Speaking for Labour, or NATO

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LABOUR's front bench defence spokesperson Bryn- true enough: to scrap the Bomb would annoy John does not argue for Labour Party policy mor John and his four deputies have issued a letter Reagan! But it would also build a strong alliance against the Tories. Instead he campaigns against Labour Party policy of unilateral nuclear disarma- to trade unions calling on them to help reverse between the British labour movement and the Amer- ican working people who opposed the Vietnam war. Labour Party policy and for a policy essentially complacent attitude that we've won most of what ment and military spending cuts, decided at last The front bench team's final argument, directed We know the Labour Committee for Transatlan- we need to win. We can leave the rest to work itself year's conference and confirmed at July's National against military spending cuts, is that these cuts will tic Understanding is active, headed by union right through in time, gradually, cautiously, and without mean loss of jobs in the armed forces and arms wingers like Terry Duffy and Frank Chapple, with a Even if Britain scraps the Bomb, they say, 'in industries. Lucas and Vickers workers have already budget totally provided by NATO. We know that the any event, nuclear weapons exploded in, for prepared plans for switching their factories from CIA was probably active in helping reverse Labour's ism claw by claw. they want to do it without using example, trance, would attect large parts of the United Kingdom whether or not we were directly economic planning under the democratic control of A shorter work week, nationalisation, and chiefs, but we don't know if his links go any further. We can be certain that John discusses with NATO half way. They deplore 'excessive arms spending but That is, of course, true enough. If warmongers the working class, are the answers to unemployment In any case, he speaks for the policy of NATO, of They criticise militarism but accept British troops in will settle for a cheaper defence of British capitalism. anywhere in the world have the Bomb, then all of us the warmongers, and of the capitalist class. in danger. We need to disarm and overthrow all the Brynmor John is not in the business of convinc- • It shows how far the Left still has to go to win Ireland. They go half-way - or half-way to half-way.

Wing people. As in 1960-1, when once before Labour But John's conclusion is: the British labour Party conference voted for unilateral nuclear disarm- In the 1960s the method of the Left was to pass CLPs and the Parliamentary Labour Party must be movement should not start by disarming our own ament, the right wing relies on its continued grip on resolutions and leave the right wing in control of the wing and do-nothing fake-lefts must be removed made accountable to the Party as a whole. The right warmongers! Logically no-one else should start either. And when the four minute warning sounds, the real posts of power to beat down the rank and the resolutions and raised a hue and cry about dis- movement's leadership. The right wing leaders detrea from the positions where it can sabotage Party we'll still be waiting for the international talk- John has already threatened to resign as Labour ruption when members protested at this defiance. policy, and we must organise a clear class struggle defence spokesperson. But the real question is: why Sadly but submissively, the Left retreated John also argues that expelling US bases would is he Labour's front bench defence spokesperson Tony Benn's challenge to Dennis Healey as "ruin the alliance" between Britain and the US, and now! Or, more to the point, whose defence spokes- deputy leader is a first break with that tradition. But disrupt US-British economic cooperation. Again, the whole Labour front bench is still dominated by Executive.

attacked"

warmongers.

shops to produce peace... file. military to socially useful production.

- not more weapons of mass murder. person is he really?

with cautious appraisal. "The strikers and their union were instantly hit with every weapon available to the Administration. The sack for 1,000 controllers, massive fines against the union, jail for five officials (later released). "Also instantly set in motion was a big recruiting and training programme for new controllers, those similar to the Tories'.

anti-Bomb policy in 1960-1. sacked being told they would not get their jobs back.

"All this was done not in dribs and drabs but all together, right at the outset. Thus we have another good indication of Mr Reagan's style.

"Following his triumphs in getting his. economic measures - the Budget and the tax cuts - through Congress, it adds to the impression that America has a President who knows how to govern and has the skills to do so."

The Economist echoed these sentiments (which led in both cases to cautious calls for anti-strike legislation in Britain).

"He (Reagan) will now come under pressure from all sorts of affected interests to edge back into appeasement, so this is the week for ordinary people [news eidtors?] to all give him a clear "bravo' "For the past 20 years, governments and einployers have usually given in to strikes, because the cost of losing output in an interdependent world has tended to look higher than the cost of surrender."

After praising his "admirable boldness' the Economist looks to a humiliating peace treaty.

Holiday

*In holiday mood in his ranch, the President may be pressed this weekend to rescind the sackings. It he does he should be careful to demand conditions - such as some cut in overmanning and full surrender by the unions in their wage demands - which would only confirm his triumph."

As the revivalists begin 1o froth at the mouth it is only a matter of time before they clamour for the air controllers to be crucified in rows alongside the highways.

What is really needed is thoroughgoing plague of boils in the shape of some solidarity action from international controllers.

It is time Reagan and friends learned to suffer their religion. real accountability in the Labour Party. men and women openly conference decisions.

causing too much trouble.

a knife! left wing to replace them.

Otherwise all the activity the more than token protest. of