The Southwark fightback

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'Either we destroy essential services and add to unemployto vote down Golding. ment. Or we massively increase rates which our electors cannot afford. We are no longer prepared to make this choice! "The government has consistently reduced its spending on local services. Now we intend to force the government to foot its share of the bill." its jobs and working conditions. Southwark councillor Steve Marsling summed up the mood of delegates from six London coúncil Labour Groups, local parties, trade unions and tenants groups who attended the London Campaign Against the of the membership. Cuts conference on July 17.

Southwark councillors, who hosted the conference, have already begun a campaign against the Tories' threat to further slash council spending file.

DID you see Cecil Parkinson's reaction to a suggestion after the hanging debate that the matter should be settled by referendum?

The Tory front bencher looked askance at the question and launched into a defence of Parliamentary democracy, say[ing that MPs must have "decision by debate" through a Campaign Working Party which involves the Coun cil, Labour Parties, trade unions By Patrick is that we vote after the press and tenants groups. It was unanimously agreed to urge Labour Parties and Labour councillors in other London boroughs to follow the same model to build a 'grass roots' campaign against Tory cuts, and to work to link together the campaigns into a powerful all-London movement.

Proposals from Socialist Organiser supporters for councillors and Labour Parties to tour council workplaces to involve trade unionists in the fight against government cuts, and to build workplace Labour Party branches to overcome the traditional divisions between manual and officer council unions were enthusiastically supported.

Delegates all stressed that we need the type of door-todoor campaigning that will take Dily Mail n EXPRESS The Daily Urlegraph Sunthe issues of the Tory attack on councils out beyond the committee rooms and council chambers.

Though the conference was small, it was a first step that could be vital. The first moves have been made early enough to get action before the Tories ram through their legislation and then great cuts.

A co-ordinating committee was set up to build a further conference in the autumn and -more urgently — to publicise the type of anti-cuts work done by groups in London and work to link them together.

If a real campaigning base is built, the Tory trap of letting labour councillors raise rates to stave off cuts - but still hitting workers' living standards - can be avoided... we can take them on! issues. At heart the gutter press is in favour of both executions and touring South Africa (preferably at the same time, through a tour by the public hangman stringing up 'dissidents' along the way).

But on hanging they were caught by fear of mass reaction to hangings in Northern Ireland.

And on South Africa they

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