 5pm ou

29 April, at South was tortured. don 5W4, and is open to all

support the refused.

Future events incide:

mbassy 16 Princes Calle

Priaces Gate, London SW7, from 5-7pm

• 12 May, Iranian Women's

the City afternoon senion will be le

National Tratalgar Square. March to Iranian the Forum

Writer denounces Colombian repression LATIN America's most dis tinguished writer has protested against the current wave of repression in Colombia (see Just week's Socialist Challenge for

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, thi author of One Hundred Year of Solitude, says in a letter to the Colombian President, Julio Cesar Turbay Avala:

•Denunciations of cases of torture and illegal treatement inflicted in Colombian military Free Libardo Gonzalez

LIBARDO Gonzalez Florez was arrested by the Colombian secret police on 29 March. He was taken to the artillery barracks in Rogota where he

His lawyer has been denied ay rights to organise a proper defence and a writ of habeas corpus has been

Libardo Gonzalez is the author of books on Eurocom munism and on the Colombian lives political parties, a member of the central committee of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (PSR — Colombian supporter: of the Fourth International). and a leader of the university teachers union. He had been chosen to represent his union at

for Democratic Rights in Bogara on 3031

and so convincingly reported by the world press and by authoritative individuals that it is dil ficult to imagine that they could all be labrications of the opposition

"The Habeas Foundation Fo the Rights of Man in Latin America, of which t president, consequently proposes that you agree to our sending neutral observers 10 Colombia.

March

The government claims that Gonzalez is suspecied of belonging to a Trotsk sist terrorist organisation. the Workers Self-defence Organi sation. koown by is initials MAO!

An immediate internationa campaigo is needed to fre Libardo Gonzalez, just as past campaigns have defended the

Latin American Trotskyists such is Hugo Blanco

Send telegrams to Presiden Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala, Palacio de San Carlos. Bogota, Colombia, with copies to Combute Socialista, Apartado acrco 13750, Bogota, Colom

Page 13 scan of this page

The fight for a revolutionary party

ELECTIONS

against the Labour

they vote for Communist Party candidates?

which we give to them.

Was the ILP correct in running as muny candidates as possible in the recent General Elections, even at the risk of splitting the vote?

Yes. It would have been foolish for the ILP to have sacrificed its political programme in the interests or so-cale unny, to allow the Labour Party to monopolise the platform..

There is always a risk of splitting. and deposits, but such risks must be taken. Otherwise we boycott ourselves.

Was the TIP correct in refusing critical support to Lalour Party advocated military sunctions?

No...It should have critical support to all Labour Party candidates, i.e. where the ILP was not itself contesting...

The Labour Party should have been critically supported not because it was for or against sanctions, but because represented the working class masses..

The war crisis does not alter the fact that the Labour Partyis a workers' party. which governmental party is not. Nor does it alter the fact that the Labour Party leadership cannot fulfil their promises, they will betray the confidence which the masses place in them...

Revolutionists never critical support to reformism

the assumption

satisfy the fundamental needs of the workers...

No, in war as in peace, the ILP must say to the workers: 'The Labour Party will deceive you and betray you, but you do not believe us. Very well, we

ences with you, but in no case do we identify ourselves with *FOR a Revolutionary Party" Is the title of a new pamphiet by Bub Pennington which has just been published by the Enternational Marxist Group.

The pamphlet points out that the lightine for socialism have seldom been better. On a world

ER BEENIE -TES forced onto the defensive afler its defeats Indochins, Angola, and now iran.

In Britain capitaliom stuggers from one crisis to the next. The Labour lenders like Callaghan and Healey are forced to act more and mor openly defiance of basic working class

But as Pennagion out, there is a real risk that these opportonities may wasted. The Labour 'lefts"

SHOULD revolutionary Marxists stand in elections

Party? Should they conditions on voting for Labour candidates? Should

Many people are grappling with these questions for the first time in this general election. But the questions themselves are not new; nor are the answers losing

the the Labour Party programme.*

Morrison, Clynes, etc. [the Labour leaders]

that certain prejudices

workers, When the ILP socks to boycott Clynes it helps Baldwin [the Tory leader) but Clynes himself.

LINL

If successful in its tactic, the could that IL.P prevents the Clynes, of the

government, and so prevents exposure before The workers will say Morrison in power, only we had Clynes wouid have been better It is argued that the Labou Party already stands exposed by its pust deeds in power and its present reactionary platand the Communist Party, for of u that matter have become totally trapped in their schema securing through parliamentary channels.

An alternative. ever, in slowly beginning to lale on form loday in le

been vurious struggles and more-

ments aguinst wage controls, for the right to work, for women's liberation, racism, for the withdrawal of British troops from Ireland. The pamphlet argues that capitalism will only be overIn thrown hy developing self-orgunisation of working people around policies which points chullenge the right of the ruling

class to decide how society is

be organised.

Central to that is the building

Trotsky on elections

place

1935-36 (Pathfinder Press). form. For us — yes! But not for the masses, represent millions who voted Labour. of the Let us suppose that the ILP

had been successful in a boycott

DOE tactic, had won

workers to follow it, and that it was the absence of this million votes which lost the election for the Labour Party. clection of war came the masses Labour the war camel

would in their disillusionment turnto the Labour Party, not to us.

and If soviets were formed during

things the war the soldiers would elect

Labour Party people to them, not us. Workers wouls still say that we handicapped Labour.

But if support and by that means Trouch ies Fight for a Marxist ROYCHES BERET programme based change historic lessons of the working

class movement and drawing on the experience ol current

how- struggles, such a

provide un overall perspective for the warkers" power.

This party must be democratic, allowing free discussion aguinst within its ranks on a whole

range of tactical questions: it must also be internationulist

solidarity but by basing its

this activity on an understunding of

the current international Pennington argues that today only the Fourth Internat¡mal provides that necessury framework for revolutionaries

A clear statement of the basic principles at stake was given by Leon Trotsky more than forty years ago in an interview with a member of the centrist Independent Labour Party in November 1935.

Below we reprint the most relevant extracts; the full text can be found in Writings of Leon Trotsky

Party capitalist

marched with them.

not betray. replace

for power.

it...

sharply

the clections than

Led the Labour Party

leaders

deficiencies of the eight Party without advantages

what true million means.

masses the purpose

leadership, HAVe critical leadership. 00 the

organisation

party can ing for such a position. establishment

approuch it

that fight

nationalist. stage of cluss struggle.

helped the Labour Parly lo power, at the same time telling the workers that the Labour

would function as a and would direct a capitalist war -then, when war came, workers would sce that we predicted rightly, at the same time that we

We would be elected to the soviets, and the soviets would

5 a general principi

volutionary party has t right lo boycott parliament only when it has the capacity to overthrow it, that is, when it

parliamentary action by general strike and insurrection, by direct struggle

In Britain the masses have yet no confidence in the ILP. The ILP is therefore too weak to break the parliamentary machine and must continue to use

The ILP should have more

differentiated itself ist policies. from the Communist Party at

it did. should have critically support

against Pollitt and Gallacher [the CP

It should have been declared openly that the CP has all the

the Labour any of its It should have, above all, shown in practice

critical support with the sharpesy and wident accontpanying support criticism, by patiently explaining that such supportis only for expenditare

of exposing treachery of the Labour Party

the would have completely exposed, also, the spurious "critical" support of the Stalinists themselves, a support which was actually whoic-nearted and uncritical,

capital and based on an agreement in prisciple with the Labour Party

solidarily.

Victim

In Britain. And while the IMG would not make affiliation o

Fl a condition in the establishment of a new unifled

would Insist on its right to continue arguing and organis-

Thus the pamphlet concludes that those who agree with the

puts forward should consider joining the IMG now in order to strengthen

- for a new unitied revolutionary party which i both democratic and inter-

'For a Revolutionary Party" can be ordered, price 30p plus 10p pep, From: The Other Bookshop, 328 Upper Street, Landon NI 2XQ

Waste not,

want not

ONE OF Thatcher's major campaigning points has been ped. the increase in burcaucracy, rec tame and waste caused by Callaghan's allegediy Social-

In fact a genuine workers" government could offer the cheupest state of all abolishing the large part of it

with keeping working people down ratber than necessary admini-

For instance, even in Cuba

from being workers" democracy) there is no police force at all; yet crimes

violence are way below Western levels, and crimes of property are almost unknown. All police work is done hy voluntary committees.

Or take so-called defence

officialy esnmated at £7,178m for 1979-80. Most of this is used to heet up imperialism's war machine and could be scrapped forthwith in asocialist Britain

Working people would find a much better defence against their real enemies

through a simple people smilitia and by building international working class

It was this kind of defence which defeated the arned might of the USA in Cuba and

In the same way, large parts of the civil service (and much

SUBE ALIE ABOLISHING the police would cut state expenditure!

wasteful and could be scrap-

It is difficult, of course, to calculate the full social benefits of such changes But as minimum we could add together the results of eliminating all non-productive jobs payıng over €15,000, abolishing the police and standing army, junking the monarchy and aristocracy, and scrapping the bulk of the arms programme

This alone contes to sonie £15.000m, orabout 15 per cent

the economy's present productive resources

Modern capitalism is in fact doubly wasteful Not merely are there obvious absurdities such the millions unemploved alongside Idle plant. There is also a growing waste which comes from competition as such

The more that huge mono polies and cartels come lo control the market, the more they compete through other icans than price competition Hence the bigger the proportion of resources devoted to totally wasteful activities such as advertising, marketing, and so on, the more money thrown down the drain in "gadgets" and built-in obsolescence.

This contributes nothing to the real material and social well-being of working peopie and could be done away with tomorrow through plamun

based on people's need Socialist Challenge 26 April 1979 page 13

Page 14 scan of this page

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Page 15 scan of this page

ISN'T WORKING

EACH TIME THE MEDIA MENTION 'BALANCE' SEND US A QUID!

to mastermind their election campaign.

By Cieoff Bell

If ever there was a perfect example of the Conservatives ideology in practice, Saatchi and Saatchi is it.

The agency has enjoyed a IT-fold increase in prc-tux profits since 1970, and last year it had a 69 per cont relurn on capital. Although it is ranked only fourth in the advertising agencies" "top ten", , there is no doubt that Saatchi and Saatchi & the most famous In the country-

The agency's contract with the Tories cornerstone of its succen. Not merely has the company beer alocated a rumoured E3m promote Thatcher and friends,

through that campaign Saachi and Saatchi itsell has become a household name

By advertising sandards the company deserves both money and the fame Their campaign for the Tories — with posters such as the dole queue with the slogan 'Tabour En't working" -has been just about the shckest piece of political propaganda for a long time.

How many VOTES produce is a different matter. But оПе study voting behaviour in the American state of linois in 1972 showed

CIBLESE without television advertising, news paper ads alone swayed 3 per cent of voters from one party to the other.

Brain, we transfered

to Britain, with the thrown in, it just could be that Saaichi and Saatchi will win the clection for the Tories. And if such an interpretation was By Roger Protz

I HAVE to admit to u sneaking sympathy for newspapereditors and media bosses. General CICCUPIE enough io cover without the Two major parties uppearing to change places in the political spectrum.

In the past week I have had to keep pinching myself to make

it some Malice in Woaderland nightmare.

On the little sereen and in the pages of the papers were the comforting conservatire tones

of Jim Callaghun, waring

against people who 'wanted to

fear things up by the roots' and

the more abrusive style of the

Margulellal, claiming to be the

modern leir of the nitur

movement.

UNDER REVIEW

Saatchiand Saatchi

The selling

of Thatcher

*THE TRUTH is that people succumb to simple arguments*, says the 1978 annual report of Saatchi and Saatchi, the advertising agency hired by the Tories

If the selling of the Tories is based on that philosophy then Thatcher and Saatchi is more than a business arrangement; it is a meeting of like minds.

placed on a Tory victory, then the agency would reap yet more

A recent article in the that the Tory campaign has done nothing to alienate the roster of bive chip clients who can be expected to be pleased if InE agency's work helps Mrs Thatcher win the election'

Saatchi's clients come in all shapes and sizes. One of the most faithful is United Biscuits, wha gained against secondary picketing during the lorry drivers strike the and have Tory unions spokesperson Jame Prior director.

Not that Saatchi is only prepared to serve the guardians. of free enterprise. Nationalised industries such as British Rail companies Tike Leyland, government bodies such as the Manpower Services the Commission have all used the

That's on top of the big private clients: 10sh. Sainspurys, Rowntree tosh, Jeans, and so on. will The money involved in such custom meant that last year Saatchi had a turnover of E59 million.

Because there are only 20,000 employed industry as a whole, the profits involved — twice the industrial aVerage 1asI V0ar the pockets of the directors, the snarenolacrs. ana, to alcasci extent, the smart-alecks who spend their working thinking up ways to persuade

Malice in Wonderland

It says a lot for the gutless, policy-less mature of Labour's manifesto and the slither towards that the Tories can have the hard brazen affrontery to present themselves to the electorate as the apostles of change.

This theme was taken up by rerEne worboroe, Я me: priest of the Tory right, in the Sunday Telepraph, where cluimed and 1 think lis tongne was not in his cheek -that the Tory Party of Thatcher and Joseph emhodies the spirit of social democrucy Warming 10 Worsthorne called for a return to the spirit of 1945 and the reforming zeal of the post-mar Labour government.

Before you reach for a stiff drink at the thought of the 8BF142

commented

as 4

British DunieMackin Sch-

Brutus

without Saatchi and Suatchi.

advertising spend more, and vote the right

was.

The means used in such end up in pastimes are well illustrated by

the Tory ads. As little is said or argued as possible, as much as possible is implied. day"

Thus Labour isn't working' 'the consumer" to buy more, is in itself a fair cough | can't hang on forever, with

measure of interests of working people, be

purty's warned: Worthorne is a subtle "moderation' dinlectician ol the right.

The Attlee gorenument, be suid, had been smusth some of the excesses of capitalism such as unemployment, poverty, poor health and lousy educulion for the maJonny But now the pendulum has swung too far and we need Tory radicals to ure us front ta modern excesses of stifling burcuucracy and stale interACTUALLY his theme, Missing from this cloquent

piece of chop-logic was the fact that social democruts do not as rESE include

may direction massive switch of taxation in

UNEMPLOY•

OFF

speke

Imagine the woild without Dunlop

suggestion

process.

poster *Cheer change in the

public spending

and hysterical forced unionism. start probing

start asking questions.

in their though they move in such

Dracue

LABOUR STILL

A Sautchi advert for Dunlop. The workers at Dunlop's factory in Speke - which has just seen shutdown — Find it only too easy to imugine the world without Dunlop. And it's not hard to imagine it

statement, because unemploy ment has doubled in the past five years — bur there is no whatsoever.

about what Taries would do to halt that armilse,

The other famous Saatchi

Labour favour of the rich, cals in

That will penalise the poorest members of society und a mean, vicious

anti-trade

The press gives coverage by the acre to the ahsard rudical posturings of the Tories yet nowhere is there any analysis of this strange political animal, the reforming Conservative.

But then analysis is something of which the British press fights desperately sies: if they

and analysing why, God forbid, people might

PS: You won't forget. will you: please don't go unwind tearing things up by the roots.

In the Lahour Party, they leave that sort of thing to the Turies

by • DUNLOP

"the Conservatives are coming' in small letters, says nothing

almost apoliticul; its purpose is to

to reduce political argument lo jibes and repartee.

Far better Chat суре of approach, say the Tory campaign managers. than that forever.

bookmart

FIRST QUARTER 1979

The Bookman Club Is now an esterised method lor socialists 10 get th

HOW IT WORKS. You send us £4. 50 for which vou will receive the backs on

WRETCHET THE FLAG

ротон 121 36:

REVOLLMON, Is Jock Lancor

HELLO. ARE YOU WORKING: 150P)

HUNDRED YEONS OF LABOUR IN THE USa by Dane Guern 163.30

Send mu BOOKMARX CLUB. 260 Saran Basen Roul. London N4 -

ITTER OFF WITH THE CONSERVENIVES

Thatcher should debate policies with Callaghan on television

This fits in with the basic nature of advertising, where the heaviest expenditure incurred

the manufacturers deteruents, confectioneries toiletries and biscuits - all of them highly comperitive indus tries producing goods which are mostly unhealchy for the consumner and vary listle trom

Accordingly, advertising be comes the premium -it b th message and its effectiveness which is the seller, rather than the usefulness or quality of the product.

In that comest a further sentence from Suatchi's annual report is worth quoting, "Criticism of advertising', says the repon. is in reality a criticism of our whole free enterprise system

Rarely can the agency have

anything so truthful.

WATER

Still, if you are fed up witt

are fed up with its most obvious characteristic — the promotion of women as sex/selling objects - if you are fed up with this non-productive indusity pro moting goods which hardly merit production in the first place, if you are fed up with the meaningless banalities which scream al you or whisper intimately to you from the TV screens; if you are fed up with all this. cheer up Tree enterprise can't hang nue wher list of your chome. Extra-lises can be

LET ME SPEAK, by Dumitiv Barr

le Changara / E2 96

OMAN ON THE LOGE OF TIME

wish to jon. 0 24 50: 2250

NAME

ADDRESS Sociulist Challenge 26 April 1979 page 15

Page 16 scan of this page

Socialist Challenge

Making Ireland

Registered with the Post Office as a newspaper. Published by Reigocrest Led. for Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Lipper St, London Nt. Printed by Feb Edge Litho Ltd (TU)

1,000

kids

make

a date

with

Marx

ELECTION or no election, last Saturday's Sun decided that the Revolution rally on 5 May was a bleger news story.

There on the front page was the story of how '1,000 Revo kids make a date with Mars'.

Sorry, old karl can 1 make it.

But don't worry, plenty of MeAliskey (Devlin), Toothpaste, and Tariq Ali.

There'll be films as well "Home, Soldier, Home', *Blacks Britannica and "An

Domestic: 6 months, £5; 12 months, £10 Abroud: Airmail, £16.50. Surface, £10 per annum. Multi-reader institutions: double individual rate Special domestic election offer: E2 for 3 months

Name ...

Address.

Tenclose a donation for the Fighting Fund of.........

"Socialist Challenge'. Complete and return to:

Sin

THE

By JOHN HILL A THOUSAND schoolchildren expected to mais at an astonishing Marxist rally.

Tha children have " lessons " how to form pupli unions and wil! attend "workshops" on jects including sexuality.

Firebrand former Ulster MP Bernadette Dovlin- now McAliskcy-and Vietnam war protester Tarlq Ali are among the speakers.

Group

The one-day event at the City University In London on May 5 Is being staged by a new Socialist youth group called Revolution.

The group backs abolishing the aRe consent and lowering the voting age.

It is named after Journal founded supporters of the extreme Left-wing paper Socialist Challenge.

Mr Brian Grogan. of the paper, said yesterday "This will a red-blooded political rally."

Hug is not a Chicken'

There's food, drink, musle

stalls und

Ireland, sexism, and fascism. There's a gig in the evening

starting at opm but the whole

show gets under way at 12 BUSTER.

City University is the venue,

£1.50 the entrance fee for

school students and wageless, €2.50 for the rest. Don't let the Sun down, make that dale on 5 May.

Cheques, POs and money orders should be made payable to Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper Street, London N1 2KQ.

are

will on

sub-

Mrs

0n THROUGHOUT the general clection campaign we and our supporters have attempted in every way possible to make Ireland into a major issue We have constantly heckled Labour leaders — particularly James Callaghan "blanket protests" outside clection meetings, and demanded the immediate withdrawal of troops Ireland.

Examples Include the heckling of Callaghan in Cardift, Birmingham, Hemel, Huddersfield, boiding of a dozen meetings on Ireland throughout the country; the stringent ex-Northern DETECH National Union of Scudents conference in Blackpool.

Orhers have parlicipated in this activity; members of Sin Fein, the Revolutionary Group, and the United Troops

TROOPS OUT

NOW

PAT ARROWSMITH beads "Troops Out" march in Glasgow

an issue -

we claim

campaigns.

have been staged laghan as "terrorists',

attuck in

from the North of

activity, Manchester; the breaking the questioning of Ireland Junior example Orme at the

be an issue.

The only They include Callaghan has

Communist ashamed of yourselves

responsibility

Out Movement. Bur we are the only candidates standing in this election who have put the issue of Ireland to the fore in our

bring

Because of this activity

smeared by Calwe have been subjected to a hysterical

the Observer by Conor Cruise O'Brien, and one o1 u5, Pat Arrowsmith, bas published in been arrestod - as have a number of our supporters.

We make no upology for this an

because have devolution, thereby had some success in

consensus of Zim balwe. silence on Ireland by the major We political parties. We note as an candidates

the editorial in the London Evening News of 20 April, headed İreland should

reply from harassed been to tell silence. hecklers that you should he

Will he now comment on the issue

latest scandal of his government the decision of the Northern Ireland Director of

that.

Public Prosecutions not

charges the soldiers responsible for the killing of wildfowler James Taylot, who was shot in the back by the SAS last September? We very much doubt it.

Yer a recent opinion poll

the Financial Times showed that Ireland was thought to be more important

election issue than

education, nationalisation, or

may be the only putting the Irish issue forward, but we are by no means alone in demanding that it should be discussed.

We shall not be intimidated,

For arrested into Until the last British Ruy soldier leaves Ireland we will continue to make ireland an Jeff

- in this election, after it.

and if need be in the nex election and the election afler

Signed:

Paul Adams (Socialist Unity candidate, Liverpool Toxteth) Chris Adumson (SU candidate, Hirmingham Small Heath) Tariq All (SU candidate, Southall!

Pat Arrowsmith (Independent Socialist candidate, Cardiff South-Bast)

Brendan Gallagher (Independent candidate, Barnsley)

Juniper (SU candidate, Notingham East)

Walter McLellan (SU candidate, Glasgow Queen's Park) Janel Muguire (SU candidate, Deptford)

Michael Simpson (SU candidate, Islington)

Pauline Stanton (SU candidate, Hull Central

Varnes (SU candidate, Bethnal Green and Bow)

West (SU candidate, Manchester Ardwick)

3-4 The Oval, London E2.

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