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fied exploitation of the sick and the elderly for profit, and for forcing all families onto private health insurance.

But the unions and Labour Party have been nowhere near as consistent or determined in opposing such moves. The last Labour government reintroduced prescription charges rather than nationalise the drug monopolies, and failed to take any serious action to eliminate pay beds in NHS hospitals. The health unions COHSE and NUPE retreated in January 1980 from their pledge to take action against private beds, while the TUC itself actually owns a private hospital, the Manor House in Hampstead. ONE of Britain's nastiest feudal relics last week added his two pennyworth to the Tory cold war propaganda.

The Duke of Edinburgh has long been known for his sexist, anti-unon and warmongering views: his latest suggestion is for degree courses in military science, which would school a new elite officer corps in techniques of domination and repression.

He felt obliged to decorate this with a touch of his Readers' Digest view of Marxism, informing anyone obsequious enough to listen that:

'the massive and continuing build-up of the Soviet military arsenal and the well-known Marxist dedication to the destruction of the so-called capitalist-imperalist nations by any means. suggests that the whole subiect of military science is well worth much closer study?

Prince Philip's intervention in support of Thatcher's campaign - though in stark contrast with the stage-managed populsim of 'Bonny Prince Charlie' and 'Randy Andy' - should come as no surprise.

•But it serves to highlight another significant weakness in the programmes of both the Labour and Communist Parties -neither calls for the abolition of the monarchy which could yet prove.a decisive element in the regroupment of the reactionary forces of the bourgeois state against the workers' movement.

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