Warmongers' assistant?
Socialist Organiser1982 1982-06-03Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 10 →
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IN PEACETIME, Michael Foot is an inveterate peacemonger. In wartime, it seems, he becomes a warmonger. And the more bloody the fighting, the more craven his support for Thatcher's war in the South Atlantic.
It cannot be said that we had no warning. Foot was a fighter for nuclear disarmament - until he was in a position to take PHOTO: JOHN HARRIS decisions on nuclear weapons.
Then, in a secret inner cabinet of the last Labour government, he took part in a decision to update Polaris.
He has never opposed Britain's war in Northern Ireland.
But Foot's record on the South Atlantic war -and the way he has drawn closer and closer to the Right wing across the board - is now making many Labour activists ask whether the time has come to replace him as Labour Party leader. Foot Last Friday's Morning Star said Tony Benn had decided not to run against Foot. But there is still time for a campaign to 'draft Benn' •- as a candidate representing Labour Party rank and file policies.
The last Socialist Organiser delegate meeting considered whether to campaign for a challenge to Foot, and decided to discuss the issue further in local groups. The discussion comes back to the next delegate meeting this Saturday, 6th -in the light of Foot's record on Thatcher's war.
Thomas
LI M Demonstration against the war PR THE COMMITIEE YUR HUMAN R IN ARCENTINA SAYS STOP THIS WAR NOW in the South Atlantic not, and I suppose it is easy to argue for party unity but it often means that principles get thrown out of the window.
Foot clearly does not command respect in this situation, from left or right. A leader has to take the movement forward, but to do that he has to adhere to principle.
Are there any other comments you would like to make on the war in the South Atlantic?
British capitalism is on the offensive, apparently winning a mini-war. But the real casualties are the working class, both in and out of uniform.
When we go out and argue we may meet a hostile response simply because of the hysteria built up in the press.
But we snuwu uring our forces together and try to develop a unity of the left so that we can take the working class forward in a real fight against the Tories.
relail