Popular front is not the way

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WOMEN'S FIGHTBACK ..) The nightmare arrives, New Women's Fightback now out. 10p plus 16p post- age from 10b Landseer Road, London N19. 6P They are paying £37,500 a quarter to an ex-Tory SDPer professional lobbyist - but disI HAVE no doubt that there is only one central issue for Londoners, for the London Labour Party and for the Ethnic Minorities who have contributed SO much to the rich fabric of society in this great metropolis of ours - and it is simply: the defence of London - the defence of Labour London, of working class London - from one of the worst swingeing attacks in the history of this capital city.

The important achievements which the GLC, and the ILEA, together with the London Labour Boroughs have built up over the years are now being threatened. The Tory plan to dismantle the GLC, their decision to strike at the roots of local government by "rate-capping", their vicious attacks on the National Health Service up and down the country - these represent the greatest threat to the standard of living and condition of life in London.

You will not be surprised to hear me saying that it is the ethnic minorities who will be at the sharp end of these attacks. We know this too well from our experiences in every day life. 'We are always the last to be hired and the first to be fired"

The Tory plan to privatise London, to make it a safe haven for speculators and property developers - it is something we will and must resist with all the energy at our disposal.

How do you think the battle going?

All too slowly. There is a surfeit of committees and great quantities of bumpf rushing all round the place. But I have seen little evidence of work on the level that matters - the ground level, the level where people meet in large numbers - in offices, schols, colleges, employment exchanges and shopping centres.

I ask you how can you justify paying £37,000 for three months work to an SDP turn-coat Tory for lobbying Parliament in defence of tho CIC?

Time is not on our side. The Ethnic Minorities Working VIDYA ANAND has been on the Executive of the Greater London Labour Party for the last two years. He is chair of the Ethnic Minorities Working Party, and is now one of the Party's nominees on the Greater London Council Labour Group.

We asked him how he saw the present situation in London.

Party through our consultative conferences first held at Acton on 29 October and the second at Camden on December 10 are trying to introduce an element of urgency into the campaign. We A campaign based on printed leaflets and documents, indoor meetings and the odd trade union and branch meeting cannot succeed until it reaches out to the people who will be most affected. The building of a rank and file movement in the unions - in NUPE, NALGO, NUT, NATFHE, GLC Staff Association - is far more important for the defence of the Labour GLC than the non-partisan, 'non-political" fronts with Tories and others that seem to be springing up like mushrooms everywhere.

How would you inject the urgency you advocate?

First, London Labour should stop cuddling up to the London Tories and the SDP, stop trying to form a 'popular front' against Mrs Thatcher.

This is not the way. It will lose us credibility with our own supporters.

No, comrades of the GLC, we have to move away from the cosy committee to the real cold world outside. We should spend more time supporting the health workers against hospital closures and service cuts, addressing meetings up and down Lundon defending our people's standards. We have to be out there in front! How do the ethnic minorities, frankly, see this campaign?

None too clearly, I regret to say. The ethnic papers are not devoting sufficient attention in the campaign - especially the language papers. There has been far too much pussyfooting on racism in our own party. We cannot pretend that it is not a factor. The mistakes of the past and, regretfully, of the present as in Walthamstow - weigh like an Alp on even the present well-meaning gestures and initiatives of our party today.

Are you despondent about situation today?

Not at all. The period demands leadership from Lionhearts, and not faint-hearts.

ImOO •nÖnoI This new pamphlet fells the story of the victimisation of Socialist Organiser supporter Alan Fraser and how the fight to defend him was sold out by the union officials. 25p plus postage from 75 Droomantlo finco Basingstoke.

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JOHN HARRIS 1984 Page 3

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