Kinnock launches SHN campaign

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U.S. THUGS GET OUT OF = GRENADA AND CENTRN AMERICHA November 14 A ''Save our Health Service" national campaign was launched on Thursday 3 november by the The centrepiece of the campaign will be a touring ambulance fitted with audio-visual equipment, leaflets, posters, stickers, and other publicity. material.

Neil Kinnock and Michael Meacher - the new shadow social services secretary -speaking at the press conference, stressed Labour's "Charter for the Health Service" which includes the aim of a 3% real increase in the NHS budget per year and the abolition of patient charges; the purpose of which is to "rouse the whole nation in defence of its most prized institution.

The ambulance, to be staffed by Labour Party supporters, is to travel throughout the country promoting what Meacher described as "extra-parliamentary activity" — petitions, meetings and the writing of letters to Tory MPs!

Of course a crusade to defend the NHS is badly needed: but already a number of areas have "anti-cuts" campaigns which are restricted in scope by ful 50p for a single copy, 40p per copy for 5 or more, and 30p per cop for 20 or more, from Employment Unit, Southwark CVS, 135 Rye Lane, London SE15. Cheques payabl to Southwark CVS.

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time union officials to vague and impotent propaganda and letterwriting rather than action.

What will Kinnock and Meacher's attitude be to the hispital occupations currently under way in London and in Bradford, and the growing calls for industrial action by NHS unions to stop the cuts?

Such struggles must be the bedrock of a real campaign of action to halt the cuts. Insofar as the official Labour campaign supports and extends this message it can play a useful role: insofar as it lines up with union officials to divert from the necessary class action in the hospitals, it will detract from the fight.

This week, the campaign is due in Whitehaven on Thursday, Workington and Hexham on Friday, Gateshead and a TUC conference on the Black Report in Gosforth on Saturday.

Then it is due to begin a tour of Yorkshire, the East Midlands, Merseyside, Wales, the West Midlands, Oxford, East Anglia, London and the South Coast before going to Scotland in the New Year. _ONGE R WAITNG LiSTE WARDS UNSTAFFED HOSPITALS CLOSED STAFF ON THE DOLE PATIENT Diary 50p out by Satvinder Singh and Tony Purtill 08005000003 hands off ..sd TALIST ......iaud to ignore them, take all their decisions at the pre-meeting and simply to get through the public bit as quickly as possible!

Mere noise is not going to Picket the Old Bailey 9 affect them. This leaves the Oxon campaign with some interesting tactical decisions to make.

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